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You are allowed to crumble, cry and have a few days to try and deal or maybe just not deal at all. If the storm lasts too long……reach out girl because your friends and family will be there to help you walk through it.
Storms can be big or small. Storms can last for hours or days. I'm not talking about the weather here. I'm talking about emotional storms. The storms that occur in your mind.
In the eye of an emotional storm, there is no happiness or light. None. You never knew such a horrible place existed. A storm can begin and end at any time, and will totally screw with what was once a sane mind. I suspect some of you may relate to these stormy moments in your own way.
There is a place that runs deep. A place that is filled with fear, despair, anger, grief, turmoil, and tears. A place I don't want to go, but, I become so weak in it's grip. I feel mentally helpless as I move into that storm. It waits for me with open arms and says "Welcome back… I've been expecting you." Do you know of this place? Have you ever been to this place?
Some storms can be almost debilitating. It can make you feel physically ill as you wonder if you will have the strength you need to come out of it. Again. One more time.
I was on "storm watch" last week. I had an appt. with my Neuro-Ophthalmologist, Dr. Ken Kubis. I knew what he was going to tell me. I thought I was mentally prepared. Yeah….. Not so much. The routine tests, along with the Visual Field test (Ugh…every visually impaired person's nightmare!) confirmed that my vision had declined quite dramatically since my last visit in December. I took a deep breath trying to shut up the frightened girl screaming inside my head.
Did I already know that my vision had gotten worse? Yes. Did I want to hear it from my doctor? No. Did I try to blame the testing equipment? Hell YES, I did! …Just like you blame the dryer for your jeans being too tight! It's called DENIAL!
After more discussion about the life & times of Maria's vision… my doctor decided to repeat the MRIs and some blood tests to be sure there is nothing else causing my vision loss besides LHON. He has always told me "You are allowed to have more than one thing." If I do… I trust he will find it. I have completely trusted Dr. Kubis from the day I first met him on September 2, 2013. The day he went to battle to save my vision and he has never stopped. Dr. Kubis is definitely one of the most outstanding and caring doctors I have ever had. The BEST!
When my appointments are over… I always thank my doctor a million times holding back the emotional tears. This time, as I stood there, I was overwhelmed by the fact that I could not "see" this amazing doctor as I did a few months ago. He has disappeared from my vision and I can't see that reassuring smile anymore. My tears were the beginning of my next storm on the horizon. Dr. Kubis gave me a hug with some reassuring words. He didn't have to but, THAT'S the kind of doctor he is. The BEST. I turned around and headed straight toward my storm. …Oh God … was this all really happening?
I used to fight off the storms with everything that I had. I was keeping control!! They were not going to bring me down! In reality, it was unhealthy and exhausting for me to act this way. I'm human, not a superhero.
I'm learning it's okay to walk through these storms no matter how difficult or uncomfortable. Everyone should learn this lesson. Although they drag me into the darkness, I look for the light in the storm's final hours. I hold on tight and I move forward in my life blinded by LHON. That is until….I hear the words "Welcome to the storm…" and lose my grip, once again.
You are allowed to crumble, cry and have a few days to try and deal or maybe just not deal at all. If the storm lasts too long……reach out girl because your friends and family will be there to help you walk through it.
Holy heck Maria – I am so in awe of your strength! Your writing is perfection … Wow I'm so moved!
Storms suck it big time my friend
Hey my friend…I knew when we were talking before Bunco & when you cancelled our Friday night get together ) : next time there's no canceling!!!
I love you Honey!!…
You handle your "storms" with courage, grace and humor. You tell it like it is, from the heart with complete honesty. These are the qualities I admire in you. As someone familiar with the with that river in Egypt called de Nile, it can be a comfortable place to hang out in for a while but ultimately it's how we face reality that what makes our lives meaningful. Namaste, my friend. Peace, happiness, love and laughter always.
Maria, you handle your storms with such grace and such open honesty. Thank you.
maria…my heart goes out to you in unbelievable amounts however it is nothing compared to the admiration and respect…and AWE I have in your ability to adjust to the incredible odds, share your feelings about it and most of all, humor,, you are a skilled writer and a brave wonderful young woman. my love to you dear one
ditto my wise words of 2014…my awe and admiration of you only has grown and grown…I am so amazed at your resilience and creativity at dealing with it…you are the star Maria
You continue to amaze me! I pray for a cure for LHON and that your storms will diminish as well as others with LHON. Keep inspiring us all!
Dearest Maria,
What a stirring message…………..You do an incredable job of letting all of us know what it feels like
to be in the Eye of the storm,….you may never know how many people you are helping get through
their own storm.
How wonderful of you to share this very personal and scary time of your life…..I think your blog is
FANTASTIC…….much much love Erin
Maria! Your pictures sure do hide this very well. You look great btw. I am glad you are blogging about this. It is always nice to have a nice understanding doctor. I would want this doctor in my life forever, being he was with you from day one. He may not have LOHN but he knows exactly what he is doing to assure you he will do the best he can to make you feel better. I really hope someone can find a solution to this. I do not want to say the wrong thing, just know many of us would drop everything they are doing for you. You have lot's of love and support.♥
Maria, I reach out in love and in anguish for all that keeps smacking you sideways. That you get these hits, then stand up to life all over again, makes you my hero. The other heros in my family are your Chris, Bryce and Molly. I love you my Girl.
I can relate to the storm you refer to; it's what I have dealt with all too often with my depression which joined me with puberty. While I perhaps naively hope it will depart from me on the other side of menopause, in the meantime, I am learning to recognize what triggers a storm, the symptoms of onset, what is helpful and NOT helpful in dealing with it, and what decisions are best made AFTER the storm has passed.
A saying I believe I heard from you has been helpful, "Fake it til you make it." Many times, making myself get up and do what I know to be good & right, even when I don't feel like, helps me get out of the pit.
Other lessons learned: I can admit when I'm feeling bad. It's OK. I can ask for help. And one of the hardest, I – who love to help and serve others – have to learn to be still and accept help from others.
I pray for you, girlfriend! Your front row diva, Varena
You speak for many. Having a storm free week-so awesome!
Hi Maria,
Your blog is amazing – your words are awe-inspiring, powerful and chilling! Ironically, you enable me to see so many things to which I am, though full-sighted, blind…
Forever RIPPED,


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Today, the FDA announced itsproposal of major changes
to the black and white nutrition facts panel on packaged foods. Here's what you can expect if they get approved:
Clearer Calories Listings
The number of calories in a serving will be larger and in bolder type to help you really understand how many calories you're taking in from any given item. And, the calories from fat won't be listed anymore, since we now know that the type of fat matters more than the total amount.
Clarifying "Added Sugars"
You'll see a new line listed under total carbs called "Added Sugars." Up until now, it was practically impossible to tell how many grams of sugar were naturally occurring in a food (like the natural sugar found in milk or fruit), and how many the manufacturer added during processing.
More From Good Housekeeping
"This would be a major step toward helping people find the sneaky sources of sugar lurking in unexpected foods like bread, pasta sauce and other condiments, and seemingly healthy yogurts," says Samantha Cassetty, M.S., R.D., Good Housekeeping Research Institute Nutrition Director.
More Clear, Realistic Serving Sizes
Ever eat something that seemed like it was single serving and then realize afterwards that it was meant to serve two or even three (and therefore had two or three times more calories than you realized)? The new label will aim to stop that with more prominent labeling of the number of servings in a package. The FDA is also proposing to update serving-size requirements to better reflect how much people actually eat (so ice cream, for example, will have a bigger serving size than it's current 1/2 cup portion).
"This is a huge improvement as the current serving sizes reflect portions that were common 30 to 40 years ago rather than the pumped up portions we're now consuming, We'll be in a much better position to judge the calories and other nutrients since they'll be tied to what we're actually eating," says Cassetty.
Highlighting the Nutrients
The %DV (daily value) would be on the left of the label to help you better contextualize nutrient information. Potassium (which helps control blood pressure) and Vitamin D (crucial for strong bones) would also be required on labels. Says Cassetty: "These are important nutrients we know people fall short on so the new label will help consumers identify good sources."
TELL US: Would these kinds of changes help you make better choices?


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After John M. Ford's death, Elise Matthesen (who lived with him) posted copies of "The Declaration", a ceremony performed by them in front of a whole convention full of people. I'm pretty sure that, canonically, this constitutes a marriage covenant: promise of "till death do us part", consent, witness of the community. If not, it's pretty close. (It would seem simpler just to get married in such case, but fans never can do anything like anybody else….)
Anyway, if you scroll down, this posting also included her poem "Response", which includes some very powerful Crucifixion and Rosary imagery related to Ford's constant poor health. You might like to read it.


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Family awarded millions in compensation for the death of 3-year-old
A Maryville man was sentenced to six years in prison and was ordered to pay more than $3.5 million in restitution to the family of a 3-year-old girl who died as a result of an alcohol related vehicle accident he caused last year.
Judge Roger Prokes sentenced Ryan Sundermann to serve six years in the Department of Corrections on charges of involuntary manslaughter. Sundermann recklessly caused the death of Abrielle Neff in a motor vehicle collision in March 2007.
Sundermann was charged with failing to maintain proper control of his vehicle, failure to drive on the right half of the roadway and operated a motor vehicle after consuming alcohol.
After reviewing the Sentencing Assessment Report and hearing a statement from the child's mother, probation was denied and the court did not retain jurisdiction –– meaning the Department of Corrections will decide when Sundermann will come up for parole instead of Judge Prokes.
"I am pleased that we were able to resolve this case by plea on a sentence that was jointly recommended with the family," David Baird, prosecuting attorney for Nodaway County stated in a written release. "I am also pleased that the Court chose to sentence the defendant to serve a term in the Department of Corrections and not follow the recommendation within the Sentencing Assessment Report prepared by Probation and Parole, which recommended probation with house arrest and other community structured sentence.
"The sentence serves to punish for the offense that occurred and simultaneously avoids the stress and difficulty of a trial for the family and victims."
During court proceedings, Brenda Neff, Abrielle's mother, spoke while reading from a prepared statement to the court and to Sundermann.
With tears streaming down her face, Neff spoke of the impact Abrielle's death had on the family.
"How do I end this statement," Neff said. "As there is no end to the impact, except to say we all loved Abrielle Lauryn Neff, from the day she opened her big brown eyes until the day Ryan Sundermann's poor decisions forced them closed. We will continue to carry our love for her with us forever."
Sundermann then requested to make a statement to the family.
"I want the Neff family to know that I am very sorry about what happened," he said. "There is not a morning I wake up that I don't think about the pain I've caused them. I think about what I did every day. I want them to know that I really mean that –– I am really sorry. I'm not just saying that."
As Judge Prokes pronounced sentence, he said he hoped Sundermann would go through any program necessary while serving time in prison to help him deal with any alcohol problems he might have.
Sundermann was then remanded to the custody of the Nodaway County Sheriff for delivery to the Department of Corrections to serve the six-year penitentiary sentence.
Following a short recess, Judge Prokes considered a civil case filed by Marcus and Brenda Neff, seeking compensation for injuries and loss that resulted from the accident.
Three claims were presented in the case. One for injuries sustained by Brenda Neff; one for injuries sustained by Madyson Neff and one for the wrongful death of Abrielle Neff.
After a 30-minute recess, Judge Prokes returned judgement on all three counts. On the first claim, he awarded $250,000; on the second, $100,000 and on the final count, Judge Prokes awarded $3.5 million to be proportioned equally between Marcus and Brenda Neff, parents of Abrielle.
"This doesn't really change anything," Brenda Neff said outside of court. "We don't have to constantly worry about court dates and all that, but it won't change our life."
"How can justice be served," she continued. "Ryan Sundermann gets a six-year sentence. We get a life sentence without our Abrielle."
Maryville Daily Forum


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THE BELIEF in staying true to oneself, particularly as a creative, improvising musician (hence Pocket Compass), is very much the thread running through this third release from British saxophonist and composer Trish Clowes. A journey to California early in 2013, including a meet-up with jazz icon Wayne Shorter, provided considerable inspiration for these latest imaginings and writings, resulting in an adventurous recorded project which reflects "the people who help us stay on the right paths."
Concluding three years as a BBC Radio 3 New Generation Artist, and recording here in full for the first time with her experienced and intuitive Tangent quintet, Clowes has also chosen to collaborate with the BBC Concert Orchestra to provide a luxurious weave of timbres and textures across all eight expansive originals.
From the outset, in the first of the three orchestral sessions, Radiation unfurls into a smorgasbord of delights as the quintet dances freely and comfortably with the lush breadth of its larger counterpart; and Clowes' commanding, lyrical tenor is equalled by the familiar high dexterity of pianist Gwilym Simcock. With the orchestra extemporising from a melodic fragment, there's a lot going on, yet it melds intriguingly well. Tangent's Question Mark, written ahead of the Californian trip, introduces a mood of encircling apprehension as soprano sax pirouettes to Chris Montague's distinctively unpredictable guitar staccato, the whole episode driven by the bass and drum urgency of Calum Gourlay and James Maddren; and Porcupine is expectedly spiky as its pointed rhythms jar against the satisfying amplified ramblings of Montague, whilst Clowes' almost mocking tenor encourages a rapid swing to rise out of glorious disorder – just perfect.
From Oscar Wilde's Symphony in Yellow, Trish Clowes interprets his paradoxical impressions of London's vistas – "like a yellow silken scarf, the thick fog hangs along the quay" – into the most ravishing of quintet pieces, its combination of soft lyricism and light, workaday scurrying tempered by Montague's sinewy, shadowier moments. Chattering octaves introduce high-spirited Balloon, as Clowes' soprano and the oboe (fondly labelled 'jazzboe') of the BBCCO's Lauren Weavers spiral upwardly against boisterous quintet action (Maddren as extravagant as ever) and striking, full orchestration with flickers of the late, great Kenny Wheeler.
Heralded by imitation mammal calls, courtesy of saxophone harmonics plus delicately plucked piano strings, the serenity of whale-watching in Big Sur is communicated beautifully in echoic Pfeiffer and the Whales; and in homage to the genius of Wayne Shorter, Wayne's Waltz dazzles with the improvisatory soprano spark of its dedicatee, Clowes impressively unwavering throughout. To close, a sensitively-balanced Chorale displays the pellucid soloing of Calum Gourlay and Gwilym Simcock; and with luscious orchestral arrangements reminiscent of Claus Ogerman, the leader's tenor searchings here become increasingly spellbinding.
All the while – as with 2012's And In the Night-Time She Is There – this album carries the spine-tingling realisation that Trish Clowes is constantly knocking at the door of innovation, needing to pass through to discover further, uncharted avenues. It's that inquiring edge, along with an innate musicality, that defines this collection of intelligently-crafted, collaborative compositions – a truly compelling addition to the catalogue as well as another indicator of this artist's undoubtable advancement.
Releasing on 10 November 2014 and available from JazzCDs via Basho Records, the Pocket Compass album launch takes place at the Queen Elizabeth Hall, London on 18 November as part of the EFG London Jazz Festival 2014, including work by Guy Barker and Norma Winstone.
Trish Clowes composer/arranger; tenor and soprano saxophones
Gwilym Simcock piano
Chris Montague electric guitar
Calum Gourlay double bass
James Maddren drums
BBC Concert Orchestra
André de Ridder conductor
Basho Records – SRCD 45-2 (2014)


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- Early Detection Is Key to Correcting Childhood Hearing Loss. Know the Signs
- Gambling: When Does Play Become Addiction?
- CBD for Anxiety: Can It Help?
- The Most Common Anxiety Medications, Explained
- Caregiving for Someone After a Stroke
- Parts of Intestinal Scope Devices Can Break Off Inside Patients
- E. Coli From Meat May Be Causing Many UTIs
- AHA News: Many Latinos in the US Don't Get Enough Sleep, and Researchers Are Trying to Learn Why
- Losing a Spouse May Be More Lethal for Men
- Sen. John Fetterman Improving, Though Timing on Return to Work Still Unclear
Health Highlights: Nov. 20, 2013
Here are some of the latest health and medical news developments, compiled by the editors of HealthDay:
J&J Announces $2.5B Settlement for Hip Implant Lawsuits
Johnson & Johnson says it will pay $2.5 billion to settle lawsuits over faulty hip replacements, making it one of the largest settlements paid out in the medical device industry.
The agreement presented in U.S. District Court in Toledo, Ohio, resolves about 8,000 cases involving patients who had to have the metal ball-and-socket hip implant — called the ASR Hip System — removed or replaced, the Associated Press reported.
The metal implant was pulled from the market in 2010 after data showed that it failed sooner than older types of plastic or ceramic hip implants.
The settlement announced late Tuesday provides about $250,000 per patient and covers those whose implants were removed or replaced before Aug. 31, 2013. Most of the patients are expected to receive their payments in 2014, the AP reported.
J&J's lawyers have denied that the company acted improperly.
The deal does not cover all lawsuits related to the hip implant, J&J's DePuy unit said in a statement. "DePuy will continue to defend against remaining claims and believes its actions related to the ASR Hip System have been appropriate and responsible," the company said.
The ASR Hip System was sold for eight years and used in about 35,000 patients in the United States and more than 90,000 worldwide. Production of the hip implant was halted in 2009 and it was recalled in 2010, the AP reported.
Internal J&J documents suggest that company officials knew about problems with the device at last as far back as 2008. And a 2011 company review of a patient registry said that more than one-third of the hip implants were expected to fail within five years of implantation, the AP reported.
Replacement hips are generally supposed to last at least 10 to 20 years, according to the news service.
Supreme Court Won't Intervene in Texas Abortion Law Fight
A strict new abortion law in Texas will remain in place at least for now after the U.S. Supreme Court said Tuesday that it will not intervene in an ongoing legal fight over the issue.
At least one-third of Texas' abortion clinics have been closed since October when a three-judge panel of the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in favor of the law requiring doctors who perform abortions to have admitting privileges at a nearby hospital, the Associated Press reported.
The 5th Circuit panel's ruling overturned U.S. District Judge Lee Yeakel's decision to block the provision. Yeakel said it served no medical purpose and created an illegal barrier for women seeking an abortion.
No more than 20 clinics in the state could meet the new standard. All of those clinics are in metropolitan areas. There are none in the Rio Grande Valley along the border with Mexico. As a result of the new law, some women must travel hundreds of miles to get an abortion, the AP reported.
Planned Parenthood is challenging the new law, saying that it unconstitutionally restricts women's rights.
Tuesday's Supreme Court decision isn't the final word on the issue, but it means that the law will remain in effect while Planned Parenthood's lawsuit against it continues. The case is scheduled to be heard in January by the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals, the AP reported.
Texas is the second-most populous state in the United States, and an average of 80,000 abortions are performed in the state each year, the news service said.
"This law is blocking women in Texas from getting a safe and legal medical procedure that has been their constitutionally protected right for 40 years. This is outrageous and unacceptable — and also demonstrates why we need stronger federal protections for women's health. Your rights and your ability to make your own medical decisions should not depend on your ZIP code," said Cecile Richards, president of Planned Parenthood Federation of America, the AP reported.
Broad abortion limits have been approved in several conservative states in recent months, but the ones in Texas are especially controversial because of the large number of clinics affected and the distance some women must travel to get an abortion.
The other states with laws on admitting privileges are Tennessee and Utah. Courts have temporarily suspended similar laws in Alabama, Kansas, Mississippi, North Dakota and Wisconsin, the AP reported.
Princeton Students 'Highly Unlikely' to Spread Meningitis During Holiday Travel: Officials
It's "highly unlikely" that a meningitis outbreak at Princeton University will spread when students travel over the holidays, but students should get vaccinated as soon as possible, health officials say.
Another person on campus was diagnosed with the rare strain of meningitis last week. It's the seventh case since the strain first appeared at Princeton in March. Six students and one campus visitor have been infected, but no cases outside of campus have been reported, according to USA Today.
On Monday, university officials said the school would offer a new vaccine not yet approved for use in the United States.
The vaccine, called Bexsero, is currently approved for use in Australia and Europe. It is the only vaccine that specifically protects against meningococcal disease caused by serogroup B, the rare strain that's affecting people at Princeton, USA Today reported.
It is "highly unlikely" that Princeton students would spread the disease during holiday travel, because it "requires prolonged, close contact in order to spread from person to person," according to Sharon Hoskins, a senior press officer at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Princeton students don't need to cancel or alter their holiday plans, but the families of the seven people who have already contracted the disease should consider taking preventative antibiotics, she told USA Today.
Heart Drug Maker Accused of Withholding Negative Study Data
A drug company withheld clinical trial data showing that a medicine meant to lower the risk of heart attack actually increased the risk, according to cardiologists.
They said that for more than a year, Anthera Pharmaceuticals ignored a requirement to provide academic investigators with data from the Phase 3 study of a drug called varespladib.
"Despite a contract that required transfer to the academic authors, the company stonewalled every attempt to acquire the data," Dr. Steven Nissen, a cardiologist at the Cleveland Clinic, said in an email to The New York Times.
He was the senior author of a report on the study data that was published online Monday in the Journal of the American Medical Association and released at the annual meeting of the American Heart Association.
In presenting the results at the meeting, study lead investigator Dr. Stephen Nicholls chastised the drug company.
"We think that when you enter into a clinical trial, and we enter into contracts with our patients, there's an obligation that we are going to do the right thing," said Nicholls, a cardiologist at the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute in Adelaide, The Times reported.
The study looked at whether the drug could reduce the risk of heart attack, stroke, chest pain requiring hospitalization, and death in more than 5,100 patients with acute coronary syndrome. The results showed that patients who took the drug actually had a higher risk of heart attack and other cardiovascular problems than those who took a placebo.
The study was halted early by the safety monitoring committee in March 2012.
The accusations of withholding study data were denied by Anthera's chief medical officer, Dr. Colin Hislop. He said it simply took time to gather and organize the data. "I don't think the timeline was particularly protracted, nor were we being difficult," Hislop told The Times.
Copyright © 2023 HealthDay. All rights reserved.


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pragmatic sanction
pragmatic sanction, decision of state dealing with a matter of great importance to a community or a whole state and having the force of fundamental law. The term originated in Roman law and was used on the continent of Europe until modern times. The
Pragmatic Sanction of Bourges, issued by Charles VII of France in 1438, sharply limited the papal authority over the church in France and established the liberty of the Gallican Church (see Gallicanism). It was revoked in 1461 by Louis XI, who sought to improve relations with the Holy See, but relations between church and state remained dubious until Francis I concluded the Concordat of 1516 (see concordat). There have been many other pragmatic sanctions, but the term, if unqualified, always refers to the Pragmatic Sanction of 1713, issued by Holy Roman Emperor Charles VI to alter the law of succession of the Hapsburg family. Soon after Charles succeeded (1711) his elder brother Joseph I as emperor, he undertook to change the law so that, in the event of no male heir, the Hapsburg lands would be inherited through his own daughters rather than through Joseph's daughters. As it became apparent that there would be no male heir, the law took on great importance. By its terms, the succession to all Hapsburg dominions (but not to the imperial dignity, which was elective) was reserved for Charles's daughter Maria Theresa. The principal aim of the law was to guarantee the continued integrity of the Hapsburg territories and to prevent a struggle for the succession. Charles labored throughout his reign to obtain the adherence to the Pragmatic Sanction of the European sovereigns and of the diets and estates of the various Hapsburg lands. France gave it its support in 1738, and at the time of Charles's death (1740) most other powers and all the diets and estates of the Hapsburg domains (including those of the Austrian Netherlands, Bohemia, and Hungary) had endorsed it; the diet of the Holy Roman Empire had guaranteed it in 1732. A notable exception was that of Elector Charles Albert of Bavaria (later Holy Roman Emperor Charles VII), who was married to Maria Amelia, one of the daughters of Joseph I who had been displaced by the Pragmatic Sanction. The other daughter, Maria Josepha, had been married to Elector Frederick Augustus II of Saxony (Augustus III of Poland), who had ratified the Pragmatic Sanction in 1733 in exchange for Austrian support in his struggle for the Polish throne. When Maria Theresa acceded to the Hapsburg succession in 1740, she had to defend her right in a long and bitter struggle, the War of the Austrian Succession (1740–48), in spite of all the guarantees her father had obtained. The Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle of 1748 confirmed the Pragmatic Sanction.
The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2023, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.
See more Encyclopedia articles on: Political Science: Terms and Concepts


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While we wait for the ideal combination of an iPad case and stand — something that we expect will materialize later this year after the release of the second-generation iPad — we have continued to rely upon separate stand accessories for all of our tabletop iPad needs, and developers have continued to release new options in hopes of creating something truly great. Today, we're looking at five of the most noteworthy stands that have been released in recent weeks: Amzer's low-priced Foldo Stand ($17), Griffin's similarly affordable Tablet Stand ($30), Just Mobile's elegant portable Slide ($40) and desktop Encore ($60) stands, and the ultra-portable/novel Logiix Clipstand for iPad ($30). Each of the reviews is brief and separate, sharing only introductory comments.
One point that needs to be made up front is that the ideal iPad stand has three characteristics that few prior-generation options properly address. First, we find it hard to broadly recommend stands that will work only for unencased, first-generation iPads; ideally, a stand can accommodate both protected and unprotected devices, as well as offering the potential to adjust a little for the anticipated and slightly smaller second-generation iPad. Second, the stand's aesthetic design and novelty are important considerations for many users. And third, the price needs to be reasonable. Some decent stands are included for free with or built directly into cases. Others sell for over $100. Neither approach has merited our high recommendation for various reasons, the latter mostly because such a price is excessive in the absence of included electronic hardware or precious metals. Good stands start in the $20 range and can go up to $50 before the question of actual value for the dollar becomes tricky.
As is obvious from our past reviews of Just Mobile's accessories for Apple's devices, we're really excited any time this company announces that it has something new to offer for an iPod, iPhone, iPad, or Mac. While the specifics of the products typically vary from complete wows to pretty good ideas, this company's continued creativity, use of high-quality materials, and desire to stylishly accessorize Apple's products makes it a real standout in the industry today. A Just Mobile accessory may approach a familiar engineering task from a substantially different angle than anyone else, and both the Encore and Slide pull that feat off again while providing a respectable degree of future-proofing.
While the circular desktop stand Encore received our 2011 Best of Show Finalist Award and the smaller portable stand Slide received a full Best of Show Award, the only reason for Encore's lower billing was its $60 price. Just Mobile and creative partner Tools have designed a beautiful aluminum ring with black rubber inner lining and bottom surfaces, adding a matte plastic hinged arm to its back side. The idea and execution are beautiful and elegant, growing on us with every use: place your iPad in the center of the ring with the rubber lining providing front support, and adjust the rear arm to bring the iPad from 90 degrees upright to an angle that just manages to work for typing—around 40 degrees, no further—or anything inbetween. There's enough room in either portrait or landscape orientation to connect a Dock Connector cable, and Encore works as well with cases as without them.
By comparison, Slide looks a lot simpler and is certainly smaller. The extremely unique shape is a flat aluminum plate with a rubberized, iPad-gripping curve at one end, and a tube built into the other—no easy feat to machine perfectly, but Just Mobile has managed it. Inside the metal tube is a black rubber cylinder with a metal core, deliberately designed to have just the right hand feel, weight, and functionality. You pop the cylinder out of the tube, place your iPad in Slide's lower rubberized curve, pick your preferred angle, and put the cylinder behind the iPad. The tube's weight and a ridge on the stand guarantee that the iPad will stay sturdy when it's used upright or placed on an Encore-like recline of roughly 40 degrees for typing. It's so interesting from a usage standpoint that it's hard to believe that it works, but it does, with or without iPad cases. Slide's only drawback is that you'll need to place the cylinder in your chosen location every time you bring your iPad back to the stand; it has no fixed-position memory and really is, as Just Mobile suggests, designed to be for portable use rather than regular day-to-day desktop use.
Slide feels like a little bit of a reach at $40, but Just Mobile packages it with a soft drawstring carrying bag, and the design is undeniably portable, useful, versatile, and near the lower end of the price range for really well-designed iPad stands. Encore by comparison feels like a big reach at $60 given the number of quality metal stands that have been offered at or below the same price point, though there's no denying how attractive it is or how elegantly it works. The fact that its rear arm remains in the last position used makes it a better pick than Slide for users with desktop mounting needs, but its larger footprint may reduce its portability for some users. If you have no objections to spending a little extra cash for great design, either of these stands should be high on your list.
Our Rating
Company and Price
Company: Just Mobile
Website: www.Xtand.net
Model: Encore
Price: $60
Compatible: iPad


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Draganflyer X8: The Dreamboat UAV [UAVs]
Source: http://gizmodo.com/5619680/draganflyer-x8-the-dreamiest-uav
All respects to whatever UAV you've got on your pin-up calendar. The Draganflyer X8 has it beat in the beauty department. And wait until you see how flexible it is.
DraganFlyer X8 complete spec list is pretty ridiculous, so let's just gun through some of the highlights: GPS that can track up to 16 satellites simultaneously, can carry a payload of over two pounds, has a microSD black box data recorder, 3 gyros, accelerometers, and magnetometers on-board, and capable of carrying a remote-operated 10MP still camera and a 1080p video camera. Also: it's foldable.
Pretty slick, and a worthy addition to the Draganflyer lineage. It's also, presumably, very expensive, since you have to request a price quote. That's fine, though; this little monster's meant for professional photographers and/or amateur spy games. For now, I'm content just to focus my gadget lust on it. [DraganFly]


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The DC Press Corps Is So Jealous of Mike Allen
Machine-like purveyor of conventional media wisdom Howard Kurtz takes on the DC press corps' most important question today: Hey, is Politico's Mike Allen really Washington's Most Important Journalist? Or might that Most Important Journalist be [my name]?
The New York Times Magazine's big Mike Allen profile cover story last weekend—which, by the way, made him seem thoroughly bizarre and pitiful—is now having roughly the same effect on the DC press corps that Emily Gould's NYT mag cover story had on the blogger world: 'Fuck that person, why not me?' Howie Kurtz makes the point that since Mike Allen is just an aggregator, maybe the people who do the actual reporting should get more credit, hmmm? Why, he takes a look at the day's Playbook column and it links to, let's see..."um, three items summarizing pieces by me."
Howie then aggregates (see that?) bitching from other DC reporters on the same topic. Marc Ambinder knows for sure that Obama himself likes to read long magazine pieces like, I don't know, the type of stuff that, I don't know, people like Marc Ambinder write. And Marc Ambinder knows that many types of stories can move the needle in DC—"So can, as I discovered, a late night blog post [BY MARC AMBINDER] about some dumb remark Harry Reid made."
The WaPo's own Ian Shapira wonders, "wouldn't it be better if he were working on longer-term stories or investigations that served the public good?" Investigations like, "Is Ian Shapira receiving enough credit from blogs for his stories?"
Ha, that is a cheap shot. Of course it is a travesty to even contemplate a world in which Mike Allen's morning linkdump makes him the most influential journalist in DC. But the entire DC press corps is a travesty in general. So suck it up.
[Pic: Shutterstock]


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Innovative Culinary Tools are Our Signature
Julia Child let people in on the Cuisinart secret and so did James Beard. They were among the first culinary experts to hail the food processor as a revolutionary kitchen appliance when it was introduced to America in 1973 by the late Cuisinart founder, Carl Sontheimer. They saw the food processor as a ...... Read More


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You're never too young to wave your rainbow flag! The world's greatest LGBTQ+ moms need to be celebrated—and this t-shirt says it all.
By purchasing this tee, you're supporting our work to advance legal and lived equality for LGBTQ families and those who wish to form them.
A tee with softness that is perfect for an infant's sensitive, smooth skin. Durable, high quality print will survive the very first adventures.
.: Classic fit
.: 100% Cotton (fibre content may vary for different colors)
.: Light fabric (4.5 oz/yd² (153 g/m²))
.: Runs true to size


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Vattenfall sold SEK 3,131 million (€354m) of wind-generated electricity last year from projects in Sweden, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands and the UK, the majority of which are offshore wind farms. This was up 50.7% from wind revenues of SEK 2,078 million in 2010.
The utility's wind business's underlying profit for 2011 was SEK 460 million, up from a loss of SEK 601 million in 2010.
The strong financials came on the back of massive gains in wind generation in 2011. The company's wind portfolio generated and sold 3.4TWh of electricity last year, up 54.5% from 2.2TWh the previous year.
Vattenfall in its annual report attributed the substantial increase to "to high availability at all wind farms and favourable wind conditions".
Vattenfall is Sweden's largest operator of wind power (with approximately 10% of the wind-power market) and the world's second-largest operator of offshore wind power with 978MW installed offshore capacity, more than half of which (540MW) is in the UK.
New wind-power accounts for 33% of Vattenfall's investments in plant during the period 2012–16 and includes, among other things, construction of two large wind farms in the North Sea (DanTysk and Sandbank) and investments in co-operation with Scottish Power in the UK.


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I made such a mistake doing a Westward the Women post for International Women's Day. Granted, it's a good film, and highly recommended—but does it really teach a woman anything substantial? Knowing how to harness a mule or drive a wagon isn't all there is to life. So here's compensation: a film replete with lessons for women (and men, too). There are do's and don'ts for just about any situation in life, including—though never stated—filmmaking.
Bhabhi begins at an old man's deathbed. He's attended by his weeping sister (Durga Khote) and his eldest son Ratanlal (no idea who this actor is). Ratan has three younger brothers—Ramesh, Rajan and Baldev `Billu'—all of whom his father leaves in Ratan's care, along with a debt of Rs 1,000, for which their home has been mortgaged. The father pops off, but when Ratan goes to the creditor, a lawyer named Motilal (Bipin Gupta), to promise to pay off the debt, Motilal insists the money was given as a loan. He is kindness itself and offers to help when Ratan expresses a desire to begin a small business.
Armed with a letter of recommendation from Motilal, Ratan goes to a cloth merchant in Mysore. He is received with even more kindness, and soon begins hawking cloth from door to door.
Years pass. Ratan (now Balraj Sahni) is a successful and wealthy cloth merchant. Ramesh (Jawahar Kaul) is on the way to becoming a lawyer, and Rajan (Raja Gosavi) will be, as Ratan puts it, `in just a few days', a doctor. Billu (Jagdeep) is studying in college, and Ratan—a widower—is trying unsuccessfully to bring up his motherless infant.
The obvious solution is for Ratan to remarry. His new bride is Shanta (Pandari Bai), a college-educated woman who, on discovering that Ratan left off his schooling after his father's death, hides the extent of her own education. Lesson #1: A woman cannot be more educated than her husband. Even if she is, she can be considered a dutiful wife only if she pretends to be less educated.
Fortunately for Ratan, baby and household, Shanta is loving (cloyingly so), maternal and a homebody.
Some years have passed. Ratan's son, Mithoo (Daisy Irani) is now about six years old. Shanta and Ratan don't have any children of their own. Lesson #2: A truly virtuous second wife won't have any offspring who may possibly distract her from lavishing her affections on any stepchildren she may have.
Ratan's siblings, however, have made little progress. Ramesh has just qualified as a lawyer; Rajan is still working to be a doctor; and Billu's still in college. From what I can tell, this is a singularly dumb family. Shanta's cousin Lata (Nanda) who lives with them, seems to think so, at least of Billu: she sings Tie lagaake maana ban gaye janaab hero to him. Lata, by the way, was married and widowed as a child; she doesn't even remember being married, and is a bundle of pranks.
Ratan's employee Munshiram (Shivraj) comes to Ratan with a request for a loan—he wants to get his daughter Mangala (Nalini? Don't know) married. Ratan offers a happy solution: Ramesh will marry her. But Ramesh is in love with Motilal's daughter Tara (Shyama, looking gorgeous). What's more, Motilal approves of the match. Lesson #3: As an eldest sibling, you can boss around your younger brothers and sisters to the extent of deciding whom they'll marry—without even considering asking them first. [I'm not an older sibling, so can't get to try this, sadly].
Caught in a dilemma, Ratan conjures up another solution. (This guy is good at thinking on his feet). Rajan, the brother labouring to be a doctor, will marry Mangala. Lesson #4: Read lesson #3, above. Ditto. (Maybe I should rename this lesson #3a).
Anyway, Mangala seems quite content to find herself suddenly engaged to someone different. Lesson #4 (really 4): A good woman quietly accepts whoever she's told to marry—even if her bridegroom changes to someone else the next day.
Ramesh-Tara and Rajan-Mangala get married the same day, and as they're entering the house, Shanta emerges with aarti thali in hand to welcome them. She welcomes Ramesh and Tara, but Lata races forward when Ratan and Mangala are to be welcomed, and insists on doing the aarti herself. The neighbourhood women, crowding around Mangala, tut-tut about Lata's inauspiciousness. A widow, and welcoming the bride? Not done. By the time Rajan arrives, Mangala's belching fire.
Lesson #5: A girl who's bovine-docile one day can change into a harpy the next. All she has to do is get married.
Mangala is such a harridan, she soon drives Rajan off; he returns to medical college. But Mangala doesn't stop at that. She rails at Lata, complains to Shanta (who personifies the `water off a duck's back' idiom: no raving and ranting can make her leave off her fixed smile) and cribs to Tara. Tara is initially unbiased and prone to tell Mangala to take it easy, but Mangala works away at it, and Tara gradually becomes anti-Shanta/Lata/Ratan/whoever.
Lata, meanwhile, has been spending her time playing with Mithoo and Billu, flying kites, plucking roses from the garden (roses which Billu forbids Mangala from picking for her pooja), and being cheeky to Tara and Mangala.
Tara finally loses her temper and bursts into the kitchen to complain to Shanta about Lata. Lata, who's also sitting there, continues to tease Tara and Mangala, but Shanta brushes it off with a beatific smile. Lesson #7: A smile may not be always appropriate (in fact, as in this case, it can be inflammatory), but it's what a good woman resorts to when faced with a quarrel.
Tara accuses Shanta of indulging Lata, who as a widow, shouldn't be enjoying herself in this shameless fashion. Lesson #8: A widow, never mind if she doesn't even know she's a widow—or was ever married—must never smile or sing or fly kites.
Lata, in that horrific moment, realises the futility of her joyous life, and goes off to change into a white sari (how on earth do people in Hindi films unearth white saris at the drop of a hat? Do they keep them tucked away in a cupboard to be pulled out at a moment's notice?). Unknown to Shanta, Lata also writes to the brother (Om Prakash) of her dead husband, asking him to come fetch her, since she's family.
Lesson #9: Family is people whose dead relations you were once married to; never mind if you don't even remember your spouse or that you were married. People you live with and love (and who love you) aren't really family.
Lata's brother-in-law and his tyrannical wife (Manorama) are pleased to be getting an unpaid maidservant to look after their house. Their son (Agha), who works with his father in a small-time nautanki, is neutral. He does protest when Lata's put to work, but he's ignored. Lata spends her days sobbing her eyes out while she goes about sweeping, scrubbing, cooking and getting thrashed by the sister-in-law.
As if that wasn't enough cause for anxiety, Tara's brother Jeevan (Anwar Hussain) begins brainwashing Tara and Rajan into getting Ratan to divide the property four ways. Ratan, after much soul-searching and sorrowing, agrees and the division happens. Ramesh gets the family firm; Rajan is given a bungalow; Billu gets other property; and Ratan keeps the village house, to which he now repairs, with his aunt, Shanta and Mithoo.
In the meantime, Rajan has begun drowning his sorrows in drink. Ratan falls very ill, and Shanta's at the end of her tether, both emotionally and financially, though she smiles bravely (or irritatingly—depends on how you look at it) through it all. She even travels to lecture Rajan on how he's disappointed them all by taking to drink. Rajan, from that moment, is a changed man, repentant and resolved to do better. Lesson #10: Even if you don't have money to save your family from starvation, you must travel long distances to stop younger siblings from wandering off the straight and narrow. And if you cough up a suitably effective harangue, even a drunk can suddenly become sober.
This is the happy half of the film. There's more to come: more angst, more sheer evilness on the parts of Jeevan and Lata's in-laws, more family misunderstandings that keep people away from each other. And there are many more lessons, including one that's been reinforced in films all the way from Munimji to Haathi Mere Saathi. Lesson #11: Always train your pet to do just about anything. You never know when it'll come in use.
At which point, nauseated at the very memory of this film, I'm going to take myself off. With one last lesson, Lesson #12: good songs do not a good film make. Neither do a good lead actor and a so-so supporting cast when the basic story is preachy, depressing, and utterly painful.
What I liked about this film:
The music. It's by Chitragupt, and absolutely lovely. The beautiful Chal ud jaa re panchhi is probably the most famous, but there are lesser gems too, including Kaare-kaare badraa, jaa re jaa re badraa.
Jagdeep. As Billu, he's one of the few people in the film who's tolerable. True, he does have some fairly weepy and emotional scenes, but he's refreshingly, genuinely funny.
What I didn't like:
The rest.
My usual favourites, Balraj Sahni, Nanda and Shyama (why did she get so many of the beautiful harridan roles? Bhabhi; Beti; Bahurani; Chhoti Bahen; such a lovely woman should've done more of the Aar Paar and Barsaat ki Raat roles)… even these people can't save Bhabhi. Like Om Prakash, Manorama and Agha, they're wasted: their roles are screechy and harsh, or weepy and self-sacrificing, or half-wittedly light-hearted, or just generally one-dimensional. As for Pandari Bai and Raja Gosavi: their accents go for a toss and become very strained in some of the emotional scenes. Probably not an issue if you're depending on subtitles to see the film, but if you know Hindi (as I do), then it can make you wince (as I did).
The story. All the old clichés, of the ever-suffering, ever-smiling mother figure of the bhabhi; the strident bride who snatches her husband away from the bosom of his doting family; the conniving and greedy brother-in-law with an eye on the wealth; the patriarch who will do anything to bring his family back together again—are all here. And as if that wasn't enough, the tale's sprinkled liberally with other social messages, all of them hammered hard and long. Some, like that of the treatment of widows, are progressive and laudable, but the way they're presented is so awful, it's really not worth the time and effort.


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A colleague sent me this entertaining link this morning, showing some creative runners in the Bay to Breakers race in San Francisco, dressed up as their favorite characters from the Japanese console game Katamari Damacy.
Their costumes are amazing, as is the approximately 8 foot in diameter katamari they built. But I wonder, did they roll it the whole 12K? I'd think the novelty would wear off after the first couple of miles. But if you can win a free trip, I guess it's worth it!


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Video Games
Whether you're planning for a large gaming tournament or just want to include something fun for the kids, Montgomery Arcade & Gaming Rentals has all the video games you need. Our video game consoles are a great addition to any event and we have an outstanding selection of games to accompany each. Check out our full list of video game consoles below and call or email us today for a free quote!


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U-boat losses by cause
This is an attempt to catalogue all U-boat losses by cause.
U-boats missing in action
Listing of all U-boats believed to be missing during the war.
Captured U-boats
4 German U-boats and 1 English submarine were captured at sea in the war.
Sunk by Allied Subs
The war was also fought under the sea. 19 German U-boats were lost to allied submarines.
U-boats Today
5 U-boats are still existing today and you can visit 4 of them.
Interned in Spain
Two German U-boats were interned in Spain during the war.
Surrendered U-boats
Listing of all 156 U-boats surrendering after the war.
Losses by year
This is a set of pages listing all the U-boat losses during each year of the war.
U-boats after WWII
This is a compilation of all the U-boats that either survived the war or were later raised and re-commissioned.
Bombed in Safe Waters
This page covers the U-boats lost in harbours and home waters through allied air raids.
Chart of U-boat losses in WWII
A chart showing losses from month to month and gives a graphical overview of the escalation in the war.
Losses in May 1943
This was the turning point in Battle of the Atlantic. 40 U-boats lost and many damaged.
Post-war U-boat events
Post-war U-boat fates, wreck discoveries, U-boats raised after the war etc.


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CME Group Inc. Announces Date of Third-Quarter 2013 Earnings Release, Conference Call
Sep 27, 2013, 03:49 ET
CHICAGO, Sept. 27, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- CME Group Inc. will announce earnings for the third quarter of 2013 before the markets open on Monday, November 4, 2013. The company has scheduled an investor conference call that day at 7:30 a.m. Central time.
A live audio Webcast of the conference call will be available on the Investor Relations section of the company's Web site, www.cmegroup.com. Following the conference call, an archived recording will be available at the same site. Those wishing to listen to the live conference via telephone should dial 800-593-0370 if calling from within the United States or 773-681-5843 if calling from outside the United States, at least 10 minutes before the call begins.
As the world's leading and most diverse derivatives marketplace, CME Group (www.cmegroup.com) is where the world comes to manage risk. CME Group exchanges offer the widest range of global benchmark products across all major asset classes, including futures and options based on interest rates, equity indexes, foreign exchange, energy, agricultural commodities, metals, weather and real estate. CME Group brings buyers and sellers together through its CME Globex® electronic trading platform and its trading facilities in New York and Chicago. CME Group also operates CME Clearing, one of the world's leading central counterparty clearing providers, which offers clearing and settlement services across asset classes for exchange-traded contracts and over-the-counter derivatives transactions. These products and services ensure that businesses everywhere can substantially mitigate counterparty credit risk.
CME Group is a trademark of CME Group Inc. The Globe Logo, CME, Globex and Chicago Mercantile Exchange are trademarks of Chicago Mercantile Exchange Inc. CBOT and the Chicago Board of Trade are trademarks of the Board of Trade of the City of Chicago, Inc. NYMEX, New York Mercantile Exchange and ClearPort are registered trademarks of New York Mercantile Exchange, Inc. COMEX is a trademark of Commodity Exchange, Inc. KCBOT, KCBT and Kansas City Board of Trade are trademarks of The Board of Trade of Kansas City, Missouri, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Further information about CME Group (NASDAQ: CME) and its products can be found at www.cmegroup.com.
SOURCE CME Group Inc.


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Have you checked out my natural hair regimen? If you have I should note that I am a complete fraud. My lion mane has been very unkempt for the past few weeks, for no reason other than my own laziness. I hate to use the "busy working mom" excuse, but this stuff is hard. Just yesterday a student said "you look tired" and I replied, "gee, thanks a lot". In his opinion I should not have been tired because its Friday, but my reply was that "I'm tired because its Friday." My past month has included: being snowed in, car repairs, potty training, parent teacher conference nights, and various other after-school meetings and requirements, and sickness.
Every weekend my intention would be to do my typical winter routine of wash, deep condition, and twists. Saturday would come and go, Sunday would come and go, even some Monday holidays/workdays, and snow days off, and I still would not have the motivation to do anything with my hair. To make things worse I wasn't even protecting my hair at night. I would either fall asleep on the couch or be to tired to find my bonnet to wear. (This is where a satin pillow case would come in handy). So I really wasn't worrying about putting my hair a pineapple, sealing and moisturizing, or using the plastic cap to lock in moisture. The most I was doing was fluffing it out in the morning after it got moist in the shower and adding a leave in. Occasionally, I would put it in a puff and/or maybe add a twist or something in the front. But I am determined at this point to get back on track. These are the steps I plan on taking.
1. My twist routine.
This weekend, as in today, I am going to reset my usual routine. I really mean it this time. I am going to do a hot oil treatment with coconut, EVOO, or avocado oil, co-wash, and deep condition. I will then put my twist in and wear them for 1-2 weeks. This is my typical winter routine, when I am trying to use as much protective styling as possible. I will usually wear my hair out for a little but after I take the twist out. But I need to get back to this.
2. Straightening
I know this might seem like the opposite of what I should be doing for healthy hair management, but sometimes I just get a boost my seeing my hair totally stretched out. I plan on going to a professional stylist that specializes in natural hair. I got a blow out at a Dominican stylist last year, and while I was happy with the results, I was skeptical about the treatment of my hair. They were VERY rough. I understand that there is going to be some pulling and tugging, but I want to make sure my hair is getting the best care possible; especially after my own bad habits. This is also an opportunity for me to get a good trim. Although it always breaks my heart to see them trim away all that length, I know its damaged ends so no need to keep it. After this I will be ready to keep up my healthy hair.
For the rest of the dry wintry season, maybe even through spring break, I plan on keeping protective styles. And I mean real protective styles with all my hair tucked away. I'll probably rotate between crochets, corn row styles, and buns with some added hair. I will of course be moisturizing throughout and washing/conditioning in between styles. I just want to make sure that I am keeping my hair away from the elements as it has been very much exposed for the past month or 2.
My hair is so important to me. Natural hair care is no easy task. Some people think its easier than having a relaxer, boy are they wrong. I had reasonably long hair before I was natural, it would be a shame if my hair was worse of now that I am natural. This is by no means swaying me back to the creamy crack. I am a Naturalista for life, for more reasons than just having long hair. I would be lying if I said my long was not to surpass my relaxed hair length. I know we all have ups and downs, but I hope to get back to my old self; rocking my coils for the world to see.


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Image: sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com
President Barack Obama was back in San Francisco on Wednesday and spent around four hours mingling with officials and supporters at the airport before heading to campaign events throughout the city and finally returning back to the airport.
Arriving at SFO aboard Air Force One, President Obama was et by San Francisco Maybe Ed Lee, numerous campaign volunteers and Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom. This was the president's second trip to the Bay Area in two weeks.
President Obama attended two events in the Financial District of San Francisco including a luncheon at the Julia Morgan Ballroom at the Merchants Exchange. At one of the events, San Francisco Giants and baseball Hall of Famer Willie Mays introduced Obama and said he had "a great, great pride in Obama. It's just a wonderful feeling that I have in my heart. He's the man that we need to be in the White House."
President Obama said, "The American people are tough, and the tougher the times, the tougher they get. Because of the extra talents and gifts and the resilience of the American people, the administration has been able to create 43 million new jobs. We've been able to stabilize the situation, but we also understand that folks are still hurting out there. That's why in some ways, 2012 is even more important than 2008…we've got to finish what we started."
Source: Mercury News
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In addition to the Association of American Geographers conference here in DC this April, there are two conferences of note over in Europe in late summer (thanks Martin):
September 1 – Sept. 5:
ICA Commission Mountain Cartography will meet in Romania. Abstracts due by March 1. More info »
September 6 -Â Sept. 9:Â
FOSS4G in Barcelona. Abstracts need to be in by April 1. More info »
I've attended the mountain cartography conference before and highly recommend it. It'll be a much smaller affair then the Barcelona conference and include many mountain outings.
The "Free and Open Source Software for GeoSpatial" conference is an:
international 'gathering of tribes' of open source geospatial communities, where developers and users show off their latest software and projects.
The spatial industry is undergoing rapid innovations and the open source spatial community is one of the forces driving the change. The FOSS4G conference is more than a melting pot of great ideas it is a catalyst and opportunity to unite behind the many successful geospatial products, standards and protocols.
See you there!


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OUP explains:
Much of the struggle for racial justice in the United States has taken place in the courts, from the Civil Rights Cases of 1883 to Brown v. Board of Education to recent cases on affirmative action and voter suppression. But the legal aspects of this struggle involve far more than Supreme Court precedents. Defining the Struggle is a ground-breaking and important exploration of how late nineteenth and early twentieth century national organizations-including the National Afro American League, the National Afro American Council, the National Association of Colored Women, and the Niagara Movement-developed myriad strategies for law-related racial justice organizing. It tells the story of these organizations and their leaders and motivations, the initiatives they undertook, and the ideas about law and racial justice activism they developed and passed on to future generations. While it is well known that the racial justice struggle was arduous in the mid-twentieth century, this struggle was dramatically more difficult in the period before that, making the story of these individuals and the organizations they led all the more remarkable.Here are two blurbs:
Law professor Susan D. Carle traces the fascinating, sometimes fractious campaigns for voting rights, anti-lynching laws, civil rights equality, social welfare policy, and economic advancement. She shows how these early national organizations transmitted their ideas and experiences to two flagship national racial justice organizations of the early twentieth century, the NAACP and National Urban League. In so doing Carle sheds new light on how these early origins helped set the path for twentieth century legal civil rights activism in the United States. With unparalleled scholarly depth and a vivid, compelling narrative, Defining the Struggle explores the forerunner organizations and individuals whose contributions have largely been forgotten today.
"Susan Carle writes a clear and convincing history of the first generation of civil rights organizers and advocates-the movement that started the Movement. We all stand on their shoulders. Let us remember their names and know their stories."-Benjamin Todd Jealous, President and CEO, NAACP
"Susan Carle's study of nineteenth-century social and legal activism is ground breaking. By shedding new light on the historical roots of the Second Reconstruction and mapping the intellectual links between modern civil rights groups and long-forgotten visionaries, Carle has made a remarkable contribution."-Tomiko Brown-Nagin, author of the Bancroft-Prize winning Courage to Dissent: Atlanta and the Long History of the Civil Rights Movement
TOC after the jump.
Chapter 1. A New Generation of Post-Reconstruction Leaders
Chapter 2. The Legal and Political Vision of T. Thomas Fortune, Founder of the National Afro American League, 1880-1890
Chapter 3. The National Afro American League's Founding and Law-Related Work, 1887-1895
Chapter 4: The Dispute between the "Radicals" and the "Accommodationists" within the Afro American Council: Reverdy Ransom and Booker T. Washington's Contrasting Visions of Racial Justice, 1895-1902
Chapter 5: The Afro American Council's Internal History, 1898-1908
Chapter 6: "Should Not a Nation Be Just to All of Her Citizens?": The Afro American Council's Legal Work, 1898-1908
Chapter 7: "Unity in Diversity": The National Association of Colored Women's Dual Social Welfare and Civil Rights Agenda, 1895-1910
Chapter 8: Asserting "Manhood" Rights: The Niagara Movement's First Year, 1905
Chapter 9: The Beginnings of Twentieth Century Protest in the Niagara Movement's Experience, 1906-1909
Chapter 10: Atlanta and New York City; Founding the National Urban League
Chapter 11: Founding the NAACP: Building the Organization, 1908-1915
Chapter 12: Building the NAACP's Legal Agenda, 1910-1915


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Updated 8.04.2011. Originally posted July 2008. This is one of my top visited posts of all time with 10,259 visits on this blog and 1,272 on my gardening-only blog!
My friend Debbi and I have been making these concrete leaf castings for several years now, and my Garden Club members have also tried their hand at it. We have used Portland cement type 1 for our earlier creations, but then started making them with Quikrete instead. Several artists recommend using vinyl patch instead because it's stronger, lighter in weight and picks up more detail from the leaf texture and veining. It's also more resistant to flaking and cracking associated with traditional cement mixtures. The next batch I make will be with the vinyl patch product!
This site here has step-by-step instructions (plus a youtube video). The steps are the same no matter which product you're using.
Click here for Craig Cramer's blog posting, "The Secret to Great Leaf Casts." He recommends using Quikrete. Click here for another site with an extensive gallery for inspiration. David, the artist, recommends waiting 30 days before painting your creations. (I've never waited that long—don't know if I would have the patience!) He mixes Quikrete with his concrete mixture, but I'm not sure what the ratio is. At the very least, his photo gallery will endlessly inspire you!
Since most of the leaves we create are smaller, we don't often do the chicken wire reinforcement. Larger elephant ears do require a bit of reinforcement, though, and we have made some of those (the larger the leaf is, the more likely you'll need two people to move it when it's dry!). Most of the ones we have done are made with leaves from hostas, pokeweed, grape leaves, caladium leaves, and smaller elephant ears. Leaves that have nice, deep veins work best. If you want to hang your leaf on a fence or wall, insert a curved piece of clothes hanger or thick wire (formed into a loop) into the back before the leaf is cured.
Artists Little and Lewis suggest using powdered pigments to color your concrete before creating the leaves. Read more about their approach with hosta leaves here. They have created some really beautiful (and large!) ones using Gunnera leaves, which grow well in the Pacific Northwest.
We haven't tried the "color-in-the-concrete" approach yet. We do ours in the natural color and then paint after curing is done. Our favorite style is to paint the front and back with black acrylic paint, then rub on powdered metallic powdered pigments (the type often used in Sculpey jewelry projects). We used the Pearl Ex powdered pigment series, and we find silver, gold, bronze, blues, greens, and purples work much better than the pastel colors. We only apply the additional coloring and metallic powder to the front. The back remains black only. Check out Pearl Ex pigments on the Jacquard Products website.
I buy my Pearl Ex pigments from Michael's or A.C. Moore. They sell them in sets of 12 different colors, or you can buy a larger bottle of one color. It doesn't take much to cover the leaf. We use a soft cloth (and end up using our fingers) to rub in the pigments, which are very concentrated and go a long way. We find it best to paint the leaf with black acrylic craft paint in order for the metallic pigments to be intense in color when they are applied.
The metallic pigments are stunning and you can get a variegated look using various colors! If you try this style, you'll need to seal the front of your leaf with an outdoor spray sealant to keep the pigment from rubbing off. I seal the front of the leaves with Krylon's Make It Last!® Sealer, which has a satin finish and dries (for handling) within two hours.
Don't expect the colors to hold up 100% in direct sunlight over a few years, though. The paint will chip a little but you can always paint over it and do it again to freshen it up. They still look good chipped and faded, though…sort of a shabby chic, relic-look! And you can try a new color scheme the next time around. Remember to seal after every repainting. Even if you hang or display yours indoors, you'll still need to seal the pieces so they can be handled. And they certainly won't fade as soon if they're used as indoor art.
If you want a solid colored metallic leaf, you can use inexpensive acrylic craft paint instead of the powdered pigments. First, paint the front and back of the leaf solid black (the leaf is porous so it will soak in the black) and then paint the entire front with your colored metallic acrylic paint. After everything is thoroughly dry, seal the front of the leaf with the Krylon Sealer.
The good news: supplies for this project are CHEAP, CHEAP, CHEAP and the results are incredible! The downside? Those bags of quickrete, etc. are HEAVY!
Whichever method you decide to try (Portland cement type 1, Quikrete, Quikrete + vinyl patch, vinyl patch only), I'd love to see your results and will share them on this blog!
© Cindy Dyer. All rights reserved.


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Part One – Two – Three – Four – Five – Six – Seven – Eight – Nine
In our last episode, Tim saw the G.I. Joe comic book that would change his life forever, but his brother told him not to buy it!
I looked at Kevin stupidly, desperately. Cobra Commander was in his battle armor! Insulting Voltar! Destro had his gold helmet! His GOLD helmet! Darklon unloaded his (non-lethal) weapon into Road Pig! The show was in reruns, and we would never see these characters animated in our entire lives! The cartoon adventures of this most engaging brand ever was over, doomed to eternal repeats and diminished relevance like those horrible 1960s Flintstones reruns we caught where there was nothing else on.
"Why not?"
"It's a dollar."
The emphasis: "It's a dollar." What he was saying was "It's a third of another figure. We could be going to Toy"R"Us again any week now, and you wouldn't want to be there without enough money to buy your next G.I. Joe figure, would you? It will be a wasted trip, and I'll buy my next figure, and our next game – the best games happen on the days we bring home new figures (O! The inspiration!) – will be lopsided. And all you will have to show for it is this flimsy paper THING. Whereas a figure is interesting forever because it's poseable and a concrete object. But a comic book – whatever that is – can't be any more evergreen than any book, and how often do we reread books? Never."
That's what he was really saying. And he was right. It was a waste. It might be a waste.
But on the other hand, a dollar felt like a great trade for this significant amount of entertainment. (And sadly, today the standard cover price of four dollars is not a commensurate exchange for the satisfaction offered by the average single comic book of 2011 – improved paper stock and color production, inflation, improved wages, and corporate greed having ruined today's comic.) And it was just a dollar. A third of an action figure wasn't all that much. Plus I was feeling experimental. Contrary, even. I might have made the decision just to spite my brother's admonition.
So I bought it. I can still remember standing at the register – Waldenbooks had three side by side, the counters higher than most bank tellers, the woman selling me this gateway drug, a giant black placard high up on the white wall behind her listing all important up-coming book releases by date.
I don't remember telling (or showing) Kevin that I'd bought the comic anyway, but it must have happened on the way out of the store. He probably just said "Oh," a non-committal reaction that would neither encourage nor pity my decision to vote out of lockstep with my political party. (I tended to do whatever Kevin did. A little brother, my independent streak arrived in high school.) I probably did not look through this comic book – whatever it was – on the ride home since I couldn't read in a car (still can't) without stomach discomfort. I don't remember reading G.I. Joe issue #90 on the family room floor at home 45 minutes later, but I probably did. I don't remember enjoying every moment of it, but I certainly did.
How did my brother come around? Tune in next week to find out!
Part One – Two – Three – Four – Five – Six – Seven – Eight – Nine


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Can't Get Worse Than This
I am so sad about the Padres right now, like you wouldn't believe.
We just lost 1-0 for the second day in a row to the Los Angeles Dodgers. But more than just a loss, we had a no-hitter going until the bottom of the ninth with two outs.
It seriously can't get worse than this.
The Padres have never, ever had a no-hitter in the history of the club. To come that freaking close, and not get it…it's heartbreaking.
Well, we probably wouldn't have been able to keep it much longer anyway because we hadn't scored any runs so it would have had to go into extras. But in the bottom of the ninth, with two outs, Luke Gregerson allowed a double and a single to lose the game.
We were one-hit ourselves. Cameron Maybin got that one hit.
But man, we can't score a run. We lose by one stinking run. I'm pretty sure this is going to be a horrible second half.
But I'm a Padres fan forever. Even if we don't win another game this season, I will still be a Padres fan.
Being a Padres fan isn't easy. But it's what I am. It's what I do.
Congrats to Derek Jeter on getting his 3,000th hit. Even though I am not a Yankee fan (GO RED SOX!!), this guy is probably one of the best baseball players out there. So good job bud.


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CNN's Dr. Sanjay Gupta explains how Romney and Obama's competing visions for Medicare differ.
Post by: Dr. Sanjay Gupta
Filed under: 2012 Election • Medicare • Mitt Romney • President Barack Obama
Ever heard of Mr. Barnum ? There's a sucker for good ole trickle (or treat) down health care born every day. If the misogynistic twins get elected in November, just watch how the statistics on longevity plunge in the next four years as vouchers empty out,schools close,poverty increases and the country burns itself into the third world while we all stock up on witchery grubs and gruel.
Can you help that lady that is filling in for Anderson to get a job at MSNBC? I've always thought that AC360 was a news program, but that lady has turned it into a left-wing promotion.
I am wondering how the whole voucher system is supposed to work, under the Ryan medicare plan. If they think that they are just going to send people checks and that they are going to automaticly spend it on health insurance, they are fooling themselves. It needs to have some type of oversight so that the vouchers have to be used for health insurance or to pay for medical issues. If they dont the price of health care will stay the same because people will still use the emergency rooms and default on the bill.
Anderson Cooper goes beyond the headlines to tell stories from many points of view, so you can make up your own mind about the news. Tune in weeknights at 8 and 10 ET on CNN.
Questions or comments? Send an email
Want to know more? Go behind the scenes with AC361°


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Teeming with hardboiled private dicks steeped in alcohol and battered by billy clubs, and with lean fedora-clad gumshoes propped in the penumbras of lonely lampposts, casing leggy dames holding dark secrets, the noir genre has obsessed writers and directors from Raymond Chandler to Stanley Kubrick. Think Bogey and Bacall, Spade and Marlowe.
For three Sunday nights, and three nights only, Dead End Nights celebrates these wizened dramas in all their sordid glory with a series of radio plays, lectures and secret screenings of mystery flicks. The series opens Sunday, June 15, with James Reich's lecture Real Literature of America. Author of the novels Bombshell and I, Judas, Reich is a specialist in the form who'll share his insights about noir's influence on modern literature. Opening night also includes the radio play Lugdunum Falls, written and performed by Brianna Stallings and Marya Errin Jones, as well as a screening of an undisclosed B-movie. Head down to Tannex (1417 Fourth Street SW) on this strip of old Route 66 to catch the gigs: June 15, 22 and 29, 6pm. $5. Visit thetannex.com for more info. Tannex • Sun Jun 15 • 6-9:30pm • $5 • ALL-AGES! • View on Alibi calendar


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Story by
Emil Protalinski
Emil was a reporter for The Next Web between 2012 and 2014. Over the years, he has covered the tech industry for multiple publications, incl Emil was a reporter for The Next Web between 2012 and 2014. Over the years, he has covered the tech industry for multiple publications, including Ars Technica, Neowin, TechSpot, ZDNet, and CNET. Stay in touch via Facebook, Twitter, and Google+.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) on Friday announced Path has agreed to settle charges that it deceived users in its iOS app by collecting personal information from their mobile device address books without their knowledge and consent.
The settlement requires the mobile company to establish a "comprehensive" privacy program, to obtain independent privacy assessments every other year for the next 20 years, and to pay an $800,000 fee. The fine is for illegally collecting personal information from children without their parents' consent.
In its complaint, the FTC charged that the user interface in version 2.0 of Path's iOS app was misleading and provided consumers no meaningful choice regarding the collection of their personal information. Path had an "Add Friends" feature to help users add new connections to their networks with three options: "Find friends from your contacts," "Find friends from Facebook," or "Invite friends to join Path by email or SMS."
Yet Path automatically collected and stored personal information from the iOS address book even if the user had not selected the first option, when the user first launched the app and each time he or she signed back into the account. For each contact in the address book, Path automatically grabbed any available first and last names, addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, Facebook and Twitter usernames, as well as dates of birth. The FTC also alleged that Path's privacy policy deceived consumers by claiming that it automatically collected only certain user information such as IP address, operating system, browser type, address of referring site, and site activity information.
Path first admitted the practice on February 7, saying it was grabbing users' address books to "match friends" and would be changing the feature to opt-in. The backlash was massive, and Path released an update the next day, including an apology from Path CEO Dave Morin. Exactly a week later, Congress got involved.
Again, the settlement comes from the FTC charging that Path violated the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) by collecting personal information from approximately 3,000 children under the age of 13 without first getting parents' consent. On both iOS and Android, as well as its website, the FTC says Path enabled children to create personal journals and upload, store and share photos, written "thoughts," their precise location, and the names of songs they were listening to.
Path issued a statement today to alert its users of the settlement. Here it is in full:
Today the United States Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced that it reached a settlement pending court approval with Path regarding alleged violations of the Children's Online Privacy Protections Act (COPPA). The gist of the FTC's complaint is this: early in Path's history, children under the age of 13 were able to sign up for accounts. A very small number of affected accounts have since been closed by Path.
As you may know, we ask users' their birthdays during the process of creating an account. However, there was a period of time where our system was not automatically rejecting people who indicated that they were under 13. Before the FTC reached out to us, we discovered and fixed this sign-up process qualification, and took further action by suspending any under age accounts that had mistakenly been allowed to be created.
We want to share our experience and learnings in the hope that others in our industry are reminded of the importance of making sure services are in full compliance with rules like COPPA. From a developer's perspective, we understand the tendency to focus all attention on the process of building amazing new things. It wasn't until we gave our account verification system a second look that we realized there was a problem. We hope our experience can help others as a reminder to be cautious and diligent.
Throughout this experience and now, we stand by our number one commitment to serve our users first.
Image credit: qiaomeng
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Good News: Using a Computer Does Not Rot Your Brain
In fact, it may help prevent cognitive decline like that other evil of the modern age: exercise.
In addition to exercise and good nutrition for the aging brain, using the computer to keep your mind active could prevent mild cognitive impairment (MCI). This form of cognitive decline falls in between normal age-related memory problems and the beginnings of Alzheimer's disease.
It turns out that both exercise and computer use each have protective effects - but the two together are even better.
Researchers at the Mayo Clinic studied 926 people in Minnesota between the ages of 70 and 93. They had them fill out questionnaires about the kinds of physical activities they engaged in, including aerobics, strength training, yoga, hiking, swimming, and others. They also asked the participants about how often they took part in mentally stimulating activities, like playing games, reading, play music, arts and crafts, and using the computer. The team was particularly interested in computer use, given its prevalence across all generations.
It turns out that both exercise and computer use each have protective effects - but the two together are even better. Of the people who neither exercised nor used a computer, about 20 percent had normal cognition, and almost 37 percent had mild cognitive impairment. But people who used computers and exercised regularly were in much better shape: 36 percent were cognitively normal, while only 18 percent had MCI.
"The aging of baby boomers is projected to lead to dramatic increases in the prevalence of dementia," study author Yonas Geda said in a news release. "As frequent computer use has become increasingly common among all age groups, it is important to examine how it relates to aging and dementia. Our study further adds to this discussion."
The study does not actually show cause and effect -- there could be another variable at play -- but it does hint at the idea that keeping cognitively active might somehow protect the brain, as earlier studies have also suggested. Exercise has been shown time and time again to reduce the risk for cognitive decline and even help reverse symptoms once they start. Keeping the brain engaged whether on the computer or off it also can't be a bad activity to get into.
The study was carried out by a team at the Mayo Clinic, and published in the Mayo Clinic Proceedings.
This article originally appeared on TheDoctorWillSeeYouNow.com, an Atlantic partner site.


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December 11th, 2012
Belief Blog's Morning Speed Read for Tuesday, December 11
By Arielle Hawkins, CNN
Here's the Belief Blog's morning rundown of the top faith-angle stories from around the United States and around the world. Click the headlines for the full stories.
From the Blog:
CNN: 'Choose Life' license plates ruled unconstitutional in North Carolina
CNN: Doughnuts and potato pancakes: The simple pleasures of Hanukkah
Belief on TV:
Enlightening Reads:
The Guardian: Muslim women face an uphill battle against prejudice to find work
Huffington Post: Evidence Suggests Flood, Noah's Ark Existed, Says Robert Ballard, Archaeologist Who Found Titanic
The Guardian: Opponents of gay marriage focus on tricky definition of consummation
Reuters: Notre Dame de Paris Cathedral brushes up for its 850th birthday
JTA: Dutch Jews slam sale of debris from Nazi camps
Quote of the Day:
- A letter signed by the world's foremost Buddhist leaders to express their concern about the violence against Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar.
Opinion of the Day:
CNN: My Take: No pressure, Mr. President
Join the conversation…
CNN: Winning, by God. Joe Gibbs' third act: Evangelist
soundoff (41 Responses)
About this blog
The CNN Belief Blog covers the faith angles of the day's biggest stories, from breaking news to politics to entertainment, fostering a global conversation about the role of religion and belief in readers' lives. It's edited by CNN's Daniel Burke with contributions from Eric Marrapodi and CNN's worldwide news gathering team.


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I have been renovating the Greyhound Beach in my back yard this holiday weekend. It is Labor Day in the US and Monday is a national holiday. My Greyhounds, Alan and Charles, have been gleefully destroying the turf behind the patio for the past few years. The mini racetrack in the backyard – visible from space.
Here is Alan, with his favorite toy, Sharky, digging for reasons only dogs know. I flattened out the holes yesterday and installed edging for sod. Alan has been melancholy all day and refused to eat this morning. Later in the afternoon he relented and woofed down his dinner.
Back to the title, Trimmings. As a part of my reclamation of Greyhound Beach, I decided to trim and tree form a Firebush that has overgrown its space. Trimming off armfuls of flowers. I stopped trimming to contemplate if I could shear the back of the shrub for screening and tree form the front – an Arboricultural dilemma.
This shrub was sold as a Dwarf Firebush, which actually means it gets 10 or 15 feet tall. Only in the Land of the Giants would this plant be considered dwarf. This sort of horticultural nonsense annoys me. One of the first plants installed in my garden to screen the well equipment:
Here it is, four years later:
And I have cut four feet off the top for the past couple of years, the Greyhound Beach is visible through the shrubs.
Now, this is where the Firebush trimmings ended up- in my vase.
The vase itself is an English teapot in the Blue Willow style, one of my favorite flea market finds. There are two kinds of Firebush in the vase. The dark red is the native Hamelia patens var patens. The ones from the gigantic orange Firebush are Hamelia patens, I think, botanists argue about these plants. I thought some purple was in order and added Setcresea, some variegated Dwarf Pineapple foliage and some red weeds, um, native wildflowers. The name escapes me – one of those things you think is pretty until you realize the seedheads are like dandelions and there are 10 million in your yard.
Another wonderful attribute of the Firebush. Butterflies love them. Here is a Black Swallowtail that was passing by:
And a Zebra Longwing:
A gigantic Firebush in the garden has some advantages.
Happy Monday.