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My assignment for OnTheSnow is to cover "planes, trains and automobiles," so I've saved a couple nuggets of travel information to make your next flight perhaps more interesting.
The first comes from a survey conducted by Skyscanner, based in Scotland and Poland. Here's what the editors at Skyscanner say:
"The aviation industry has long used the frisson of flirtation to sell flights, beginning with strict 'glamour' criteria for cabin crew on the first commercial flights and continuing through to recent sexy advertising campaigns from airlines such as Virgin. The survey has revealed our romantic associations with flying are still going strong with the trend for 'flyrting' – the practice of passengers flirting whilst flying.
"The survey of over 1,000 travelers revealed that 45 percent of passengers admitted to flirting whilst on board a flight, with a third leading to a rendezvous following the flight, and 8 percent of them resulting in a relationship.
"Skyscanner employee Karin Noble, a former cabin crew member commented:
"'More and more people are now traveling by air so it's no surprise that flights have become a place to flirt. After all, you are sitting next to someone for an hour or more, and the fact that you're both traveling to the same place means you already have something in common. Add this to the heightened effect that alcohol can have at altitude and the more relaxed holiday mood that many travelers feel, and it tends to give people the courage to flirt with a fellow passenger or even take things further, especially on long haul routes such as flights to Australia.'
"More shockingly, for a small minority the flirtations may actually lead to membership of the infamous Mile High Club; a separate survey found that 20% of travelers have joined this risqué association and half of these had done so with a stranger they met on a flight.
"For those that are not members however it certainly still seems to appeal with a massive 95 percent of those surveyed admitting they would like to join the Mile High Club, while a Valentine's Day survey showed that 6 percent of men claim this was their ideal gift.
"However, a UK firm offering 'Mile High' flights was recently shut down by the CAA (Civil Aviation Authority) after just two years of operation, as they weren't satisfied that on board safety criteria were being met, and feared the in-flight action could be 'too distracting' for pilots."
Here's another intriguing survey: FlightNetwork.com, an online site in Canada, announced the results of their newest 'State of Air Travel Poll,' aimed at giving Canadians a voice to weigh-in on the biggest issues facing the travel industry.
The poll asked Canadian consumers to report and rate the best upgrades they have ever received on a flight.
Of the 1000 Canadian travelers polled, 52.8 percent said that they have never actually received an upgrade. 37.3 percent lucky travelers reported a bump up to first class, 6.1 percent considered roomier seats the best upgrade they have ever received and 3.8 percent cited free drinks.
When asked what three upgrades they would most appreciate on their next flights, Canadian travelers overwhelmingly voted for a bump up to first class at 82.9 percent followed by roomier seats at 74.1 percent and a free meal at 49.8 percent. Travelers would also like no one sitting on either side of them 42.2 percent, free drinks (25.7 percent) and a free in-flight movie (25.3 percent).
Interestingly, when asked what upgrade would make them switch airlines, more than half of travelers (58.8 percent) voted that 'it doesn't matter, they were just looking for the lowest prices."
The following is a quotation from the Transportation Safety Administration's (TSA) web site: "NEVER leave babies in an infant carrier while it goes through the X-ray machine." More generally applicable (I hope) is the note that gel shoe inserts are forbidden.
Here is a press release from Qatar Airways, the national airline of the State of Qatar, announcing new flights from that Middle Eastern country to Montreal, which could send Qataris whooshing down the slopes at [R477R, Mont Tremblant] and elsewhere in Canada:
"Canada's second largest city will be served with three-flights-a-week on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays using the airline's flagship Boeing 777-200 Long Range aircraft. The non-stop journey from the airline's hub in Doha to Montreal's Pierre Elliot Trudeau International Airport will be a total flying time of 13 hrs 20 minutes.
"The destination marks Qatar Airways' first foray into Canada following a series of bilateral negotiations in Doha last year, when the airline secured rights to fly passenger and cargo flights to the country.
"The province of Quebec's capital city becomes the airline's fourth destination in North America. The award-winning airline, ranked Five Star for service, excellence and high standards, currently operates daily flights to New York, Washington and Houston."
This writer hopes the pilots for Qatar Airways know more about geography than the publicity agent. Quebec City is the capital of the province. From Quebec, skiers and riders reach [R248R, Mont-Sainte-Anne] and [R211R, Le Massif], among other mountain destinations.


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OTTAWA - An independent panel that examined Canada's alternatives to the F-35 is expected to provide a nuts-and-bolts view Thursday of its 18-month assessment, but a cabinet decision on whether to stick with the controversial stealth fighter remains in a holding pattern.
And before making that determination, some military experts say they hope the Harper government considers the wider implications for the overall defence budget, and avoids making a "politically face-saving" manoeuvre.
The panel's report, a market analysis of key responses to the auditor general's 2012 criticism of the program, is not expected to make recommendations to cabinet. Instead, it will compare the costs and capabilities of each of the four competing aircraft against the backdrop of what Canada needs its warplanes to accomplish.
It will be up to senior officials and ministers to recommend to cabinet what course to take, something multiple sources said Wednesday has not been done.
The F-35 program was put on hold in the months following Auditor General Michael Ferguson's report, which accused National Defence and Public Works of low-balling the life-time cost and not doing their homework.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper told the Commons on Wednesday that no decision has been made, and that whatever path the government chooses will be "in the best long-term interest" of the military.
But Dave Perry, a researcher with the Conference of Defence Associations, said the decision has already become politically charged, and he's seen no hint thus far that the government is considering the broader picture.
The government is also in the process of revising its defence policy, because the previous one — introduced in 2008 — is now considered unaffordable.
It would be troublesome indeed if a decision on the jets came before the new policy was complete, Perry said.
"I hope that whatever decision the government makes, it's taken the context of the overall defence strategy," he said.
"There's pressures on every component. You literally have every single project competing against one another for scarce resources."
Both the Centre for Policy Alternatives and the Rideau Institute made a similar argument in a report, released earlier this year, which claimed the cost of the F-35 has the potential of eating up vast portions of the defence budget.
Perry said similar arguments for could be made about any fighter the government chooses.
Although Public Works Minister Diane Finley promised to release a revised version of the panel's analysis, it's won't be made public before cabinet reaches a consensus.
Carefully sanitized and opaque summaries of the panel's meetings have been posted online by the Public Works secretariat overseeing the replacement program.
They show a lot of deliberation surrounding the notion of whether the military could operate a mixed fleet of fighters, as well as the implications of extending the life of the existing CF-18s.
Both issues are expected to feed into the cabinet deliberation, along with potential industrial benefits.
One option that is off the table, according to defence insiders, is the notion of a "bridging capability."
Australia, one of several global partners in the F-35 project, has ordered a different jet as a stop-gap measure until the stealth fighter is fully operational. The F-35 has been beset with delays and cost overruns that have pushed its full introduction into service into 2018.
There's been speculation that the government could postpone a decision by asking the air force to rewrite its statement of requirements, which other aircraft makers have said were rigged in favour of the F-35.
Perry said he doesn't think such an order would amount to an admission that the original process was fixed, only that it was flawed — something the auditor general has already pointed out.
Also on HuffPost

subset: commoncrawl


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|System: X360, PS3, PC
|Review Rating Legend
|Dev: Starbreeze Studios
|1.0 - 1.9 = Avoid
|4.0 - 4.4 = Great
|Pub: Atari
|2.0 - 2.4 = Poor
|4.5 - 4.9 = Must Buy
|Release: Apr. 7, 2009
|2.5 - 2.9 = Average
|5.0 = The Best
|Players: 1-12
|3.0 - 3.4 = Fair
|ESRB Rating: Mature
|3.5 - 3.9 = Good
by Adam Brown
Back in 2004 The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay was released exclusively for the original Xbox. Although it was an excellent title, the game didn't do as well as it should have due to a few very important factors. The first is that it was a game based on a movie franchise, which more often than not is a completely legitimate reason for staying away from a title.
The next major reason was that there just weren't a ton of Xbox consoles in homes, leaving the game with a very small audience to attempt to win over. Lastly, even once the Xbox 360 was released and quickly gathered a much larger installed base than the original Xbox, the new system's limited backwards compatibility prevented any newcomers from playing this classic from the previous generation. While it is always sad to see any great game go underappreciated, Escape from Butcher Bay (EFBB) is finally getting its chance to shine thanks to the multi-console release of The Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena (AODA).
Much like the Orange Box before it, AODA is another prime example of getting loads of gaming bang for your buck. Aside from containing the entirety of the classic EFBB, this package also comes complete with a full-length sequel called Assault on Dark Athena, as well as an additional online multiplayer component. Both of the included single-player campaigns will take around ten to twelve hours apiece to play through, and it can be quite easy to spend just as much time dispatching foes online. As an added bonus, EFBB is also more than just a straight port of the original version, as it now includes a mech driving segment that was previously only available in the PC version and has gotten a complete HD graphical overhaul.
For the uninitiated, both EFBB and AODA's events take place before those of Pitch Black, the movie that started the franchise, and provide players with insight into a few of the characters' pasts. EFBB's story follows the series' main character Riddick, who is taken to a prison named Butcher Bay by his bounty hunting nemesis Johns. Not wanting to take up permanent residence, players are tasked with escaping this previously inescapable slam using any means at their disposal, including Riddick's trademark ability to see in the dark. In fact, players will actually get to see how Riddick came to acquire this built in night vision during the course of EFBB.
Players will spend a good amount of time conversing with and doing favors for other inmates trying to find their best possible exit strategy. Aside from these conversations, the gameplay consists of a mix of action, stealth, platforming, melee combat, and some more traditional first-person shooting. While this may sound like a weird blending of elements, it actually ends up being very satisfying. Since you are in a prison, much of the game revolves around using stealth instead of just blasting through waves of enemies. Even after you've found a gun, it is often more useful as a tool to shoot out lights to create darkness than as a weapon. Instead, most of the enemies you'll need to dispatch will be killed using a melee weapon such as a screwdriver or a shiv. Players can take out enemies by either sneaking up behind them and quickly executing them, or by using the game's hand to hand combat. Melee combat works quite well, using the left trigger to block, the right trigger to attack, and the left analog stick to perform different attacks. Players can even counter an enemy's attack by pulling the right trigger at just the right time while being attacked.
AODA picks up right where EFBB left off with Riddick and Johns in cryosleep flying through space. Their spaceship is found and taken aboard a massive merc ship named the Dark Athena that is under the control of an unstable captain named Revas. Of course, as Riddick, you evade the boarding party and must make your way through the Dark Athena in order to escape with your life. This is made more difficult because of the army of drones, think remote-controlled Borg without the hive mind, that are constantly patrolling the ship's hallways. Sadly, while some of the early parts of AODA will allow players to continue using the mixture of stealth and melee combat that was so satisfying in EFBB, most of the game encourages you to play it like any other first-person shooter. This can be fun at times, especially when making use of powerful new weapons like the SCAR gun that allows you to shoot sticky mines that can be detonated at will, but it definitely feels like a step backwards for the series.


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Twenty children's games in one, to educate and entertain toddlers and small children. The games feature cute, colorful cartoon art and lively sound effects. The user interface is specially designed to allow children to explore and enjoy the games on their own.
Easy to use menu for all games. Simply click on your favorite game and play.
Stack the colorful blocks any way you like in this challenging physics game. Works with or without gravity!
Drag your finger on the screen to create a train track, road or airway over the on-screen scenery, then watch as the cartoon trains, cars and airplanes travel along the paths while making their distinctive sounds.
Tap the screen to reveal pictures of the cartoon vehicle characters and excercise your memory by matching the pairs of identical pictures.
Tap on the numbered dots in sequence to reveal the hidden image.
Brush your finger over the black-and-white sketches to reveal the colors that complete the picture.
Tap on the cartoon characters and hear the sounds they make.
Reassemble the scrambled pictures by dragging the tiles to their correct place on the canvas.
Scratch with your finger the card to unveil the picture.
Choose colors from the palette and brush your finger over the canvas to color-in the black-and-white sketches using your own imagination.
Drag your finger on screen to draw letters, numbers, etc on the blackboard.


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|System: PS3*, Xbox 360
|Dev: Koei, Omega Force
|Pub: Koei
|Release: March 20, 2012
|Players: 1
|Screen Resolution: 480p-1080p
|Mild Language, Mild Suggestive Themes, Violence
by Angelo M. D'Argenio
The serpent king Orochi is back and there is only one thing that can stop him: a massive crossover battle fest!
Warriors Orochi 3 is the latest game in the Dynasty Warriors franchise. Once again, it calls together characters from both Dynasty Warriors and Samurai Warriors to confront a force much bigger than themselves. This time around, characters from other Tecmo Koei games join the party as well to bulk up the roster to a staggering 132 characters! However, many of you may remember that Warriors Orochi 2 was released to fairly poor reviews back in the days of the PlayStation 2. Does Warriors Orochi 3 do enough to regain its honor?
The story of Warriors Orochi 3 is par for the course for a crossover fanfiction. The many Warriors characters are fighting a losing battle against a giant eight-headed hydra. Only three characters remain alive, and just when it seems like all is lost, a Mary Sue named Kaguya appears to help you escape. Kaguya has the power to travel through time, and she asks you to use this power to save all the Warriors that fell in battle before you. Before you know it, you are off on a time-traveling adventure that will even take you to other dimensions.
The story is somewhat okay. Although the Dynasty Warriors series is based on the classic Romance of the Three Kingdoms books, it's never actually been known for its amazing storytelling. Warriors Orochi 3's story is filled with contrived deus ex machina moments and poorly written plot hooks just to get the massive roster of playable characters together. It's amusing, but only in a cheesy 80s crossover cartoon way. More often than not, you'll be looking past the plot to have fun with the gameplay.
Luckily, the gameplay is a lot of fun and the massive roster of characters is a blast to fool around with. Not only do all of the characters from past Dynasty Warriors, Samurai Warriors, and Warriors Orochi games come back, but characters from other Tecmo Koei properties join as well. This includes well-known faces such as Ryu Hayabusa from Ninja Gaiden and Ayane from Dead or Alive, but also includes more obscure guest combatants such as Achilles from Warriors: Legends of Try, Joan of Arc from Bladestorm: The Hundred Years' War, and Nemea from Trinity: Souls of Zill O'll. They all have moves taken directly from the games they came from, and yes, this means that Hayabusa is practically a murdering machine on the battlefield. These characters all appear in stages that mimic the games they come from, making it an absolute blast to unlock them.
As before, characters are split into different types. Power characters focus on raw damage, Speed characters focus on extremely quick and safe attacks, and Technique characters focus on stringing together interesting combos. Joining them is a new "Wonder" character type, which focuses on strange magic-based attacks. Kaguya, the new time-traveling character, is a Wonder type.
You'll pick a team of three characters to take onto the battlefield for each mission. Missions play out exactly like missions in previous Warriors games. You'll chop your way through wave after wave of weak enemy peons by simply mashing on the attack button. You can put together interesting combos by using your special attack button, and unleash a powerful Musou special attack whenever your Musou gauge fills. You can also use ranged attacks if you'd like, though you almost never will. You can switch your characters as you are attacking, and managing your character's life bars in this way is the key to survival. Your most powerful attack is called the True Union attack, which brings all three characters together at once to perform a devastating special move.
Mission objectives never change much. It's always the same pattern of kill enemies, collect power-ups, face a boss, lather, rinse, repeat. Sure, you'll face off against different enemies and different bosses in each mission, but the gameplay inevitably gets tedious. Luckily, this is alleviated by the steady string of new characters you get to play as and the numerous RPG-style upgrades you can allocate to each one. However, you eventually get diminishing returns as the game goes on. Upgrades become fewer and farther between, and you end up completely abandoning your older characters for newer, more powerful ones. Completionists will have a field day as they attempt to outfit the perfect 132-character army, but everyone else will get bored long before then.


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Learn more about Big Ridge State Park.
The heavily forested, 3,687-acre park is located in the Appalachian Ridge and Valley range, characterized by narrow ridges flanked by fertile stream valleys. Big Ridge State Park's topography is dominated by three of these ridge systems giving the area its beautiful lake and scenery.
Big Ridge State Park was one of five demonstration parks developed by the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) in cooperation with the National Park Service and the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) as an example of public recreation development along TVA lakeshores. The structures on the park reflect the craftsmanship and stonework of the CCC. Along the trails you may see remnants of the homes and farms that existed here prior to the birth of the TVA.
The park is home to a variety of activities for the whole family. Big Ridge State Park consists of more than 15 miles of hiking trails ranging from easy to very rugged. Among these trails guests hike along dry ridges, lush hollows, old roadbeds, lakeshores and beside cemeteries and remnants of early settlements. The park has 50 campsites on or near Norris Lake to accommodate RV's, trailers and tent campers. Each site offers amenities such as water, 50-amp electrical hookups and a picnic table with a grill. There is group camp which accommodates up to 120 people with 18 screened-in bunkhouses. Backcountry camping is also available at no charge, but requires a permit. There are also cabin options as well!
The park's recreational activities are not limited to hiking or camping. There is a sandy beach next to Big Ridge Lake which provides swimming enjoyment equipped with a concrete-bottomed area for children. Along with swimming enjoyment they offer paddling rentals! The park also offers sand volleyball, tennis courts, horseshoe pits, a basketball court and a softball field. Big Ridge State Park has a wheelchair accessible playground adjacent to the park office offering play experience for children of all ages and abilities.
Celebrating more than 30 years of Bluegrass at Big Ridge, the annual Bluegrass Festival is a family favorite. The festival is always held the third Friday of August. Music starts at 7 p.m. ET on Friday. Please join us!
1015 Big Ridge Park Rd.
Maynardville, TN 37807
Sunrise to 10:00 PM - Summer


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Discover the fascinating islands of Hawaii with this informative map which includes facts about the formation and history of the islands, as well as information about its ethnic and cultural diversity. Published in September 1995 as a companion map for the map of Hawaii printed in the same issue, this work also accompanied the article "On the Brink: Hawaiis Vanishing Species."
Coverage Area: Hawaii


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The following round-up is from our esteemed colleagues at The Wirecutter. We recently were discussing this very topic in the Editor's household, where children abound and the SmartCover fails to do much protecting.
Some people think the iPad is so gorgeous it doesn't need a case. I disagree, and my favorite overall case is Joy Factory's SmartSuit 3.
I'm surprised we could narrow it down; this took some doing. After about 70 hours of trolling published reviews and surveys of every case available for the new iPad, we called in roughly a dozen finalists to check the fit and feel ourselves. We eliminated the obviously ugly, cheap-feeling, poor-fitting, ill-reviewed cases in previous iPad 2 iterations, and selected the most protective, ergonomic and aesthetically pleasing models available. We looked at every model from makers like Speck, Targus, XtremeMac, G-Form, Switcheasy, Marware, DODOcase, Grovemade.
(An up-front tip of the hat to iLounge's Nick Guy is in order here, because he is clearly the best iPad case reviewer around. We gained a lot, not only from his insights but from the sheer number of cases reviewed. His work represents as complete a catalog as you'll find.)
As for our criteria: The case had to hit a reasonable price point ($60 or less) and protect the iPad by leaving no corner exposed. If it came with a front cover, it had to include magnets in order to activate the automatic sleep/wake functionality. It had to be able to be folded back into a stand, be constructed with durable and quality materials, and be comfortable to hold. Again, when we did not test, we let experienced reviewers eliminate the duds. For example, Vaja's Leather Agenda, as Nick Guy explains, was too expensive for a case that leaves the bottom edge and upper corners of the iPad open to nicks. Meanwhile, models like Speck's PixelSkin HD made the cut because the casing holds the iPad so securely that even without the magnetic cover, it offers outstanding protection.
Our dozen finalists included the Kensington BlackBelt, the M-Edge Latitude Jacket, the Acme Infinite Angle, the Zero Chroma Vario-SC, and multiple models from Speck and Targus. Review units of Case-Mate's Textured Tuxedo Case and Barely There were not available, though Gear Diary was a fan. I'd consider adding them to the short list when we can see for ourselves, but they do require some sticky tape to be applied to the back of your iPad, so I'm not going to hold my breath, either.
As for the testing, we slipped our iPad into each case and carried it around in a shoulder bag to determine weight. We also flexed the casing and did some drop tests to determine durability, watched video, typed on inclines, and held each one in-hand. Then we considered whether the asking price was a value or not.
Our Favorite:
*images below each caption
Joy Factory SmartSuit3: Again, the SmartSuit3 took the crown because it excels at every important task expected of a $60 case. It adds very little bulk to the iPad, the exterior material feels solid and is beautifully textured, and the magnets are perfect. Folding the cover's segments into a vertical or slight incline stand is easy and the case will hold its position even with some jostling. When closed, and even when we held it face-down in the air, the cover clung to the iPad without waking it. The smartest surprise is the magnet in the back, which holds the flap flat against the rear side so you can hold it as if there were no case at all, a feat we didn't see matched on many other models. One gripe: It's not available in very fun colors; only black, grey and brown. Some might call that boring; we call it classic.
Aside from our own look, CNET included the previous version of this case in its list of the Best iPad Cases, and iLounge gave the same model a B+ (Recommended). Neither has reviewed this model. Complaints about the stand's functionality and open corners seem to have been resolved with this update. Unanimous 5-star Amazon reviews reflect the improvement. $47
Standard Full Cases:
Skech Fabric Flipper: This comes closest to matching Apple's aesthetics in a full case. The cover's magnets are spot-on (though it won't hold on to the back like Joy Factory's does) and the cloth/rubber exterior provides just the right amount of grip. For protection, it lacks the SmartSuit's coverage—the Fabric Flipper leaves the top of the iPad exposed, explained here. $45
STM Skinny: The Skinny is a tremendous value. It has a tough nylon exterior, the plastic casing that holds the iPad has precise dimensions with all-over protection, and the whole thing is unobtrusively light. Our only issue is with the slide tab that holds the flap shut. It keeps the iPad asleep when it gets thrown around, but sliding it out and opening for use takes effort. We also prefer the four-piece segmented cover on the Joy Factory, but for $20 less, this is a solid choice. iLounge gave it a deserved A- (Highly Recommended). $40
Incase Book Jacket Select: This is the iPad case for the board room. We like its suede interior lining, easy angling for typing and video, and its elastic band that keeps the magnetic cover in place so you won't waste the battery on an awake iPad if your bag contents rustle the case. It's good, but the corners are left exposed and the fit is a little chintzy so it's not our favorite. The new iPad model hasn't been reviewed yet, but our experience with it was mostly positive, except for the added bulk. New colors are available, too. $60
Incipio SLIM Kickstand Folio: We like the Incipio Kickstand Folio ($40) for its convincing faux leather (although it's also available in nylon). As ChipChick said, the Kickstand is a favorite for its lightness (8.8 oz.), and holder cutouts that grip the iPad's curves correctly. CNET included it in their list of the Best iPad 3 Cases and Covers for the same reasons. But, as MacLife points out, there are other cases that are tougher and more ergonomic. It also has no magnetic cover, which is a major drawback for us. $40
Rugged Cases:
Griffin Survivor: If I were buying for protection (like work on a job site), I'd get this case. It meets military standards for field use, and ZDNet's evaluation of tough iPad 2 cases found Griffin's model to be more protective and unobtrusive than the Gumdrop Cases Drop Series and the OtterBox Defender. $80
Backs (That Work With Apple's Smart Cover):
Incipio Smart Feather Ultralight Hard Shell Case: A hard plastic back with a slot for Apple's smart cover that—get this—keeps it from flopping off! It stops the magnets from loosely attaching to the back when you fold the smart cover back, but that's a small price to pay for a cheap case that works perfectly with the smart cover. Tried it. Liked it. OMG look at this price >>> $20
(There's an NGP back cover made of a gummier material (NGP stands for Next Gen Polymer) that Incipio sells which does not have room for a smart cover. I don't like it.)
DODOcase BOOKback cover: This is a faux leather skin that sits on the back of your iPad, protecting it only from the scratches that happen when the iPad is placed against a table covered in salt, dust, etc. It also helps grip. Brian tried it and loves it. $25
GelaSkins: For a skin, this is an OK option, with great designs available and durable adhesion. Be warned that there's not enough protection to survive a drop or scratch, but if you want to preserve the iPad's lines, this is a solid choice. $30
Keyboard Cases: We don't like these, and prefer a dedicated keyboard outside of a case. But we'll recommend some in the coming week.
The Rest We Looked At:
These other models are all right, but we recommend them only for specific use and prefer the models above. But we include them here to give you a wider variety to choose from.
Targus Slim: We almost made this our top choice, but then iLounge gave it a C. The exterior material's rough cloth texture feels great, and it barely adds any weight, but, as iLounge points out, the cover slides and wakes the iPad easily. $50
Grovemade Basic iPad Case: This case is my pick for most beautiful design, and the front cover is almost as solid as Apple's model. But at $140, the bamboo won't survive a spill from the desk onto the floor, and putting a crack in the wood grain is heartbreaking. $140
DODOcase: This book-like case has become a classic, and it still hits some great points. It's got beautiful construction with a solid elastic strap. Still, at $60, other cases are more protective for less dough. If you, like I, prize aesthetics over functionality, this is a great choice—even President Obama agrees.
SwitchEasy Canvas: Though this earned a coveted "A" rating on iLounge, editor Nick Guy says that customers have been having problems with the case cracking. I don't like the Velcro on the underside, but it provides solid protection at every corner. $50
Targus Vuscape: It has the same qualities as the Slim, but the cover only closes with a securing clip that requires pressure. $45
Speck PixelSkin HD: The PixelSkin fits the iPad well, and the texture on the front and rear looks and feels cool. We didn't like that the cover is too rigid to prop it up easily, and that the flexible casing is loose around the iPad. $50
Speck FitFolio: The FitFolio holds the iPad well, and has bumpers all around that keep the iPad from harm, as noted in the iLounge review. We didn't like that cover has, like the PixelSkin, a plastic clip that must be forced into place to close and sleep. $40
Kensington BlackBelt: It's a simple, unobtrusive addition to the iPad, but the band fits the new iPad loosely. It protects from bumps and drops, but not much more—further explained here. $40
ZeroChroma Vario-SC: Joe Brown, from Gizmodo, loves this case and he's not wrong to admire it. The only issue for us is that it has no front protection and the rear arms that provide the multiple viewing angles makes the iPad feel off balance. Still, it has the most adjustable stand of any case we've used. But that lack of protection can be ignored only if you plan on doing a lot of Netflix-ing. $50
Acme Made Infinite Angle: The adjustable strap that rests the iPad at any angle works well, and the magnet that attaches it to the cover feels solid. But the lining partially covers the home button, enough so to be annoying. $60
M-Edge Latitude Jacket: Great protection all over, but the zippered exterior adds significant bulk. Still, if you want padding on the cheap, it's a bargain. $35
OK, that's it. My brain hurts. Please don't make me look at any more iPad cases.


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I offered my own plan to achieve the goal outlined by the President to achieve primary budget balance by 2015 with one very different assumption. I believe that we can do it without further eroding the middle class in America.
It pays to remember that just 10 years ago we had a budget surplus and the debt was rapidly decreasing. During the Bush years, those surpluses disappeared and huge debt accumulated due to two unfunded wars, two unfunded tax cuts that mainly enriched the already wealthy, and a blind eye to the recklessness of Wall Street which caused 8 million Americans to lose their jobs and millions more to lose their savings, the value of their homes and the homes themselves.
Now we are on an "unsustainable fiscal path," to quote the report, which threatens our future economic viability. But there is another grave threat to both our economy and our democracy, and that is the alarming redistribution of wealth that is shrinking the middle class. The top 1% of Americans now owns 34% of our nation's wealth - more than the combined wealth of 90% of Americans. Even during this great recession, the top 5% of households have seen their income rise. Just this week, two million Americans lost their unemployment insurance benefits. If we fail to extend them, not only will that be another slap to the middle class, but it will hurt the economy by depriving our businesses - large and small - of money these struggling Americans will rush out and spend.
And now we have a commission report that glibly talks about "shared sacrifice" and making "painful" decisions. I ask, "Painful for whom?" These recommendations ask those who have already been and are sacrificing, to sacrifice further. Those who have not enjoyed the prosperity party over the last many years are being asked to pick up the tab.
We do not need to do this. There is another way.
* My plan recognizes the need to create jobs - a deficit-reducing strategy - that some, incorrectly, view as just more spending. Their plan does not include up front investments to lower the unemployment rate. It is important to note that if America's unemployment rate were still at its pre-recession level of 4.5%, we would only be facing a modest deficit.
* Their plan addresses rising health care costs by asking elderly Medicare beneficiaries to pay more out of their own pockets, even though they already pay about 30% of their mostly meager incomes (the median income for seniors is $18,000 per year) on their own. Their plan cuts Medicare by $110 billion by imposing higher cost-sharing requirements on seniors and people with disabilities. Mine requires Medicare to negotiate with pharmaceutical companies for lower prices like the Veteran's Administration does, bringing down the cost to seniors and the government by billions of dollars. It also would implement a public option, which we already know would save $10 billion by 2015.
* Their plan cuts the bloated military budget, which is a very good thing. Mine does as well, but not by freezing noncombat military pay for three years or by cutting military health care benefits. These military families are not getting rich serving our country and should not be the target of deficit reduction.
* Responding to Republican calls to slash spending, the Bowles-Simpson plan calls for deep cuts in domestic discretionary spending. Using the Bowles-Simpson formula, the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities calculates a 22% cut in current funding levels in 2020, jeopardizing everything from nutrition and education to medical research and job training.
* Amazingly, their plan opens a new huge loophole to incentivize companies to outsource jobs. By adopting a territorial tax system, U.S. based multi-national corporations will never have to pay taxes on profits earned from subsidiaries in foreign countries.
* Finally, the Bowles-Simpson plan would require cuts in Social Security benefits. The good news is that they acknowledge that Social Security has nothing to do with the deficit, and their plan is to make Social Security solvent for the next 75 years and not to use it for debt reduction. The bad news is that average benefits for middle-income workers (average lifetime earnings of between $43,000 and $69,000 per year) could be cut up to 35% depending on when they retire. There is no need to cut Social Security in order to save it as my plan proves.
I have highlighted just a few of the ways that the Bowles-Simpson plan further erodes the middle class and threatens low-income Americans. There are many things in their plan that are also in mine, however. I appreciate that there has been consensus that the defense budget must be subjected to scrutiny and trimming in ways never seriously suggested before. It is very significant that tax expenditures, or as they call "tax earmarks," all those deductions that are largely skewed to the wealthy, are finally being recognized for what they are - spending, but through the tax code.
Some will criticize my approach to deficit reduction as politically impossible. But I gladly subject my ideas to the public, knowing that protecting Social Security and Medicare benefits, investing in jobs, and asking the richest Americans to contribute more, represents a majority view despite the inside-the-beltway conventional wisdom of what is possible. No wonder people are angry. They watch Wall Street tycoons getting bonuses and government bailouts, shopping for holiday gifts at Tiffany's, while they are trying to scrape together enough money for the rent.
Bottom line, this Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform has proven that fixing our nation's fiscal challenges is not mission impossible. I look forward to the constructive debate that has been started and I will continue to stand up for low-income and middle class Americans so that we can uphold the truly American notion of leaving each generation better off than the one that came before it.


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(CNN) -- Anne Smedinghoff lived inside a heavily secured compound.
But the public diplomacy officer for the U.S. Embassy in Kabul was always pushing to get out.
"We thought she was relatively safe in the embassy compound, but as it turned out, Anne really wanted to do a lot more," her father, Tom Smedinghoff, told CNN.
"She was always finding projects and assignments that took her outside to the various provinces within and around Afghanistan, and that was what she wanted to do," he said. "That was what really drove her."
This past weekend, the 25-year-old was trying to do just that -- delivering books to a school in southern Afghanistan -- when a suicide bomber smashed into her convoy Saturday. She is believed to be the first U.S. diplomat killed since the September attack in Benghazi, Libya.
Her death was a grim reminder of the risks and importance of pushing for change in "one of the toughest places on earth," U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said Sunday.
It was an "extraordinary, harsh contradiction," Kerry said, to see an attacker kill "a young, 25-year-old woman with all of the future ahead of her, believing in the possibilities of diplomacy, of changing people's lives, of making a difference, having an impact, who was taking knowledge in books to deliver them to a school."
Officials did not say who they believe was behind the blast. But Kerry offered a sharp condemnation of the violence as he spoke Sunday to U.S. diplomats stationed in Istanbul.
"The folks who want to kill people, and that's all they want to do, are scared of knowledge. And they want to shut the doors and they don't want people to make their choices about the future. For them, it's 'You do things my way and if you don't, we'll throw acid in your face. We'll put a bullet in your face,' to a young girl trying to learn," Kerry said. "So this is a huge challenge for us. It is a confrontation with modernity, with possibilities, and everything that our country stands for, everything we stand for, is embodied in what Anne Smedinghoff stood for."
Friend: 'She pushed you to be better'
Smedinghoff graduated from Johns Hopkins University in 2009 with a degree in international relations and joined the Foreign Service soon afterward.
"I remember how excited she was when she got in and started her training. She would always talk about it, because she was one of those natural leaders," said Christopher Louie, 26, a close friend who first met Smedinghoff in college. "When she was passionate about something, she would let everyone know. ... You could just tell when she got in the Foreign Service, she saw that this was her opportunity to make a big impact on the world."
And her enthusiasm was infectious, said Louie, a medical filmmaker in Washington who recently vacationed with Smedinghoff in Jordan.
"She always got people interested in what she was involved in. ... Whenever I knew I was going to see her, I'd always make sure I was brushed up on foreign affairs. She was one of those people, you didn't want to let her down," he said. "She pushed you to be better."
It was clear that "there was no better place for her" than the Foreign Service, her parents said in a written statement.
After a tour of duty in Caracas, Venezuela, Smedinghoff volunteered for an assignment at the U.S. Embassy in Kabul and had been working there since July, her parents said.
"We are consoled knowing that she was doing what she loved, and that she was serving her country by helping to make a positive difference in the world," they said.
Before she joined the State Department, Smedinghoff served on the board of directors for the Ulman Cancer Fund for Young Adults' 4K for Cancer program, spending a summer cycling across the United States to raise money and awareness.
"Anne was an incredibly optimistic, fearless, and giving person," said Ryan Hanley, the program's founder.
"We mourn a life cut short," he said Sunday, "but are blessed to have shared in it."
Father: 'I think she really enjoyed the challenge'
Smedinghoff's Facebook profile gives a glimpse of her life in Afghanistan. One photo shows a group skiing in the Afghan mountains. Another shows her standing behind a lectern at the embassy, surrounded by American flags. Another, titled "Helicoptering around Helmand," shows a smiling Smedinghoff sitting beside men in camouflage, wearing a helmet and a flak jacket.
The prospect of her working in Afghanistan worried her parents at first, but her passion for the job and the good work she hoped to do won them over.
"She really thought there was a lot to be done there, and she could be part of it. ... As parents you always want to make sure no harm comes to your children, but I knew that she wanted to embrace this opportunity," her mother, Mary Beth Smedinghoff, said Monday, "so she had our full-hearted support and blessing to apply for that position."
Public outreach projects like delivering textbooks to schools, organizing educational efforts and working with women's groups to promote equality were parts of her job she particularly loved, her parents said.
They spoke to CNN Monday morning from Dover Air Force Base in Delaware, where they were awaiting the arrival of their daughter's remains just over a week after their last conversation with her.
In that Easter chat, she excitedly told her parents about Kerry's recent visit to Afghanistan. She sent them photos and a congratulatory e-mail she received from the ambassador for her work during the trip.
"She was just so exuberant about everything that had transpired during that trip and what she had done," Mary Beth Smedinghoff said. "Obviously, we were very proud of her."
Kerry was emotional Sunday as he spoke of Smedinghoff's death and described his experience meeting her during the recent Afghanistan trip.
"I remember her -- vivacious, smart, capable, chosen often by the ambassador there to be the lead person because of her capabilities," he said.
Neighbor: 'She had candle power'
Residents in the River Forest, Illinois, neighborhood where the Smedinghoff family lives said they were devastated by the news.
"Anne Smedinghoff was one of those rare people who, you were lucky if you were near her. She had candle power," one neighbor told CNN affiliate WGN. "She brightened everyone's life."
Katie Whiting, whose sister was Smedinghoff's best friend, told the CNN affiliate that the "beautiful and brave" diplomat was doing her dream job.
"The world has really lost somebody who was going to do a lot of good things. ... Every dangerous place she wanted to go there, because that's where the hard work was," Whiting said.
In Smedinghoff's memory, CNN affiliate WBBM reported, American flags lined the road near her family's home on Sunday.
A large photograph she posted on her Facebook profile less than three weeks ago shows another road on the other side of the world, lined with Afghan flags.
CNN's John Branch and Rick Martin contributed to this report.
™ & © 2013 Cable News Network, Inc., a Time Warner Company. All rights reserved.


text: Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums :: View topic - Who can stop swine flu? Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums"The Internet's Meeting Place for ESL/EFL Students and Teachers from Around the World!" FAQ Search Memberlist Usergroups Register Profile Log in to check your private messages Log in Who can stop swine flu? Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums Forum Index -> Current News View previous topic :: View next topic Author Message yukokkoJoined: 11 May 2009Posts: 1Location: Japan Posted: Mon May 18, 2009 6:54 pm Post subject: Who can stop swine flu? Recently, swine flu is prevalent on a global scale. This was spread from Mexico, but was not able to prevent the present situation? I think that what recognized new influenza was too slow. Then it was cause that many Mexican who have difference of the poverty and wealth couldnt check with the doctor. I think that world cooperation is necessary to solve this problem. Even if only one country does measures, the effect is thin. What will stop this flu is not America, but around world. We should think the world connection that is better than new. Therefore, present situation is good chance to improve bad points. Now, world cooperation is very important. Back to top pugachevVJoined: 16 Jan 2003Posts: 2295 Posted: Sat May 23, 2009 4:27 pm Post subject: I think it's a storm in a teacup. Although it's sad that some people have died from the H1N1 virus, the "normal" flu has killed many thousands more people. Probably some government department is trying to justify its existence. Back to top Jenniferdu521Joined: 29 Mar 2009Posts: 72 Posted: Sun May 31, 2009 2:38 am Post subject: I also heard someone don't believe that H1N1 flue exists, this point of view shows that H1NI is just a assistant method for some government for some reason, many people die even there is no fle, and so on. But in my opinion, Flu is exists, for there are so many doctors and professors of medical. I do think their is a standard rule to identify what is H1N1 flu and what is not, for example, cytological examination, not only by some common symptoms. I agree with yukokko, world cooperation is a good way to control swine flu. Back to top weiyaoJoined: 20 Jun 2005Posts: 105 Posted: Wed Jun 03, 2009 7:15 am Post subject: to stop the spreading of the swine flu requires the coperation of every countries in the world. some countries take it seriously, they've had some approaches to the swine flu. some other countries don't take it that serious. that's a problem. Back to top Display posts from previous: All Posts1 Day7 Days2 Weeks1 Month3 Months6 Months1 Year Oldest FirstNewest First Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums Forum Index -> Current News All times are GMT - 8 Hours Page 1 of 1 Jump to: Select a forum Student Forums----------------ComputersCurrent NewsCultureEnglish SchoolsFamilyFilm and CinemaFoodHealth and FitnessHelp CenterHobbiesHolidaysLearning EnglishLiteratureMaking FriendsMusicOpinionsPetsScienceSportsThe Strange and MysteriousTOEFL and Other English ExamsTravel You cannot post new topics in this forumYou cannot reply to topics in this forumYou cannot edit your posts in this forumYou cannot delete your posts in this forumYou cannot vote in polls in this forum Dave's ESL Cafe is maintained by the one and only Dave Sperling. Banner Advertising | Bookstore / Alta Books | FAQs | Articles | Interview with Dave Copyright © 2018 Dave's ESL Cafe | All Rights Reserved | Contact Dave's ESL Cafe | Site Map Teachers College, Columbia University: Train to Teach English Here or Abroad Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2002 phpBB Group


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Royal Coburg Theatre as it appeared on opening night, May 11th, 1818Schnebbelie, Robert Blemmell
Stow, James
With the last scene of the "Trial by Battle." This illustration is from Robert Wilkinson's "Londina Illustrata," vol. 2.
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- Londina Illustrata. Graphic and Historical Memorials of Monasteries, Churches, Chapels, Schools, Charitable Foundations, Palaces, Halls, Courts, Processions, Places of Early Amusement, and Modern Present Theatres, in the Cities and Suburbs of London and Westminster, Volume 2
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- Theaters
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- Waterloo Road
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Asking PIMCO founder Bill Gross his opinion of stocks is like asking the late Steve Jobs his opinion of Windows. The response may be as predictable as it is smart and incisive. Not only did Gross take on stocks as an investment, he directly called out long-time stock advocate Jeremy Siegel of the University of Pennsylvania Wharton School for promoting unrealistic expectations of future equity yields. The analyses of stock investing by both Gross and Siegel should be taken seriously by anyone who cares about estimating future equity returns.
In characteristically subtle fashion, Gross noted in his August PIMCO Investment Outlook column that stock investment is a fading cult resembling a Ponzi scheme buoyed by past returns that were a "historical freak, a mutation likely never to be seen again." The most compelling point made by Gross is that the assumption of a 6.6% real rate of return on equities in an economy that is only growing by 2-3% is logically unsustainable.
Such a rate of return would imply that the majority of economic growth in society would be swallowed by equity investors. Any productivity gains would have to be allocated to equity owners at the expense of bond holders and workers who would merely tread water or lose ground as the economy expands.
Gross is right. A 6.6% real rate of equity return in perpetuity implies that bond investors and/or workers are saps whose risk aversion and ignorance lead to a wealth transfer to equity investors. But this is more or less what occurred in the 20th century in the United States. Siegel's book Stocks for the Long Run notes that an investment of $1 in T-bills grew to $18 between 1926 and 2001, while a $1 investment in stocks grew to $1,606. Presumably this is because T-bills are less risky than stocks. If so, then there should be at least a few examples of long-term stock underperformance. Siegel noted one in his book—between 1831 and 1861. We've already experienced a second.
I asked Wade Pfau, associate professor at the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies, to calculate the long-run opportunity cost of bond investment versus equity investment. We assumed that in each period a 30-year bond is issued at prevailing interest rates (long-term government bond plus 1%) and that amount is invested for the next 30 years in a portfolio of large-cap stocks while paying off the bond as an amortized loan (as if it were a mortgage). All final wealth values are inflation-adjusted. Think of it as taking out a mortgage on a paid-off home and investing the proceeds in stocks for the duration of the mortgage.
Our results represent the wealth transfer from bond investors to equity investors within each 30-year period in the United States. If markets are efficient and long-run risk is real, then bond investors should have outperformed equity investors some of the time. The results reveal a bad century for American bond investors, but also a surprising trend toward market efficiency.
The Depression ruined a stock investor's scheme of selling bonds to buy stocks if they started between 1928 and 1931. Those who borrowed $100 in 1932 earned $901 by 1962 after investing in stocks and paying off the loan. Those who borrowed $100 in 1993 saw their equity investment grow to $1,064. Investors who borrowed $100 in bonds and invested in stocks earned a remarkable $1,156 after 30 years if they began in 1942 and $1,192 if they began in 1943.
This high-water mark for the bond/stock arbitrage strategy hasn't been matched since, and one might argue that high global economic and political risk made stock markets less attractive during the mid-20th century. Since then, the arbitrage strategy has declined in a nearly linear fashion to the point where there were no years where the strategy yielded more than $200 between 1959 and 1974 and in 11 of these 16 years an investor either lost money or gained less than $100. High equity returns in the 1990s again lifted gains to $532 for investors who borrowed $100 in 1975, but declined to just $16 by 1981. A quick glance at the graph suggests that the wealth transfer from bond to stock investors has declined over the last 50 years and may now represent a much more modest premium for long-term stock investors.
One of Gross's most interesting points is that a coming generation may have lost its appetite for stock investment after having been burned by the stock market (Generation X) and by the labor market (Generation Y). While I speak with many advisors who have experienced a pretty decent return on equities during their lifetime, many Americans entering their peak earning years can't relate. I accepted my first tenure-track academic job in August of 1999. Thirteen years later, my dividend-reinvested S&P 500 return is 1.99% per year. My total inflation-adjusted return is a negative 5%. Those who graduated a year later saw a total after-inflation return of negative 13%.
A reduced appetite for risk, however, may be what ultimately saves stocks as an investment. Stock returns have been higher than bond returns only because investors need to be compensated for the added perceived or actual risk of holding stocks. If everyone loves stocks, the risk premium falls and stock returns are as low as, or lower than, bonds. In December of 1999, investors were willing to pay $44.20 for one dollar of average corporate trailing 10-year earnings. Investors loved stocks, and they were subsequently burned for their irrational exuberance. Current stock valuations according the Shiller PE Ratio are about half what they were in 1999, but still about 35% above the historical average.
A good way to think of PE is as a rough proxy of the risk premium. Yale economics professor Robert Shiller has shown a surprisingly consistent relation between PE and subsequent stock return. As PE increases, stock return over the next 10 years declines. Mapping out past PE ratios and returns shows that a PE of 15 has resulted in 10-year nominal returns of about 10%, a PE of 25 leads to predicted returns of about 5% and the nominal return goes negative after about a PE of 35. The Shiller PE has been in the low 20s in recent months. When the PE creeps past 20, there has never been a 10-year period where stock returns later exceeded 10% annually and 20 periods where they didn't. History suggests that the best we might hope for is a nominal rate in the 5-7% range. And that is a nominal rate; if, for example, a government were to take on excessive debt and inflate itself to regain solvency, real rates of return could easily be negative for equity holders.
Revisiting stock valuation fundamentals is always valuable to gain a better perspective on expected returns. Gross criticized the Siegel constant (a 6.6% annual real return on equities) as an artifact of a high U.S. 20th-century growth rate that is unsustainable in the "new normal" economy. So what is the value of a share of stock? Dusty discount models base it on current discount rates and expected dividend streams. What about the majority of companies that don't pay a dividend? We can base it on earnings that will eventually be returned to us through future dividends or through mergers and acquisitions. Either way, the value of the firm is directly tied to the growth in its ability to earn profit.
The only way to indefinitely receive a rate of return on equity much higher than the rate of return on bonds is if firms are able to borrow at a rate lower than their growth in profits while returning the excess to shareholders. This spread between money borrowed and money returned to shareholders may be caused by the previously mentioned excessive risk aversion or investor ignorance. Or it may simply go away as markets become more sophisticated. At a current PE of just over 22, I'd assume the latter.
The cult of equity promises a prosperous future that can prevent us from making the difficult choices required when asset returns fall below the Siegel constant. According to Gross, "if financial assets no longer work for you at a rate far above the rate of true wealth creation, then you must work longer for your money, suffer a haircut on your existing holdings and entitlements, or both." This helps explain why so many governments, asset managers and retirees want to drink the Kool-Aid.
Michael Finke is a professor and coordinator of the doctoral program in personal financial planning at Texas Tech University.


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16 March 2019 – Coach Cameron!
16 March 2019 – "Coach Cameron's Choice!"
Warm-up: TBD
WOD 1: 7 Minute AMRAP:
10 Calorie Row/Bike Sprint
10 Pull-ups
10 Push Press (95/65)
Rest 3 Minutes
WOD 2: 7 Minute AMRAP:
10 Power Cleans (95/65)
10 Burpees over the Bar
Sprint to the End of the Parking Lot and Back
Rest 3 Minutes
WOD 3: AMRAP 7 Minutes
10 Calorie Row/Bike Spring (different from Round 1!)
10 Front Squats (95/65)
10 GHD Sit-ups (2X Ab Mat Sit-ups)
Rest 3 Minutes
WOD 4: 7 Minutes:
1000 Meter Row or Bike
Max Reps Push-ups in the Remaining Time (Score is Push-ups)
Cool Down: TBD
@allsportcrossfit, @brandonluckett, @crossfitgames, @roguefitness, #harveysucks, #misfitathletics, 12 Labors WOD, 77098, 77098 CrossFit, Afton Oaks CrossFit, AllSport CrossFit, Ample Equipment, Audley Street, Backsquat, Benchpress, Biking, Bootcamp, Burpees, C2 Rower, C2 Rowers, Cardio, Center of Houston CrossFit, Competition Team, CrossFit, CrossFit Central Houston, CrossFit Elements Class, CrossFit for Athletes, CrossFit Games Athlete Owned, CrossFit Houston, CrossFit Kids, Deadlift, Downtown Houston, Eastside Lap, El Tiempo, Episcopal High School, Every Day is Leg Day, Family Fun, Filthy Fifty, Fit and Fun, Fit Dads, Fit Family, Fit Moms, Fitness & Conditioning, Free Form Runners, Functional Fitness, Gain Muscle, Games Athletes, Glute Ham Developer, Granite Games, Granite Games Qualifier, Greenway Plaza, Greenway Plaza CrossFit, groupon, Happy New Year, have fun, Heights CrossFit, Hero, Hero WODs, High School Athletes, Highland Village, Highland Village CrossFit, Hot Dads, Hot Moms, Houston Resolutions, https://clients.mindbodyonline.com/networkdashboard/?studioid=26612, Inside the Loop CrossFit, Lamar High School, Lose Fat, Lose Weight, Macro Diets, Manion WOD, Military, Military Friendly, Military Owned, Mountain Climbers, New Year's Resolutions, Orange Theory, Peformance Based Fitness, Performanced Based Fitness, Power Athlete, Pull-ups, Push-ups, Reebok Nanos, Regionals Athletes, Richmond CrossFit, River Oaks CrossFit, Rowing, Running, Showers at Facility, Sit-ups, SJS, Small Business, Squats, St John's School, Strength, Strength and Conditioning Houston, Super Bowl 51, The CrossFit Games, The CrossFit Open, Travis Manion, Tribute, Upper Kirby, Upper Kirby Area CrossFit, US Navy Owner, Veteran Business Owner, West University CrossFit, Westheimer CrossFit, WOD, Woman Owned Business


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Discussion forum for the all-new 21st century Beetle, produced from 2012 - present.
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Here's a closer look at the kid-friendly Pets vs. Monsters, the first game from Funcom's new casual studio, SweetRobot, heading for open beta testing before the month is out.
Pets vs. Monsters is a free-to-play MMO targeted at children between the ages of eight and 12. Kids create an avatar, select between dogs, cats and bears (just like at the pet store, only with bears!), and set off on an adventure destroying monsters while riding on the back of their trusted companion.
Like Sony Online Entertainment's Free Realms, Pets vs. Monsters will integrate streaming technology, allowing children to start playing within minutes of download. Parents worried about exposing their children to foul language and internet predators need not worry, as Funcom has included a constructed chat system to ensure that no foul words pass their players' fingertips.
Check out the game in action, along with a couple of screens, or visit the game's website for more information.


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Cam teamed with DJ/producer/writer Diplo for a new song, "So Long," which Diplo released in April as part of a planned series of collaborations with country artists.
The two artists dropped a new acoustic video for the track they co-penned with Benjamin Mathis, Diana Gordon, Henry Agincourt Allen, Michael Wilson Hardy, Sasha Sloan and Tyler Johnson. The intimate video was directed by Patrick Tracy and filmed at The Cave Studio in Nashville.
"When I heard Diplo was doing a country project, I honestly didn't know what to expect, but at first listen I fell in love with the song, 'So Long'—it was just a verse/chorus but I was hooked and helped finish the songwriting," says Cam. "I got to play 'So Long' live during my set at Stagecoach and I wanted to capture that live instrument magic for everyone."
Watch Cam's new video below.
photo by Tammie Arroyo, AFF-USA.com


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The American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) applauds the California Children's Outdoor Bill of Rights, created to encourage California's children to participate in outdoor activities and discover their environmental heritage.Numerous studies have shown that children who participate in outdoor activities are healthier, do better in school, have better social skills and self-image, and lead more fulfilled lives. The California Children's Outdoor Bill of Rights aims to have all children, before their 14th birthday, to have the opportunity to experience each of the 10 activities listed within it. The list of goals to accomplish in the California Children's Outdoor Bill of Rights includes:
Play in a Safe Place Explore Nature
Learn to Swim Go Fishing
Follow a Trail Camp Under the Stars
Ride a Bike Go Boating
Connect with the Past Plant a Seed
The U.S. Forest Service's top forester on the West Coast, Pacific Southwest Region Forester Randy Moore, signed a proclamation in late September 2013 endorsing the California Children's Bill of Rights stating, "Providing our youth every opportunity to develop strong connections to the land will help teach them essential values that will contribute to healthy lifestyles." ASLA also commends the efforts of Richard Louv's book "Last Child Left In The Woods," an inspiration for the creation of the California Children's Outdoor Bill of Rights, along with policy initiatives that encourage outdoor activity and reengagement with nature, such as the Health Kids Outdoors Act. Additionally, ASLA supports currently pending pieces of legislation that makes environmental education a national policy, as outlined by the No Child Left Inside Act, and the Community Parks Revitalization Act, which assists with the construction and rehabilitation of urban parks and recreational facilities across the United States. "The California Children's Outdoor Bill of Rights is a great example all states can use to urge our nation's youth to engage themselves in outdoor activities and discover the natural treasures hidden within their surroundings," said Nancy C. Somerville, Hon. ASLA, Executive Vice President of the American Society of Landscape Architects. Somerville added, "Landscape architects believe that California's efforts can lead to the recognition of a National Children's Outdoor Bill of Rights and show why it is important for states and the federal government to invest in parks and recreation areas across America." ASLA actively encourages communities to create or improve access to places that enable physical activity, including parks, recreational facilities, bicycle paths, walking trails and sidewalks. Click HERE for more information on ASLA's efforts to promote outdoor activity and environmental education.About ASLAFounded in 1899, the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) is the national professional association for landscape architects, representing more than 15,000 members in 49 professional chapters and 76 student chapters. The Society's mission is to lead, to educate and to participate in the careful stewardship, wise planning and artful design of our cultural and natural environments. Members of the Society use the "ASLA" suffix after their names to denote membership and their commitment to the highest ethical standards of the profession. Learn more at www.asla.org.
Kevin FryDirector, PR and Communications firstname.lastname@example.com Anita WangDigital Communications Manager email@example.com


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Gabourey Sidibe who made her acting debut in the 2009 film Precious, a role that brought her a nomination for the Academy Award revealed she was told to quit Hollywood by her favorite actress Joan Cusack.
Gabby appeared on "Watch What Happens" with Andy Cohen earlier this week when she was asked a question that gave an unexpected answer. Cohen asked Sidibe, "What celebrity were you most disappointed by when you finally met them?"
The actress replied Joan Cusack, the voice behind "Toy Story's" Jessie.
"What celebrity was I disappointed by?" Sidibe reiterated. "Oh, and it's not in a mean way, because I know that she meant well. I met Joan Cusack, who is my favorite favorite — I love her — but, it was before I became [famous] or whatever. I was at some industry party, and she says, 'Are you an actress?' And I said, 'Yeah!' And she says, 'Oh honey, you should really quit the business, it's so image-conscious.'"
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Sidibe tried to reassure the show's viewers that she didn't think Cusack said the comments in a mean way.
Cusack has yet to respond.
Gabourey Sidibe "I Hate Being Called Precious"
Gabourey Sidibe's Elle Magazine Cover: Why Was Her Skin Lightened?
Check out our Gabourey gallery below:


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Vendors who have been calling tablets 'the new PCs' can now prove it. The development of 64-bit mobile processors opens the door for more addressable memory and PC-like performance on tablets and smartphones.
Intel Monday unveiled a 64-bit Atom processor designed for Android smartphones and tablets, and with it Intel President Renee James made a simple but pregnant point: "Sixty-four bit computing is moving from the desktop to the mobile device."
In her statement, James didn't explain exactly what the movement of 64-bit chip technology from PCs to mobile devices will bring. For instance, will applications that today are only used on personal computers eventually find their way to tablets and smartphones thanks to 64-bit technology?
The reason to go to a 64-bit architecture is to add lots of memory -- moving from a 32-bit to a 64-bit system increases the total addressable space from 4GB to many exabytes.
Mobile platforms today typically have one or 2GB of RAM, although the Samsung Galaxy Note boasts 3GB. HP's ElitePad 1000, announced Monday at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, runs Intel's new 64-bit Atom and has 4GB of RAM.
Nathan Brookwood, principal analyst at Insight 64, said the arrival of 64-bit mobile computing "is going to enable software that is as sophisticated and powerful as the stuff running on your notebook computers."
There are problems bringing complex applications to mobile systems, said Brookwood, one being the limited amount of screen real estate and the constraints that puts on a user interface. But still, it means that application vendors with multiple platform strategies can design everything for 64-bit, he said.
The push to 64-bit in the mobile world began when Apple released a 64-bit ARM-based dual core processor last year in its iPhone 5s.
Intel's new dual core 64-bit Atom chip, also announced at this week's Mobile World Congress, will be followed later this year with a quad core.
PC operating systems, such as Microsoft Vista, once shipped with a basement minimum of 512MB of RAM for a 32-bit version, although vendors said the ideal configuration was 2GB. Today, many PCs ship with 6, 8 or 12 GBs of RAM as a standard configuration.
It will take time for application developers to move to the 64-bit world, but quad core, eight core chips and beyond will help mobile systems run multiple apps, said Brookwood. For example, a healthcare monitor could be run in the background using the technology, he added.
Brookwood believes that as memory prices decline, and software complexity goes up, "people are going to want tablets and smartphones with 6 to 8 GB of memory," he said.
Patrick Thibodeau covers SaaS and enterprise applications, outsourcing, government IT policies, data centers and IT workforce issues for Computerworld. Follow Patrick on Twitter at @DCgov, or subscribe to Patrick's RSS feed . His email address is email@example.com.
Read more about processors in Computerworld's Processors Topic Center.


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You don't have to wait until the due date to pay your credit card bill. In fact, there are benefits to paying early.
Everything your teen needs to master their money starts with you. Teach them budgeting basics that will last a lifetime.
It's worth tracking your spending because it's the only way to learn where your money is going. But it's worth doing for another reason as well.
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Whether you run a small business or want a second card to help keep work expenses separate from personal ones, look to one of these cards.
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BrowseTubi KidsNEW
S01:E32 - The Future Comes but Once
21 min
The Defenders must prevent Ming from obtaining an obelisk which will give him the power to travel 4-times the speed of light!
Season 1
S01:E01 - Escape from Mongo
Flash's wife's life force is drained in Ming's evil Inquisitor but not before her essence is saved for Rick's nearly completed new super computer, Dynak X. In the first real battle with Ming on Earth, our heroes are nearly electrocuted in an abandoned penitentiary.
S01:E02 - The Creation of Monitor
A huge cavern located in a dormant volcano is chosen as the new home for the Defenders of the Earth and their super computer -- Dynak X.
S01:E03 - A Demon In His Pocket
Kshin's experiments with Mandrake's forbidden sorcery books produces Shogoth, an evil demon. It takes all the Defenders to defeat this creature. In the end, Kshin learns a valuable lesson--what it takes to be a Defender of the Earth.
S01:E04 - A House Divided
The Phantom's family secret! His evil older brother joins forces with Ming the Merciless and becomes N'Dama - The Weather Demon!
S01:E05 - Bits and Chips
Ultracomputer Dynak X is invaded by Ming's Electronic Maggot--and miniaturized Defenders must fight her war within!
S01:E06 - The Root of Evil
A famous scientist's plant food experiment backfires--into a formula that turns people into plants!
S01:E07 - Cold War
Ming the Merciless develops a weather control device and plots to freeze the world solid!
S01:E08 - The Sleeper Awakes
A mammoth killer-robot from another galaxy has been buried right under Central City for more than ten million years--Ming discovers a way to wake it up!
S01:E09 - The Revenge of Astra
The beautiful space princess Astra plans revenge against Flash Gordon--She gives Ming the Merciless her secret formula for a race of unstoppable slaves --The Clay People!
S01:E10 - The Hall of Wisdom
The awesome intergalactic storehouse of knowledge visits the Galaxy--and the Defenders must keep Ming from stealing its deadly weapon!
S01:E11 - The Mind Warriors
Part I - Ming gets control of the Battle Simulation Room, and the Defenders are fighting for real!
S01:E12 - The Mind Warriors (Part II)
Ming utilizes his Star of Mongo crystal to tap Kshin's fertile imagination in the battle simulation room and brings to life "anti" Defenders who can destroy the real Defenders once and for all.
S01:E13 - The Lost Jewels of Tibet
Mandrake and Lothar join forces with the beautiful Atascadero to find The Lost Jewels of Tibet. They discover, along with Ming, the wrath of a pre-historic dragon.
S01:E14 - The Evil of Dr. Dark
Ming springs from prison an evil ex-Shadow Lord and nemesis of Mandrake, and orders him to locate the three pieces of the ORB OF KONOS that will enable Dr. Dark to grant the Merciless One immortality.
S01:E15 - Diamonds Are Ming's Best Friends
Ming plots to steal the Crown Jewels of England so that he can grow invincible crystal soldiers and conquer the world!
S01:E16 - The Men of Frost
Ming launches a Frost Satellite with the power to blanket the earth with a veneer of frost and enslave all of humanity.
S01:E17 - Battleground
Ming uses his freeze-ray weapon to capture unstoppable alien creatures, transport them to earth and unleash them on the world.
S01:E18 - The Panther Peril
Ming treks to the hidden Temple of Pantheria to acquire the sacred panther tooth which he will use to control the world's panthers, ordering them to wreak havoc on the world and destroy the Defenders!
S01:E19 - Fury of the Deep
Ming schemes to take over the earth by using an oceanographer's invention to turn all the fish in the sea against mankind.
S01:E20 - Family Reunion
Jedda agrees to become N'Dama's protege, the Weather Demon, in exchange for help in saving her father's life.
S01:E21 - The Defense Never Rests
Ming develops Android Clones of the Defenders and programs them to commit a series of crimes, so that the real Defenders will be put on trial by the Galactic Federation -- and banished to a galaxy 300 light years from Earth.
S01:E22 - Like Father, Like Daughter
In Ming's latest plot ---Using his Mind Neutralizer to enslave the human race, Ming manipulates his own daughter, Aura, to capture Flash, Rick, Jedda and L.J.
S01:E23 - The Would Be Defender
When an overzealous 13 year-old superhero "wanna-be" spends a day at Monitor, it could mean the destruction of earth.
S01:E24 - Doorways Into Darkness
Ming captures a powerful source of anti-energy and unleashes an army of monsters from the Nightworld on the earth.
S01:E25 - Deal With the Devil
Octon and Garax concoct a bogus scheme to overthrow Ming, luring the young Defenders to Ice Station Earth where Ming probes Rick's mind for the secret plans to Monitor's defense systems.
S01:E26 - Terror In Time
Ming unleashes a parasitic, life-killing mutant on the Defenders and sends them back in time in a plan to eliminate the Defenders and destroy all life on earth from the early days.
S01:E27 - Ming's Household Help
Ming's household helper robots are selling like hotcakes, however the public doesn't know that his Merciless Highness plans to enslave every one of their owners via satellite directed hypno-beam!
S01:E28 - The Starboy
A seemingly harmless young child crash lands on Earth, followed by an inter-galactic armada of alien ships bent on destroying him and the world!
S01:E29 - The Gods Awake
Aided by a powerful mystic, Ming brings to life gods from another dimension to help him conquer the world; however, his plan goes out of control when he underestimates his collaborator.
S01:E30 - The Ghost Walks Again
Jedda, believing her father dead, must make the most important decision of her life -- is she ready to assume the role of PHANTOM?!?!
S01:E31 - The. Book of Mysteries
The Defenders face certain death inside an ancient shrine in Morocco, but Kshin uses a mysterious book of enigmas to save them.
S01:E32 - The Future Comes but Once
The Defenders must prevent Ming from obtaining an obelisk which will give him the power to travel 4-times the speed of light!
S01:E33 - Kshin and the Ghost Ship
Kshin discovers a ghost ship and helps the long-dead pirates locate a compass they need to free themselves from centuries of aimless wandering!
S01:E34 - The Carnival of Dr. Kalihari
On a family outing to a traveling carnival, the older Defenders become part of the freak show when they shrink to three inches!
S01:E35 - The Mystery of the Book
Once again guided by the book, Enigma, Kshin saves the Defenders from an evil monster who is out to conquer and destroy the Earth!
S01:E36 - Flash Times Four
His Heinous Highness kidnaps Flash, clones him four times, and puts him under the Inquisitor to instill his super-hero flying prowess into the phony look-alikes.
S01:E37 - The Frozen Heart
L.J. learns to treat women as people, not objects, after Ming turns his girlfriend into a Frost Person who fights against the Defenders!
S01:E38 - Rick Gordon, One Man Army
Rick Gordon and the Defenders must save a tropical island from revolutionary forces who are in cahoots with Ming the Merciless!
S01:E39 - The Rites of Zesnan
Rick, L.J. and Jedda learn the meaning of cooperation when they must work together to save the elder Defenders from destruction!
S01:E40 - Audie and Tweak
Octon designs a flawless super-computer which Ming uses to demobilize all the world's computer systems in a plot to control earth.
S01:E41 - Return of the Sky Band
An evilband of women --- pirates, with a vendetta against the Phantom, terrorize the universe and nearly kill the masked superhero!
S01:E42 - Dracula's Potion
While investigating a disappearance in Transylvania, the Defenders are put under a vampire's spell and turned into animals for the monster's exotic collection!
S01:E43 - One of the Guys
Kshin learns that handicaps need not leave one totally helpless when he is temporarily paralyzed and joins forces with a wheelchair-bound boy to defeat Ming the Merciless!
S01:E44 - 100 Proof Highway
Jedda falls for an alcoholic schoolmate and is nearly killed by his dangerous behavior!
S01:E45 - The Time Freezer
A space alien uses a Time Freezer to steal millions of dollars worth of jewels and gold.
S01:E46 - The Prince Makes His Move
The Defenders have a new adversary as Ming's son, Prince Kro-Tan, moleculizes Ming and plots to take over the Earth himself!
S01:E47 - Prince Triumphant
Prince Kro-Tan plans to harness energy from the Earth's core to transport the planet to Mongo!!!
S01:E48 - The Prince Weds
The Defenders, unknowingly carrying Kro-Tan's mind bombs, must rescue Jedda from Mongo before the slimy Prince makes her is bride.
S01:E49 - The Prince's Royal Hunt
Teleported to different areas of Mongo, the Defenders re-unite and defeat Kro-Tan.
S01:E50 - The Prince Dethroned
Kro-Tan unintentionally unleashes an evil, immortal overlord of unlimited power!
S01:E51 - Lothar's Homecoming
While in Jamaica to attend a ceremony in Lothar 's honor, the Defenders discover a cultist plot to control the towns children and seize power.
S01:E52 - Suspended Sabotage
Ming kidnaps Rick and blackmails L.J. to sabotage Defender activities, paving the way for the Evil One to conquer earth!
S01:E53 - The Call of the Eternals
The Beacon of the Eternals declares war on the Defenders of the Earth, sending three mammoth, ominous robots to destroy our heroes!
S01:E54 - The Return of Dr. Dark
Dr. Dark returns to collect the three shards of the Orb of Konos and gain control of the universe!
S01:E55 - The Deadliest Battle
Rick Gordon fights his most difficult battle yet -- against drugs.
S01:E56 - The Necklace of Oros
Ming plans to deliver Jedda Walker and her powerful Necklace of Oros to an evil alien creature in return for the secret of gravity.
S01:E57 - Torn Space
Graviton returns to acquire the Necklace of Oros, nearly causing the destruction of Earth!
S01:E58 - Ming Winter
Ming's evil son, Kro-Tan, constructs a wall around Earth, blocking out all sunlight and plunging Earth into perpetual darkness and endless winter.
S01:E59 - The Golden Queen (Pt 1)
The powerful Necklace of Oros is once again the object of desire for evil creatures of various dimensions, and Jedda's life hangs in the balance.
S01:E60 - The Golden Queen (Pt 2)
Ming, Graviton, and Hadea join together to fight the Defenders -- each for their own evil purposes.
S01:E61 - Flesh and Blood
Three super-robots, disguised as humans, set out to rid the universe of all robots!
S01:E62 - Drowning World
Ming schemes to melt the Polar Ice Cap and drown the entire world!
S01:E63 - The Adoption of Kshin
Kshin's long lost grandfather resurfaces, leading the Defenders on a search for the Lost City of Dreams!
S01:E64 - Street Smarts
When Ming takes advantage of L.J.'s immaturity, the young Defender learns that if he wants to be treated like an adult, then he's got to act like one.
S01:E65 - Ming's Thunder Lizards
Ming unfreezes ancient dinosaurs in the Alaskan tundra and unleashes them on the world!
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International Films Hit Portland
Diverse lineup promises another great run
Darleen Ortega | 2/5/2014, 11:04 a.m.
It's time for one of Portland's highlights of the year: The Portland International Film Festival.
For the last 37 years, the Northwest Film Center has been hosting PIFF and its diverse array of films to screen over two glorious weeks in February. It's such a brilliant opportunity to see films from all over the world, most of which you won't ever see in wide release and many of which may be hard to find after the festival runs its course.
Nearly every year at least one and often several films from PIFF end up on my list of the best films of the year.
This year, there will be more than 125 films on offer, with screenings at the Film Center's Whitsell Auditorium inside the Portland Art Museum, the Empirical Theater at OMSI, Cinema 21, Cinemagic, World Trade Center, and Regal Fox Tower. I'll be blogging the highlights as my time allows (opinionatedjudge.blogspot.com) and will include some reviews in this column throughout the festival as well.
Advance tickets are available for specific shows, and passes are also available that get you into unlimited shows. You can check out all the details at nwfilm.org. It pays to buy your tickets ahead of time and line up at least a half hour ahead for each show, as a surprising number of films sell out.
The previews I've seen so far offer some good choices:
At the beginning of "Young and Beautiful," a lovely and privileged French teenager diffidently yields her virginity to a boy who barely interests her while on vacation the summer she turns 17. Within a few weeks of her return home in the fall, she assumes a secret life as a high-priced prostitute. The film is a compelling exploration of female psychology that resists any temptation to explain or moralize; rather, its opaque lead (in a brilliant performance by newcomer Marine Vacth) keeps you wondering at what drives her: Curiosity? Boredom? A desire to take control of her sexuality? The culmination of the film's exploration of these questions is quite moving. (Plays Saturday, Feb. 8 and Monday, Feb. 10.)
The title of "Ilo Ilo" translates to "Mom and Dad are Not at Home," and this film perceptively depicts domestic realities that are both universal and also specifically grounded in its late-1990s Singapore setting. The story involves a working class couple who, despite their economic struggles, somehow have enough money to hire Terry, a nanny/housekeeper from the Philippines, to help them manage their lives and their incorrigible 10-year-old son Jiale. The film is very insightful about the slights and struggles that Terry endures from Jiale until she wins him over; and also from the mother, who resents the growing bond between Terry and Jiale and indulges her own need to assert her superiority over Terry. The first-time director of this film has a wonderful way of conveying the complexity of ordinary folks who often behave badly but are not bad people. (Plays Saturday, Feb. 8 and Tuesday, Feb. 11.)
The fascinating story of "Mary Queen of Scots" is almost too complex for film treatment. Crowned as an infant in Scotland, she was embroiled in baffling political turmoil literally from birth, spent much of her childhood in France, and had a claim to the royal title in three countries over the course of her doomed life. This Swiss-French co-production doesn't give you much background, so it wouldn't hurt to look up the outlines of the story before you watch. In some ways, though, the confusion is the point; the vantage of the film here is Mary's, and she had a baffling sort of existence, buffeted by religious and political rivalries that left her no good options. The young actress who plays her here, Camille Rutherford, captures the sense of a smart and lovely woman who actually was ahead of her time in some ways, but whose choices were always poisoned by forces beyond her control. (Plays Sunday, Feb. 9 and Saturday, Feb. 15.)
"The Wishful Thinkers" follows an aspiring young Spanish filmmaker as he sets out to make a film but doesn't yet have anything to say, so we get to watch him get drunk, go on dates, have pointless conversations with his friends, and wander the lovely city of Madrid. The movie may appeal to you if you want to meander through Spanish youth culture, and the camera work in this black-and-white film is at times quite lovely. (Plays Wednesday, Feb 12 and Sunday, Feb. 16.)
Don't miss PIFF: It's your opportunity to see films from all over the world, with audience members from all over the world. It almost doesn't matter what you see – the Portland International Film Festival is ready to surprise you with a variety of tastes and cultures. I love hearing Spanish, Japanese, French, Russian, Mandarin, and all manner of other languages being spoken, both onscreen and in the audience, in this great movie town, as folks come out to see their cultures reflected on-screen.
Darleen Ortega is a judge on the Oregon Court of Appeals and the first woman of color to serve in that capacity. Her movie review column Opinionated Judge appears regularly in The Portland Observer. You can find her movie blog at opinionatedjudge.blogspot.com.


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MINNEAPOLIS, Jan. 31 (UPI) -- Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., said she asked the National Football League to address sex trafficking at the Super Bowl when considering sites to hold the event.
As Minnesota makes its bid to host a future Super Bowl, Klobuchar and Cindy McCain, wife of Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., met with NFL officials to ask the league to consider local efforts to stop sex trafficking of minors that often accompanies high-profile sports events, the (Minneapolis) Star Tribune reported Friday.
"We just told them we thought that would be a good idea [to ask about sex trafficking enforcement]," Klobuchar said in an interview with the newspaper.
She noted a 2011 study in Dallas showed a 272 percent increase in advertisements for escort services in the weeks leading up to the game when it was played there, as well as ads in Tampa in 2009 that marketed girls age 14 and 18 for "Super Bowl Specials."
The NFL has been noncommittal about making sex trafficking enforcement a part of its Super Bowl site selection criteria, the newspaper noted.


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20" Barrel Team Logo Wall Sign-IS-Primary Logo-Color
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Bring the rustic look indoors with our all new 20" Barrel Team Logo Wall Sign. Showcase your school spirit with this great piece that will bring style to any room of the home or office. This product is injection molded and hand stained with a real wood stain to give it an authentic wood look. It is printed with automotive grade UV stable inks and given a high gloss finish. It features a full color logo to draw attention wherever you hang it. Product Dimensions: 20.25"h x 20.25"w x 1.5"d. Made in the USA. Officially Licensed.