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It appears the saga of the lost (or stolen) iPhone prototype is drawing to a close. Tech blog Gizmodo, which paid $5000 for an unreleased, next-gen iPhone and then posted a detailed preview of the handset, now reports it has returned the device to Apple. Since Cupertino's legal sharks requested in writing that Gizmodo return the iPhone, there's little doubt the handset is the real deal.
The result? Well, the world won't top spinning, but Apple may decide to make Gizmodo's life miserable with some sort of nasty legal action. Perhaps more importantly for Apple, the big reveal may curtail the media hype that will accompany the new iPhone's summer launch.
In fact, the next-gen iPhone has already lost much of its mystery, if not its allure. Thanks to Gizmodo's scoop–ethically questionable or not–we already know what the new iPhone will look like, even though many of its finer attributes remain unknown.
Apple Botched It
Apple's most rabid enthusiasts will no doubt vilify Gizmodo for the iPhone leak, but based on what we know about the incident thus far, it appears that Apple had a chance to quash the story–or at least limit the damage– and blew it.
Gizmodo reports that after an Apple engineer left the iPhone prototype in a bar on March 18, another patron found the device, which ultimately found its way into the hands of a tech-savvy individual who recognized the iPhone's unique attributes. This personal then attempted to return the device to Apple by phoning the company's contact and support numbers, but his efforts were unsuccessful.
To be fair, low-level support personnel at any company aren't exactly privy to details about hush-hush, unannounced products. If you're a support rep, and you receive a call from someone claiming to have a top-secret Apple product in his possession, you'd probably assume he's a crackpot. (In fact, an unnamed Apple rep told Gizmodo that's pretty much what happened.)
The other possibility is that word of the missing iPhone did reach Apple management, which chose to ignore the incident, hoping it would blow over. In this scenario, no one would sell the phone to a tech blog, and nobody would be the wiser. If the press found out, Apple could issue plausible denials for a few weeks until the iPhone's summer launch.
Don't Talk Or Else
Tales of Apple's over-the-top secrecy are legendary. According to recent reports, developers earlier this year had to keep their iPads tied to a stationary object in a room with blacked-out windows. And stories of the company's paranoia, including an in-house "loyalty team" that ferrets out leaks, have surfaced in the past. Who knows, perhaps a more open Apple, one where the company's support reps would be more inclined to report potentially lost or stolen gear to their supervisors, could have stopped the Gizmodo leak.
A more open Apple could've simply taken the phone back and said "thanks." But doing so would have been an admission that the device was, in fact, property of Apple. And Cupertino doesn't discuss its unreleased products–ever.
Now, I know that some of you will accuse me of blaming the victim. But the fact is that Apple had an opportunity to plug the leak. Its paranoia contributed to a corporate culture that prevented it from doing so.
Now its summer party has been ruined. Oh, well, there's always the next iPad.


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Expert's Rating
Our Verdict
It's hard to get excited about an iPhone car mount, I know. But if use your phone as a GPS navigation device, some kind of mount is an indispensable add-on, and Just Mobile's Xtand Go is one of the best I've tried.
What makes the Xtand Go interesting is that it's several mounts in one—it works on many surfaces with many types of devices. You can attach it to your windshield using the included suction cup; an innovative design lets you twist the mount with one hand to tighten suction. Or you can slide off the suction cup, adhere one of the three included Go Buttons—a hard plastic piece you attach using the included dual-sided adhesive patch—to your dashboard or desk, and connect the mounting arm to that.
Either way, you're left with a mount with two hinged discs that let you position an attached device exactly where you want. The end of the mount has the same physical design as the Go Button mount—you slide the included iPhone holder (which accommodates only a case-free iPhone) onto the mount, or afix a Go Button directly to the back of an iPhone case, portable GPS, or other device, to connect the device to the mount. (I put a Go Button on the back of my Garmin nuvi GPS and it worked just fine.)
To test out the Xtand Go, I drove around with it attached to the windshield of my car, with my iPhone 3GS clipped in the holder. I was able to position my phone where I wanted it, and the Xtand Go held the phone in place without shaking or vibrating (a problem I've encountered with other mounts).
There are a few downsides to the otherwise excellent Xtand Go. The Go Buttons will not attach securely to silicone iPhone cases, so you must remove your phone from such a case to use the mount. The picture-heavy, Ikea-like instructions (obviously meant to cross language barriers) aren't nearly as clear or useful as they should be. And I wish Just Mobile included more than three Go Buttons in the box.
Macworld's buying advice
Despite a few minor shortcomings, the Xtand Go is well-made and shows an attention to design usually lacking with such products. If the $40 price tag doesn't make you balk, you'll be happy with the Xtand Go.

subset: commoncrawl


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Nets feast on sluggish Sixers
Philadelphia, PA – Deron Williams scored a game-high 22 points on 7-of-11 shooting and handed out five assists as the Brooklyn Nets blasted the Philadelphia 76ers, 109-89, on Tuesday at Wells Fargo Center.
Andray Blatche netted 20 points and pulled down seven rebounds and Joe Johnson finished with 15 points and five assists for the Nets, who have won four in a row. Brook Lopez added 13 points and Reggie Evans contributed a career- high 23 rebounds in the victory.
"(Reggie) gave us an opportunity to get out and run, push the ball," Brooklyn swingman Gerald Wallace said. "When you're not so much concerned about rebounding because he's cleaning up all the boards, you have more guys out on the fast break."
Jrue Holiday netted a team-high 19 points and dished out eight assists while Spencer Hawes added 14 points for the Sixers, who have dropped four straight and six of seven. Nick Young donated 11 points in a losing effort.
Leading by one at halftime, the Nets exploded out of the locker room, beginning the third quarter with an 18-2 surge to take control of the game for good.
Lopez and Williams combined for 10 points during the run, which was capped by a Williams pullup jumper to give the visitors a 66-49 lead with 5:57 to play in the period.
Philadelphia never regained its footing after that and Mirza Teletovic's tip- in gave the Nets an 81-58 lead late in the third.
Brooklyn carried an 83-61 advantage into the fourth before rolling through the final frame, leading by as many as 26 en route to the easy triumph.
"It looked like we had no energy at all," Sixers coach Doug Collins said of his team's slow start in the second half. "They started hitting every shot and we couldn't get any stops. It just snowballed from there."
The teams traded baskets early on as a pullup jumper by Holiday put the Sixers on top, 13-11 with 4:56 to play in the quarter.
Lopez netted an easy layup to ignite the Nets on an 11-2 burst, capped by a corner trey from Keith Bogans, to put the visitors up 22-15 with 2:48 left. Philadelphia battled back and cut the deficit to two, and Brooklyn held a 26-24 advantage after one quarter.
Hawes hit a jumper on the Sixers' first possession of the second quarter to tie things at 26, but the Nets then ripped off six quick points to take a 32-26 advantage less than three minutes into the second session.
Philadelphia answered with an 8-2 burst to tie it again, this time at 34. It remained a one-possession contest until Lopez scored on a driving layup to give Brooklyn a 43-38 edge with 3:29 left before the half.
Williams made three from the line after getting fouled on a 3-point attempt to put the Nets ahead by four, but Hawes drained his second 3-ball of the game to make it 48-47 at the break.
Game Notes
The Nets are 6-1 under interim head coach PJ Carlesimo ... Brooklyn has won three straight in Philadelphia ... Sixers center Kwame Brown missed the game for personal reasons ... Philadelphia Flyers forward Scott Hartnell attended the game ... Brooklyn shot 10-of-24 from three-point range and 19-of-22 from the free throw line ... Philadelphia shot 48.1 percent from the floor.


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Food & Wine
Tommy's Way
I have a confession. For too long and on no evidence I considered Tommy Bahama's Restaurant & Bar on the west spoke off St. Armands Circle as just another way to cash in on the Tommy Bahama brand. Then my sister-in-law, Anita, set me straight.
"Their Loki-Loki Tuna Poke is really good," she informed me over a lunch of black bean soup and Cuban sandwiches at nearby Columbia.
"Their what?" I asked, thinking I might not have heard her correctly.
"It's a kind of sashimi stack with guacamole and capers," she said. "It's an appetizer, but it makes lunch for me."
Ahi tuna! Capers! Guacamole! The hook was set.
Diners at the local outpost of the tropically themed chain have the option of sitting downstairs near the convivially noisy bar or upstairs, where the tables are dressed in white linens and the bar chatter is a distant rumor. There is a great skinny terrace overlooking John Ringling Boulevard from above, a perfect—and often jam-packed—perch for cocktail sipping and people watching or admiring a sunset over the Gulf a couple of blocks away.
We chose the quieter upstairs option and were seated at a table with a nice view of the rosy glow swelling and fading in the west. Paddle fans turned slowly overhead as our waiter—sporting a Tommy Bahama shirt, naturally—took our aperitif orders and recited the day's specials with a pleasantly understated enthusiasm.
We were in a fine mood and started with glasses of toasty Piper Sonoma sparkling wine ($10 the glass) from California as we inspected the menu.
The appetizer list is varied and tempting. There was the Loki-Loki ($16.50), of course, but Anita had already given that baby the stamp of approval.
Many menu items here come in either small or larger portions, an option I am always pleased to see, and the smaller route is the way both Colette and I decided to go.
She started with the Cooper Island crab bisque ($9.50/$6.50), a creamy smooth and crab-rich soup spiked just so with sherry. I chose crab, too, in the form of an eminently crabby grilled cake in a demure coconut crust that the restaurant evocatively calls Crab Calloway ($16.50/$9). The crab was fresh and succulent and nicely set off by a sweet chile mustard and a haystack of deliciously crunchy Asian slaw. Just right.
The entrée list is nicely varied and well balanced between the expected fish and other fare. On the finny side, I'm given to understand that the Shoal Bay snapper ($29.50), a macadamia-crusted treat from the Gulf, and the Old San Juan shrimp and scallops (28.50), which are sautéed in a coconut curry, are crowd pleasers.
Having started with shellfish, we chose from the land side of the menu. Colette's choice, Tommy's rib rack ($29.50/$19.50), was absolutely terrific. A half rack of tender baby back ribs came to table celestially cloaked in the chain's proprietary blackberry brandy barbecue sauce and accompanied by the same Asian slaw I'd sampled earlier, plus chive-flecked, baked, then whipped potatoes. Yummy.
An entrée that immediately caught my eye was something Tommy's calls The Island Cowboy ($34.50), an eight-ounce tenderloin filet grilled and sauced in a red wine demi-glace asserted by both caramelized roasted garlic cloves and Maytag bleu cheese crumbles.
On the side are brightly al dente spears of lemon garlic asparagus and potatoes. On the evening we visited, the restaurant was offering a three-course prix fixe menu ($33) that included among the main course options a smaller portion of this dish featuring medallions of the filet instead of the full steak. This was the scaled-back version I sampled. I found it superbly rich and satisfying.
For dessert, Colette couldn't resist Blackbeard's butterscotch ($10/$6), a swoony confection teaming vanilla pudding flavored with Scotch whiskey with chocolate ganache, caramel sauce and whipped cream. Oh, my! Were she a cat, Colette would have licked her whiskers and purred as she pushed the empty bowl away.
I fared quite well, too, with my piña colada cake ($10/$6), a moist and mile-high slice of vanilla cake layered and iced with caramelized pineapple, white chocolate mousse and coconut, all flavored robustly with Myers Dark Rum. Oh, and a dollop of whipped cream for good measure.
The Verdict
Tommy Bahama's Restaurant & Bar on St. Armands purveys well-executed island-themed fare in a comfortable and convivially noisy double-decker building a couple of blocks from the beach.
Tommy Bahama's Restaurant & Bar
300 John Ringling Blvd., St. Armands
Reservations: (941) 388-2888
Bar: full bar and well-priced wine list
Hours: opens for lunch at 11 a.m. daily and dinner kicks in about 4:30 p.m.; closing is at midnight Friday -Saturday and at 11 p.m. the rest of the week
Cards: VISA, MC, AmEx, Discover
Handicapped accessible: yes
Parking: on street or in nearby parking lot
Tastes of Tuscany at Salute!
Salute!, a traditional white tablecloth Italian restaurant, bar and café with Tuscan roots, has moved into and significantly upgraded the space briefly occupied by Café & Restaurant Suzette next door to Mattison's City Grille downtown. It's a promising newcomer.
For starters, the place looks smarter and fresher inside and out. An inviting wine room and glass-fronted cellar have been added to the dining room, and handsome tiled floors are now the rule throughout. Outdoors, the awning-
shaded, iron-railed patio is considerably more inviting than it used to be. The bar just inside the front door now offers excellent happy hour deals on food and drink or a vivifying mid-afternoon espresso.
We visited a couple of weeks after Salute! opened, when the wait staff was still finding its legs. The food and wine, however, were first rate, and it's not at all unusual for a restaurant to smooth out a few wrinkles during an initial shakedown period. Overall, promise easily outweighed any little inconsistencies.
The menu is extensive. Bruschette come in six variations and appetizers number 10, including a sampler of three pastas ($10) to share around the table, a very nice idea. If you're dropping in for a drink or at lunch, a fine option is your choice of three Italian cheeses and three Italian cured meats for $14.95. Panini in seven variations also make excellent lunch fare.
At dinner at a window table in the stylish main dining room, we accompanied our first course with bubbles, pink ones this time, from Domaine Chandon ($8 the glass). Colette chose the savory soup of the day, a creamy marriage of white beans, earthy mushrooms and bits of prosciutto ($6.95). It boded well for the dishes to come. I chose an appetizer trio of tapenade, hummus and olives with toasted bread ($6.95) and found it just right as a starter, tasty but not filling.
The pasta list is a beauty, and I struggled to choose just one. My affection for gnocchi finally won out, this one in a Florentine style: little green dumplings stuffed with spinach and ricotta in an understated cream sauce ($13.95). I'm not sure why it was served in a skillet, but it's OK with me.
Since it was a cool evening, Colette went for a very autumnal dish called filetto di maiale ai funghi ($16.95), which translates as pan-seared pork tenderloin with grilled apples, Gorgonzola and mushrooms. Call it what you like, it was a winner with plenty of substance and robust flavors.
The restaurant serves several wines from its own vineyards in Tuscany, including its 2006 Casali di Bibbiano Luminoso ($40), a sterling 100 percent Sangiovese that we enjoyed very much. Your host will be proud to walk you through the choices.
Salute! Ristorante & Enoteca
23 N. Lemon Ave., Sarasota
Reservations: (941) 365-1020
Bar: full bar and nice wine list
Hours: lunch 11:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Monday-Saturday; dinner 4-10 p.m. Sunday-Thursday, until 11 p.m. Friday-Saturday
Cards: all major
Handicapped accessible: yes
Parking: on street or in nearby city garage
An editor, writer and online publisher, John Bancroft has reviewed restaurants, books, movies and music for many magazines, websites and newspapers, most recently for the St. Petersburg Times.


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The Birth of the Universe
What happened to the antimatter?
Experiments teach us that for every fundamental particle there exists an antiparticle. The big bang and its aftermath almost certainly produced particles and antiparticles in equal numbers. However, for as far out in the universe as we can probe, our observations indicate that we live in a universe of matter, not antimatter. What happened to the antimatter? A tiny imbalance between particles and antiparticles must have developed early in the evolution of the universe, or it all would have annihilated, leaving only photons and neutrinos. Subtle asymmetries between matter and antimatter, some of which we have observed experimentally in the laboratory, must be responsible for this imbalance. But our current knowledge of these asymmetries is incomplete, insufficient to account for the observed matter domination.
There must be some other undiscovered phenomenon that makes matter and antimatter behave differently. We may discover it in quarks—or in neutrinos. Its source may lie in the properties of the Higgs boson, in supersymmetry or even in extra dimensions.
Tools for a scientific revolution
The Standard Model can accommodate the phenomenology of CP violation in quarks, because there are at least three generations of quarks; and because there is mixing between the quark flavors when they interact via the weak interaction. The CP violation measured in the B mesons at BaBar and Belle, along with a wealth of studies on quark flavor mixing over the past 20 years, are all consistent with this phenomenology. However current knowledge of CP violation is incomplete and insufficient by many orders of magnitude to account for the primordial matter-antimatter asymmetry of the universe. Present and planned accelerator experiments, including the LHCb experiment, are aimed at discovering other sources of CP violation that make matter and antimatter behave differently. It may appear in quarks-or in neutrinos. Its source may lie in the properties of the Higgs boson, in supersymmetry or even in extra dimensions.
CP violation in reactions that change the flavor of quarks is being measured with strange quarks (K meson decays) and bottom quarks (B meson decays). Ongoing and planned experiments include; BaBar at SLAC, Belle at KEK (Bd decay), and LHCb at CERN (Bd and Bs decay). Pinning down precisely the role of CP violation in the quarks is a critical step in solving the puzzle of the fate of primordial antimatter. Experiments have so far shown that, by itself, CP violation in quarks from flavor mixing in the Standard Model is probably not the sole source of the matter-antimatter asymmetry observed in the universe. Current and future B physics experiments will be sensitive to sources of CP violation beyond the Standard Model.
The discovery that neutrinos have mass opens up the search for CP violation in lepton reactions. Neutrino mass can, in principle, turn matter into antimatter and back, and can change the balance between them. Experiments are required to discover the role of neutrinos in the antimatter question. The MINOS experiment at Fermilab and reactor-based neutrino oscillation experiments will measure the parameters of neutrino oscillation. If the oscillation parameters are favorable, a neutrino superbeam facility with a large underground experiment will detect CP violation in neutrinos. Such a large detector, if sufficiently far underground, for example at a potential Deep Underground Science and Engineering Laboratory, could also serve as a next-generation proton-decay experiment.
- Last modified
- 04/28/2014
- email Fermilab


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Excel 2013 eLearning Kit For Dummies
von: Faithe Wempen
For Dummies, 2013
Sprache: Englisch385 Seiten, Download: 33506 KB
Format: PDF, auch als Online-Lesen
A complete package for learning Excel 2013!
Excel is essential to business today, but it can be tricky to navigate. If you're eager to excel at Excel, then this dynamic multimedia learning solution is for you. This complete Excel 2013 package includes a full-color printed book and a For Dummies interactive eLearning course on CD. You'll discover the basics of the Excel interface, how to navigate it, and how to make the most of key features including charts, formulas, functions, macros, and more.
Follow the material sequentially or jump in and out as you wish - it's set up so you can learn at your own pace. Throughout, you will benefit from illustrations, animations, voiceover explanations, and the option of closed captioning if you find you learn better when you can read the instructions.
- Helps self-motivated learners master Excel 2013, the leading spreadsheet application used today
- Walks you through creating worksheets, working with formulas and functions, formatting data, using financial functions, displaying data in PivotTables, and much more
- Includes an easy-to-follow, full-color book and an interactive Dummies eLearning Course that corresponds with the book on CD
- Allows you to follow material sequentially or choose separate sections at your own time and pace
Excel 2013 eLearning Kit For Dummies shows you the ins and outs of all things Excel so you can enhance your productivity and become a spreadsheet star!
NOTE: CD-ROM/DVD and other supplementary materials are not included as part of the e-book file, but are available for download after purchase.
Faithe Wempen, M.A., is an adjunct instructor of Computer Information Technology at Indiana University Purdue University at Indianapolis (IUPUI). She is also a Microsoft Office Master Instructor and the author of over 140 books on computer hardware and software.


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Gallery Box
ArtStreet is an extension of Albuquerque Health Care for the Homeless, an advocacy program that seeks to provide support to indigent and at-risk populations in our area. In an example of poetic irony, ArtStreet doesn't have a permanent home, but instead showcases the work of its participants in partner galleries. The ArtStreet show Love & Junk runs through March 2, at the Harwood Art Center's North Gallery. Like many of ArtStreet's shows, Love & Junk is weird, exciting and unexpected. Dartboards metamorph into numbered bugs along sides of images of wonder and nature. Collage, assemblage and mixed media cozy up to shadowboxes and screw sculptures. A quote on a piece by Arlene Fraley sums it up: "Chaotic civilization is a bittersweet love." ArtStreet's next show debuts on Friday, March 6, also at the Harwood Art Center (1114 Seventh Street NW) with the second half of that show coming in April to the Tamarind Center (108 Cornell SE). Albuquerque Health Care for the Homeless' website, abqhch.org, keeps you apprised of all of ArtStreet's happenings.
Culture Shock
March is Women's History Month, and you'd be safe in betting that I won't shut up about it. Next week's Arts section will focus on Women and Creativity 2009, a monthlong series of events presented by the National Hispanic Cultural Center and sponsored by Mark Pardo salons. Between now and then, though, there are a few events worth your time, such as Dear Eve, Lilith, and Emily..., featuring poets Dana Levin and Valerie Martinez and prose writer Robin Romm. The three women will read from and discuss their work at the College of Santa Fe's O'Shaughnessy Performance Space on Tuesday, March 3, from 12:30 to 2 p.m. And on Sunday, March 1, the string band Carolina Chocolate Drops brings the music of the pre-WWII South to the Outpost Performance Space at 7:30 p.m. Downloadable information on these events and more is available at nhccnm.org. And check back next week for a comprehensive look at Women and Creativity 2009.
Art News
Writing From Within
Inmates reach through the bars with literary magazine
For Christmas, the inmates made Kimberlee Hanson a stocking. Construction paper took on the general shape. Maxi pad cotton provided a snow effect. Toothpaste glued it together. Hanson's students melted down Jolly Ranchers from the commissary and turned them into flowers to include with the gift.
Art News
Excerpts from MDC's literary magazine
From the Women's Writing Classes at MDC
We call ourselves the McGalvers of MDC because like the infamous MCGuver, the TV hero who could make a bomb out of bubble gum, we are all incredibly resourceful. To all of those employers who question our skills, work ethic and problem solving capabilities, you might want to change your mind after hearing our stories.


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Tickets for opportunity baskets themed "A Night in Italy," "Summer Fun," "Date Night," "Paws for the Cause" and "Gardner"s Delight" are available at Umpqua Bank through Aug. 27.
They will then move to PremierWest Bank for two weeks. The baskets were designed by staff at Tehama County Social Services in volunteer support of the Tehama County Mentoring Program at the Department of Education. Tickets are $1 each or 10 for $5 and support local youth mentoring.
Shown here left to right are mentee Cerena Zornes with mentor Cathy Davis of PremierWest Bank; Social Services staff members Diana Martin, Rebecca Barram, Brian Nance, Lisa Matheson and Nicole Donato; and mentor Michelle Hake of Umpqua Bank with mentee Cailey Zornes.
Courtesy photo


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Readers probably remember hearing about "blowback," a favorite concept of Bush administration anti-terrorism policy critics. Blowback, we were told, occurs when those aggrieved (or even just offended) by assertive American action abroad respond by attacking American interests and killing Americans. Some on the left considered 9/11 itself a case of blowback. More commonly, opportunistic liberals insisted that our intervention in Iraq and our interrogations at Gitmo were producing blowback. Think back, for example, to those bogus estimates of the number of new terrorists being generated by Bush administration policies.
These claims of blowback always struck me as weak, but it's not my purpose here to discuss their merit. Rather, I want to consider whether the liberals who advanced the concept during the Bush administration will entertain it now that Islamic extremists are attacking U.S. interests in Egypt, Libyan, Tunisia, Europe, etc.
After all, if blowback is a viable concept, recent developments fit it nicely. Obama is systematically killing terrorists through drone attacks. And Islamic militants in Libya warned that they would take revenge on America for the killing by drone of al Qaeda's No. 2 commander Abu Yahya al-Lib, a citizen of Libya and a member of the Libyan Islamic Fighting Group. That sounds like blowback to me.
If Obama were a Republican, the left, en masse, would long ago have denounced him as a coward (drone attacks are so antiseptic) and a tyranical denier of due process (there's no time to lawyer up ahead of a drone attack). And though few left-wing politicians would have the courage to denounce successful drone attacks directly, they would be quick to pounce once Arab mobs cite our anti-terrorism tactics as a basis for attacking our embassies.
But because Obama is a Democrat, we see little of this criticism.
To be fair, some on the left were fretting about blowback from Obama's policies even before the recent events in Libya, etc. Nicolas J.S. Davies did so in August at the Huffington Post, but one need only glance at his screed to realize how extreme Davies' views are (to put it kindly). And Conor Friedersdorf, in a far more thoughtful piece for The Atlantic, speculated about likely blowback from President Obama's conduct of the war on terror.
Towards the end of his piece, Friedersdorf wrote:
I fear we'll look back on President Obama's policies with the same chagrin [with which many look back on the Iraq war]. Or perhaps we ought to do so, but we won't, because so many on the left who used to be incisive critics of short-term foreign policy thinking — a faction once led by candidate Barack Obama — have followed him down the rabbit hole.
Just so. While some on the left are crying "blowback," the prevailing view is that the recent attacks in Libya are a response not to Obama's policies but to a movie trailer.
The "movie trailer" theory is so absurd as to make blowback look plausible. But only by comparison.
In my view, radical Islamists see themselves as in a permanent state of war against the U.S., the West generally, and indeed non-Muslims everywhere who refuse to submit. The extent to which radical Islamists actively prosecute that war against U.S. interests depends on how weak they consider the U.S. at a given time. Right now, with the U.S. out of Iraq, leaving Afghanistan, and led by a president who whispers sweet nothings in the ears of Muslims, we appear quite weak indeed.
But again, the point here isn't the merit, or lack thereof, of blowback theory. The point is the hypocrisy and opportunism of liberal politicians who blame America first when a Republican is in charge and not all when we are led by a Democrat.


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WHY MARKET TO WOMEN: Sheconomy® Speaks at the 2013 Mediarun Festival in Gdańsk, Poland
I had never been to Poland, but I fell in love with the coastal city of Gdańsk when I had the honor to speak at the 2013 Mediarun Festival. Touted as the leading marketing event in Central Europe, other speakers included Peter Vesterbacka, founder of Angry Birds, Caroyn Everson, the VP of Global Marketing for Facebook and Faris Abouhamad, the IAA Chairman and World President. I had the pleasure of meeting and conversing with marketing colleagues from all over the world who spoke on topics from leading through innovation to brand valuation, corporate disruption in the digital era, creative leadership,
Filed under: Advertising to Women During Recession, Buying Power of Women, Connecting with Women, Marketing to Boomer Women, Marketing to Women, Sheconomy Speaks, Targeting Women, Women and the Internet | 1 Comment »


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Satellite-hunters find four new moons of the planet Saturn
By David Brand
An international team of eight "satellite hunters," astronomers who pluck tiny specks of light out of the distant solar system, has discovered four new outer moons of Saturn orbiting at least 15 million kilometers (more than 9 million miles) from the surface of the giant planet.
The discovery gives Saturn a total of 22 known moons, surpassing the 21 orbiting Uranus. Nothing is known about the four new moons except for their brightness. Estimates of their size – between 10 and 50 kilometers (6-30 miles) across – are based on assumptions of their reflectivity. Observed from Earth-bound observatories, the moons appear as faint dots of light moving around the planet.
Members of the team, including former Cornell University researcher Brett Gladman and Cornell professors of astronomy Joseph Burns and Philip Nicholson, warn that the findings are still preliminary. They also note that they might have discovered several other objects that could be Saturnian moons.
The discovery of the four moons will be reported today (Oct. 26, 2000) at the annual meeting of the Division for Planetary Sciences, American Astronomical Society, in Pasadena, Calif. Other members of the team include Jean-Marc Petit and Hans Scholl of the Observatoire de la Cote d'Azur, France; J.J. Kavelaars of McMaster University, Canada; and Matthew Holman and Brian Marsden of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics.
The discovery of the four new moons was made using a technique developed by Gladman while he was a student at Cornell. Gladman, who now works for the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique in France, obtained his Ph.D. at Cornell. The technique, which also was used in the discovery of the five new Uranian moons, uses light-sensitive semiconductors, called charge-coupled devices, attached to telescopes to detect the distant points of light. Several of these digital images, taken once every hour, are then compared, using computer software to pick out a moving point of light against the known star background of the sky.
Between 1997 and 1999, the same team discovered a total of five new moons of Uranus. All five, like the newly discovered four outer moons of Saturn, are irregular satellites. Burns notes that an irregular satellite's orbit is "long and looping," unlike the orbit of an inner moon, which is nearly circular and lies in the planet's equatorial plane.
The great distance that the moons orbit from Saturn, says Nicholson, indicates that the moons were captured into orbit after the planet formed, unlike the larger regular satellites that are thought to have coalesced from a disk of dust and gas that surrounded the planet as it formed.
Until this latest discovery, Saturn was known to have only one irregular, outer satellite, Phoebe, which was discovered by W. Pickering 102 years ago. Nicholson notes that Phoebe is traveling in a retrograde orbit, that is, in the opposite direction to the spin of Saturn. All regular satellites move on prograde orbits that follow the direction of the spin of their parent planet. "We look for such patterns because it's easier to capture objects from a solar orbit into a retrograde than onto a prograde orbit," says Nicholson. "If you could demonstrate statistically that retrograde orbits were favored, that would help confirm some theories of capture."
The first two candidates for newly discovered satellites of Saturn were spotted by Gladman using the European Southern Observatory's 2.2 meter telescope in Chile on Aug. 7. Gladman and Kavelaars "recovered" the two objects Sept 23 and 24 at the Canada-France-Hawaii 3.5 meter telescope on Mauna Kea, Hawaii. They also found two new candidates. Additional confirming observations were made at other telescopes.


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Search Buddhist Channel
Buddhist monk shares experiences on the road
By DAVE GOSSETT, The Herald-Star, October 8, 2012
Steubenville, Ohio (USA) -- It was raining when Sunim Daeung rode across the Market Street bridge Sunday afternoon.
But the 42-year-old Buddhist monk was all smiles as he clasped his hands together and slightly bowed to Jerry Barilla.
"It is good to meet you," Sunim said softly.
"I am glad to meet you," responded Barilla before leading the monk toward the Historic Fort Steuben Visitors Center.
The South Korean had just completed a 43-mile bike ride as part of a two-year bicycle journey that started April 18 in Vancouver, Canada, and will continue through the United States before he heads south to Mexico and then South America.
He anticipates completing his trip in 2014 when he arrives in Patagonia.
"I never rode a bicycle before and I didn't speak any English. It has been a learning experience for me. When I came here the only English I knew was 'I'm sorry' and 'thank you,'" said Sunim, who explained Buddhist monks traditionally use only their first name.
Part of Sunim's story was shared by Bruce Stemplewski of Robinson Township, Pa., who accompanied the monk on his trip to Steubenville.
Stemplewski is a member of the Warmshowers organization, which hosts people traveling by bicycles.
"I have traveled around the world on my bicycle and have been taken care of by hosts in different countries. When I heard about Sunim's trip, I offered to host him for the weekend," cited Stemplewski.
"Sunim was in British Columbia where he had a flat tire. He has extra inner tubes and was repairing his tire when a man named Dave stopped and offered to help and a place to stay for the night.
That was the beginning of Sunim's trip," related Stemplewski.
"People have been very kind. They are very good here. But it is very cold here," laughed Sunim.
"I decided on America because Europe has too many different languages. I am learning English from everyone I meet. America is very good and very beautiful. My country is very small. The first time I saw America everything was so big. But people here are very kind," remarked Sunim.
Stemplewski had contacted the visitors center asking for a place to camp for the night.
"We couldn't accommodate them, but I knew Rev. Jason Elliot at the First Westminster Presbyterian Church let the YouthWorks groups stay in his church community room during the summer, so I called him and he agreed Sunim and Bruce could stay there for the night," explained Barilla.
So after a brief tour of the fort and a conversation about how Sunim plans to live for the next two years, the bicyclists stretched their legs by walking from the visitors center to the church where they were greeted by Elliot.
"We have air mattresses and hot showers for you. But first, one of our church members is going to cook you a South Korean meal," said Elliot.
That's when Keumyon Clark, a native of South Korea, and her husband and son arrived carrying pots and plastic containers of food.
Clark met her future husband Mark when he was stationed with the
Army in South Korea in 1970.
"My wife has been back to South Korea about five or six times. And she loves to cook the traditional South Korean dinners," said Mark.
"You start frying the beef," Keumyon instructed Elliot as she sat down with Sunim to chat in Korean.
"We will be having beef, squid, rice and tofu soup along with Kimchi or fermented cabbage and cucumbers. It is all nonfat food with protein for Sunim," she explained.
"After a several minutes of conversation in Korean, Clark said Sunim had become a Buddhist monk when he was 19 years old.
"He wanted to experience life. He wants to find out where he is at in life and find out the truth of himself. When he is finished with his trip he will return to his temple in South Korea to continue teaching," related Clark.
As the aroma of the food started to spread across the community room, Sunim started peering into the kitchen.
"I am hungry," he said.
"Here, you take a Korean pear. We grow them on our property," offered Clark.
"The food was delicious. It was beautiful and I ate things I had never had before," said Barilla.
And after a breakfast this morning Stemplewski was to ride his bicycle back to Robinson Township and Sunim was to cross the Market Street Bridge back to West Virginia where he will ride south on state Route 2 to Wheeling and then cross the Ohio River and head south on state Route 7 to Barnesville and points beyond.


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[Announcer] Ladies and gentlemen Thank you for visiting Player's City Please remain seated and keep your arms and legs inside of the tram at all times Warning If you are not a player Or a rider Please exit to the rear at once Due to the high intensity of this trip Are you all buckled up? Here we go (Verse 1) [Don Cisco] I come from The city of players And my uncle Roger, baby, he's the mayor See, we all got paper so we pops a [{*cacas*}] I hangs with money makers and I rolls with ballers s**er free city, theme song Doo Wah Diddy Mercedes on 20"s, all the ladies look pretty Zapp in the background, time to put my mack down Player's City, homie Tell 'em how we put it down [A.L.T.] You see my Impala rollin' down the road It's on 'em 100 spoke (???) and they silent golden I got so rough bumpin' out the radio And your baby wanna know how them players flow So slide on in and we gon' take a trip If you a freak goldie, if you a player or pimp Everybody wanna be where the switches get hit Player city of punks Where the riders won't quit Chorus: [Bigg Robb] Won't you run and ride with me And let me show you where the party's at [A.L.T.] Where the players ride [Bigg Robb] Player's City Won't you come and ride with me And let me show you where the party's at [A.L.T.] It's them riders glide [Bigg Robb] Player's City (Verse 2) [JV] I'm in a (???) 2000, they pumpin' it loud I been in Player's City, ain't no busters aloud We gon' freak this party til the sun come up Where the homeboys are fine and the ladies done up I come up to the front, see the fellas from Zapp Ese lady JV And I'm ready to rap I'm ready to rave, I see Roger on the stage [Bigg Robb] Baby, baby, baby, baby [Mr. Gee] Who wanna ride with Gee Who wanna slide with me On three, through the city, where the players be It's Player's City, baby, and we bringing the heat We gonna party tonight (???) On the dancefloor Up in the club With more bounce to the ounce, throw your hands up We gon' do it right All through the night So rough, so tough and so tight [JV] Ha ha ha Repeat Chorus [Bigg Robb] Oooh Always Let's get to Player's City Oooh, I can't wait to get down Oooh (Verse 3) [Baby Bash] Well now It ain't no set trippin' Everybody livin' Cadillac drippin' with them super fly woman Skyin' high like an eagle Latino very stylo They ask, "Baby Bash, why your game is so frio?" I be straightin' on the (???) Money motivations And here in D.C., we don't allow playa-hation Do the math, mama Count it, one, two, three Me gon' get with you, but you no get no money [C-Blunt] Top dawg with the front Bouncin' on a 6-6 'Riffic Code name Mr. Blunt I'm on a one way, headed to the spot Where players rest It's a lot of work in keepin' it hot To take a box and makin' a dock Keepin' it real tight Everybody ready to drop I think I just might Swoop my dawgs and head to P. City Where the players (???) Repeat Chorus Twice [Bigg Robb] Wait a minute Check this out Let me tell you how the real players are Play on


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There are ways to ease the aches and pains from running
The impact of running has its benefits: It builds bone and muscle strength. It also has drawbacks.
Each footfall sends strong forces up the leg, with the potential of aggravating trouble spots. Luckily, runners can sidestep injuries by changing up their workout surfaces, says exercise physiologist and marathoner Tom Holland of Darien, Conn.
"In the same way that you vary your mileage and intensity — short one day, long the next; hard one day, easy the next — you should also vary the terrain that you run on to minimize risk of injury," he says.
If you're prone to shinsplints, for example, pounding the asphalt six days a week could cause a flare-up. Mix in a trail or treadmill run here and there and you could avoid a setback. Follow this guide to running surfaces to log miles safely.
Asphalt roads/sidewalks
Run freely:If you're not particularly injury prone and not rehabbing an injury — although Achilles tendinitis becomes less aggravated on asphalt's stiff surface, which keeps the Achilles in a shorter, less-tensed position.
Tread lightly:If you've recently had shin or knee pain or a fracture, muscle pull or iliotibial-band syndrome. Asphalt can rattle bones, joints, muscles. Stretch and strengthen your knees.
Dirt trail
Run freely:If you've struggled with runner's knee, ITBS, shinsplints or any injury aggravated by impact. Just be wary of technical trails that cause your feet to land at an angle.
Tread lightly:If you've had an ankle sprain. The ligaments of that joint never recover 100 percent. That increases your risk of a repeat sprain, which is more likely to occur on soft, uneven surfaces.
Run freely:Rarely. Sand is unstable and puts a ton of torque on the knee, ankle and hip. That said, this surface requires the strength of muscles that are often neglected, so it can be beneficial for strength building. Just keep the runs short.
Tread lightly:If you have a history of ankle sprains or Achilles tendinitis. A 2008 study found that running on sand increases the risk of Achilles pain tenfold.
Synthetic track
Run freely:If you're prone to ankle sprains or just recovered from a fracture. The surface is predictable, with no roots or curbs to trip over. It's also more cushioned than asphalt, but not so soft as to cause instability.
Tread lightly:If you've had ITBS or calf strains. Your outside calf is shortened as you circle your way around. Tight corners can also stress your inside leg's ITB.
Run freely:If you have knee pain or are returning to running after a fracture. On grass, the bulk of the energy from your footfall goes into the ground instead of reverberating back up your leg.
Tread lightly:If you're prone to plantar fasciitis. You're more likely to overpronate on this soft, uneven surface, which puts extra torque on the ligament that runs along the bottom of your foot.
Run freely:If you're recovering from injury or are increasing mileage and want a break from asphalt. The belt's cushioned surface reduces stress to your back, hips, knees and feet, and it's a clear path, free of obstacles.
Tread lightly:If you're training for a road race. Running exclusively on a treadmill won't prepare you to navigate uneven terrain or cope with the impact of asphalt, and that could lead to injury.
Source: Runners World
Thank you to our members for this week as we are closed to clean and get the building back up to par.


text: EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. >> Rex Ryan was fired up. Bill Belichick was ticked off. Everyone else was, well, a bit confused. After a newly instituted rule gave New England a penalty and Nick Folk another chance, he booted a 42-yard field goal with 5:07 left in overtime to give the New York Jets a 30-27 victory over the Patriots on Sunday. \u201cI was like, \u2018You know what? It\u2019s about time we got a break,\u201d\u2019 Ryan said, smiling. \u201cThat\u2019s really what I was thinking. It just worked out.\u201d Folk was wide left on a 56-yarder, but the miss was negated when New England\u2019s Chris Jones was called for unsportsmanlike conduct on a 15-yard penalty that had never before been called in an NFL game. Referee Jerome Boger explained in a pool report that Jones was called for pushing his teammate \u201cinto the opponents\u2019 formation.\u201d Umpire Tony Michalek threw his flag \u201calmost instantaneously as he observed the action,\u201d Boger said. \u201cWe just enforced it as he called it.\u201d Belichick disagreed with the application of the rule. \u201cYou can\u2019t push in the second level,\u201d Belichick said. \u201cI didn\u2019t think we did that.\u201d New York (4-3), given new life, ran the ball three times to set up Folk\u2019s winner and send the green towel-waving fans at MetLife Stadium into a frenzy. \u201cIt was something that we talked about probably in camp and stuff, and it just skipped out of my mind,\u201d Jones said. \u201cIt was my mistake and nobody else\u2019s. I\u2019ve just got to man up to it and fix it next time.\u201d Folk thought the Patriots (5-2) might have been called for 12 men on the field. So did a few other Jets. \u201cI think I heard the whole stadium saying, `Please be on them,\u201d\u2019 Ryan said. Then folk won it. \u201cFolk Hero was the man he always is, kicking game-winner for us,\u201d Jets defensive lineman Muhammad Wilkerson said. \u201cIt was a great win across the board.\u201d It also kept Folk\u2019s consecutive kicks streak intact, giving him 16 straight to start the season. \u201cYeah, we\u2019re not going to talk about that right now,\u201d he said, smiling. Geno Smith threw a touchdown pass to Jeremy Kerley and ran for another as the Jets topped Tom Brady and the Patriots, who tied it at 27 with 16 seconds left in regulation on Stephen Gostkowski\u2019s 44-yard field goal. New England had defeated New York in six straight regular-season meetings, and saw its 12-game winning streak against AFC East opponents end. \u201cEveryone has to look at themselves and do a better job,\u201d Brady said, \u201cbecause what we\u2019re doing now isn\u2019t good enough.\u201d Brady opened overtime with a 16-yard pass to Rob Gronkowski, making his season debut. But the Jets stopped forced New England to punt. Gronkowski almost made a one-handed grab late in regulation when he had a clear lane into the end zone. Gronkowski, who missed the first six games after having offseason surgery on his back and broken left forearm, had eight catches for 114 yards. \u201cI\u2019m still mad about that one,\u201d Gronkowski said. Brady threw a 17-yard TD pass to Kenbrell Thompkins with 5 seconds left to beat previously unbeaten New Orleans last week leaving defensive coordinator Rob Ryan grimacing on the sideline. This time, Rob\u2019s twin brother walked off the field celebrating a win. It was the second time in three games Brady was held without a touchdown pass, both losses. Brady finished 22 of 46 for 228 yards and had an interception returned 23 yards for a touchdown by Antonio Allen. \u201cThat was huge,\u201d Smith said. Smith, who threw three fourth-quarter interceptions in a Week 2 loss at New England, was 17 of 33 for 233 yards. He had a first-quarter interception returned 79 yards for a touchdown by rookie Logan Ryan that appeared to set the tone for an ominous afternoon for Smith. Smith rebounded and gave the Jets a 24-21 lead in the third quarter on an 8-yard run that left the crowd chanting \u201cGEE-NO! GEE-NO!\u201d \u201cI\u2019m never going to crumble,\u201d Smith said. \u201cNo matter what happens. You know, that\u2019s just not in me.\u201d On third-and-14 from the 24, Smith took off left and was met by Marquice Cole, who slammed into the quarterback. But Smith reached out as he was going down and got the first down. He again had all receivers tied up two plays later when he sprinted to his right, faked out Cole with a nice shake move and dived into the corner of the end zone. The Jets, in a 21-10 hole, opened the second half by immediately putting pressure on Brady and getting a score out of it. Brady threw for Gronkowski and Allen stepped in front. He did a diving somersault into the end zone just 33 seconds into the third quarter. Stevan Ridley had given the Patriots a 21-10 lead with a 17-yard run on which he bounced outside right tackle and scored untouched. The drive was set up by a 38-yard punt return by Julian Edelman. NOTES: Brandon Bolden had a 1-yard TD run for the Patriots. ... Kerley caught eight passes, six of them for first downs on third-down plays. ... Chris Jones and Chandler Jones each had two sacks for the Patriots. ... Logan Ryan\u2019s INT marked the 34th straight game in which New England has forced a turnover, the longest active streak in the NFL.


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Brand: ACT todayColor: NavyQuality: 100% organic cotton


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Jennie Talks 'Excruciating Pain' After Divorce
It's been nine months since Jennie Garth separated from Twilight star Peter Facinelli after 11 years of marriage, and in a new interview with Health magazine, Jennie reveals that she went through "excruciating pain" from the split, calling certain moments "immobilizing."
"When I'm in excruciating pain, like with what I've been through with my breakup and that grief and loss that's just immobilizing, it helps to remember that it only lasts for 13 to 15 minutes, max. And then it's over," she says about dealing with the split. "Your mind is ready to go to something else. You might come back to it, but it helps to just know that that pain is not going to last forever."
Related: Jennie Garth -- Divorce Was 'Shocking'
And Jennie has since moved on, admitting that she's stepped back into the dating game.
"I'm learning to date again," the Beverly Hills, 90210 star says. "Looks aren't important to me anymore. I like positive energy."
Garth also reveals to the magazine how she shed a whopping 30 pounds from her five-foot-five frame in 2012, after years of fad dieting that backfired.
Video: Jennie Garth on Her Dramatic Slim Down
"My biggest regret is putting my body through fad diets: Atkins, cleanses, the hCG diet. I lost like 18 pounds, but it came right back," she shares. "The worst was fasting with colonics for three or four days. It was the most horrifying experience ever!"
Among her health tips? Weigh yourself every morning and build up self-confidence.
"I put Post-it notes with quotes or reminders of my awesomeness on my mirror. My favorite is: 'You are enough.' So often we walk around and feel inferior -- not smart enough or thin enough. It means that I'm enough exactly the way I am."


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Dexascan/ Bone Mineral Density
We use the GE Lunar DPX, the fastest pencil beam densitometer, allowing acquisitions without compromising the precision of the results. Central DXA devices measure bone density in the hip and spine.
- Simple, quick and Non-invasive procedure
- Radiation used is extremely small—less than 1/10th of the dose of a standard chest x-ray
Service available at:
- Ludhiana, Punjab
Bone density scanning, also called dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) or bone densitometry, is an enhanced form of x-ray technology that is used to measure bone loss.
DXA is today's established standard for measuring bone mineral density (BMD).
What is a Bone Density Scan (DXA)?
Bone density scanning, also called dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) or bone densitometry, is an enhanced form of x-ray technology that is used to measure bone loss. DXA is today's established standard for measuring bone mineral density (BMD).
An x-ray (radiograph) is a noninvasive medical test that helps physicians diagnose and treat medical conditions. Imaging with x-rays involves exposing a part of the body to a small dose of ionizing radiation to produce pictures of the inside of the body. X-rays are the oldest and most frequently used form of medical imaging.
DXA is most often performed on the lower spine and hips. In children and some adults, the whole body is sometimes scanned. Peripheral devices that use x-ray or ultrasound are sometimes used to screen for low bone mass. In some communities, a CT scan with special software can also be used to diagnose or monitor low bone mass (QCT). This is accurate but less commonly used than DXA scanning.
What are some common uses of the procedure?
DXA is most often used to diagnose osteoporosis, a condition that often affects women after menopause but may also be found in men. Osteoporosis involves a gradual loss of calcium, as well as structural changes, causing the bones to become thinner, more fragile and more likely to break.
DXA is also effective in tracking the effects of treatment for osteoporosis and other conditions that cause bone loss.
The DXA test can also assess an individual's risk for developing fractures. The risk of fracture is affected by age, body weight, history of prior fracture, family history of osteoporotic fractures and life style issues such as cigarette smoking and excessive alcohol consumption. These factors are taken into consideration when deciding if a patient needs therapy.
Bone density testing is strongly recommended if you:
- are a post-menopausal woman and not taking estrogen.
- have a personal or maternal history of hip fracture or smoking.
- are a post-menopausal woman who is tall (over 5 feet 7 inches) or thin (less than 125 pounds).
- are a man with clinical conditions associated with bone loss.
- use medications that are known to cause bone loss, including corticosteroids such as Prednisone, various anti-seizure medications such as Dilantin and certain barbiturates, or high-dose thyroid replacement drugs.
- have type 1 (formerly called juvenile or insulin-dependent) diabetes, liver disease, kidney disease or a family history of osteoporosis.
- have high bone turnover, which shows up in the form of excessive collagen in urine samples.
- have a thyroid condition, such as hyperthyroidism.
- have a parathyroid condition, such as hyperparathyroidism.
- have experienced a fracture after only mild trauma.
- have had x-ray evidence of vertebral fracture or other signs of osteoporosis.
The Lateral Vertebral Assessment (LVA), a low-dose x-ray examination of the spine to screen for vertebral fractures that is performed on the DXA machine, may be recommended for older patients, especially if:
- they have lost more than an inch of height.
- have unexplained back pain.
- if a DXA scan gives borderline readings.
How should I prepare?
On the day of the exam you may eat normally. You should not take calcium supplements for at least 24 hours before your exam. You should wear loose, comfortable clothing, avoiding garments that have zippers, belts or buttons made of metal. Objects such as keys or wallets that would be in the area being scanned should be removed.
You may be asked to remove some or all of your clothes and to wear a gown during the exam. You may also be asked to remove jewelry, dentures, eye glasses and any metal objects or clothing that might interfere with the x-ray images.
Inform your physician if you recently had a barium examination or have been injected with a contrast material for a computed tomography (CT) scan or radioisotope scan. You may have to wait 10 to 14 days before undergoing a DXA test.
Women should always inform their physician and x-ray technologist if there is any possibility that they are pregnant. Many imaging tests are not performed during pregnancy so as not to expose the fetus to radiation. If an x-ray is necessary, precautions will be taken to minimize radiation exposure to the baby.
What does the equipment look like?
There are two types of DXA equipment: a central device and a peripheral device.
Central DXA devices measure bone density in the hip and spine and are usually located in hospitals and medical offices. Central devices have a large, flat table and an "arm" suspended overhead.
Peripheral devices measure bone density in the wrist, heel or finger and are often available in drugstores and on mobile health vans in the community. The pDXA device is much smaller than the Central DXA device, weighing only about 60 pounds. It is a portable box-like structure with a space for the foot or forearm to be placed for imaging. Other portable technologies such as specially designed ultrasound machines, are also sometimes used for screening.
How does the procedure work?
The DXA machine sends a thin, invisible beam of low-dose x-rays with two distinct energy peaks through the bones being examined. One peak is absorbed mainly by soft tissue and the other by bone. The soft tissue amount can be subtracted from the total and what remains is a patient's bone mineral density.
DXA machines feature special software that compute and display the bone density measurements on a computer monitor.
How is the procedure performed?
This examination is usually done on an outpatient basis.
In the Central DXA examination, which measures bone density in the hip and spine, the patient lies on a padded table. An x-ray generator is located below the patient and an imaging device, or detector, is positioned above.
To assess the spine, the patient's legs are supported on a padded box to flatten the pelvis and lower (lumbar) spine. To assess the hip, the patient's foot is placed in a brace that rotates the hip inward. In both cases, the detector is slowly passed over the area, generating images on a computer monitor.
You must hold very still and may be asked to keep from breathing for a few seconds while the x-ray picture is taken to reduce the possibility of a blurred image. The technologist will walk behind a wall or into the next room to activate the x-ray machine.
The peripheral tests are simpler. The finger, hand, forearm or foot is placed in a small device that obtains a bone density reading within a few minutes.
An additional procedure called Lateral Vertebral Assessment (LVA) is now being done at many centers. LVA is a low-dose x-ray examination of the spine to screen for vertebral fractures that is performed on the DXA machine.
The LVA test adds only a few minutes to the DXA procedure.
The DXA bone density test is usually completed within 10 to 30 minutes, depending on the equipment used and the parts of the body being examined.
You will probably be asked to fill out a questionnaire that will help the doctor determine if you have medical conditions or take certain medications that either increase or decrease your risk of a fracture. The World Health Organization has recently released an online survey that combines the DXA results and a few basic questions and can be used to predict 10-year hip fracture risk for post-menopausal women. This will be coming into more use in the next few years.
What will I experience during and after the procedure?
Bone density tests are a quick and painless procedure.
Routine evaluations every two years may be needed to see a significant change in bone mineral density, decrease or increase. Few patients, such as patients on high dose steroid medication, may need follow-up at six months.


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Destro (version 16) was released with the first wave of single packs in 2008 celebrating the 25th Anniversary of G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero.
This factory sealed figure and accessory comes exactly as shown.
Safety Warning: Products intended for Adult Collectors. Products may contain sharp points, small parts, choking hazards, and other elements not suitable for children under 16 years old.


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Pirate Adventure Corn Maze and Pumpkin Patch in Corrales
Seas the Day
'Tis the season for pumpkins and ghost stories and corn mazes and scary movies. And, in this case, pirates, too. Wagner Farmers in Corrales has all the bases covered with 2.6 miles of pirate themed trail through corn fields, a petting zoo, picnic areas, train rides and a pumpkin patch. Do ye dare? If ye do, head north to the farm any day between Thursday, Sept. 20 and Halloween from 9am and 6pm with $9 on hand for adults or $7 for kids. Check wagnersfarmlandexperience.com for more details. (Maggie Grimason)
Sunday Sept 23, 2018
Additional Dates:
Wagner's Farmland Experience
Corrales, NM 87048
Contact:Roxanne Wagner
Phone: 5054590719
Website: Click to Visit
More events at Wagner's Farmland Experience
Enjoy 2.6 miles of trail through a corn maze, pumpkin patch picking, petting zoo, picnic area and barrel train rides. Keep a look out for the pirates.
Ahoy Matey! Get ready for an exciting pirate adventure this year at Wagner's Farmland Experience. Do you dare to explore the uncharted maze and either find ye self a booty full of treasure or will you plunge into Davey Jone's Locker?
Special and new experiences included in addition to the 2.6 miles of trail through the corn maze, pumpkin patch picking, petting zoo, picnic area, barrel train rides and of course beautiful setting in Corrales, New Mexico. Keep a look out for the Pirates!
$9.00 per adult
$7.00 per child (ages 3-11)
Under age 2 Free
6445 Corrales Road
Corrales, NM 87048
Parking: Onsite & Free
Pumpkins not included. Prices range between $2-$15
Also for sale: Baked goods, jams, red chile ristras and farm produce
7 Days a week from Sept. 17- Oct. 31st
School Field Trip Reservations: www.wagnersfarmlandexperience.com
Group Rates Available
Phone: 505-459-0719


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So you may or may not know.. but I still haven't done my own personal workshop for 2012.. I have done three collaborative classes with other AMAZING artist where I was more of the "guest" in the workshop.. but not where Its been my own personal heart and art I was sharing. Well.. it is FINALLY here..and I have to admit.. it has awakened my passion for teaching through my art! We actually will be taking this journey together as I share with you some of the life changing content that inspired me to do this workshop, much of which was introduced to me by a amazing friend of mine, Art McCracken, a couple of months ago. YOu will get to know more about him and what he has brought to this workshop as it goes in.. but here is part of my story..
Last year was a whirlwind of good things for Me. I had a goal to really put myself out there and do what's in my heart with my art and it that dream and goal quickly and unbelievabley became a reality! I had 7 online classes, I had features and articles in many of my favorite magazines, I signed a licencing contract with an agent which presented some awesome opportunities, we started our mixed media store and mixed media kit club for Scarlet Lime, AND i launched my own product line for mixed media art as well. It was a CRAZy crazy year! oh and did I mention I was blessed to be able to travel and teach my art at events all over the world? Seriously crazy I tell you. I was truly blessed.
I worked hard, I spent a lot of sleepless nights, and days away from my family to make it happen, but i did make it happen. As awesome as it all appeared to be, by the end of the year I was exhausted and KNEW that if I continued on this path alot of the things I loved and the reasons why I had originally started down this path of sharing my art.. would soon be lost. I needed to refocus. I needed balance, I needed purpose. I needed a vision that was just for me. I needed help. Luckily enough.. I started working with an awesome friend of my husband and mine, Art (who i mentioned above and btw go find him and friend him on facebook.. let's make him feel welcome to our art community lol)
Art is a life and business coach and also a motivational speaker on how to do better and be better. He helps individuals and business really define what they want out of their business and out of life. What TRULY makes them happy. What things they are willing to sacrifice for their business or way of life and which things they are not. Which things are important and which things.. while may be amazing opportunities or paths we could take, at the end of the day.. aren't what is going to bring us joy and happiness and focus to our life. It couldn't have come at a better time. I had already sat down and made a list for 2012 of ALL the new adventures I wanted to take on.. ways to grow my business and expand and just leap into more things. I was ready to tell him all the things I wanted to do and have him help me figure out how to get them done! What I found when working with him.. is that TRULY the only thing I needed to do to be happy was to simplify. To be Present with what I was doing, To DO what I loved most. What I believed at the end of the day, made the most difference. I started out working with him for to help me figure out how to achieve more in my life, but ended up realizing that what I had right in front of me, was exactly what I already wanted and if I cultivated that and put my time and energy into just that, I would find happiness and fulfilment and joy! ANDI would have more time to spend with my family and friends and doing what mattered most.
I also realized what I wanted for myself personally.. in my in my art journey and what I was willing to give up for it and what i am absolutely NOT. I learned how to re-focus and create a living canvas, that I could be proud of and happy with at the end of the day. I gained a clarity and peace and passion and drive. Working with Art has been a life changing experience and through it all, I just knew I wanted to take what I had learned and share it with all of you! I knew that there are so many of us on life's path, not sure which road we should be taking.. in our relationships, in our jobs, in our personal identities! I wanted to create a workshop that helped you define those things and through the process create beautiful art as well!
I can't wait to share all of my journey and experience with you, in this new course.. that I am SUPER excited to bring this workshop to you! Each week's lessons in this workshop will be based off Art's excersizes in helping to create ou rliving canvas. I will also share my experience with each lesson and how it has helped me and what I have done to apply them into my life. Then we will take everything we have learned and create messy fun art journals and canvases and vision boards.. so we have something to look back to to remind us and motivate us to stay on our new path! I can't wait!
Sooooo.. enough talk.. I want to introduce to you to my newest online workshop starting this May.. and a sneak peek video of what's in store.. I TRULY hope you join me!
Your Living Canvas
a 6 week online workshop!
(with FULL One year access to the WORKSHOP!!)
We all have a story to tell... one that we live and paint and breath everyday... through our heartaches and trials, joys and celebrations, insecurities and moments of clarity. What story are we telling now and what story do we have yet to create? At the end of the day, it's our living canvas that will tell our story.
In this six week course we will help you discover that through art, messy play, techniques, journaling and soul searching exercises... you will be able to create your canvas by design not by default.
Each week we will talk about specific ways to create your canvas. We will focus on those things that will help you creating a canvas that has purpose.. one that you can be passionate about and one that at the end of the day you can be proud of. THIS will be your living canvas.
ALSO each week you will not only be taught a fun new art technique that is not taught in any of my other workshops, BUT we will also take what we have learned from that week's exercise and put it into either an art journal, on canvas or another project. EACH week will have it's own separate art techniques and projects. SO LOTS AND LOTS Of art :)
Here is a little sneak peek of what this class is all about..
AND dont forget to post below.. because I will be giving away 5 spots into this workshop! I will draw the winners later this week!
This workshop as I said, is a six week workshop.. and is broken down into 6 areas of focus
week 1: telling your story
week 2:The six F's.. finding balance in the everday
week 3: Your Vision Board
week 4: The 80/2 Rule
week 5: Being Present
week 6: The Three P's... purpose, Passion and being proud.
Each week we will have soul searching excises and journaling that will help you grow and define your living canvas, then we will take those things we are learning and put them into art. Through art journaling, on canvases, on our vision boards.. things that we can see each day to remind us of the canvas we want to create!
This class starts May 21st!! I hope you join me in this workshop! This is such a huge adventure for me.. it's my biggest workshop EVER, and its the most passionate one yet. I have been struggling over the last year to figure out what I want my living canvas to be and I KNOW that through doing this class.. it has helped me re-focus and remember what is important and what brings me joy. It has reminded me to do what matters most. I also know that doing this class again with you.. and for you.. I will grow and continue to learn even more!
Can't wait to share my heart with you! Excited for you to take this journey with me and for you to create your own living canvas!
This class will be a work at your own pace class.. where you can come in a watch the videos and read the content anytime night or day. AND this class will be available for an entire year to access.. so plenty of time to really take your time in doing this class the right way!
This six week workshop is $109.00 and I KNOW that is more than my usual classes.. but I promise you the 6 weeks will be SO worth it! And it will be something you will never regret doing!
Your Living Canvas


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Movie review: The film adaptation of 'Wonder' keeps to the spirit of the book
It's a gamble to make a bestselling book into a movie, especially if it's a book aimed at and turned into a hit by young readers. The 10-15-year-old readers who gobbled up R.J. Palacio's 2012 novel "Wonder" — about 10-year-old Auggie, a boy born with major facial disfigurement caused by a Treacher Collins syndrome — are at that impressionable age where what they read is vividly conjured up in their minds.
The movie adaptation of "Wonder" is an example of a book being a book and a movie being a movie, and even though there are plenty of similarities, what young readers have envisioned isn't necessarily what they're going to get. But that is not a problem here. The central feature of the book, the severity of Auggie's face, which makes him "different" from everyone else, has been softened for the film. Not to worry, he still doesn't look like anyone else around him on his first day of the fifth grade, which is also the first time the homeschooled boy has mingled with a general population like this.
He's not described in any detail in the book till the story is well under way, but he's shown onscreen five minutes into the film. There are other differences that avid readers will pick up: The identity of the first person who will sit with Auggie at lunch, the movie that's playing at the school's field trip (Oh, no! "The Sound of Music" has become "The Wizard of Oz!")
But enough nitpicking. What's important is that the film expertly captures the spirit of the book and does a great job of delivering the book's message that people need to be nice to other people. As long as that shines through, then it doesn't matter what's been left out of or added to or switched around.
Jacob Tremblay, the young actor who starred in "Room," takes on and really becomes the character of Auggie, who is adored by mom and dad (Julia Roberts and Owen Wilson) as well as by his older sister Via (Izabela Vidovic).
The film is introduced as Auggie's story, being told by him in narration form, explaining that he's pretty much come to terms, as best he can, with his lot in life. But, just like the book, the film is broken down into chapters, and suddenly, it becomes Via's story, in which it's revealed that not everything is as rosy as it seems with her. Auggie's first day in a mainstream school coincides with Via's first day in high school, meaning that both of them are entering new, uncertain worlds. We're also informed, through Via's narration, that she wishes she had as much attention at home as Auggie has been getting.
It keeps going back to being Auggie's story and how he's coping with things, but plenty of time is given to plenty of other characters. Mom and Via are stressed by their own situations: Mom hasn't had any "me" time for years, and Via has realized that she's been dumped by her old friends. Dad, though, is one cool cat. He's closest to Auggie, and when dropping him off on the first day of school, finds it easy to softly but firmly say to him, "You're gonna feel like you're alone, but you're not."
It's too bad that some of the other young characters have had their roles trimmed down, though there's still a well-rounded portrait of Auggie's new friend Jack (Noah Jupe, currently in "Suburbicon"), and some depth is added to the relationship between the young bully Julian (Bryce Gheisar) and his appalling parents.
Director Stephen Chbosky, who did everything right when directing teenage actors in "The Perks of Being a Wallflower," does the same here with the talented Tremblay and his young costars, and knows exactly what to do with Owen Wilson's uncanny timing in line delivery, and in having Julia Roberts do a lot more reacting than straightforward acting.
In the end, despite the fact that certain portions of the book have been toned down, that lesson of being nice to people stands strong. Here's hoping the message gets through to its intended audience.
— Ed Symkus writes about movies for More Content Now. He can be reached at email@example.com.
Written by Stephen Chbosky, Steve Conrad, Jack Thorne; directed by Stephen Chbosky
With Jacob Tremblay, Julia Roberts, Owen Wilson, Noah Jupe, Izabela Vidovic
Rated PG


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Everyone needs a little boost. A dose of positivity, and a reminder that no matter what your dreams are – you can do it! Here are this weeks 3 inspirational quotes biased on the theme: Don't Fear. Enjoy!
"So please ask yourself:
What would I do if I weren't afraid?
And then go do it."
– Sheryl Sandberg.
"Even the greatest was once a beginner.
Don't be afraid to take that first step."
-Rita Ghatourey
"Don't be afraid to make mistakes, to stumble and fall because most of the time, the greatest rewards come from doing the things that scare us the most.
Maybe you'll get everything you wished for.
Maybe you'll get more than you ever could have imagined.
Who knows where life could take you.
The road is long and in the end, the journey is the destination."
Thanks for stopping by. Do you have a quote based on the theme – Don't Fear?`If so, please share it. You know I love hearing from you. Until next time, Much Love.
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© Author Lorraine Ambers and http://www.lorraineambers.com, 2018.


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I looked around cautiously before freezing at the sketchy outline of a muscular man partially hidden in the grass. A man! He was sprawled on his back and golden pink from too many hours in the sun. My heart pounded to see the unfamiliar pattern of a deer on his breechcloth. I had marched myself directly into the reach of a Zennite warrior!
I gingerly took a step backwards, but to my horror, the man's black eyes fluttered open. I turned and hurled myself back across the meadow, just as the man shot up and flew after me like a predatory bird. My muscles burned and strained to lengthen the space between us, but getting away was hopeless. I was not a challenge to even the young boys in the foot races.
After a few powerful strides, the warrior tackled me to the ground, painfully grazing the skin on my cheek. I wheezed a few times before my lungs filled with air.
"A Chippoke?" he asked between breaths.
I feverishly punched and kicked to free myself. "Get—off—me!"
"Stop! I'm not going to hurt you," the warrior chuckled as he struggled to pin my arms and legs. His voice was calm and pleasant, but lying was no different than breathing to a Zennite.
"I cannot promise the same," I wheezed as I fought.
"You're a bobcat," he said with a laugh. "A bobcat with no teeth or claws."
"Let me go!"
"I will when you're calm."
Strong hands held my wrists while his full weight pinned my torso against the earth. Fighting him was as useless as running. "You are not a boy," I spat angrily, fully taking in my attacker. It was little comfort that he didn't look like a bloodthirsty killer. He was admittedly handsome with an angular face and sleek black hair that hung well past his shoulders. He was not as tall as Elan, but his muscles were narrow and built for speed. There was something different about his eyes too. They were as black as soot—very unlike the brown woodsy colors from our tribe.
The warrior smirked down at me. "My mother will be very surprised to hear that. All this time she's assumed…"
My face heated, but I fiercely met his gaze. The Zenni were like wild dogs and pumas—they could smell emotions. "What I meant was, you are a man, not a boy."
"Oh, I see, but you must understand, I'm not a man yet."
"You must understand I'm a squirrel! Get off! You're hurting me!" I ordered with a useless heave.
"No," he said with a smirk.
It was then I realized I might die—right after I was lulled into a false sense of security. My chest pounded as I searched for the killer's weapon. "Are you going to kill me?"
"I do not feel like killing you just yet," he said as his long hair swirled in my face. Were we to play a game before he killed me?
"I am glad the mood doesn't strike you," I snarled. The warrior studied me with a drawn brow. Was he guessing that I was the forest witch? I didn't think I looked like a witch, but I wasn't certain what one should look like—evil at least.
"I don't understand something," the warrior said. "Your eyes are blue—the blue of an angry sky. Are you the daughter of a god?"
"Yes," I said, heaving against his weight again. "Now get off me, or my father Achak will strike you dead with lightening."
Krista Holle is an award winning author who stepped up her writing after reading Stephanie Meyer's Twilight series. It occurred to Krista that there is an insatiable audience of women and girls who want to read books filled with stories about true love—not just vampires.
When Krista is not writing, she loves to collect seashells, watch movies, and eat obscene amounts of pizza. Krista currently resides in Montpelier, Virginia with her husband, four daughters and an eccentric cat with a weird attachment to the family's socks.


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DOJ's Assault on 1st Amendment and Northern Ireland's Peace
Dustin Slaughter
Open Salon
also: Firedoglake
Oral histories of political movements give us glimpses of the participants who helped shape the world we know today. They often provide raw, personal first-hand accounts of peoples' struggles. These projects also help to maintain historical truths that are often tainted by government revisionism and lost to cultural amnesia.
Tacit confidentiality agreements between historians and interviewees are naturally crucial to the birth of these histories.
So what happens when the Department of Justice and the Police Service of Northern Ireland decide to violate the spirit of a treaty between the United States and the United Kingdom by subpoenaing a confidential collection of taped interviews detailing Northern Ireland's militant past?
The purity of historical record, as well as fundamental First Amendment issues like freedom of the press, and more specifically source confidentiality, are now under attack by none other than US prosecutor Carmen Ortiz – the same district attorney criticized for what many people called overzealous prosecution that likely led to activist Aaron Swartz committing suicide – and the DOJ, at the behest of Northern Ireland's police forces. These parties apparently see fit to enflame a tenuous peace in Northern Ireland by tearing open historical wounds through their desire to prosecute former Irish Republican and Loyalist paramilitaries for unsolved crimes.
Beginning three years after the 1998 Good Friday Agreement, heralded by some as the beginning of a new – and peaceful – chapter between the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland, journalists Ed Moloney and Anthony McIntyre began tape recording interviews with members of Irish paramilitaries and their Loyalist foes. Their objective was to contribute a better academic understanding of what motivated otherwise ordinary individuals to join the armed conflict, as well as document the turbulent and important history known as The Troubles. They concluded their interviews in 2006 and the Belfast Project is stored today in Boston College's Burns Library.
The lynchpin of the project was the confidentiality agreement McIntyre and Maloney forged with participants – from both sides of the conflict – some of whom divulged the names of militants. The stories were not to be released without their written consent or until their death.
Fast forward to 2011, when the Department of Justice, by way of a Clinton-era initiative called the US-UK Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT), attempted to force Boston College to release the tapes by recklessly (and improperly, as I'll address below) subpoenaing these confidential interviews at the behest of the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI).
Authorities claim that Belfast Project interviews will assist in investigating the re-opened case of Jean McConville, who was kidnapped and murdered by the Provisional IRA in 1972. Current Sinn Fein leader and Irish president Gerry Adams, among others, have been implicated in the crime. Republican militants admitted their culpability some 20 years later.
Some, like Anthony McIntyre – a writer, historian and former IRA member who was jailed for 18 years in Northern Ireland's infamous Long Kesh prison and was released in 1996, believe the motivation for the subpoena is more complicated – and sinister – than a mere desire to solve a horrible crime that happened in 1972 however.
"[The justice angle] does not have much traction, given that the PSNI was heavily involved in using law enforcement to break the law and immerse itself as a player in the conflict [during the Troubles]," he tells me through email.
"It is certainly not interested in solving homicides per se. It is interested in the selective solving of some homicides. Hence we have killings involving state agents not being pursued but others involving people opposed to the state pursued."
The checkered history of Northern Ireland's security forces supports McIntyre's suspicion that the subpoena is politically motivated. The former incarnation of the PSNI, from 1922 until 2001, was the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC). This law enforcement organization has a storied history of human rights transgressions, as detailed in a number of reports, including one issued in 1991 by Human Rights Watch, which cite a wide range of abuses against Irish nationalists and which also point out numerous instances of RUC collusion with Loyalist paramilitaries.
Most notably, two members of a special anti-terrorist unit within the RUC known as the Special Patrol Group were convicted in 1980 of giving aid to Loyalist forces in the form of transportation, kidnappings, shootings and bombing attacks.
Besides these two Special Patrol Group members, no RUC or PSNI officers have ever been charged with crimes.
But it is what McIntyre calls the "retire and rehire" phenomenon taking place within the RUC-turned-PSNI that gives him the greatest doubt that Good Friday Agreement reforms have changed the police force's apparent anti-nationalist leanings. A watchdog audit of the PSNI in 2011 found that almost 20% of the over 5,000 RUC officers laid off under reforms were rehired. The report describes the organization's apparent reversion to its RUC roots as "out of control," according to the Guardian, which ran the story in October 2011. The push to enter more Irish Catholics into the police force, a key reform from Good Friday, is clearly being rolled back.
And the Boston College subpoena, in light of all this, may very well be a political fishing expedition designed, at least in part, on hunting down old enemies of the British state.
Two plausible scenarios could emerge if the DOJ and PSNI are successful in accessing the Belfast Project interviews: Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams will face prosecution for his alleged involvement in Jean McConville's murder. Irish nationalist rage would likely spill out into the streets of Belfast.
Conversely, the PSNI may do nothing with the archive. If that happens, McIntyre tells me, "the British government decides it is too politically sensitive – not least for what may be revealed about their own knowledge and activities – to bring forward any criminal prosecution. Loyalist reaction to this will be, predictably, outrage. They will hardly accept, especially given the lengths that the British are going to obtain this material, that it was worthless."
Clearly, either outcome could set off the tinderbox – and the two journalists who created the project have, since 2011, been consumed with preventing the potential unraveling of Northern Ireland's peace process.
They've also rushed to protect what they correctly perceive as an erosion of journalistic freedoms enshrined by the First Amendment here in the U.S. More on this latter point shortly.
Anthony McIntyre and Ed Maloney began their protracted legal battle with prosecutor Ortiz after Boston College refused to appeal a lower court's decision that the DOJ's grab at the archives was legitimate. The two men found support from the ACLU of Massachusetts, the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, and the Irish American Coalition, all of which added amicus briefs to the case.
After two years of overturned appeals, McIntyre and Maloney finally kicked the case up to the Supreme Court – only to have the High Court refuse to hear it last week.
With that final blow, every legal avenue is now exhausted.
This leaves only a political redress through a newly-minted Secretary of State John Kerry who, before taking the new post this year, served on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. In a January 2012 letter to former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Kerry expressed concern "about the impact that [the subpoena] may have on the continued success of the Northern Ireland peace process."
Senator Kerry added: "It is possible that some former parties to the conflict may perceive the effort by the U.K. authorities to obtain this information as contravening the spirit of the Good Friday Accords."
As noted earlier, the DOJ's actions most certainly violate the spirit, if not the letter, of the U.S. – U.K. Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty. In a report submitted by Senator Richard Luger in September 2006, Luger states:
"The Senate's understanding [is] that the purpose of the Treaty is to strengthen law enforcement cooperation between the United States and the United Kingdom by modernizing the extradition process for all serious offenses and that it is not intended to reopen issues addressed in the Belfast Agreement or to impede any further efforts to resolve the conflict in Northern Ireland."
Kerry and Luger were not alone in their concern.
New York Senator Charles Schumer expressed consternation that the DOJ's subpoena not only threatened to destroy a fragile peace across the Atlantic, but that it targeted freedom of the press. In a letter sent to both Secretary of State Clinton and Attorney General Eric Holder, Schumer stated:
"There are significant issues of journalistic confidentiality and academic freedom that are called into question as a result of this legal maneuver that make it dubious…I have always been a champion of protecting sensitive source material that is gathered by researchers – journalists and academics alike—and I am concerned that this action presents an infringement on that underpinning of the First Amendment."
One need only look at the DOJ's dogged pursuit of activists, such as the late Aaron Swartz, to see how far the Justice Department will go to score wins in court. It is not a stretch to believe they could use subpoenas to violate journalist-source confidentiality in future cases.
With over 100 similar bilateral assistance treaties between the U.S. and other countries in existence today, the threat this subpoena poses may have far-reaching – and unimaginable – consequences for international political movements, freedom of dissent and our own First Amendment.