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Curb appeal tips to transform your home
(BPT) – Sprucing up your home's curb appeal brings new energy and life, not only to your property, but also to the entire neighborhood. It creates a welcoming and appealing environment, while also making it a better candidate for resale, if that's in your near future.
Curb appeal improvements can range from giving your home a facelift with a new paint color to changing out the landscaping for a fresh look. Here are some curb appeal projects you can take on this summer to highlight the wonderful qualities of your home:
* Enticing lighting – Lantern-lit walkways, under-shrub lighting and even soft twinkle lights illuminating a front porch all provide a welcoming atmosphere that invites visitors to your front door. Lighting can also help increase safety outside a home, as it brightens dark corners of your yard and reduces tripping hazards along walkways. Evaluate your home from the street at night and look for ways you can improve the lighting.
* A fresh new color – Everyone loves the look of a new coat of paint and whether used on your front door, shutters, trim or siding, it can really impact the look and feel of your home's exterior. "When homeowners are planning to paint the exterior of their home, they want to make sure to use the very best paint to achieve a beautiful color that lasts," says Scott Richards, senior vice president of marketing for Behr Paints. "We harnessed the most advanced technology to create BEHR MARQUEE Exterior Paint & Primer, our top-of-the-line exterior paint designed to achieve a freshly painted look that lasts a long time. It not only repels dirt, which can make your paint finish look dull, but it also provides early rain resistance, so it repels rain showers as early as 60 minutes after application." BEHR MARQUEE Exterior Paint & Primer is available exclusively at The Home Depot and comes in 64 unique new colors and can be tinted to any color in Behr's existing palette of 2,000 hues or custom color-matched. Visit colorfullybehr.com to read about everything color – from contrasts to the latest coloring techniques.
* Green and growing beauty – For green thumb gardeners, incorporating beautiful flowerbeds in strategic areas like around the mailbox, next to the driveway, along the sidewalk to the front door and around the front of the home, is a great way to add beautiful curb appeal. Continue to rotate new flowers into the flowerbeds as the seasons change, allowing you to vary the accent colors in your yard frequently.
If you don't have the time or interest in flower gardening, however, you can create more perennial landscaping beds using hardy plants that require little maintenance. Check with your local garden shop for information about low-maintenance perennial plants, trees and shrubs to incorporate into your landscaping.
With these changes, your home's curb appeal will invite visitors – or potential buyers – to stop and admire your house from the street. Whether you decide to DIY or hire a professional, you'll be able to enjoy the transformation for many years to come.


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Sugar and Spice
Reinventing old-fashioned candy, naturally
Sugar is my caffeine. I require daily infusions. Whether that makes me an addict is a matter of dispute. In her The Taste of Sweet, Joanne Chen relied on the official definitions: compulsively seeking a fix and resorting to destructive behavior to get it. David Kessler, author of the recent The End of Overeating, would say that my brain is a tool of the food industry, which rewires people to crave ever more of the sugar, salt, and fat it pumps into everything. Luckily, I have a sugar threshold, however startlingly high.
I feed my own, shall we say, need by looking for good sugar. In sodas, the trend toward using cane syrup in place of high-fructose corn syrup and natural versus synthetic flavors is well under way, even if higher-priced boutique sodas remain a niche market (and even if Thomas Frieden, the new head of the CDC, says that sodas lie at the heart of the country's obesity epidemic). Premium ice cream and chocolate remain "affordable luxuries" in the bad economy, and national candy sales are growing fast. You'd think there would be a parallel trend toward artisanal, non-chocolate candy, using better sugar and non-synthesized flavorings. There hasn't been.
I was delighted when a Boston-based company with the whimsical name of Tiny Trapeze starting making old-fashioned candy on old-fashioned candy machines but using organic sugar and all-natural ingredients. Alas, after buying the company, Whole Foods closed it last April. No more cocoa marshmallows! As for the regional candy companies that blanketed the country during the first Depression, the few remaining ones—which Steve Almond entertainingly toured for his 2004 Candyfreak—are still struggling to survive, and unlikely to put organic sugar and hard-to-get-right natural flavors and colors into embattled business plans.
But I did find heartening Halloween news: Necco wafers, a roll of which I try always to have in my jacket pocket, are just now changing from artificial flavors and neon colors to toned-down natural flavors and lovely, muted colors.
I pay attention to the color of Necco wafers the way others do M&M's, which don't even change flavor by color. Necco flavors are proudly peculiar. "It's a very odd combination, fruit and spice," Jeff Green, who has been in charge of production and innovation at Necco for more than 25 years, told me. His favorite is clove: "Who makes clove?"
The candy business is notoriously secretive. I wasn't allowed to see the old machinery that Jim Greenberg, the fourth-generation equipment salesman who is the country's real Candy Man, told me about; his family sold it to Necco, and he sold Tiny Trapeze its vintage machines. (Union Confectionery Machinery, his Bronx warehouse, is a true Island of Lost Toys, in which decrepit old machinery gets beautifully refurbished and buffed.) But at Necco, Green was generous in describing ingredients during a long, old-versus-new tasting that left me dizzy from a sugar rush.
Jackie Hague, the vice president of marketing, told me that Necco is a Boomer candy; all-natural flavors and colors, the company thought, would draw young mothers concerned about their children's diet. But non-synthetic colors are fugitive, and natural flavors can't be easily ratcheted up or down. Cinnamon, for example, made the thin sheet of sugar dough fall apart when the machines stamped out the wafers.
But Green persevered. The flavors he gave me were much, much subtler than the ones I was used to: cinnamon less like Red Hots, lemon less like paper candy dots and more like lemon-meringue-pie filling. And the colors: I was certain that Martha Stewart, who had recently featured Necco wafers on a wedding cake (historically apt; the pièces montées that made Marie-Antoine Carême perhaps the first star chef, in the early 19th century, were made of gum tragacanth, the base of Necco wafers and still the base of many wedding-cake decorations), would be designing a line of paints around them.
The biggest change by far was the chocolate, which went from what Green admitted was really vanilla with a hint of chocolate flavoring to all-cocoa, in four flavors yet. I tried the dark, which was so much more potent and less sugary-seeming that it was an outlier—but an outlier that will, I think, win over grown-ups who have long been uninterested in Neccos. And probably a fair number of trick-or-treaters, too.

subset: commoncrawl


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Kickstand Case Slim Cover + Belt Clip Holster for Sonim XP8 Phone (XP8800)
PHONE COVER: The cover is a hard shell that snaps on the back of the phone. Your phone is fully functional in the case with cutouts to access all buttons/ports/sensors. The case is made of hard polycarbonate that has been treated with a rubberized spray powder coating for extra grip and durability. Case also has ribbed weave pattern for enhanced tactile grip.
BELT CLIP: Holster is made to fit the phone with cover. The interior is lined with micro-fiber material to ensure your screen will remain scratch free. The holster will fit the phone face-inward so your screen is concealed and protected. Your phone is ultra-secure within the holster. The belt clip can turn/lock in 13 different positions. The clip has a slim profile so it will not extend far from your waist and bump into things. Attach to your side and always have quick access to your phone.
CASE KICKSTAND: Back of the case features built-in kickstand feature. Unsnap the hinge then slide downward until the kickstand snaps into place. Now you can prop your phone in vertical position at your desk or prop the phone in horizontal position - this is ideal for watching movies and videos - also handy if you use your phone as an alarm clock.
HOLSTER KICKSTAND: There is a hinge on the inside of the belt clip so you can prop open. This is handy for propping the clip on your table/desk.
FYI: Not a fan of belt clips? There are many other practical uses for a holster. Clip to bag, waist, stroller, purse, strap, sun visor, etc.
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The Finders' Keeper
YOU STUDY restaurant options on your smartphone. You Google that book you heard about. You hope searches for "perl district pet store" lead customers to your shop. Whether you know it or not, your consumer and business life relies on search engine marketing, or SEM.
As a trade, SEM involves helping websites surf atop the Internet tide, through relevant search terms, coding tweaks, algorithms, and deft use of social networks like Facebook and Twitter. A geekfest? Yes. "The industry started as a bunch of one-person shows," says Hallie Janssen, president of SEMpdx, an association of more than 200 local SEM professionals. "It was a lot of guys working in their basements."
Many of those guys are still down there—but Janssen aims to change that. She works as vice president of Anvil Media Inc, a Portland firm with a lengthy client list. Beyond the office, she's shaping SEMpdx into a social outlet and a professional boost to a local industry worth as much as $50 million. "Our goal is to put SEM on the map of Portland," she says, "and put Portland on the map of SEM."
Besides social hours, workshops, and periodic parties (the association's website solemnly promises to triple the bar staff at September's annual rooftop bash), SEMpdx produces SearchFest, considered the industry's best regional conference. The annual gatherings attract as many as 400 attendees, and speaking rosters are studded with industry leaders.
All this action makes SEMpdx a clearinghouse, where Portland businesses recruit talent to optimize their sites. Ironically for this semi-invisible online business, face-to-face "social networking" remains key.
Janssen relishes her role as catalyst. "In high school I did every sport, I was always in student council, I was in girls' choir," the 36-year-old says. "I love learning new things from other people. I find that to be thrilling." She certainly has energy to spare. Married, with two young boys, Janssen wakes well before dawn to train for her "hobby" as a competitive marathoner. She placed fourth in this year's Eugene Marathon, qualifying for the US Olympic Trials with a time of 2:45.
"The marathon shows up in my life in all kinds of ways," she says. "I can power through stuff."


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MADISON, Wis. – Republicans in the Wisconsin Assembly approved a polarizing mining bill Thursday and sent the measure to Gov. Scott Walker for his signature, completing a long push to help a Florida-based company open a giant iron mine near the shores of Lake Superior over environmentalists' objections.
Minority Democrats dragged out debate for nearly nine-and-a-half hours but were powerless to stop the measure. Republicans finally approved it on a 58-39 party-line vote.
The bill already has cleared the Senate. It now heads to Walker, who has touted the proposal as his key job creation plan. He is expected to sign it into law early next week.
"On behalf of the unemployed skilled workers in our state who will benefit from the thousands of mining-related jobs over the next few years, I say thank you," Walker said in a statement.
It's still unclear whether the bill will survive legal scrutiny, though. Conservation groups and the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa contend the bill eviscerates environmental protections and are considering lawsuits.
Still, the vote was cathartic for Republicans. They've been working for two years to pass a bill to help Gogebic Taconite dig a miles-long open-pit iron mine in the Penokee Hills just south of Lake Superior.
The GOP has played up the mine as a huge economic engine, saying it would create hundreds of jobs for the impoverished region and thousands more across the state's heavy equipment manufacturing sector. But company officials have refused to move forward until lawmakers eased the regulatory path for them.
Republicans introduced a sweeping bill that would have overhauled the state's mining rules in late 2011. Conservationists and Democrats contended the measure relaxed environmental standards and opened the door for pollution that would ruin one of the last pristine areas in the state.
One of the fiercest environmental debates Wisconsin has seen in years ensued. The measure ultimately died in the Senate by one vote after moderate Republican Dale Schultz sided with Democrats against it.
But voters handed Republicans a two-member majority in the Senate in last November's elections, making Schultz's vote irrelevant. The GOP reintroduced the bill this past January, labeling the drive toward passage "Mining for Jobs." The Senate passed it by one vote last week.
The outcome was never in doubt in the Assembly, where Republicans hold a 59-39 majority. Democrats still stalled for hours, ripping the bill as a corporate give-away. They said legal challenges will tie up the project for years and the promised jobs will never materialize.
Republicans accused Democrats of concocting wild worst-case scenarios. They insisted modern mining technology and state and federal oversight will protect the environment and the mine will provide desperately needed jobs.
"Once this bill passes, the state of Wisconsin is not going to get wiped off the face of the earth," said the bill's main sponsor, Rep. Mark Honadel, R-South Milwaukee. "Even though the iron ore may be buried deep in the ground, please don't bury jobs with it."
Under the plan, state environmental officials would have up to 480 days to make a permitting decision. Currently, they face no hard deadline. The public couldn't challenge a permit decision until after it has been made.
The bill also would create a presumption that damage to wetlands is necessary. Applicants would have to submit a plan to compensate for wetlands damage, including a proposal to create up to an acre and a half of new wetlands for every acre impacted, but Democrats argue such mitigation projects rarely work.
A mining company's permit application fees would be capped at $2 million plus DNR wetland mapping expenses. Tax on a company's revenue would be split 60-40 between local governments and the state. Current law imposes no cap on application fees and funnels 100 per cent of revenue taxes to local governments to offset mining impacts.
The bill also exempts mining companies from the state's $7 per ton recycling fee on waste materials, sparing Gogebic Taconite from paying the state an estimated $171 million annually for environmental protection programs.
Gogebic Taconite President Bill Williams didn't immediately return a message Thursday evening.
Assembly Republicans were visibly relieved after the vote, even taking the unusual step of applauding the Legislature's lawyers for crafting and re-crafting the bill.
They walked out of the chamber to find about 20 protesters waiting for them. They hurled insults at the legislators, calling them "fascist pigs" and "traitors." Rep. Brett Hulsey, D-Madison, exchanged a fist bump with one of the protesters and assured them the mine would never happen.
Indeed, the Bad River could prove to be an especially formidable legal foe for Gogebic Taconite. The tribe's reservation lies just downstream from the mine site and members fear run-off from waste rock will pollute their water. As a sovereign nation, the tribe could evoke a host of unique environmental rights in court.
Bad River Chairman Mike Wiggins Jr. promised "active resistance" that could include filing lawsuits to stop the permitting process or occupying the mine site. The Bad River's reservation is sacred and tribal members won't allow it to be polluted, he said.
"We have nowhere to run," Wiggins said.
Associated Press writer Scott Bauer contributed to this report.


text: Loving the Google Translate on these: "The unique design of the necklace as it is shaped sunglasses. Of course, as it can be worn as sunglasses." That's right; a knitted necklace, shaped like sunglasses, that can be worn as sunglasses. Without lenses. Do you. Available in 7 colors through Zozo. (Via Highsnobiety).


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A ballplayer's career effectively ends some time between 36 and 37 years of age. That was when Mickey Mantle hung it up, when Stan Musial played his last good season, when Babe Ruth and Willie Mays started their declines, and when Barry Bonds hit 73 home runs — arguably the exception that proves the rule. Alex Rodriguez is currently in this window, and hasn't belted more than thirty home runs in four years. Yet he's still guaranteed $114 million over the next five seasons regardless of whether he's worth it, or whether anyone really wants to pay him.
Or is he? Apparently, if it can be proven that A-Rod really cheated again like the Miami New Times suggests, then the Yankees will look to void the rest of that deal. It's not likely to happen, only because no union in America is seemingly as strong as the MLB Players' Association. But if it does, it could set a significant precedent that owners will attempt to use to get out of the inflated contracts they've been handing out for years in response to the steroid era.
So far the joke is still on the owners, who fought each other tooth and nail to overpay tainted players. It was alleged steroid users like Bonds, and Roger Clemens, and even A-Rod who created the fallacy that ballplayers were well-built to play into their forties now, because of better workouts and diets and supplements. Even after clubs realized that the titanic production was likely a product of juicing, clean guys like Jayson Werth, Joey Votto, and Albert Pujols took advantage with deals that will pay them hundreds of millions combined in their declining years.
Now those deals are disappearing, with expirations on new contracts hovering around 36, and not coincidentally. After losing nearly every labor negotiation against the players since free agency was instated, the owners are looking for a win. And if the Yankees can get out of paying A-Rod, they will. He's made more money playing baseball than anyone, ever, and his contracts, not his home runs or his stellar play, might end up being his real legacy.
Follow The Culture Blog on RSS and on Twitter at @ESQCulture.


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State lottery officials say a $2 million winning ticket was sold to a player in northeast Kansas during the weekend Powerball drawing.
Officials declined to say Monday exactly where the ticket was drawn. The lottery's northeast Kansas zone covers 21 counties.
The winning ticket matched the first five numbers drawn Saturday, which were 23-32-39-47-49. The Powerball was 22. The player also purchased a Power Play option which doubled the prize from $1 million to $2 million.
No ticket sold matched all the numbers in drawing. The jackpot for Wednesday's drawing will be an estimated $114 million.


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As Republicans try to explain their Election Day losses in terms of policy, tactics, and strategy, one factor is emerging as the essential difference between the Obama and Romney campaigns on November 6: the absolute failure of Romney's get-out-the-vote effort, which underperformed even John McCain's lackluster 2008 turnout. One culprit appears to be "Orca," the Romney's massive technology effort, which failed completely.
A source within the Romney campaign agreed to share his reflections on Project Orca with Breitbart News:
It's easy to point fingers after a loss and I wouldn't normally do it, but consider what happened.
Project Orca was supposed to enable poll watchers to record voter names on their smartphones, by listening for names as voters checked in. This would give the campaign real-time turnout data, so they could redirect GOTV resources throughout the day where it was most needed. They recruited 37,000 swing state volunteers for this.
I worked on the Colorado team, and we were called by hundreds (or more) volunteers who couldn't use the app or the backup phone system. The usernames and passwords were wrong, but the reset password tool didn't work, and we couldn't change phone PINs. We were told the problems were limited and asked to project confidence, have people use pencil and paper, and try to submit again later.
Then at 6PM they admitted they had issued the wrong PINs to every volunteer in Colorado, and reissued new PINs (which also didn't work). Meanwhile, counties where we had hundreds of volunteers, such as Denver Colorado, showed zero volunteers in the system all day, but we weren't allowed to add them. In one area, the head of the Republican Party plus 10 volunteers were all locked out. The system went down for a half hour during peak voting, but for hundreds or more, it never worked all day. Many of the poll watchers I spoke with were very discouraged. Many members of our phone bank got up and left.
I do not know if the system was totally broken, or if I just saw the worst of it. But I wonder, because they told us all day that most volunteers were submitting just fine, yet admitted at the end that all of Colorado had the wrong PIN's. They also said the system projected every swing state as pink or red.
Regardless of the specific difficulties, this idea would only help if executed extremely well. Otherwise, those 37,000 swing state volunteers should have been working on GOTV…
Somebody messaged me privately after my email and told me that North Carolina had the same problems — every pin was wrong and not fixed until 6PM — and was also told it was localized to North Carolina.
The problems with Orca appear to have been nationwide, and predated Election Day itself. At Ace of Spades, John Ekdahl reported his frustrations as a volunteer in the field:
From the very start there were warning signs. After signing up, you were invited to take part in nightly conference calls. The calls were more of the slick marketing speech type than helpful training sessions. There was a lot of "rah-rahs" and lofty talk about how this would change the ballgame.
Working primarily as a web developer, I had some serious questions. Things like "Has this been stress tested?", "Is there redundancy in place?" and "What steps have been taken to combat a coordinated DDOS attack or the like?", among others. These types of questions were brushed aside (truth be told, they never took one of my questions). They assured us that the system had been relentlessly tested and would be a tremendous success.
Ekdahl describes how volunteers were expected to print their own materials, and were mistakenly not told to bring their poll watching credentials to polling places. Attempts to communicate with the Romney campaign to ask for assistance were unsuccessful:
By 2PM, I had completely given up. I finally got ahold of someone at around 1PM and I never heard back. From what I understand, the entire system crashed at around 4PM. I'm not sure if that's true, but it wouldn't surprise me. I decided to wait for my wife to get home from work to vote, which meant going very late (around 6:15PM). Here's the kicker, I never got a call to go out and vote. So, who the hell knows if that end of it was working either.
Likewise, Twitchy recorded widespread real-time complaints and criticisms on Twitter by Project Orca volunteers. At one point during Election Day, the system had malfunctioned so badly that desperate volunteers wondered if the program had been hacked.
Romney volunteers in Virginia confirmed that the campaign had relied entirely on Project Orca to turn out the vote in key areas such as Roanoke, where Romney and Ryan had made appearances. Volunteers who had driven to Virginia from safely-Republican Tennessee were shocked at the disorganization they encountered.
While the Romney campaign waited for Orca to function as planned, the Obama campaign had placed signs outside every one of the city's thirty-three polling places, and was fully staffed with two volunteers outside each polling place, and a strike list volunteer inside, all day long from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. The best that the short-handed Tennessee volunteers could manage was 40% coverage of polling places; the local GOP, they said, had relied entirely on the campaign's centralized Orca system in Boston to turn out the local vote.
Ekdahl concludes his account by hoping that the failures of Orca did not cost Romney the election:
We lost by fairly small margins in Florida, Virginia, Ohio and Colorado. If this had worked could it have closed the gap? I sure hope not for my sanity's sake.
In fact, Orca diverted scarce resources that would have been better used physically moving voters to polling places. By a rough calculation, Romney lost the election by falling 500,000 to 700,000 votes short in key swing states. If each of the 37,000 volunteers that had been devoted to Orca had instead brought 20 voters to the polls in those states over the course of the day, Romney would have won the election.
Before the election, there was much fear-mongering on the Democratic side about the Republicans' supposed plans to suppress turnout among Obama voters. After the election, GOP strategist Karl Rove accused the Obama campaign of "suppressing the vote" by running a negative campaign against Romney that kept voters at home.
The truth is much worse. There was, in fact, massive suppression of the Republican vote–by the Romney campaign, through the diversion of nearly 40,000 volunteers to a failing computer program.
There was no Plan B; there was only confusion, and silence.


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I wish to thank the developers and forum administrators for their great effort and support. I have been attempting a "poor man's" movie restoration system, and partly thanks to the ImageMagick folks, I now have something to show for it. I am using Imagemagick to convert DNG raw files out of my digital camera, and create working files for frame sequences. Film sequences often fade to black, and I was experiencing "fade to noise". You provided a critical explanation to modify delegates.xml, to control the behavior of dcraw. Movies require tens of thousands of images. Multiple instances of imagemagick allows for my PC to be fully utilized in the conversion of DNG to working jpg image sequences.
The original thread was at: https://www.imagemagick.org/discourse-s ... ng#p128660
I would invite you now to view the fruits of our labors at:
The first 4 videos are examples of our fully restored 16mm industry films.
Thanks again for such a wonderful tool, and the continued support you offer.
Chris Clawson (meloware)
The Museum of Our Industrial Heritage, Greenfield, Massachusetts USA
ImageMagick in movie restoration
Post here to shower the ImageMagick developers with praise or discuss how you could have done a better job if you developed ImageMagick. Or talk about how Photoshop is better than ImageMagick. Even complain about how no one answered your postings in the Users forum. Venting and musings welcomed here.
Post Reply
3 posts • Page 1 of 1
- fmw42
- Posts: 25562
- Joined: 2007-07-02T17:14:51-07:00
- Authentication code: 1152
- Location: Sunnyvale, California, USA
Re: ImageMagick in movie restoration
Curious to know what the videos (or at least a few frames) looked like before your usage of Imagemagick! Was it an issue of cleaning up your frames or just converting from DDS to some other format?
Re: ImageMagick in movie restoration
They were 5208 x 3477 raw DNG image files. The frames were intentionally over-captured. The rendered film was properly cropped to present the correct aspect ratio with the maximum true image area possible to conserve.
Post Reply
3 posts • Page 1 of 1


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Trader Joe's issues hummus recall for listeria concern
The recall centered on Mediterranean, White Bean and Basil flavors
The recall centered on Mediterranean, White Bean and Basil flavors
Trader Joe's is asking customers to check the dates on certain hummus products sold due to a listeria concern.
The hummus brands in particular are the Mediterranean Hummus and the White Bean and Basil Hummus.
Concerns for the Mediterranean Hummus include the following states: Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Louisiana, North Carolina, New Mexico, Nevada, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia and Washington.
Concerns for the White Bean and Basil Hummus include the following states: Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Minnesota, Michigan, Missouri, North Carolina, Nebraska, New Mexico, Nevada, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Wisconsin and Washington
According to the store's website, its hummus provider is alerting customers to check and see if their hummus includes a "USE BY" date up through and including December 15, 2016 and has a plant identification code "C."
The recall also mentioned that products with plant identification code "J" were produced in a different facility and are not affected by the recall. It also pointed out that the "Trader Joe's Mediterranean Hummus Snack Pack with Pita Chips (SKU #97136)" was not included in the recall.
Trader Joe's also said if you find any of the aforementioned products in your home to throw them away. Stores will be giving refunds for the products found, said the statement.
For any more questions call Trader Joe's Customer Relations at (626) 599-3817 [Monday through Friday, 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Pacific Time].


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Japan may quit whaling group if ban stays
TOKYO - Japan is considering withdrawing from the International Whaling Commission if no progress is made toward easing an international ban on commercial whaling, its fisheries minister said Tuesday.
The IWC - the international body that regulates whaling - will gather for its annual meeting next week in Agadir, Morocco. The meeting is expected to seek a compromise between pro- and anti-whaling countries, which may include allowing commercial whaling on a limited scale.
A moratorium has been in place for 25 years, but countries such as Japan, Norway and Iceland hunt whales under a variety of exceptions to the ban. An IWC proposal was circulated in April to allow limited commercial hunts for 10 years.
Japan has frequently threatened to pull out of the IWC in the past. Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Masahiko Yamada was asked Tuesday if Tokyo would quit the IWC if progress was not made toward easing the ban on commercial whaling.
"I am considering various options," Yamada said. "This is really the final stage, and we're not sure how things are going to turn out."
The proposal to allow commercial whaling has drawn criticism from all sides and drawn fresh attention to the whaling issue. The foreign minister of New Zealand and Australia's environment minister are due to attend next week's meeting.
Yamada said he would not attend, citing budget concerns. An official from Japan's foreign ministry said its representatives to the meeting had not yet been decided.
"This is one of the most important meetings of the IWC in the last 30 years. It is my sincere hope that all member nations come to this meeting determined to break the gridlock that has been a hallmark of the Commission for so long," Australian Environment Minister Peter Garrett said in a statement.
Anti-whaling states, including Australia and New Zealand, have called a proposed whaling quota system unacceptable and demanded an end to Japan's hunt in Antarctic waters.
Japan's whaling program includes large-scale scientific expeditions to the Antarctic, while other whaling countries mostly stay along their coasts. Opponents call Japan's scientific research hunts a cover for commercial whaling.
Australia is taking Japan to the International Court of Justice in a bid to stop Japanese whaling for scientific research purposes.
Yamada's comments were the first he made to reporters since assuming his post a week ago. He was one of several Cabinet ministers appointed by new Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan.
Associated Press writer Rod McGuirk contributed to this report from Canberra, Australia.


text: This sticker pack includes amazing artworks & stickers for iMessage. Get this pack to send greetings on iMessage. Simply send these stickers on the message thread or place the stickers on text bubbles. You can also drag & drop the stickers on any message or place the stickers on pics. You can use these stickers on the iMessage Camera as well. Happy Texting!


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Michael Kan
A previously unknown Microsoft Office vulnerability was recently used to deliver spyware to Russian-speaking targets, in a possible case of cyberespionage.
Security firm FireEye noticed the intrusion attempt, which taps a critical software flaw that hackers are using to craft malicious Microsoft Word documents.
[ Expand your security career horizons with these essential certifications for smart security pros. | Discover how to secure your systems with InfoWorld's Security Report newsletter. ]
On Wednesday, FireEye said it uncovered one attack that weaponized a Russian military training manual. Once opened, the malicious document will deliver FinSpy, a surveillance software that's been marketed to governments.
It's unclear who the document was targeting. However, it appears to have been published in the Donetsk People's Republic, a breakaway region in Ukraine that's received Russian support.
FinSpy, also known as FinFisher, is developed by a subsidiary of Gamma Group, a European firm that specializes in surveillance and monitoring equipment. Thirty-three governments have been suspected of using the firm's spyware, according to a 2015 investigation from Citizen Lab.
FireEye said the malicious Russian training manual can download additional malware payloads to the victim's computer, along with another fake document claiming to be a Russian decree approving a forest management plan.
The attack appears to have occurred this January, months before Microsoft became aware of the vulnerability. Given that Gamma Group probably has a long list of government customers, FireEye suspects other parties may have hacked targets in the same way, using FinSpy.
It's also possible that knowledge about the Microsoft vulnerability may have been circulated in the hacking community.
In March, a separate attack was found using the vulnerability but instead to deliver malware that's been involved in financial crimes.
However, FireEye said that both this attack and the intrusion attempt against Russian-speaking targets share similar code. This suggests different hacking groups may have gotten information about Microsoft vulnerability from the same source.
Fortunately, Microsoft on Tuesday issued a patch to fix the flaw. Security researchers warn that opening email attachments remain a major source of malware infections.


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Story by
Owen WilliamsFormer TNW employee
Owen was a reporter for TNW based in Amsterdam, now a full-time freelance writer and consultant helping technology companies make their word Owen was a reporter for TNW based in Amsterdam, now a full-time freelance writer and consultant helping technology companies make their words friendlier. In his spare time he codes, writes newsletters and cycles around the city.
If there's one place that you want to be for the launch of Mega.co.nz, it's within Kim Dotcom's mansion. That's precisely where I've been today. Sure we knew that Dotcom was larger than life, but actually being at the mansion is a different story. Elaborate statues and expensive pieces of art, giant kitchen sized fish tanks and sprawling pools. It's an incredible sight.
Early this afternoon, we sat down at a media round table with Kim Dotcom and talked about the past of Megaupload, the extradition, his plans for Mega going forward as well as some of the other services that the company has planned, and there's much more than anyone probably ever imagined.
As Dotcom walked into the room dressed in the same outfit you may remember from the raids last year, there was an air of excitement. You could tell he was proud of Mega and how it had performed today. Inevitably, the first question that was raised by the media at the table was "just how popular was Mega this morning?"
Dotcom smiled. He didn't want to share exact figures – and plans to reveal more later tonight at a special press event for well over 200 attendees, but did say that in the first two hours the site saw over 250,000 sign ups. Even better? They were overwhelmed by just how many people wanted to actually pay for the product.
On the timing of the launch, Dotcom said that "this should not be seen as us mocking Hollywood or giving the middle finger to them – we started developing this new business last September. We are not being arrogant, it's us using our previous experience with Megaupload to have the best product out there" However, Dotcom admits he's still angry about what happened on the 20th of January 2012 when the New Zealand police raided the mansion.
When asked about if he held resentment about the raid on his property Dotcom replied "yes, of course. We didn't expect it at all and felt it was extremely unfair. 220 people lost their jobs [from Megaupload] overnight. We couldn't pay them." He went on to say that he thought the anger would take a long time to subside – certainly at least not until the extradition case is closed.
As for whether Mega would run into similar legal problems, Dotcom said that it was entirely different from Megaupload, all the way down to its core code. The site was built purely in HTML5 – some parts of which aren't even in the official specification yet. Dotcom touts Mega as the first site in the world to use them. This is one of the reasons that Mega only supports Chrome right now – many of these new features in HTML5 aren't supported by any browsers yet, but Chrome is ahead of the pack.
Building from the ground like this also has its benefits for server side security. Dotcom pointed out that "Mega doesn't use any existing technology. The servers were built from the ground up so there is no way that they can be exploited because it's our own technology." Additionally, Kim said that "everyone involved in building the site has a background in information security" which meant a lot of care had gone into building security in from the start.
Not only is the underlying technology different, the site has been built with legality in mind. Ira Rothken, one of Mega's top lawyers said that they designed the site "pixel by pixel" to be within the law, and they were certain that the new site operates within the confines of it as well. Dotcom added that Mega is the "most legally scrutinized startup" in history and said that "any legal challenge against us will be very difficult."
Ira Rothken – Mega's lawyer
That said, Dotcom's biggest worry is if the government will ever leave him alone – he knows that Mega is being closely watched, and now that it's no different from the likes of Dropbox or Skydrive. He wonders if the government will allow him any peace once the case is out of the courts. "Will they ever leave us alone? Or will they find something else, create something else or continue to [perform] surveillance on me." He says he is "deeply worried about that."
In case you don't believe him, he continued to detail real world issues he was facing. He gave an example of what's happening to him right now. "When guests of mine come to New Zealand and fill out quite honestly on their customs forms that they are staying with Kim Dotcom (this is journalists, documentary makers, music producers and even Hollywood producers) they are held at the airport for hours." But it gets worse, "they are strip searched their luggage is unpacked and screened and one had to open their laptop, turn it on and show them the digital contents." This happens all the time, says Dotcom.
When prompted on the screenshot of Megamovie that was uploaded on his Twitter account yesterday, Dotcom opened up about the story behind it. It turns out that screenshot was a fully working version that existed just days before the raid on his mansion last year. He says that the intention is to release a similar service at some point, alongside Megakey, and he promises that it will "change the landscape of movies."
To explain Megamovie requires an understanding of just how Megakey works. It's been somewhat of a mystery until today, but Dotcom divulged everyone at the event this afternoon. We know that Megakey replaces advertising online through a piece of software that is installed on end users' computers, but the specifics of it are a bit more complex. Dotcom says that Megakey only replaces "10% of all advertising" and will only target "the large players like Google and Yahoo. We can justify that by looking at how Google is linking to all content – it really wouldn't even hurt them." He says he can justify doing this to large providers since they are in "the same boat as Mega – they are the biggest piracy site […] and could be indicted just like we were."
Megakey is the idea that perhaps advertisers have got it all wrong. Instead of paying content producers to have advertising on their websites, they want to pay the users for their eyeballs. Previously — during Megaupload's reign and just before the raid — Megakey was in a closed trial with around 2 million participants that received free premium services on Megaupload in return for them replacing Google's advertising with their own.
This raises a question, though — How long does it take before this starts hurting Yahoo or Google and they decide to come after Megakey? Rothken chimed in again at this point and pointed out that "consumers have the right to control their viewing experience online. If they choose to go to our website and download Megakey, they are within their rights to do so." Rothken said that "we don't force them to install it, they choose to, which means there's no legal issue. It's just like using Adblock."
A preview of tonight's event
Megakey will only replace advertising on major sites, and only on piracy-related searches. The biggest concern at the round table seemed to be that such a service could actually take money away from publishers, but Dotcom says that the ads will only ever be replaced on actual web searches, not on third-party websites.
Dotcom says this is a space to watch closely in the near future, and he thinks that it will be "a war — a fight for the eyeballs [of internet users]." He thinks that the advertising war will shift from the web to actual desktops very soon. This is where Megamovie (or whatever it will be called) comes in. In return for users' eyeballs the company will give some sort of gift currency that allows users of the product to watch movies and other premium content online for free.
There were no dates or specifics given for the launch of Megakey or any associated services, but it certainly sounds like it will be soon. Dotcom doesn't want to do the movie component alone, though, and he says that previous to the raid they have had Hollywood producers such as Lawrence Bender (the producer of Kill Bill 1 and 2) come and stay at the mansion to discuss the possibilities of what they can do with Megakey and the new license model. Dotcom added that they don't see Megakey as "stealing" from Google and others, as their goal is to "reshuffle advertising income" among the big players.
On the topic of New Zealand, Dotcom has big ambitions for the country. He says that there are multiple goals for the company in New Zealand:
- Mega wants to create jobs in New Zealand and keep them there. They want to hire back their old employees where they can.
- Mega wants to officially list on the New Zealand companies register and the stock exchange.
- Mega wants to contribute to bringing a second internet cable to the country.
We wrote previously about the problems New Zealand faces to become a "cloud haven" and how the Southern Cross cable is one of the major stumbling blocks due to the lack of throughput combined with the price of traffic. Dotcom says that he thinks New Zealand is a "digital wasteland" due to the way that one company has a monopoly on all throughput into and out of the country. Mega wants to fix that.
He likened the situation with the Southern Cross cable to that of a "ten lane highway of which only one lane is being utilized [for the sake of profit]" and that they are using their stranglehold on the market to take advantage of the public. Mega wants to change the situation but can't do it alone. As a result, Mega only hosts one rack of servers in New Zealand due to the sheer pricing of a megabit of throughput. But the company hopes the situation can eventually change. Dotcom wants the public to know that last year's statement of "free internet for all" was not a marketing gimmick but rather it a goal for him. How that will turn out remains a mystery for now.
As the round table wrapped up, Dotcom said that they were overwhelmed by the response of people to the launch of Mega today. Over the last 48 hours, 100 journalists were given early access to the site and the buzz was incredible. He's relieved, stating that now that he's got a product that speaks for itself behind him people will know that "he's not just tweeting big words."
We're going to be on the ground at the press event tonight covering the developments as they unfold – expect some crazy stuff to happen. While we were at the mansion, we saw cheerleaders, helicopters, a massive stage and much more. Even if you aren't sure if you're a fan of what Mega is doing, this will be a press event like no other.
Image of Mega logo on lawn thanks to Paul Spain
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Award-winning concert pianist, Piano Professor at the Royal Northern College of Music and 2018 European Young Leader (EYL40)
Alexandra is the creator and producer of "The Nutcracker and I", a ground-breaking multimedia performance created for a piano solo with dance and digital animation. She currently teaches piano at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester. Alexandra made her debut at the Carnegie Hall in New York and has performed in many prestigious orchestras, including the Sydney Opera House, London's Wigmore Hall, Dubai Opera House and the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam. She was the first female Romanian pianist to perform at the Royal Albert Hall in London. Alexandra is an Honorary Associate Artist at the Royal Northern College of Music, Patron of Music in Lyddington, Cultural Ambassador of Romania and Officer of the Romanian Crown. An activist for gender equality in classical music, she is a recipient of the UK's Women of the Future Award in the Arts and Culture category and dedicates her life to education projects, building bridges and reaching out to the younger generation.


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Apple's annual Worldwide Developers Conference is a great opportunity for iOS developers to meet one another and to pick the brains of the experts at Apple, but not everybody gets the chance to make it out to San Francisco. So, in order to bring in-depth, face-to-face technical information to even more developers, Apple has announced the iOS 5 Tech Talk World Tour.
Full-day events taking place in nine cities around the world, the tech talks feature Apple employees discussing high-end coding and design techniques for iOS developers. Topics include iCloud, user interface design, UIKit, Game Center, Newsstand, OpenGL ES, AirPlay, and much more—topped off with an hour of wine and cheese. And did we mention that the talks are totally free for all members of Apple's iOS developer program?
Apple has held similar events in the past, in 2009 and 2008. This time around, the world tour hits Berlin, London, Rome, Beijing, Seoul, São Paolo, New York City, Seattle, and Austin. You'll want to register quick, though, as space is limited and it tends to get snapped up fast—as of this writing, the January 13 New York City event had already filled up. For the complete list of dates and locations, as well as answers to other questions about the events, visit Apple's site at the link above.


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Outdoor Life: Quail hunt is perfect gift for young hunter
A friend called me before Christmas concerning a gift for his son. We all have times where we're buying for people who seemingly have everything and we struggle to decide on a gift. This man came up with the perfect one — a quail hunt.
At the time of his call I had just gotten through talking to a guide at Hard Labor Quail Plantation. I had hunted with this guide before, and knew that he knew his business dogs and birds.
I called the friend back and told him what his son would need and not need. I didn't know if the boy hunted very much, so I didn't know if he already had a hunting license. As it turned out, on hunting preserves that charge to shoot quail no license is required.
You can never be too sure. What you think is right usually is wrong. I went off on one of these paid hunts with a television personality and was told I wouldn't need a license.
After we filmed some birds being shot I commented to the owner about not needing a license on his preserve. He said that he hadn't gotten his permit yet, and if I shot any birds I would indeed need a license. That is not the case at Hard Labor; no license is required.
After talking to my friend about his son's expertise in quail hinting I soon realized he had never shot a quail in his life unless it was sitting on the ground. I made a second call to Hard Labor to ask the guide if he ever had anyone hunt with him who was inexperienced. He said he had recently guided a man and wife who never had hunted quail in their lives and they had started out slow, but wound up with more than 20 birds.
I was worried this kid would have a hard time knocking down birds, but as it turned out I was worrying for nothing. He wound up with more than 25.
His father said that when they arrived the guide was waiting with a wagon in which they rode to find the birds. The wagon also held the dogs. The guide then took them to the area where they were going to hunt and everyone got out and the dogs were released.
If you own dogs you probably are familiar with their traits including what they do when they are released from your car or in this case a dog box. After all the formalities were taken care of the guide explained the shooting procedures, including to never shoot low.
Shooting low will get a dog shot, and not knowing where everyone else in the party is located will get a person shot. If everyone knows where everyone else is and where the dogs are it is a safe sport, but include someone who refuses to listen and something tragic can happen.
That is where a good guide comes in. He will instruct everyone on just how he wants this hunt conducted. If you don't listen the hunt is over. You never can be too safe.
As with all bird dogs there always is one that is better than the rest and that was true with this hunt. Her name was May, and if she went down on point you better have everything ready because May was looking at a bird. There are some beautiful things in the wild, but a bird dog that knows how to work and then lock up on point can be breathtaking.
The kid in this adventure was Johnathon Gager, son of retired game warden Jeff Gager. He said his son hasn't stopped thanking him for taking him on the hunt. If you have a father who you hunted with in your younger days and would like to bring back some of the old memories, or if you would just like to show a kid what he is missing give Hard Labor a call.
It isn't located that far away. Call 850-527-6063 or e-mail firstname.lastname@example.com and make arrangements for a hunt. Ask Ted about some of the huge trophy bass they have on the property. When you go to the website you might want to spend some time in the lodge and just relax and let someone else do the hard work.
I recommend Hard Labor for the person who wants to get away from it all and not have to leave home to do it. I've hunted Hard Labor, so I'm talking first hand.


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Massachusetts business in brief
Super 88 supermarket chain said to have gypped workers
BOSTON – The Super 88 supermarket chain will pay $200,000 to resolve accusations from Attorney General Martha Coakley's office that it violated wage laws, including failing to pay employees properly for overtime, Sunday and holiday work.
Super 88 agreed to pay $175,000 in restitution to more than 300 current and former employees, as well as a $25,000 state fine. Coakley reached the agreement with Super 88 LLC and corporate officers George Luu of Brookline and Peter Luu of Malden.
Coakley's office began the investigation into Super 88 in March 2007 after receiving complaints from former employees that alleged the company failed to properly pay its workers. Coakley's audit of payroll records showed that Super 88 failed to pay many employees the proper minimum wage for the first four months of 2007. Coakley's office said Super 88 also failed to pay overtime, Sunday and holiday pay from June 2006 through January 2008.
Investigators found that employees in each of the company's six supermarkets were owed back pay. Two of the markets are located in downtown Boston and the others are in Allston, Dorchester, Malden and Quincy.
As part of Super 88's settlement with Coakley's office, Super 88 must implement a new timekeeping system and provide a handbook to employees that describes their benefits.
All employers must pay at least $8 per hour, as of Jan. 1. Retail stores with more than seven workers need to pay employees time-and-a-half for work on Sundays and certain holidays.
Brigham's sells restaurants and brand rights separately
ARLINGTON – Brigham's Ice Cream Inc. has sold its 28 restaurants to Deal Metrics LLC of Baltimore.
The 94-year-old Arlington company also reported Friday that it sold the rights to its ice cream brand to a subsidiary of HP Hood of Lynnfield, which will manufacture Brigham's products. Terms of the transactions were not disclosed.
Robert Wexler, who became the CEO of Brigham's last month, said the transactions assure that the Brigham's name will continue to be a part of the New England landscape.
The Brigham's chain has 28 corporate-owned or licensed retail outlets. On the South Shore, Brigham's has restaurants in Braintree's South Shore Plaza, Brockton's Westgate Mall, Hingham, Kingston's Independence Mall and Quincy.
The 40 people who work at the Brigham's headquarters and production plant in Arlington will lose their jobs, a Brigham's spokesman said. But the other roughly 100 employees who work at the company's restaurants are expected to keep their jobs.
Marshfield residents among 5 indicted in mortgage scam
BOSTON – Attorney General Martha Coakley is pursuing indictments against five individuals, including two Marshfield residents, for allegedly conspiring to create false bank documents to obtain millions of dollars worth of mortgage loans.
Erik Tancun, 29, of Marshfield, a mortgage broker at Direct Finance Corp. in Hanover, was indicted on Thursday on dozens of counts of making or publishing false or exaggerated statements and other charges.
Tancun's assistant, Martha Sass, 46, of Marshfield, was also indicted in connection with the scheme. Other defendants include Steven Stapleton, a 36-year-old Waltham resident who worked at Cambridge Savings Bank and Citizens Bank; Thomas Itemere, a 28-year-old Worcester resident who worked at Bank of America, and Kenneth Garabedian, a 51-year-old Worcester resident who authorities charge with coordinating document transfers.
Coakley's office claims Stapleton and Itemere would produce bogus documents to exaggerate the amount of deposits in a potential home buyer's bank account at Tancun's request. More than 40 properties, primarily in the Worcester area, were purchased through the scam, Coakley's office said. Some of the loans were allegedly used by straw borrowers to flip properties for a profit.
Randolph woman pleads guilty in $100,000 fraud
BOSTON – A Randolph woman pleaded guilty on Friday in Boston federal court to charges levied against her earlier this month that accused her of defrauding her employer, Network Engines Inc. of Canton, out of more than $100,000.
Jaye Mirza was charged with diverting at least $110,451 in Networks Engines corporate funds to her private accounts between July 2005 and June 2006. Mirza is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 8. She faces potential prison time and fines.


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澳5彩票官网:Probe into wrong Sabah landmark apps on Google Maps, police told
Sabah Deputy Chief Minister Bung Moktar Radin urges the police to arrest those who were responsible for the apps that placed Sabah landmarks on Google Maps under the Philippines sovereignty. – The Malaysian Insight file pic, August 20, 2022.欧博Allbet(www.allbet8.vip)是欧博集团的官方网站。欧博官网开放Allbet注册、Allbe代理、Allbet电脑客户端、Allbet手机版下载等业务。
SABAH Deputy Chief Minister Bung Moktar Radin wants police to carry out a thorough investigation into recent reports that Sabah landmarks on Google Maps have been placed under the Philippines sovereignty.
Bung said such an act is unhealthy and unethical because it can confuse people throughout the world about the status of such locations.
"Such an act will raise doubts among tourists and the local community who intend to travel to such places. For example, if a foreigner intends to go to Sandakan and decides to search the destination on Google Maps, it will show that Sandakan is in the Philippines," he told reporters after launching a Sabah Land Development Board (SLDB) programme with settlers in Kinabatangan today.
It was earlier reported that landmarks concerned were the Sandakan Airport (changed to Sandakan Airport of the Philippines), Tawau Tanjung Market and the Tangkulap Forest Reserve (changed to The Philippine Republic Tangkulap Forest Reserve).
However, today, the app has changed the status to reflect the correct names and sovereign ownership, thus dropping the "Philippines".,
Although changes have been made, Bung urged the police to arrest those who were responsible for the act.
On the SLDB, Bung said it is an important government agency that is involved in the development of agriculture to ensure food safety and security in Sabah.
"The SLDB has planned and executed various initiatives and programmes for the settlers to develop their land for agriculture purposes," he said.
Bung, who is also the Kinabatangan MP, hoped settlers under the SLDB flagship can develop their land to produce agricultural products that can benefit both the agency and the settlers.
"Although this development is in the rural areas, we need to adopt the urban mentality so that we can move forward and raise the standard of living and eradicate poverty," he said. – Bernama, August 20, 2022.


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No. 6 Baylor to oppose upstart No. 15 UCF
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) — The Baylor Bears had been the perennial patsies of the Big 12, stringing together 14 straight losing seasons following the demise of the Southwest Conference in 1996.
Art Briles changed the complexion of the program.
Capping a steady climb to respectability, the sixth-ranked Bears earned their first conference title since 1980 by beating Texas and were rewarded with a spot in the Fiesta Bowl alongside No. 15 Central Florida on New Year's Day.
Baylor (11-1) had not put together a winning record in the Big 12 before Briles arrived in 2008, winning three or fewer games nine times.
The Bears took baby steps at first, winning four games in 2008 and 2009 before putting together their first winning record since 1995 the next season.
Baylor won 10 games in 2011, eight in 2012 and became national title contenders this season with an offense that put up 51 more yards per game than any other team.
The Bears' national-title hopes fizzled with a lopsided loss to Oklahoma State on Nov. 23, a game that also put a dent in their BCS chances.
Saturday's games left no doubt Baylor was headed to a BCS bowl for the first time.
It started with Oklahoma's win over Oklahoma State in the Bedlam game, a victory that cost the Cowboys the Big 12 title and essentially made the Texas-Baylor game the de facto conference championship.
The Bears took care of it early, building a 17-3 lead on the way to a 30-10 win over the Longhorns to cap their first 11-win season and first conference title since winning the SWC in 1980.
Waiting for the Bears in the desert will be Central Florida (11-1).
The Knights had an 11-win season in 2010, but that led to the Liberty Bowl and not a BCS berth.
Central Florida, which beat Ball State in the Beef 'O' Brady's Bowl last season, got into the BCS this season by bouncing back from a loss to South Carolina with a school-record eight-game winning streak.
The Knights had the BCS nod wrapped up when Louisville beat Cincinnati on Thursday and closed the regular season with a flourish, winning the American Athletic Conference title outright by holding off SMU 17-13 in an ice storm on Saturday.
Facing Baylor and its nearly point-per-minute offense will likely be a daunting task for the Knights and possibly lead to a rare mismatch in the Fiesta Bowl.
The Fiesta has been fortunate to have some marquee match-ups through the years, including the wild overtime win by Boise State over Oklahoma in 2007 and Oklahoma State's overtime win over Stanford two years ago.
Last year's game featured a pair of teams that had been in the national-title hunt late in the regular season, but Oregon turned it into a rout by running past Kansas State.
This year's Fiesta Bowl could end up more like the 2011 game, which featured Oklahoma and Connecticut. The Sooners, predictably, won in a blowout and UConn had a hard time getting its fans to travel across the country for the game.
The Fiesta Bowl really had no choice in this pairing.
It was locked into taking the Big 12 champion and was last in the pecking order for at-large selections. When the Orange and Sugar Bowls passed on taking Central Florida, the Fiesta Bowl had no other choice since the AAC has an automatic berth into the BCS.


text: Last week I just found out that I am positive for herpes. Yall i feel alone down and out I don't know what to do. I need help someone to talk to or confide in. If there is anyone out there that's willing to talk to me I would gladly appreciate it. Ive had suic... For detail, click here.


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(Publisher's note: On March 8, join Women's eNews at our offices for a 40th celebration of Title IX with New York Liberty legend Kym Hampton, Joanne Smith, executive director of Girls for Gender Equity, and more. The panel discussion takes place on March 8, at 6:30 p.m., at 6 Barclay St., 6th Floor, New York NY 10007. Register here.)
(WOMENSENEWS)–Title IX, the gender-equity law for schools that turns 40 this year, has plenty to show for itself in gyms and playing fields where young women are shooting hoops, scoring goals and getting plenty of press.
But beyond the reach of Title IX–in the professional arena outside school–it's a whole different game.
ESPN's SportsCenter–a major hub for mainstream sports fans–provides an indication. Only 1.4 percent of coverage there in 2009 went to women's sports, down from 2.2 percent in 1999, according to the Center for Feminist Research.
An analysis of intercollegiate athletic websites finds women's sports winning far more attention by campus media. Female players are most neglected by multimedia technology, where they claim only about 22 percent of audio and video coverage. Otherwise, however, women's sports command about 40 percent of article and photo coverage.
Kym Hampton, a former WNBA player who spent three years with New York Liberty, doesn't blame the sports media for overlooking women.
Sports coverage is tied to fans, Hampton says, and those fans start young. Families and teams take more boys to the bleachers and stadiums. "They're seeing it, they're watching it. They're students of the game."
Girls might be playing more basketball–feeling the pressure of the shot clock or savoring an unexpected win–but they aren't encouraged to become fans of professional teams.
Hampton doubts women's sports coverage will improve until more women–even those not interested in sports–start going to sporting events in greater numbers. "We have to do that for each other."
For women's professional sports to be viable, tickets must be sold, says Hampton. "The bottom line is dollars."
At the end of the WNBA season last year, only three of the basketball league's 12 teams had made a profit. Women's Professional Soccer, only a few years old, recently announced that it would not have a 2012 season as it battles a legal case with a team owner. A women's professional softball league, National Pro Fastpitch, was created in 1997, folded in 2001 and restarted in 2004. The league has four teams.
The ailing condition of women's pro sports stands in night-and-day contrast to school sports.
Three million young women participated in high schools sports teams last year, according to the National Federation of State High School Associations. That's a huge leap from 300,000 in 1972, before the passage of Title IX, which bars public schools and colleges that receive federal funding from discriminating on the basis of sex.
And college women scored big too–185,000 players in 2009-10, according to the National Collegiate Athletic Association–way up from 30,000 in 1972.
Despite its transformation of school sports, many — including school administrators — don't know what Title IX is.
Joanne Smith is executive director of Girls for Gender Equity, a New York nonprofit. She contacted 200 New York City public schools in order to find the names of their Title IX coordinators, the people to whom students would turn if they felt they had suffered discrimination. Few school officials knew what Title IX was.
"There's still a gap, a lack of recognition and understanding of federal policy as a law and as a right," Smith said.
She finds that Title IX is poorly implemented, especially in matters other than sports, such as sexual harassment and gender violence in schools. "It's a real educational moment…when we talk about Title IX and sexual harassment," says Smith.
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But what about the flip side? Just as likely a number of those people move from town, transferred far away for a job. Or as I saw too often when I was a real estate agent, the older folks pass away, their children come to town for a day or two and empty the place out.
In both cases those quaint local history books are likely to be tossed in the trash.
Stubbornly Hidden Books
The funny thing is that those local history books, while perhaps not relevant to everyone, are some of the hardest books to find. They are often printed by societies or individuals in extremely short print runs. Five or ten years later when the interest in the books has waned, they are not reprinted.
Often these books which contain items of interest about the local town are available only from libraries. On occasion you might find them on eBay or an online used book seller. But some of them are so forgotten, particularly pamphlet type books celebrating bi-centennials, they are only found locally.
Why Do I Care?
As a house historian, local history books are one of the mainstays of my research toolbox. These books might not contain any genealogy. They may, however, have information about the development of the town, when roads were laid down, when houses were built. All clues that can help me in my work. I often go to the extreme of traveling to far away libraries to find the single copies of these long forgotten books. I have to be efficient because typically I don't have borrowing privileges in those libraries.
How You Can Help Me!
If you see an unwanted local history book that covers towns in Massachusetts, Connecticut or Rhode Island, let me know! Those are the states that I most frequently research in. Books from any of the towns in those states would be most welcome. Perhaps your retiring parents, neighbors who are moving, or sudden empty-nester friends are cleaning house. Ask them if you can have the books and let them know they are going to a good cause.
The Fine Print
Unfortunately, I am not a big business nor independently wealthy. These books would have to be a donation to the cause of preserving the history of southern New England. I would, however, be willing to reimburse for postage. I will reimburse postage only for books that are sent MEDIA MAIL. Cost savings are more important than prompt delivery from my point of view.
So if you know of any unwanted local history books from towns in southern New England (CT, MA, RI) and you would be willing to donate them to me,
please first send an email to firstname.lastname@example.com so I can make sure I don't already have them and to let me know they are coming.
then. send them to me (via media mail) at:
Marian Pierre-Louis
P.O. Box 45
Millis, MA 02054
Thanks so much for keeping me in mind!
Photo Caption: Dartmouth: The Early History of a Massachusetts Coastal Town by Beverly Morrison Glennon. The book I had to go through hoops to get a copy of and found it eventually through contact with a local.


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New York Times: As the Obama administration and its European allies toughened economic sanctions against Iran on Monday — blocking its access to the world financial system and undermining its critical oil and gas industry — officials on both sides of the Atlantic acknowledge that their last-ditch effort has only a limited chance of persuading Tehran to abandon what the West fears is its pursuit of nuclear weapons.
The New York Times
By HELENE COOPER
WASHINGTON — As the Obama administration and its European allies toughened economic sanctions against Iran on Monday — blocking its access to the world financial system and undermining its critical oil and gas industry — officials on both sides of the Atlantic acknowledge that their last-ditch effort has only a limited chance of persuading Tehran to abandon what the West fears is its pursuit of nuclear weapons.
That leaves open this critical question: And then what?
While the United States and Israel have not taken military options off the table, pursuing them is unpalatable, at least for now. Several American and European officials say privately that the most attainable outcome for the West could be for Iran to maintain the knowledge and technology necessary to build a nuclear weapon while stopping short of doing so. That would allow it to assert its sovereignty and save face after years of diplomatic tensions.
While that might seem to be a big concession on the part of the United States, Iran would first have to make even bigger ones: demonstrate that it could be trusted and drop its veil of secrecy so that inspectors could verify that its nuclear work was peaceful, steps Iran has resisted.
In other words, Iran would have to become a country like Japan, which has the capability to become an atomic power virtually overnight, if need be, but has rejected taking the final steps to possessing nuclear weapons. "If you're asking whether we would be satisfied with Iran becoming Japan, then the answer is a qualified yes," a senior European diplomat said. "But it would have to be verifiable, and we are a long ways away from trusting the regime."
Today's Iran is nothing like Japan, which has a deep aversion to nuclear weapons dating to the atomic bomb attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. And settling for an Iranian state that could quickly produce a nuclear weapon would be hard for the United States to embrace because of Israel's deep antipathy toward Iran and Western and other nations' fears of setting off a regional arms race.
On Monday, the 27 countries of the European Union agreed to ban Iranian oil imports in an embargo that will cover crude oil, petroleum and petrochemical products. Separately, the United States Treasury announced sanctions against Iran's third-largest bank, Bank Tejarat, saying in a statement that the United States was striking at "one of Iran's few remaining access points to the international financial system."
The discussion of what to do about Iran is coming in a political arena in which Iran's nuclear program has become the top foreign policy concern on the Republican presidential campaign trail, with the candidates criticizing President Obama as not being tough enough on Iran.
So far, Iran has deliberately not taken certain technical steps toward building a nuclear weapon, even while it continues to enrich uranium, a senior American official said. He said that Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was using a cost-benefit analysis, adding that the American view was that the ayatollah had not made a final decision about whether to build a weapon.
That means the United States and Europe must be careful to calibrate the impact of sanctions, officials on both sides of the Atlantic said. If sanctions bite too hard, they could cause the Iranian public to rally around the government. A senior intelligence official briefed Mr. Obama on Jan. 9 about new polls in Iran that reflect strong public support for the country's nuclear program.
In debates at the White House, the State Department and the Pentagon, administration officials say they have gamed out several possibilities, including an alarming one: that tougher sanctions and increased global isolation might compel Iran to decide that the only way to get the West off its back is to speed up its program and become a nuclear power. That could leave the West with no choice but to back off, lest it provoke a nuclear confrontation.
Ray Takeyh, a former Obama administration official and an Iran expert at the Council on Foreign Relations, pointed to North Korea and Pakistan as guideposts for Iran's possible strategy in pressing ahead with a uranium enrichment program. Both are nuclear states whose stability the West is committed to keeping because of concerns that their nuclear arsenals might fall into the hands of rogue elements.
While Western diplomats point to the Japan model, there is another one — the Libya model — that could serve as a cautionary example for the Iranian government. Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi, the Libyan leader who abandoned his nuclear ambitions to gain favor with the West, was left without a nuclear card to play when regime change was pushed upon him.
"Look at it this way," said Vali Nasr, an Iran expert and former State Department official in the Obama administration. "These latest sanctions are weakening the regime, but they're also putting pressure on the regime, which is arriving to the point where the Iranians have no motivation other than to get their nuclear capabilities faster."
Still, for all the tough talk, American and European officials said the ever-changing events in Iran and in the region, including the move toward democracy in the Middle East, could give negotiations and diplomacy a chance.
American and European officials say that if Iran is still more than a year away from acquiring a nuclear weapons capability, as many experts believe, the sanctions are their only real option, not because they necessarily believe that they will work, but because the other alternatives — a military strike, or doing nothing as Iran acquires a weapon — are unacceptable.
"If there were an alternative to the sanctions, that would be one thing," said R. Nicholas Burns, the former under secretary of state in the George W. Bush administration who was an architect of the sanctions policy that began in 2006. "But is there? No. If you don't have a military answer right now, you're far better off continuing this strategy and trying to see if while doing all this, you can open up the path to negotiations."
What could also shove Iran to the negotiating table are the kind of covert programs that have slowed its development of a nuclear program. This month an Iranian nuclear scientist, one of at least five who have been killed since 2007, died in a drive-by bombing, which President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad attributed to "the evil hands of arrogance and Zionist agents."
But Mr. Takeyh warned that at some point soon — maybe in a year, maybe two — tightening the noose in the hope that Iran decides to negotiate could give way to a military strike or a nuclear Iran, or both. "At some point," he said, "the song stops playing and you're in a different, and more dangerous, place."
Published: January 24, 2012


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If you've got Half-Life 2 and Garry's Mod you should really go and download this free mod called Elevator: Source. It's about being stuck in an elevator with strangers. Internet strangers. And the elevator can take you anywhere.
That really is it. It's like Chatroulette meets Half-Life. You'll end up in an elevator with....well, freaks, and when the doors open, you could be anywhere.
Get it at the link below.
Elevator: Source [Pixeltail, via Rock, Paper, Shotgun]


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6 Myths About Greek Yogurt
The truth about your go-to breakfast
Let's do a little word association here. When we say "Greek yogurt" what pops into your head? "Crazy-high protein"? "Super healthy"? "Superfood"? While those adjectives do apply to some Greek yogurts, unfortunately, not every strain is equally nutritious (in fact, see why the Air Force actually banned one kind of Greek yogurt). Different brands use different recipes, which means the protein, sugar, and added ingredients can range a whole lot.
Here, we set the record straight on 6 common Greek yogurt myths so you know exactly what you're buying.
Myth: Greek yogurt is regulated
First, a little yogurt making 101: Traditionally, Greek yogurt is made by straining the yogurt to remove the whey (the liquid remaining after the milk is curdled), and the end result is a more-solid yogurt with less sugar, fewer carbohydrates, and more protein compared to regular yogurt, explains registered dietitian Maria Bella, MS, RD, CDN. (What happens to that whey? Find out with The Dark Side Of Greek Yogurt.)
That said, there are no rules about what can and cannot be called "Greek yogurt," says Bella. The FDA only has regulations in place for regular yogurt. That's why companies can add additional ingredients or change up the process of how its made and still use the "Greek" label, she says. To ensure you're eating a true Greek yogurt, read the ingredient label. The main ingredients should be milk and live active cultures. You'll want to steer clear of added protein like "whey concentrates" and added thickeners like "modified corn starch."
Myth: They're all packed with protein
Most Greek yogurt contains twice the protein of regular yogurt, but that doesn't mean that every brand contains the same amount. Why? "This could be due to different straining processes companies use to make the yogurt," says Bella. For example, some 5.3 oz containers pack 10 g, while others, like Chobani and Fage, offer 18 g of protein per 6 oz container—that's 50% more protein, even after you adjust for the slightly different serving sizes.
Myth: All Greek yogurt is made the same way
Greek yogurt gets its pleasingly thick consistency and higher protein count through the straining process. However, some brands skip the straining and add thickening agents (such as modified corn starch, carrageenan, or guar gum) as well as protein-enhancing ingredients (such as milk protein or whey concentrates) to mimic the rich texture and protein content. There's nothing inherently wrong with these ingredients, but Bella notes that these simply aren't Greek yogurt. It's easy to avoid yogurts made with cornstarch or milk protein concentrates—both will appear on the ingredients label.
More from Prevention: 5 Easy DIY Milk Alternatives
Myth: Greek yogurt is vegetarian
Not every brand! Gelatin may also be added to give the yogurt a more slippery texture. Gelatin usually comes from collagen obtained from various animal by-products, explains Bella. That's not a problem for people who eat meat, but it can be for lacto-vegetarians who still consume milk, cheese, and yogurt.
Also, some brands use a substance called carmine to give strawberry-flavored yogurts a pink hue. Carmine is a natural dye derived from the body of beetles, and they make foods look like they contain more fruit than they really do. Both gelatin and carmine will be listed on the label if you wish to avoid these additives.
More from Prevention: The 8 Cruelest Foods You Eat
Myth: Flavored Greek yogurt is healthy, too
Your first choice should be plain Greek yogurt. If you want to lightly sweeten it, opt for pieces of fresh fruit or a drizzle of honey. That's because flavored Greek yogurt tend to contain a lot of sugar—as much as be 15 or 25 grams per serving. Beware, too, of sneaky sugars, such as "grape juice concentrate," "evaporated cane juice" and others (check out these 10 other sneaky sugar names).
If you're still going to eat flavored yogurt, Bella recommends basing your decision on the ingredients list. The first three ingredients should be milk, live and active cultures, and fruit. Sugar should come near the end of the list.
Myth: Frozen Greek yogurt is the same as regular Greek yogurt
Frozen Greek yogurt isn't just regular Greek yogurt thrown into the freezer. While they may have the same number of calories and fat per serving, frozen yogurt typically contains more sugar (17 g versus 12 g, for instance) and far less protein (6 g compared to 18 g, for example). The bottom line: Greek frozen yogurt is still dessert, not breakfast.
More from Prevention: How To Find Genuine Greek Yogurt
These Healthy Cereals Actually Taste Amazing
Tasty High-Protein Snacks to Keep You Fueled
The Absolute Best Crackers for Healthy Snacking
18 Healthy Snacks That Actually Keep You Full


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caryatid kăr˝ēăt´ĭd, kăr´ēətĭd˝ [key], a sculptured female figure serving as an ornamental support in place of a column or pilaster. It was a frequently used motif in architecture, furniture, and garden sculpture during the Renaissance, the 18th cent., and notably, the classic revival of the 19th cent., when caryatids were popular as mantelpiece supports. The motif appeared in Egyptian and Greek architecture; the most celebrated example extant is the Porch of the Caryatids, forming part of the Erechtheum. Here six beautifully sculptured figures, acting as columns, support an entablature on their heads; the original figures are now in the Acropolis Museum. Caryatids were used also in two small treasuries (6th cent. BC) at Delphi. Male supporting figures are called atlantes.
The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2023, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.
See more Encyclopedia articles on: Architecture


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Remember when I went to the guinea pig hoedown earlier this year? Here's a link to my blog post about it. Anyway, I had a great time, met some wonderful people and was stunned with the incredible variety of adorable guinea pigs. But today I got a very sad email that I am going to share with you. Maybe some of you will be able to help out. I would sure hate for all those guinea pigs to remain homeless and for me to have no hoedown to attend next year.
Caplin Rous
Dear Friend of Texas Rustlers,
When Tony and Julia Hinrichs founded Texas Rustlers Guinea Pig Rescue in 2001, they began the organization in their home with aspirations of one day moving the operation into a separate building equipped with meeting areas, warehouse space, and room to house the many guinea pigs the rescue cares for under one roof. For the past eight years it has been simply a dream. In the past month, it has now become a vital necessity in order to keep the rescue alive.
Last month, after eight months of doctor visits and numerous tests, Tony was diagnosed with a malignant pancreatic endocrine tumor (or pancreatic tumor). He is currently pursuing treatment and had surgery August 30th, followed by a long recuperative process. We do not know what the future holds, and may not for a long while, but we do know that the rescue cannot continue to operate in Tony and Julia's home. They simply cannot do it alone, and need help.
Several Texas Rustlers stakeholders have taken in additional foster animals, and have been performing additional duties to care for the remaining animals at Tony and Julia's home. In addition, we have stopped taking in new guinea pig surrenders until we are through this tough time. Although this has helped, it is not a long term solution, as animals need to be at the rescue in order to be adopted. Because of this need, we have been searching for a commercial property in which all the animals can live, where we can conduct adoptions and sell supplies, and our wonderful staff of volunteers can maintain a positive atmosphere in order to continue our mission. We believe we have found that place, and we are now asking for your help to help obtain it.
Would you be willing to commit to a monthly tax-deductible donation in order for us to secure a lease and begin our operations in a new facility? If all our supporters, from regular supplies customers to Hoedown attendees, gave just a few dollars a month, we would be able to fill not only Tony and Julia's dreams, but the dreams of all our dedicated volunteers. Our fundraising goal for the first year is $2,000 per month. If we do not meet our fundraising goal, we are fearful we will have to cease operations, including the sale of supplies. We want to continue with that, and also want to once again begin taking in additional guinea pigs.
Although the amount may seem like a lot, if just 100 patrons donate $20 each per month, our goal will be met. Alternatively, since times are tough for many, a one-time donation is also welcome. We have continued our operations during the shortfalls of the current recession without hesitation, but the time has come to ask for help.
If you would like to make a donation you may do so by completing the attached form or by visiting our website www.theguineapigrescue.com
Thank you