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In case you've been caught unawares as the (intentionally secret and covert) attempts to censor and control the internet via SOPA, PIPA, and ACTA legislation pass through the House and Senate, here is one of its unfortunate casualities: New Zealand's giant file-storage site, MegaUpload has been targeted by the U.S. and shut down... apparently without adhering to proper legal procedures.
Following the news article below is MegaUpload founder, Kim Dotcom's clever video rebuttal... ~ Noa
Megaupload has no rights? US broke its own rules by going after Internet giant
Published: 04 June, 2012, 21:04
More than four months after federal agents shut-down the file-sharing service Megaupload and ordered a raid on the New Zealand mansion of its founder Kim Dotcom, attorneys are asking a US court to dismiss the case against the website.
Ira Rothken, the California-based attorney of both Megaupload.com and Dotcom, is calling for a US federal court in Virginia to dismiss the criminal case against the website. According to Rothken, the website's Fifth Amendment rights were violated when the FBI ordered for Megaupload to be taken off the Internet earlier this year. As a result of the agency's demands, Megaupload's servers were seized and millions of files uploaded to the website — including those owned by paying subscribers — were made unavailable and are still inaccessible today. Now Rothken says that the prosecutors in the case failed to guarantee due process for his clients and is asking the court to dismiss the charges. Since Megaupload was hosted overseas, argues the site's attorney, the Department of Justice has acted improperly in its attempts to prosecute.
"Both prongs of the procedural due process test are plainly met here. The Government has seized Megaupload's property and domain name, ruined its reputation and destroyed its business pursuant to an indictment which is fatally flawed as a jurisdictional matter. Megaupload now finds itself in a state of abeyance, with no end in sight," writes Rothken in a newly released statement.
"As a result of the Government's inability to properly serve the summons on Megaupload, this Court lacks jurisdiction over the company. In the absence of effective service of process, criminal proceedings against Megaupload cannot commence, and as the Court has aptly noted, we 'frankly don't know that we are ever going to have a trial in this matter'."
Indeed, those were the words US District Court Judge Liam O'Grady had for the case in April, when the proceedings against Megaupload were already three months old yet grossly underdeveloped. Rothken condemned the court system at the time for failing to properly play by the rules by opening a case against Megaupload and Dotcom over copyright infringement and other related crimes by seizing the website without first bringing charges against it. Last month Judge O'Grady even warned the FBI that the trial was in jeopardy because the Justice Department jumped the gun on the case.
In an interview with Radio New Zealand last week, Rothken added, "We're optimistic that the case against Megaupload will be dismissed" and called the entire federal witch-hunt "flawed."
"Megaupload is a Hong Kong corporation, it does not have an office in the United States and we're just asking the US to play by the rules," said Rothken. "One would think that they'd have done more legal research before filing this type of indictment against a foreign corporation."
Speaking to AFP, Rothken added, "The rules in this instance didn't allow a foreign corporation to be served and indicted as it has not have a presence in the US. We believe the law is clear in that issue, and we're asking the court to dismiss the case."
Dotcom, a German national, is currently under house-arrest in New Zealand. American prosecutors are hoping to extradite him for charges relating to his involvement with Megaupload though have been unable to do as much so far. A court hearing scheduled for the matter is slated for this August. In the meantime, though, his attorney says that the shortcuts that the US government tried to take in the case might very well cost the court a victory.
"This case was flawed from the start, once this case gets dismissed it can't be fixed," Rothken added to the radio network.
Dotcom previously told the website Torrent Freak that he predicts he will prevail over America's attempt at prosecuting him but that the government has already made their point.
"We have already been served a death sentence without trial and even if we are found 'not guilty' which we will, the damage can never be repaired," said Dotcom.
Rothken adds this week, "Megaupload is thus deprived of any procedure to clear its name or recoup its property, in clear violation of its due process rights."


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KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (April 13, 2007) - The ETSU track and field team tested its strength against some of the nation's top athletes on Friday, as they completed its first day of the 2007 Sea Relays on the Tom Black Track in nearby Knoxville.
The top highlight for the Bucs on the men's side was James Rainer's (Alcoa, Tenn.) fifth-place finish in the 100-meters. Rainer finished with a time of 10.44, which was one-tenth of second short of tying his fastest time this season. Wisconsin's Demi Omole beat the entire field, posting a mark of 10.28.
Freshman Chris Harrison (Woodbridge, Va.) had a solid showing in the 400-meters, crossing the line in 49.46.
On the women's side, sophomore Heather Adkins (Kansas City, Mo.) made a solid 2007 debut in the 10,000 meters, claiming fifth-place with a time of 38:12.43.
"I am very proud of Heather's run today, because she has battled through injury all season," added associate head coach Michelle Byrne. "To be able to pull off a performance like she did shows how tough of an athlete she is."
Also on the women's side, senior Anna Marie Ricciardi (Canfield, Ohio) finished tied for 10th in the high jump. A pair of ETSU sprinters posted top-20 finishes in the 100-meters, as Jenny Knox (Connelly Springs, N.C.) and Nae-Nae Bailey (Statesville, N.C.) finished 17th and 19th respectively. Knox won her heat with a mark of 12.14, while Bailey won her heat as well, ending in 12.23. Freshman Vicki Currie (Dumfries, Scotland) ran a season-best in the 800-meters, finishing in 2:16.65.
"This meet featured a lot of top programs and it was the toughest level of competition our athletes have faced all season," said Byrne. "I am very proud of our results today, and it was important for our athletes to compete against a strong field, with our conference championships only a month away."
The men's 4x100-meter relay team will compete at the Sea Relays Saturday at 2:25 p.m., while the rest of the ETSU track and field team competes at the Radford Collegiate Invite beginning at 10 a.m.


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CARACAS, Venezuela — President Hugo Chavez won re-election Sunday, defeating challenger Henrique Capriles and gaining six more years to cement his legacy and press ahead with his crusade for socialism in Venezuela.
With about 90 percent of votes counted, Chavez had more than 54 percent of the vote, and Capriles had 45 percent, National Electoral Council president Tibisay Lucena said. She said 81 percent of the nearly 19 million registered voters cast ballots, one of the largest turnouts in years.
It was Chavez's third re-election victory in nearly 14 years in office, though by a smaller margin than in 2006, when he won 63 percent of the votes.
Fireworks exploded in downtown Caracas, and Chavez's supporters celebrated waving flags and jumping for joy outside the presidential palace.
Chavez won more than 7.4 million votes, beating Capriles by more than 1.2 million votes, Lucena said.
Capriles congratulated Chavez and told his supporters not to feel defeated.
"We have planted many seeds across Venezuela and I know that these seeds are going to produce many trees," he told supporters in a speech late Sunday.
Chavez spent heavily in the months before the vote, building public housing and bankrolling expanded social programs providing benefits to poor families.
Capriles, a youthful state governor, became a strong challenger after winning a February primary and rallied an opposition that grew more united and better organized than in the past. But in the end, it was no match for Chavez's electoral prowess.
Just as polls closed on Sunday night, hundreds of young red-shirted Chavistas took to the streets on motorcycles and said they were ready to begin celebrating.
"Let them accept defeat," Kleiver Gutierrez said of the opposition.
People holding posters of Chavez shouted to passing cars outside the Miraflores presidential palace.
One pro-Chavez voter, private bodyguard Carlos Julio Silva, said that whatever his faults, Chavez deserved to win for spreading the nation's oil wealth to the poor with free medical care, public housing and other government largess. The country has the world's largest proven oil reserves.
"There is corruption, there's plenty of bureaucracy, but the people have never had a leader who cared about this country," Silva said after voting for Chavez at a school in the Caracas slum of Petare. "That's why the people are going to re-elect Hugo Rafael Chavez Frias."
At many polling places, voters began lining up hours before polls opened at dawn, some snaking for blocks in the baking Caribbean sun. Some shaded themselves with umbrellas. Vendors grilled meat and some people drank beer.
Maria Leonis was selling CDs of Chavez's campaign theme music on a sidewalk next to a polling center. "Today I've sold about 100 CDs, just Chavez's song," Leonis said, adding that she supported Chavez because "I want to keep seeing change."
Chavez's critics say the president has inflamed divisions by labeling his opponents "fascists," ''Yankees" and "neo-Nazis," and it's likely hard for many of his opponents to stomach another six years of the loquacious and conflictive leader.
Some said before the vote that they'd consider leaving the country if Chavez won.
Gino Caso, an auto mechanic, said Chavez is power-hungry and out of touch with problems such as crime. He said his son had been robbed, as had neighboring shops.
"I don't know what planet he lives on," Caso said, gesturing with hands blackened with grease. "He wants to be like Fidel Castro — end up with everything, take control of the country."
The 40-year-old Capriles, a wiry former governor affectionately called "Skinny" by supporters, infused the opposition with new optimism, and opinion polls pointed to him giving Chavez his closest election contest ever.
Chavez spoke little during the campaign about his fight with cancer, which since June 2011 has included surgery to remove tumors from his pelvic region as well as chemotherapy and radiation treatment. He has said his most recent tests showed no sign of illness.
Associated Press writers Fabiola Sanchez, Christopher Toothaker, Jorge Rueda and Vivian Sequera contributed to this report.
Ian James on Twitter: http://twitter.com/ianjamesap
Frank Bajak on Twitter: http://twitter.com/fbajak


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Early morning registration table
Setting up camp
Looking over all the prizes to be given out
Registration under a canopy.... we got a little rain.
Linda giving trail information to riders before they leave
Saddled up and ready to ride
Who said horse don't talk?
A smart looking horse and rider
Safety first...helmets save lives.
are we having fun yet? You Bet!
BBQ.....Camp cooks getting ready for lunch
What a Ham
Checking the Poker Hands
Cowgirl Coffee
Preparing for lunch
A warm campfire sure feels good on a cool day


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Company says it did so to enhance clarity; others say they don't see substantial changes.
The updated policy, posted on Friday, now says employees, contractors and others with access to personal customer information may be fired or prosecuted if they violate confidentiality obligations, rather than merely saying employees would have access to the information on a "need to know"-only basis.
It also urges customers to read the privacy practices of Google's affiliated sites, which may be different from Google's.
The Web site includes a Privacy Policy Highlights page, a frequently asked questions page and links to additional privacy information about specific Google offerings, including Desktop, Gmail, Groups and Personalized Search.
In an e-mail, Nicole Wong, associate general counsel at Google, said the company simplified the policy so that users would better understand it.
"We regularly review our policy and update as necessary. In this case, we were pleased to learn that the EU Commission had embraced the concept of 'layered notices' for privacy policies, emphasizing simplicity and clarity," she said. "We agree with that and modified our policies in a way that we hope is both clear and easy to understand for our users."
Kevin Bankston, staff attorney at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, said that while the changes to Google's privacy policy don't seem substantive from the previous iteration, he was still concerned that the company has free reign with a lot of customer data.
"Google still logs everything you do in interaction with their services, and they can do whatever they want with it that their engineers can dream up," he said. "It doesn't change the fact that Google is amassing an enormous store of intimate data about its users."
Brad Hill, author of "Google for Dummies," said there was no cause for alarm.
"This repackaging of what amounts to a very standard privacy policy (as far as I can tell) won't assuage the fears of those threatened by Google," Hill wrote in his "Unofficial Google Weblog." "But I fail to see why Google gets disproportionate attention on this matter. I don't think Google knows more about me than Yahoo does...If Google is a threat to old-world privacy values, it is only because it is part of the Internet."
Several weeks ago, America Online revised its privacy policy and said it would not sell or rent members' home addresses anymore but would track member activity on AOL.com and Web searches to offer personalized content and targeted ads.


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Taylor Swift and Rascal Flatts Team Up for 'What Hurts the Most' in Nashville
Taylor Swift won't ever forget where she came from. While she straddles the line between pop and country, the singer kept her Keds firmly planted in the country genre during the second of three sold-out stints at the Bridgetone Arena in Nashville last night (Sept. 20) by inviting Rascal Flatts to duet with her on their song 'What Hurts the Most.'
"Nashville is all about remembering where you came from," Swift declared at the point in her set when it came time to introduce her special guests. "And remembering the people who are your absolute idols and remembering the people who helped you out in the very beginning and took you on their arena tour, their sold-out tour, and nobody knew your name. For me, I have this artist, this band, who took me on tour when nobody knew who I was, and about five years ago, I opened up for them here in this building."
The crowd was psyched at Swift's choice to once again invite a country act to share her stage. Last night (Sept. 19), Luke Bryan flew out to perform and following up with the country trio showed us that yes, Taylor Swift does indeed remember where she came from.
Swift, looking extra cute in her sparkly black shorts, leaned on Gary LeVox's shoulder while he sang and then proceeded to strut her stuff while she sang with the singer.
Mid-song, Swift pointed out that the band has done so much for her, for the city of Nashville and for their fans. She then requested fans to hold up anything with a light (like cell phones) and to illuminate the building.
Swift detractors and haters can (and should) stop questioning her country quotient now!


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This year, artist Jean-Michel Basquiat would have turned 50 years old. And in half-century celebration, there are events all over the world: In Paris, you can see more than 100 of his works at the Museum of Modern Art through January 2011, as well as a special exhibition at Galerie Pascal Lansberg. In other cities, you can catch Tamra Davis's new documentary, The Radiant Child, centered on an interview the director shot with Basquiat 20 years ago. And in New York, a Basquiat exhibition was on display for much of the fall at the Robert Miller Gallery, in Chelsea.
But in Los Angeles, there resides a much more personal collection. At LeadApron, a gallery on Melrose Place, gallerist Jonathan Brown has an unusual collection of ephemera: 112 pieces belonging to Basquiat, including self-portraits and even the signature bow tie he wore in his hair, all from the last year of his life.
Brown acquired this collection about five years ago from an old friend, Kelle Inman, Basquiat's last girlfriend. "Kelle had a real mothering instinct; she wanted to care for you," Brown says. "I think that may have been some of her connection to Jean-Michel, because she spent the last year of his life with him. She nursed him, cared for him, and tried to help him get off drugs."
Inman and Basquiat met when she was working as a waitress at Nell's; two days later, she was living with him. "She didn't really know who he was," says The Radiant Child director Tamra Davis, who knew Inman during the relationship.
"My sense is she wasn't starstruck, per se—more than he was someone in need," adds Brown, of their relationship. All of the objects in the collection, given to her by Basquiat, belonged to Ms. Inman (who passed away in July). "Some of it has his handwriting on it; and some of it doesn't, so it was difficult to authenticate outside of Kelle's word—though everybody knew she was with him. There were pictures of them together; notes written to her, so there was no reason for her to manufacture anything," he says.
"It's as if you're working with a penumbra of an idea of someone's life—this is just filling it in," Brown says. "There are photos he took in New Orleans that he used as references for his artwork. He wrote on them, '4x5, one reg'—meaning he meant to blow them up and use them as source material. These are Basquiat's curatorial picks—his edited life.… This is a trail—a genealogy of ideas."


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This is the time of year a lot of publications put out End of Year and Best of All Time lists. They're fun to read as they can take you down memory lane or give you some new perspective on things… At this point in time, you understand there will be a certain bias and there may be one or two names tossed in a list to get people talking. You try to take these things with a grain of salt..
The other day Rollingstone Magazine put out a The 50 Greatest Hip Hop Songs of All-Times. It's a list that was compiled from a panel of 33 artists, journalists and industry experts. You have luminaries like Def jam co-founder Rick Rubin, former Source editor James Bernard and legendary A&R Dante Ross. Also in the mix were artists like Busta Rhymes, Q-Tip, Nas, Questlove, Boots Riley of the Coup and Chuck D of Public Enemy just to name a few..You can peep the entire list of judges HERE
You can peep the entire List of 50 songs HERE
When the list came out I went from panel to panel and and what stood out was the glaring omission of women. In fact we don't have a female artists being ranked for the first 38 entries. That came in the form of Missy Elliot and her song Get Ur Freak On…Personally I thought Missy who definitely deserves a spot has better songs.
The next entries are Lauryn Hill's 'Lost One's (45) and Salt-N-Pepa's 'Push It' (46) . The Greatest Hits list list rounds off at entry 47 where have Funky 4 Plus one More. The 'one more' of course is pioneering female emcee Sha Rock..
Initially I wasn't gonna weigh in on this, but damn in 2012 and you would think at this point in time folks would know better and do better. Its time to expand our mind and make room for other voices, mainly women in our collective thinking. I don't know what the process was when RS did the final editing, but no one at that magazine looked at that list and asked 'Where's MC Lyte's 'Cha Cha Cha' or 'Cappuccino'? Did anyone at RS bother to check out her site Hip Hop Sisters?
No one at RS or on that panel gave a second thought about Queen Latifah's 'Ladies' First' which featured Monie Love and its impact? No one thought about UNITY…No one? Really? Cmon now..
None of the folks at the panel gave a thought about the 33 songs that were released around the whole Roxanne Roxanne saga? Some of those songs were landmark. They gave birth to artists like; Sparky D, Roxanne Shante and the Real Roxanne.. None of those women were good enough to be included? There was no room for an artist like YoYo? No Lady of Rage's Afro Puffs? No love for Mystic's 'The Life'? No choice cuts from Foxy Brown, Eve or Lil Kim made the list?? How is our collective thinking so narrow in 2012?
Luther Campbell of the 2Live Crew was among the panel of experts that Rollingstone assembled. Did he or anyone mention Anquette's Janet Reno? Luke in the past has been very clear to talk about how that song which was done by his cousin helped Reno win an election for DA against a lawyer named Jack Thompson. Luke explained that Thompson became enraged as a result of this and wound up coming after 2Live crew for having obscene material. The case against 2Live crew went all the way to the Supreme Ct.. If one record be the source of all that, should it not be on the RS list?
With respect to Lauryn Hill who won more Grammys than many of the artists featured and the experts assembled should've been further up the list, like in the top 15 or 20. I would've picked Doo Whop (That Thing) which charted on Billboard as number 1 or Everything is Everything..
Considering Rollingstone's glaring omissions I guess it would be too much to expect them to have even considered a Jean Grae, Bahamadia, Rah Digga, Conscious Daughters or Medusa?
All I can say at this point is to Rollingstone and its panel of experts which included only 2 or 3 women at the most. that was big miss to only have 3 or 4 females on that list of 50 Greatest songs. It was a big miss and just plain wack.. For those who need more info on women making moves.. Here's playlist I put together earlier this year.


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On November 18, women from Voices from Inside performed both their poetry and the poems of those who are still incarcerated for a full crowd at Holyoke Community College. (See article here.)
Poets (from left to right) Christina Ruest, Lisa Peck, Sonia Mendez, and Olga Pedraza
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VFI IN THE News
VFI's Tara McNamara organized the "Breaking Free" poetry reading in Greenfield--read about it in this Greenfield Recorder story.
An excerpt from Voices Carry's performance at Forbes Library is available for viewing on Youtube, here.
VFI writer Daisy Diaz read a poem to open Hampshire Art Museum's exhibition "Made in America: Unfree Labor in an Age of Mass Incarceration." The exhibit runs through March 10. Check out photos in the February 7 post, to the left.
VFI writer Tara McNamara's poem "Dear Ex-Husband" is featured in the October 29, 2016, issue of the Write Angles Journal. See the poem on our Writing& Prompts page.
WWLP's Ashley Kohl interviews VFI board members about upcoming fundraisers for VFI, April 27, 2016.
From the Heart: VFI Poets interviewed in the Greenfield Recorder, February 12, 2016
Hampshire Gazette Reports on VFI Performance at Lander-Grinspoon Academy, February 7, 2016
Interview with VFI Poets on the Bill Newman Show, February 3, 2016
Loud and Clear: VFI at Holyoke Community College, November 18, 2015
Women Share Stories While in Jail, June 18, 2015
November 2019


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Tens of thousands of Maryland homeowners who haven't already applied for the Homestead Property Tax Credit have until the end of the year to do so or lose the often-valuable break.
The deadline was set so long ago — 2007 — that some residents might not remember if they applied. State assessors, hoping to cut down on anxious calls, launched an online feature Monday that notes whether a property's application is in and processed.
"We get such tremendous volume of calls, and one of the unfortunate things is, when people do call … they sometimes get a busy signal," said Robert E. Young, director of the state Department of Assessments and Taxation. "It's so much easier just to go to the website."
The owners of 807,000 homes in the state are getting a break on their property taxes thanks to the homestead credit, which acts as a limit on annual increases. About 150,000 owners haven't sent in their applications, according to the assessments agency.
The statewide homestead program is only for primary residences. It keeps the amount of assessed value a homeowner is taxed on from increasing more than 10 percent a year, with even lower caps in most jurisdictions. The limit is 4 percent a year in Baltimore and Baltimore County, for instance.
The break can add up. Just in Baltimore, thousands of homeowners got at least half their property taxes forgiven by the homestead credit this tax year.
The flip side is that the homestead credit cost the city $120 million in foregone revenue this year alone — and for years the program has been plagued by owners taking the credit on rentals, boarded-up homes and other properties that weren't their main residence. The state revoked credits on more than 550 city homes this year after a Baltimore Sun investigation turned up many examples of owners "double-dipping" on two, three or even four homes.
Eligibility problems prompted the 2007 registration law. New buyers must apply for the credit within six months of purchase, while all others have until Dec. 31 of this year. This once-per-home process requires owners to submit their Social Security number so assessors can cross-check the addresses listed on income tax returns and drivers' licenses to verify that the properties are primary residences.
Assessors figure that some of the 150,000 homestead recipients who haven't applied yet aren't eligible for the credit. Applications require owners to acknowledge that they're submitting their information under penalty of perjury.
"That's a big variable — people who know they shouldn't be getting it, and they aren't going to apply," Young said. "They know that we're serious about that perjury oath."
To check the status of an application, homeowners can visit the assessments agency's website,
, and type in their address on the Real Property Data Search page. (The direct link is
.) If the state received and processed a homestead application, that fact will be noted at the bottom of the property's page, Young said.
The state has received 766,000 applications so far, he said. That includes owners eligible for the homestead credit in the sense that they live in their homes, but who aren't receiving a break on their taxes this year because they don't qualify mathematically.
Homeowners who fail to apply in time to keep their credit will lose it in the tax year beginning July 1, 2013. But Young said those who miss the deadline can get their credit reinstated in 2014 — the amount they would have received that year if they had met the Dec. 31 deadline.
The assessments agency has tried to get the word out about the requirement by including applications in assessment notices and telling homeowners who call in on other subjects. Young said local governments also have indicated that they will include a notice in the tax bills going out in July.
Carl Cleary, housing coordinator at the Reservoir Hill Improvement Council in Baltimore, said housing counselors also can pass on the word. He wants to make sure no one loses their homestead credit because they didn't realize they have to apply.
"With the deadline coming, we could certainly help," he said.
Check your status
To check the status of an application, homeowners can visit the assessments agency's website,
, and type in their address on the Real Property Data Search page. The direct link is
If the state received and processed a homestead application, that will be noted at the bottom of the property's page.


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The following information are resources, tips, techniques, and instructions for starting and developing a Family History blog. These resources are for Lorelle's family history blogging workshops, classes, and presentations. The focus of these resources are on blogging your family history, not about genealogy research, though it is often hard to separate the two.
This resource list will help you learn more about using WordPress, the self-hosted version of WordPress, and WordPress.com, the hosted verion of WordPress, as well as how to publish multimedia, gedcom files, and share the stories and tales of your family's history. It also includes information on privacy and other legal policies as relates to family history research and blogging.
Family History Blogging Articles by Lorelle VanFossen
The following links are to articles I've written on family history blogging, including an ongoing series on genealogy blogging.
- Article Series: What to Publish on Your Family History Blog
- Starting With a Purpose and a Plan
- What's the Difference Between a Genealogy Blog and a Normal Blog?
- Who, What, Where, and How Questions for the Plan
- Determining What Features I Want in My Blog
- The Blog Budget – How Much Does a Blog Cost?
- Genealogy Blog: Choosing a Blog Title and Domain Name and URL
- Genealogy Blog: The Fast Method of Setting Up a Blog
- Genealogy Blog: Blog Contributors – Wanted Dead or Alive
- Collaborative Genealogy: Programs to Help Families Work on Websites Together
- Does Your Library Have a Genealogy Department? Do They Have a Genealogy Blog?
- Family History Research: One Thing Leads to Another
- Move Your Genealogy Blog Into the 21st Century With Site Feeds
- Random Genealogy: Online Genealogy Collaboration
- Shame: Comment Spam Spotted from World Vital Records
- The Battle of the Unwanted Family Member Comment
- What Do You Put Into Your Family History Blog?
- Why a Genealogical Society Should Blog
- WordPress Customization Highlights Letters From the War Front
- How to Manage Multiple Bloggers on WordPress
Resources on Blogging Your Family History
The following are articles and tutorials on how to blogging your family history.
- A Genealogy Blog Primer – Everything You Wished You Knew About Genealogy Blogging But Were Afraid to Ask – GeneaBloggers
- Family Oral History Using Digital Tools
- 5 Ways to Get People to Share Their Genealogy – Making Genealogical Connections
- Blogging Your Family History Search – Creating a Genealogy Blog
- Publishing Your Family Tree Online – Creating a Genealogy Web Site
- Mother. Write. (Repeat.): Getting Started on Your Family History
- Blogging Software – 6 Questions Bloggers Should Ask Themselves When Choosing a Blogging Software
- Blogging Your Family History | Thomas MacEntee
- Personal Publishing: Blog Your Family History
- Getting Started with a Genealogy Blog – FamlySearch
Legal Issues for Family History Bloggers and Publishing on the Web
There are many legal issues that arise for family history bloggers including proper citation, copyright, and privacy. The following are articles and references on some of the legal issues that need to be considered when blogging your family's history.
- Copyright: How to Quote and Cite Sources
- Genealogy.com – World Family Tree: Your Rights as a Contributor to the World Family Tree
- Documenting Your Genealogy Research – Guide to Citing Sources
- Copyright and Genealogy – Rules of Copyright for Genealogy
- Guidelines for Publishing Web Pages on the Internet (slightly out of date but valuable tips)
- Genealogy.com: Do You Own What You Upload?
- Genealogy.com: Who Owns Genealogy? Cousins and Copyright
- National Genealogical Society | Standards for Sharing Information with Others
- Standards for Use of Technology in Genealogical Research – National Genealogical Society (PDF)
- Guidelines for Publishing Web Pages on the Internet – National Genealogical Society (PDF)
- Copyright Fundamentals for Genealogy
- Copyright Table for Understanding Various Genealogy Copyrights | ProGenealogists
- Genealogy.com: Who Owns Genealogy? Cousins and Copyright
- Cemetery photos: permission required? | The Legal Genealogist
- The Legal Genealogist
- Ancestoring's Ask A Genealogist: Citing Your Sources Resources
- Genealogical Proof Standard–Intro
- Ancestoring's Ask A Genealogist: Genealogical Proof Standard–Step 1–A Reasonably Exhaustive Search
- Ancestoring's Ask A Genealogist: Genealogical Proof Standard–Step 2–Complete and Accurate Source Citations
- Ancestoring's Ask A Genealogist: Genealogical Proof Standard–Step 3–Analysis and Correlation of the Collected Information
- Ancestoring's Ask A Genealogist: Genealogical Proof Standard–Step 4–Resolution of Any Conflicting Evidence
Writing Your Family History
- Getting Creative: Using Genealogy to Teach Writing Skills | Stephanie Pitcher Fishman
- Create Your Life Story : Helping You Record a Lifetime of Stories — How to Record, Edit and Publish Life Stories
- Adventures in Family History Writing
- Family History Writing Challenge
- Writing Your Family History Blogs | GeneaBloggers
- Writing Your Way to the Past
- The We Tree Genealogy Blog: How to Write a "Cousin Bait" Genealogy Blog Post
- Six More Ways to Find Your Family History Muse | Lisa Alzo
- Trace Your Family History (resources) | Faces of America | PBS
- Family History Writers Group
- The Armchair Genealogist: The Family History Blog to Book Project
Tips for WordPress
The following are tips, techniques, and resources associated with WordPress and WordPress.com.
WordPress Help
The following are resources for basic WordPress help and advice.
- Lorelle on WordPress
- Lorelle Teaches
- Using the Support Forums – WordPress Codex
- WordPress Codex, the online manual for WordPress Users
- Learn WordPress (official guide)
- WordPress.tv
- WordPress Support Forums (for self-hosted)
- WordPress.com Forums (Support for WordPress.com)
Learning WordPress
The following are basic tips and tutorials for learning about WordPress.
- How to Register for a WordPress.com Blog
- Finding WordPress Help « WordPress Codex
- The History of WordPress
- First Steps With WordPress
- New To WordPress – Where to Start
- What is WordPress?
- Why Choose WordPress?
- How to Get Help with WordPress
- Using the Support Forums
- WordPress Features
- WordPress Semantics
- Differences Between WordPress Versions: WordPress.org, WordPress.com, and WordPress MS
- What can you do with WordPress.com – Lorelle on WordPress
- A Guide to the WordPress Codex, The Online Manual for WordPress Users
- What is the Difference Between a Website and a Blog
- WordPress Tips | Learning from Lorelle
- WordPress Tips and Techniques from Lorelle Teaches WordPress and Blogging
- WordPress Tips from Lorelle on WordPress
Publishing with WordPress
- Linking Posts, Pages, and Categories
- Understanding Pages in WordPress
- Creating and Using Posts
- How To Write Your First WordPress Post
- Adding Authors and Contributors
- Pages verses Posts
- Your User Profile in WordPress
- Writing and Formatting Poetry
- Understanding Categories and Tags
- How to Write an About Page
- The Basics You Must Know About a WordPress Theme
- What You Must Know About Writing on the Web
- How to Set and Manage Excerpts in WordPress
- How to Add HTML in a WordPress Blog Post
- What is a Properly Formed Link?
- How to Add Images in Your Post Content
- The 10 HTML Tags You Must Know to Blog
- Example of a Gallery Post in WordPress
- Copyright: How to Quote and Cite Sources
- Links and the Anchor HTML Tag
- How to Log Into Your WordPress Site
- The Basic Structure of a Blog Post
- Public Domain, Free Photography, and Images for Your Blog
- The Basics You Must Know About a WordPress Theme
Genealogy Blogs
The following list includes family history and genealogy blogs, and directories and resources for them, which may serve as examples of how others are blogging and sharing their family history online.
- Genealogy Blog Finder
- The Ancestry Insider
- British & Irish Genealogy
- DearMYRTLE's Genealogy Blog
- Eastman's Online Genealogy Newsletter
- Boston 1775
- Creative Gene
- Elyse's Genealogy Blog
- Geneabloggers
- Genealogy Blogs – Family History News & Web Logs on the Internet
- Genealogy Blog – GeneaNet
- The Knowles Collection
- Olive Tree Genealogy Blog
- Practical Archivist Organize Photos, Preserve Heirlooms, Share Stories
- RootDig.com
- BloggingGenealogy.com – Blog
- Cyndi's List – Blogs for Genealogy
- 40 Top Genealogy Blogs for International Research – Family Tree Magazine
- Family Tree Magazine – Genealogy Blogs
- The Genealogue
- GenealogyBlog
- Blog – The Genealogy Center – Allen County Public Library
- Genealogy Reviews Online
- Genea-Musings
- Susans Genealogy Blog
- The Genetic Genealogist | Adding DNA to the Genealogist's Toolbox
- ThinkGenealogy | genealogy, software, ideas, and innovation
- How to Find Great Genealogy Blogs


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I think that's the name of the series. I like the alliteration anyway. Better than Soul Gulper.
Perhaps you remember the character Raze from one of Sue Vincent's #writephoto prompts. Well, he's back with a series of his own.
I don't have too much to share yet, but here's a brief peek at the act of swallowing a soul:
When the others retired, Raze sat by the hearth, its flames dwindling to scarlet embers. His grief for Briyon unearthed old ghosts, his mother among them, an ageless portrait suspended in the gallery of his mind. Not so his memories of Mirelle. Those lingered with infinite fluidity, entangled with visions of the past and dreams of a future that would never be.
Six years had shuffled by since her death, five since he'd joined Briyon at the freehold, and no lever had proved long or strong enough to pry her from his heart. Loneliness invaded his body so deeply it punched the breath from his lungs and sapped the strength from his back, and no hoping and wishing could bring those people back. A twenty-one he was master of the freehold, a tired soul, angry at a world he couldn't control.
He turned the pendant over in his hand, keenly aware of its delicate beauty. The white soulstone had transformed, no longer solid but translucent with pale wisps of color swirling like morning mist. Copper wire the breadth of a strand of hair coiled around it, holding a round sliver of peridot in place with a final twist of two tiny leaves. It glowed with a soft light, indicating the presence of a soul. A soul he loved.
With great care, he unhooked the copper leaves, unwound the wire, and removed the green gem that capped a small hole. Inside, an iridescent sphere resembling a pearl shone with a brilliance that startled him. Were all souls so bright? He didn't know; this was his first. He rolled it into his hand. Would he swallow it? Did he want what Briyon offered? Was there anything to fear?
The pearl of light glowed in his palm, offering no insight. He placed it back into the pendant. No need to choose; no decision pressed him to act with haste. The round gem refitted, he coiled the wires, paused, and then uncoiled them. In one fluid motion, he uncapped the pendant, tipped the sphere into his mouth, and swallowed.
A rush of heat streamed from his belly, up through his heart into his head and down his limbs to his fingers and toes. His body trembled, the sensation alien, but not frightening, and not long lived, for it subsided as quickly as it had overtaken him. Eyes closed, he accepted Briyon's soul. In the quiet of night, he exhaled a long breath, crept to bed, and dreamed another man's dreams.


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LA Imprints Fantasy Coverup Jamaican Girl Body Coverup T-Shirt
Sale Coming Soon
Regular price $23.95 USD
Regular priceUnit price per
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Make your parties more fun and memorable with this bikini coverup.
Made in the USA.
Made of 100% cotton.
High quality silk screen front and back print.
Available in regular and plus sizes.
Care Instructions:
Machine washable with like colors, non-chlorine bleach when needed.
Tumble dry low, do not iron if decorated.
Item Number 4511


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Hydrographic surveying
Digital terrain model of the North Sea and Baltic Sea seabed
The results from the hydrographic survey are provided in a digital terrain model of the seabed (seabed DTM). The data describe the topography of the seabed of the North Sea and Baltic Sea. The depth reference system is Normalhöhennull (NHN/Base Height Level). The original position reference of the model is ETRS89-UTM32. The raster resolution of the digital terrain model is 50 m x 50 m. Click here to go directly to the application.
Sediment and seabed relief maps
The sediment distribution and relief maps were prepared within the framework of the administrative agreement between BSH and the Leibniz Institute for Baltic Sea Research (IOW) by the "Marine Geology" section of the IOW. The mapping work at sea was carried out from 1994 to 2010. Existing data were taken into account as far as possible in the mapping process.
Maritime boundary charts
The BSH issues two maritime boundary charts. They are not corrected after the date of the "minor correction" by "Notices to Mariners".


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You are currently browsing the category archive for the 'Building Better Soil' category.
Here's a great resource guide from my friend Evelyn Vincent!…~Richard
Many already know Ive been interested in plants since the age of 4. I began using herbal remedies when I was about 16, started using essential oils 20 years ago.My previous business was in landscaping, I was probably the only landscaper in the US who didnt own a lawn mower or snow plow. I primarily focused on creating garden rooms (suitable for people as well as certification for Backyard Wildlife Habitats http://www.nwf.org/backyard through the National Wildlife Federation). Another aspect I brought to my business was knowledge of native plants, a passion of mine, and training as a classical Feng Shui practitioner.
Below is a list of resources that helped me to make better choices, and much progress over the years while I learned. I hope you will find them useful and that they encourage you to become more healthy, green, and contribute to maintaining the biodiversity that is being lost.
Great Sources for Seeds
Johnnys Selected Seeds http://johnnyseed.com/ – an employee-owned company. Has a very nice selection of Heirloom, organic, and non-hybrid seed choices.
Seed Savers Exchange http://www.seedsavers.org/ – A non-profit organization of gardeners who save and share heirloom seed.
The Cooks Garden http://www.cooksgarden.com/ – a nice assortment of seeds, particularly geared for those who love to garden and cook.
Books that I love which have made a difference in my relationship to plants, growing, and mother nature…


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Anyone else bursting out of their skin with excitement for The Hunger Games movie??? Only a few days away now and I can hardly wait! Honestly, I never would have even picked up the book, had my sister not bought it for me for my birthday. All I knew was that it was a "young adult" novel. And the last time I tried one of those (ahem, Twilight) I couldn't bring myself to read past the first chapter. But, The Hunger Games arrived in the mail, so as I sat on the couch feeding the baby, I cracked it open and read the first few pages. And then I sorely neglected my children for the rest of the afternoon, as I was incapable of putting the book down. Shhh…Mommy's trying to read. You're 4 years old now…what do you mean you don't know how to cook yourself dinner?? Go change your own diaper…Mommy's busy.
Not my proudest parenting moment, to say the least. But The Hunger Games is a page-turner, with a plot so barbaric that it's hard for me to believe it's written for 'young adults'. But then, so many of the books I read as a young adult had themes which took me years to grasp at more than a surface level. I think that's sort of the thing with The Hunger Games. The story has the perfect blend of ingredients; sacrifice, survival, heroism, romance, and moral conflict; to make it instantly relatable and intriguing to all age groups, but there are also deeper themes about human nature, power, and human rights at work…the kinds of themes which take a bit more time and experience to fully digest. If you haven't read it yet, go buy it right now or load it to your Kindle or whatever it is that you do when you read. Stop reading this blog post, and go read The Hunger Games.
Wait…Don't go just yet! I have a recipe for you. And you're going to want it because this book is going to make you hungry. Without giving away too much of the plot, I can say that when the main character, Katniss, is brought to the Capitol, she is introduced to the most decadent array of mouth-watering foods, unimaginably extravagant in comparison with her impoverished family's meager portion of grains or the illegally hunted game she risks her life to acquire. This is drool-worthy stuff…sweet melons, decadent chocolate cakes, thick carrot soups (like this one), and her first taste of hot chocolate. But of all of the foods, her most favorite dish was a lamb stew with dried plums.
With The Hunger Games poised to premiere in just a few days, a celebratory lamb stew seemed in order. But, to be quite honest, I wasn't so sure how I felt about adding dried plums (prunes essentially) to my lamb stew. Am I the only one who's afraid of prunes?? Trepidations aside, I decided to go for it. I figure that if Katniss can volunteer as tribute to save her sister's life, I can certainly put a few prunes in my stew. For good measure, I also threw in some golden raisins, dried apricots and sweet potatoes. Moroccan-inspired spices of cinnamon, ginger, cumin, and fresh mint complete the flavor profile in this decadent, slow-cooked lamb stew. Somehow I suspect that Katniss' favorite lamb stew would have been equally exotic.
And as for the dried plums…I was so wrong. They are spectacular in combination with the tender chunks of slow-cooked lamb and Moroccan-inspired spices. I can't think of a better pre-Hunger Games meal. As Katniss would say, I could eat this by the bucketful!
If you're in need of a little Hunger Games fix before Friday's big premiere, check out the preview on Cinema Blend, where you can see all of the latest images, trailers, movie clips, and behind-the-scenes features!
Moroccan-Style Lamb Stew with Dried Plums
- 2-2 1/2 pounds boneless lamb shoulder, well-trimmed of exterior fat and cut into 1″ cubes
- 1/4 cup flour
- 2-3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup carrots, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 cups chicken stock
- 2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2″ cubes
- 1/2 cup dried plums (prunes), diced
- 1/4 cup dried apricots, diced
- 1/4 cup golden raisins
- 6 fresh mint leaves, chiffonade *
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Toss the lamb in the flour. In a large dutch oven pan (or oven-safe stock pot with a tight fitting lid), heat olive oil over medium/medium-high heat. Add the lamb to the pan in a single layer and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side, until lightly browned. (Cook in batches, if necessary. Do not overcrowd the pan.) Remove the lamb from the pan and set aside. Reduce heat to medium. Add the carrots and onions to the pan. Cook for 3-5 minutes, until tender and golden. Sprinkle the cinnamon, cumin, ginger, salt and pepper over the carrots and onions. Stir to coat. Cook for one more minute. Then, return the lamb to the pan. Add the chicken stock. Bring the mixture to a simmer, then cover and place the pan on the middle oven rack. Cook for 1.5 hours, then add the sweet potatoes and dried fruits. Cook for 20-25 minutes more, until sweet potatoes are tender, but not mushy. Finally, stir in the fresh mint. (If the sauce is thicker than desired, use additional chicken stock or water to thin it out.) Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper, as desired.
Serve over hot buttered noodles or with crusty bread.


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Gadsden, Christopher
Gadsden, Christopher gădz´dən [key], 1724–1805, American Revolutionary leader, b. Charleston, S.C., educated in England. He returned to Charleston (1746) and became a wealthy merchant. At the Stamp Act Congress (1765) he was one of the first to urge colonial union against England's policy of taxation. Gadsden served (1774–76) in the Continental Congress and favored independence. In the struggle over the South Carolina constitution in 1778 he was a radical, favoring separation of church and state and popular election of senators. He was captured when the British took Charleston (1780), and imprisonment by the British broke his health. He later helped to secure ratification of the Constitution and still later opposed the Jeffersonians.
See R. Walsh, ed., The Writings of Christopher Gadsden, 1746–1805 (1966).
The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2023, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.
See more Encyclopedia articles on: U.S. History: Biographies


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I Miss the Playoffs
|Image courtesy of Deadspin
This fall marks the 20th anniversary of the Toronto Blue Jays first World Series Championship in franchise history. While we should be celebrating this momentous occasion, the 1992 World Series is a bittersweet reminder of an era that is well in the rear-view mirror.
Frankly, it's been so long since the Blue Jays have been in the playoffs that I'm beginning to forget what a postseason game is like.
How sad it is that there are some Blue Jays fans who have no memory of all about a contending squad? Can you believe there are some kids who are growing up as Blue Jays fans and only hear second-hand how the Blue Jays won two consecutive World Series?
I mean … if it weren't for the banners hanging from the roof of the Rogers Centre, you might not know the Blue Jays used to be a dominant force in the mid-to-late eighties and early nineties.
There are days I dream of being there for a playoff game in Toronto. But like most fans, I'm starting to get tired of imagining what it would be like and would rather be experiencing it in person.
Now that the Washington Nationals have secured their first playoff spot in 30 years, the Blue Jays now own the third longest playoff drought in baseball at 19 years. 19 years, folks … that is a damn long time.
In past years, the Blue Jays front office has really driven home the point that they are trying to build a perennial contender much like the glory days of the team from the mid-eighties and early nineties. Unfortunately, sometimes even the best plays go awry.
Paul Beeston spoke to the Toronto Sun last week, and it seems like after all the injuries and missed opportunities this season, things are reaching a boiling point:
"I'm actually pissed off about it. And the reason being: Can you tell me who the favourite is in the American League? There isn't one. There's no one team to beat. Everybody's got a shot … I'm more pissed off because that could have been us."
I can understand Paul Beeston's frustration because with the addition of the second Wild Card, merely hovering above the .500 mark virtually gives any team a legitimate chance at making the playoffs.
Beeston's statement didn't sound like it was directed at his team or even the competition, merely the situation that the Blue Jays are in. He sees the sudden surge of success the Oakland A's and the Baltimore Orioles are having and simply wants that to be the Blue Jays.
I definitely believe there is a little bit of envy going on with the Orioles and even the Rays these days. Baltimore had 14 consecutive losing seasons, and now it looks like they'll finally end their playoff drought this year.
The Tampa Bay Rays were the AL East doormat dwellers for nine of ten seasons, and then they totally came out of nowhere and made three playoff appearances in five years. And yet, the Blue Jays have been on the outside looking in while all the other teams in the division have made at least one playoff appearance.
Think back to when the Blue Jays were constantly at the top of the American League East. That was incredibly when just the division leader made the playoffs. So now with the addition of the Wild Cards, the Blue Jays chances are actually better than ever to make the postseason. And yet at the conclusion of this season, it will mark 18 seasons since the Blue Jays have been in the playoffs.
It's especially hard to stomach that Toronto really hasn't even been all that close to even making the playoffs since 1993. There was a brief period where they were in the Wild Card hunt in the summer of 1999, but that's about it.
I even remember in 2006 when the Blue Jays finished second in the division to the Red Sox and that felt like there was some sense of an accomplishment. When in fact Toronto finished the season three games from a Wild Card spot … but it may as well have been 300 games.
By the tone of this post, I know it sound like I might have reached my boiling point as a Blue Jays fan, but I assure you that's not the case. This season has been one bad break after another, and even the players and front office would echo the same sentiments.
While I would love to see another World Series banner flying from the roof the Rogers Centre in the next few years, the Blue Jays don't even need to go that far to satisfy my thirst for playoff baseball in Toronto. Even if they only made it to the Wild Card elimination game, I'd be more than happy with that.
As we've seen man times in the past, even the best teams from Game 1 to Game 162 don't always win the World Series. Simply getting into the playoffs gives the Blue Jays a chance; and a chance is at least some semblance of hope.
I'll still be a Blue Jays fan even if the team doesn't make the playoffs for another 19 years. But I'd much rather tell my future children about the Blue Jays playoff berths in the 21st century rather than just the ones in the 20th century.


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By David Crane defrev at gmail dot com All photographic images contained in this article were taken by DefenseReview.com at SHOT Show 2008, and they are the exclusive property of DefenseReview.com. DefenseReview.com owns the copyright on these photos. July 27, 2008 DefenseReview has been been writing about 6.8mm cartridges, lately, so it's only appropriate that we mention Charlie Cutshaw's article …Read More »
Tag Archives: 6.8 spc upper review
Precision Reflex Inc. (PRI) 6.8x43mm REM SPC Upper Receivers
by David Crane [email protected] Precision Reflex Inc. (PRI) has a new 6.8x43mm REM SPC (Special Purpose Cartridge) upper receiver designed/developed to replace any AR-15/M16-based weapon's 5.56x45mm upper receiver. Noted gunwriter Gary Paul Johnston has stated that the new PRI 6.8mm REM SPC uppers "have… proven 1-MOA accurate or better". These uppers are available with either 18.5" or 16.5" free-float Rock …Read More »


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Newport, Christopher
Newport, Christopher, 1565?–1617, English mariner, commander of early voyages to Virginia. He commanded a privateering expedition to the West Indies (1592) that returned to England with the Spanish vessel Madre de Dios, the richest prize ever taken by the Elizabethan privateers. He was employed by the London Company to command their expeditions to Virginia. On the first voyage he sailed from England with Capt. John Smith and other colonists in Dec., 1606, and arrived near the site of Jamestown in May, 1607. He returned to England in July and sailed again for the colony in October with the
first supplyof emigrants and provisions, reaching Jamestown in Jan., 1608, to find the colonists greatly reduced and in dissension. Later that year he brought the
second supplyfrom England and explored the country beyond the falls of the James River. On his fourth voyage from England (1609), Newport was wrecked on the Bermudas with Sir Thomas Gates and Sir George Somers and did not reach Virginia until May, 1610. In 1611 he made his last voyage to Virginia, taking Sir Thomas Dale to the colony. In his later years Newport made three voyages for the East India Company, dying at Bantam, in present Indonesia, on the last.
The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2023, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.
See more Encyclopedia articles on: British and Irish History: Biographies


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From October 20-22, 2014 in downtown San Francisco, the Emerging Technologies Coordinating Council made up of California's Investor Owned Utilities, Sacramento Municipal Utility District, Los Angeles Department and Water and Power, the Energy Commission and the California Public Utilities Commission, will host the 6th Biennial Emerging Technologies Summit. The Summit will gather more than 500 stakeholders in the energy efficiency and demand response sectors to learn, ideate and debate the intersection of utility programs, technology, market drivers, customer engagement, policy and implementation in order to impact the advancement and adoption of emerging technologies.
Operating in California means knowing how to deal with new technologies and quick changes in laws and regulations. Are you ready to react? Click here for more information.


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FTC opens investigation into Facebook's privacy practices
The Federal Trade Commission is investigating Facebook's privacy practices following a week of privacy scandals, including allegations a Trump-affiliated political consulting firm got data inappropriately from millions of Facebook users.
Facebook's stock, which already took a big hit last week, plunged as a result.
Tom Pahl, acting director of the FTC's Bureau of Consumer Protection, said the probe would include whether the company engaged in "unfair acts" that caused "substantial injury" to consumers.
Facebook's privacy practices have come under fire after revelations that Cambridge Analytica got data on Facebook users, including information on friends of people who had downloaded a psychological quiz app, even though those friends hadn't given explicit consent to sharing. Facebook is also facing questions over reports that it collected contact names, telephone numbers, call lengths and information about text messages from Android users.
Facebook said in a statement Monday that the company remains "strongly committed" to protecting people's information and that it welcomes the opportunity to answer the FTC's questions. News outlets reported on the FTC investigation last week, but the FTC hadn't confirmed it until Monday. Facebook reached a settlement with the FTC in 2011 that offered privacy assurances.
Facebook said Sunday that this information is uploaded to secure servers and comes only from people who gave explicit consent to allow it. Officials say the data is not sold or shared with users' friends or outside apps. They say the data is used "to improve people's experience across Facebook" by helping to connect with others. But the company did not spell out exactly what it used the data for or why it needed it.
Marc Rotenberg, executive director of the Electronic Privacy Information Center, believes Facebook violated the 2011 settlement by letting Cambridge Analytica harvest data on friends of Facebook users.
"This is what Facebook was doing 10 years ago that people objected to, what the FTC should have stopped in 2011," Rotenberg said. "It makes zero sense that when a person downloads their apps, they have the ability to transfer the data of their friends."
Although Zuckerberg talked about changes in 2014 that would have prevented this, Rotenberg said it should have been banned already under the 2011 consent decree. He said the FTC had dropped the ball in failing to enforce that.
Attorneys general demand answers from Facebook
The chief law enforcement officers for 38 U.S. states and territories are demanding to know when Facebook learned of a huge breach of privacy protections.
The officers say in a letter Monday to Zuckerberg that users' trust in the social media platform is "broken."
The attorneys general are asking how Facebook monitored what these developers did with all the data they collected and whether Facebook had safeguards to prevent misuse.
They also asked Zuckerberg for an update on how Facebook will allow users to more easily control the privacy of their accounts.
AP technology writer Anick Jesdanun contributed to this story.


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RED LION, Pa. – A transgender student in central Pennsylvania is continuing his fight to be announced by his male name at graduation next month.
Issak Wolfe and more than 50 supporters wearing stickers saying 'His name is Issak' attended Thursday night's Red Lion Area School District board meeting. They brought with them a petition of 2,000 signatures urging the board to allow Wolfe to use his male name.
The school board listened to Wolfe's prepared statement but did not make any decision and said they'll continue discussions.
Wolfe, 18, will be allowed to wear a boy's black graduation gown. But officials have said he will be announced by his given female name as he walks across the stage.
School board solicitor Ben Pratt argued a diploma is a legal document and must bear the recipient's legal name.
'The position has always been to read the legal name,' he said. 'We don't do nicknames or alternate names.'
Wolfe and his mother, April Billet-Barclay, pointed out that Wolfe is not asking to have his diploma rendered with his male name – though he is in the process of legally changing it – but only to be announced by his chosen male name at graduation as he receives his diploma.
The American Civil Liberties Union, which is representing Wolfe, said that it's not about the diploma but for Wolfe to be recognized for who he is. He has been publicly and socially identifying as a male and using the name Issak Wolfe for more than two years.
The standing-room-only crowd clapped for Wolfe after he spoke to the school board, describing how he has been hurt by the district and how he wants to help future transgender students.
'I stood up for myself,' he said afterward. 'I stood up for other students in the future, and that's what counts.'


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So much news passes before our collective eyes every day that we couldn't possibly cover it all. Mostly because much of it isn't worth covering! But here are a some borderline tidbits we passed on, just in case.
Suction Cup Device Pulls Up Fat People's Bellies
Ideally, this device—just a student project for now—helps you breathe if you are very very terribly obese. But if you're at the point where you need a suction cup to pull up your belly to help you breathe, are you even able to lift said device into position? [Futurity]
Robbers Know You're a Sucker By Your Beats Headphones
You're more likely to get mugged if you're wearing Beats headphones, apparently. And you know what? Good! Now you can go buy some cans that are actually worth the money. [NY Post]
Image by Getty
Apple MacBook Air Laptop
Powerful performance
The M1 chip delivers 3.5x faster performance than the previous generation all while using way less power. Get up to 18 hours of battery life.
Australia Invokes Oprah, Buys Laptops for Students
One Laptop Per Child just scored its biggest contract, with Australia putting millions of dollars towards 50,000 laptops for its children. That's about 10%, by the way—so more like if Oprah only handed out her favorite things to the front row. [Techworld]


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Story highlights
Devyani Khobragade is indicted on visa fraud and false statement charges
Diplomat faces arrest if she returns to the United States
Indictment comes days after court dismisses the original indictment against her
Diplomatic immunity is key defense in Khobragade's case
The Indian diplomat whose arrest sparked a diplomatic row with India has again been indicted by the federal government and faces arrest if she returns to the United States, federal prosecutors said Friday.
Devyani Khobragade faces one count of visa fraud and one count of making false statements for allegedly lying on a visa application about how much she paid her housekeeper, according to the indictment filed in a Manhattan federal court Friday.
An arrest warrant also was issued, said Jerika Richardson, spokeswoman for the United States attorney's office for the Southern District of New York.
The fresh indictment comes just days after the original indictment against Khobragade was dismissed by a federal judge who agreed with her lawyers' assertion that she was protected under diplomatic immunity at the time of the first indictment.
Federal prosecutors signaled Monday that a new indictment was likely.
Khobragade, who left the United States in January, now works for the Indian Ministry of External Affairs in Delhi.
Her attorney, Daniel Arshack, declined comment Friday. "The government of India will respond in due course," he said in a statement.
She was originally arrested and strip-searched by federal agents in New York City in December 2013. On January 9, a federal grand jury indicted her on one count of visa fraud and one count of making false statements, the same charges she now faces.
Khobragade filed a motion to dismiss the charges, claiming she was "cloaked in diplomatic immunity at the time of her arrest," according to court documents.
A federal judge agreed on Monday, ruling that Khobragade was "appointed a Counselor to the Permanent Mission of India to the United Nations, a position that cloaked her with full diplomatic immunity," according to court documents. She was appointed to that position on January 8, one day before her first indictment.
"Even if Khobragade had no immunity at the time of her arrest and has none now, her acquisition of immunity during the pendency of proceedings mandates dismissal," U.S. District Judge Shira Scheindlin wrote.
"The government may not proceed on an indictment obtained when Khobragade was immune from the jurisdiction of the court," Scheindlin ruled.
Arshack on Monday said Khobragade was pleased "the rule of law has prevailed."
India's external affairs spokesman, Syed Akbaruddin, issued a statement then welcoming the ruling.
Khobragade's case drew international attention, with Indian officials demanding apologies from Washington, and the United States announcing it would withdraw one official from its embassy in New Delhi.
READ: Charges against Indian diplomat who was strip searched dismissed
READ: India asks U.S. to withdraw official from its embassy in New Delhi, source says
READ: Opinion: Did India overreact to diplomat's arrest?
READ: Indian reaction to diplomat's arrest: Mix of Cold War legacy and politics?
CNN's Allison Malloy in New York and Harmeet Singh in New Delhi contributed to this report.


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My first impression of East London was naturally a general one. Later the details began to appear, and here and there in the chaos of misery I found little spots where a fair measure of happiness reigned—sometimes whole rows of houses in little out-of-the-way streets, where artisans dwell and where a rude sort of family life obtains. In the evenings the men can be seen at the doors, pipes in their mouths and children on their knees, wives gossiping, and laughter and fun going on. The content of these people is manifestly great, for, relative to the wretchedness that encompasses them, they are well off.
But at the best, it is a dull, animal happiness, the content of the full belly. The dominant note of their lives is materialistic. They are stupid and heavy, without imagination. The Abyss seems to exude a stupefying atmosphere of torpor, which wraps about them and deadens them. Religion passes them by. The Unseen holds for them neither terror nor delight. They are unaware of the Unseen; and the full belly and the evening pipe, with their regular "arf an' arf," is all they demand, or dream of demanding, from existence.
This would not be so bad if it were all; but it is not all. The satisfied torpor in which they are sunk is the deadly inertia that precedes dissolution. There is no progress, and with them not to progress is to fall back and into the Abyss. In their own lives they may only start to fall, leaving the fall to be completed by their children and their children's children. Man always gets less than he demands from life; and so little do they demand, that the less than little they get cannot save them.
At the best, city life is an unnatural life for the human; but the city life of London is so utterly unnatural that the average workman or workwoman cannot stand it. Mind and body are sapped by the undermining influences ceaselessly at work. Moral and physical stamina are broken, and the good workman, fresh from the soil, becomes in the first city generation a poor workman; and by the second city generation, devoid of push and go and initiative, and actually unable physically to perform the labour his father did, he is well on the way to the shambles at the bottom of the Abyss.
If nothing else, the air he breathes, and from which he never escapes, is sufficient to weaken him mentally and physically, so that he becomes unable to compete with the fresh virile life from the country hastening on to London Town to destroy and be destroyed.
Leaving out the disease germs that fill the air of the East End, consider but the one item of smoke. Sir William Thiselton-Dyer, curator of Kew Gardens, has been studying smoke deposits on vegetation, and, according to his calculations, no less than six tons of solid matter, consisting of soot and tarry hydrocarbons, are deposited every week on every quarter of a square mile in and about London. This is equivalent to twenty-four tons per week to the square mile, or 1248 tons per year to the square mile. From the cornice below the dome of St. Paul's Cathedral was recently taken a solid deposit of crystallised sulphate of lime. This deposit had been formed by the action of the sulphuric acid in the atmosphere upon the carbonate of lime in the stone. And this sulphuric acid in the atmosphere is constantly being breathed by the London workmen through all the days and nights of their lives.
It is incontrovertible that the children grow up into rotten adults, without virility or stamina, a weak-kneed, narrow-chested, listless breed, that crumples up and goes down in the brute struggle for life with the invading hordes from the country. The railway men, carriers, omnibus drivers, corn and timber porters, and all those who require physical stamina, are largely drawn from the country; while in the Metropolitan Police there are, roughly, 12,000 country-born as against 3000 London-born.
So one is forced to conclude that the Abyss is literally a huge man-killing machine, and when I pass along the little out-of-the-way streets with the full-bellied artisans at the doors, I am aware of a greater sorrow for them than for the 450,000 lost and hopeless wretches dying at the bottom of the pit. They, at least, are dying, that is the point; while these have yet to go through the slow and preliminary pangs extending through two and even three generations.
And yet the quality of the life is good. All human potentialities are in it. Given proper conditions, it could live through the centuries, and great men, heroes and masters, spring from it and make the world better by having lived.
I talked with a woman who was representative of that type which has been jerked out of its little out-of-the-way streets and has started on the fatal fall to the bottom. Her husband was a fitter and a member of the Engineers' Union. That he was a poor engineer was evidenced by his inability to get regular employment. He did not have the energy and enterprise necessary to obtain or hold a steady position.
The pair had two daughters, and the four of them lived in a couple of holes, called "rooms" by courtesy, for which they paid seven shillings per week. They possessed no stove, managing their cooking on a single gas-ring in the fireplace. Not being persons of property, they were unable to obtain an unlimited supply of gas; but a clever machine had been installed for their benefit. By dropping a penny in the slot, the gas was forthcoming, and when a penny's worth had forthcome the supply was automatically shut off. "A penny gawn in no time," she explained, "an' the cookin' not arf done!"
Incipient starvation had been their portion for years. Month in and month out, they had arisen from the table able and willing to eat more. And when once on the downward slope, chronic innutrition is an important factor in sapping vitality and hastening the descent.
Yet this woman was a hard worker. From 4.30 in the morning till the last light at night, she said, she had toiled at making cloth dress-skirts, lined up and with two flounces, for seven shillings a dozen. Cloth dress-skirts, mark you, lined up with two flounces, for seven shillings a dozen! This is equal to $1.75 per dozen, or 14.75 cents per skirt.
The husband, in order to obtain employment, had to belong to the union, which collected one shilling and sixpence from him each week. Also, when strikes were afoot and he chanced to be working, he had at times been compelled to pay as high as seventeen shillings into the union's coffers for the relief fund.
One daughter, the elder, had worked as green hand for a dressmaker, for one shilling and sixpence per week—37.5 cents per week, or a fraction over 5 cents per day. However, when the slack season came she was discharged, though she had been taken on at such low pay with the understanding that she was to learn the trade and work up. After that she had been employed in a bicycle store for three years, for which she received five shillings per week, walking two miles to her work, and two back, and being fined for tardiness.
As far as the man and woman were concerned, the game was played. They had lost handhold and foothold, and were falling into the pit. But what of the daughters? Living like swine, enfeebled by chronic innutrition, being sapped mentally, morally, and physically, what chance have they to crawl up and out of the Abyss into which they were born falling?
As I write this, and for an hour past, the air has been made hideous by a free-for-all, rough-and-tumble fight going on in the yard that is back to back with my yard. When the first sounds reached me I took it for the barking and snarling of dogs, and some minutes were required to convince me that human beings, and women at that, could produce such a fearful clamour.
Drunken women fighting! It is not nice to think of; it is far worse to listen to. Something like this it runs—
Incoherent babble, shrieked at the top of the lungs of several women; a lull, in which is heard a child crying and a young girl's voice pleading tearfully; a woman's voice rises, harsh and grating, "You 'it me! Jest you 'it me!" then, swat! challenge accepted and fight rages afresh.
The back windows of the houses commanding the scene are lined with enthusiastic spectators, and the sound of blows, and of oaths that make one's blood run cold, are borne to my ears. Happily, I cannot see the combatants.
A lull; "You let that child alone!" child, evidently of few years, screaming in downright terror. "Awright," repeated insistently and at top pitch twenty times straight running; "you'll git this rock on the 'ead!" and then rock evidently on the head from the shriek that goes up.
A lull; apparently one combatant temporarily disabled and being resuscitated; child's voice audible again, but now sunk to a lower note of terror and growing exhaustion.
Voices begin to go up the scale, something like this:-
Sufficient affirmation on both sides, conflict again precipitated. One combatant gets overwhelming advantage, and follows it up from the way the other combatant screams bloody murder. Bloody murder gurgles and dies out, undoubtedly throttled by a strangle hold.
Entrance of new voices; a flank attack; strangle hold suddenly broken from the way bloody murder goes up half an octave higher than before; general hullaballoo, everybody fighting.
Lull; new voice, young girl's, "I'm goin' ter tyke my mother's part;" dialogue, repeated about five times, "I'll do as I like, blankety, blank, blank!" "I'd like ter see yer, blankety, blank, blank!" renewed conflict, mothers, daughters, everybody, during which my landlady calls her young daughter in from the back steps, while I wonder what will be the effect of all that she has heard upon her moral fibre.


text: The desire to make better decisions faster is one of the fundamental drivers of new big data analytics technologies and a general push toward data-driven decision-making. But the relationship between data and intuition \u2014 the old 'gut feeling' \u2014 is a complicated one, says Peter Swabey, senior editor, technology at the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), the research and analysis division of The Economist Group.\n\n\n\n"They both play a role," Swabey says. "The process of developing data is the process of trying to identify what the true state is. In identifying that, your intuition could be a useful guide."\n\n\nIn an effort to better understand how business decisions are made, predictive analytics firm Applied Predictive Technologies (APT) asked the EIU to conduct a study, resulting in a report released this week: Decisive action: How businesses make decisions and how they could do it better.\n\n\nIn February 2014, EIU surveyed 174 senior managers and executives from around the world and from a range of industries, 49 percent of whom represented organizations with more than $500 million in annual revenue. EIU also conducted ind-depth interviews with practitioners and experts.\n\n\nThe study found that 42 percent of respondents said they collect and analyze data as much as possible before making a decision, while an additional 17 percent said they approach decisions empirically by developing hypotheses and performing tests to prove or disprove them. In other words, 59 percent rely on data to help them make decisions. Of the remainder of respondents, 32 percent said they seek to collaborate on decisions as much as possible, while only 10 percent said they primarily rely on intuition to make decisions.\n\n\n"Despite the apparent popularity of data-driven decision-making, however, intuition is in fact valued highly," says Jane Bird, author of the EIU report. "Nearly three-quarters of respondents (73 percent) say they trust their own intuition when it comes to decision-making. Even among the data-driven decision-makers, over two-thirds (68 percent) agree with that statement."\n\n\nAnd, Bird notes, 68 percent of them would be trusted by their peers and superiors to make a decision not supported by data.\n\n\n"However much data you take in, and whatever the interview process, when you get to the end there has to be an element of gut feel too," says Alison Robb, group director for people, customer, communications and commercial at Nationwide Building Society, one of the expert practitioners interviewed for the EIU report. "It's partly chemistry, experience and knowing what you do and don't like."\n\nIntuition Can Help Identify Problems With Data Analysis\n\nPerhaps nothing illustrates the inextricable link between data-driven decisions and human intuition better than how people would respond if the available data contradicted gut feeling. Fully 57 percent of survey respondents said that if confronted with that situation, the first thing they would do is reanalyze the data; 30 percent said they would collect more data and only 10 percent said they would take the course of action suggested by the data.\n\n\nAs an example, Rupert Naylor, vice president of APT, says that just last week, an APT client ran a test of the effectiveness of putting inserts into newspapers: Would they drive more sales?\n\n\n"They ran the analysis and the results came back completely flat," Naylor says. "There was no difference between the performance of the tests and the control."\n\n\nSurprised by the results, which on the face of it suggested that inserts don't drive additional sales at all, the client asked APT to check whether anything had gone wrong with the analytics software. But APT found the analysis had been run properly. Dumbfounded, the client spoke to the media agency responsible for the test, only to discover that the agency had failed to run it.\n\n\n"That was a great victory for data," Naylor says. "The data was saying that nothing had happened."\n\n\n"It's also a vindication of intuition," Swabey adds. "It's the fact that the result was counterintuitive that indicated something was wrong."\n\n\nEven as organizations move to become more data-driven in their decision-making, Bird says the survey findings suggest that intuition should also be valued and cultivated.\n\n\n"Evidently both intuition and analysis contribute to effective decision-making, in business as in life," she says. "Rather than a weakness that must be avoided, intuition should instead be seen as a skill that is appropriate in the right circumstances."\n\n\nIn fact, she suggests that to improve the nature of decision-making within organizations, those organizations must acknowledge that decision-making itself is a standalone skill that can be improved just like other skills. Furthermore, she says, organizations must hold executives accountable for the quality of their decisions.\n\n\nIn the report, 19 percent of respondents said decision-makers in their organizations are not held accountable at all, while 59 percent acknowledged that poor decision-makers will still be allowed to progress within their organization. And it may be that this state of affairs persists due to a lack of transparency in decision-making. Two-thirds (64 percent) of respondents said information about who makes decisions and why is restricted to sufficiently senior employees; only 26 percent said that information is freely available to everyone.\n\n\n"This implies that in a significant minority of organizations, senior managers take decisions behind closed doors for opaque reasons and, should those decisions turn out to be the wrong ones, are not held accountable," Bird says. "This is a disturbing state of affairs."\n\n\nGerry Grimstone, chairman of insurer Standard Life, says it is essential to cultivate accountability while at the same time ensuring that executives don't exist in a climate of fear that prevents them from raising serious issues until it is too late.\n\n\n"I'm a great believer in accountability, and I'm happy that my board members have got some liability," he says. "They take better decisions if they think that there are reputational consequences if they get it wrong."\n\n\nFollow Thor on Google+\n\n\nThor Olavsrud covers IT Security, Big Data, Open Source, Microsoft Tools and Servers for CIO.com. Follow Thor on Twitter @ThorOlavsrud. Follow everything from CIO.com on Twitter @CIOonline, Facebook, Google + and LinkedIn.


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The 10-Minute Plyometrics Workout For Runners
Yes, you can get meaningful benefits for your running with a 10-minute workout.
Yes, you can get meaningful benefits for your running with a 10-minute workout.
You got home from work late. You were going to run for 45 minutes, but now you've only got 10 minutes before your best friend picks you up for dinner.
It's 11:50 am. You're in a hotel room. Checkout time is noon. It sure would be nice to have done some kind of workout before you head to the airport for a long flight home.
You've only got 10 minutes. What can you do?
First of all, you should do something. A lot of runners assume 10 minutes is not enough time to do anything that will make a difference to their running, but that's not true. You can burn anywhere from 100 to 200 calories in 10 minutes of running. Do that 20 times a year instead of taking a day off because you "don't have enough time" and you'll prevent a pound of weight gain—or lose a pound.
RELATED: The Benefits of Plyometrics For Runners
Also, runners underestimate the degree to which every step they take counts as stride practice. Runners put too much stock in the metabolic element of running fitness and not enough in the neuromuscular aspect. A 10-minute run might not be long enough to stress your metabolic system and stimulate fitness improvement in that way, but it's enough time to complete about 1,500 practice steps, which will help to refine your running coordination—and more than half of long-term improvements in running performance come from such refinements.
Finally, you can't underestimate the mental benefits of 10 minutes of exercise. If you do that instead of nothing you will get a nice mood boost, ameliorate a bit of that cabin-fever feeling, and assuage some of the guilt of not exercising at all.
Okay, you're convinced. You should do something. But what is the best possible use of 10 minutes for the runner? Without taking away from the value of 10 minutes of slow or fast running, I will argue that the best way to allocate 10 minutes is to perform a short plyometrics workout.
Plyometrics, or jumping exercise, is something that every runner should do and that most runners don't do. Running is a form of jumping. Plyometrics isolates and exaggerates the jumping element in running and thereby improves running performance in a way that running itself does not. This is a proven fact. One study found that runners who replaced one-third of their normal running with plyometrics improved their race times, while runners who continued with their normal running schedule did not.
RELATED: The World's Most Efficient Strength Workout
You might think that plyos improve running performance by increasing muscle power in the legs, but that appears not to be the case. Instead, plyos improve running performance by enhancing leg stiffness during running. The legs function as springs when you run. Each time a foot lands, the body sends impact forces into the ground; these forces then rebound back into the foot, propelling forward motion. About half of the energy required for running comes to us "free" from these physics. But not all of the energy that enters the ground comes back into the foot and is used for propulsion. A certain amount dissipates. The relative stiffness of the legs is one major factor that determine how much of the available free energy is captured and used. A runner who has nice, tight joints and is able to tense the right muscles to the right degree at the right time creates a stiffer spring that captures more energy. Plyometrics enhances this ability.
The great thing about plyos for runners is that it doesn't take much to make a difference. Whereas 10 minutes is inarguably shorter than the ideal amount of time for any type of run, it's plenty of time for a full plyometrics session. Here's one:
10-Minute Plyometrics Workout
Warm up with 3 minutes of walking lunges, deep squats, and jumping jacks to prepare your legs for maximal-effort jumping.
Jump as high as you can off both feet. Repeat 20 times.
Rest 1 minute.
Assume a split stance (one foot a half-step ahead of the other), bend down, and jump as high as you can. In midair, reverse the positions of your legs and land in the new stance. Continue jumping and alternating your leg positions until you've competed 20 total jumps.
Rest 1 minute.
Stand on your right foot with your left knee bent and your left foot elevated. Bend down and jump as high as you can. Land on the same foot. Complete 10 total jumps and then do 10 more off the left foot.
About The Author:
Matt Fitzgerald is the author of numerous books, including Racing Weight: How To Get Lean For Peak Performance (VeloPress, 2012). He is also a Training Intelligence Specialist for PEAR Sports. To learn more about Matt visit www.mattfitzgerald.org.