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A couple who met when they were randomly matched for a game of Words with Friends has taken their spelling-based relationship up a jillion notches by getting married. This means that a game so good it practically landed Alec Baldwin on the No Fly List is now responsible for just as many intact marriages as Kris Kardashian.
The love story between Megan Lawless of Chicago and Jasper Jasperse of the Netherlands began when Lawless grew bored with her Words With Friends partner in late 2009 and hit "random" in order to be matched with another player. And, just like in a movie, that random person was Matthew McConaughey.
Not really. It was Jasper Jasperse. But in the movie version he'll be played by Matthew McConaughey.
Jasperse and Lawless began chatting during their Words With Friends game, at first innocently and politely, but gradually building until they were emailing and Skyping. By then, they decided that they might want to play Words with More Than Friends and meet in person. Sparks flew, and shortly thereafter, they got engaged, and Jasperse moved from the Netherlands to Chicago to be with Lawless. The two have been married since this past July.
Like many couples who met online, Lawless says she has trouble explaining to her older family members what, exactly, a smartphone is and how, exactly, Words with Friends works. If her older relatives are anything like mine, they probably asked her if it costs a lot of money to email someone long distance.
Fall in love with Words with Friends [RedEye]


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November 30, 1922 - November 21, 2012
Rock Tavern, NY
Anna Beth (Cook) Flannery, of Rock Tavern, NY passed away Wednesday, November 21, 2012 at St. Luke's Cornwall Hospital. She was 89.
She was born November 30, 1922, the daughter of the late Max and Mabel (Danielson) Cook.
She was a graduate of Hubbard High School and attended Oregon State University. There she was a member of the Jr. Hostess League where she met her future husband, John at a college dance. She later went to work in the shipyards during World War II.
After the war she married and raised six children. She loved her family, gardening and needlework. She was a member of the Catholic Daughters of America at the Church of the Assumption in Maybrook, NY.
In addition to her parents she was predeceased by her husband, John A. Flannery; son, John Robert Flannery and sister, Marguerite Baer.
Survivors include her daughter, Susan (Jerome) of Saratoga Springs; her sons: Kevin, Patrick and Chris of Rock Tavern and Dennis of Kerhonkson; daughter-in-law, Linda G. Flannery of Rock Tavern; grandsons, William (Christina) Moore, John (Meg) of Crystal Lake, IL; granddaughters, Amy (Brendan) Kelly of Albany; Chelsey G. Flannery of Salem, MA and Bridget of Rock Tavern; great grandchildren: Lena, Justin, Cetera, Collin, Mackenzie, Alex and Joey and many nieces and nephews.
Relatives and friends may call Monday, November 26 from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Donovan Funeral Home, Inc, 82 South Church Street, Goshen, NY. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, November 27 at Church of The Assumption, 211 Homestead Ave., Maybrook, NY. Burial will follow in Orange County Veteran's Memorial Cemetery, 111 Craigville Road, Goshen.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Foundation for Sarcoidosis Research at www.stopsarcoidosis.org, the John A. Flannery Scholarship Fund at Orange-Ulster Boces for the John A. Flannery Jr. - Sr. High School at 53 Gibson Road, Goshen, NY 10924 or the Food Bank of the Hudson Valley at http://www.foodbankofhudsonvalley.org/
Arrangements under the care of the Donovan Funeral Home, Inc., Goshen; to leave the family a personal condolence, please visit www.donovanfunerals.com

subset: commoncrawl


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Circa 1910
A pair of gilt copper and bronze sconces, signed by the maker E. F. Caldwell.
Overall: 15" h. x 12" w. x 5" d.
Backplate: 13-1/2" h. x 5" w.
2 candelabra sockets, maximum 60 watts per socket
Dry UL listing available with modifications; please contact your salesperson for pricing.
See related antique: AIS2955
1 pair total available.
Please contact your local showroom about viewing this item.


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Salve Regina encourages students to live out the mission by giving back, both in the local Aquidneck Island community and statewide. Beyond the Newport mansions, there is a great deal of need surrounding our campus, and as a result there are ample opportunities for students to get involved with community-based agencies and nonprofits.
These community partners work on a wide range of issues - from environmental conservation to education to homelessness and poverty - and each depends greatly on the time and support of dedicated volunteers. Working with a community partner enables students to develop a strong connection to their local community and allows them to apply their classroom learning to a real-world environment.
Current students who are interested in volunteering with any of the organizations listed above should contact them directly. For more information, email email@example.com.


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Pitfire Pizza's 15th Anniversary Special and New Fall Menu
Did you know that Pitfire Pizza has been around for 15 years, serving artisanal pizza?? I didn't know about them until they opened up the downtown location next to The Edison so I was surprised that they've been around for so long, but their original location in North Hollywood has been around for that long. Now they have locations in downtown, Westwood, West Hollywood, Culver City, and soon they'll be opening a Costa Mesa location.
Anyway, to celebrate this major milestone, Pitfire will be serving a special 15th Anniversary Tuscan Pizza (roasted potatoes, rosemary, gorgonzola, grilled chicken). Not only that, for the month of November, this pizza will be selling for the price it was back in 2006, which is $7.95!
It's the perfect time to visit Pitfire Pizza, because at the same time they have just launched the Fall menu. Roasted Pear Salad
Farmer's Market Platter ($9.95) features heartier items like butternut squash and a bowl of Cranberry beans and christmas beans. The brussel sprout and kale remain from previous seasons, and there is also a nice mixture of farro, crimini mushrooms, and hazelnut.


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Business digital blue tunnel presentation (widescreen)
The electric blue tunnel on this accessible template's title and content slides draws your audience into the business presentation. Show them lists, tables, SmartArt, and pictures using a variety of layouts in widescreen (16X9) format. This design works well for subjects such as science and technology, computers, communication, and space.


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Academy Day Saturday for high school students who want military officer careers
UPSTATE, N.Y. - U.S. Representative Richard Hanna tomorrow will host Academy Day for high school students interested in a nomination to one of the U.S. Military Academies.
High school sophomores and juniors are invited to join Rep. Hanna at 11 a.m. on Saturday, June 8, 2013 at Binghamton University's Innovative Technologies Center (ITC), 85 Murray Hill Road in Vestal. Students will be able to speak with representatives from the academies.
Representatives from the following academies have been invited to attend:
United States Air Force Academy
United States Military Academy
United States Coast Guard Academy
United States Merchant Marine Academy
If you have questions regarding Academy Day, please call Rep. Hanna's Utica District Office at 315-724-9740.
Academy Day Information
TIME: 11 a.m.
DATE: Saturday, June 8, 2013
PLACE: Binghamton University
Innovative Technologies Center (ITC)
85 Murray Hill Road, Vestal
INFO: Rep. Hanna will host representatives from the United States Military Academies for interested sophomores and juniors from throughout the 22nd Congressional District to learn more information about appointments to the nation's service academies.


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The US Supreme Court on Monday declined to take up the plight of five detainees at Guantánamo who were ordered released in 2008, but still remain at the detention camp in a dispute over whether they could be transferred to the US pending their resettlement to another country.
The action marks the second time the high court has turned back an appeal by the same group of men, all members of China's persecuted Uighur minority. Last year, the justices refused to hear the Uighurs' case after the government revealed that all of the men had received at least two offers for resettlement in a third country, but had rejected them.
Justice Stephen Breyer cited the same issue in the high court's refusal Monday to take up the case. "Under present circumstances, I see no government-imposed obstacle to petitioners' timely release and appropriate resettlement," he wrote in a two-page statement. The comment was joined by Justices Anthony Kennedy, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and Sonia Sotomayor.
The five Uighurs have been held without charge at Guantánamo since 2002. Normally, detainees released from Guantánamo are sent to their home country. But because the Uighurs are a persecuted group whose members might be subject to torture or other punishment if returned to their native western China, the US government sought to find another appropriate country – other than China – for resettlement.
Why were the men at Guantánamo?
The five men were among 22 Uighurs who were captured and sold to US forces in Afghanistan by bounty hunters in 2002. The US military transported the men to the prison camp at Guantánamo. They have no known connection to Al Qaeda or the Taliban.
Eventually, volunteer lawyers in the US exposed the situation and the US government conceded that the Uighurs were neither enemy combatants nor a danger to US national security.
The US negotiated the resettlement of five of the Uighurs in Albania in 2006. But 17 Uighurs remained in limbo at Guantánamo.
Who controls access to the US?
The Bush administration assured the federal judge in the case that it was working diligently to locate an appropriate country willing to resettle the men, but after significant delays, the judge ordered the government to bring the Uighurs to his courtroom.
That's the key issue in the latest appeal: Does a federal judge have the constitutional power to order the government to bring foreign nationals into the US? No, said the Obama and Bush administrations.
The US Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia agreed with the government, ruling that the captive Uighurs, as foreign nationals held in overseas detention, had no right to gain access to the US. Immigration and matters of foreign policy are for the political branches to decide, not the judiciary, the appeals court said.
Resettlement options for the Uighur detainees
The Supreme Court agreed to examine the case last year, but while the appeal was pending, the administration revealed that it had located countries willing to accept the Uighurs.
Twelve were released – four to Bermuda and six to Palau in 2009, and two to Switzerland in 2010.
The five remaining Uighurs rejected a resettlement offer from Palau and from an unidentified second country.
The rejection undercut the five Uighurs' earlier argument that their only alternative to indefinite detention at Guantánamo was release in the US.
In light of the new developments, the Supreme Court in 2010 sent the case back to the lower courts to determine what further proceedings were "necessary and appropriate" to resolve the case.
The appeals court reinstated its earlier ruling, barring transfer of the Uighurs to the US.
Latest appeal: judicial authority and the separation of powers
In urging the Supreme Court to take up the case once again, lawyers for the Uighurs argued that the appeals court ruling substantially undercuts the power of federal judges under the Constitution to decisively resolve cases.
The appeals court ruled that since the executive branch holds the power to negotiate the Uighurs' resettlement and controls the entry of foreign nationals into the US, a federal judge cannot order the government to bring the men to the US.
Lawyers for the Uighurs said the appeals court's ruling violated the separation of powers and the concept that the federal judiciary has the authority not just to rule on cases, but to definitively decide them. Once a court rules, it is the obligation of the executive branch to follow the law as declared by the judiciary, they said.
"The court of appeals turned that structural principle on its head," wrote Sabin Willet in his brief on behalf of the Uighurs. "By transferring remedial power to the executive and barring the district courts from issuing anything other than exhortations to diplomacy, [the appeals court] reconfigured the judiciary into an arm of the executive."
The Obama administration countered that the Uighurs have won their case and are no longer being detained as enemy combatants. All that remains, the government said, is the arrangement of resettlement from Guantánamo to a third country.
"The court of appeals correctly ruled that petitioners' refusal to accept resettlement in other countries does not entitle them to a court order requiring the government to bring them into the United States," wrote Deputy Solicitor General Edwin Kneedler in his brief.
This case does not raise far-reaching questions of judicial authority and the separation of powers, Mr. Kneedler said.
"The only question here is whether these particular petitioners are entitled to be brought into the United States and released when the government has agreed not to return them to their home country but to arrange their resettlement in a safe third country," he wrote.


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Federal agencies are being directed to achieve a 15 percent reduction in costs for managing contracts over the next year under a new component of the Obama administration's Campaign to Cut Government Waste, Office of Management and Budget officials announced Thursday. The goal is to save $6 billion government wide by the end of fiscal 2012.
Jeffrey Zients, federal chief performance officer and deputy OMB director, told an audience of primarily agency officials at the White House Forum on Accountability in Federal Contracting that costs for management support services quadrupled between 2000 and 2010, from $10 billion to $40 billion. "Agency productivity as a whole is relatively flat, and we can't tolerate that, particularly in this fiscal situation," he said.
The new approach will "still look to contractors for a wide range of professional and technical needs, but in a more prudent, cost-effective manner," Zients said. Agency managers "will analyze their spending patterns and buy only what they can afford. They will seek out contractors with good past performance and end relationships with firms who are proven bad actors. They will also keep a watchful eye out for situations where reliance on a contractor's expertise has gone beyond what is appropriate for the agency to maintain control of its mission and operations."
Other methods being pursued include lowering labor rates, helping agencies groom a cadre of information technology acquisition specialists and boosting efforts to cease engaging contractors that have tax delinquencies. Among the problems with contracting, Zients said, is that too often "it is hard to distinguish who is the contractor and who is the federal employee" and some contractors today are actually managing other contractors, which is "unacceptable."
In framing the contract management initiative as part of the larger anti-waste campaign, he said the administration is on track to achieve its dollar goals in the areas of reducing improper payments, selling off unneeded federal real estate and improving efficiency of IT purchasing. Government spending on contractors declined by $80 billion in fiscal 2010, the first such reduction in 13 years, Zients added.
Dan Gordon, administrator of the Office of Federal Procurement Policy, said the process "will be transparent so that the Government Accountability Office and industry can follow it [and successes] will be shared across government." When asked by a contracting professional how agencies could prioritize contracts strategically, Gordon said the process should be "thoughtful, not mechanical. It is not a call for insourcing and not a numbers game."
The Professional Services Council, an Arlington, Va.-based industry group, welcomed OMB's efforts to reduce waste, but took issue with setting a dollar target.
"Although this is not an insourcing initiative, telling agencies to cut 15 percent of their support contracts by the end of next year could create the same kind of undisciplined process that has marked much of the Defense Department's insourcing initiatives," PSC President and Chief Executive Officer Stan Soloway said. "This puts significant responsibility on OMB and agency leadership to ensure that does not happen."
Gordon has targeted 15 federal product service codes that are of special interest because they are high risk to government and taxpayers. "That's where the money is," he said. These 15 areas currently have a high proportion of cost-plus or time-and-materials contracts, as opposed to fixed-price contracts. "The focus on management support services is to get closer to inherently government functions," Gordon said. "Contractors are still valuable to management support services, but we're saying we need to spend less money."
He added he'd like an acquisition force that is better trained, receives more attention and meets more frequently with White House leaders. He praised the Education Department, for example, for developing a network of junior acquisition professionals. He also said contract managers should focus more on pre- and post-award planning, particularly as it affects set-asides for small businesses.
He praised the General Services Administration for encouraging more government wide contracts. "There's a communications problem and we must change the culture," he said, dismissing a long-standing assumption that talking to industry was improper. Finally, contract managers under the new approach will better document companies' past performance and will share that information with other agencies.
Presenting at the forum were representatives from agencies whose successes in improving contract management OMB wanted to highlight. The Homeland Security Department official described savings from a strategic sourcing of office supplies and other purchasing. A U.S. Agency for International Development official described procurement reforms for that agency's work in often remote and dangerous locations overseas, which include a new executive-level suspension and debarment team to track performance on contracts by local businesses and nongovernmental agencies. A representative described the Navy's negotiation of a continuity of services contract that saved $1 billion by retaining rights to intellectual property created under the contract.
One specific way to achieve savings, Gordon said, is working with "vendors you use so much, you can negotiate lower prices." He cautioned agencies to avoid duplicate agreements by checking before putting out a contract to see if a suitable one already exists. And agency contract managers looking for efficiencies, he added, should "include in their meetings people from outside the contracting shops."
Read More at Government Executive.
More coverage of government spending issues at The Fiscal Times:
Orszag Targets 'IT Gap' in Reducing Government Spending
National Debt: Fit It or Face National Decline
Let's Get Serious About Waste, Fraud and Abuse


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Coir Logo Mats
By choosing Coir Logo Mats you are investing in a quality entrance matting solution that is in keeping with your company branding. You will be able to protect the investment that you have made in your flooring, minimise slip hazards from rain water walked in, reduce cleaning costs and above all, maintain that excellent 1st impression from the moment your customers approach the entrance to your building.
When it features your company logo or crest a good quality doormat is the best solution to create just the right impression for your customers and visitors. If you need advice please call us on 020 8305 5357, we're here to help.
10mm Synthetic Coir Logo Mat - Custom SizesFrom£279.99 £233.33 ex VAT
10mm Synthetic Coir Logo Mat - Standard Sizes£239.99 £199.99 ex VAT
17mm Coir Logo Mat - Custom SizesFrom£259.99 £216.66 ex VAT
17mm Traditional Coir Logo Mat - Standard Sizes£199.99 £166.66 ex VAT


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Maintaining the proper work/family balance ain't easy, something Jon Sundt knows firsthand. While playing conference host to 400 top advisors and investors in early May (with such notable speakers as Mohamed El-Erian, Jeffrey Gundlach and John Mauldin), Sundt had to cut short an interview in order to race across town to his daughter's play before racing back to introduce the next VIP.
The only time he had to continue the interview was a few weeks later in between bites of lunch at a San Francisco sidewalk café.
It's all in a day's work for the president and CEO of Altegris, the "it" alternative investment provider he founded in 2002. The firm, with its $3.27 billion in client assets and clearing services for $997 million in institutional assets, is attracting buzz; so much so that it was able to effortlessly attract the stellar speaker lineup for its conference.
Sure, he's riding the alternative asset wave like so many others, but what sets the firm apart is its sharp focus on liquid alternatives—something that's democratizing the space by bringing these once exclusive products downstream to the masses.
"I was one of the forerunners of bringing true, high-quality, best-of-breed managers to the market," Sundt explains. "The problem that most advisors have is how do they know if these [managers] are any good?"
With short histories and few track records, he continues, there's no sophisticated framework available for product research and evaluation.
"Most of their track records are in private placement format or individual managed account format," he says. "So we decided to use the same expertise we're using to package private products and move it in the investor space."
And move they have. Sundt says the firm is "on a tear," with four different product launches over the past year and a half.
"We went from managed futures products, which now have over a billion dollars in [them]," he begins ticking off new projects in rapid fire succession. "We've launched the evolution product, which combines managed futures with Jeffrey Gundlach's investment from DoubleLine Funds. We've launched a global macro product, which has a subset of best-of-breed global macro managers. It's different from managed futures in that while they tend to be systematic trend followers and computer-based, global macro managers are discretionary and typically follow fundamental-driven models. Combined with those three products, we're close to $1.6 billion now."
He isn't finished and doesn't stop (or care, it seems) for expressions of admiration.
"In April, we launched a long-short product. We've got three sub-advisors in that product, and we're about to add a fourth. They're extremely good."
Just as Altegris offers a wide array of private placement products, he says, the idea is to build out an entire suite of best-of-breed access products in the mutual fund space. It will highlight the firm's belief that "a lot of these managers will actually manage money in the '40 Act space if you give them a good opportunity to do so."
Sundt began his career as an options trader in 1986. Whether he's intense due to his background in options or he was drawn to a career in options because of his intensity is unclear. Just prior to founding Altegris, he served for six years as director of managed accounts for Man Financial, a subsidiary of the Man Group—the world's largest hedge fund provider.
"I joined them for six years and ran a business for them doing the same thing Altegris is now doing, which is looking for good money managers," he says. "I'd done my corporate stint and in 2002, I decided to go into business for myself and founded Altegris with three partners. I was the majority shareholder and founder. When I left Man, I rolled out my entire team. It was a very friendly separation, and we hit the ground running."
"Hit the ground running" means $400 million in AUM then, which he (and his team) have built into a combined $4 billion-plus today.
His entrepreneurial spirit has gotten him noticed. Sundt is a past recipient of the Institutional Investor Mutual Fund Rising Star award, as well as the 2012 Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year—San Diego.
So what's behind the so-called "tear" he mentioned? Does the current market volatility speak to the type of products offered by the firm?
Like the alternative space in general—it's complicated.
"Look, it's no secret that over the last year-and-a-half, managed futures have been kind of flat," he says. "But if you dive a little deeper over the last two decades, managed futures have done extremely well. And they tend to do well during periods of crisis; we like to call it 'crisis alpha.' So even though our flagship product is relatively flat for 2011, if you look at the third quarter of last year when the markets were down 13-14%, our products were up."
Comparing them to a seatbelt, he adds, "You don't need them until you get into an accident. Like not wearing a seatbelt, once something happens you say, 'What was I thinking?' It gives you a clue as to why alternatives are so important in a portfolio."
So to borrow his term, crisis alpha must have been very good in 2008.
"Yeah, 2008 got everybody's attention," he agrees. "Managed futures and global macro managers did extremely well in 2008, by and large. Not all of them were good. But when one portfolio gets decimated by 50%, you always start to look around. The key is to really understand what you're getting."
Part of his job with Altegris is to educate investors and help them understand what the alternative universe is like: what styles are appropriate for what the client is looking for and doing everything to ensure those products deliver.
As for the future, Sundt isn't slowing down; as witnessed firsthand, it's not in his DNA (although he'll continue to make time for his daughter).
"As far as growth goes last year we raised over $1 billion. We expect those types of numbers to continue. We're going to launch an entire suite of liquid alternative products. As I mentioned, we just launched the long-short fund. In the next four weeks, we'll be filing another document for another product. You can count on Altegris to continue to deliver the entire spectrum of [alternative products]. We have a lot of great relationships with managers around the world that we're able to capitalize on, so we can bring the best products to market."


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Shareholders of JPMorgan Chase & Co gathered in the hundreds on Tuesday for its annual meeting as pressure rises on the company and Chief Executive Officer Jamie Dimon over billions of dollars in trading losses.
The meeting, at the bank's back-office complex in Tampa, Florida, will give investors their first crack at Dimon, who is also JPMorgan's chairman, since he revealed a soured hedging strategy had cost at least $2 billion.
Nearly two hours before the meeting began, the company appeared to have a heavy turnout on its hands, with half of the 300-plus seats already filled and the potential for many more people to come. Security guards started taking shareholders' coffee cups and water bottles as the meeting drew nearer.
Shareholders will also vote on proposals like splitting the roles of chairman and CEO.
The California Public Employees' Retirement System, the largest pension fund in the United States, will lead calls to strip Dimon of the chairmanship in a move it said would probably lead to better risk controls.
"CalPERS believes if the chairman was independent the board may be able to exercise stronger oversight of management," the organization said in a note setting out its voting intentions ahead of the meeting.
The group, which owns around $565 million of JPMorgan stock, said it would support executive compensation proposals, but warned it would "closely review" the effects of the trading losses when analyzing the 2013 say-on-pay vote.
The two leading proxy advisory firms -- ISS and Glass, Lewis -- are already backing the nonbinding proposal calling for a split of the jobs of chairman and CEO.
The California State Teachers Retirement System, the Florida State Board of Administration and the New York State Comptroller's office, which each oversee about $150 billion in assets, have said they will also vote for the split.
"Generally we support these kinds of proposals," said Ricardo Duran, information officer for CalSTRS. "We always look kindly on the separation of those two positions."
JPMorgan is likely to face a barrage of questions about what Dimon knew, when he knew it and how a bank that has boasted of its "fortress" balance sheet could make such a major mistake.
The shakeup from those trades started Monday, as the company's chief investment officer retired.
The company now faces calls from some quarters for a "clawback" from departed executives who were responsible for the trades, including the retired CIO, Ina Drew. New York City Comptroller John Liu, who oversees the city's $400 million stake in JPMorgan, made such a call on Tuesday.
In its 2011 annual report, JPMorgan said its stock-based compensation awards were subject to such provisions. It said in its proxy filing that it could conduct a clawback review "as a result of a material restatement of earnings or by acts or omissions of employees."
JPMorgan can cancel unvested awards or require the value of distributed shares to be repaid when "the employee engages in conduct that causes material financial or reputational harm to the Firm or its business activities," according to the proxy.
Reuters was unable to reach Drew at her New Jersey home on Monday evening.
No matter the circumstances, governance experts expect some fireworks on Tuesday.
"It was going to be a noisy shareholder meeting anyway, but it's likely to be more boisterous than if it had been held before last Thursday," said Paul Hodgson, senior research associate of GMI Ratings.
The firm slapped its lowest rating - "F" - on JPMorgan's corporate governance policies before disclosure of the loss. Fewer than 5 percent of the companies rated by GMI get the bottom ranking, Hodgson said.
Many large shareholders wait until the last few days to vote, so the trading loss may influence some to withhold votes supporting management proposals or to actively support some shareholder resolutions.
Tim Piechowski, associate portfolio manager at ACR Alpine Capital Research, said his firm voted clients' shares in favor of the measure to split the chairman and CEO roles. But the decision was based on the firm's policy and was not related to the trading loss, Piechowski said in an email.
JPMorgan said in its proxy filing that the split was not necessary for Dimon. All other directors are independent under the rules of the New York Stock Exchange, and one is designated as a "presiding director."
William Frels, CEO of investment advisory group Mairs & Power, said via email that his firm was supporting management on all issues on the proxy. "The shares seem more like a 'buy' than a 'sell' from what we know about the loss so far," Frels said.
Although declines in JPMorgan shares following the announcement of the loss have wiped nearly $19 billion off the company's market value, many analysts and investors expect a rebound rather than a prolonged slump.
"We're not looking at losses in a portfolio that could continue deteriorating because of systemic issues," said Guggenheim Securities analyst Marty Mosby. "We're dealing with a hedging strategy that didn't work."


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Asthma and Chiropractic
Have you ever wondered if there was a more natural way to curb your asthma? Chiropractic may be the answer.View Article
You are using an outdated browser. Please upgrade your browser to improve your experience.
It's the rare child who actually wants to eat fruits and vegetables.
Kids are bombarded by television and radio ads for cereals, candy, and
chips that contain huge amounts of sugar and large quantities of
saturated fat. The sugar craving begins in childhood - kids quickly
develop a taste for sweets. To a child's sugar-sensitized palette, the
complex sugars contained in fruits and vegetables are a poor substitute.
If fruits and vegetables are so good for you, why not just go all the
way and become a vegetarian? This is a choice many people make, and
it's certainly a valid option.


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Tyler Durden
Zero Hedge
Wednesday, January 27th, 2010
We are currently going through the recently released Special Report by Darrell Issa: "Public Disclosure As A Last Resort:
How the Federal Reserve Fought to Cover Up the Details of the AIG Counterparties Bailout From the American People," and a cursory perusal indicates that this could be proverbial end for Tim Geithner…and Sarah Dahlgren is, not surprisingly, mentioned rather prominently…as is Davis Polk.
We will post more comments later but this section is critical:
When asked directly if he was involved in the efforts by the FRBNY to prevent disclosure of the AIG counterparty payments, Secretary Geithner responded, "I wasn't involved in that decision." On January 8, 2010, FRBNY General Counsel Thomas Baxter wrote Ranking Member Issa to clarify the role of then-President Geithner:
[M]atters relating to AIG securities law disclosures were not brought to the attention of Mr. Geithner …. In my judgment as the New York Fed's chief legal officer, disclosure matters of this nature did not warrant the attention of the president.
Mr. Baxter reiterated this claim in an interview with Committee staff. Questions of securities disclosure, Baxter said, were "legal stuff," and Baxter did not bring legal stuff to the attention of then-President Geithner. However, Baxter said that "on significant policy issues, of course I would go" to Geithner.
However, documents received by the Committee suggest that Secretary Geithner was, at a minimum, engaged personally in reviewing what information about the AIG bailout would be revealed to Congress and the public. On November 6, 2008, SarahDahlgren, the FRBNY's lead staff member in AIG's operations, e-mailed Geithner with a proposed statement regarding AIG's upcoming equity capital raise for Geithner's approval:
[I]n terms of saying something publicly about our intentions, we … think that saying something that conveys the following … makes sense:
It is our (Federal Reserve/Treasury) continued intention to put the company in a sound capital position and exit the facility/preferred securities/common stock ownership as soon as practicable…
[I]f you are good with this, …we would also make sure that the company sticks to this line (echo)…. [emphasis added]
On November 13, 2008, Geithner received a report on AIG's restructuring that would be sent to Congress, which Geithner had asked to personally review. Sophia Allison, a staff member of the Federal Reserve's Board of Governors, e-mailed the draft congressional report to several Federal Reserve staff:
Attached is a draft Congressional report for the restructuring package for AIG announced on Monday, November 10. …I tried to take everything in the report from publicly available documents, such as press releases, the prior AIG Congressional Report, and AIG's most recent 10-Q. If there is anything in the report that you believe should not be publicly disclosed, please specifically point that out. [emphasis added]
Michael Nelson, a staff member of the FRBNY, forwarded Allison's email to Geithner with the following message:
Tim – this is the draft EESA-required filing on AIG that the Board owes the Hill, as you requested. [emphasis added]
In addition, Secretary Geithner's meeting logs from his tenure as President of the FRBNY show that he was regularly engaged with top AIG officials and the FRBNY officials directly responsible for AIG's disclosures to the SEC. Geithner's schedule shows that he had at least six formal meetings with top FRBNY staff members about AIG-related issues between November 4, 2008, and November 21, 2008. It is unclear whether AIG's disclosure obligations were discussed in these meetings.
At a minimum, the cover-up of the details about AIG's counterparty payments began on Secretary Geithner's watch, and the culture of the FRBNY in which this behavior occurred reflected his leadership. Secretary Geithner needs to explain his role in the cover-up, and if he thinks the behavior of his staff at the FRBNY was appropriate.
Secretary Geithner's claim to SIGTARP that the backdoor bailout of AIG's counterparties had nothing to do with the health of AIG's counterparties also raises questions about why AIG was bailed out in the first place. As the Wall Street Journal notes:
[I]f Mr. Geithner now says the AIG bailout wasn't driven by a need to rescue CDS counterparties, then what was the point? Why pay Goldman [Sachs] and even foreign banks like Societe Generale billions of tax dollars to make them whole?
Secretary Geithner now claims that the point of AIG's bailout was to protect AIG's insurance policy holders:
AIG was providing a range of insurance products to households across the country. And if AIG had defaulted, you would have seen a downgrade leading to the liquidation and failure of a set of insurance contracts that touched Americans across this country and, of course, savers around the world.
However, as the Wall Street Journal further explains:
Yet, if there is one thing that all observers seemed to agree on last year, it was that AIG's money to pay policyholders was segregated and safe inside the regulated insurance subsidiaries. If the real systemic danger was the condition of these highly regulated subsidiaries – where there was no CDS trading – then the Beltway narrative implodes.
Secretary Geithner's inconsistent statements and apparent contradictions raise important questions about the decision to not only funnel billions of taxpayer dollars to AIG's counterparties, but also the decision to bail out AIG itself.
And, at long last, Davis Polk is accused of interference with the disclosure process
The FRBNY and its attorneys at Davis Polk interfered with AIG's securities disclosures in several ways. They edited AIG's SEC filings in ways that made it more difficult for investors and the public to understand the ML3 transactions. They contacted the SEC directly and pressured it to treat AIG's filings differently from other companies' filings. In addition, they appear to have forced AIG to cancel a compensation-related filing that it was required to make. The FRBNY's edits of AIG's filings and the FRBNY's pressure on the SEC were intended to serve the Fed's interests by obscuring embarrassing details about the FRBNY's backdoor bailout of AIG's counterparties. Investors cannot be protected by a disclosure system that only requires full transparency when the Federal Reserve's embarrassment is not at stake. The special SEC procedures established via FRBNY pressure also demonstrate that bailouts lead to enforced favoritism.
The conclusion
Finally, the secrecy, concealment, and lack of transparency in the conduct of the Federal Reserve have serious implications for the continued health of democracy and free markets. The Federal Reserve's payment of par to AIG's counterparties and the subsequent cover-up of information about these payments raise concerns about the accountability of the unelected bureaucrats within the Federal Reserve System. The fact that a quasi-government agency, unaccountable to the American people, likely wasted billions of taxpayer dollars and went to great lengths to prevent Congress and the American people from learning about these actions demonstrates the threat that the Federal Reserve poses to basic principles of American democracy.
This article was posted: Wednesday, January 27, 2010 at 5:18 am


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Blog Archives
Gardener Anne K Moore
Pansies are a staple in the Southern garden. I used to plant them every fall and ended up with rangy plants that quit blooming for most of the winter. Why? Because I didn't fertilize them every week and didn't like deadheading (pinching off the dead and dying flowers) whenever they started to set seed.
Then I fell in love with Johnny-jump-ups. Here in the South we know them as Violas, even though that's the general family name of Pansies, too. Violas also go by the names Heartsease and Tufted Pansies. We grow violas as annuals. Don't confuse them with violets, which are a perennial and are welcome in cold-climate gardens but will self-seed with abandon in a Southern garden.
Violas will bloom in the shade. They are not finicky about soil, any decent garden soil will do. They even do well in my clay. They clean themselves after blooming so there is no need to deadhead. You don't even have to fertilize them unless they are looking peaked. They make a good addition to containers. Violas set off spring blooming bulbs or winter ornamentals in the flower borders. They come in pansy-like faces, in solid colors or multi-colors.
If you use them over daffodil or tulip bulbs, the bulb foliage will grow up through the violas. When the bulbs have quit blooming, the viola plants will help to camouflage the dying foliage of the bulbs.
Most violas are very fragrant. They are also edible. Since they hardly ever are bothered by insects or disease, they seldom require any pesticides. Since I don't use pesticides, I know my violas are safe to use as food.


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Funnyman alive and kicking
Funnyman *Robin Williams *, left, has spoken out to assure fans he is alive and well following rumours suggesting he had died on a movie set in Austria.
The Mrs Doubtfire star was the victim of an Internet hoax at the weekend when a report appeared online and suggested the actor had fallen to his death while filming a movie in Kitzbuhel, Austria.
Williams was alerted to the rumours and took to Twitter to insist the story is not true and he is busy on his stand-up tour of the US.
In a post on the social networking website he writes: "Despite rumours to the contrary, I will be in Savannah tomorrow night at the Johnny Mercer Theater."
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First it was Oklahoma and the Save Our State amendment. Then there was the more subtly worded South Carolina Senate Bill 444 and Georgia's House Bill 45. Oklahoma, South Carolina and Georgia (and there are probably other states at this point) are trying to prevent the courts of their states applying sharia law. A pointless vote-getter. And a legislator can hardly vote against these ridiculous measures without then being accused of supporting jihad.
Now it is Tennessee and Senate Bill 1028. And once again, it is legislators who know nothing about the thing they are trying to legislate against, but this time with a new twist. Tennessee is doing something different. SB 1028 makes it a felony to support sharia. And it's not subtle about it at all. Muddled and unconstitutional, but not subtle.
Tennessee needs to be saved from the perils of sharia law on the verge of engulfing the state. Apparently. After all the bill starts off with "The threat from terrorism continues to plague the United States generally and Tennessee in particular." Tennessee is plagued with the threat from terrorism. In particular. No doubt. Not since the Battle of Stone's River has sponsoring Senator Bill Ketron's home of Murfreesboro been under such a siege.
By paragraph 3 we learn that "sharia is based historically and traditionally on a full corpus of law and jurisprudence termed fiqh and usul al-fiqh, respectively, dealing with all aspects of a sharia-adherent's personal and social life and political society." So sharia deals with all aspects of a "sharia-adherent's" personal and social life. The other name for a "sharia-adherent" is "Muslim". Just so we are sure of how comprehensively the bill defines "sharia-adherent", in paragraph 2, it is described as a "legal-political-military doctrine and system adhered to, or minimally advocated by, tens of millions if not hundreds of millions of its followers around the world."
And all of them want to plague Tennessee with terrorism and overthrow the government.
"The knowing adherence to sharia and to foreign sharia authorities constitutes a conspiracy…" (Paragraph 11) "The knowing adherence to sharia and to foreign sharia authorities is prima facie evidence of an act in support of the overthrow of the United States government and the government of this state through the abrogation, destruction, or violation of the United States and Tennessee Constitutions by the likely use of imminent criminal violence and terrorism with the aim of imposing sharia on the people of this state." (Paragraph 13)
Nowhere in the bill is "foreign sharia authority" defined. However sharia is defined as "any rule, precept, instruction, or edict arising directly from the extant rulings of any of the authoritative schools of Islamic jurisprudence of Hanafi, Maliki, Shafi'i, Hanbali, Ja'afariya, or Salafi". This is the equivalent of saying "any interpretation of the Bible by any pastor or Bible teacher, whether Catholic, Orthodox, Anglican, Lutheran, Reformed, Baptist…"
So being a Muslim constitutes a conspiracy and is prima facie evidence of that conspiracy to overthrow the US government – and of course the government of the plagued state of Tennessee – by criminal violence and terrorism. But I am curious about this "likely use" of imminent violence. Is the violence likely or imminent? If it is imminent isn't it a bit more that likely? But when it comes to Muslims, who has time to worry about things like this? Tennessee is in the midst of a plague, after all. (Evidence of the plague usually takes the form of, "I hear told someone even saw a woman wrapped in one of them funny scarf thangs at the Family Dollar in Smyrna t'other day. Sakes alive! She might'a had a bomb under that thang.")
I could parse out all the statements in the thirteen paragraphs of findings that, if enacted, the Tennessee General Assembly will have found to be true about sharia and sharia-adherents, but because they are repetitive while also managing to be occasionally contradictory, it would take more space than you have patience. If you are a member of the Tennessee General Assembly and voting for this bill, things like repetition, contradiction and violation of the First Amendment aren't going to stand in your way.
I will, however, point out that in paragraph 9, there is a reference to the "jihad groups identified by the federal government as designated terrorist organizations pursuant to § 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act". On the other hand, the bulk of the bill sets out procedures for the Tennessee Attorney General to designate "sharia organizations" so that anyone who is associated with them can be prosecuted and liable for all sorts of civil causes of action. If the federal government has already designated jihad groups – a task for which they expend considerable federal tax dollars on extensive covert operations – why does the Tennessee AG need to do the same? And if the members of these organizations are already subject to federal law, why does Tennessee need to step in?
Now I wish this was just a looney bill introduced by a lone ranger legislator. Every legislature gets some of those every session. Those sorts of bills grab a newspaper headline and then die quietly in committee without a hearing. Unfortunately in this case, there are three Senate co-sponsors, the chairs of the Education, Transportation and Judiciary committees, the last of which has the bill under consideration. Ketron is the GOP Caucus Chair. And like the legislation in the other states, it has a companion bill in the other chamber, in this case sponsored by Rep. Judd Matheny. It has twelve co-sponsors, including the chair the State and Local Government committee.
And finally, I would be remiss if I failed to mention the goofiest bit of legislative drafting I've seen in a long, long time. It goes back to that definition of sharia. "'Sharia' means the set of rules, precepts, instructions, or edicts which are said to emanate directly or indirectly from the god of Allah…" The god of Allah? What is the god of Allah? "The god Allah" maybe. I can allow that some people think that Allah, as worshipped in Islam, is a different god than God as worshipped in Christianity, rather than just a erroneous understanding of God. And I understand that most American Christians are completely clueless that Arab Christians call God "Allah" because that's the Arabic word for God. And most are Islamo-illiterate enough that they don't know that Muhammad came up with Islam after lots of contact with Judaism and Christianity and in essence derived his idea of God from them and his intent was to worship the God of Abraham. But "god of Allah"? Is this the god that this Allah putatively worships? Who knows? Probably not even the real author of this legislation, David Yerushalmi, a self-proclaimed expert on Islamic law.
Yerushalmi has contended in the press that the bill does not prevent Muslims from practicing their religion – you know, that old First Amendment thing. This only raises the question of why this legislation was so appalling poorly drafted – so vague and contradictory – even if the intent is supposed to be more narrow.
Just like there is no case of sharia having been applied by any judge in any court in the US, there is no instance in which Tennessee, its government or Constitution, or Ellie May down at the Family Dollar have been harmed by sharia-adherent jihadists or could be harmed in such a way that having the state attorney general proscribe anyone or any group would make any difference whatsoever.


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Welcome to the February 22nd, 2019 Edition of Lingerie Sewing: Weekend Round Up!
The Lingerie Sewing: Weekend Roundup is a curation of a few projects/ongoing events in the lingerie making community. It's a quick catch up for you to enjoy over the weekend with a cup of coffee or tea. If you want to be part of the weekend roundup, shoot me an email at thetailormadeblog[@]gmail.com with links to your instagram, blog post, or just photos if you don't have a blog and I'll be sure to include your work!
This week's roundup image features the free version of the Maxine Panties Pattern.
This post may contain affiliate links.


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|This convention will take place:
|Start Date (Format mm/dd/yyyy)
|End Date (Format mm/dd/yyyy)
|About This Convention
|Alamo City Comic Con is the Biggest pop culture celebration Deep in the heart of Texas. Celebrating the arts from every format to ever culture in the world. This is where artists can come and show of their latest creations and share it with the world. From different retailers and exhibitors, Alamo City Comic Con is home to a lot of great and fascinating things you will not find at other cons. San Antonio is rich with a large artist community as well as home to the world famous battle of the Alamo and the Riverwalk.
|Venue Name and Address
|Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center
200 East Market St.
San Antonio, Texas 78205
United States
Map It
|Number of Dealer/Exhibitor Tables
|Projected Attendance
|Please select the Category that best describes the convention
|Comic Books
|Additional Categories
|Lauren Cohan, Danny Trejo, Bret Hart, Rob Liefield, Kevin Nash, Master Chief, Alvin Lee, Ale Garza, Aspen, Big Dog Ink, Angel Medina, Johnboy Meyers, many more


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Hannibal Lecter, one of the world's creepiest fictional villains, is back, and this time he is not locked up but is a respected psychiatrist with an appetite for art, fine clothes, good food and red wine.
And he is hiding a very dark secret.
"Hannibal," which debuted on NBC on Thursday, is the first U.S. television series about the infamous cannibal created by Thomas Harris in his 1981 book "Red Dragon" and made famous by actor Anthony Hopkins in his Oscar-winning turn in "Silence of the Lambs."
After five Hannibal Lecter movies and four novels, the new TV series is based on just five early pages of "Red Dragon" and serves as a prequel to the entire Hannibal Lecter book and movie legend.
It combines solving a weekly, gory crime with the back story of Lecter and his early FBI nemesis, Will Graham.
"As somebody who had read the books and was really a student of Thomas Harris, I felt there were definitely aspects of the literature that had not been explored," creator and executive producer Bryan Fuller told Reuters.
"There was a great chapter of Hannibal Lecter's life that we haven't seen in any of the movies or any of the books. We have seen him incarcerated and as a young man, and I felt the most interesting part of his life was when he was a practicing psychiatrist and a practicing cannibal and who he was prior to incarceration," Fuller added.
Danish actor Mads Mikkelsen, best-known for playing the villain in 2006 James Bond film "Casino Royale," takes on the role of Lecter, bringing a sophisticated, alluring edge to the psychopathic killer.
But it was the character of Graham, played by Hugh Dancy, the hyper-sensitive criminal profiler who knows how serial killers tick, that first intrigued Fuller.
"Will Graham has always been seen as a stoic, competent investigator. What was appealing to me is that he is actually very vulnerable as a human being because he has to imagine himself as these killers.
"I thought it was an opportunity to really see the effects on the human psyche of being exposed to terrible violence," Fuller explained.
The first episode of "Hannibal" is inspired by two brief scenes in "Red Dragon" in which Graham recalls his emotional breakdown over his investigation and fatal shooting of a serial killer called the Minnesota Shrike.
The entire first season of the TV show – and the subsequent four planned seasons – takes place before the plot of "Red Dragon" takes off, and years before "Silence of the Lambs."
It focuses instead on Graham's mental anguish and his growing friendship and trust in Lecter, to whom he turns for emotional and psychological support.
Being a Hannibal story, however, the TV show also serves up graphic violence.
Fuller said the violence is both a reflection of the horror genre and the source material, as well as a means of underscoring why Graham loses his grip on sanity by being constantly exposed to such dark crimes.
"I thought we should have a certain amount of graphic depiction because it honors the genre. I also wanted to be respectful of the audience that is tuning in for the Hannibal Lecter show, and that comes with certain expectations and requirements," Fuller said.
In addition to its U.S. airing, "Hannibal" has also been sold to broadcasters in Canada, Britain and several European nations.


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"The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not winning but taking part; the essential thing in life is not conquering but fighting well." Pierre de Coubertin
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New CDC organ donor guidelines could discourage many healthy people from donating — because they demand that any donor who's had two or more sex partners in the last year be designated "high-risk."
According to MSNBC, the guidelines are meant to protect organ recipients from getting HIV, hepatitis B, or hepatitis C from their new organs. But they may have unintended side effects. Several experts point out that flagging everyone who's been non-monogamous this year as high-risk would affect a lot of people. Says transplant surgeon Dr. Harry Dorn-Arias, "With the new guidelines, every college student in America will be high risk." The new rules don't mean people with multiple sexual partners would be banned from donating, but they'd have to disclose their sexual history and receive more testing. Dorn-Arias points out that this could discourage young people from donating to family members: "If you were going to give your organ to your mom or dad or sister, you're going to be ashamed of that. You're either going to say no, or you're going to lie." It might also make recipients afraid of accepting organs from non-monogamous donors, leading to longer wait times, declining health, or even death. Says transplant administrator Tracy Giacoma,
It's probably going to triple what we consider high risk at this point. It may scare patients off from taking these organs. More patients may die because they don't take these organs.
Clearly patients do need protection from diseases transmitted through donated organs. But counting donors' number of sexual partners may not be the way to do that. MSNBC points out that existing guidelines also exclude men who've had sex with men in the past five years, a group also prohibited from giving blood in the US. This policy has received a lot of criticism — in the UK, gay men can now give blood, but they must still have been celibate for a year. Both policies focus more on number or gender of partners than on safety precautions the donor has taken, which might be more meaningful. Someone who's had sex with multiple partners but used condoms every time may be at lower risk of HIV than someone who's having unprotected sex with one partner who's cheating on them. Ultimately, information about safer sex practices, coupled with rigorous testing, may be a lot more useful than branding the organs of the non-monogamous with a scarlet letter.
Too Promiscuous To Donate An Organ? Maybe, CDC Says [MSNBC, via NY Daily News]
Image via Marcus Miranda/Shutterstock.com


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Get a real taste of the Aussie hospitality in Outback Queensland. Climb to the top of Big Red in Birdsville, camp under the stars, stop at the pub for a yarn and explore spectacular gorges. Check out towns like Mount Isa, Longreach and Charleville, and take the 4WD on an off-road adventure. Soak up the history of the Outback, then celebrate with the locals at events like the Big Red Bash and Vision Splendid Outback Film Festival.
There are treasures to be found in the red dirt of Outback Queensland. Fossick for precious stones in the Sapphire Gemfields, see ancient mammals preserved in limestone at the World Heritage-listed Riversleigh Fossil Sites and follow the path of Jurassic giants along the Dinosaur Trail – including 'Hughie', the seven-metre Muttaburrasaurus" in Hughenden.
You don't need to be an expert off-roader to explore the legendary Queensland Outback and get a taste for life on the land. It's connected by both sealed roads and dirt tracks, with most towns only 2-4 hours apart. Start planning your Outback drives.
The Outback's not all desert. Explore the stunning gorges of the Boodjamulla (Lawn Hill) National Park and spend the night at the nearby Adels Grove campground. Hear currawongs call and look for turtles in the deep pools of the Porcupine Gorge National Park, or relax and stretch out in the Artesian Mud Baths at Eulo. You might also wish to scale the sandstone wilderness of Kroombit Tops National Park, wander through the maze of gorges in the Isla Gorge National Park or look for ancient rock art in Expedition National Park.
Founded more than 130 years ago, Longreach is the historic heart of Outback Queensland. Visit the Qantas Founders Museum to learn about the origins of Australia's national carrier and walk through the heritage-listed hangars. At the Stockman's Hall of Fame, hear the ancient stories of the Aboriginal people, explorers and farmers who built this fascinating region.
Meet some genuine Aussie characters in the Outback. Spend the night at a farm stay, see a working cattle station and have a yarn with one of the locals. At night, be captivated by an endless starry sky – with no city lights to distract you.


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text: Sign up Whether you're an artist, producer, venue owner or agency, create your account on Backstage. A tool to help you make better decisions, understand and engage with your audience, and promote your shows. Go to the Backstage Choose a city: change city cancel Login with Facebook Login with Twitter or Email Solve captcha I'm an artist / Manager / Venue Owner / Promoter Password Sign up


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Dixie Chick Speaks
"As a concerned American
citizen, I apologize to
President Bush because my remark was disrespectful. I feel that whoever
that office should be treated with the utmost respect....", etc.
But this might be what she
was really thinking...
I hope everyone understands, I'm just a young girl who grew up in Texas.
As far back as I can remember, I heard people say they were ashamed of
President Clinton. I saw bumper stickers calling him everything from a
pothead to a murderer. I heard people on the radio
and tv like Rush Limbaugh, Pat Robertson, Newt Gingrich and Trent Lott
badmouthing the President and ridiculing his wife and daughter at every
opportunity. I heard LOTS of people disrespecting the President.
So I guess I just assumed it
was acceptable behavior. But now, thanks to the thousands of angry people
who want radio stations to boycott our music because criticizing the President
is unpatriotic, I realize it's wrong to have a liberal opinion if you're
a country music artist.
I guess I should have thought
about that before deciding to play music that attracts hypocritical rednecks.
I also realize now that I'm supposed to just sing and look cute so our
fans won't have anything to upset them while they're cheating on their
wives or getting in drunken bar fights or driving around in their pickup
trucks shooting highway signs and small animals.
And most important of all,
I realize that it's wrong for a celebrity to voice a political opinion,
unless they're Charlie Daniels, Clint Black, Merle Haggard, Barbara Mandrell,
Loretta Lynn, Ricky Skaggs, Travis Tritt, Hank Williams Jr, Amy Grant,
Larry Gatlin, Crystal
Gayle, Reba McEntire, Lee Greenwood, Lorrie Morgan, Anita Bryant, Mike
Oldfield, Ted Nugent, Wayne Newton, Dick Clark, Jay Leno, Drew Carey,
Dixie Carter, Victoria Jackson, Charleton Heston, Fred Thompson, Ben Stein,
Bruce Willis, Kevin Costner, Arnold Schwartzenegger, Bo Derek, Rick Schroeder,
George Will, Pat Buchanan, Bill O'Reilly, Joe Rogan, Delta Burke, Robert
Conrad or Jesse Ventura.
God Bless America,


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Melbourne: India once again failed to reach the final of men's Champions Trophy hockey as they were thrashed 0-3 by Australia in the semi-final at the State Netball and Hockey Centre here Saturday.
World No.11 India will now play arch-rival Pakistan, world No.9, for the bonze medal while Australia will go for a record five consecutive Champions Trophy titles. Australia will face the Netherlands in Sunday's final.
Under sunny skies and in front of a full house, the Kookaburras, ranked second, dominated the Indians with a speedy, relentless attack.
Both India and Australia were on a mission. The Aussies were looking to re-establish themselves as the unbeatable team in men's hockey after missing out the Olympic gold medal, while the Indians were looking to re-establish their national team programme on the eve of the launch of the Hockey India League.
But the Indians were not match for the Australians.
Star forward Jamie Dwyer made the difference in the game. He struck twice in a 10-minute span in the first half to lift the Aussies to the early 2-0 lead. Dwyer popped in a rebound on a Chris Ciriello penalty corner flick and then easily converted a penalty stroke mid-half to send a clear message early on.
Kieran Govers extended the lead as he swept in front the India net and converted the streaking shot to give Australia a solid 3-0 lead with 26 minutes left in the game.
The Aussies continued to apply steady pressure as India never really had a chance to work its way into the game and threaten the hosts' solid lead. It was a valiant effort on both sides, but in the end Australia was the better team.
India still has the chance to earn a major moral victory for the national team programme as it can go for its second-ever Champions Trophy medal and its first since 1982 in the bronze medal game against Pakistan. That game is sure to be barn burner as the rivals always put on an entertaining show.
Former Australian players Nathan Burgers, Luke Doerner and Grant Schubert were recognised before the game for their outstanding careers with the Kookaburras.
Earlier in the day, the Netherlands earned its first spot in a Champions Trophy final game since 2006 after they topped Pakistan 5-1 in first semi-final game. The victory guarantees the Netherlands their third consecutive medal at the Champions Trophy.
The Dutch wasted no time getting onto the board when Billy Bakker went-end-to-end just 1.30 into the game to give his team the quick advantage. The lead doubled when the swam of orange jerseys was camped in the Pakistan D as Seve van Ass took advantage of the situation and made it 2-0 with 15 left in the half.
Pakistan scored three minutes later on what was officially an own goal from the Netherlands, but given enough time, Shakeel Abassi might have put in the marker himself on the play.
Bakker netted a second goal with three minutes left in the half on a solo effort from the top of the circle to give the Netherlands some breathing room at the break with a two-goal advantage.
The second half was big on action, but short on goals. Valetnin Verga, who left early in the first half after a collision, returned in grand style to sink the 4-1 goal 10 minutes into the half. From there, the Dutch knew they had things well in hand and even replaced goalie Jaap Stockmann with back-up Pirmin Blaak. Late goals on each side brought the final score to 5-2.
The Dutch will go for their ninth Champions Trophy gold medal and their 22nd overall. The last time the Netherlands won the gold medal at the Champions Trophy was 2006, which was also their last appearance in the final game.
For Pakistan, the loss still has a silver lining as they can go for their first medal at a Champions Trophy since 2004.
Source: IANS


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Brand new cross back dungaree dresses. These feature a front bib with cross back straps secured at the elasticated waistband with poppers and full hemmed skirt. A perfect match to our new Dungarees.
They are made with soft and stretchy cotton jersey. 95% cotton, 5% elastane.
Any queries about sizing please check the size guide and do drop me a message. Internal seams are overlocked for a durable finish.
Seagulls Dungaree Dress


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S Pumps 105
The sweeping lines of Nicholas Kirkwood's signature S sandal are updated to follow the natural curve of the foot. A combination of white leather, PVC and metallic leather make the point toe pump a modern take on a timeless design.
Italian sizing. Fits true to size. See Size and Fit notes.
Heel height: 105mm/4.1in
Italian sizing.
Fits true to size, take your normal size.
80% lambskin leather, 15% poly synthetic leather, 5% polyester
Keep the shoes clean and dry using a dry soft cloth; store them in the dust bag provided, we recommend you store each shoe in a separate bag. Always store your shoes away from light and heat, rain and moisture. Avoid contact with abrasive surfaces. Use a high-quality leather, suede and fabric protector spray, do not spray metallic, patent or Ultra Specchio leathers.


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Bumblederping around the Web today it's surprising to see how many people expect the Celtics to curl up and die quiet in their series against the Heat, which begins tonight. David Steele over at the Sporting News is among the rare authors who believe three future Hall of Famers plus a tripler of doubles in Rajon Rondo, plus the best Brandon Bass anyone has seen lately can actually beat a Boshless Heat. Fact he's expecting the C's to romp in six. It's that interior matchup. Without Bosh in the frontcourt Kevin Garnett is going to hold Joel Anthony to zero points per game, and Lebron is going to be forced to expend his (considerable) strength banging on the blocks, leaving Wade's careening as the only threat of any kind from outside, which is to say, if Miami needs Mario Chalmers bail-out 3s to spread the floor, yes, there may be some hope for Boston.
Meanwhile everyone else likes Miami to coast in this series, including all 12 ESPN.com opinionators. But if that pans out and if San Antonio continues to cruise at a historical pace, you're going to see a banged-up Miami colliding with an old, fresh Spurs team that will mow through the Heat. LeBron wants his first ring? Tim Duncan is going for a fifth. It doesn't matter if Duncan's shoulders sound like a drawbridge opening every time he goes up for a shot; Duncan is skinny, spry and apparently ageless. On Sunday the Thunder stayed just close enough to San Antonio to suggest that the Spurs' title isn't a fait accompli, not yet. Obviously Rick Reilly likes OKC enough to quite explicitly phone in a column on the Thunder's behalf, but until the Thunder can solve the question of how to score anywhere near Duncan, their alleged resistance will be futile. The Spurs look poised to arrive in the Finals having played just 12 or 13 playoff games.
I'm at the point where I enjoy watching LeBron but don't really care to contemplate him. Until he makes good on his cubic mile of potential, I'd almost rather see Duncan continue to win games with all the joy of a commuter playing "Angry Birds." If LeBron is ever going to be interesting he needs to play with urgency. The consensus is, he's capable of crushing the Celtics, if he cares to. But no one makes being favored look like more of a pain in the ass than Miami, and the Heat could drag their haunches. Dithering in the Conference Finals increases the odds of having Bosh re-enter, maybe, but the better strategy will be to hustle ahead on Spurs time, if there can even be said to be such a thing for those amber-encased bastards. LeBron's cram session starts now or it ends right soon. Then it's just a long summer of baseball on the other side. So: Go, LeBron, go.


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WESTCHESTER COUNTY, N.Y. – Westchester is developing a real fowl problem.
The county's population of Giant Canada Geese – which has surpassed 250,000 – and other wild birds continues to swell, and municipalities have limited options to control their numbers as they face pressure from animal rights groups.
Last week, Sen. George Latimer (D-37) introduced legislation that would protect the geese and wild turkeys. If the bill passes, it will require a local public hearing to discuss non-lethal methods to remove the geese before they are sent upstate to be gassed.
"We are proud that Latimer has shown consideration and decency to those who have no voice, yet have a right to exist on this earth without the constant threats by the (United States Department of Agriculture) to kill them all, which we will not just sit back and allow to happen," officials with Westchester 4 Geese said in a statement.
For years, elected officials and residents alike have contended that the ever-growing goose populous' droppings debase beloved parks, golf courses and contaminate outdoor gathering areas.
Around the Westchester County Airport, when these birds get caught in airplane engines, they've been known to force emergency landings.
"I'm not sure what the right answer is, but we really have to figure something out, it just keeps getting worse," Yonkers resident Carl Johnson said in White Plains. "I know it's inhumane to kill them, but maybe that's a sacrifice that needs to be made. Or we need a different solution."
Last year, officials in Mamaroneck and Scarsdale were prepared to enter into a contract with the USDA to exterminate a small percentage of the geese before outrage and uproar from animal rights activists from all over the state forced them to seek alternate options.
Alternate ways to deal with the goose population include using a border collie to scare geese away – which failed previously in Scarsdale when the ducks cornered the dog and forced it into the pond – growing tall grass near the water to eliminate sight lines, piercing goose or addling eggs and treating nests.
"There are non-lethal, humane ways to dissuade geese from molting and nesting. Lots of them," Anne Muller, of the Wildlife Watch said. "(Municipalities) need to give up the notion of killing. It will save communities from becoming divided."
What do you think about the extermination of Giant Canada Geese in the county? Vote in our poll and continue the conversation in the comments section.
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Curtain 115x330cm Light Green
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Cotton, muslin curtains and door curtains are availables in different colours, sizes and designs. Lisa Corti's curtains are made in India by means of the ancient technique of block printing fabrics by hand. Each of the carved wooden blocks is dipped in a different colour and pressed onto the fabric.


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Over recent weeks, I've had the pleasure of visiting with several different friends from out of town, all friends who came from different cities and from previous lives of mine. Not only was it wonderful to catch up with these old friends and reminisce about times gone by, but it was a compelling opportunity to look back on my journey, to see all of the dots that have connected, and to reflect on all of the wonderful souls who have touched and shaped my path along this winding road of life.
The first of these friends, Simone, was visiting from my home city of Boston. We began working together when I was a mere 23 years old, fairly fresh out of college and wet behind the ears. Looking back on that young age, now 14 years later, it is hard to even recognize the person that I once was. I was just barely beginning my journey into adulthood and I had so much to learn, and so many tough lessons that were still ahead of me. In my wildest imagination (or nightmares!), I could not have conceived of what was yet to come. I was, however, fortunate enough to land the job of a lifetime. For several years we organized student tours abroad and got to reap the benefit of traveling to exciting, foreign lands. This was a professional life filled with wonderful friends, laughter, hilarious travel stories and adventures and simply joyful and rewarding times. These were the days of our lives.
Fast forward five years and I would find myself a new resident of the nation's capital, Washington, DC, and a newly enrolled graduate student. Having left behind a broken heart and dark clouds in Boston, I was starting over in a new life, preparing to embark on a career of international diplomacy and peace-keeping. However, a semester of confusion, dissatisfaction and feeling like a fish out of water, would eventually lead to my leaving graduate school and landing serendipitously in a job working for an International Human Rights organization. This is where I would meet Lauren, the second visitor to San Francisco in recent weeks.
Lauren and I would become part of what I coined the "The Sex and the City" foursome of ladies who would get together regularly for dinner and girl talk. These friends were the rocks that kept me grounded during my four years in Washington. Lauren would witness me evolve into my first management role in the .com world, she would see me grapple with the stresses of a high-pressure, long-hour career, and she would see me struggle through a confusing yet painfully beautiful long-distance "relationship," a relationship which would eventually leave me completely shattered, turned inside out and gasping for air. About to embark on what would turn out to be my "dark night of the soul," Lauren would be part of the good group of friends that would send me off on my forever-destined journey to the west coast, leaving behind my east coast life and friends, leaving behind a part of myself.
The journey west would take me to Los Angeles, a city that would unwittingly become home to the deepest depression, the most gripping pain and the most intense struggle of my life. But simultaneously, and somewhat ironically, it would become the most bewitching and magical place I have ever lived, deeply connecting with the fibers of my spirit. Filling me up with her bittersweet nectar, Los Angeles would eventually become the gateway to a profound spiritual awakening, a complete transformation and a brand new Jeannie, alchemized by the fire of life.
Enter Garrett. A childhood friend of the family, Garrett had known me since I was a young girl and he had seen me grow into a woman. He had known me through various lives and several different versions of myself. Upon my arrival in Los Angeles, he was one of the only people I knew and was often the only shoulder to cry on during a very dark time. Garrett was witness to the darkest years of my life, the most profound turmoil through which I have walked, and for this I am grateful.
I am grateful because today when I met Garrett and his girlfriend for coffee in downtown San Francisco, while they were visiting from Los Angeles, I was able to shine brightly and tell Garrett how happy I am, how much joy, wonder and magic I experience on a daily basis. Had Garrett not been there to witness my lowest point, I'm not sure anyone would truly know how extraordinary and powerful my transformation has been, and how grateful I am for all of the trials and tribulations that have led me to this place.
As I look back on these friends, and the many others who have laughed with me, cried with me, fought with me and walked alongside me, I am deeply touched by the indelible marks that each one has left on my soul. It is often said that we should not look back to the past, but I profoundly disagree. There is so much grace and beauty in putting the pieces together and making sense of how the journey unfolded. Some of the most important lessons, and even revelations, of our lives come from time reflecting back on our previous journeys. It is all a beautiful, and necessary, part of our evolution.
It is true that however we might plan and plot, in large part we have no idea where are journeys will take us next, or where each path will lead; but what I am sure of is that there will be beautiful souls along the way, souls who will come into our lives to help us along our journey. There will be souls who help us, souls who hurt us, and there will be souls who crack us wide open, but each one of these souls has a purpose and a powerful lesson to teach us. And as we walk along our path, however much it twists and turns, and however dark, scary and painful it may become at times… we should embrace the journey.


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 What a difference being in the private sector makes, at least for transportation providers in New York City.
Before last November's election, Governor George Pataki and his appointees on the Board of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) said that no fare increase was under contemplation. As every straphanger knows, the base fare increased by 33 percent, from $1.50 to $2.00, just six months later.
By contrast, taxicab owners, who represent the city's largest privately operated transportation sector, formally petitioned the Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC) for a 23.3 percent fare increase in November 2001. The commission held a hearing at the end of December 2001 but took no further action, even though soon after his inauguration Mayor Michael Bloomberg endorsed a taxi fare increase. The taxi industry resubmitted the petition this summer. To date, however, no hearing has been scheduled nor has Taxi and Limousine Commission announced a timeline for consideration of the industry's request.
Thus, while the MTA was able to raise fares in a mere six months, the city has taken two years without deciding yea or nay on a taxi fare increase and the clock continues to tick.
Although the transit fare increase was controversial, the MTA's reasoning was not particularly complex. MTA officials based the fare increase on the need to balance the authority's budget and avoid major service cuts. There was a simplicity to the authority's logic – higher costs mean higher fares.
The Taxi and Limousine Commission, on the other hand, is instructed by the City Charter to consider "all facts which in its judgment have a bearing on a proper determination" of whether to grant a fare increase. These range from fare revenues to "the return upon capital actually expended." Thus, the commission has looked into a range of issues including changes in taxi operating costs, changes in ridership, the availability of drivers and fares in other cities. Unlike the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, the Taxi and Limousine Commission lacks a clear focus for deciding whether to adopt or reject a fare increase.
It is particularly ironic that the commission itself was behind much of the increase in taxi operating expenses in recent years. The commission mandated that only new vehicles can be put into service as taxicabs, required the more-expensive stretch version of the Ford Crown Victoria, and insisted on expanded insurance coverage for the vehicles. These actions were long overdue and benefited the riding public. Yet when it comes time to underwrite the costs, the Taxi and Limousine Commission hesitates.
Not so at the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. The MTA has also increased service (largely in response to rising ridership) and bought fleets of new rail cars and new buses. The MTA invested billions of dollars in the process, much of it paid for through fare-backed borrowing. No one questioned whether this spending needs to be paid for, either through fares or government subsidies.
One area where the private and public sectors both experience problems is with tracking of expenses and revenues. The MTA came under blistering criticism for hiding the true state of its finances, first painting an overly rosy pre-election picture of its finances and then drawing what auditors viewed as an artificially gloomy picture after the 2002 election.
The finances of taxi owners have often been fairly opaque, the picture complicated by the diversity of operations within the industry. But at least the MTA keeps records, however open to criticism. The Taxi and Limousine Commission, on the other hand, has not conducted its own analysis of taxi expenses or the need for a fare increase in nearly a decade. Until recently, TLC pointed to the city charter's provision that the burden of proof for showing that current rates are "unreasonable" lies with the taxi industry. That is fair enough and industry figures submitted financial information to justify their fare request. But recently, the city decided to use a consulting firm to conduct an independent analysis of taxi industry finances. That step may be long overdue but it will further stretch out the process.
This sort of contrast between public and private transportation providers is evident not only with the fare issue but also with another big issue affecting both taxicabs and transit: the supply of service. The MTA has a well-developed methodology for assessing whether more buses or trains are needed on each route. MTA staff regularly observe levels of crowding on trains and buses; this information is feed into periodic reviews of service levels. Thus, when fare incentives, service improvements and other forces produced record-fast growth in subway and bus patronage, the MTA expanded service. Not enough, said critics, and not quickly enough, but at least someone was keeping track and taking some action.
Not so with taxicabs. The only recent systematic studies of taxicab availability were one sponsored by a taxi industry group two years ago and another conducted by yours truly in 2000. Both of these studies showed a need for more cabs. (Both studies are on my website.) The city lacks a methodology for determining whether more cabs are needed, not to mention a regular process for considering the issue. As a result, over the past 60 years only 400 new licenses have been issued (in the mid-1990s) despite rapid growth in the demand for cab service.
Mayor Michael Bloomberg has proposed issuance of up to 900 new taxi medallion licenses. The mayor wasn't motivated by a sudden realization that the city needs more cabs, however. He was motivated by the city's desperate need for new revenues. The new medallions would be auctioned to the highest bidder, which would bring a total of $220 million to city coffers at current medallion prices.
Despite the riding public's need for more cabs and the city's need for revenues, the process to issue additional licenses has moved at about the same pace as the fare increase.
Bloomberg proposed the 900 new cabs in the spring of 2002. The city is just now conducting the required environmental reviews. Any additional licenses will be issued in stages over three years, probably starting sometime in 2004. Meanwhile, would-be taxicab passengers are left to respond to the friendly honk of the car service or black car illegally picking up street hails.
Taxicab fares and service levels are important because cabs are an important transportation provider in New York City. According to the NYC Taxicab Fact Book, cabs carried 11 percent of riders using taxis, subways, buses, car services or black cars in 2002, and 25 percent of passengers using these modes within Manhattan. Looking at fares paid instead of ridership raises the profile of cabs even further. Taxi fares (including tips) totaled $1.4 billion in 2002. As a comparison, this is two-thirds the total of $2.1 billion that riders paid in MTA subway and bus fares in 2002.
Whether taxi fares should be increased and whether additional medallion licenses are needed are issues that can be discussed and debated. Even though the MTA's method of addressing its fare and service issues has been subject to criticism, the contrast between taxicabs and transit shows that the city could do a much better job addressing taxi fare and supply issues. The city's shortcomings in these areas demonstrate the perils of being a private sector transportation provider, even in Mayor Bloomberg's business-friendly New York.
Bruce Schaller is Principal of Schaller Consulting, which provides research and analysis to government, business and non-profit groups seeking to identify and meet customer needs in the transportation sector. He is also a Visiting Scholar at the Center for Transportation Policy and Management at New York University.


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One of the best-known photographers of his day, Cecil Beaton photographed everyone who was anyone, from film stars and royalty, to war-time Land Girls. His career with Vogue started in 1924 and continued until the late 1970s.
In this beautiful collection of photographs from the fifites and sixties selected exclusively from the prestigious archive of British Vogue, the elegance and poise of the models of the era are showcased. These prints make a stylish and timeless addition to your home.


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The DarthMod improves significantly the AI and gameplay for the PC game "Total War: Shogun 2".
Only registered members can share their thoughts. So come on! Join the community today (totally free - or sign in with your social account on the right) and join in the conversation.
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