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Troy Aikman says home fans never gave Cowboys a lift
Hall of Famers don't have better hearing than us but the sound of silence hits them harder.
After the Chicago Bears won in Dallas on Monday Night, Chicago receiver Brandon Marshall said it felt like a home game.
Troy Aikman, who won a handful of Super Bowls wearing the star, knew what he was talking about.
"I don't think Dallas has ever really had a great home field advantage," Aikman said on KTCK-AM 1310 The Ticket. "What I've heard is that, 'Wow, they really lost home field advantage when they left Texas Stadium.' Texas Stadium really wasn't that different. Having played playoff games in Texas Stadium, that stadium was rocking, it was great. ... But when we would play in Philadelphia, New York and walk out of the tunnel, I would have to be yelling at the top of my lungs for guys to hear me. And you get on the plane for the flight home and your head would be pounding, you wouldn't have a voice, and that's just the way that it was. There was no way you could go down there near the goal line and use hard count in an opposing stadium. And yet in Texas Stadium, teams did it all the time."
Aikman added that for "a large part -- and the fans don't want to hear this -- a lot of of the people that attend sports in this town, they're there because it's kind of just a place to be seen" and that "I didn't know anybody who went to Rangers games, then when they started winning and going to World Series, everybody's wearing Rangers hats..."
(Thanks to the Dallas Morning News for the tip)


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Dear Mom with a View,
I have children of all different ages and genders. Do you have any suggestions for activities that the family can do together to build quality family time?
Pulled in Every Direction
Dear Pulled in Every Direction,
The short answer is no. It is almost impossible to find activities that will appeal to both a 16 year-old boy and a 4 year-old girl – and every permutation in between. (To get an adolescent to spend time with the family is a miraculous feat in and of itself.)
That said, there is one thing that everyone needs and likes, one thing that is very basic – food. Children of all ages need to eat. And like infants, teenage boys need to do it constantly. Even dieting teenage girls need regular meals. This may be your only hope.
You may be familiar with the famous study that showed that when families ate dinner together, their children were less likely to get involved with drugs and alcohol. And of course there is the time spent at the dinner table (a good 7 minutes at least!) and the important conversation. "I said 'Pass the potatoes!'" "She took the last piece." "Could you tell him to use a fork and napkin?" If this isn't quality family time, I don't know what is.
The family dinner may be brief but that doesn't rob it of its "quality."
Of course there is also the opportunity to share stories of the day, commiserate about some unpleasant classroom experiences and discuss current events. It's an opportunity to share opinions, learn about each other -- and even about the world. They find out what we think and we find out what and if they do.
It may be brief (I have managed to stretch it to a half hour on occasion) but that doesn't make it any less vital, that doesn't rob it of its "quality." It's a crucial chance to stop and connect amidst busy work, social and sports schedules.
But the real answer to your question is deeper, more effortful and of greater impact. The real solution to quality family time for all ages is Shabbos. It's the only time when you can get everyone to sit around the table -- and stay awhile.
There are no phones calling them away. There are no cars honking to pick them up. They are not on their iPods or computers or blackberries. And you're also disconnected from the distractions, and truly present.
Shabbos is the secret to quality family time and it should take place within a supportive community so that your children's friends are doing the same thing.
The Shabbos table conversation moves at a slower pace. There are more courses, more food, and more reason to remain seated. There are songs for the soul and desserts for the body. And a chance for everyone to reconnect with each other – and the Creator.
You may argue that it is harder to keep Shabbos in today's fast-paced world than it was 150 years ago in Europe. The world seems to be at work and available 24/7 and demanding bosses expect the same from you.
Every generation has had its challenges in keeping Shabbos. And ours are real. But probably no generation -- and no families -- have needed it more.

subset: commoncrawl


text: I originally drew this illustration with India ink and liquid water colour and finished the design digitally. It's printed on nice and firm Biotop paper (which is made of wood leftovers!). The size is 10,5 x 15 cm, just like a 'normal' postcard. On the back there's room for a lovely message and the address of the receiver.


text: Home > News and Events > Media Centre > Press Releases > Julia Bradbury unveils 'Real Richness - The Awards' Winners Julia Bradbury unveils 'Real Richness - The Awards' Winners Search Press Releases Tuesday 16 October 2012 Television presenter Julia Bradbury has today announced the winners of The Camping and Caravanning Club's online competition 'Real Richness – The Awards' at The Motorhome & Caravan Show at the NEC, Birmingham. The Club received hundreds of entries from campers who were keen to share their experiences by demonstrating the real richness that camping provides – highlighting how it makes people richer in mind, body and soul. Sixty research studies reviewed by leading academics at Liverpool John Moores University and an online survey, commissioned by the Club last year, proved conclusively that those people who camp are happier, have closer family relationships, are healthier, less stressed and are more socially connected. Awards host Julia was inspired by the entries the Club had received and said: "As an outdoor enthusiast, I'm delighted to be able to host these awards – The Camping and Caravanning Club has done a fantastic job, allowing campers to bring their research to life by encouraging them to share their own real richness moments. "Camping is a great way to connect with friends, family and nature – I certainly enjoy getting out and enjoying our great British countryside, whatever the season!" Leading outdoor companies Outwell, Vango, Elddis and Hi-Tec all supported the competition and provided prizes for the top three winners in each of the four award categories – which link to the four pillars of Real Richness. The award categories, sponsors and overall winners are: The Outwell Family Togetherness Award: Ruth Carnegie from Leicester The Vango Work-Life Balance Award: Tracy Green, Thame The Elddis Sense of Community Award: James Hodgson, Northallerton The Hi-Tec Freedom Award: Philippa Needs, Newport, Gwent For a full list of winners, visit the Club's website: www.realrichnesstheawards.co.uk Clive Garrett, Communcations Executive at Outwell, was impressed by its category winning entry and said: "We feel Ruth has captured the essence of family togetherness that builds those unforgettable and rewarding outdoor moments that encourage families to bond through camping. This is something very dear to our heart at Outwell." Rachel Moncrieff, Marketing & Communications Manager at Elddis, was in agreement and added: "The Awards celebrate what we're all about: making the most of our free time, enjoying the great outdoors, getting together with family and friends and a shared sense of community. "Camping and caravanning appeals to all ages and is an ideal way for families to spend quality time together. It's a passion that is passed from generation to generation – just like our winner James' story." And it comes as no surprise that camping and caravanning continues to be such a popular pastime with British holidaymakers. The Club's Real Richness research conclusively proved that camping can make you happier – in fact, 93 per cent of people agreed! Derek Scott, Marketing Director at Vango, said: "The Real Richness research studies demonstrate that those who camp are happier and healthier and we, as the UK's leading family camping brand, can only echo the findings. "We sponsored the Work-Life-Balance category as we thoroughly believe that a camping break can help us restore that much needed work-life balance. "This category and the awards in general, provide those who have perhaps never camped before a chance to get away from it all and recharge their batteries with their families, with our easy-to-use equipment, and hopefully enjoy it so much that they will want to do it over and over again and champion the great outdoors!" The freedom and flexibility attributed to camping and caravanning is one of the main enticements for people and is also one of Hi-Tec's key beliefs. Helen Durant, Hi-Tec's UK Marketing Manager, added: "Hi-Tec has been affiliated with the Club for a number of years and I think this is a very worthwhile campaign. "We are really pleased to be supporting these awards and helping to reward those who encourage others to try camping, by sharing their own experiences and enjoying that freedom. "We pride ourselves on being a British brand and supplying footwear to members and non-members for all of their experiences in the great outdoors." Robert Louden, the Club's Director General, was delighted with the response from the awards. He said: "I'd personally like to thank all of our award sponsors for their contributions – without their help, we would never have been able to organise such a successful competition or awards presentation. "Having received so many inspiring entries, we hope these awards encourage more holidaymakers to experience camping for their chance to create their own real richness moments." Ends For further media information or images, please contact: Jon Dale, 024 7647 5204, 07748 936464 firstname.lastname@example.com Kim Blythe, 024 7647 5224, 07951 153074, email@example.com Editorial Notes: • The Camping and Caravanning Club is 110-years-old and is the largest and oldest Club in the world for all forms of camping. It has 109 award-winning sites throughout the UK and, through a partnership with the Forestry Commission, now runs and manages a further 20 Camping in the Forest Touring Sites. • www.realrichness.co.uk was launched on Monday, April 18, 2011. • www.newtocamping.co.uk incorporates all forms of outdoor holidays.


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We are pleased to welcome you to our office.
If you're looking for quality care with a personal touch, we hope you'll give us a call. We look forward to the opportunity of serving your family's optometric needs. We have two offices conveniently located nearby and would be delighted to have you as a patient.
Thank you for stopping by our practice website! Please check soon for the most current updates to the website.
Richard N.V. Phung, OD


text:
Everyone at the counter is helpful and nice.
Why would I go anywhere else?
Always a great place to do business, staff and management are all good people.
Scott, we want to say thanks for your part in making our kitchen come together so nicely; your suggestions and willingness in listening to what we wanted are very much appreciated. We are so very happy with how everything turned out.
Hubcraft has always felt like a cornerstone of Truro. I can find everything I want there, they have excellent knowledgeable staff in every department, and I always walk away feeling I've gotten my money's worth. And as a contractor, the professional advice I get while being able to work closely with people who have firsthand knowledge of construction and renovations is awesome. It's great dealing with a company that puts service first.
Always prompt with deliveries and very helpful at the store, which is why I've been dealing there the past 26 years.


text: Monitoring Impact and Effectiveness RESOURCESIMPACT AND EFFECTIVENESSIMPACT AND EFFECTIVENESS: MONITORING Monitoring means regularly collecting information on your project and analysing it to assess how things are going. Indicators and targets (PDF 134 KB) These enable you to measure progress. This guide explains how to write meaningful indicators and helpful targets. Monitoring and Accountability Practices for Remotely Managed Projects Implemented in Volatile Operating Environments (PDF 849 KB) This report provides an introduction to remote management for humanitarian and development practitioners. It summarises the key issues relating to monitoring and beneficiary accountability in remote settings. It also outlines specific good practice and recommendations to help to overcome the challenges of remote management. Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share by Email Print Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share by Email Print


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SKYLOTEC Code of Conduct and Compliance Book
1 SKYLOTEC Code of Conduct
This Code of Conduct defines the basic requirements concerning our responsibilities towards our stakeholders and the environment.
SKYLOTEC declares herewith:
Legal compliance
• to comply with the laws of the applicable legal system(s).
Prohibition of corruption and bribery
• to tolerate no form of and not to engage in any form of corruption or bribery, including any payment or other form of benefit.
Respect for the basic human rights of employees
• to promote equal opportunities for and treatment of its employees irrespective of skin color, race, nationality, social background, disabilities, sexual orientation, political or religious conviction, sex or age;
• to respect the personal dignity, privacy and rights of each individual;
• to refuse to tolerate any unacceptable treatment of employees, such as mental cruelty, sexual harassment or discrimination;
• to provide fair remuneration and to guarantee the applicable national statutory minimum wage;
• to comply with the maximum number of working hours laid down in the applicable laws.
Prohibition of child labor
• to employ no workers under the age of 15.
Health and safety of employees
• to take responsibility for the health and safety of its employees;
• to control hazards and take the best reasonably possible precautionary measures against accidents and occupational diseases;
• to provide training and ensure that employees are educated in health and safety issues.
Environmental protection
• to act in accordance with the applicable statutory and international standards regarding environmental protection;
• to minimize environmental pollution and consumption of resources and make continuous improvements in environmental protection.
Supply chain
• to use reasonable efforts to promote among its suppliers compliance with this Code of Conduct;
• to comply with the principles of non discrimination with regard to supplier selection and treatment.
Neuwied, 01.02.2011
2 Compliance Book
Since February 14th 2011 the SKYLOTEC ERP system offers an especially installed module called "compliance book". This gives an allover verification, that in case of an attribution from or to a contact, it has been done in the boundaries of a socially adequate frame and not in order to influence a decision in an illegal or immoral way. EVERY kind of attribution from or to a contact which exceeds 10 € of worth will be taken down in the compliance book. Once the entry is confirmed, it will be booked in the accounting system of a closed database and cannot be changed or erased. SKYLOTEC provides every client or entitled interested third party (e.g. inquiry authorities) reports with entries to designated people or companies upon request.
Neuwied, 14.02.2011


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Michigan Law launches groundbreaking entrepreneurial law program
A rare program in entrepreneurship and law launching this fall at the Law School will steep student lawyers in the arts of entrepreneurial businesses and also lead to groundbreaking entrepreneurial opportunities for students universitywide.
The Zell Entrepreneurship and Law (ZEAL) Program establishes a clinic to offer free legal advice to Michigan's burgeoning number of student entrepreneurs, while simultaneously boosting the Law School's curriculum to train law students to better serve both startup and existing entrepreneurial businesses. This dual approach, combined with the depth and scope of resources involved across the full spectrum of the university, makes the ZEAL program unique.
Together the two parts of the program will encourage law students to offer legal advice to — and, ideally, join forces with — the growing number of student enterprises bubbling up as a result of U-M's campuswide culture of entrepreneurship.
The program has broad implications for students and the economy. Small businesses are the leading driver of job growth in the United States, creating 64 percent of new jobs in the country. There are roughly 29.6 million small businesses in the country, and approximately 627,000 are started every year.
"The university has created an entrepreneurial ecosystem across this campus that is exciting and distinctive," President Mary Sue Coleman says. "Whether in classes, business plan competitions or incubators, students have an opportunity to bring a good business idea to life. These new Law School offerings add an important new dimension to support student innovation."
Sam Zell, the Chicago-based entrepreneur who earned his undergraduate and law degrees at Michigan, is seeding ZEAL with a $5 million gift. Zell began an apartment management and investment company while attending the university.
"My goal with entrepreneurial endeavors at the university has always been to create cross-pollination across multiple disciplines," Zell says. "We've got top schools in law, engineering, business and medicine. That's an entrepreneurial jackpot just waiting to be cashed in."
ZEAL is the newest in a series of university initiatives geared toward business development, including the Samuel Zell and Robert H. Lurie Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies (ZLI) at the Stephen M. Ross School of Business; the Center for Entrepreneurship within the College of Engineering (CoE); a unique new professional master's degree in entrepreneurship created by CoE and the Ross School; the Michigan Venture Center; student-run programs like the Wolverine Venture Fund; and a variety of competitions and grant programs that encourage student startups. Overall, more than 5,000 students across campus participated in an entrepreneurial activity last year.
"What we're trying to do at Michigan is something no other top school has done: truly connecting and coordinating entrepreneurial efforts across the entire campus to maximize opportunities for all students," says Thomas Zurbuchen, a professor of aerospace engineering and the associate dean for entrepreneurial programs in CoE. "That's why the Law School's new program is so exciting. This kind of connectedness across disciplines makes U-M truly unique among peers."
The ZEAL program's dual approach to entrepreneurial education — the clinic, together with several new courses tailored for the entrepreneurial lawyer, for businesses large and small — is at the heart of the school's philosophy of joining the practical with the purely academic, Law School Dean Evan Caminker says.
"We are preparing our law students with a specialized skill set that will enable them to serve the small business community through entrepreneurial start-ups," Caminker says. "At the same time, we can encourage up-and-coming entrepreneurs by helping them get started and grow."
Significantly, the approach also benefits the largest number of students from across all disciplines and schools on the Ann Arbor campus.
"While our law students have huge interest in business law courses, there's an even larger, unmet need for legal advice among campus entrepreneurs," Caminker says.
The clinical aspect of ZEAL will deploy student-attorneys, supervised by faculty members, to help founders of promising student ventures iron out the business formation, trademark, finance, patent, regulatory and other issues that can complicate the establishment of any entrepreneurial business.
The program will support such existing initiatives as the ZLI at the Ross School, which was cofounded by Zell in 1999 and has granted more than $2.3 million in support of startups for graduate students and undergraduates alike. Tim Faley, ZLI's managing director, says the rest of the university community will be grateful for Law School help.
"We know the Law School is going to be a great partner," Faley says. "All of Michigan's entrepreneurial programs are looking for legal counsel. And law students are saying much the same thing — that they'd love to learn how these deals go down."


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Li.nk2.BizThe Site Where We Are Making Long URLs Usable!
Welcome to Link2Biz
Are you tired of entering links in emails only to have it break when sent, causing the intended recipient to have to cut and paste it back together? Then you've come to the right place. By entering in a long URL in the text field below, we will create a smaller URL for you, that will not break in emails you send out and, best of all it never expires.
An Example:
Take this rather long link (or URL as it's also called):
http://dental-insurance.insurance--information.com/pet-health-care/rabbits-an-exotic-animal-that-could-benefit-from-health-insurance-that-insures-pet-medical-needs.htmand turn it into this Link2Biz processed link:
http://li.nk2.biz/rabbitsWhich one would you rather cut and paste (or even enter by hand) into your browser? That's the true power of Link2Biz!
Here's How To Hide Your Affiliate URLs:
Are you submitting ads that you don't want people to know what the URL is since it might reveal that it's really an affiliate link? Just submit the link on Link2Biz, and your affiliate link will be hidden from the visitor, only the li.nk2.biz address will be visible to your visitors.
Here's an affiliate link to the CheapWebhosting-1.com site (my recommended hosting company btw):
and here's how it looks when turned into a Link2Us link:
Here's How To Check On Your Stats:
Wouldn't it be nice to know how many clicks your links are getting, or even where the clicks originated from, and what site referred the click. You are in for a big surprise!
Just append a + sign after the link and you will be redirected to our statistics service (Requires login, but is free - of course!):
Link To Us :)
Please link to us! Just make a link to http://li.nk2.biz -- or simply cut and paste the following code to make a clickable link:
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Link2Biz was created as a free service to make submitting long URLs simpler, and may only be used for actual URLs. Using it for spamming and/or illegal purposes is NOT allowed, and will result in the Link2Biz service being terminated and you WILL be reported to all ISPs involved as well as to the proper authorities. This service is provided as is, without any warranty of any kind.
Contact Us
If you are have questions or suggestions about our service, please submit a ticket at http://www.Ask-Anders.com
|Copyright © 2010 Datorsam, Anders Eriksson. All rights reserved.


text:
Rose Print Cotton Oversized Sweatshirt
All orders will be fulfilled by Burberry Limited and shipped from the UK. When you place your order, you accept Burberry's Terms and Conditions and confirm that you have read our Privacy Policy.
Size Guide
Use the Size Guide to choose the best fit for your measurements.
In this window, you can find out the shipping and returns options for the selected item.
In this window, you can contact customer service for further assistance.
- An oversized sweatshirt in loop-back cotton, highlighted with a rose print.
- This style fits large to size. For a regular fit, please take a size smaller than normal.
- Sweatshirt length: 68cm/26.8in. This is based on a size UK S as proportions change slightly according to size.
- Model's height: 177cm/5ft 10in. Model wears size UK XS.
- 100% cotton
- Trim: 98% cotton, 2% elastane
- Machine wash
- Imported
Item 80372941
Wear this with
Technical Wool Gabardine Tailored Shorts


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Managers dislike having to lay people off because it's uncomfortable and unpleasant. But layoffs are part of corporate life, especially during economic turbulence, and there's a right and a wrong way to do them.
Here are some do's and don'ts:
Analyze the duties performed by each of your employees. Identify redundant or out-dated functions and pinpoint the skills the company needs going forward.
Once positions are chosen for elimination, administer layoffs swiftly. Dragging layoffs out over several days or weeks spreads office gossip and weighs heavily on employees' productivity and morale. Work closely with the company's human resources and legal departments. Become familiar with severance packages, unemployment benefits and health care programs so you can answer questions.
Meet in private, quiet areas. Have a packet of information about financial packages and unemployment benefits in hand. There isn't a perfect script to deliver the news, but the meeting should be brief. Explain why positions – not specific people – were chosen for elimination. Then move into how the company will help the financial transition with severance.
Treat employees with respect. Laid off employees will share their layoff experience with employees who remain behind. When managers don't treat terminated employees decently, those left behind may conclude they aren't valued, either — making them fearful and sometimes pushing them out the door, too. It may help to have a HR representative present who can field additional questions or soothe emotional employees.
Don't fire anyone by email. This should be obvious. If the person is in a satellite office and you can't travel, then pick up the phone.
Don't lay people off late in the day.The emotional trauma of losing a job is bad enough, but at the end of the day when people are tired, it's likely going to be worse. Minimize the tears and fire people as soon after they walk in the door as possible.
Don't make any layoff announcement until everyone affected has been informed. Consider what happens if you do the opposite. Announce that a layoff is coming and everyone will wonder if they are personally affected. Workflow will cease and rumors will grow like crabgrass. It's better to tell all the affected employees of their fate and then tell everyone else: "If you haven't heard, you are in the clear." The remaining employees will be relieved and the inevitable downtime will be shorter.
Don't do your layoffs piece-meal. Lots of layoffs in quick succession can be a sign of bad planning. Better to cut deep and infrequently. A culture of near-constant sackings can create fear in the workplace – not good if you want productive workers.
Do offer to provide a good reference. Presuming that the individual requesting one wasn't fired for poor performance, there's nothing wrong with offering to talk about their abilities with a potential new employer.
Don't promise job assistance or personal help you can't provide. Resist the urge to sugar-coat the news. But if you have the resources, offer to help them look for similar positions at other companies.
After layoffs are complete, the employees who remain behind will have a lot of questions about the company's future. Don't shy away from uncomfortable meetings with workplace survivors. Tell them how the layoffs will change their existing duties or shift department structures. Some will be more motivated to keep their jobs and readily take on new assignments and duties. Others may suffer productivity losses and lose trust in upper management.
Remaining employees will be spooked if they spot several closed-door meetings. When possible, tell them what was discussed during management meetings.


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Reality Check: We Try the New Bacon-Loaded 'Superman' Burger from Hardee's & Carl's Jr.
Reviews of fast food burgers and a look at how the real life version compares to the advertised beauty shot.
Look! Up on that burger patty! It's a bird! It's a plane! It's...a "bacon nest?!?"
Hardee's and Carl's Jr. have announced a tie-in with the upcoming Superman flick Man of Steel, and to commemorate the partnership, the chains have rolled out the Super Bacon Cheese Thickburger at Hardee's and the Super Bacon Cheeseburger at Carl's Jr. (I'm guessing that trademark restrictions prevented them from actually using "Superman" or "Man of Steel" in the name of the burger, so it's a weak tie-in at best.) I won't go as far as the corporate press release, which calls it "epic" and the summer's "must-eat burger," but as fast food offerings go, this one does pack a pretty solid punch.
The tricky thing about a Superman theme is the hero himself. Compared with other caped crusaders, Supes is pretty straightforward. No utility belts, no gadgets or gizmos, no lovable sidekick, no magic ring or invisible jet or enchanted hammer or state-of-the-art weaponized suit that makes him a superhero. It's just him. A man. Only he's more. He's...well, super.
The Super Bacon Cheese Thickburger takes a similarly-restrained approach. Rather than overload the burger with the usual Hardee's/Carl's Jr. zaniness, this is the standard Bacon Cheese Thickburger: your charbroiled patty of the quarter-pound/third-pound/Six Dollar variety, American cheese, mayo, tomato, lettuce, and red onion, plus...wait for it... FOUR EXTRA STRIPS OF BACON!!! Or, as the PR spin words it, "three times the amount" found on other burgers.* I'm not sure six strips of bacon versus two really warrants a Superman comparison, but there you are.
*And when they say "other burgers," they mean their own, according to a poster hanging in my local store's window.
Mine (the $4.99 third-pound version, since that's what appears in the ads) was not an exact replica of the primped model burger for sure, but it wasn't bad looking in its own right. Yes, there's the usual disappointing lettuce. But there's also nice onion and tomato slices, mayo both over and under the patty, cheese that actually had some melt happening, and enough bacon to give the sesame seed bun a mounded effect.
Ah, the bacon. Maybe the burgermeisters at CKE realized that slapping on an additional 20 grams worth of pork belly just wasn't "super" enough, so there's this curious bit of innovation. The six strips of bacon aren't just tossed haphazardly on the patty, says the chain's official literature; they're—I'm quoting here—"woven together into a crispy bacon nest."
Bacon nest??? Really?!? Am I the only one who sees the golden but missed opportunity here? It's the Superman-themed burger, for cryin' out loud! If you're going to give your invented piece of bacon architecture a cutesy name, how do you pick "crispy bacon nest" over "Fortress of Porkitude"?
Nomenclature aside, the Super Bacon Cheese Thickburger tastes exactly how you'd expect. It's a bacon cheeseburger with extra bacon. And I'm not saying that's a bad thing. At all. I generally dig Hardee's burgers and would probably also dig those from Carl's Jr. if I lived out West. They didn't put anything offensive on this or try to reinvent the wheel, so there's nothing not to like.
Did I feel particularly bulletproof or able to leap tall buildings in a single bound afterward? No. Would I order it again? Sure. But then again, bacon is totally my kryptonite.
About the Author: Todd Brock lives the glamorous life of a stay-at-home freelance writer in the suburbs of Atlanta. Besides being paid to eat cheeseburgers for AHT, pizzas for Slice, and desserts for Sweets, he's written and produced over 1,000 hours of television and penned Building Chicken Coops for Dummies. When he grows up, he wants to be either the starting quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys or the drummer for The Gaslight Anthem. Or both.
All products linked here have been independently selected by our editors. We may earn a commission on purchases, as described in our affiliate policy.


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The Price is Right: Incentives That Stimulate Switching Behavior
The right price often makes the difference between a sale and a switch. In fact, across five different product or service attributes analyzed (price, service agreement, selection, feature or quality) in a Nielsen Global Survey of Loyalty Sentiment, offering the best price held the most persuasive power to motivate consumers to swap devotion to a brand, service provider or retailer.
Of the respondents who said they were not completely loyal, four in 10 (41%) said that getting a better price would encourage them to switch brands, service providers or retailers. While price was the major switch incentive for more than half of North Americans (61%) and Europeans (54%), price and quality held equal sway in Asia-Pacific and Middle East/Africa, with roughly one-third of respondents each in both countries. Twenty-eight percent of Latin Americans, 22 percent of Europeans and 20 percent of North Americans also cited quality as a reason to change their allegiances.
"While a good price may initially offer consumers enough motivation to change allegiance to a new product, it won't keep consumers for long if the product doesn't deliver on its promise," said Julie Currie, senior vice president Global Loyalty, Nielsen. "Getting the price/value equation right, having products in stock, and offering a satisfying shopping experience are vital ways to build long-lasting customer loyalty."
Beyond price and quality, 19 percent of respondents from Asia-Pacific and 18 percent from Latin America looked for a better service agreement, exceeding the global average (15%). Range or assortment was also most influential in Asia-Pacific (13%), compared to respondents in Europe (8%), North America (7%), Latin America (7%) and Middle East/Africa (5%). Globally, respondents found improved features (8%) the least influential in driving them to betray a brand, service provider or retailer.
Other findings include:
- Are loyal customers worth more?
- Loyalty program prevalence and patronage go hand in hand.
- Loyalty program benefits that matter most.
For more detail and insight, download Nielsen's Global Loyalty Sentiment report.
About the Nielsen Global Survey
The Nielsen Global Survey of Loyalty Sentiment was conducted between Feb. 18 and March 8, 2013 and polled more than 29,000 online consumers in 58 countries throughout Asia-Pacific, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, Africa and North America. The sample has quotas based on age and sex for each country based on their Internet users, and is weighted to be representative of Internet consumers and has a maximum margin of error of ±0.6%. This Nielsen survey is based on the behavior of respondents with online access only. Internet penetration rates vary by country. Nielsen uses a minimum reporting standard of 60 percent Internet penetration or 10 million online population for survey inclusion. The Nielsen Global Survey, which includes the Global Consumer Confidence Index, was established in 2005.


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Get up at 5 am. Eat breakfast
Perry T. meets Oleg to get the UAZ 94 in garage at 6:15
We meet the crew at 6:30 am:
Lyuba the recorder of levels and units for finds' bag.
Vlad the expert archaeological worker, who returns to his full-time job at the heating plant
Oleg, the driver and field worker
Kostya, who has worked with us since he was 11.
Pasha, local high school student.
Today's plan:
1. Clean the mud brick platform and the living surface outside the house. It rained last night—trowel scraping
2. Check out Context 61 and probable Pit house, underlying mud brick melt from last year's excavation.
3. Clean up tandir (bread oven)
4. Map the upper mud brick contexts
5. Take elevations both across the 8 m x 8 m excavation block, north and south.
CELEBRATE the DAY of ARCHAEOLOGY—leave site at 12 noon.
Wash finds at 4 pm.
Is work ever done?


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During the past two years, the Eurozone focus has been on the ailing Southern European economies and their austerity fatigue. In the next two years, it will be on the last triple-A economies in Northern Europe and their bailout fatigue, including Finland.
Before the recent Finnish municipal elections, Gillian Tett of the Financial Times reported that "some Finnish business and government officials are quietly mulling the logistics of leaving the currency union."
In reality, in the late October municipal election, the three big parties – the Conservatives (22%), the Social Democrats (20%) and the Center Party (19%) – consolidated their position, while the Euro-skeptical True Finns garnered more than 12% of the votes.
The real story is that, like in certain other triple-A EU nations, months of political campaigns served to defer painful economic decisions.
Time to face the music
Only a few days after the Finnish municipal election, CEO Jorma Turunen of Finnish Technology Industries released a grim economic outlook entitled: "The ship is sinking – it's time to face the music."
With its member companies, the trade association represents 60% of total Finnish exports and 80% of total Finnish R&D-investments. What concerns the Finnish high-tech and mid-tech executives are the eroding ability of Finnish companies' to secure orders and provide jobs. Since fall 2008, the export-led growth model has been spluttering.
In September, Finnish unemployment was still 7.9%, significantly below the EU (EU27, 10.6%) and Eurozone (11.6%) average. However, it is expected to climb significantly next spring. "The crisis is not reflected in government decision-making," CEO Jorma Turunen warns. "If nothing is done, unemployment will inevitably rise."
In a small country, even rapid short-term shifts can be accommodated. The more challenging question is, how will the unemployment rate come down?
In the past, Finland has experienced extraordinary challenges, but managed to surpass obstacles. In the early 1990s, the Nordic country had its most severe recession since the 1930s. At the time, the Finns could still navigate away from the storm with export-led growth. Second, as the country joined the European Union and the Eurozone, Finnish companies in forestry, metal-engineering and chemicals industries – the three core strengths of the country – could finally join in and benefit from globalization. Third, Nokia's dramatic expansion boosted confidence in the future.
Today, none of these venues are any longer available.
From friction to joint efforts
As even thriving core economies in Europe are slowing down, private demand and consumption are lingering, which is compromising export-led growth across the region.
Second, many Finnish multinationals – from forestry (Stora Enso, UPM) to metal-engineering (Wärtsilä, Metso, KONE) – have enjoyed their greatest globalization benefits in the past decade or two.
Third, as long as Nokia was thriving, it contributed disproportionately to the Finnish economy, through tax revenues, investment, and jobs. Now the effect has been the reverse.
What constrains progress is friction at the top of the private sector. After only two years, the CEO Mikko Pukkinen of the Confederation of Finnish Industries (EK) will be replaced by former Minister of Economic Affairs Jyri Häkämies, while the board will have a new, more hands-on chairman Ismo Kokkila, a real estate developer.
EK was created in 2005 as a combination of export-driven industries, which compete internationally, and service industries, which are largely domestic. In the postwar era, EK has been dominated by industrial export leaders; in the past two years, the service sector has had the upper hand, which has been reflected in collective labor agreements.
In an export-driven country, this has adverse implications over time, especially if the linkage between productivity and international competitiveness crumbles. What's worse, friction has deepened between EK and SAK, the Central Organization of Finnish Trade Unions.
Meanwhile, the Finnish government has boosted efforts to overcome friction. While Finnish companies have globalized since the early 1990s, the national innovation system has remained inward-looking. That, however, may change in the coming years.
When Pekka Soini, a former Nokian, started recently as Director General of Tekes, the influential Finnish Funding Agency for Technology and Innovation, his primary objective was to boost internationalization. Kari Häyrinen, CEO of Finpro, has been pushing for strengthened global competitiveness of Finnish companies, while inward foreign investment, led by CEO Tuomo Airaksinen of Invest in Finland, is finally being embedded with the national innovation system.
Before the weekend, Jan Vapaavuori, the new Minister of Economic Affairs, said he wants to shift competitiveness to the center of Finnish industrial policy. The country needs 200,000 new jobs. That is possible, but not without the cooperation of EK and SAK.
Dependency on Europe
In Brussels, Olli Rehn, a Finnish politician and current EU Commissioner of Monetary and Economic Affairs, has often scolded his Euro-skeptical fellow Finns, who used to be known as EU model students, for turning into trouble-makers. In turn, leaders of the Finnish Institute of International Affairs (FIIA) argue that Finland does not have any viable or attractive alternatives to its participation in the single currency. Funded by the Parliament of Finland, FIIA will reflect the consensus view, however. Some Finnish banks, particularly those headquartered in non-Eurozone countries, are already preparing for alternative contingencies.
Nonetheless, Finland will be neither the first or last to leave the euro; it is likely to follow the strategic moves of the EU's last triple-A core economies.
Like other small and open economies, Finland took a heavy hit after fall 2008. It experienced a dramatic 8% contraction, the worst since the Finnish Civil War in the late 1910s. Yet, despite the crisis, there was little sense of a crisis.
The generous Nordic social model protected the Finns. In 2010, the economy rebounded strongly, initially. However, it was no longer predicated on exports, which failed to regain their previous vigor, but on increasing debt.
As the Eurozone debt turmoil escalated, plunging demand from trading partners dragged the Finnish economy to a standstill in late 2011, despite strong annual growth of 3%. In the past few years, Finnish competitiveness has deteriorated significantly, with contracting export market shares. The small current account deficit in 2011 was the first in nearly two decades – but not the last.
Nonetheless, Finnish orientation remains highly euro-centric. Europe dominates more than 80% of all Finnish direct investment abroad, and almost 60% of all Finnish exports.
As long-term projections indicate that Europe's role in the world economy shall significantly decline in the next decades, euro-centric reliance is not likely to be rewarded in the immediate future.
Eclipse of triple-A economies in the Eurozone
The Finnish case has its unique characteristics, but commonalties abound across the last triple-A economies in the Eurozone. The reliance on export-led growth, international export industries versus domestic services, erosion of technology innovation amidst global competition – these are forces that are well recognized in Germany, the Netherlands, and Austria as well.
What is new in the competitive equation is the obligation of these countries in one part of Europe to engage in significant economic support of another part of Europe. If they fail to do so, they shall risk their long-term future. If they comply, they may risk their short-term future.
In the coming days, Brussels will declare its support for Greece, while Italy and Spain will have two years to get their economic engines in shape. From the standpoint of the remaining triple-A nations that will require greater contributions to stability funds, rising unemployment, and increasing deficits.
In Finland, the key immediate policy concern will be to cushion the downturn. Despite strong fundamentals and solid policies, Finland's short-term outlook is threatened by intensifying external strains and structural erosion internally. In the longer run, Finland faces substantial challenges from a rapidly aging population, slowing productivity growth, and eroding competitiveness.
As economic activity is weakening in the Eurozone in several countries, spillovers to Finland will be significant. There is no way out without genuinely pro-growth policies, which require painful but pressing structural reforms in labor markets.
During World War II, Finland retained its independence against the Soviet Union, but had to engage in a delicate balancing act between the West and the East. "Acknowledging the facts," said the then-President J.K. Paasikivi, "is the beginning of wisdom."
With old policies, the Finnish tiger is pricing itself out of global competition, even as it will experience deepening income polarization. It's time to face the facts.
Dan Steinbock is research director of International Business at India China and America Institute (USA), visiting fellow at Shanghai Institutes for International Studies (China) and in the EU-Center (Singapore).
Dan Steinbock is research director of International Business at India China and America Institute (USA), visiting fellow at Shanghai Institutes for International Studies (China) and in the EU-Center (Singapore).


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Harley Pasternak: Losing Weight Quickly Can Actually be Healthy
Harley Pasternak is a celebrity trainer and nutrition expert who has worked with stars from Halle Berry and Lady Gaga to Robert Pattinson and Robert Downey Jr. He's also a New York Times best-selling author, with titles including The Body Reset Diet and The 5-Factor Diet. Tweet him @harleypasternak.
Can you lose 11 pounds in 4 days? Yes. Is it a good idea? No way. Recently, a study published in the Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports reported on a group of 15 healthy, but overweight, men who subjected themselves to an extreme weight-loss regimen.
For 4 days, they consumed only 360 daily calories in either a high protein drink or a sugary drink. The guys started the day with a 45-minute upper body cardio workout, followed by an 8-hour outdoor group walk. Each hour they could take a 10-minute break and consume an unlimited amount of a low-cal sports drink.
The results? Each participant lost about 11 pounds, half of it body fat and half muscle mass, regardless of whether he'd had the protein drink or the sugary drink. Aside from a few achy joints and blistered feet, none felt any ill effects. Nor did they experience extreme hunger. Better yet, a month later, the men had shed on average another 2 pounds of fat. A year later, they were still down 5 pounds, mostly in body fat.
Am I recommending you try this program yourself? Not in a million years! But it does suggest that just because you lose weight quickly doesn't mean you can't keep it off. It all depends on whether or not you change your habits. In this case, the guys made those changes stick.
This is hardly the first study to find that the more pounds lost quickly, the more likely that weight loss can be maintained. In other studies, being physically active, eating breakfast, eating on schedule and making lifestyle changes, along with a number of psychological motivators, were also crucial to success.
In a more recent study, women were put on programs designed to achieve fast, moderate, or slow weight loss. The groups predictably lost the most, the middle amount, and least weight, respectively. And at 6 and 18 months later, the women who lost weight quickly were almost 5 times as likely to have lost 10 percent of their original weight and and keep it off than women in the slow group.
What's my read on these results? Successful long-term weight loss is all about permanently replacing unproductive habits with positive habits. How about the ASAP factor? I see my clients regularly lose 5 pounds in 5 days. And no, it's not anywhere near as grueling as walking for 8 hours and drinking meals with a straw! Instead, I ask them to simply follow my moderate diet plan, engage in a few minutes of vigorous resistance exercise, walk at least 10,000 daily steps, get enough sleep and disconnect from their electronic devices for 1 hour a day. With the motivation fueled by their initial success and by adopting these habits as their daily routine, they go on to achieve their weight loss goals.
Like the men in the study, my clients ate less and moved more. They changed their lifestyle, but without any blisters or achy joints!


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McComb is a city in the southwest corner of Mississippi. It is located off I-55, 81 miles south of Jackson and 108 miles north of New Orleans. It is also located about 15 miles from the Louisiana State Line.It was chartered in 1872 and was and still is considered the hub of Pike County. It was the home of the Illinois Central Gulf Railroad yards and the largest city in the county. The main line of the Illinois Central (now the Canadian National Railroad) passes thru the city in a direct route from New Orleans to Chicago. McComb has a history of a stable economic base with the railroad shops having had a 70 year association with the area.
Get in[edit]
By Car[edit]
To get to McComb from Jackson or Memphis, take I-55 South ramp in South Jackson that labels McComb/New Orleans. Pass through small towns such as Byram, Crystal Springs, Hazlehurst, Brookhaven, and Summit. When you pass through Summit, you will see 2 interstate signs that will let you know you are in the McComb area. McComb has 3 main exits that will let you off into the city. I-55 Exit 18 (Veterans Blvd /Hwy 570/ North McComb), Exit 17 (Delaware Ave/ Downtown McComb), and Exit 15 ( Presley Blvd/ U.S 98/ Hwy 24 South McComb) Presley Blvd/ U.S 98 to South McComb/ Tylertown and Hwy 24 to Liberty.
By Plane[edit]
The Closest airport near McComb is the Jackson-Evers International Airport in Jackson which is (1 hour/ 22 min) and the New Orleans International Airport in New Orleans which is (1 hour/ 33 min). McComb has a public airport, McComb-Pike County Airport which is located south of McComb.
By Bus[edit]
Greyhound has an active bus depot in McComb. It is located off I-55 at Delaware Ave Exit 17 in the Downtown McComb Area at 320 N. Broadway St. If you want to contact the depot, call (601)-250-1030.
By Train[edit]
Amtrak, the national passenger rail system, provides service to McComb. Amtrak Train 59, the southbound City of New Orleans, is scheduled to depart McComb at 12:41pm daily with service to Hammond and New Orleans. Amtrak Train 58, the northbound City of New Orleans, is scheduled to depart McComb at 3:38pm daily with service to Brookhaven, Hazlehurst, Jackson, Yazoo City, Greenwood, Memphis, Newbern-Dyersburg, Fulton, Carbondale, Centralia, Effingham, Mattoon, Champaign-Urbana, Kankakee, Homewood, and Chicago. McComb has a train depot station which is located 114 Northeast Railroad Ave in Downtown McComb.
Get around[edit]
See[edit][add listing]
McComb has alot of parks in the city and sport complexes. Many of the parks include splash pad water excitements. These are the following to see in McComb:
Do[edit][add listing]
Buy[edit][add listing]
Many other large shopping centers are located in McComb on Delaware Ave with great clothing stores, restaurants, and business stores inside. One of the major ones are Southwest Shopping Center located on Delaware Ave.
Eat[edit][add listing]
McComb has over 70 restaurants in the city . It has alot of fast food restaurants, and more restaurants you can imagine. Most of the restaurants are located on Delaware Ave off I-55.
Drink[edit][add listing]
Sleep[edit][add listing]
Get out[edit]


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LOS ANGELES (thefutoncritic.com) -- The latest development news, culled from recent wire reports:
Looking to keep track of all the various projects in development? Click here to visit our signature "Devwatch" section. There visitors can view our listings by network, genre, studio and even development stage (ordered to pilot, cast-contingent, script, etc.). It's updated every day!
Commitment: Ordered to series (eight episodes)
Cast: Jermaine Jackson, LaToya Jackson, Tito Jackson
Writer: TBA
Director: TBA
Executive Producers: Greg Shelton, Halima Rashid, Jamie Foxx, Jermaine Jackson, Marcus King, Steve Kroopnick, Stu Schreiberg
Studio: Triage Entertainment
Commitment: Ordered to series (six episodes)
Cast: Alton Williams, Arissa Hill, Brynn Smith, Frank Roessler, Irulan Wilson, Steven Hill, Trishelle Cannatella
Writer: TBA
Director: TBA
Executive Producers: Jim Johnston, Jon Murray
Supervising Producer: Ken Chien
Studio: Bunim-Murray Productions
Commitment: Ordered to pilot
Cast: Aaron Howles (Bruce "B.J." Miller, Jr.), Brittany Robertson (Samantha Saxton), Grant Show (Tom Decker), Jack Davenport (Bruce Miller), Josh Hopkins (Roger Thompson), Kyle Searles (Logan Rhode), Lana Parrilla (Trina Decker), Miriam Shor (Jill Thompson), Molly Parker (Gail Sexton), Shanna Collins (Laurie Miller)
Writer: Mike Kelley
Director: Alan Poul
Executive Producers: Mike Kelley
Studio: CBS Paramount Network Television
Sources: Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Reuters


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For Your hand is not so short that it cannot save, and neither is Your ear so dull that it cannot hear, for whoever calls upon the Name of the Lord shall be saved. Isaiah 59:1
I was saved and didn't know God. I had been raised in "religious tradition." I was in a church and there was no one to help me and it wasn't their fault. It was a discovery that I was going to have to make myself, but years went by because I didn't know it. However, good things happened to me while I was there and I'm sure that it was the mercy of God.
I had been raised in the church and so I knew a few things. But, I didn't know the Word of God and the bible is that. I never read my bible. I had gotten a few urges to do so over the years but every time I came up with an excuse. True enough as a result, the victory was that much sweeter when it came. I didn't know "nothing." As a result, the devil decided to mess with me.
In true to form attempted murder mode; the devil tried to kill me with a brain tumor. I was still at the above mentioned church and that was when I knew that in that place I had learned something; I learned about faith. All of my steps were ordered by the Lord during that challenge. I got the victory!
I changed. I needed God to guide my life, I trusted no one else to do the job. I ran to Him. I rededicated my life to HIm and then I found a new place where I could grow and soon I found out that God not only heard me but He had been trying to tell me some stuff.
The average person is desensitized to believing that people can actually "hear" from God. I'll tell you why:
Basically because we all knew someone whom we deemed to be "strange" by normal standards who claimed they heard from God and seemed to be able to "twist" the bible because they knew it better than us. We knew something was wrong so we "decided" they didn't and no one could. They were the only ones saying it so they had to be crazy right?
So people were…desensitized and have been. Some were compromised; they believe but they want to stand back until a crisis comes, that way they can still do the things that the flesh desires and not what God desires.
What if your crisis comes and the one that comes has the potential to take you or your family members out? If you were to leave this earth in the next 30 minutes m(God forbid) are you really sure about whether you'd go to heaven or hell?
If you are sure; make a decision to make Jesus The Lord and Master of your life HERE.
Take care of it today; you'll be glad that you did!


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There is this delicious gelato shop a few blocks from where I work that I love. After I ate the (mostly) healthy lunch that I brought from home today, I decided that I needed some gelato and walked down to get some. Next to the gelato shop is a hat shop. Not a division of a store that sells hats, but a shop that is dedicated to nothing but hats. Every time I walk by it I stop and wonder how a shop that sells nothing but (high-end) hats can stay in business. I mean, I never see anyone in the store, and even though it's always very rainy in Seattle, you don't see many people walking around sporting hats.
I remember the first time I went by the shop, and there was the giant Stetson advertisement, and I sort of figured that it mainly sold cowboy hats – and while I didn't really see a lot of cowboy hats around town, there must be a popular market for them in the Seattle area. Maybe Bill Gates was a huge fan of the Stetson or something. In the window next to the cowboy hats were "old man hats". You know the ones I'm talking about, with the flat bill and the button that snaps down. My Great Uncle Ray used to favor them when he went out. But then came something I wasn't expecting. In the window next to the old man hats were some of the most lovely ladies hats that I'd ever seen. I was mesmerized by the array of woman's hats in the window. (And I had flashbacks of the Disney short, you know, the one with Alice Blue Bonnet and Johnny Fedora).
Anyhow, every time I walk by the hat shop now, in addition to wondering how the shop thrives, especially in this economy, I always look at the ladies hats in the windows. Not only the hats, but the hat boxes. I've never had a hat that requires a hat box or has warranted a hat box upon its purchase. In fact, I didn't even know that hat boxes still existed. But the hats are beautiful and have so much personality and panache.
Today as I walked by the hat shop, I again stopped and looked at the ladies hats in the window. And even though I've never really worn hats (unless you count the baseball cap I threw over my bed head on the way to class in college as I was running out the door…), I decided that I'm going to buy a hat from that front window. One that warrants a hat box.
I haven't picked one out yet, but just because I've never worn hats before, doesn't mean I can't wear one now. And I intend to wear my new hat gracefully, with personality and panache.


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"The show is completely stolen by Wint and Kidd. They should have had their own series." — 007 historian and documentarian John Cork
The Digital Bits is pleased to present this retrospective commemorating the 45th anniversary of the release of Diamonds Are Forever, the seventh (official) cinematic James Bond adventure and, most notably, the final appearance of Sean Connery in an EON-produced 007 movie.
As with our previous 007 articles (see Casino Royale, For Your Eyes Only, Thunderball, GoldenEye, A View to a Kill, On Her Majesty's Secret Service, Goldfinger, and 007… Fifty Years Strong), The Bits and History, Legacy & Showmanship continue the series with this retrospective featuring a Q&A with an esteemed group of James Bond scholars, documentarians and historians who discuss the virtues, shortcomings and legacy of Diamonds Are Forever. [Read on here...]
The participants (in alphabetical order)…
Jon Burlingame is the author of The Music of James Bond (Oxford University Press, 2012). He also authored Sound and Vision: 60 Years of Motion Picture Soundtracks (Watson-Guptill, 2000) and TV's Biggest Hits: The Story of Television Themes from Dragnet to Friends (Schirmer, 1996). He writes regularly for the entertainment industry trade Variety and has also been published in The Hollywood Reporter, Los Angeles Times, The New York Times, and The Washington Post. He started writing about spy music for the 1970s fanzine File Forty and has since produced seven CDs of original music from The Man from U.N.C.L.E. for the Film Score Monthly label. His website is www.jonburlingame.com.
John Cork is the author (with Collin Stutz) of James Bond Encyclopedia (DK, 2007) and (with Bruce Scivally) James Bond: The Legacy (Abrams, 2002) and (with Maryam d'Abo) Bond Girls Are Forever: The Women of James Bond (Abrams, 2003). He is the president of Cloverland, a multi-media production company, producing documentaries and supplemental material for movies on DVD and Blu-ray, including material for Chariots of Fire, The Hustler, and many of the James Bond and Pink Panther titles. Cork also wrote the screenplay to The Long Walk Home (1990), starring Whoopi Goldberg and Sissy Spacek. He recently wrote and directed the feature documentary You Belong to Me: Sex, Race and Murder on the Suwannee River for producers Jude Hagin and Hillary Saltzman (daughter of original Bond producer, Harry Saltzman); the film is available on iTunes, Google Play and other streaming platforms.
Bill Desowitz is the author of James Bond Unmasked (Spies, 2012). He is the owner of Immersed in Movies, a contributor to Thompson on Hollywood at Indiewire and contributing editor of Animation Scoop at Indiewire. He has also contributed to the Los Angeles Times and USA Today.
Lee Pfeiffer is the author (with Philip Lisa) of The Incredible World of 007: An Authorized Celebration of James Bond (Citadel, 1992) and The Films of Sean Connery (Citadel, 2001), and (with Dave Worrall) The Essential Bond: The Authorized Guide to the World of 007 (Boxtree, 1998/Harper Collins, 1999). He also wrote (with Michael Lewis) The Films of Harrison Ford (Citadel, 2002) and (with Dave Worrall) The Great Fox War Movies (20th Century Fox Home Entertainment, 2006). Lee was a producer on the Goldfinger and Thunderball Special Edition LaserDisc sets and is the founder (with Dave Worrall) and Editor-in-Chief of Cinema Retro magazine, which celebrates films of the 1960s and 1970s and is "the Essential Guide to Cult and Classic Movies."
Bruce Scivally is the author (with John Cork) of James Bond: The Legacy (Abrams, 2002). He has also written Superman on Film, Television, Radio & Broadway (McFarland, 2006), Billion Dollar Batman: A History of the Caped Crusader on Film, Radio and Television from 10¢ Comic Book to Global Icon (Henry Gray, 2011), and Dracula FAQ: All That's Left to Know About the Count from Transylvania (Backbeat, 2015). As well, he has written and produced numerous documentaries and featurettes that have appeared as supplemental material on LaserDisc, DVD and Blu-ray Disc, including several of the Charlie Chan, James Bond, and Pink Panther releases. He is Vice President of New Dimension Media in Chicago, Illinois.
The interviews were conducted separately and have been edited into a "roundtable" conversation format.
And now that the participants have been introduced, might I suggest preparing a martini (shaken, not stirred, of course) and cueing up the soundtrack album to Diamonds Are Forever, and then enjoy the conversation with these James Bond authorities.
Michael Coate (The Digital Bits): In what way is Diamonds Are Forever worthy of celebration on its 45th anniversary?
Jon Burlingame: Oh, there are so many reasons. First, it marked the unexpected comeback of Sean Connery to the role of 007. He left on such unpleasant terms after You Only Live Twice that I think we were all surprised to see him again. Second, it was the first Bond film to be set largely in the United States. Third, it has one of the greatest Bond scores ever — and very possibly the greatest Bond song ever, sung by our Goldfinger diva Shirley Bassey, making her second appearance in a Bond film.
John Cork: Diamonds Are Forever is the great creative collaboration of four wonderful men who will never give us another film to enjoy: Guy Hamilton, Tom Mankiewicz, John Barry and Ken Adam. Each of these absolutely brilliant creators made films that are completely worthy to see on their own, but Diamonds melded their wit, their artistry, their elegance and their skills into a uniquely joyous brew. From "C-C-C-Cairo" to "Mouton Rothschild is a claret," the film makes viewers smile. It is exactly the kind of film that Cubby Broccoli loved to produce: handsome men, beautiful women, tension, laughs, lavish sets, exotic locations, wonderful music and an ending that had viewers leaving the cinemas with a bounce in their step. The remarkable part of that is, Cubby didn't set the tone of Diamonds. That was the work of UA's David Picker.
Bill Desowitz: Diamonds Are Forever is noteworthy for two reasons: It marked Sean Connery's last official appearance as Bond and tipped the franchise in a lighter, kitschy direction in the'70s, which anticipates the Roger Moore era. If you don't compare it to the first three Connery films, it's actually a fun ride. Connery enjoys camping it up but still has the presence to pull it off. At the same time, his Bond is actually more assertive. Guy Hamilton was back and newbie screenwriter Tom Mankiewicz added the sharp wit, which even extended to the action (the Moon buggy and Vegas chases are pretty over the top). Blofeld is campy fun and Wint and Kidd are a hoot as the franchise's first gay couple. It wasn't From Russia with Love, but it was Connery saying goodbye with tongue very much in cheek.
Lee Pfeiffer: The film is worthy of commemoration primarily because it marked Sean Connery's return to the role after having quit the series four years earlier. It's worth commemorating, for better or worse, the fact that it was with this film that overt humor would became a part of the series for decades to come.
Bruce Scivally: Diamonds Are Forever, is a middling Bond — not the worst of the series, certainly not the best, but with enough enjoyable moments to make for pleasant viewing. As the first James Bond film of the 1970s, it set the course for the Bond films of the 1970s — lighter, breezier, driven more by "set piece" action stunts than tight plotting, and deliberately seeking to give audiences a good time. The'70s was not a decade when James Bond films took chances. It was a decade that began with scaled-back cost-cutting of the Bond films, and ended with two of the most extravagant entries in the series. After the much more Fleming-esque On Her Majesty's Secret Service capped off the 1960s as a box-office disappointment, the Bond producers reinvented Bond for the 1970s as more of a cartoon character, a live-action Road Runner cartoon, with only passing nods to the Ian Fleming source material. While other films of the early to mid-1970s took chances, providing some of the greatest films of all time, the Bond series played it safe, content to merely be entertaining. It was a strategy that kept Bond popular, if not relevant, through the Watergate era and beyond.
Coate: Describe what it was like seeing Diamonds Are Forever for the first time?
Burlingame: I was in college at the time, so undoubtedly it was with my dorm buddies (which inevitably meant a lot of lecherous comments about Jill St. John, Lana Wood and the "Bambi & Thumper" girls). We were all Bond fans and I was already a John Barry nut. My memory is that we were all glad to see Connery back but did not feel that it ranked among the stronger entries like Goldfinger, Thunderball and From Russia with Love. But any Bond film was great to us in those days. There was nothing else like it in theaters — the action, the suspense, the humor, the series remained unique in cinema entertainment. And, of course, I could not wait to get hold of the LP in order to savor not only that memorable title song but also some of John Barry's powerful score.
Cork: I saw Diamonds Are Forever in Montgomery, Alabama, in either late-December 1971 or early 1972. I went with my grandparents. I enjoyed it, but I was not hooked as a James Bond fan. The plot (such that it is) still makes virtually no sense, and I think that I was lost early on. It was not a film that stayed in my mind, probably because few of my friends saw it so it was not a movie that we discussed. The next time I saw it was when it premiered on U.S. television on September 12th, 1975. By then I was a huge Bond fan. I was so enraptured that during a late commercial break, I ran and got my cassette recorder and taped the audio of the end of movie. I used to listen to the dialog over and over. The recording began, appropriately enough with Blofeld ejecting a cassette and uttering, "I do so hate martial music."
Desowitz: The first viewing was actually my first Bond experience at the Chinese Theater in Hollywood. And it was very memorable. It was an early afternoon screening and the second of the day. As much as I liked On Her Majesty's Secret Service, it was great seeing Connery return to battle Blofeld. It was packed and everyone had a good time, though, again, it was a far cry from Connery in his prime.
Pfeiffer: I saw it on opening day, the first show after I got out of high school class (I was a sophomore at the time). My friends and I were quite thrilled to see Connery returning as Bond. We had all been highly impressed with the previous film On Her Majesty's Secret Service and with George Lazenby, as well. The disappointment we felt when it was announced he was leaving the series after only one film was offset when I heard a TV report by gossip columnist Rona Barrett that Connery was to come back to the role of 007. There was enormous interest in the film and quite a bit of coverage leading up to the final release date.
Scivally: The first time I saw Diamonds Are Forever is when it was first broadcast on ABC television in the 1970s. Seeing the Bond films on TV, Diamonds Are Forever was one of my favorites, and From Russia with Love one of my least favorite. In the early 1980s, when I had to opportunity to see the Bond films at the "revival house" theaters in Los Angeles, my feelings reversed; I now regard From Russia with Love one of the best, and Diamonds Are Forever only so-so. Why the change? I think it's because the earlier film is one that is much more intricately plotted and requires more of the viewer's attention; cutting it up with commercials destroys the flow of the story. Diamonds Are Forever, on the other hand, is very episodic. It's more like a series of mini-movies tied together with a mere suggestion of a plot; chopping it up with advertisements has little effect on it. Like John Cork, I tape-recorded the film when it was shown on TV. To this day, I can recite every line of the pre-credits. Skills. I have skills….
Coate: Where do you think Diamonds ranks among the James Bond movie series?
Burlingame: That's hard to say. I think it's certainly the least significant of the Connery Bonds. To me it begins the downhill slide of the series in the 1970s, with a script that's a bit too jokey, a climax that seems rushed and inadequate, and a Connery who doesn't seem very interested in what was going on. But I'd take Diamonds over many of the even sillier Roger Moore outings. And, as you know, I love the song and the score. It was the most musically diverse Bond yet, with a third of the score being the wonderful Las Vegas jazz; a theme for subsidiary villains Wint and Kidd; a grand outer-space number (007 and Counting) and a title song that was not only useful for the romantic scenes but also dramatic moments as well. The release of the expanded Diamonds soundtrack in 2003 demonstrated its range and power far better than the original 1971 LP.
Cork: My son made me rank the films a few years back when we marathoned them. I put it smack in the middle then. I just re-watched it on a trip to Amsterdam and I just had so much fun with it. It is such a different film from Casino Royale (2006) or Skyfall, and it seems unfair to judge it against those. It's nothing like On Her Majesty's Secret Service, but I find it much more fun than You Only Live Twice. It is a great Bond film to revisit at one's leisure. It is also a fine film to watch in small doses.
Desowitz: I would rank it last among the Connery films and maybe 16th overall. It's more like a guilty pleasure today. Funny thing: I was at a reception a week ago and Bruce Glover was there. I went up to him and asked how Wint and Kidd were and he smiled and said, "I'm Wint."
Pfeiffer: Diamonds was the first Bond film that left my friends and I feeling disappointed. The film wasn't as sharp or exciting as the previous movies. The emphasis on humor seemed to be a misstep especially after the haunting final image of On Her Majesty's Secret Service. We all expected a continuation of that storyline. The movie starts off on that premise with Bond hunting down Blofeld presumably for murdering his wife. The first part of the film is engrossing and seems to be on track to be a winner but things go downhill once Bond gets involved with Tiffany Case. Initially she's played by Jill St. John as a tough-talking, streetwise accomplice to a smuggling ring. Yet, a few scenes later she inexplicably morphs into a Lucille Ball clone — an inept, naive character who doesn't provide much substance to the plot — or Bond — beyond sex appeal. The Case character's seeming schizophrenia is representative of the film as a whole. It's as though it was made by two competing teams of filmmakers and writers, each with a different vision of the story. Most of the trouble stems from the script, which was co-authored by long time Bond scribe Richard Maibaum and newcomer Tom Mankiewicz. Evidence would suggest that Mankiewicz's vision prevailed since the movie is far more over-the-top in the gags department than anything Maibaum had previously written for the earlier films. Guy Hamilton's direction is also all over the map, starting out strong and reaching its zenith with the elevator fight, which is the real action highlight of the film despite the elaborate chase sequences that come later in the film. Sometime later, Hamilton seems more interested in going for cheap laughs and wisecracks rather than presenting suspenseful scenarios. (He once told this writer that he tried to have a major action set piece staged in Disneyland with Bond fighting SPECTRE agents dressed like Disney characters!) The real disappointment comes with the Bond/Blofeld relationship, which doesn't ring true at all. The casting of Charles Gray is also a major error. Gray is a fine actor and if they called his character anything but "Blofeld", one could admire his witty performance. However, he doesn't evoke the slightest traits that audiences had expected of Blofeld. First there is a complete lack of physical resemblance to the actors who preceded him (he's not even bald!). Then there is his penchant for making quips — something that neither Telly Savalas nor Donald Pleasence had brought to their versions of the character. What is inexplicable is the cozy, humorous relationship Bond establishes with this Blofeld, which is all the more ludicrous given the fact that in the first frames of the film, Bond is on his mission of vengeance to see Blofeld dead. Yet when they finally do meet up, the two engage in some mutually witty banter and Bond seems to have forgotten the unpleasant fact that this man had murdered his wife, Tracy, in the previous film. The watering down of Blofeld goes into overdrive when he actually dresses in drag. The horror, the horror…. Not helping matters is that Gray appeared in another Bond film, You Only Live Twice, a scant four years before as Bond's ally. So that image was still fresh in viewer's minds when they were asked to accept him as Blofeld…. The film also suffers from casting errors that extend beyond Charles Gray. As mentioned previously, Jill St. John plays the same kind of "dumb broad" eye candy she had popularized in films such as Tony Rome or Come Blow Your Horn. The shtick was already kind of stale by 1971. It might have been more inventive for the producers to cast Lana Wood, who appears memorably but briefly, as Plenty O'Toole in the role of Tiffany Case. The role of Felix Leiter is played by Norman Burton, thus continuing an annoying pattern of casting a different actor in the role every time he appeared in a Bond film. Burton plays Leiter as a bit of a semi- doofus and there isn't any way a viewer would believe that his Leiter and Bond are close colleagues. More successful is the casting of Bruce Glover and Putter Smith as gay assassins Mr. Wint and Mr. Kidd. They are a memorable team but watching the abundance of gay-bashing jokes today is a bit cringe inducing when some of us realize we thought this stuff was funny in 1971. I do like the casting of country singer (and frozen sausage magnate) Jimmy Dean as reclusive billionaire Willard Whyte. It's an off-beat choice that works well. Similarly, some of the bit roles are well cast: Bruce Cabot (in his final screen appearance), Joe Robinson as the bad guy who goes mano-a-mano with Connery in the elevator fight and, of course, reliable regulars such as Desmond Llewelyn, Bernard Lee and Lois Maxwell… along with a welcome appearance by Laurence Naismith…. The climax of the movie was most disappointing — a rather limp affair in which helicopters attack Blofeld's oil rig in a scenario that seemed as improbable as his main scheme. He has gathered enough diamonds to launch them encrusted in satellite and threatens to destroy key cities around the world unless paid a ransom. Not for nothing', but if you already have enough wealth to launch a diamond-encrusted satellite, exactly what is it that a ransom would buy you that you wouldn't already have? The helicopter sequence is also rather blandly executed with some poor special effects (a problem with the film that is apparent earlier). Surely the major powers of the world could have taken down one little bitty oil rig with a well-aimed rocket or torpedo instead of a conventional WWII-era assault by helicopters…. Having denounced much of Diamonds Are Forever, there are plenty of things that make it watchable. Connery seems to be having a great deal of fun and that enthusiasm spills over into his performance. Ken Adam's sets are up to par and John Barry's score and the theme song are among the best in the Bond canon.
Scivally: As I stated before, it's a middling film to me. I still enjoy watching it, despite its drawbacks. Sean Connery looked to have aged about 20 years, even though only 10 had passed since Dr. No, but he seems to be having fun in his return to the role. The quick production schedule seems to have infused the film with a certain energy, and the witty dialogue of Tom Mankiewicz lifts it considerably. Everything about the film is fun, including the villains. There's absolutely nothing frightening or scary or remotely threatening about Blofeld (more on him below) or about Wint and Kidd, but what they lack in threat they more than make up for in personality. These are villains who could hold their own at the Algonquin Round Table, trading bon mots with Dorothy Parker and Robert Benchley, then casually murdering them on the way out.


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Tank! Tank! Tank! Boxshot
Game description:
TANK! TANK! TANK! is an over-the-top battle party game where players will feel the thrill of driving and shooting with tanks. With support for up to 4 players, family and friends can battle giant monsters or compete in Free-for-All and Team Versus modes. An exciting story mission mode allows you to level up your tanks while battling a variety of giant enemies. Wii U specific features make TANK! TANK! TANK! the best battle party game for the whole family!


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The UN Environment Finance Initiative (UNEP FI) is a Unit within the UN Environment's Resources & Market Branch, based in Geneva, Switzerland, itself a Branch of one of the UN Environment's eight core divisions, the Economy Division.
Being a global partnership between UN Environment and the financial sector, UNEP FI's Work Programme is determined by a Global Steering Committee comprised of both Member institutions and UN Environment's representatives, while broader strategic decisions are made in the context of the Initiative's Annual General Meeting.
The UNEP FI's day to day activities are run by a small Geneva-based Secretariat.
The Annual General Meeting is an assembly of all Members with the ultimate decision-making authority for UNEP FI. The Global Steering Committee oversees the strategic orientation of the Initiative and is composed of representatives from across the membership's core constituencies. The Industry Committees (Banking, Investment and Insurance), with the Thematic Advisory Boards (Climate Change, Ecosystems, Positive Impact, Social Issues) and Regional Advisory Boards (Africa & Middle East, Asia Pacific, Europe, Latin America and North America), constitute the operative component of the Initiative's governance.


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This is my first month participating in Foodie Pen Pals and have been so lucky to have been matched with two phenomenal and lovely women, Gretchen from Real Life Motherhood of 4 and Tiffani from Life's a Blog.
Tiffani is the person that I sent my package to. She's a fun, vibrant Southern gal who is full of life. She's got a fun blog called Life's a Blog where she writes about her thoughts as well as her favorite products at the moment. I tried to incorporate some of her favorite things as well as some things that I enjoy that I thought she'd get a kick out of as well. Unfortunately, Tiffani's package got lost in the mail and the post office is trying to locate it, so hopefully she'll be receiving the package soon. :-( It's disappointing, especially because this is Tiffani's first time participating as well. But please stop by Tiffani's blog anyway and tell her hello! And cross our fingers that she receives her goodies soon!
Gretchen from Real Life Motherhood of 4 was the person to send me my foodie package this month. Gretchen is a mama of four beautiful kids and she chronicles her life and adventures with her family on her blog. She's energetic and looks like she's always coming up with awesome ideas to entertain her kids. Head over to her blog to see all the fun activities she does with her kids!
|Foodie Pen Pals for June
Gretchen sent me an absolutely wonderful foodie package with new products that I've been having a great time trying. Here is the list of things that I received:
- Pop! Gourmet Popcorn in White Truffle Bliss-- Popcorn and truffles are a great combination! Truffles are some of my favorites, so I was absolutely delighted to receive this. This was so yummy, I'm already planning on getting some mailed to me. ;-)
- Giada de Laurentiis Paremesan Garlic Vinaigrette-- We haven't tried this one yet, but garlic and parmesan is one of my favorite flavors too so I'm looking forward to trying this. Maybe with some kabobs (as a marinade) and a side salad!
- Cheese Straws in Parmesan Artichoke Garlic-- If you love cheese, these are the perfect snack! I've never had cheese straws, so these were a great treat.
- Delallo Balsamic Glaze-- We haven't tried this yet either, but will probably drizzle this over a caprese salad or on some grilled chicken or steak.
- Tuscan seasoning-- A great seasoning for meats! This will also go perfectly with the grilled meats when we use the vinaigrette as a marinade and the balsamic glaze!
- Jelly Belly Superfruit Mix-- These were a great snack. I loved all the fruity flavors. I took these to work and stashed them for whenever I needed a sugar fix!
- Groovy Potato Chips-- These are local chips for Gretchen and were a wonderful salty snack. We munched on these after work or when we ate sandwiches. So these didn't last long at our house!
- Homemade granola bars (with a recipe!)-- Gretchen included her homemade granola bars that she makes regularly. These were chewy and had great flavor. I loved the raisins in them and plan on making them soon!
- Recipe for Pumpkin Scones-- I love pumpkins and I am looking forward to making these when fall rolls around!
|White Truffle Popcorn-- my favorite! So wonderful!
|Giada's Parmesan Garlic Vinaigrette
|Cheese Straws and Balsamic Glaze
|Tuscan Seasoning, Superfruit Jelly Bellies, and granola bars
|Groovy Potato Chips
|Two recipes and homemade granola bars!
Thank you Gretchen and Tiffani for being wonderful Foodie Pen Pals. I really loved meeting and getting to know two amazing people. I'm looking forward to participating in this again!
If you would like to participate in Foodie Pen Pals, head over to The Lean Green Bean for more information and to sign up! Also, you don't have to be a blogger to participate!


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A Lyft driver was arrested in a parking lot near a train station after officers discovered that his driver's license had been suspended 17 times. Officers were responding to a 911 call about a drunk driver when they found 57-year-old Leith Crossen sitting in his 2007 Volkswagen Jetta near the Cold Spring Harbor train station in Long Island.
Crossen told the officers he ran out of gas after dropping a passenger off at the train station. Crossen was not intoxicated at the time, but when officers ran his license, they learned it was suspended. He was taken into custody and charged with one felony count of first-degree aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, third-degree aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, and operating a motor vehicle without inspection.
Lyft says that Crossen was not working as a driver at the time and has not driven for the ride-sharing company since April. Lyft issued a statement saying that he passed a background check and a DMV check in March. They have permanently banned Crossen from working for the company.
"The driver's license this individual provided when applying to drive with Lyft did not show any disqualifying driving records," a spokeswoman said. "He has not driven on the Lyft platform since April and is permanently banned from driving with Lyft."
Photo: Getty Images


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For those of you that may not be goat cheese fans, this filet mignon is delicious if you skip making the fried goat cheese rounds, but I loved the contrast of the sweet berry sauce and the tangy goat cheese.
The quality of the meat was superb. This is a dish that you have to watch closely. If you are not familiar with filet mignon, you definitely do not want to overcook it and have it be grey in the middle. Here is a great article that should help you decide what temperature to cook your filet mignon. Remember that it will continue to cook even after you take it off the stovetop. My pieces were about two inches thick so remember that if you have a different thickness of meat that you may need to adjust your cooking time.
Filet Mignon with Red Wine Boysenberry Reduction and Fried Goat Cheese Rounds
Makes several servings
- 4 (6 oz.) filet mignon steaks
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
- 1/2 tsp. onion powder, alternatively you can use 1/4 cup finely chopped shallots
- 1/2 cup Shiraz red wine (I used a 2010 Barefoot Shiraz)
- 1 cup beef broth
- 3 1/2 Tbsp. boysenberry jam
- 2 Tbsp. butter
- Compound butter (see below)
- Fried Goat Cheese Rounds (see link)
To prepare compound butter:
1. Combine 1 stick of softened butter, 1/2 tsp. Fox Point seasoning, and 1 Tbsp. defrosted frozen berries of your choice. Mash, place on a sheet of parchment paper and roll into a tight tube to form a log shape. Chill until ready to use.
To prepare filet mignon and red wine reduction:
1. If you have not yet done so, prepare the compound butter and the fried goat cheese rounds. Let the steaks come to room temperature. Pat them dry with paper towels and season liberally with salt and pepper. In a heavy oven proof pan, heat the oil over medium high heat. Brown the steaks about 2 1/2 minutes per side, then transfer to a 350-f degree oven for 5 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside to rest, placing a slice of compound butter on top.
2. Using the same pan, add the red wine and onion powder, stirring to scrape up remnants on the bottom of the pan. Let win boil until reduced by half. Add the broth and boysenberry jam. Return to a boil and reduce by half. The sauce should coat the back of a spoon thickly. Whisk in 2 Tbsp. butter. Season sauce with salt and pepper if needed.
To serve: Place the filet mignon on the plate, add the compound butter if you have not already done so, drizzle with boysenberry reduction and the fried goat cheese rounds. Enjoy!
Recipe inspired from a Paula Deen recipe.
This sponsorship is brought to you by Certified Steak & Seafood Company who we have partnered with for this promotion.


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Feathers are the most unique aspect of a bird's anatomy. The feathers of a bird are made up of keratin, which is the same substance that hair, hooves and beaks are made of. The shaft, or center spine, of the feather is stiff and the tip is flexible for flight. The barbs of the feather hook together to form an air tight seal to resist the wind and also to provide insulation. The bird's wing consists of primary feathers forming the point of the wing, and secondary and tertiary feathers further up. Contour feathers give the bird its overall shape. Down feathers provide insulation.
Now let us consider the internal anatomy of a bird. The skeleton of a bird weighs less than its feathers and thus flight is possible. The bones are so light due to their internal honeycomb structure. The inner anatomy of the bird wing, like our arm, is made up of a humerus and two lower limb bones. The digits are highly modified for flight. The breast bone of the bird has a deep keel for the attachment of flight muscles. This keel is absent in flightless birds.
Further to the internal anatomy of a bird is a look at those organs which assist in flight. There are two types of flight muscles, namely, white and red muscle. White muscle is used for bursts of activity, such as taking off quickly. Active flying birds, such as those which migrate (e.g. geese), have red flight muscles supplied with lots of blood vessels. Heat from flight must be regulated, this is done by means of the respiratory system. Birds have at least nine air sacs connecting chambers in their bodies. This supplies the muscles with extra oxygen to use. Birds have a four chambered heart like our own, only it beats at a much faster pace.
Now let us look at the parts of a bird's anatomy used for finding and consuming food. The bill of a bird is merely an extension of the jaws and is covered in keratin. It has many nerve endings so as to feel and taste its food. Bills vary in shape and size according to the feeding habits of bird species. The bird's gullet has a small sac called a crop in which undigested food is stored for later use, such as when feeding nestlings.
The feet of a bird function in harmony with it's bill. In bird anatomy, the feet vary according to function. For example, birds of prey have sharp talons for killing prey; wood peckers have two toes pointing forward and two pointing back to climb effectively; and ducks have webbed feet for paddling. Interestingly, birds will not fall off a branch when sleeping due to a special locking mechanism in their legs.
All the above just briefly demonstrates what fascinating creatures birds are and how perfectly adapted the bird's anatomy is for survival.


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Keeping your caravan or motorhome in top shape is always a priority. Below you will find an informative database offering details on both caravan maintenance workshops and mobile engineers to suit your need. Take advantage of our full search facility, identifying the caravan maintenance company that is right for you.


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Video feature: 'Princeton University Chapel Choir'
The Princeton University Chapel Choir's recent tour of Europe started with a truly high-flying performance.
This video feature by freshmen Izzy Kasdin and Doug Stuart follows the adventures of the Chapel Choir during its Jan. 22-30 intersession tour of Prague, Vienna and Budapest. Within the first few hours of the trip, members of the choir performed for the passengers and crew on their British Airways flight, as the aisles of the Boeing 777 were packed with people listening to the choir's rendition of James Lucas' "Bright Morning Stars."
During the tour the choir held concerts in such historic venues as Prague's Bethlehem Chapel where, in the early 15th century, reform movement leader Jan Hus broke from the Latin norm and preached in Czech for the first time. In Vienna, on the 255th birthday of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, the choir sang in Stephansdom, the site of Mozart's wedding and funeral. Part of the revenue from the ticket sales to the Chapel Choir's concert in Vienna will help to restore the roof on this almost 900-year-old cathedral.
The trip was inspired by the Chapel Choir's 2009 tour to Spain, which "had such a strong impact on the choir that it was important to do this as often as possible," said Penna Rose, director of chapel music and conductor of the Chapel Choir.
The choir hopes to be able to tour on a biennial basis. "Part of what happens with a choir is because they're together for so long they get to know each other better, they trust each other more and the sound of the choir changes," Rose said.


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for your
Driving in the Alps with Summer tires in wintry conditions is not only a severe risk to you, your passengers and your new vehicle, but in the event of an accident in Germany, Switzerland, France or Italy you would almost certainly considered to be at fault. In Austria, the law now requires cars to be fitted with Winter tires if they are being driven on roads that have snow or ice on them and the police there are not only fining drivers who do not comply but are often not allowing them to complete their journeys.
If you are collecting a new BMW from Munich this Winter and then touring through Europe, you now have the opportunity to enjoy a safer vacation by having replacement alloy wheels, already fitted with Run-Flat Winter tires suitable for your vehicle type, fitted to your car in minutes.
Leave your own set of wheels and Summer tires safely stored with us and, prior to dropping off your car at the shipping company, have them re-fitted at no extra cost!
The additional safety of driving with Winter tires in Alpine countries between October and May is considerable and the extra cost is surprisingly reasonable.


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