text:
McLaren, Brian
Chapter 11: The Former United States. by BRIAN McLAREN
A 34-year-old yard-sale shopper in Ohio, sifting through a cardboard box of items she'd recently purchased, got something more than she bargained for. Taped to the back of a painting of dogs playing cards, she discovered two pages of single-spaced text, ostensibly from a 22nd-century history book, describing our immediate future. The pages were numbered 88 to 91 (front and back), each witli the following headers on alternate pages: A Brief History of the 21st Century, Chapter 11: The Former United States.
… since most English-language records were destroyed in the chaos that marked the end of the hot Wars in 2051.
The difficult years 2001 to 2008 set the stage for this turbulent hot War period. The United States, confident in its role as sole planetary superpower but anxious about the threat of jihadist terrorism in the aftermath of the homeland terrorist incident of 2001, staged three major military projects during these years.
First, it invaded Afghanistan with mixed results. It successfully forced regime change, ejecting the jihadist party there, but it failed to help the invaded country reunify and rebuild adequately, nor did it apprehend the key leaders of various jihadist groups hiding there, including the planners of the 2001 incident.
Before completing the Afghanistan project, U.S. leaders next turned their attention to a second invasion, this one in Iraq, resulting in another regime change but, again, not in lasting peace. In fact, both regions remain destabilized today as a result of these ill-conceived and poorly executed invasions, torn by ongoing civil wars among competing warlords, many of whom provide safe havens for various remnants of 21st-century jihadist networks.
As a result, doubts about the U.S. Ruling Party's competence became widespread, along with questions of the party's integrity, in large part because the invasion was justified on unflinching assertions that turned out to be false. These doubts caused the Ruling Party to fear loss of dominance in the 2006 elections. Party leaders responded by intensifying their long-term strategy of dividing the American voting public over fringe issues upon which they never planned to take action. Fearing that this strategy would not suffice, they also worked to increase fear and present themselves as the "homeland security party" by diverting attention from recent fauures in Afghanistan and Iraq to a new threat: the nuclear aspirations of neighboring Iran.
While demonstrating a public willingness to use diplomacy, the Ruling Party developed and disseminated secret plans for bombings of Iran and then for a full-scale invasion, all the while denying that such plans existed. In all its efforts, it enlisted (or accommodated) the support of the echoing media. Because the echoing media depended on ratings that were advantaged by fear but disadvantaged by appearing unpatriotic, this Partymedia alliance proved mutually beneficial in the short run, in spite of the long-term disastrous consequences.
So from 2006 to 2008, the Ruling Party and echoing media turned general anxiety into acute fear of Iran, intensifying pro-war rhetoric and moving the country decisively toward its third war in less than a decade.
The Ruling Party also enlisted notable religious leaders to support the war effort, which many saw as a fulfillment of obscure biblical prophecies. Those who opposed the build-up to war with Iran were labeled as "peaceat-all-costs liberals," "unpatriotic cowards," and "naïve leftist idealists," including a growing minority of conservative religious leaders who opposed the impending war on moral and economic grounds. A series of air strikes was launched against Iranian targets shortly before the 2006 elections, based on so-called intelligence reports (later proved bogus) that the Iranians were "nearly at the brink" of producing weapons of mass destruction.
BY THE 2006 elections, the Ruling Party and echoing media successfully quelled all public opposition so that even the Subdominant Party was submissive in principle to the Iran war rhetoric, although they quarreled bitterly (and fruitlessly) about strategy and timing. While some held out hopes that the Subdominant Party would capitalize on the Ruling Party's questionable track record in the first two wars and perhaps galvanize opposition to the third war, no such outcome materialized.
In a stunning case of violating the ancient dictum "Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me," U.S. voters confirmed the Ruling Party's dominance in 2006 and again in 2008, paving the way for the 40 years of hot Wars that erupted full-scale in early 2009 and continued until the Global Financial Meltdown of 2051, which was the fifth and most catastrophic financial crisis of the period, the others occurring in 2010, 2018, 2023, and 2040.
The hot War period began, then, with a series of terrorist attacks on U.S. targets in 2007-08, leading to a reinstitution of the draft in 2009, quickly followed by troop deployments to sites around the world in 2010. That year, the Defense of Freedom Act (DFA) invested the executive branch with sweeping power to suspend First Amendment and other civil rights provisions. It also authorized the executive branch to disregard provisions of the Geneva Conventions indefinitely. It specifically provided for the establishment of extensive secret torture camps (called DFA Intelligence Facilities) and prohibited the echoing press from reporting on any DFA activities. Although these measures served to increase animosity toward the U.S. and encourage terrorist recruitment abroad, they enjoyed widespread support by the American public, largely due to the sympathetic reporting of the echoing media.
The DFA's historic impact was facilitated by the disbanding of the United Nations. In early 2007, shortly after the United Nations protested the Ruling Party's pre-emptive air strikes on Iran, the United States required the U.N. to vacate its headquarters in New York, claiming that a number of U.N. officials were actually spies in league with terrorists and "Iranian interests." After temporarily relocating to The Hague, the U.N. languished and eventually disbanded in 2015, having lost credibility in its inability to restrain either the U.S. or Iran over the previous decade.
In the postwar decade of 2051-2061, the Ruling Party, still in power but crippled by warrelated debt and disgraced by political and economic collapse, oversaw the break-up of the former United States into four separate nations, each of which remains plagued by internal corruption and frequent border disputes to this day.
The United States of Northeast America gathered 10 impoverished Northeastern states in a loose Washington-based coalition, the only group maintaining freedom of religion, although the freedom is seldom made use of. The Christian Heartland Republic, its capital in Colorado Springs, joined 27 semi-autonomous Christian states of the Midwest, Rocky Mountains, and Southeast, united by laws against homosexual marriage, abortion, contraception, pacifism, and the learning of foreign languages, especially Spanish or Chinese.
The Southwest Christian Republic linked five and a half Southwestern states in a similar alliance, minus the Spanish language ban. And the secular Pacific Alliance banded together the remaining seven and a half states (including Alaska and Hawaii) in a loose confederacy that banned public exercise of religion. The Alliance later (2094) became a province of Canada when the Canadian government offered to pay its massive debt to China in return for joining the Canadian Commonwealth.
Historians remain divided as to the root cause of the hot Wars of the 21st century. Three theories have been proposed:
1. The Constitutional Change Theory: According to this widely held view, a group of conspirators in the Ruling Party of the early 21st century chose war as a way of distracting attention and squelching dissent so they could focus on their main project: a covert revision of the American Constitution along Christian theocratic lines. This revision intended to replace the balance of powers with a dominant executive branch, freeing the executive branch to help multinational corporations "increase competitiveness." A dominant executive branch, the plan's architects agreed, could dismande welfare and related social programs so that the tax burden on the rich could be reduced, releasing the rich to "increase competitiveness." As well, a dominant executive branch under the influence of the Ruling Party would favor the interests of what came to be known as the Great Conservative Aristocracy. This coalition of about 35 wealthy families owned corporations that constituted 48 percent of the nation's GDP in 2008. They later formed the governments of the Christian Heartland Republic and the Southwest Christian Republic, both of which currently describe themselves as "free-market, God-ordained democratic oligarchies."
2. The China Theory: Both the Ruling and Subdominant Parties, in this theory, conspired together to position the U.S. as the unquestioned economic power in the emerging global economy, especially in relation to China. Fears of jihadist terrorism were used as a cover to position U.S. economic interests, supported by U.S. military, for an anticipated economic showdown with China. This showdown, of course, never occurred, because war-related deficits eventually caused the U.S. economy to crash, leaving China to ascend unchallenged as the world's enduring superpower in the 202Os.
3. The "Wag the Dog" Theory: Some scholars hold that reality imitated art, referring to a 1997 movie about a fake war used to help a political party win an election. This view suggests that both the Ruling and Subdominant Parties had no coherent long-term strategy at all during this period, either in relation to terrorism or to the global economy. Instead, each acted impulsively and reactively, starting, abandoning, supporting, or opposing wars for domestic partisan purposes, driven only by the short-term goal of dominance in each election cycle. In this view, the 40 hot War years and the civilization-wide regression they precipitated were an unanticipated consequence of shortsighted political gamesmanship aided by a profit-driven echoing media.
Could the 40 hot War years of the 21st century have been avoided? In light of the catastrophic effects of four decades of constant war and the human suffering involved, compounded by the environmental devastation caused directly and indirectly by the hot Wars, this question has preoccupied historians and political scientists for 60 years. Most scholars agree that greater vigilance by the public, and especially by the press and religious leaders, could have made a difference, especially in the crucial years leading up to the invasion of Iran, 2006 to 2008. For this reason, many ….
As one might expect, the yard-sale shopper felt some alarm when she read these pages, and she submitted them to local authorities. After subjecting the documents to a barrage of tests and conducting a thorough investigation, authorities determined that these pages were not from the future after all, but were in fact fictional background material for a neto futuristic video simulation game being designed by a pair of Ohio State University sophomores, both of them political science majors.
The designers were soon located by reporters. "Dude," one of the young designers said to a reporter (on condition of anonymity), "it was all like makebelieve. These were going to be the boundary conditions for afreakin' simulation game-you know, so people could find a way to like save the world and the nation and [expletive deleted]. But it's like a flick to the head, you know? Thinking about where all this could go in like, real reality, as opposed to virtual, you know? It [expletive deleted] freaked us out, so we abandoned the project. "
Her co-designer added, "We computer game nerds sometimes get so wrapped up in virtual reality that we forget that we are not actually living in a game, and that today's netos isn't a simulation. It's all leading somewhere, and each of us is, in a real sense, a player."
Brian McLaren just finished a 24-year assignment as founding pastor of Cedar Ridge Community Church in Maryland. He has written 10 books, including The secret Message of Jesus (W, 2006).
Copyright Sojourners Aug 2006
Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights Reserved

subset: commoncrawl


text:
by Ignacio Puga
(Buenos Aires)
Cameroonian gastronomy varies by region. Overall it is spicy but simply delicious. During your visit you can taste the gastronomic specialties of the country.
Return to Travel Article Submission.
Click for fast expedited courier service
Expedited service takes from 7 to 9 weeks excluding mailing times on the front and back end. Current mailing delays are significant. Requesting 1-2-day mailing service is recommended.
Regional passport agencies are offering two types of appointments: Life-of-Death Emergency Service and Urgent Travel Service.
Life-or-death emergencies are serious illnesses, injuries, or deaths in your immediate family (parent, legal guardian, child, spouse, sibling, and grandparent) that require you to travel outside the United States within 3 business days.
If you need to travel due to a qualified life-or-death emergency, please call the National Passport Information Center for an appointment:
Mondays through Fridays 8 A.M. to 8 P.M. ET, call 1-877-487-2778 (TDD/TTY:1-888-874-7793) Outside of these hours, call 202-647-4000.
For Urgent Travel Service, you need to call 14 days before your scheduled international travel or 28 days if you also need to secure a foreign visa.
If you need to travel urgently for reasons other than a life-or-death emergency, please call the NPIC at 1-877-487-2778 Mondays through Fridays 8 A.M. to 10 P.M. ET.


text:
A German student "mooned" a group of Hell's Angels and hurled a puppy at them before escaping on a stolen bulldozer, police have said.
The man drove up to a Hell's Angels clubhouse near Munich, wearing only a pair of shorts and carrying a puppy.
He dropped his shorts and threw the dog, escaping on a bulldozer from a nearby building site.
He was arrested later at home by police. The 26-year-old is said to have stopped taking depression medication.
After making his getaway on the bulldozer, he had driven so slowly that a 5km tailback built up behind him on the motorway.
After driving about 1km, he had abandoned the bulldozer in the middle of the motorway, near Allershausen. He continued his journey by hitchhiking.
"What motivated him to throw a puppy at the Hell's Angels is currently unclear," a police spokesman said.
The puppy is now being cared for in an animal shelter.
Today in Killdozer news
Puppy thrown at German biker gang
Tags: killdozer
Current Music: Soft Metals -- In Throes ♬


text:
More and more enterprise organizations are planning and deploying into cloud platforms. This trend is occurring despite organizations' historical push-back on cloud services claiming that they are less secure than private on-premises data centers. Even though there is evidence to suggest that cloud application attacks are on the rise, there are to secure cloud services.
On one hand, internal data center services may be tucked nice and neat behind the corporate perimeter firewall, there is evidence that many enterprises do not secure their systems adequately. On the other hand, even though a cloud server may be out-of-site and virtualized in a hyperscale multi-tenant data center, patching and solid discipline can make them secure.
Now that enterprises have a clearer understanding of cloud services and how to secure them, there are now commonly accepted methods to help make clouds more secure. The appearance of cloud security training and certifications is helping organizations securely consume cloud services.
Cloud Security Alliance
The Cloud Security Alliance (CSA) is a U.S. Federal 501(c)6 not-for-profit vendor-independent organization that was formed in late 2008, but now has more than 48,000 members. The Cloud Security Alliance aims to educate and promote the use of best practices for providing security assurance within cloud computing. The CSA's official mission is to "promote the use of best practices for providing security assurance within cloud computing, and to provide education on the uses of cloud computing to help secure all other forms of computing".
The CSA created the "Security Guidance for Critical Areas of Focus in Cloud Computing" document and the current version is 3.0. This document helps organizations understand the domains for organizations to focus on to securely adopt cloud services. The CSA also created their Cloud Controls Matrix (CCM). This complementary spreadsheet lists the important standards, regulations and control frameworks and maps them to the CSA's security domains.
The CSA created their Certificate of Cloud Security Knowledge (CCSK). This vendor-independent certification validates that a security practitioner has a solid understanding of cloud security concepts and the CSA's cloud security domains. The required reading for this certification include:
- CSA guidance version 3.0, Security Guidance for Critical Areas of Focus in Cloud Computing
- European Network and Information Security Agency (ENISA) whitepaper "Cloud Computing: Benefits, Risks and Recommendations for Information Security"
- U.S. NIST documents (SP 800-144, SP 800-145, SP 800-146, SP 500-292, SP 500-293, SP 500-299)
- the CCSK certification FAQ
- and the CCSK Prep Guide (CCSK-Prep-Guide-V3.pdf)
You can study online leveraging the free resources listed above, or you can take one of the training classes offered by the CSA and their partners. There are official CCSK Training Classes available (HP Education Services) which includes the CCSK Foundation (2 days) and the CCSK Plus (3 days). Udemy also offers a very economical way to prepare for the CCSK with their "Understand the CCSK Cloud Security Certification" online class.
The CCSK certification exam is an online open-book exam that costs $345. The exam has 60 questions, takes up to 90 minutes to complete, and you must score an 80% or higher to pass, but you get two attempts at passing.
The Cloud Security Alliance (CSA) then formed their Security Trust and Assurance Registry (STAR) accreditation for cloud service providers. The CSA STAR certification uses the CSA's Cloud Controls Matrix (CCM) and the Consensus Assessments Initiative Questionnaire (CAIQ) to review the service provider's offerings against these domains and best practices.
The first level (Level One) is the introductory CSA STAR Self-Assessment. The second level (Level Two) has three certifications: CSA STAR Attestation, CSA STAR Certification, and CSA C-STAR Assessment. The third and highest level (Level Three) is the CSA STAR Continuous Monitoring. You can see the STAR registry of service providers that have performed these assurance assessments.
(ISC)2 Certified Cloud Security Professional (CCSP)
In 2015, the International Information System Security Certification Consortium, Inc., (ISC)2 created their Certified Cloud Security Professional (CCSP) training and certification program. The CCSP Common Body of Knowledge (CBK) consists of six domains: Architectural Concepts & Design Requirements, Cloud Data Security, Cloud Platform & Infrastructure Security, Cloud Application Security, Operations, and Legal & Compliance.
Along with the information about these six domains, (ISC)2 also recommends reading the U.S. NIST documents, the CSA's CMM, and the ENISA whitepaper (similar to the CSA documents mentioned above). In addition to these, the CCSP also contains information contained within the ISO/IEC 17788:2014 Information technology - Cloud computing - Overview and vocabulary, and the ISO/IEC 17789:2014 Information technology - Cloud computing - Reference architecture.
There are a couple of options for training for the CCSP. (ISC)2 offers a Live In-Person CBK Training Class which includes five days of training for $1,995. (ISC)2 offers Live On-Line CBK Training Class which includes five days of training for $1,395 and also offers an On-Demand On-Line CBK Training for $495 ($395 for current CISSPs). I highly recommend the (ISC)2 Certified Cloud Security Professional (CCSP) On-Demand class taught by Adam Gordon. The training is comprehensive and you can consume the training based on your busy schedule at your leisure.
At the end of last year (November 2015), Adam Gordon wrote "The Official (ISC)2 Guide to the CCSP CBK" (ISBN-10: 1119207495, ISBN-13: 978-1119207498, 560 pages, $80 list price). The (ISC)2 also offers Free Flash Cards On-Line (but these seem to be just terms and definitions).
When it comes to the CCSP exam, these are scheduled through Pearson Vue. The exam takes up to four hours to complete, contains 125 questions, you must score at least 700 out of 1,000 points and the exam costs $549.
SANS SEC524: Cloud Security Fundamentals
SANS has the best security training available in the market. SANS has now created a cloud security class that is offered at many of their events as a two-day in-person or online/self-study class. The SANS class is listed as their "SEC524: Cloud Security Fundamentals". The SANS SEC524 in-person class costs $2,130 (list price), but can be reduced to $1,350 when you register for this class in addition to another four to six day SANS class. The SEC524 class is also offered online for $2,130 and provides course materials and MP3 audio files of the complete course lecture.
The Day 1 curriculum contains information on: Introduction to Cloud Computing, Security Challenges in the Cloud, Infrastructure Security in the Cloud, Policy and Governance for Cloud Computing, Compliance and Legal Considerations, and Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity Planning in the Cloud. The Day 2 curriculum contains information on: Risk, Audit, and Assessment for the Cloud, Data Security in the Cloud, Identity and Access Management (IAM), and Intrusion Detection and Incident Response.
Cloud security has continued to evolve and now there are training and certification options available from vendor-independent organizations. Being proactive with your cloud security is much better than being reactive. It would behoove your organization to digest these cloud security concepts and then embark on design and then deployment.
Alternatively, if your organization has already deployed applications into the cloud and are consuming cloud services, then you can use these domains of knowledge and best practices to assess where you stand. However, if you have gaps between your current cloud security settings, configurations, practices and procedures, then you will have a more difficult time trying to perform a course correction while services are already deployed.


text:
Cute Watercolor Christmas Bear Design | Polar Bear Graphics | Digital Transfer Design | PNG Designs | Commercial Use | Lola Graphics Design
Cute Watercolor Christmas Bear Design | Polar Bear Graphics | Digital Transfer Design | PNG Designs | Commercial Use | Lola Graphics Design
terms and conditions
What is included in this purchase?
Please note that no physical item is included – this is strictly a digital download item which includes 1 PNG image file as shown in the above file. No font or text will be included in this purchase.
Terms and Conditions for Digital Download Files:
• You can use these digital designs to create your own physical items for sale, such as invitations, greeting cards, wall art prints, pillows, mugs, etc.
• This set includes a PERSONAL USE license. You can use these illustrations in any personal or non-profit project. No credit is required with personal
use but would be appreciated (share the love) https://www.etsy.com/shop/LolaSublime or https://www.lolagraphicimages.com
• You may also use these illustrations in your SMALL BUSINESS up to 300 times, BUT, with you MUST credit us "Lola Sublime." The Lola Sublime
credit must be in your listing description by stating: "Design by Lola Sublime." This credit must be listed in your shop and social media listings.
• If you're interested in using any of my illustrations in products you sell over 300 times OR without giving credit, please add the design to your cart and
then purchase my COMMERCIAL LICENSE here:https://lolagraphicimages.com/product/extended-commercial-license-for-the-use-of-only-1-single-design-up-to-1000-times/
• This is a reasonable fee. IF you are not sure how much you are going to sell, please come back and purchase the commercial license and just let us
know in your order notes what set you are purchasing for.
• You may not resell this design in digital format.
• You may not extract any part of the clipart within these designs – unless these designs are stipulated to be exclusive graphics by Lola
Graphic Images, all the graphics within the designs will be available and may be purchased from our Lola Graphics shop.
• You many NOT transfer usage rights of our graphics to a third party company. Only your own personal company/s is/are allowed to use
these graphics – no transferring between family and friends will be tolerated.
• YOU MAY NOT recolor or customise our design yourself. You may not add paint / digital filters over our design to alter it or vectorise it
either. We do offer recolor service for a very reasonable fee. Please send us a message if you wish to recolor / customise any of our designs
• You may NOT use these images to sell products created on sites like Zazzle, RedBubble, Society6 and other third party online shops.
• You may NOT use these images to sell on flash sale sites like Zulily. This is strictly for small commercial website use, Etsy, and Amazon
• You can NOT resell these designs as original/individual clip art /digital or claim as your own designs.
• Please do NOT copy, forward, share, distribute, or sellour images.
• You may not make these designs or any part thereof available on any other site / page / drive for others to use.
There are no reviews yet.


text:
5 movies to binge-watch this Fourth of July
Get your hot dogs, fireworks and sunscreen bottles ready, it's almost the 4th of July.
The holiday celebrating the signing of the Declaration of Independence falls on a Tuesday this year, which may give you an extra-long weekend to enjoy. If you're looking for something to fill the time before the big fireworks show, we've rounded up five appropriately-themed movies for the holiday.
If you want something traditional: Independence Day
Why stray from a classic? Ignore the recent and roundly panned sequel. The 1996 original sci-fi epic has everything you want for the 4th of July: Aliens, giant explosions, patriotic speeches and Will Smith. By the time the film's president (Bill Pullman) is shouting "Today we celebrate our Independence Day!" you'll be shouting along with him.
Rent it on Amazon, Google Play, iTunes, Vudu or YouTube.
If you love superheroes: Captain America: Winter Soldier
Sure, Cap's first outing in The First Avenger is set during World War II and recreates the iconic comic book cover of the hero punching Hitler, but the second film is a better, more nuanced portrayal of the patriotic hero. Directed by Joe and Anthony Russo, who went on to direct Captain America: Civil War and are currently working on an Avengers film, Winter Soldier is a taut and thought-provoking film that's among the best Marvel has to offer.
Rent it on Amazon, Google Play, iTunes, Vudu or YouTube.
If you love Tom Cruise: Top Gun
Are you excited for the Top Gun sequel? Of course you are. The original film, which stars Tom Cruise as hot-shot pilot Lt. Pete "Maverick" Mitchell, is a classic for a reason. What better time to revisit the rivalry between Maverick and Tom "Iceman" Kazansky (Val Kilmer) than at a 4th of July barbecue?
Stream it on Hulu.
If you want good, clean and cheesy fun: National Treasure
There's no better movie for an American history nerd than National Treasure, which gives the revolutionary era an Indiana Jones-style historical scavenger hunt. Nicolas Cage and Diane Kruger star as a treasure hunter and historian, respectively, following clues to a supposed historical treasure hidden by the Founding Fathers. Come for the earnest appreciation of history from Cage's Ben Gates, stay for Sean Bean's villainous Ian Howe and Justin Bartha's Riley Poole as comic relief.
Stream it on Cinemax.
If you missed it in theaters: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
The recent Star Wars spin-off may take place in a galaxy far, far away rather than the U.S., but its themes are similar to any good patriotic story. Felicity Jones stars as Jyn Erso, the daughter of a scientist kidnapped by the Empire and forced to work on a nefarious weapon: the Death Star. Jyn and a team of misfits set out to steal the plans for the planet-killer and deliver them to the Rebellion.
Stream it on Netflix.


text:
Kate and Jules: The Kitchen Sink
This is the whole kit and kaboodle folks! Don't miss the highlights album - please note this is a different, more complete collection. There's some gems in here and loads more to come in the next day! UPDATE: As I'm editing I've decided I take too many pictures! But I like them all! Hope it's not too many!Read More


text:
Robin Roberts: 'Good Morning America' host resting at home after hospital visit
Popular GMA personality continues recovery from rare blood disease
Robin Roberts is resting at home and off "Good Morning America" this week after another hospital stay as part of her recuperation from a rare blood disease.
The ABC News morning show host said she felt ill last week while on vacation and was told to return to New York and go to the hospital to fight off an infection. She's home now, and posted on Facebook on Thursday that she's feeling much better.
FACEBOOK: Leave A Message For Robin
"Last week, in the middle of my Key West vacation, I began not to feel well. Nothing serious, just under the weather. I contacted my doctors and flew back to NYC. They felt it best to admit me into the hospital for a few days. Seems my young immune system needed a little boost to fight off 'opportunistic infections.'
My doctors assured me that this was NOT because I was working or doing too much, too soon. It's extremely common, post bone marrow transplant, to have complications. I'm blessed that mine have not been severe.
I'm feeling MUCH better, and will relax at home for the rest of the week. I'll be back on GMA next week ... as my sweet momma would say: 'Good Lord willing, and the creek don't rise!'
Miss you and bless you..XO"
Roberts underwent a bone marrow transplant last September to treat MDS, a blood and bone marrow disease. She was off work for five months before returning in February on a part-time basis to the top-rated network morning show that is carried each weekday morning on WPBF 25 News from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m.


text:
This past weekend the opening of Kings Island's Diamondback dominated theme park news sites across the Web. The ride's opening had both the enthusiast community and likely southern Ohio in a frenzy. Since I couldn't be there to give you my own coverage, here's some of the best coverage I've found on the Web.
Kings Island fan sites like KIExtreme and KICentral had in-depth coverage of their long-awaited hypercoaster.
KIExtreme has pictures from Friday's Media Day including a picture of Walter Bolliger from the world-renowned roller coaster designers Bolliger & Mabillard. I would have geeked out like none other if I would have seen him in person. I didn't know that they attended media events for their rides.
KICentral has an album of pictures from Saturday, the first day that the ride was open to the public. They have a shot of the stampede of riders running to get in line. Then a picture of the first riders. Lastly, here's an impressive aerial shot taken from the Eiffel Tower showing the ride's 4 hour long line.
NewsPlusNotes has posted some great shots on their Facebook Page. They've got shots of Diamondback in action, from the entrance sign, to the the station, to multiple ride shots.
And of course, ThemeParkReview has a thread with shots of Diamondback Check it out here.
Diamondback is being compared to Six Flags Great Adventure's Nitro and from the on ride video and pictures, that looks like an accurate comparison. It's like B&M took Nitro's layout, made it more interesting, and added the new trains and splash section at the end. Of course, this is just based on videos and pictures. I have no idea how the actual ride compares to Nitro, but so far all the reviews I've read have been very position. If you've ridden Diamondback and other B&M hyper coasters, please leave a mini review or any comments.
Also, check out this news story from Fox Toledo on the Diamondback:
What's Your Take?
How do you think Diamondback looks? Are you planning on going to Kings Island this summer? Have you ridden this beast? Leave a comment below.


text:
Dear blogfriends,
As promised, I'd like to share with you some tips to create a children friendly family room.
I strongly believe that design and family can and even must go together.
Of course, you'll probably have to hide your beautiful and fragile knick-knacks or avoid über cool bar card.
But you still can create an inviting, cosy and pretty space that will (also) be yours.
Credit : Aprill Aprill
1. Inviting sofas :
Our sectionnal sofa is huge and takes a big part of the space in our family room.
But I definitely don't regret our choice. It delimitates the space very well.
In a family room it's important to have a place to rest, sit, nap, play, eat, cuddle, read books, etc. Our Ikea Karlstad sofa is perfect for that : it is comfy, not precious.
And don't be afraid to choose light colors. Just choose slipcover!
2. Coffee tables :
A big, nice, inviting sofa is important. A coffee table isn't.
If you don't have enough space, just get rid of your coffee table. You can easily use poufs (on which you'll be placing a tray) or small side tables if you need some support surface.
You can also install a console behind your sofa like on the pics below.
(this is an awesome babyproofed design by Emily Henderson, one of my favorite designer. You can find all the breakdown - and other amazing tips - here).
Credit : Oh joy
Credit : The design chaser
Credit : Norske interior blogger
Also, avoid sharp angles and choose for a round coffee table.
3. Kids chairs :
Your kid needs his own chair. Anouk loves to sit on her chair to drink or eat some snack. She knows it is her place and I believe it makes her feel confident.
The best thing is that you can find awesome vintage chairs or you can buy some reedition of design classics for a very reasonable budget.
Credit : The glitter guide
Credit : Mykeminutter
4. Storage for kids
Older kids love to play (and hide) in their room. But toddlers love to play close to/with their parents.
You can store all the toys in the nursery, they will somehow reappear in the living room.
The best compromise is to dedicate some storage in the living room and rotate the toys once in a while.
Credit : My Ideal Home
Credit : The Design Files
Credit : Honest Infomercial reviews
If you have pretty toys, you even can display them!
5. (If you can) Create nooks or spaces that are their own!
You may have a weird nook that you are not really using. A wall that remains blanco. Pinterest is full of amazing idea to create a unique nook for your kid.
Credit : Link
Credit : Fun At Home With Kids
Credit : Design Sponge
6. Keep it simple
Of course you can style your console or coffee table! As long as you keep it simple : trays (perfect to secure drinks), some candles, wooden animals or non toxic flowers...
But keep your art books and precious china out of reach...
Credit : Nordic Leaves
Credit : That Nordic Feeling
Credit : Link


text:
[font=arial]The boys tennis season is only about 40 days away! Who do you think will win state for team this year? OK, OK probably Red River, but who do you think will get second or third? Will Oothoudt take state for singles again? Will Roller and Wike repeat?[/font]
[font=arial]Who do you think will pull the upsets? Do you think there is a chance that someone could take down Red River? Who has the most promising team? Who are the "up and comers"?[/font]


text:
Adam E, Kaufman RH, Adler-Storthz K, et al. A prospective study of association of herpes simplex virus and human papillomavirus infection with cervical neoplasia in women exposed to diethylstilbestrol in utero. Int J Cancer. 1985;35(1):19-26.
American Cancer Society. Cancer Facts and Figures 2016. Atlanta, Ga: American Cancer Society; 2016.
American Joint Committee on Cancer. Cervix Uteri. In: AJCC Cancer Staging Manual. 7th ed. New York, NY: Springer; 2010: 395-402.
Anderson TA, Schick V, Herbenick D, Dodge B, Fortenberry JD. A study of human papillomavirus on vaginally inserted sex toys, before and after cleaning, among women who have sex with women and men. Sex Transm Infect. 2014 Apr 16. [Epub ahead of print]
Arbyn M, Kyrgiou M, Simoens C, et al. Perinatal mortality and other severe adverse pregnancy outcomes associated with treatment of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia: meta-analysis. BMJ. 2008;337:a1284.
Ault KA, Future II study group. Effect of prophylactic human papillomavirus L1 virus-like-particle vaccine on risk of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade 2, grade 3, and adenocarcinoma in situ: a combined analysis of four randomised clinical trials. Lancet. 2007;369(9576):1861-1868.
Castellsagué X, Bosch FX, Muñoz N, et al. Male circumcision, penile human papilloma virus infection, and cervical cancer in female partners. N Engl J Med. 2002; 346(15):1105-1112.
Castellsagué X, Díaz M, Vaccarella S, et al. Intrauterine device use, cervical infection with human papillomavirus, and risk of cervical cancer: a pooled analysis of 26 epidemiological studies. Lancet Oncol. 2011;12(11):1023-1031.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). FDA licensure of bivalent human papillomavirus vaccine (HPV2, Cervarix) for use in females and updated HPV vaccination recommendations from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). MMWR. 2010;59(20):626-629. Erratum in: MMWR. 2010;59(36):1184.
Chaturvedi AK, Engels EA, Gilbert ES, et al. Second cancers among 104760 survivors of cervical cancer: evaluation of long-term risk. J Natl Cancer Inst. 2007;99:1634-1643.
Chaturvedi AK, Kleinerman RA, Hildesheim A, et al. Second cancers after squamous cell carcinoma adenocarcinoma of the cervix. J Clin Oncol. 2009;27(6):967-73.
Cuzick J, Myers O, Hunt WC, Robertson M, Joste NE, Castle PE, Benard VB, Wheeler CM; New Mexico HPV Pap Registry Steering Committee. A population-based evaluation of cervical screening in the United States: 2008-2011. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2014 May;23(5):765-73. Epub 2013 Dec 3.
Del Priore G, Gudipudi DK, Montemarano N, et al. Oral diindolylmethane (DIM): pilot evaluation of a nonsurgical treatment for cervical dysplasia. Gynecol Oncol. 2010;116(3):464-467. Epub 2009 Nov 24.
Eifel PJ, Berek JS, Markman, M. Cancer of the cervix, vagina, and vulva. In: DeVita VT, Hellman S, Rosenberg SA, eds. Cancer: Principles and Practice of Oncology 9th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2011: 1311-1344.
Ghosh C, Baker JA, Moysich KB, et al. Dietary intakes of selected nutrients and food groups and risk of cervical cancer. Nutr Cancer. 2008;60(3):331-341.
Gray RH, Serwadda D, Kong X, et al. Male circumcision decreases acquisition and increases clearance of high-risk human papillomavirus in HIV-negative men: a randomized trial in Rakai, Uganda. J Infect Dis. 2010;201(10):1455-1462.
Grimm C, Polterauer S, Natter C, et al. Treatment of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia with topical imiquimod: a randomized controlled trial. Obstet Gynecol. 2012;120(1):152-159.
Hatch EE, Herbst AL, Hoover RN, et al. Incidence of squamous neoplasia of the cervix and vagina in women exposed prenatally to diethylstilbestrol (United States). Cancer Causes Control. 2001;12(9):837-845.
Hernandez BY, Wilkens LR, Zhu X, et al. Transmission of human papillomavirus in heterosexual couples. Emerg Infect Dis. 2008;14(6):888-894.
Howlader N, Noone AM, Krapcho M, et al (eds). SEER Cancer Statistics Review, 1975-2009 (Vintage 2009 Populations), National Cancer Institute. Bethesda, MD, http://seer.cancer.gov/csr/1975_2009_pops09/, based on November 2011 SEER data submission, posted to the SEER web site, April 2012.
International Collaboration of Epidemiological Studies of Cervical Cancer. Cervical cancer and reproductive factors: Collaborative reanalysis of individual data on 16,563 women with cervical carcinoma and 33,542 women without cervical carcinoma from 25 epidemiological studies. Int J Cancer. 2006;119:1108-1124.
International Collaboration of Epidemiological Studies of Cervical Cancer. Appleby P, Beral V, Berrington de González A, et al. Cervical cancer and hormonal contraceptives: collaborative reanalysis of individual data for 16,573 women with cervical cancer and 35,509 women without cervical cancer from 24 epidemiological studies. Lancet. 2007;370(9599):1609-1621.
Jhingran A, Eifel PJ, Wharton JT, et al. Neoplasms of the cervix. In: Kufe DW, Pollock RE, Weichselbaum RR, Bast RC, Gansler TS, Holland JF, Frei E. Cancer Medicine 6. Hamilton, Ontario: BC Decker; 2003. 1779-1808.
Jhingran A, Russel AH, Seiden MV, et al. Cancers of the cervix, vagina and vulva. In: Abeloff MD, Armitage JO, Lichter AS, et al. Clinical Oncology. 4th ed. Philadelphia, Pa; Elsevier; 2008: 1745-1765.
Kataja V, Syrjänen S, Yliskoski M, et al. Risk factors associated with cervical human papillomavirus infections: a case-control study. Am J Epidemiol. 1993;138(9):735-745.
Kleinerman RA, Kosary C, Hildesheim A. New Malignancies Following Cancer of the Cervix Uteri, Vagina, and Vulva. In: Curtis RE, Freedman DM, Ron E, Ries LAG, Hacker DG, Edwards BK, Tucker MA, Fraumeni JF Jr. (eds). New Malignancies Among Cancer Survivors: SEER Cancer Registries, 1973-2000. National Cancer Institute. NIH Publ. No. 05-5302. Bethesda, MD, 2006. Accessed on 4/18/2014 at http://seer.cancer.gov/archive/publications/mpmono/MPMonograph_complete.pdf.
Kosary CL. Cancer of the uterine cervix. In: Ries LAG, Young JL, Keel GE, Eisner MP, Lin YD, Horner M-J (editors). SEER Survival Monograph: Cancer Survival Among Adults: U.S. SEER Program, 1988-2001, Patient and Tumor Characteristics. National Cancer Institute, SEER Program, NIH Pub. No. 07-6215, Bethesda, MD, 2007.
Kreimer AR, González P, Katki HA, et al. Efficacy of a bivalent HPV 16/18 vaccine against anal HPV 16/18 infection among young women: a nested analysis within the Costa Rica Vaccine Trial. Lancet Oncol. 2011;12(9):862-870.
Kushi LH, Doyle C, McCullough M, Rock CL, Demark-Wahnefried W, Bandera EV, Gapstur S, Patel AV, Andrews K, Gansler T; American Cancer Society 2010 Nutrition and Physical Activity Guidelines Advisory Committee. American Cancer Society Guidelines on nutrition and physical activity for cancer prevention: reducing the risk of cancer with healthy food choices and physical activity. CA Cancer J Clin. 2012 Jan-Feb;62(1):30-67.
Kyrgiou M, Koliopoulos G, Martin-Hirsch P, et al. Obstetric outcomes after conservative treatment for intraepithelial or early invasive cervical lesions: systematic review and meta-analysis. Lancet. 2006;367(9509):489-498.
Lacey JV Jr, Swanson CA, Brinton LA, et al. Obesity as a potential risk factor for adenocarcinomas and squamous cell carcinomas of the uterine cervix. Cancer. 2003;98(4):814-821.
Lécuru F, Mathevet P, Querleu D, et al. Bilateral negative sentinel nodes accurately predict absence of lymph node metastasis in early cervical cancer: results of the SENTICOL study. J Clin Oncol. 2011;29(13):1686-1691.
Lu B, Wu Y, Nielson CM, et al. Factors associated with acquisition and clearance of human papillomavirus infection in a cohort of US men: a prospective study. J Infect Dis. 2009;199(3):362-371.
Lutgens L, van der Zee J, Pijls-Johannesma M, et al. Combined use of hyperthermia and radiation therapy for treating locally advanced cervix carcinoma. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2010;3:CD006377
Marrazzo JM, Koutsky LA, Stine KL, et al. Genital human papillomavirus infection in women who have sex with women. J Infect Dis. 1998;178(6):1604-1609. PubMed PMID: 9815211.
Massad LS, Einstein MH, Huh WK, et al. 2012 Updated Consensus Guidelines for the Management of Abnormal Cervical Cancer Screening Tests and Cancer Precursors. Journal of Lower Genital Tract Disease. 2013;17(5):S1-S27.
Monk BJ, Sill MW, Burger RA, et al. Phase II trial of bevacizumab in the treatment of persistent or recurrent squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix: a gynecologic oncology group study. J Clin Oncol. 2009;27(7):1069-1074. Epub 2009 Jan 12.
Monk BJ, Mas Lopez L, Zarba JJ, et al. Phase II, open-label study of pazopanib or lapatinib monotherapy compared with pazopanib plus lapatinib combination therapy in patients with advanced and recurrent cervical cancer. J Clin Oncol. 2010;28(22):3562-3569. Epub 2010 Jul 6.
National Institutes of Health. Medline Plus. Female Condoms. 3/11/2014. Accessed at http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/004002.htm on July 16, 2014.
NCCN Practice Guidelines in Oncology. Cervical Cancer Version 7.2014. Accessed at www.nccn.org on July 14, 2014.
Nielson CM, Harris RB, Flores R, et al. Multiple-type human papillomavirus infection in male anogenital sites: prevalence and associated factors. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2009;18(4):1077-1083. Epub 2009 Mar 24.
Paavonen J, Naud P, Salmerón J, et al. Efficacy of human papillomavirus (HPV)-16/18 AS04-adjuvanted vaccine against cervical infection and precancer caused by oncogenic HPV types (PATRICIA): final analysis of a double-blind, randomised study in young women. Lancet. 2009;374(9686):301-314.
PDQ database. Cervical cancer. Bethesda, Md: National Cancer Institute; 3/14/2014. Accessed at www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/treatment/cervical/healthprofessional on July 14, 2014.
Plummer M, Herrero R, Franceschi S, et al; IARC Multi-centre Cervical Cancer Study Group. Smoking and cervical cancer: pooled analysis of the IARC multi-centric case-control study. Cancer Causes Control. 2003;14(9):805-814.
Ronco G, Cuzick J, Pierotti P, et al. Accuracy of liquid based versus conventional cytology: overall results of new technologies for cervical cancer screening: randomised controlled trial. BMJ. 2007;335(7609):28. Epub 2007 May 21.
Rose PG, Ali S, Watkins E, et al. Long-term follow-up of a randomized trial comparing concurrent single agent cisplatin, cisplatin-based combination chemotherapy, or hydroxyurea during pelvic irradiation for locally advanced cervical cancer: a Gynecologic Oncology Group Study. J Clin Oncol. 2007;25(19):2804-2810.
Saslow D, Andrews KS, Manassaram-Baptiste D, et al. Human papillomavirus vaccination 2020 guideline update: American Cancer Society guideline adaptation. CA Cancer J Clin. 2020; DOI: 10.3322/caac.21616.
Saslow D, Solomon D, Lawson H, et al. American Cancer Society, American Society for Colposcopy and Cervical Pathology, and American Society for Clinical Pathology Screening Guidelines for the Prevention and Early Detection of Cervical Cancer. CA Cancer J Clin. 2012;62(3):147-172. Epub 2012 Mar 14.
Saslow D, Castle PE, Cox JT, et al. American Cancer Society guideline for human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine use to prevent cervical cancer and its precursors. CA Cancer J Clin. 2007;57:7-28.
Schiffman M, Castle PE, Jeronimo J, Rodriguez AC, Wacholder S. Human papillomavirus and cervical cancer. Lancet. 2007;370(9590):890-907.
Schover LR. Sexuality and Fertility After Cancer. New York: Wiley; 1997.
Sellors JW, Mahony JB, Kaczorowski J, et al. Prevalence and predictors of human papillomavirus infection in women in Ontario, Canada. Survey of HPV in Ontario Women (SHOW) Group. CMAJ. 2000;163(5):503-508.
Shepherd JH, Spencer C, Herod J, Ind TEJ. Radical vaginal trachelectomy as a fertility-sparing procedure in women with early-stage cervical cancer--cumulative pregnancy rate in a series of 123 women. BJOG. 2006;113:719-723.
Tewari KS, Sill MW, Long HJ 3rd, Penson RT, Huang H, Ramondetta LM, Landrum LM, Oaknin A, Reid TJ, Leitao MM, Michael HE, Monk BJ. Improved survival with bevacizumab in advanced cervical cancer. N Engl J Med. 2014 Feb 20;370(8):734-43.
Tobian AA, Serwadda D, Quinn TC, et al. Male circumcision for the prevention of HSV-2 and HPV infections and syphilis. N Engl J Med. 2009;360(13):1298-1309.
Tokudome S, Suzuki S, Ichikawa H, et al. Condom use promotes regression of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia and clearance of human papillomavirus: a randomized clinical trial. Int J Cancer. 2004;112(1):164.
Troisi R, Hatch EE, Titus-Ernstoff L, et al. Cancer risk in women prenatally exposed to diethylstilbestrol. Int J Cancer. 2007;121(2):356-360.
Waggoner SE. Cervical cancer. Lancet. 2003;361:2217-2225.
Wheeler CM, Castellsagué X, Garland SM, et al. Cross-protective efficacy of HPV-16/18 AS04-adjuvanted vaccine against cervical infection and precancer caused by non-vaccine oncogenic HPV types: 4-year end-of-study analysis of the randomised, double-blind PATRICIA trial. Lancet Oncol. 2012;13(1):100-110.
Winer RL, Hughes JP, Feng Q, et al. Condom use and the risk of genital human papillomavirus infection in young women. N Engl J Med. 2006;354(25):2645-2654.
Winer RL, Lee SK, Hughes JP, et al. Genital human papillomavirus infection: incidence and risk factors in a cohort of female university students. Am J Epidemiol. 2003;157(3):218-226. Erratum in: Am J Epidemiol. 2003;157(9):858.
Wright TC Jr, Massad LS, Dunton CJ, et al; 2006 American Society for Colposcopy and Cervical Pathology-sponsored Consensus Conference. 2006 consensus guidelines for the management of women with abnormal cervical cancer screening tests. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2007;197(4):346-355.
Van Pachterbeke C, Bucella D, Rozenberg S, et al. Topical treatment of CIN 2+ by cidofovir: results of a phase II, double-blind, prospective, placebo-controlled study. Gynecol Oncol. 2009;115(1):69-74. Epub 2009 Aug 3.


text:
The latest from The Trail Report Ad Watch: Dissecting the ads E-mail the Globe politics staff
at firstname.lastname@example.com The Political Trail is a bi-weekly column about Mass. politics that runs in the Globe's City Weekly section.
See who's donating to the candidates for governor Maps
GLOBE EDITORIALS: Mass. Matters
• State primaries: Sept. 19
• Deadline to register for general election: Oct. 18
• General election: Nov. 7
Discuss the candidates and issues in this year's Massachusetts election.Following Mitt Romney as he eyes a possible run for president
Lt. Governor
Unofficial results of the Democratic primary election held Tuesday, Sept. 19, 2006.
PR: precincts reporting; TP: total precincts. Last updated: 10:45 AM
Copyright 2006, Boston.com and the Associated Press. All rights reserved.


text:
Richard Prince's Book Notes™: Compelling Nonfiction
After 44 years behind bars, the nation's most famous prison journalist tells his story. A black journalist reaches the highest reaches of the New York Times newsroom, only to topple in a tragedy of Shakespearean dimensions. Women examine their multifaceted status in 21st century journalism. Now it can be told: "Con games, voodoo schemes, true love and lawsuits on the Underground Railroad." A look at recent nonfiction books by and about journalists of color, with more in the coming days.
Kevin B. Blackistone
Kevin B. Blackistone, a columnist with AOL Fanhouse and panelist on ESPN's "Around the Horn," co-authored "A Gift for Ron" by Everson Walls (Lyons Press, $24.95)
In October, Blackistone wrote for AOL, "Until about three years ago, Everson Walls was best known for what he took away: passes intended for receivers. Since then, he's become more known for what he's given: a kidney. After years of watching his one-time teammate and longtime friend Ron Springs being whittled away by diabetes, and losing hope in the wait for a life-saving kidney transplant, Walls, a former Pro Bowl cornerback, donated his to Springs early in 2007.
"In 'A Gift for Ron,' a memoir . . . Walls described to me in detail the moving story of how he shed selfishness as a star athlete to become a selfless organ donor. In doing so, Walls became the first pro athlete to donate an organ to a teammate. With Springs, he co-founded The Ron Springs and Everson Walls Gift for Life Foundation.
"Two years ago . . . Springs, having risen from a wheelchair on the strength of Walls' kidney, walked into a Dallas hospital to have a cyst removed from his arm. He is still there. Upon being anesthetized, Springs lapsed into a coma from which he has yet to awaken.
"Springs is awash in constant prayers and visits from his family and friends who underscore even more so now the importance of what Walls did, which was to save a life that is still here."
Columnist Rick Gosselin wrote, "Walls has a compelling story to tell and Blackistone, a former colleague of mine at The Dallas Morning News, had the savvy to keep it as compelling in print."
Gerald M. Boyd
No doubt, Gerald M. Boyd's "My Times in Black and White: Race and Power at the New York Times" (Lawrence Hill Books, $26.95) is the highest-profile book written about being a black journalist at a mainstream news organization.
The outlines of Boyd's story are well-known: born into poverty in St. Louis, a two-decade rise at the New York Times as Washington correspondent, metro editor and managing editor — the first and only African American to reach that plateau — and then the denouement: linked in scandal with plagiarist and fabricator Jayson Blair because, Boyd says, both men were black. After a newsroom revolt, Boyd and the executive editor, Howell Raines, were forced to resign. Boyd died three years later of lung cancer, at age 56. He had been working on this memoir, and his wife, journalist Robin D. Stone, finished it.
Reviewers said Boyd reveals thoughts about that career that they never suspected. Their observations, though, are inextricably tied to their views on black journalists, the Times and race relations.
Wayne Dawkins, unofficial historian of the National Association of Black Journalists, pointed out on PoliticsinColor.com, "Boyd's leadership is linked to 10 of the New York Times' then 89 Pulitzer Prizes. His shining achievement was the 'How Race is Lived in America' project of 2000. Other Pulitzers included the metro section's coverage of the 1993 World Trade Center bombing, and a record seven Pulitzers after the 2001 Sept. 11 attacks on America. Boyd and Raines were only weeks into their top editing posts when that devastating story broke."
Longtime Boyd friend George E. Curry wrote in the St. Louis Journalism Review, "One of the most striking things about Gerald's memoir is how he naively believed that with his sterling accomplishments — covering the White House for the Times, leading two series that won the Times Pulitzer Prizes, studying as a Nieman Fellow at Harvard — he would be judged on the basis of his talent, not his race." Curry is black.
Venerable Times columnist Russell Baker, who is white, wrote in the New York Review of Books, "Throughout Boyd's version of events, one cannot help wondering whether the Blair story would have amounted to more than a light entertainment if Jayson Blair had been white. In that case might his journalistic derelictions and drug-and-whiskey-inspired antics have passed through the media as a circus sideshow . . .
"Blair's being black made such a happy outcome impossible. The 'diversity' issue was always the ugly subtext to the dull narrative about a management failure at the Times. 'Diversity' is not a subject for light amusement in America. It is a subject that Americans take to the Supreme Court. . . . Boyd, moreover, was the physical symbol of the 'diversity' program so unpopular to the newsroom."
Jim Sleeper, the former liberal whose calling card is "Liberal Racism" — the book of that name and the theory — wrote that Boyd's book proves him right. Michael Antman, another white writer, said for Pop Matters: "It illustrates that sometimes those who preach the loudest about diversity and tolerance are the least capable, when it comes down to it, of tolerating any diversity at all."
The last words will go to two former Times colleagues of color. Howard French, writing in the Columbia Journalism Review, said, "His account provides a timely opportunity for a beleaguered industry to think deeply about diversity. The Times seems to favor blacks who don't make whites feel uncomfortable — as even Boyd did from inside his cocoon of inscrutability. In practice, this suggests that only the most thoroughly assimilated minorities (politically, culturally, some would even say physically) get in the door or get ahead.
"If this is diversification, one might wonder, what's the point?"
Mia Navarro, who considered Boyd a mentor, wrote of Boyd in Politics Daily:
" 'Knowledge of other cultures should be a prerequisite for anyone entering the business,' he writes in 'My Times.' "Any decent journalist starts with a core of general knowledge. In newsrooms, that core assures that we all have enough smarts to produce a newspaper. . . . Yet there are no penalties for ignorance about race and ethnicity, about blacks, Latinos, Asians, or Native Americans, their histories, and their cultures. And journalism provides little incentive to learn.' "'
Betty DeRamus
Betty DeRamus, former Detroit News columnist, has "Freedom by Any Means: Con Games, Voodoo Schemes, True Love and Lawsuits on the Underground Railroad" (Atria, $25). After DeRamus took a buyout in 2006 after 17 years at the News, she worked on her first book, "Forbidden Fruit: Love Stories from the Underground Railroad." This is a follow-up.
"According to the usual story, slaves gained their freedom by running away, being freed in their owners' wills, buying their way out of bondage or having someone else buy them," DeRamus writes in the foreword. "But how do we account for people like John Bowley, who bluffed his family's way to freedom, or Althea Lynch, a runaway slave whose cooking sprang her from jail? And what about all those enslaved blacks who managed to gain freedom by winning lawsuits in which state-appointed attorneys defended them?
"Most people believe fugitive slaves ran only to northern states, or to Canada after it abolished slavery. But what about James Williams, a California Gold Rush miner and runaway, who journeyed to Mexico? What about the fugitives who wound up in Haiti, Nicaragua and the Caribbean? . . ."
The book hasn't received much notice outside DeRamus' home state. "many of the stories take place in Michigan, especially Detroit, though anybody interested in the fight for freedom would sympathize with DeRamus' subjects," Michael Jackman noted in Detroit's Metro Times.
Adera Causey, curator of education at the Hunter Museum of American Art in Chattanooga, Tenn., had this caution: "DeRamus does an excellent job presenting these and other fascinating fugitive tales. Unfortunately, perhaps due to her enthusiasm for the topic, she far too frequently employs florid prose and utilizes homey or anachronistic analogies that are ill placed at best (and at times are simply distracting)."
June O. Nicholson, Pamela J. Creedon, Wanda S. Lloyd and Pamela J. Johnson
June O. Nicholson, Pamela J. Creedon, Wanda S. Lloyd and Pamela J. Johnson are co-editors of "The Edge of Change: Women in the 21st Century Press" (University of Illinois Press, $75 cloth, $25 paper)
The editors of this book, along with women whose stories are told inside, are gathering at the Poynter Institute in St. Petersburg, Fla., on Thursday and Friday. for "a thoughtful, wide-ranging conversation about the past, present and future status of women in journalism." Katharine Weymouth, publisher and CEO of the Washington Post, kicks off the event on Thursday evening. The event is to be liveblogged on Poynter.org.
In its 33 chapters, this compilation addresses the subject of women in the news media from multiple angles. Lloyd, executive editor of the Montgomery (Ala.) Advertiser, explained to Journal-isms how it came together:
"Five years ago, when I was executive director at the Freedom Forum Diversity Institute, I got a call from Pam Johnson (formerly editor of the Arizona Republic, now director of the Reynolds Journalism Institute at the University of Missouri), who was then at the Poynter Institute. She and two women journalism professors were putting together a book about women in journalism. They asked me to be the fourth person on the project.
"Our mission was to get women from many walks in journalism to write essays on topics that we would define. That was the start of 'The Edge of Change.'
"We did most of our work by phone and email, with just a couple of face-to-face meetings between us. We held brainstorming meetings at ASNE conventions, where we knew some of the women we would want to reflect in the book would be present, and we also used that time to pick their collective brains about the direction we were taking. We met once at Poynter to go over some details, and to start a dialogue with Poynter President Karen Dunlap.
"But most important, week after week after week, we held Friday-morning conference calls (7 a.m. Central Time) to plan, discuss, brainstorm and make assignments for who would do what — writing, editing, book proposal, book publisher ideas and calls to potential contributors. Then we were pretty much on our own to execute the plans individually, with June Nicholson at Virginia Commonwealth University being the strong point person to pull things together and keep us on track. Our fourth partner was Pam Creedon of the University of Iowa.
"We knew we wanted one of journalism's stars to write the foreword and we were excited when Ellen Goodman accepted the challenge to do that. It was a huge leap toward success with the project to get Ellen on board.
"I took on the diversity chapter, 'Beyond Gender Diversity,' and made calls to potential contributors, plus Dorothy Gilliam, who wrote essays and conducted interviews for 'Historical and Contemporary Perspectives' at the front of the book. One of her interviews was with feminist Gloria Steinem. I wrote the first diversity essay, 'Civil Rights and Searching for Community Values,' and we contacted Catalina Camia, Deb Price and Arlene Morgan to write the chapters that followed.
"We knew that we wanted the book to end with a forward look toward the future of journalism. That became increasingly difficult as the 'future' kept looking different.
"As for our partnership with Poynter, we have signed an agreement to give all proceeds from the book to Poynter. Our hope is that Poynter will use these resources to develop training content around topics of women in journalism, and will also be able to support grants for women to be trained in all areas."
Robert E. Pierre and Jon Jeter
Robert E. Pierre, local weekend editor at the Washington Post, and Jon Jeter, his former Post colleague, have "A Day Late and a Dollar Short: High Hopes and Deferred Dreams in Obama's 'Postracial' America" (Wiley, $25.95). "This book is not particularly preoccupied with Barack Obama," Pierre said in a book-tour appearance televised on C-Span. "We really wanted to tell the story of us — what does it mean to be black in the age of Obama? And Obama becomes sort of peripheral to that process of asking who we are. What's black? What is race?"
The book begins with the story that sold the book to the publisher, Jeter said, one that traced the life of Pierre's grandmother Daisy Mae, "who grew up on a sugarcane plantation and turned 79 just after Election Day. . . Faith had seen her through, certain a better day would come. It did, though it came slowly." The night Obama won, the headline in the St. Mary and Franklin Banner-Tribune was, "McCain favored by state voters," with the Obama victory a sidebar saying he was to begin receiving intelligence briefings.
Jeter, a former Johannesburg correspondent for the Post, closes the book with the story of Lee Alexander, a 28-year-old South African who now lives in New York. Alexander fears that the election of Obama will be like the ascension of Nelson Mandela was in South Africa: full of pride but raising false hopes.
Other stories touch on unions, health care, interracial families, young African American men, schools and the inability of well-off African Americans to lift up others. The book was published in January, though it has received surprisingly few reviews.
Wilbert Rideau
Wilbert Rideau, author of "In the Place of Justice: A Story of Punishment and Deliverance" (Knopf, $26.95) has been called the nation's most famous prison journalist, certainly the most famous African American one. He was convicted in Louisiana of first-degree murder for killing a woman during a 1961 bank robbery, when he was 19.
"After a trial in which his defense team did not call a single witness, Mr. Rideau was sent to America's most notorious prison, Angola, and put on death row," Dwight Garner wrote in the New York Times. "That's where this memoir, a soul-stirring account of one man's long road to redemption, begins in earnest. In Angola, Mr. Rideau became a reader, and then a writer. He eventually became the editor of The Angolite, the prison's magazine. He was the first black editor of a prison magazine in America and also, under some enlightened wardens, the first to edit one that was essentially uncensored.
"Under Mr. Rideau, The Angolite ran painstaking exposés: about sexual life at the prison, about poor medical services, about a cruelly malfunctioning electric chair. Mr. Rideau was good at what he did. The Angolite was the first prison publication to be nominated for a National Magazine Award, and he won a George Polk Award, one of the highest honors in American journalism. He became a correspondent for 'Fresh Air' on National Public Radio, and was a co-director of a documentary, 'The Farm: Angola, USA'" that was nominated for an Academy Award."
Asked why journalists of color in particular should be interested in this book, Rideau told Journal-isms, "After I was turned down to write for The Angolite in 1973, I read in the local newspaper that prison administrators said there were no blacks on the staff because they couldn't find any who could write. I had to start a competing prison publication and get published in mainstream newspapers to prove them wrong, I became the nation's first black editor of a prison publication in 1976, at a time when there were no black editors of non-ethnic publications in this country. Unfortunately, the mindset that held back then has not entirely disappeared even to this day, and journalists of color are still radically underrepresented in newsrooms and editorial offices."
After his 2005 release at age 63, Rideau was unable to find work in journalism. "I always knew, given my high-profile and the politics of crime, that I would have to be self-employed," he said in 2006. Linda LaBranche, who helped secure his release and became his wife, told Journal-isms, "He stays busy speaking at legal conferences and CLE training seminars around the country, offering his insights on attorney/client relations and giving advice on how to improve them. And he is a consultant for capital defense teams around the country." The "CLE" reference is to continuing legal education.
Investigative reporter Steve Weinberg wrote in the San Francisco Chronicle, "Perhaps no book written by an inmate has ever conveyed so much factual and emotional information about day-to-day prison life. The cornucopia of information rarely seems overwhelming because Rideau is a first-rate stylist, a man of letters despite sparse formal education."
Garland L. Thompson
Garland L. Thompson, veteran journalist, former Baltimore Sun editorial writer and columnist and contributing editor at US Black Engineer & Information Technology magazine, has written "Unheralded but Unbowed: Black Scientists & Engineers who Changed the World" (CreateSpace, $21.95, paper).
Thompson told Journal-isms, " 'Unheralded but Unbowed: Black Scientists & Engineers' is my contribution to the history of blacks in science and technology. It's not a book of profiles, though profile information is included. Rather, it's a book of historical reportage and analysis, tracing the rise of black access to top-level careers in the Knowledge Enterprise against the backdrop of blacks' long struggle for equality of rights and opportunity in American society. It centers on 23 top Black Engineers of the Year but it's really not about the awards series, either. Instead, it uses the life stories of the . . . winners to illustrate particular points about black history."
Referring to Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics fields, Thompson continued, " 'Unheralded but Unbowed' is not a textbook, though. It's written in lay language for a broader audience, because this era is full of opportunities for young black achievers to go into the STEM fields, but few in our community can see the what's happening. You know the story: the face of technological advance in America looks extremely white, with a few super-smart Asians thrown in, when you see it through the lens of popular media. I've spent so many years working with USBE and the BEYA awards program, and I know the real story, but it's hard to cut through the static these days. So I put together a book that traces most of the history of blacks' rise in the technical professions through the 20th to the 21st centuries, sketching in the background of geopolitical challenge in worldwide conflicts and the Cold War as I traced the progress of civil rights in America.
"There's lots of reportage about discoveries and technological exploits, to be sure. Career Communications Group, publishers of USBE and promoters of the [Black Engineer of the Year Awards], has the most extensive archive documenting black accomplishments in the technology enterprise in existence, and I've been about the only person allowed to go through it. So a lot of the book's reportage about technology advances developed by Black Americans will not be found anywhere else."
Check out Richard Prince's Journal-isms blog.
Follow Richard Prince on Twitter
Facebook users: Sign up for the "Richard Prince's Journal-isms" fan page.


text:
Crescent Beach
Buy a home or condo in Crescent Beach, SC with RE/MAX Southern Shores
North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, with its miles of beautiful beaches and more than 100 world-class championship golf courses, offers a very coveted lifestyle. And, the Crescent Beach community, situated in the far north east region of South Carolina in Horry County along the sun-kissed shores of the Grand Strand, is flanked by the Atlantic Ocean and the Intracoastal Waterway. With natural beauty, an ocean front location, and recreational opportunities, Crescent Beach offers oceanfront as well as ocean access condominiums, townhouses, and beach homes for seasonal vacationing and year-round living.
The current Horry County real estate market is brisk with buyers clamoring for upscale properties as well as affordable properties. Plus, new properties are being developed and sold out within short time periods. Condominiums, bungalows and large homes are available in the Crescent Beach community of North Myrtle Beach.
With the recent additions of Veterans Highway, Highway 22, and the Carolina Bays Parkway, Highway 31, the inland countryside and coastal areas are suddenly joined as never before. Traveling to and from beach areas has never been easier. As a result of the expanded road system, the availability of properties close to the beach at reasonable prices is presenting new opportunities for investors and prospective residents alike. Attractions like Barefoot Landing, with a variety of shops, restaurants and attractions such as, Alabama Theater, House of Blues and Alligator Adventure are within a few minutes from the sandy shores of Crescent Beach.
RE/MAX Southern Shores knows the Crescent Beach real estate market!
If you are considering relocating, purchasing a primary, second home or condo, or investing in property, we invite you to explore the RE/MAX Southern Shores web site "Communities Served" tab to find the perfect Myrtle Beach community for you! Our agents are ready to help you make your Crescent Beach real estate dreams come true! Call 843-839-0200 to talk with a RE/MAX Southern Shores agent right now!
Crescent Beach Properties
Find a Home in Crescent Beach
More Neighborhoods
- Allston Plantation - Pawleys Island
- Andrews
- Arcadian Shores
- Arrowhead
- Avista Ocean Resort
- Aynor
- Bald Head Island, NC
- Barefoot Landing
- Barefoot Resort
- Bay Watch Resort
- Beach Cove Resort
- Belle Park
- Briarcliffe Acres
- Briarcliffe West
- Bridges at Litchfield
- Calabash, NC
- Cameron Village
- Carolina Forest in Myrtle Beach, SC
- Carolina Shores, NC
- Carolina Waterway Plantation
- Carolina Yacht Landing
- Charleston Lakes
- Charleston Landing
- Cherry Grove Beach
- Cherry Grove Cottages
- Colonial Charters
- Conway
- Coquina Harbour in Little River
- Crescent Beach
- Debordieu Colony
- Deerfield Plantation
- Eastport Golf Villas in Little River
- Emmens Preserve
- Enclave
- Forestbrook
- Galivants Ferry
- Garden City
- Gardens at Cypress Bay, Little River
- Georgetown
- Grande Dunes
- Green Sea
- Grissettown, NC
- Hagley Estates - Pawleys Island
- Heritage Plantation
- Holden Beach, NC
- Ingram Place
- Inlet Pointe
- Laguana Keyes
- Litchfield by the Sea
- Litchfield Plantation
- Little River
- Little River Inn Resort
- Longs Bay Club, Longs, SC
- Longs, SC
- Loris
- Mar Vista Grande
- Mariners Pointe in Little River
- Murrells Inlet
- Myrtle Beach
- Myrtle Trace
- Nichols
- North Beach Plantation
- North Litchfield
- North Myrtle Beach
- North Myrtle Beach Golf and Tennis
- North Prestwick
- Ocean Creek
- Ocean Drive Beach
- Ocean Isle Beach, NC
- Palmetto Shores
- Pawleys Island
- Pawleys Plantation - Pawleys Island
- Pawleys Retreat - Pawleys Island
- Pelican Bay, Little River, SC
- Plantation Harbour
- Plantation Lakes
- Plantation Point
- Prestwick
- Prince Creek
- Prince George- Pawleys Island
- Ricefields Plantation - Pawleys Island
- River Club- Litchfield
- River Hills in Little River, SC
- Salters Cove near Garden City, SC
- Sea Garden
- Seabrook Plantation
- Seaside Plantation
- Seaside, NC
- Shaftesbury Estates
- Shaftesbury Glen
- Shallotte, NC
- Socastee
- Sunset Beach, NC
- Sunset Harbor, NC
- Sunset Harbour, SC
- Surf Estates
- Surfside Beach
- Surfside Beach Club
- The Bluffs on the Waterway
- The Cottages at Surf Estates
- The Diamond
- The Farm in Brunswick County, NC
- The Heights at Windy Hill
- The Market Common
- The Reserve- Litchfield
- Tidewater Plantation
- Tighman Forest
- Tilghman Estates
- Tilghman Woods
- Tradition - Pawleys Island
- True Blue - Pawleys Island
- Verandas Beach Complex
- Village at Possum Trot
- Wachesaw Plantation
- Waterfall in Little River, SC
- Waterford Plantation
- Waterway Palms Plantation
- Willowbrook Plantation - Pawleys Island
- Windy Hill
- Windy Hill Dunes
- Wrightsville Beach, NC


text:
Search Results
Your search - - did not match any resources.
You may be able to get more results by adjusting your search query.
- Adding a wildcard symbol may retrieve word variants: *.
One or more facet filters have been applied to this search. If you remove filters, you may retrieve more results. Remove all filters from this search.
You can search for interlibrary loans directly with your search query. Please follow the link:https://fernleihe.boss.bsz-bw.de/Search/Results?lookfor=


text: This armadillo skull makes a great addition to any collection with this nose! When you shop from Vie et Mort apothecary and oddities store, you can guarantee our hand-selected sources are always ethical, legal, and authentic. Nationwide shipping is available for any item, and local Fort Collins delivery and pickup are available – details and instructions at checkout. Support a small, female-owned Colorado business by shopping at Vie et Mort!


text:
In time for this year's Oscars (okay, last month) the New York Times produced this fascinating graphic showing box office receipts for recent films. Amanda Cox lead in the original print graphic and was assisted by Mathew Bloch, Lee Byron, and Shan Carter. The print version only went back a year (2007) and had a vertical orientation but the interactive version, linked here, goes back 20 years horizontally and is more immersive, allowing the user to query individual film "bubbles" or "threads" by name on mouseOver or by using the search box. I've a few ideas how it was created but the overall effect is artful while retaining a sine-waved influenced precision. Would have been nice to add the actual box office revenue figures to the mouseOvers.
UPDATE (6 Mar 2008)
The Times site has some discussion of this graphic:
A mystery software from Lee Bryan was used to make the chart.
However, if I were to create a similar graphic, I'd start in Excel and create two filled and stacked bar charts. For each chart I'd take half the films selected (some box office hits, some duds to even things out). These are time series where much of the time axis has 0 data values until the opening of the film. Then a big opening weekend and finally trailing off with a long tail till ending its box office run and then 0 values past that date. The data was weekly and there are 52 weeks in a year so 1040 total entries for each film. Open both charts into Illustrator. Now flip one so it formed the "bottom†half of this graphic. In the print version that would be the "left†and "right†halves. Join the two up along the common seam. Run a script or plugin to pull out the anchor points on each vertex for the bar chart fills, this gives it that nice curvy look. Then use the warp tool in Illustrator to give it the sine-wave effect by running it manually along the seam. Then fine tune the final result till it looks nice. The same thing can be done programatically by applying a sine wave to the data points (more effect closer to the seam, less far away).
Two solutions to smoothing out the sharply angled stacked area chart imported from Excel are:
- A free function in Illustrator CS3:
Just select the anchor points with the hollow arrow selection tool and then there are extra settings in the control panel for changing the points to curve (and back to hard angle).
- A pay plug-in for earlier Illustrator versions:
Tags: box office receipts, movie, nytimes, oscars, revenue


text:
Janet Yellen was not well served by the process that culminated in her nomination Wednesday to be the next chairman of the Federal Reserve.
President Barack Obama broadly implied, but did not openly state, his preference for former Treasury secretary Lawrence H. Summers, setting off a months-long struggle between pro-Summers and pro-Yellen factions. The fact that Yellen survived the competition at the insistence of liberal Democrats, who have pegged her as an easy-money "dove" more eager than Summers to fight unemployment and rein in big banks, may have had the effect of tilting perceptions of her beliefs before she's had a chance to explain them herself.
Poorly handled though it might have been, Obama's choice of Yellen is still a very solid one. Her credentials — as an academic economist, a Clinton White House adviser and a veteran of senior positions throughout the Fed system — are impeccable; they're as strong as, or stronger than, those of anyone previously chosen for the position.
(Of course, they are stronger than those of any woman tapped as Fed chair because Yellen is the first, another reason to hail her nomination.)
Perhaps most impressive is her recent record as a forecaster, which includes spotting the devastating housing bubble before many others did.
We suspect that Yellen, if confirmed by the Senate, would fulfill neither the hopes of her liberal backers nor the fears of her conservative detractors. In part, this is because the very notion of a monetary "hawk vs. dove" divide lost some of its meaning when most mainstream economists and financial experts accepted the need for massive monetary expansion to fight the Great Recession; they are now arguing mainly over the pace at which those extraordinary measures can and should be undone.
Alas for the Fed and its credibility, the central bank's most recent efforts to inform the public about its plans went awry last month, when the Fed disappointed expectations of a slowdown in bond-buying, and did so amid much publicly aired internal discussion. One of Yellen's first and most important tasks will be to repair that damage, if she can.
On the more substantive questions of monetary policy, her record leads us to expect that she will be driven not by "dovish" sentiment but by the data — specifically, numbers showing whether monetary expansion is still producing enough sustainable economic growth to outweigh the risks of future inflation or financial distortion.
If confirmed, and if she serves a full term, Yellen would be in office until early 2018. We hope that, by that time, the economy will have reached the point at which it can be weaned from Fed assistance; indeed, that's a strong likelihood.
That means, whether Yellen is a "dove" or not, the Fed's exit strategy from its current massive money-printing will occur on her watch. Her thinking about that unprecedented, and exceedingly delicate, task should be a central topic at her confirmation hearing.
Editorial by The Washington Post
Success. Please wait for the page to reload. If the page does not reload within 5 seconds, please refresh the page.
Enter your email and password to access comments.
Invalid username/password.
Please check your email to confirm and complete your registration.
Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.
Send questions/comments to the editors.


text:
What Is a Cloud Kitchen?
A cloud kitchen utilizes a commercial kitchen for the purpose of preparing food for delivery or takeout only, with no dine-in customers.
Cloud kitchens enable restauranteurs to expand an existing restaurant or start a virtual brand at minimal cost. This provides restauranteurs with the opportunity to scale, explore new markets, or trial new concepts. Many restaurants use cloud kitchens as an experimental space, optimizing staff and inventory while testing new ideas.
There are several types of cloud kitchen business models:
In a shared space cloud kitchen model, restaurant owners use their own staff and produce, but the space and equipment are owned by a third party. The shared kitchen space may be used by several businesses, each looking to prepare dine-at-home food without the overhead of a restaurant.
A dedicated space cloud kitchen model is a space rented (or purchased) by a brand solely for their own use. They may decide to use one or more different concepts in the location, but do not have other brands operating with them.
Cloud kitchens can be used to launch an entirely new business or concept - also known as virtual restaurants or virtual brands. A virtual brand operates out of an established kitchen and allows the business to test new concepts without heavy investment.
Is there a difference between cloud kitchens and ghost kitchens?
Whether you call it a cloud kitchen, virtual kitchen, shadow kitchen, commissary kitchen, dark kitchen, or ghost kitchen, at its core, it's a restaurant that primarily handles digital orders. They can operate within the kitchen of an established brand or on their own but are typically accessible online. Despite having several names, they have similar characteristics and exist to serve customers delivery-only meals.
Within the ghost kitchen segment, several phrases need to be defined. For example, kitchen-as-a-service, or dark kitchens, are fully built spaces rented out to a concept for their ghost kitchen duties. They provide a full-service kitchen and delivery model making it easy to launch a delivery restaurant with low risk and low capital.
Although some ghost kitchens may include a drive-thru or takeout area, there isn't a traditional storefront or indoor seating. Regardless of what we decide to call these digital-only brands, they are filling a vital need in the industry.
How Does a Cloud Kitchen Operate?
Cloud kitchens are based on a delivery-only business model. These restaurants rely on orders coming via their own website, or via delivery apps like UberEats, Grubhub, DoorDash, and Deliveroo, to deliver food for off-premises dining.
This business model allows restaurants to diversify and expand their customer base, while cutting back the two biggest operational costs—rent and labor. With low overhead and only kitchen staff required, businesses have the opportunity to minimize costs and maximize orders.
Being delivery-only, cloud kitchens don't need to create an experiential dine-in experience for customers. They don't have to worry about high rental costs, large capital investments, restaurant interiors, guest facilities, and front of house staff.
Since customer acquisition is achieved through digital platforms, cloud kitchens heavily invest in technology that leverages the entire business operation. Apart from technology, major investments can also include well-equipped kitchen infrastructure and trained manpower, such as chefs and delivery drivers.
Some cloud restaurants rely on their own delivery fleet to personalize their service , while others leverage aggregators for delivery.
What are the Advantages of Cloud Kitchens?
It's quicker and cheaper to launch a business if the customer interaction is virtual. You cut down on equipment cost, deal with less legal paperwork, and can start selling almost immediately. Entrepreneurs can test their product before fully committing to a food truck or a brick-and-mortar restaurant. Advantages of cloud kitchens include:
- Flexible menu: Being app- or web-based means you can change your menu focus whenever you like, without having to worry about updating signage or printed materials. If an ingredient becomes too expensive or is no longer accessible in your area, you can easily swap out your menu items to suit what is available.
- Lower financial investment: Ghost or cloud kitchens eliminate several expensive elements that don't apply to virtual restaurants: decor, signage, dinnerware, and additional staff members as servers or hosts.
- Opportunity for experimentation: Cloud kitchens allow restauranteurs to experiment with new concepts, fail fast, and easily scrap ideas that aren't working with low exposure.
- More efficient: Using custom-built spaces and optimizing processes specifically for delivery, cloud kitchens can run very efficiently. If you are operating several brands from one kitchen, you can batch-prep ingredients for several different menus.
- Access to customer data: Because cloud kitchens are designed to engage seamlessly across the full customer journey—from initial research to placing the order online to fulfillment—cloud kitchens can optimize processes, ordering, and staff scheduling based on consumer behavior.
- Leverage third-party apps for marketing: Virtual restaurant brands can gain quick exposure through delivery apps, rather than having to market themselves.
What are the Disadvantages of Cloud Kitchens?
Competition in cloud kitchens can be fierce. You're competing in a crowded online marketplace, and customers are able to use a delivery app to scroll through many brands in the convenience of their home.
Running a cloud kitchen means missing out on the walk-in traffic provided by a storefront. The reason you pay more money to rent for a storefront is because people will walk into your restaurant. That's not the case when you turn on UberEats or DoorDash.
On top of that, you're constrained by the location of the kitchen you operate from (usually a 3-5 mile delivery radius). While rent may be attractive in low-income areas, you may not be in the right area to find suitable customers.
Something else to consider is that a delivery-only brand's reputation relies on the food arriving at the customer in perfect condition. Factors out of the restaurant's control can impact food quality, such as delivery drivers stopping for a coffee or running late. Maintaining a high standard of food quality is critical to drive repeat orders.
There are significant challenges in keeping the product at proper temperatures so it arrives as intended to the customer, and to ensure it's safe to eat. This means testing out different types of packaging and potentially investing in containers that are more expensive and harder to source.
Choosing the Right Technology for your Cloud Kitchen
Technology plays a crucial role in cloud kitchens, as most orders are made online through a website, app, or delivery aggregators.
A cloud kitchen requires an integrated technology system for accepting online orders, processing payments, and efficient kitchen management.
A key requirement for a cloud kitchen is a point of sale (POS) system that accepts orders from various channels, such as delivery aggregators and online ordering platforms.
Having an integrated restaurant POS system means you can maintain records of orders from each platform and have visibility into which platform is working best for you.
Having access to sales data is critical to developing strategies that maximize your sales.
While partnering with online food aggregators is important, it's worthwhile to consider implementing your own restaurant website or mobile app for accepting orders as an additional sales channel.
In a fast-paced cloud kitchen, order preparation time is usually around is 10-12 minutes, if you want to deliver the order within 30 minutes. An integrated Kitchen Display System (KDS) will optimize order preparation time.
As soon as the order is received, it gets updated in the KDS. Kitchen staff can view the order details and the order pickup time immediately, and can prepare the order accordingly. This streamlines kitchen management, maximizes efficiency, and enables you to identify any lags to further optimize the preparation time.
Effectively managing inventory is essential for any restaurant, and the same stands true for a cloud kitchen. A smart inventory management system enables you to track daily stock consumption and also prompts you to order more stock when needed. It helps you reduce wastage and keep control of your food costs.
Technology plays a critical role in the smooth functioning of a cloud kitchen business and also ensures operational efficiency.
Having a comprehensive technology platform with seamless integration between POS, KDS, and inventory management will ensure operational efficiency and the smooth functioning of your cloud kitchen business.


text:
Turn to Dove hair care for products that nourish hair day after day. From shampoo to hair masks, we've got everything you need for nourished, beautiful hair.
With Dove hair care products, beautiful hair is more than just gloss and promises. It's real, nourishing care that lasts. It's care you can trust. Since the most beautiful hair is healthy hair, we've combined advanced hair care science that delivers both instant results and progressive nourishment for hair that gets better and better over time. So there's no more choosing between hair looking great and being cared for.
Treating damage, quenching dryness, restoring vitality to aging hair – whatever you need to bring the best out of it. Lift and volumize fine hair, moisturize and define curly hair, add fullness to thinning hair: we've got it covered.
And to keep that care going right to the end of your regimen, we've created styling products that nourish as well as keep your hair looking amazing.


text:
Stopes, Marie Carmichael
Stopes, Marie Carmichael stōps [key], 1880–1958, British paleobotanist and eugenicist, b. Edinburgh, D.Sc. Univ. of London, Ph.D. Univ. of Munich. She lectured on paleobotany at the universities of London and Manchester. In 1921, with Humphrey Verdon Roe, her second husband, she founded the first birth-control clinic in the British Empire. Her activities in this field gave impetus to similar movements elsewhere. Her many works include books on eugenics, birth control, and paleobotany.
See biography by J. Rose (1992).
The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2023, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.
See more Encyclopedia articles on: Medicine: Biographies


text:
The Deus Ex Collection
Use your CD key on Steam to download The Deus Ex Collection.
The Deus Ex Collection
For Steam CD Keys, you must download (HERE), install the Steam software and create a new account. If you already have a Steam account, once you log in, click "Add a game" (located in the bottom left corner), and then "Activate a Product on Steam". After a few more clicks, you will be prompted to type in your CD Key. Thus, the game will be activated and automatically added to your account library.


text:
The spread of HIV/AIDS across Africa has had a devastating effect for decades. Richard Wamai, assistant professor of African American studies, is researching how a range of interventions – particularly male circumcision – can offer hope for the continent's future in HIV prevention.
"HIV prevalence across Africa really varies by patterns of male circumcision more than by any other indicator," Wamai said.
He said research studies dating back to late 1980s have noted the potential for male circumcision to reduce alarming HIV/AIDS prevalence, and randomized control trials in recent years confirming its effectiveness have energized global health agencies into action.
Wamai is collaborating with other experts from among others, the University of Illinois at Chicago, Harvard University, Brown University, the University of Nairobi in Kenya, and the University of Sydney, to examine how male circumcision programs are being carried out in different African countries, the cost effectiveness of this and other HIV/AIDS interventions, and how large-scale interventions affect other health services many Africans desperately need.
As part of a health-service systems study, one project will analyze male circumcision efforts in Kenya. Wamai points to increased efforts in 14 African countries to circumcise millions of men in a short period of time. For example, in 2009, he says, 36,000 men were circumcised in a 30-day Rapid Results Initiative in Nyanza, Kenya.
The project also focuses on what happens to other basic health services – such as maternal and child health, and malaria and tuberculosis treatment – during these massive scale-up programs, which mobilize hundreds of health-care workers in one place.
"The introduction of a new intervention brings additional resources onto an existing system, but when a lot of healthcare personnel are being taken away from daily activities at health facilities during such accelerated scale-up, there are inevitable impacts at the health-systems level which we want to explore," Wamai said.
Wamai, whose research aligns with Northeastern's commitment to solve global health challenges, is also conducting studies on health and HIV/AIDS in the United States among African-born immigrants. One study is focusing on populations in Massachusetts, New York and Washington, D.C.
In addition, he and a colleague at Harvard Medical School will begin a new study later this year on cervical cancer in Cameroon. It will assess knowledge and attitudes of cervical cancer in the country on a population being targeted for a vaccination program being conducted by Elizabeth Glaser Foundation.
View selected publications of Richard Wamai in IRis, Northeastern's digital archive.
– Courtesy of CSSH Dean's Office


text:
Therese imagined that in the spiritual life we are all like infants at the foot of the stairs being summoned by our Heavenly Father to climb the heights--which try as we might we cannot do. Finally the Heavenly Father will come down the stairs and pick us up and carry us up the stairs. Which of course is a beautiful child like summary of what the Trinity has done in the incarnation of Jesus.
Are you and I trying to climb the stairs? Is our Faith in Him? Abandon yourself to the God as a child abandons oneself to their parents.
St. Therese, pray for us!
Michael Dubruiel