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Africa may be "rising" on the back of strong economic growth but, away from the bullish headlines and investor excitement, many people still live under repressive regimes where their basic rights are violated and their lives at risk for speaking out.
Restriction of assembly and expression, detention of journalists, partisan and heavy-handed security forces, discrimination on grounds of sex, sexuality and religion, and poverty prolonged by corrupt institutions are some of the problems flagged in the 2013 Human Rights Watch World Report.
Launched on Thursday in Johannesburg and London, the 680-page report profiles 90 countries, including 18 sub-Saharan Africa, and pulls together research from teams around the world who investigate and follow up on reports of human rights' violations.
From around the continent, there are bleak accounts of either increasingly repressive regimes deliberately targeting journalists and activists, or weak government structures that are unable to protect their citizens' rights and maintain the rule of law.
Besides conflict zones such as the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mali and Somalia, there are accounts of thousands of people a year fleeing forced labour and prolonged military service in Eritrea, which has held no election since its independence in 1993; activists imprisoned in oil-rich but poverty-stricken Equatorial Guinea; and the ongoing political problems and rights abuses in Zimbabwe.
The report also details troubles in Kenya, where slow police service reform is hampering its ability to control political violence in the run-up to the election; state intimidation of opposition and civil society groups in Rwanda; the arbitrary application of anti-terror laws and forced rural displacements in Ethiopia; and an increasingly violent campaign against critical voices in Angola.
Escalating border conflicts
Catalogued too are the escalating border conflicts in South Sudan and reports of abuse by security forces; the violent suppression of student-led protests in Sudan, whose president remains subject to a warrant issued by the International Criminal Court for alleged crimes against humanity in Darfur; and in Uganda the limits to freedom of expression, assembly and association and the state-led campaign against homosexuals. South Africa is also analysed, with questions asked about the Marikana tragedy and its causes, and how the Traditional Courts Bill and Protection of State Information Bill can be reconciled with the country's Constitution.
The rather grim list jars with the Afro-optimism narrative currently favoured by the international media, who had come under fire for only reporting bad news about the continent and are now trying to find brighter angles to match its economic growth.
Tiseke Kasambala, Africa advocacy director at Human Rights Watch, said: "There have been gains on the economic front in Africa, we see a growing middle class, more spending power, etc. But I think we must maintain perspective. These economic gains will always be precarious as long as there is no respect for human rights.
"You have countries like Rwanda and Ethiopia, which are touted for their great economic and development gains but, on the ground, they are still denying basic rights to their people and, when people try to report this domestically, they face repression."
Citing the situation in Mali, Kasambala said it was important that problems were not airbrushed to fit with the new optimism about Africa. "People are talking about Mali as having been one of Africa's more stable democracies but, in fact, it was a cosmetic democracy with weak institutions. These issues have led to the current problems there now. This is not something that has erupted overnight as some people seem to think."
More responsibility
Corruption, and its impact on governance and institutional capacity, is a recurring theme in many of the report's African country chapters.
Kasambala said corruption and human rights were "intrinsically linked" and that the failure to combat graft in governments affected the economic, cultural and social rights of citizens. "You can't really separate the two. Look at Kenya, where we have seen failures of state institutions to properly address rights issues on the ground, or Nigeria, where corruption has hampered the delivery of education, something we have seen here in South Africa too."
But, she added, it was not all bad news and there were encouraging signs about African governments taking more responsibility for regional stability and rights issues, which should be applauded.
John Endres, chief executive of Good Governance Africa, a Johannesburg-based research and advocacy organisation, welcomed the report, which he said was an important reminder of Africa's progress but also of its challenges.
"Organisations like Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International shine their spotlight in places where the light doesn't often reach. By doing this, they are increasing transparency and highlighting problems. They make it harder to hide mischief and help those issues to be addressed," he said.
Read the full report at hrw.org


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What's Cooking in the U.S. Restaurant Industry? Competition
John Torres, VP, Product Innovation, Nielsen, and Song Lin, Sr. Analyst, Nielsen
What's on the menu for the U.S. restaurant industry this year? In a word, competition. In fact, that's the Blue Plate special. It's also more intense than ever, according to the 2013 Restaurant Growth Index (RGI), which Nielsen compiles annually for Restaurant Business.
The RGI, which charts restaurant openings and sales to identify the nation's hottest markets, pegged last year as one of volatile divergence. That's because Nielsen tracked a $3.8 billion dip to $472.4 billion in total industry sales and a surge in new restaurant openings—47,161. Comparatively, sales grew $17.5 billion to $476.2 billion in 2011—a year that saw a decrease of 16,000 restaurants. That sales uptick in 2011 is what helped fuel the spike in openings last year, but the glut of new restaurants is milking the industry's bottom line. Last year, per-restaurant sales dropped 7 percent to $666,116 from $719,276. Likewise, restaurant sales fell year-over-year by $24 per person (to $1,509 from $1,533) despite the fact that per-person income increased an average of 0.07 percent.
Even though aggregate sales were down in 2012, the top 10 markets in the 2013 RGI were more profitable relative to the average market than their top 10 counterparts were in 2011. If we add the index scores for the top 10 markets in this year's RGI, we have 4,731, well above the 4,052 points in last year's.
So what do those index numbers mean exactly? The restaurants in those markets are going gangbusters. They also suggest that competition sharpens in a shrinking market and magnifies the difference in performance between the best and the average operations.
Here's how Nielsen arrives at its RGI figures:
The Top 5 Restaurant Markets
We have a new market in the top spot this year: Ocean Pines, Md., the No. 6 market last year. This market constitutes the eastern most county in Maryland, which includes the entire length of the state's Atlantic coast, and is home to the popular vacation resort area of Ocean City. With a large influx of tourists, this market has very strong per-capita restaurant sales, which is what drives the RGI score.
Findlay, Ohio made it to the No. 2 spot this year, jumping all the way from the No. 99 spot in 2012. This market, which has strong ties to the Toledo metropolitan area, saw its restaurant sales nearly double year-over-year. Nielsen's Business Growth Index (BGI), which tracks changes in the number and size of all businesses over time, ranks this market in the top 10 nationally for overall economic growth. Much of that growth has come from recent corporate developments in the town, which is now home to Marathon Petroleum and a global tech center for Cooper Tire and Rubber Co.
Liberal, Kan. took the No. 3 spot this year, as this market more than doubled its restaurant sales from 2012. Much like those in Findlay, businesses in Liberal have many openings, which, when coupled with a shortage of housing units, inspires visitors and temporary residents to eat out more frequently. The success of Liberal's semi-pro Bee Jays baseball team, frequent national and state champions, also draws more visitors to the area.
Sevierville, Tenn.—gateway to Smoky Mountain Nation Park and last year's #3 market—dropped to No. 4. The average restaurant sales per person for the market tipped $4,400 last year, but dropped to roughly $3,600 per person this year, which is still more than double the national average. More net restaurants (14) were added to this market year-over-year, creating a bit more competition.
Boone, N.C., reached the fifth spot this year, rising from No. 37 in 2012. Boone is a tourist destination, drawing 225,000 each year. It's also home to Appalachian State University, which has seen dramatic growth in the last decade and ranks in the top 5 percent for general business growth in Nielsen's BGI. The influx of students and tourists helped drive up its 2013 RGI score.
Among the top 50 markets by population, Orlando and Las Vegas rank high, with Las Vegas swapping places with Orlando for the top spot in 2013. Nevada also tops the state-level market rankings this year. Generally speaking, tourism dollars and disproportionate restaurant sales as percentage of per person income consistently keeps these markets high in the ranks.
How We Ranked Them
The RGI ranks both metro and micro markets, where a metro area contains a core urban area of 50,000 or more population, and a micro area contains an urban core of at least 10,000 (but less than 50,000) population. Each metro or micro area consists of one or more counties encompassing the core urban area while integrating adjacent counties that have a high degree of social and economic similarities. The RGI is designed to help restaurants screen markets and find attractive areas for expansion and growth. These market rankings represent underserved areas that signal strong restaurant sales relative to the national average.
The RGI uses restaurant sales collected by the U.S. Census of Retail Trade and per capita income reported by the U.S. Census Bureau and updated by Nielsen. Restaurant location data comes by way of Nielsen through Infogroup. Sales figures conflate visitors and residents of each market. So, smaller markets that are tourist destinations with high transience and heavy thru traffic tend to index high. Market size should be considered in addition to market rank in assessing opportunities for future restaurants.
For more information and the 2013 RGI Index, please click here.

subset: commoncrawl


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Chalk talk: Saints at Bucs Q&A
Prior to the Saints' second game of the season at Tampa Bay, WDSU Sports Anchors Fletcher Mackel and Sharief Ishaq as well as Digital Editor Richard Fischer answered some questions about the contest.
Here are five burning questions:
1. What stood out to you the most in the Saints' season-opening victory over the Falcons?
Fletcher: The ability to pressure Matt Ryan with just the guys up front. Former Saints Defensive Coordinator Gregg Williams made the Saints defense respectable by dialing up a ton of exotic blitzes. Under Williams, we routinely saw safeties and corners blitzing. In 2012, with Steve Spagnuolo, the Saints failed to generate any type of pass rush. Ryan was able to get three sacks and get in Matt Ryan's face all day using just his guys up front. The way the Saints played against the Falcons reminded me a lot of the way the San Francisco 49ers play defense, which is a good thing.
Sharief: I don't think this is a shocking answer. Rob Ryan's defense ruled the day. Roman Harper silenced his critics for at least a game with the game-winning interception and a fumble recovery that have the Saints momentum in a 13-0 run. Pressure by the front seven saw the Falcons go 2-for-11 on 3rd downs. Chalk that win up because of the defense.
Richard: Gotta be the defense. But more specifically, the ability to limit big plays. Sure Stephen Jackson and Harry Douglas broke off 50-yard gains, but neither play finished in the end zone. And on one, New Orleans was able to hold Atlanta to a field goal near the goal line. It's the NFL. Everyone gives up big plays sometimes. And that's a huge improvement over last year's defense that seemed to give up one big play score after another.
2. Will the Saints' defense continue playing at that high of a level?
Fletcher: I think the Saints defense will be better than the unit that allowed 7.042 yards in 2012, but they'll still struggle at times this season. Remember, the Falcons did chalk up several big plays and were within one play of winning.
Sharief: It's tough for any defense to play out of its mind for 16 games. But coming off last season, they can only go up from there. I think they go rank in the top 15 by year's end. I believe Ryan will continue to improve with sending pressure as the season goes on.
Richard: Probably not. 17 points will be among the least Atlanta scores all season, so that was a heck of a Herculean effort. It'll be impossible to continue stifling offenses to that degree, but they certainly showed the ability to play much better than 'just getting by' defense. And that's enough. The defense showed it could even win a game in the final minute with that amazing goal line stand. Bottom line: They won't have to be that good – just almost that good – for New Orleans to be a legitimate Super Bowl contender. And I think they can do it.
3. How important is it for New Orleans to beat the Bucs and start 2-0?
Fletcher: Important but not make or break. It's a long season. Beating Tampa gives the Saints an amazing lead in the NFC South but the Bucs have talent, and I've said all along I think this game is a problem spot for the Saints.
Sharief: Starting 2-0 is important for any team especially when those two victories are against the NFC South. Remember they started last season 1-4.
Richard: The Saints have a real opportunity to start 4-0 if they can win here. And they may need to with the gauntlet that sits ahead. Winning this game just about guarantees New Orleans will have a winning record in the division, and it puts a deceptively tough road game in the rear view. It's no more important than any of the other 16, but it sure feels like it is.
4. What matchup are you looking forward to most?
Fletcher: The rebuilt Bucs secondary (Dashon Goldson and Darrelle Revis) vs. Drew Brees and the Saints WRs. Tampa Bay built a team to stop Drew Brees and Matt Ryan. Adding Goldson from the 49ers and Revis from the Jets was big, but is it enough to stop or slow down Brees on Sunday?
Sharief: I wanna see what the defensive line does against Josh Freeman. He's a different quarterback than Matt Ryan. Freeman can scramble around and make plays happen. Can the defensive line contain him and will the linebackers be able to blitz and sack him? Should be a good test for the defense.
Richard: Can the Saints contain Vincent Jackson? The 6 foot 5 inch receiver was a thorn in the Saints' side last year, especially in the game contested in Tampa when he caught seven passes for 216 yards and a touchdown. I don't know if it'll be Jabari Green, Keenan Lewis, Patrick Robinson or a combination of all three on Jackson, but New Orleans will need to do something to stop him from making the highlight reel.
5. What is your score prediction and why?
Fletcher: Sorry Saints fans, but I have the Saints finishing 10-6 overall ,and this is one of the team's losses. The Buccaneers are bordering on being a dysfunctional mess. Is Josh Freeman really a team captain/leader? Is head coach Greg Schiano too much of a disciplinarian? But, the Bucs have talent, lots of talent and that talent plays well this Sunday against the Saints.
Sharief: Before the season started I said I'm not gonna pick the Saints every game like a fan and they would lose this game. But after watching the Bucs lose to a terrible Jets team, I think the Saints should win this game. Tampa Bay's offense looked terrible and if the Saints shut them out last season this could be just as bad. Plus Drew Brees has good games against the Bucs. Saints 31, Bucs 20.
Richard: Entering the season, I thought this was a serious trap game coming off of an emotional season opener versus the Falcons. The Bucs started 6-4 last year before the wheels absolutely came off the wagon, and that's not an easy place to play, especially early in the season. But I hated what I saw out of Tampa's offense last week, and the Saints picked up right where they left off when Sean Payton was at the helm. I see New Orleans winning, but when you least expect it, the Bucs can sneak up and get ya. Saints 31, Bucs 17.
Related content:
Chalk talk: Saints at Bucs: Key individual matchups
Chalk talk: Saints at Bucs: How the units stack up
Beef with 'Rief: Week 1 performances change perspective on Week 2 matchup
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For example on index I can see all the images but for some reasons on the login page it doesn't show the image.
But on index it shows the background (the background from the index is the same as the background from the login page)
That is what I use for HTTPS redirect in .htaccess
Code: Select all
RewriteEngine On
RewriteCond %{HTTPS} !on
RewriteRule (.*) https://%{HTTP_HOST}%{REQUEST_URI} [R,L]


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Ali Pincus Talks About Hunters Alley, the New Premium Used Goods Unit of One Kings Lane (Video)
Online home decor retailer One Kings Lane is debuting its first new brand today, launching a site aimed at allowing its users to sell items they own to other customers.
Called Hunters Alley, the move to facilitate the sales of premium used decor and furnishings is part of an aggressive growth plan begun last year that has included the expansion of its offices and staff to compete in its main business of offering a curated shopping experience. Current competitors include Boston-based Wayfair, which aims at less-high-end goods in the multibillion-dollar home goods market.
In moving to the consumer-to-consumer market — in contrast to its current business-to-consumer marketplace for flash sales of goods — One Kings Lane puts itself in more direct competition with e-commerce behemoth eBay.
In an interview yesterday, One Kings Lane co-founder Ali Pincus and CEO Doug Mack noted that Hunters Alley was created after some of its users clamored to sell their pieces on the site. They decided that a separate brand was needed to do so.
Under the new site, those consumers will create seller sites — vetted by and using handsome photographs orchestrated by Hunters Alley — to sell what the company calls "a mix of high and low, almost new and lovingly used, vintage and antique," for 21 days. Customers can choose items by categories or seller, and can also explore goods in an editorially selected area called, yes, "Hunts."
Sellers can use a self-service option to sell or avail themselves of the services of Hunters Alley, which then will take a commission based on the level of help, from 25 percent to 50 percent. Initially, sellers' goods can only be located in California.
To help pay for the expansion, One Kings Lane raised $50 million at the end of last year, making the total funding to date $117 million. Investors include Institutional Venture Partners, Kleiner Perkins, Greylock Partners and Tiger Global Management, as well as strategic investor Scripps Networks Interactive, which owns the television network HGTV. It has used the funds to grow its sales to several hundred million dollars annually, although the startup is still unprofitable.
Here's Pincus talking about the new effort — which has already collected several hundred items to sell, and will debut in June — in a video interview I did with her at One Kings Lane's San Francisco offices yesterday:


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A financial adviser (or advisor) is a professional who renders financial services to clients. According to the U.S. Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), terms such as financial adviser and financial planner are general terms or job titles used by investment professionals and do not denote any specific designations.[1] FINRA describes the main groups of investment professionals who may use the term financial advisor to be: brokers, investment advisers, accountants, lawyers, insurance agents and financial planners.[2]
Financial advisors typically provide clients/customers with financial products and services, depending on the licenses they hold and the training they have had. For example, an insurance agent may be qualified to sell both life insurance and variable annuities. A broker may also be a financial planner.[2] Put simply, a financial advisor is a financial products salesperson.
A financial advisor is generally compensated through fees, commissions, or a combination of both. For example, a financial advisor may be compensated in one or more of the following ways:[3]
Both spellings, advisor and adviser, are grammatically correct and denote someone who provides advice. Some sources suggest that adviser refers to anyone who gives advice, while advisor refers to one who is specifically tasked to provide advice.[4] According to one textbook, adviser and advisor are not interchangeable in the financial services industry, since the term adviser is generally used "when referring to legislative acts and their requirements and advisor when referring to a practitioner. Since [a financial advisor's practice] is never described as an advisery practice, advisor is preferable when not referencing the law."[5]
In the United States, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) regulates and oversees the activities of brokerage firms, and their registered representatives. The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) regulates investment advisers and their investment adviser representatives. Insurance companies, insurance agencies and insurance producers are regulated by state authorities.[1] Investment Advisors may be registered with state regulatory agencies, the Securities and Exchange Commission, or pursuant to certain exemptions, remain unregistered.[6]
The anti-fraud provisions of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 and most state laws impose a duty on IAs to act as fiduciaries in dealings with their clients. This means the adviser must hold the client's interest above its own in all matters. The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has said that an adviser has a duty to:[6]
Since the financial crisis in 2008, there has been great debate regarding the fiduciary standard and to which advisors it should apply. In July 2010, The Dodd–Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act mandated increased consumer protection measures, including enhanced disclosures and authorized the SEC to extend the fiduciary duty to include brokers rather than only advisors regulated by the 1940 Act. As of March 2013, the SEC has yet to extend the fiduciary duty to all brokers and advisors regardless of their designation. Opposition to the fiduciary standard maintains that the higher standard of fiduciary duty, vs the lower standard of suitability, would be too costly to implement and reduce choice for consumers.
A Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) refers to an IA that is registered with the SEC or a states securities agency and typically provides investment advice to a retail investor or registered investment company such as a mutual fund, or exchange-traded fund. Registration does not signify that the SEC has passed on the merit of a particular IA. Regulation is fragmented in that some registered investment advisors are regulated by the individual states, while others are regulated federally by the SEC.[8]
An Unregistered Investment Adviser refers to an IA that is not registered with the SEC or a states securities agency and typically provides investment advice to private pools of capital. Such an investment pool is commonly known as a hedge fund or a private equity fund.
The financial advisor role in Canada is varied. Most financial advisors carry licenses to sell life insurance, securities, or mutual funds, or some combination of all three. The life insurance license is obtained through successful completion of the life license qualification program, except in Quebec, where licensing is completed through the Autorité des marchés financiers.[9] There are three distinct securities licenses available. Completion of the Canadian Securities Course allows the sale of most types of securities, including stocks, bonds, and mutual funds. More advanced licensing is required for the sale of derivatives and commodities. Completion of a mutual funds course allows the adviser to sell mutual funds only, excluding certain types of very specialized funds and importantly, exchange-traded funds (ETFs)—although recently non-securities licensed financial advisors have gained access to ETFs through new mutual fund products. The third possible license is the exempt securities license.
In many, but not all, cases, licensing requires the support of a dealer or insurer. It is also mandatory for advisors to carry Errors and Omissions Insurance. The term financial advisor can refer to the entire spectrum of advisers. In general, the industry in Canada is segmented into three channels of advisers: MGA, MFDA and IIROC. However, there is little regulatory control exercised over use of the term, and, as such, many insurance brokers, insurance agents, securities brokers, financial planners and others identify themselves as financial advisors.
Many financial advisors in Canada are also financial planners. While there are numerous financial planning designations, the most common is the Certified Financial Planner designation although the Personal Financial Planner designation is also popular in Canada. There is no regulation, outside of Quebec, of the term "Financial Planner".[10]
There are three main bodies awarding qualifications for financial advisers in the UK. The main one is the Chartered Insurance Institute, which offers professional financial services qualifications all the way from beginner to degree levels. The IFS School of Finance offers alternative courses/qualifications in certain specialist areas such as mortgages and equity release. The Institute of Financial Planning offers the Certified Financial Planner.
In the United Kingdom, investment advice is given either by a financial adviser or a stockbroker.
Financial advisers need to pass a series of exams and receive a Certificate in Financial Planning (previously the Financial Planning Certificate) or the Certificate for Financial Advisers, and also authorized by the Financial Services Authority, a UK government qango that must be satisfied that the adviser is a "fit and proper person" before they may practice. This is to be replaced in December 2012 with a new standard of qualification classed as Diploma and all existing advisers will have to attain the new qualifications to be able to continue to give advice in future. Typically a diploma or higher qualified adviser will have Dip FA or Dip PFS after their name.
The title Chartered Financial Planner is the most widely accepted "gold standard" qualification available for professional financial planners/ financial advisers in the United Kingdom. Financial advisers are either tied, restricted or independent, and as the classifications suggest, tied advisers can only recommend 'financial products' marketed by the company they represent. Typically that company employs them but in some cases they work for that organisation under a type of self-employed contract that usually precludes other paid work. Restricted advisers perform a similar role, except they represent a number of different companies or do not advise on the whole of the market (for example choosing not to recommend certain structures of investment would make an adviser "resticted"). An Independent Financial Advisor must offer advice on all 'financial products' on the market (which carry commission) and, in addition, must offer clients the choice of paying a fee for advice about a product or products, rather than being remunerated commission from the financial institution that is promoting the product.
Best advice is a concept that was never more than a heading in the FSA/PIA/NASDIM regulations (and is now withdrawn in favour of the 'appropriate' standard) and which refers to the general obligation under Contract Law (Agency) that a broker has to find the correct 'financial product' to match a client 'need'. A provider firm must not make a recommendation unless it has a suitable product to offer. If it offers no suitable products then none should be recommended. A multi-tied firm must not make any recommendations unless it has access to a suitable product from the providers on their panel. In the UK many believe impartial advice can be obtained only by consulting an independent financial adviser.
The QFA ("qualified financial advisor") designation is awarded to those who pass the Professional Diploma in Financial Advice and agree to comply with the ongoing "continuous professional development" (CPD) requirements. It is the recognised benchmark designation for financial advisers working in retail financial services. The qualification, and attaching CPD programme, meets the "minimum competency requirements" (MCR) specified by the Financial Regulator, for advising on and selling five categories of retail financial products:
The National Certificate in Financial Services [Financial Advice] [Level 5] is currently being introduced in New Zealand. All Individuates and registered legal entities providing financial services must be registered as a (Registered Financial Service Provider). Their Directors, retail and sales staff are required to gain the national certificate.
The New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) in conjunction with industry groups via the ETITO administers a qualifications frame work for the qualification. Registrations and examinations are conducted by the ETITO.[11] All financial advisers are required to register with the ETITO by March 31, 2011.
The Qualifications Framework consists of a core set of competencies sets, A B C followed by 2 electives covering specialist areas such as Insurance and Residential Property Lending. Certain NZQA approved qualifications such as an Accountancy degree may exempt students from competency set A NZQA approved training. The certificate is offered by the accredited organizations.
In South Korea, the Korea Financial Investment Association oversees the licensing of investment advisors.
In financial advisers.
Private equity, Finance, Corporate finance, French language, Venture capital
United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Missouri, Des Peres, Missouri
Politics, Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania, Economics, Accounting
Microsoft Dynamics CRM, Pareto principle, Athletes Against Autism, Kelowna, Ottawa, Tampa Bay


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By Coach Carlos
Resistance is a key factor when you look at any successful training system. You have to learn how to accommodate resistance. There are various tools that can help you with this resistance accommodation. Weight releasers, chains, bands, and different specialty bars can all be used. When you learn about all of these different tools, it… [Continue Reading]
Another year has come and gone at ConjugateFitness, and the people have spoken… In this post, we've pulled together the 13 most popular articles on the ConjugateFitness blog in 2015. Yep… this is the stuff you can't miss out on. Coming in #1 (by far) is… #1 – [Swipe] ConjugateFitness Best Special Exercises So… how do we… [Continue Reading]
Louie Simmons has created the strongest gym in the WORLD Westside Barbell®. That being said he is constantly evolving his coaching knowledge and training methods. In today's post, we share Louie Simmons' Podcast on the importance of developing a strong posterior chain. IN THIS EPISODE YOU'LL LEARN – 13 HAMSTRING INJURY PREVENTION MISTAKES: Lack of… [Continue Reading]


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More generally, Postmodernity can be characterised as a process of de-differentation of what Modernity has differentiated. Max Weber analysed the modernisation process as a progressive autonomisation of domains such as Science, Religion, Art, Justice, Philosophy, Technology and so on (Lash, 1990). Psychology is a product of this modern process of differnetiation. Lash describes postmodernism as a process of de-differentation of all these domains. The moves of the subdisciplines of psychology can so be re-interpreted. Part of them will join Technology. But the core of Psychology, in other words the historically developed art and science of self-reflexivity and 'political' action (the participation of the individual in the constrcution of social networks), will have to make itself a new future by developing a science of postmodern men and women. This whole field now is open to sociologists, philosophers and pyschoanalysts. When I read The Meeting of the Waters : Individuality, Community and Solidarity (Kristensen, 1997), I was convinced that most of the chapters – the book is a reader – were written down by personality psychologists or social psychologists, as many chapters deal with Self and Identity. Rob Shields' analysis of Cinderella as a prefiguration of the postmodern problem of identity in everyday life and in cyberspaces leading to 'psychoanaesthesia' and depression, should have been written by a psychologists. However, all these chapters are written by sociologists. The book is a fine example of the deadlock in which modern psychology has brought itself by cutting off its communication with the culturally and historically rooted problems of individual men and women in their everyday life. For the psychologist of postmodernity this should not be a reason for bitterness or envy, but an encouragement. It should strengthen him or her in the conviction that the death of the Modern Ego does not imply the death of psychology as such (Rosseel 2001).
Having acquired my first digital recorder while working in Iqaluit, Nunavut I began to depend on this exciting new technology. To my frustration later on I realized that I was unable to use the .dss files in most applications. But today I found Switch 1.04 and for the first time I was able to save a .dss file to .wav. I chose an audio summary I had made of Kristensen's (1997) The Meeting of the Waters : Individuality, Community and Solidarity. I would now like to find a place to put in into cyberspace. The conversion was seamless! And I have an editor now so I can edit my audio clips.
Keywords: .dss, .wav, Rob Shields, reflexive modernity, self-reflexivity, postmodernity, modernity, sociology, Switch 1.04, .
Kristensen. 1997. The Meeting of the Waters : Individuality, Community and Solidarity.
Rosseel, Eric. 2001. "The Death of the Helmsman: A Psychology of Postmodernity." November.
Shields, Rob. 1997. "Cinderella Punk." The Meeting of the Waters : Individuality, Community and Solidarity.
Flynn-Burhoe, Maureen. 2003. Audio summary of Kristensen The Meeting of the Waters: Individuality, Community and Solidarity.


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And by hottest, I mean radioactive hot. Forget the suntan lotion, bring a dosimeter.
Kiev Sees Chernobyl as Tourist Hot Spot
Ukraine's government wants to turn Chernobyl, the site of the world's worst nuclear accident, into a tourism hotspot.
Ukraine's Emergency Situations Ministry said Monday it is working on a plan to open the area around the defunct plant—where a reactor exploded on April 26, 1986, spreading radiation across the then-Soviet states of Ukraine, Belarus and Russia—to visitors starting next month.
The ministry said radiation levels in certain parts of the so-called exclusion zone, which stretches 30 kilometers (19 miles) around the exploded reactor, were now returning to normal levels. Visitors will be able to take in views of the nuclear plant, as well as towns and villages that were abandoned in the disaster's aftermath.
New official tour operators would have to meet strict criteria to be allowed to operate, said Yulia Yurshova, a spokesperson for the Emergency Situations Ministry, as straying from the route can be dangerous because of the threat of collapsing buildings and varying radiation levels.
"The Chernobyl zone isn't as scary as the whole world thinks," said Ms. Yurshova. "We want to work with big tour operators and attract Western tourists, from whom there's great demand."
See also:
Chernobyl: now open to tourists
Holiday in Chernobyl: Ukraine to lift restrictions on disaster site
Ukraine plans to open Chernobyl, site of massive nuclear disaster, open to tourists in 2011
Chernobyl to be 'extreme' tourism site
Ukraine to open Chernobyl zone to tourists
Tourists invited to holiday in Chernobyl
Chernobyl as tourist attraction
Ukraine's newest tourist destination: Chernobyl
Chernobyl Accident
Chernobyl disaster
What's not to like? There's plenty of abandoned buildings and desolate landscape to see. It's fun for the whole family, bring the kids! The souvenir shop is to die for.
/it's bad enough that they're going to let tourists into the exclusion zone to dose up on radiation, but just think of the poor tour guides that will have to go back in day after day to make a living
Filed under: Blog Entry | Tagged: Abandoned, Aftermath, Belarus, Chernobyl, Chernobyl Zone, Collapsing Buildings, Dangerous, Defunct Plant, Disaster, Dosimeter, Emergency Situations Ministry, Exclusion Zone, Exploded Reactor, Great Demand, Hot Spot, Kiev, Normal Levels, Nuclear Accident, Nuclear Plant, Official Tour Operators, Radiation, Radiation Levels, Radioactive, Reactor, Route, Russia, Scary, Soviet States, Spokesperson, Straying, Tour Operators, Tourist, Tourist Hot Spot, Tourists, Towns, Ukraine, Villages, Visitors, Western Tourists, Worst Nuclear Accident, Yulia Yurshova | Leave a comment »


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I had my first delectable fish taco experience at the kosher Fish Grill in LA., and ever since, then I have been wanting to add fish tacos to my dinner menu. There are many fish taco recipes out there, and I have modified this one by adding whole wheat Panko crumbs and the Ezekiel Tortilla wraps. Fun to serve at dinnertime allowing the family to slop on all of their ingredients, or wrap them up prettily and slide on a tooth pick for dinner guests.
Either way- its a sure fire winner recipe! Enjoy!
Whole Wheat Panko-Encrusted Fish Tacos with Ezekial Tortillas
- 1 cup reduced-fat mayonnaise or Hellman's olive oil mayonnaise
- 3 tbsp fresh lime juice
- 1 jalapeno, seeded and diced (1 tsp)
- 2 tsp Dijon mustard
- 4 eggs beaten
- 2-3 cups panko breadcrumbs
- 2 lb white fish fillets, cut into thin strips
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1 package flour tortillas Ezekial Brand
- 1 cup shredded cabbage
- 1 avocado chopped
1. For the sauce, combine mayonnaise, lime juice,jalapeno and Dijon; refrigerate until serving.
2. Beat egg with a fork in a shallow dish. Pour whole wheat panko on another plate and season with salt, pepper and garlic salt. Dredge each fish strip in egg mixture then in panko, pressing crumbs to adhere.
3. Heat oil to medium heat in a large sauté pan 4 minutes on each side, turning once until until golden brown or fish flakes with a fork.
4. Warm tortillas in oven for one minute. Place sauce and then sautéed fish atop tortilla. Top with shredded cabbage (coleslaw mix in a bag), avocado and salsa, if desired. Watch the video above to see how the pros wrap their tortillas!


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Today nearly one in three children are overweight, according to the U.S. Center for Disease Control, emphasizing the importance of getting kids moving and active. It's one of the reasons First Lady Michelle Obama launched her Let's Move campaign and also a good reason to take a look at our picks for physical and active toys in our newly launched 2013 Spring & Summer Toy Insider.
As a registered yoga teacher, I'm a big advocate for the benefits kids can receive by practicing yogic postures, exercises, and breathing. Yoga for kids is incredibly popular, with whole yoga studios, such as New York City's Yogi Beans and Karma Kids, offering an array of kids' classes. Thankfully, you don't have to be in NYC or have a trained yoga teacher on hand in order to practice. Super Duper Publications has released its Yogarilla Exercises and Activities, a set of 55 flash cards featuring traditional and original yoga poses taught by an incredibly agile and funny gorilla, OTis.
According to master yoga teacher Stephanie Adams, who developed one of the first kids' yoga teacher trainings in the country, children enter the world as natural yogis—they have naturally pliable joints and flexible muscles. "Yoga encourages kids to explore their natural flexibility and to become stronger through natural and functional physical movement using their own body weight," she says.
Yogarilla exercises will help kids to build strength and fitness, hone their balance, increase range of motion, develop fine motor skills, build body awareness, and even develop language skills. It's a holistic approach to getting active.
The Yogarilla cards feature 55 traditional and original yoga poses sorted by starting position and color-coded for easy identification. It includes 10 standing, 10 seated, 10 prone, 10 supine, and 10 hands-and-knees poses, along with three partner poses and two breathing exercises. Kids will love the creative names for the traditional poses. Instead of complicated Sanskrit names like Natarajasana or Virabhadrasana, kids get fun names like Dancer, or Surfer, or Flat Flamingo.
OTis, who acts as kids' guide to yoga, gives full directions on getting into poses safely, along with additional challenges if kids are mastering poses quickly, or adaptations for kids with special needs or just needing a little extra help.
The cards, which come in a handy carrying case, also feature activities and suggestions for mixing and matching cards to create a full practice. Teachers, occupational therapists, speech therapists, and even parents will like some of the practice suggestions to help kids develop skills, such as rhythm, interpersonal skills, verbal skills, and vocabulary. Yogarilla is appropriate for kids 3 and up.
Check out our listing of Yogarilla, along with other active toys, in our Spring & Summer Toy Insider.
For more commentary from Loren, check back often. Views expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Toy Book as a whole. We hope that you will share your comments and feedback below. Until next time!


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MANCHESTER, Vt.
Abe Lincoln was born in a log cabin, but his son built himself a mansion.
Robert Todd Lincoln, the presidents only child to survive to adulthood, built the Georgian Revival home, called Hildene, as a seasonal dream home for his wife, Mary Harlan Lincoln, and their children.
But Hildene is no dusty museum. Located on 412 acres between two spectacular mountain ranges, the homestead offers a feeling of warmth, family and hospitality along with the history lessons.
The site is expecting a boost in interest thanks to the new Steven Spielberg movie Lincoln, which stars Daniel Day-Lewis as the former president and Joseph Gordon-Levitt as his son. The Hildene staff is looking forward to welcoming more visitors and teaching them about the place where Lincoln descendants lived until 1975, said Paula Maynard, press director and group tour leader.
Ive been telling people for eight years, which is when I first got here, that this movie was coming, and wed get to tell this part of the story, Maynard says. I think people stopped believing me. ... But we expect visitation to grow from it, and its been growing anyway between 8 and 10 percent annually.
One frequently asked question is what Hildene means. Maynard says the word combines phrases that mean hill and valley with a stream, and that Robert Todd Lincoln apparently had the name in mind from the start of construction in 1903.
Visitors also are curious about the relationship between Robert Todd Lincoln and his mother, Mary Todd Lincoln, whom he had committed to a hospital for mental illness. Decades later, in a bedroom that served as his quarters in later years when he suffered from arthritis, papers were found in a closet safe with medical documentation that validated his decision to hospitalize her. Before she died, the two were reconciled.
Before building Hildene, Robert Todd Lincoln had served in Washington as secretary of war for President James Garfield and overseas as the United States ambassador to Great Britain for President Benjamin Harrison.
But Robert Todd Lincoln apparently had wanted to live in Vermont for many years. His law partner Edward Isham was born in Bennington and bought a home in Manchester 15 years before Hildene was completed. After Lincoln became chairman of Pullman Co. in 1897, at the time one of the countrys biggest companies, he could afford to build the house of his dreams.
Maynard says, however, that the Lincolns were not lavish and always wanted simple elegance. The Lincolns main social life was in Chicago. They lived there half the year and here half the year. When they came to Vermont, it was for the same reasons we do for a getaway.
Music from the homes 1,000-pipe organ draws visitors in at the first step into the entry foyer. The parlor, which looks out onto a beautiful east-facing patio and garden with vistas of the Taconic and Green Mountains, could easily be the gathering spot for a modern martini party, book club meeting or holiday meal. Like much of the 8,000-square-foot home, the rooms traditional yet tasteful decor seems grand but not showy very New England.
The walls, for example, were made to look like mahogany but really were made of poplar.
Robert was like his dad: He counted his pennies, Maynard said.
The kitchen includes the latest in 20th-century gadgetry and is next to a lovely dining room with a table that could sit about 12 but no more for a formal meal. Across the hall was the servants dining room, another comfortable room that probably would be the hub of the house if it were lived in now.
The tour includes a look at the Victorian-style master suite, the guest room where President William Howard Taft stayed and an office with an early predecessor to the copying machine. A luxury Pullman Sunbeam travel train car sits along the winding driveway.
Also on the estate is an observatory with telescope, an agricultural center and many trails that can be used by day hikers, picnickers and, in the winter, snowshoers and cross country skiers. Throughout the year, there are programs on topics such as composting and butterfly gardens.
During the holiday season, the home is decorated as if it were Christmas Eve 1912. That was a year Robert Todd Lincoln was being heavily courted to run for president, Maynard said.
He chose to stay home.


text: BERNINA Cloud: Store your embroidery designs The BERNINA Cloud is an online platform to store and organize your data. Within the Cloud you also find a huge library of embroidery designs of which you can choose 100 free designs. Choose & download your embroidery designs Edit your design directly in the BERNINA Cloud Store your projects on the BERNINA Cloud Use the BERNINA Cloud independent from your computer - works on tablets and portable devices To the Cloud


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avril 18 Network DNS issue April 2020
What has happened? We're currently having an issue with one of our DNS servers and some websites may not resolve properly reporting an error related to DNS. Is my website affected? All domain names that use the following nameservers are affected by this issue. ns1.fastserver.club ns2.fastserver.club You can check your nameservers ... En savoir plus »
sept 8 Network disruption - September 2019
Announcement: Due to a recent CloudLinux update that causes loss of network activity, some of our servers experienced high loads for few hours. We have manged to fix the issue completely now. Please find the announcement at the official CloudLinux website with the link ... En savoir plus »


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Watch CBSN Live
Smoke rises during what witnesses said were heavy Israeli shelling at the Shejaia neighbourhood in Gaza City, July 20, 2014. At least 40 Palestinians were killed on Sunday by Israeli shelling of the Gaza neighbourhood of Shejaia, witnesses and health officials said. The mass casualties in the Shejaia district in northeast Gaza were the heaviest since Israel launched its offensive on the Palestinian territory on July 8 after cross-border rocket strikes by militants intensified.
Credit: Mohammed Salem /Reuters
RAMLA, ISRAEL - JULY 17: Israeli home front unit soldiers work at an emergency call center on July 17, 2014 in Ramla, Israel.
Credit: Ilia Yefimovich/Getty Images
Despite the nearby Israeli ground offensive, farm workers pick crops in a field near the Israeli-Gaza on July 18, 2014 near Sderot, Israel.
Credit: Andrew Burton/Getty Images
An Israeli army flares illuminate the sky above the Gaza strip, July 18, 2014.
Credit: Mahmud Hams/AFP/Getty
Smoke rises after an Israeli missile strike on Gaza City, July 19, 2014.
Israeli soldiers give medical care to soldiers who where wounded during an offensive in Gaza, July 20, 2014. Protests have taken place all around the world against Israel's action in Gaza as the IDF have announced that they plan to expand their ground offensive.
Credit: Lior Mizrahi/Getty Images
Palestinian medics evacuate the body of a boy from Gaza's eastern Shejaiya district, July 20, 2014.
Credit: Thomas Coex/AFP/Getty Images
A displaced Palestinian from the Shejaiya neighborhood in the Gaza Strip sits on a bench at the UN school where he and others have taken refuge after fleeing heavy fighting in their area, July 21, 2014.
Credit: Marco Longari/AFP/Getty Images
An Israeli soldier inspects an Israeli home allegedly hit by a Hamas rocket in Sderot, Israel, July 21, 2014.
Israeli soldiers stand near their tank while smoke due to airstrikes and shelling rises from Gaza near Sderot, Israel, July 22, 2014.
A Palestinian man inspects the rubble of a destroyed store located on the ground floor of a building hit by an Israeli air strike in Gaza City, July 22, 2014.
An Israeli soldier injured in combat is rushed to the emergecy room as the militery Helicopter lands in Soroka hospital in Beer-sheva, Israel, July 22, 2014.
A relative carries a nine-year-old Palestinian girl, Shahed Qishtah, into the Kamal Adwan hospital in Beit Lahia after she was injured in an Israeli strike while playing on July 22, 2014 in the norhtern Gaza Strip. Shahed died later of her injuries.
Wounded Israeli soldiers are brought to a helicopter on July 23, 2014 near Kafar Aza, Israel.
Israeli soldiers take cover due to a siren warning of a potential missile attack near the Israeli-Gaza border on July 23, 2014 near Kafar Aza, Israel. As operation "Protective Edge " enters its 16th day, 29 Israeli soldiers have been killed and over 600 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza.
A Palestinian man and medics prepare to wheel a wounded child into Gaza City's al-Shifa hospital following an Israeli military strike near his family home , July 23, 2014. Israel is committing "a crime against humanity" during its offensive in the Gaza Strip, Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki told an emergency session of the UN Human Rights Council today.
Credit: Mahmud Hams/AFP/Getty Images
A Palestinian man holds a copy of the Koran, Islam's holy book, near a heavily damaged mosque following an Israeli military strike in Gaza city, July 23, 2014. Israel's deadly Gaza offensive entered its 16th day, with airlines blocking flights to Israel after a Gaza rocket struck near airport runways.
Displaced Palestinian women and children sit in a Greek Orthodox church where many Palestinians are taking shelter in Gaza City, July 23, 2014. For the first time in years, Gaza City's Greek Orthodox church is packed to overflowing, having offered refuge to hundreds of Palestinians who fled their homes under Israeli bombardment. Around 600 people, mostly women and children, are sheltering in the church compound in the old sector of Gaza City, after escaping the inferno of neighbouring areas like Shejaiya.
Fire and smoke rises from burning buildings hit by an Israeli air strike in the Shajaiyeh neighborhood of Gaza City, in the northern Gaza Strip, Wednesday, July 23, 2014.
Credit: Adel Hana/AP
An Israeli rocket is fired into the northern Gaza Strip, July 17, 2014.
Credit: Amir Cohen/Reuters
Israeli soldiers stand atop a tank outside the northern Gaza Strip ,July 22, 2014.
Credit: Baz Ratner/Reuters
A Palestinian firefighter walks amidst the rubble of a house which witnesses said was hit by an Israeli air strike, in Gaza City, July 23, 2014.
Credit: Suhaib Salem/Reuters
A Palestinian boy walks past the remains of a house which witnesses said was destoyed by an Israeli air strike, in Gaza City, July 23, 2014.
Israeli army reservists take cover as a siren sounds warning of incoming rockets near the southern city of Ashkelon, July 23, 2014.
Light streaks and smoke trails are seen as rockets are launched from Gaza towards Israel, July 23, 2014. G
Jewish worshippers take part in a special prayer at the Western Wall in Jerusalem's Old City for the well-being of Israeli soldiers in Gaza, July 23, 2014.
Credit: Siegfried Modola/Reuters
A Palestinian boy looks out from a window of a pick-up truck mounted with mock rockets during a sit-in against Israel's military action in Gaza, in front of the offices of the U.N. headquarters in Beirut July 24, 2014.
Credit: Jamal Saidi/Reuters
An Israeli soldier rests near the Israeli-Gaza border, July 18, 2014. Israeli forces escalated their operation with a ground offensive, sending troops into Gaza.
Israeli soldiers patrol on a beach outside the northern Gaza Strip July 24, 2014. Israel won a partial reprieve from the economic pain of its Gaza war on Thursday with the lifting of a U.S. ban on commercial flights to Tel Aviv, as fighting pushed the Palestinian death toll over 700.
A relative cries as he carries the body of three-year-old Palestinian girl Haniyeh Abu Jarad, who medics said was killed along with her father and other six members from the same family by an Israeli tank shell, during their funeral in Beit Lahiya in the northern Gaza Strip, July 19, 2014.
An Israeli mobile artillery unit fires towards the Gaza Strip, July 18, 2014.
Credit: Nir Elias/Reuters
Israeli soldiers put on their gear on the side of a road near the Gaza Strip, July 18, 2014.
An Israeli army reservist adjusts his gear in a staging area outside the Gaza Strip, July 18, 2014. Israeli gunboats lit up the sky with their fire before dawn while helicopters fired into the coastal enclave. Hamas fired mortar rounds at the invading troops and rockets across the border at the southern Israeli towns of Ashdod and Ashkelon.
A Palestinian reacts as he looks at the bodies of two boys and a man from Nutaiz family. The boys and the man were fleeing their house when they were killed by Israeli shelling, relatives said.
An Israeli soldier sits atop an armored personnel carrier (APC), after the end of a five-hour humanitarian truce, near the border with the Gaza Strip, July 17, 2014.
Credit: Ronen Zvulun/Reuters
Israeli tanks and armoured vehicles are seen in the northern Gaza Strip, July 21, 2014.
An Israeli Apache helicopter fires a missile towards the Gaza Strip, July 18, 2014.
Israeli tanks maneuver outside the northern Gaza Strip, July 18, 2014.
A Palestinian man stands amid the debris following an Israeli air strike on Gaza City, July 18, 2014. Israeli forces backed by tanks and warplanes today pushed into the edges of Gaza in a major operation to destroy Hamas tunnels. Palestinian Islamist group warned that the action was doomed to fail.
Credit: Mohammed Abed/AFP/Getty Images
Israeli soldiers weep at the grave of Israeli Sergeant Adar Barsano during his funeral in Nahariya, Israel, July 20, 2014. Sergeant Barsano was killed along with another IDF soldier on the twelfth day of operation "Protective Edge," when Hamas militants infiltrated Israel from a tunnel dug from Gaza and engaged Israeli soldiers.
A picture taken from the southern Israeli border with the Gaza Strip shows the trail of a missile launched by Israel's Iron Dome defence system, designed to intercept and destroy incoming short-range rockets and artillery shells, as it intercepts and destroys a rocket launched from Gaza into Israel, July 21, 2014. US Secretary of State John Kerry is to push for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza when he arrives later today in Cairo, President Barack Obama said. "Israel has already done significant damage to Hamas's terrorist infrastructure in Gaza," Obama said in a statement at the White House, adding he had sent his top diplomat to the region to "push for an immediate cessation of hostilities."
Credit: Jack Guez/AFP/Getty Images
Palestinian medics evacuate a body from Gaza's eastern Shejaiya district, July 20, 2014.
Palestinian missiles are fired from Gaza City toward Israel following Israeli air strikes, July 17, 2014. Israel launched a ground operation in Gaza late Thursday on the 10th day of an offensive to stamp out rocket attacks from the Palestinian enclave, the army said. At least 250 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli air strikes since July 8, many of them children, medics in Gaza said, with a NGO based in the coastal enclave saying 80 percent of the deaths are civilians.
Israelis overlook the Gaza border on July 18, 2014 near Sderot, Israel.
Soldiers are seen advancing towards the Israeli-Gaza border during an operation near Sderot, Israel, July 19, 2014.
An Israeli tank performs a maneuver after the end of a five-hour humanitarian truce, near the border with the Gaza Strip, July 17, 2014.
The shadow of a Palestinian boy riding his bike is seen on a street in Gaza City, July 17, 2014.


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Are they copying me? I do see a lot of items in this pottery barn catalog that I already had here @ the northern cottage – I'm just saying.
I guess that means I'm in style now & maybe a little ahead of the curve rather than just copying them – which feels kinda cool.
but at the same time – they are making a boatload of dough selling this stuff we got on the cheap. That doesn't seem fair.
I certainly have the pb aesthetic. I love the uniqueness of their displays & have always styled the similarly though on a budget.
Here are examples from around the northern cottage compared to the PB catalog:
Mine --
PB version:
Compared savings -- PB $29 – mine $2.74 at Target years ago
Mine in various locations throughout the house:
PB (not for sale but cool display I think):
One of my faves - a BIG aquaish jug/jar that is almost 3 feet tall…..love it! Look @ all the money we have piled in it (that is our trip fund we've just started! Looks like we have some more saving to do if we're gonna leave our driveway!)
and PB version:
Savings -- PB $199.00 – Mine = $5.00!!
Wall System
Hooks on a board + pushpin/chalkboard combo + clock + stool in a previously unused corner of our backdoor entryway.
Major score with organization here – LOVE, LOVE, LOVE that the kids can hang up their own stuff.
PB Mailbox wall hook (ok so this is a pretty cool set up!):
I have more images to share --- to be continued….
Chat soon dearies -
Linking here:


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Lone Republican mayoral candidate knows odds stacked against him
Josh Wander to face winner of Democatric primary in Pittsburgh race
Josh Wander is the lone Republican running for mayor of Pittsburgh, and he'll face the winning Democrat in the fall.
Wander said he's a private security consultant -- not a career politician -- but he is willing to answer the call to run for the office.
"I think it's important to give voters the choice. For 90 years, there's been only one party that's ruled this city," Wander told Channel 4 Action News' Bob Mayo.
The Squirrel Hill resident admitted city Democrats' registration edge stacks the odds against him.
"My only chance of actually winning is the race is if the Democratic nominee drops dead, but then there's a possibility I'll still lose because there's a demographic of dead voters out there that still may vote him in," Wander joked.
Wander believes the scandal involving the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police is the tip of an iceberg. He's running to send a message about "the corruption we're seeing in the city, which I think is the direct result of a century of single-party rule."
Wander wants to take on Pittsburgh's decades of population loss, saying, "People do not want to be in the city because the school system here sucks, so people move out of the city. Unfortunately, that's just the way it is."
The Republican candidate said other problems are also driving people away from Pittsburgh.
"Taxes are just absurd here. The taxes are just through the roof. Why would somebody want to live in a place like this? That charges you so much more than living anywhere else around us?" Wander said.
Wander said Pittsburgh is also scaring away businesses with things like the ban on gas drilling within the city limits.
"They never wanted to drill in the city in the first place. All that did was scare away Marcellus Shale and all that wealth that we could have brought into the city through location of offices," he said.
Wander holds dual citizenship and served in the Israeli army. He appeared in a 2012 WTAE story on the "Prepper" movement, showing how he stockpiles survival supplies in his home and raised chickens in his yard.
"Chickens we don't have anymore. That's because the city decided that we're not allowed to have chickens," said Wander.
In 2003, he got national attention for his website urging the U.S. to return the Statue of Liberty to France, because of French opposition to the war in Iraq. He now says "it was actually a joke, a practical joke that was very, very successful."
Wander's ability to draw media attention will be a talent he'll draw on as an underdog in the fall race for mayor of Pittsburgh.


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My sisters and brothers in Christ,
Just as last Sunday, the celebration of All Souls took precedence over the Sunday liturgy, so today the Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica, dedicated to Saint John the Baptist, takes precedence over this normal Sunday liturgy. The reason is that the dedication of the Lateran Basilica is a Feast of our Lord. It is not about Saint John the Baptist but about a Church dedicated to God in which we celebrate Jesus Christ Himself. Every dedication of a Church is about Jesus Christ and about worship in spirit and in truth.
This Basilica in Rome has been considered the Cathedral of the Bishop of Rome, the Cathedral of the Pope. Actually, today, all of the four great basilicas of Rome are considered more or less Cathedrals of the Pope.
Historically, however, this was the first so considered and so has a special place in the liturgy of the whole Church throughout the world.
We have to be honest and say that today's celebration is also about the role of the Bishop of Rome in the life of the Church. This is not about power, but about service. Yet we all know that the reality of service is that
it can turn into power. Thus we can pray in the liturgy today for the service in charity of the Bishop of Rome to the other bishops and to the universal Church.
If we look at the readings in terms of Church and the service of the Bishop of Rome, our Pope, we can see in the first reading, from the Prophet Ezekiel, a reflection of what the Church and the service of the Pope are supposed to be: the water of life flowing out from God and giving life to all that it touches. This is the ideal and it is rarely completely reached. Yet we have seen so many holy Popes in the last one hundred years that we can understand that the role of the Pope and the role of the Church is to give us life.
The second reading today, from the First Letter to the Corinthians, reminds us that we are the Church, the temple of God. We are not the Church all by ourselves in some exclusive way.
Each of us is the Church and yet together we are the Church. Each of us is a temple of God and together we are God's people.
Finally, in the Gospel today, from Saint John, we understand how the body of Christ points to resurrection, for Him and for us. We are to recognize in all of this the hand of God: Jesus dies for us and we must die for one another. This is the Church and this is why we celebrate the dedication of a Church. The Bishop of Rome, our Pope, can lead us to walk with Christ–but we must be the ones who walk.
Father Jesus


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Rapid - Press Releases - EUROPA - 0 views
MEMO/09/15 Brussels, 17th January 2009
The European Commission can confirm that it has sent a Statement of Objections (SO) to Microsoft on 15th January 2009. The SO outlines the Commission's preliminary view that Microsoft's tying of its web browser Internet Explorer to its dominant client PC operating system Windows infringes the EC Treaty rules on abuse of a dominant position (Article 82).
In the SO, the Commission sets out evidence and outlines its preliminary conclusion that Microsoft's tying of Internet Explorer to the Windows operating system harms competition between web browsers, undermines product innovation and ultimately reduces consumer choice. The SO is based on the legal and economic principles established in the judgment of the Court of First Instance of 17 September 2007 (case T-201/04), in which the Court of First Instance upheld the Commission's decision of March 2004 (see IP/04/382), finding that Microsoft had abused its dominant position in the PC operating system market by tying Windows Media Player to its Windows PC operating system (see MEMO/07/359).
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The evidence gathered during the investigation leads the Commission to believe that the tying of Internet Explorer with Windows, which makes Internet Explorer available on 90% of the world's PCs, distorts competition on the merits between competing web browsers insofar as it provides Internet Explorer with an artificial distribution advantage which other web browsers are unable to match. The Commission is concerned that through the tying, Microsoft shields Internet Explorer from head to head competition with other browsers which is detrimental to the pace of product innovation and to the quality of products which consumers ultimately obtain. In addition, the Commission is concerned that the ubiquity of Internet Explorer creates artificial incentives for content providers and software developers to design websites or software primarily for Internet Explorer which ultimately risks undermining competition and innovation in the provision of services to consumers.
Microsoft has 8 weeks to reply the SO, and will then have the right to be heard in an Oral Hearing should it wish to do so. If the preliminary views expressed in the SO are confirmed, the Commission may impose a fine on Microsoft, require Microsoft to cease the abuse and impose a remedy that would restore genuine consumer choice and enable competition on the merits.
A Statement of Objections is a formal step in Commission antitrust investigations in which the Commission informs the parties concerned in writing of the objections raised against them. The addressee of a Statement of Objections can reply in writing to the Statement of Objections, setting out all facts known to it which are relevant to its defence against the objections raised by the Commission. The party may also request an oral hearing to present its comments on the case. The Commission may then take a decision on whether conduct addressed in the Statement of Objections is compatible or not with the EC Treaty's antitrust rules. Sending a Statement of Objections does not prejudge the final outcome of the procedure. In the March 2004 Decision the Commission ordered Microsoft to offer to PC manufacturers a version of its Windows client PC operating system without Windows Media Player. Microsoft, however, retained the right to also offer a version with Windows Media Player (see IP/04/382).
Paul Merrell on 17 Jan 09It's official, hot off the presses (wasn't there a few minutes ago). We're now into a process where DG Competition will revisit its previous order requiring Microsoft to market two versions of Windows, one with Media Player and one without. DG Competition staff were considerably outraged that Microsoft took advantage of a bit of under-specification in the previous order and sold the two versions at the same price. That detail will not be neglected this time around. Moreover, given the ineffectiveness of the previous order in restoring competition among media players, don't be surprised if this results in an outright ban on bundling MSIE with Windows.


text: Russ Fustino, Senior Developer Evangelist at GrapeCity, sits down with us to close the Iowa Code Camp to talk about Windows 8 development. Russ is a former Microsoft Developer Evangelist and host of the Russ Cam TV. In this podcast we hit a wide variety of topics like mobile development, social tools, and Windows 8 applications. Another area we hit is the ability for Enteprise Developers to have a marketplace to build applications and bring them to market in their evenings while using the same frameworks they use during the day.


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BGP Route Reflection - An Alternative to Full Mesh IBGP
RFC - Proposed Standard
(April 2000; No errata)
Obsoleted by RFC 4456
Updates RFC 1966
|Tony Bates , Ravi Chandra , Enke Chen
|Last updated
|plain text html pdf htmlized bibtex
|WG state
|WG Document
|Document shepherd
|No shepherd assigned
|IESG state
|RFC 2796 (Proposed Standard)
|Consensus Boilerplate
|Telechat date
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Network Working Group T. Bates Request for Comments: 2796 Cisco Systems Updates: 1966 R. Chandra Category: Standards Track E. Chen Redback Networks April 2000 BGP Route Reflection - An Alternative to Full Mesh IBGP Status of this Memo This document specifies an Internet standards track protocol for the Internet community, and requests discussion and suggestions for improvements. Please refer to the current edition of the "Internet Official Protocol Standards" (STD 1) for the standardization state and status of this protocol. Distribution of this memo is unlimited. Copyright Notice Copyright (C) The Internet Society (2000). All Rights Reserved. Abstract The Border Gateway Protocol [1] is an inter-autonomous system routing protocol designed for TCP/IP internets. Currently in the Internet BGP deployments are configured such that that all BGP speakers within a single AS must be fully meshed so that any external routing information must be re-distributed to all other routers within that AS. This represents a serious scaling problem that has been well documented with several alternatives proposed [2,3]. This document describes the use and design of a method known as "Route Reflection" to alleviate the the need for "full mesh" IBGP. 1. Introduction Currently in the Internet, BGP deployments are configured such that that all BGP speakers within a single AS must be fully meshed and any external routing information must be re-distributed to all other routers within that AS. For n BGP speakers within an AS that requires to maintain n*(n-1)/2 unique IBGP sessions. This "full mesh" requirement clearly does not scale when there are a large number of IBGP speakers each exchanging a large volume of routing information, as is common in many of todays internet networks. Bates, et al. Standards Track [Page 1] RFC 2796 BGP Route Reflection April 2000 This scaling problem has been well documented and a number of proposals have been made to alleviate this [2,3]. This document represents another alternative in alleviating the need for a "full mesh" and is known as "Route Reflection". This approach allows a BGP speaker (known as "Route Reflector") to advertise IBGP learned routes to certain IBGP peers. It represents a change in the commonly understood concept of IBGP, and the addition of two new optional transitive BGP attributes to prevent loops in routing updates. This document is a revision of RFC1966 [4], and it includes editorial changes, clarifications and corrections based on the deployment experience with route reflection. These revisions are summarized in the Appendix. 2. Design Criteria Route Reflection was designed to satisfy the following criteria. o Simplicity Any alternative must be both simple to configure as well as understand. o Easy Transition It must be possible to transition from a full mesh configuration without the need to change either topology or AS. This is an unfortunate management overhead of the technique proposed in [3]. o Compatibility It must be possible for non compliant IBGP peers to continue be part of the original AS or domain without any loss of BGP routing information. These criteria were motivated by operational experiences of a very large and topology rich network with many external connections. 3. Route Reflection The basic idea of Route Reflection is very simple. Let us consider the simple example depicted in Figure 1 below. Bates, et al. Standards Track [Page 2] RFC 2796 BGP Route Reflection April 2000 +-------+ +-------+ | | IBGP | | | RTR-A |--------| RTR-B | | | | | +-------+ +-------+ \ / IBGP \ ASX / IBGP \ / +-------+ | | | RTR-C | | | +-------+ Figure 1: Full Mesh IBGP In ASX there are three IBGP speakers (routers RTR-A, RTR-B and RTR- C). With the existing BGP model, if RTR-A receives an external route and it is selected as the best path it must advertise the externalShow full document text


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| 4°C Belfast
A major technology festival, described as "truly the Greatest Show and Tell on Earth", is heading across the Atlantic to London's Olympic Park.
The Maker Faire - which has been a magnet for technology fans since its launch in 2006 - will head out of the United States for the first time in summer 2015.
Billed as a gathering of makers and aspiring makers, it brings together tech enthusiasts, so-called crafters, educators, engineers, science clubs, authors, artists, students and commercial exhibitors to show what they have made, and to share what they have learned.
Its home is usually the Bay Area of San Francisco and New York but it will shift to a new site at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in Stratford, east London - called Here East - which is aimed at focusing on creative and digital businesses.
Here East chief executive Gavin Poole hopes the site may one day fulfil its claim to be "London's home for making".
On the back of pledges to regenerate the inner city region which hosted the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics, London mayor Boris Johnson claimed the international event will help in "propelling forward our vision to cultivate a hotbed of tech talent on the site, creating thousands of jobs".
The Olympic Park is due to open to the public on April 5 this year, and the London Legacy Development Corporation chief executive Dennis Hone hopes the Maker Faire event will mark "another step towards creating a vibrant destination for local people and visitors that will be a focal point for world class arts and events, sports and leisure".
There are currently two annual flagship Maker Faires in the Bay Area and New York, as well as nearly 100 mini Maker Faires around the globe. More than 530,000 people visited a faire in 2013, the organisers say.
Dale Dougherty, president and chief executive of Maker Media, claims that its growing popularity springs from the way it can act as a global platform to connect makers, foster the growth of start-ups while inspiring innovation.
He said: "By partnering with Here East, we're continuing the momentum we've experienced around the world and tapping into an incredible community of makers focused on creating, building and making their future.
"Maker Faire is truly the Greatest Show and Tell on Earth, and we are proud to announce Maker Faire London as our newest flagship event."
In recent years companies such as Sugru, Technology Will Save Us, Makie and BERG have seen east London as an area to try to tap in to and deliver creative products .
Mr Poole said: "Maker Faire has brought together and spurred a vast movement of makers around the globe, while east London is leading the way in technological and product innovation. I very much look forward to welcoming Maker Faire to London, and to building on the incredible reception we have had for our plans at South by Southwest in Austin."


text: Frank talks with former CIA officer Gary Bernsten about security from Afghanistan to New York. Nir Boms weighs in on Women's rights in Iran. Daniel Blomberg from the Alliance Defense Fund outlines the tensions for civil liberties in the U.S. military in the wake of "Don't Ask Don't Tell" policy changes.


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The Chevrolet Cruze is all new for 2016. It's a complete redesign, with a handsome new exterior, a roomier interior and a brand new, turbocharged engine. The new Cruze is built on lighter architecture, meaning that the new car is 250 lbs lighter than the one it replaces. Being light pays major dividends dynamically and aids both acceleration and fuel economy. The 2016 Cruze should be able to return 40 mpg on the highway.


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Burglar punches holes in apartments to steal TVs, electronics
Police called to Saddle Brook Apartment Complex in Cockeysville
A burglar punched holes to get into several apartments in Baltimore County, stealing TVs and electronics, police said.
One resident called the circumstance "unnerving" and described the burglar as "determined."
"I came home Friday and there were police everywhere and somebody had knocked through one of the doors," said Jennifer Smetanick, whose neighbor was a victim.
Police converged in response to an unusual break-in directly across the hall from Smetanick's apartment door.
"I could see that maybe something was used to knock it in, bash it in. There were dents and a lot of damage to the doorframe as well," Smetanick said.
Once inside, Smetanick said, the burglar did something few expected.
"They went through the wall to go to the other apartment to get, I guess, whatever else they were looking for," she said.
Smetanick said she's unnerved by the circumstances but she still feels safe living in the Saddle Brook Apartment Complex in Cockeysville.
Apartment management declined to comment on the break-ins, and they apparently didn't inform tenants. None of the dozen residents approached by 11 News were aware this happened.
"I have been keeping my TV on, so when I'm not home, maybe people think I am. I'm changing when I have my lights on and off so that nobody ever really knows when I'm home," Smetanick said.
Baltimore County police continue to investigate.


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Stocks ended flat in light trading Monday, as ongoing worries over Europe's economy and the looming "fiscal cliff" put a damper on gains.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average erased 0.23 points, to end at 12,815.16.
Microsoft and H-P were the biggest laggards on the blue-chip index, while United Technologies gained. The Dow traded in a narrow 78-point range throughout the session.
The S&P 500 eked out a gain of 0.15 points, to finish at 1,380.00. The Nasdaq dipped 0.61 points, to close at 2,904.26.
The CBOE Volatility Index, widely considered the best gauge of fear in the market, tumbled to finish below 17.
Among key S&P sectors, telecoms and industrials ose, while utilities and techs lagged.
Trading volume is expected to be light with many traders out for the Veteran's Day holiday. While the stock market is open, the bond market and banks will be closed. There are no major economic data scheduled for release.
Last week, stocks posted their worst weekly losses since June, with investors concerned about the looming "fiscal cliff." And President Barack Obama added to market concerns on Friday by reiterating his commitment to higher taxes for the wealthiest. (Read More: 'Fiscal Cliff'—What Are the Options For a Deal?)
"I think our politicians will eventually come up with some sort of agreement, but in the meantime, indecision doesn't help markets," said Alan Valdes, director of floor operations and VP of trading at DME Securities. "Traders will be selling on rallies rather than buying on dips—that could drive the markets down but will also be on low volume."
China's trade surplus ballooned in October to its widest level in nearly four years, while export growth rose to a five-month high.
Meanwhile, European shares ended mixed. Euro zone finance ministers are scheduled to meet in Brussels to discuss Greece's economic reforms. Greece's parliament passed its 2013 budget required by international lenders, but disagreements over aid for the debt-ridden nation could hold up the next tranche of assistance.
Best Buy announced former Williams-Sonoma executive Sharon McCollam will become its new CFO, succeeding James Muehlbauer. Shares of the ailing consumer-electronics company have tumbled more than 30 percent in the last year.
Research In Motion rose after the struggling smartphone maker said it plans to introduce its BlackBerry 10 on Jan. 30.
Microsoft slid after CEO Steve Ballmer said the company's new Surface tablet had a "modest" start to sales because of limited availability.
Apple continued to slide, falling more than 23 percent since hitting its all-time high of $705.07 on Sept. 12.
Facebook gained ahead of the company's lock-up expiration this Wednesday.
On the M&A front, Jefferies Group surged after major shareholder Leucadia National said it will buy the financial services company in a stock deal worth about $3.7 billion.
Titanium Metals surged after Precision Castparts said it will acquire the titanium-based metals products maker for nearly $2.9 billion in cash.
D.R. Horton reversed early gains to turn lower even after the homebuilder reported earnings that beat expectations, thanks to a jump in orders. And rival Beazer Homes plunged after the company posted a wider-than-expected quarterly loss.
This week will be busy for retail earnings, with Home Depot, Wal-Mart and Target scheduled to post results throughout the week.
Caterpillar eked out a gain even after JPMorgan cut its rating on the heavy equipment maker to "neutral" from "overweight" and lowered its price target to $90 from $109.
—By CNBC's JeeYeon Park (Follow JeeYeon on Twitter: @JeeYeonParkCNBC)
On Tap This Week:
TUESDAY: NFIB small business optimism index, treasury budget; Earnings from Home Depot, Vodafone, Michael Kors, Saks, TJX, Cisco
WEDNESDAY: Weekly mortgage apps, PPI, retail sales, business inventories, FOMC minutes, 13-F filings, Facebook lockup lifts; Earnings from Abercrombie & Fitch, Staples, Tyco, Limited Brands, NetApp
THURSDAY: CPI, jobless claims, Empire state mfg survey, Philadelphia Fed survey, oil inventories, Fed bank of Chicago annual conf., credit card default rates reported; Earnings from Target, Wal-Mart, Viacom, Gap, Dell
FRIDAY: Treasury international capital, industrial production, e-commerce retail sales; Earnings from Foot Locker, JM Smucker, Ann
More From CNBC.com:
- Pop Quiz: Is This Picture Europe—or the US?
- Rejected! Celebs Nixed by Co-op Boards
- 10 People You Should Know in China


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Shorting stocks requires nerves of steel, but when it pays, it pays big. Most investors and advisors had no interest in "shorting a cultural phenomenon" when Facebook debuted its IPO, and the idea of a bear bet against the social media giant seemed insane on its surface.
But after a 45% drop in the time since, certain European investors that bought structured products benefiting from the stock's decline have generated returns of more than 500%, according to Bloomberg.
The news service notes that a put warrant, a security for speculating on the future direction of a company's share price, which predicted Facebook would be at $22 by March, cost 6 euro cents ($0.07) to buy in the week after Facebook went public with an initial price of $38. Today, with Facebook trading at $21.87 at 09:50 a.m. in New York, the warrant is worth 36 euro cents, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.
Facebook, which raised $16 billion in the biggest technology IPO of all time, hasn't closed above its IPO price since its first trading day and has fallen 21% since reporting earnings on July 26 that showed slowing revenue growth and narrower profit margins.
"If you bought the $22 put when Facebook was trading at $38, then you will have earned a lot of money," Heiko Geiger, head of public distribution for Germany and Austria at Vontobel Holding in Frankfurt, which issued the $22 warrant, told Bloomberg.
"Unless you intend to speculate on prices falling further, it would be good advice to cash in now," Geiger added.
Facebook's first earnings as a public company, reported on July 26, showed second-quarter revenue growth of 32%, the slowest pace on record. Operating margin, excluding certain costs, was 43% in the second quarter, a decline from 53% a year earlier, amid a fourfold surge in sales and marketing expenses.


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According to an forensic Internet crime expert, parents should Google search their child's name regularly in order to short-circuit "swatting" attacks such as the case of the 12-year-old Southern California boy who admitted to making a fake emergency call that sent police to Ashton Kutcher's Hollywood home last year.
"Swatting," is a new form of prank in which the caller disguises his or her phone caller ID and calls 911 to report a serious crime. In the Kutcher case, the boy called 911 and said there were individuals inside the actor's home with guns and explosives, and that several people had been shot, a Los Angeles Police Department statement said. In the past, the same boy has called 911 to get out of school, and targeted Justin Bieber's Calabasas, Calif., home and a bank, the Los Angeles County District Attorney's spokeswoman said.
Dozens of emergency personnel rushed to Mr. Kutcher's home on Oct. 3, 2012, only to find workers inside and no emergency, police said. Kutcher, who was on the set of his TV sitcom "Two and a Half Men," also rushed to his home.
Kids began "swatting" pranks – to make a call so serious that a S.W.A.T. team must be called in – as a modern-day extension of the old school prank calls asking, "Is your refrigerator running" or bomb scare calls, says Michael Loftin, senior Internet forensic analyst for the Norfolk Police Department in Virginia,
"Unfortunately, swatting calls are going to get somebody innocent killed," Loftin says. "When you make a call with a claim serious enough to get a S.W.A.T. team called in, think about the consequences of that for a moment. Imagine being in your bed at night and a flash bomb coming through your window. You get up with maybe a flashlight or something in hand and the team comes in and they're thinking you're the threat because of the call. Maybe there are little kids in that house."
However, parents can do something about this right now, he says.
"It's as simple as Googling your child's name to see where he or she has accounts that may be beyond your current knowledge such as YouTube, multiple social media accounts, and especially Google Voice," Loftin advised me in a phone interview this morning. Google Voice is a publicly available free feature that allows you to set up multiple accounts and make calls that appear to come from different area codes than the one you live in.
"Parents need to go back and sit down with their kids and explain the consequences, but they also have to do some research of their own and know what accounts their children have," Loftin said. "If they don't understand how to do this kind or research then call me and I'll walk them through it."
I explained to the good detective that the Internet's a big place and his phone would be ringing, but he wasn't daunted by that. Although he was careful with his information, "People can contact you and you can put them through to me." Oh good, now I'm Batmom.
Loftin has been a great resource to me personally as I recently coped with members of a hate group that was targeting me online in response to a blog I wrote for Modern Parenthood. Today, as Loftin headed to the office to file his retirement papers he took one more call to help us all understand how kids are inspired to commit these potentially deadly felonies and what we can do as parents to protect our kids and potential victims.
"I blame the show Crank Yankers for really giving rise to this entire resurgence of prank calling," Loftin says. "Kids listen to that on the radio, and then other DJs started doing prank calls on the air. Kids think that since the DJ can get away with it on the air that it's not a crime."
Because parents of pre-teens and teens may feel the tug of social bonds shearing off on a daily basis, we can fall into the parent trap of trying to be our child's buddy and not their parent.
"It's good to be a friend to your child, but it's also important to establish who's in charge and to continue to keep those lines of communication open with them," Loftin said. "Just taking away computer time won't cut it anymore with smart phones, computer access at schools, libraries, and at friends' homes." Also, demanding a kid give you his password doesn't do much when, as Loftin pointed out, "A kid like the one in the Kutcher case probably has multiple accounts and passwords so it's nothing to throw one to you. He may have a dummy account where he posts perfectly acceptable comments. Google your child's name and be amazed at the accounts they have you don't know about."
In many cases, those accounts may be perfectly innocent and clean, but the detective told me that in those cases a parent still needs to know where an underage child is online in order to protect the child's information and the family.
Loftin told me, "I know this is not just parenthood 101 we're talking about anymore. It's a modern world and this is modern parenthood for sure."


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Thunderslam coming to Civic Center next weekend
If you're the kind of person who watches car racing for the thrills and crashes, this might be the event for you.
The Lee Civic Center will host the Thunderslam Hardcore Demolition and Thrill Show Nov. 22-24 at the Motor Sport Dirt Arena on the grounds. And not only can you watch, but also be part of the action.
The event will help support numerous causes throughout the area, with a portion of the gate going to Special Populations and Invest in America in Cape Coral.
The event will feature hardcore demolition derbies, Monster Trucks, ATV racing, a quad soccer derby and racing, golf cart racing, FMX stunt flippers and more.
Rev Procknow, event coordinator, said he's been working with monster motor sports for 30 years and has visited 17 countries.
The three days of live action kicks off Friday, Nov. 22, at 7:30 p.m., with Veterans Thunder Night, where those who fought for our country will get discounts, ride the demo cars, a cut at the gate and more.
On Saturday, Nov. 23, the festivities start at 2:30 p.m. and will run all day. It will feature "All-Day Hardcore Motorsports Action" where you can enter the demolition derby by registering at its Web site. There will also be contests for the ugliest truck, car and motorcycle.
But it will be the demolition derby that will be front and center, with a $6,500 top prize. You can drive a car, sponsor a car or donate a car to a community group.
Prochnow said the response to the demolition derby has been astounding.
"We wanted to do something with a different hook. We met so many people with experiences with demolition derbies," Prochnow said. "For some of these elderly people it's like reliving their childhood."
Invest in America has a car in the derby, as does the Special Pops, with people signing and supporting the cars with money.
Sunday, Nov. 24, will be family day, also starting at 2:30 p.m., with a piece of the action supporting the Guardian Angels for Special Populations in Cape Coral. Kids 12 and under will also receive a special gift.
"I am very passionate about Special Pops. I adopted a boy 18 years ago and once I got involved with them, I've been everything from SpongeBob to Santa Claus," Prochnow said. "Every time they need something I jump on board."
Gates open 90 minutes prior to the start of the show.
The weekend will feature the East Fort Myers Rotary Club's fourth-annual Caloosa Cookoff, featuring contests for the best chili and barbecue.
The event is also expected to feature appearances from "Amazing Race" contestants Rob and Kelley, and from wrestling legend Jerry "The King" Lawler, who will host and drive in the celebrity challenge demolition.
"Any time we have some community event or some foundation, Jerry is the first one who will help out," Prochnow said.
VIP seating is $25. Adult general admission is $20, and children age 3 to 12 is $12. Three-day passes are $32.


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Timed Morbidity: The Haunted
Having been messing around with UT3 again in the wake of the ongoing Make Something Unreal competition, I've picked up a load of levels and mods, some of which I'll probably post about here in the next few days. The one that I want to get out of the way first is the excellent third-person demon/zombie shooter, The Haunted. (It's an Unreal Tournament 3 mod, obviously.) Now I'm betting there are few people here who will sign for a moratorium on zombie games in 2010, but until then this is a genuinely excellent piece of work. There's a single player game, and multiplayer in which "humans" take on demons controlled by other players. The core concept for solo play is "just try and stay alive". And that really does become tricky as the ammo runs out and the baddies pile in. It's beautifully conceived and executed, and supernaturally bleak weather rolls in as the game unfolds, making it even more threatening. Get it here, or watch the video below for more flavour.
PLAY THAT GUITAR! Nneeeaaaoooowooooo! Note: the mod does not feature terrible ax.