text:
© by Rob Ager (July 2008)
Watch the seven part video or scroll down for the text version.
To avoid psychological overload in today's world of seemingly unlimited information, most people have developed attention barriers based upon strict unconscious criteria. This generally consists of information categories that the individual believes to be of priority relevance to their own existence. Any information that does not strike these unconscious chords is ignored. Some of these are universal criteria such as prioritising attention toward immediate physical danger, while others will be specific values of the individual.
Based upon these unconscious information filters, an individual can spend their entire life in total ignorance of golden opportunities for positive change.
Those of you who have watched my film analysis of Stanley Kubrick films will have a good understanding of how easy it is to repeatedly overlook information that was staring you right in the face. In fact Stanley's incredible talents are a case example of how information barriers can be altered to allow new and valuable information into our minds.
In one Kubrick's biographies he is described as using a simple method to expand his knowledge base. He would visit his library and select random books from random information categories, without even looking at the titles. He would then force himself to read those books. By doing this Stanley was forcing his mind to expand into new territory on a regular basis.
In this video / article I intend to expand your awareness of what can loosely be referred to as "news information", and Kubrick's method for bypassing his own unconscious information filters will be a key part of that process.
The role of "news media" is supposedly to keep the population informed of anything that is relevant to their collective well-being. On the other hand "news media" can, and often does, serve different purposes. For example, celebrity gossip can serve as shallow escapism … or a commercial corporation might invest in a news organisation in order to guarantee positive news reports about their products.
To keep ourselves highly informed, we must be able to recognise these various influences that have a distorting effect on the quality of news information. We must choose our news sources wisely.
So let's now explore the various formats of news information that are available in our daily lives and their varying degrees of quality and reliability.
There are many generalized factors to consider when choosing / reading newspapers and magazines. One is to be aware of basic templates. Take half a dozen copies of a particular newspaper or magazine and compare them simultaneously. Template editing patterns, common to every issue, quickly reveal themselves. Since it would take a great deal of time and money to redesign the basic layout of a publication with each issue, these template formats are primarily a cost saving device. The downside of this is that news information is often distorted to fit into these templates, which often reduces information quality.
Here are some examples of template formatting practice in newspapers and magazines.
In some national newspapers that I've studied, such as the Daily Mirror or the Sun, as much as 40% of the content is advertising. And in fashion magazines the ratio is sometimes higher.
In newspapers, a key factor that reveals the importance of advertising is that colour printed ads will often be featured on the same pages as celebrity photos or soft porn models. By doing this the editors can save on printing costs by having other pages printed entirely in black and white. This also means that advertisers can foot the bill for the colour printed pages. The fact that broadsheet newspapers are much more expensive to the consumer than tabloids is partially because they make less money from advertising. The reader foots the bill instead, but on the upside they get more news for their money.
When it comes to the increased cost of magazines you're mostly paying extra for the glossy colour printed paper, which in itself does not have any "news" value.
Tabloids will bombard the reader with sexually and emotionally charged images for a base emotion appeal, while the broadsheet newspapers emphasize detailed news story content. Of course that doesn't always mean that the story content is accurate or useful, but at least it's there.
There's a fair bit of psychology that goes into this factor. Prominent headlines can be used to almost bully the reader into perceiving an issue in a particular way, being that many readers simply glance at headlines, while only reading a few articles in detail. When used on a front page, headlines will also serve the intention of grabbing potential reader's attention from a distance on retail shelves. The choice of words in news story headlines is of crucial importance because it reveals the thought process that the editors are hoping to promote or appeal to. If you want to be well informed then steer clear of publications whose headlines emphasize intense emotion or one-sidedness. Remember that a newspaper is supposed to inform you of verifiable facts so that you can make your own judgement. If they are trying to judge for you then read something else.
Magazines will usually have an openly specified theme, but newspapers are also themed toward certain types of story content without openly acknowledging such preferences. For example certain tabloids are themed toward sex, violence, sport and anything else that is based upon primitive emotion. By comparing several issues of one publication you may find that a particular topic such as paedophilia or terrorism is always emphasized, while another topic like arms trading or stealth taxes are given very little attention. A variation on this is that in the tabloids, political and economic news is mostly printed in boring black and white, while celebrity and sports articles over power the reader with vibrant colours. This encourages hedonism and dampens intellectual thought.
As an experiment regarding tabloid content I took six issues of The Daily Star newspaper (dated 21st, 24th, 26th, 27th, 28th and 29th of November 2007) and calculated their daily content averages as follows:
Daily Star content
Celebrities / gossip / soft porn
Reader input / feedback
Considering the extremely low percentage of news content, should we even class the Daily Star as a newspaper?
The owners and higher management of news publications often have financial and political interests outside of the publication … and sometimes these will conflict with their journalistic duties. It is for this reason that publications often hold allegiances to specific political parties or openly bias their coverage of specific issues. This is actually a form of propaganda because the owners are attempting to manipulate public opinion instead of providing unbiased info. Some publications even have economic and political bias built into their editorial templates – the editors must consistently stick to those themes if they wish to secure their jobs and especially if they wish to climb the management ladder. This may not be explicitly described in the editor's job spec, but most of us are aware from personal experience that there are both written and unwritten expectations from employers.
It's actually very easy for national newspapers to lie to the public without reproach. In the UK the Press Complaints Commission allows newspapers to self-regulate, which means that in many instances if the general public do not write letters of complaint directly then the publishing company will not be held accountable for printing misinformation.
Because of the template bias that newspapers and magazines often have regarding economic and political issues it is important to vary your news sources instead of reading just one publication. Try reading two or three publications that clearly hold opposing allegiances and which are funded by differing sources. This use of varied information has a counter-balancing affect, allowing you to judge key issues more wisely.
Despite the drawbacks I've described, the benefit of major national newspapers is that their journalists have abundant research resources, which smaller publications may not have.
Regional newspapers can be excellent sources for local information. They still cover national and international news, but I must emphasize that this is usually a regurgitation of articles already published by the large national papers. There are several reasons for this second hand information approach. One is that regional newspapers usually can't afford to send reporters great geographical distances to cover an event. But the main reason is that local newspapers are almost always subsidiaries of larger media companies.
Take a couple of local newspapers in your area and visit their websites. Find the sections on management and ownership. These will tell you which of the larger media companies owns the publication. Now visit the website of the parent company and repeat the process, by identifying the parent company of the parent company. Eventually you will reach a top level corporation that is owned by one or more individuals, who are often billionaires. Potentially conflicting economic and political interests of these owners are then easier to identify.
Example 1
DMGT (Daily mail & General Trust PLC) – owned by Jonathon Harmsworth, 4th Viscount of Rothermere. As well as owning a vast media empire, DMGT also owns Euromoney Institutional Investor, which trains international bankers and securities specialists. A subsidiary is DMG Information, which in turn owns Genscape – a major energy market information group. So naturally, any reporting by DMGT owned newspapers on the topics of energy markets or Euromoney could be biased by the companies other subsidiary business interests.
Example 2
News Corporation, owned by Rupert Murdoch. Murdoch was once a member of the think tank group CATO. He also holds fundraisers and conferences for political leaders. As an example of Murdoch's ability to bias news content, the vast majority of his subsidiary papers (nearly 200 of them) openly supported the Invasion of Iraq.
Here is a chart identifying thirteen top level UK media companies along with their owners / management, a rough breakdown of their subsidiary companies and some of the external interests of their figure heads. Collectively, these thirteen mega companies own the majority of the British mass media.
Download media hierarchy chart
This kind of concentrated ownership is one reason that we often find near identical editing templates in seemingly unrelated publications. The templates have been distributed by a parent company to several of their subsidiaries.
As an example, look at a few copies of CHAT magazine and PICK ME UP! Magazine. Both are owned by IPC Media Ltd, which in turn is owned by Time Inc, which in turn is owned by Time Warner. The front covers of both these magazines virtually always feature a smiling model, surrounded by sleazy captions of an almost identical block colour graphical style, and both virtually always feature a large caption at the bottom of the cover depicting a story of gruesome murders, self harm or sexual abuse.
Within these hierarchical media ownership structures, significant news stories are covered first by the large national papers … then the stories are passed down to the subsidiary papers who basically reword the articles, but the message remains the same. Unfortunately, this also means that the economic and political bias of the top level company and its owners is also passed down to the regional publications. The editorial staff at the lower levels may not even be aware of this bias, but even if they are, many of them will be unwilling to risk their jobs by deviating from the wishes of their top level employers. If they are being paid to promote a particular viewpoint then that's what they'll do.
This is even true of free newspapers, such as the Metro, which is distributed on buses and trains in the UK. The owners even pay people to push this free newspaper into people's arms on the streets. Look up the parent companies of these free newspapers and you'll find that they fall under these same commercial ownership umbrellas. The strange thing is that often these newspapers are given away for free in competition with commercially marketed newspapers of the same parent company. Why would any commercial media company wish to harm its sales in this way? This is an important indicator that there may be economic or politically biased motives weaved into the free newspaper's editorial templates.
Public awareness of newspapers bias may be one of the reasons why readerships in the US have been steadily declining in recent years.
Like most newspapers and magazines, televised news tends to operate on the basis of template formatting, regurgitation of stories from parent companies and varying levels of economic or political bias.
A major benefit of television news is that it is more difficult for editors to misquote sources. Actually seeing and hearing somebody make a statement virtually gives us 100% certainty that the quoted source did in fact speak a specific quote. Of course this doesn't guarantee that the speaker was being honest, but it's a good start.
Video footage itself can also be presented out of context or, in some cases, tampered with in the editing room. You may see the Prime Minister walking into 10 Downing St as a journalist shouts questions at him from outside the camera's field of vision, but the audio of the journalist's voice may have been recorded at a different time and place, thus it would appear that a politician was ignoring a specific question.
You only need to look at the convincing technical quality of a Hollywood movie to realise how easy it is to stage events for the camera or to simply bias your editing of genuine footage in order to misrepresent an issue.
For a blatant example of propaganda driven editing, watch the documentary film The Revolution Will Not Be Televised. This film shows how the mainstream media deliberately misrepresented a gunfight in the streets of Venzuela during the attempted overthrow of Hugo Chavez. By showing limited camera angles and editing together unrelated footage, the media made a false claim that Chavez supporters were firing upon Anti-Chavez demonstrators from a bridge. But other camera angles that were not broadcast reveal that the Chavez supporters were battling hidden snipers who had been firing upon the crowds.
Televised interviews and debates are also a very interesting and tricky source of information. An important aspect is that one to one interviews between journalists and corporate / political heavyweights are usually semi-scripted. By this I mean that negotiations have taken place in advance, outlining what topics will and won't be discussed. In some cases specific questions and answers have been rehearsed. A key giveaway of an interview that has been semi-scripted or which has been misrepresented through editing, is when the shots frequently cut back and forth between the journalist and the person being interviewed. A wide shot that continuously shows both people in the same camera frame without tends to reveal a less scripted and more representative debate.
There is a complex psychology involved in these kinds of televised debates. Here are a some behavioural cues to look out for that signify a dishonest discussion:
1) Trying to prematurely change the subject.
2) Giving overly complex and vague answers.
3) Repeating precise phrases, which implies a rehearsed response.
4) Frequently interrupting the opposition.
5) Character assassination and name-calling.
6) Attempting to emotionally polarize a debate into positions of extreme agreement and extreme disagreement with no middle ground for rational debate.
7) Unprovoked hostility.
8) Appearing indifferent when someone else is speaking.
9) Using clichéd catchphrases and buzzwords.
Televised documentary programmes are an excellent alternative to traditional news broadcasts. The main benefit is that key topics are explored in much more detail and usually draw upon a wider range of information sources. Some documentaries are even split into several episodes over a specified period and are hence even more in depth.
An important variation with documentaries is that some conform to a weekly template such as BBC's Horizon or Channel 4's Dispatches. The topics will differ from one week to the next, but will virtually always be compressed into a specified time frame. Other documentaries that have been produced as individual projects such as Channel 4's the Power of Nightmares or The Great Global Warming Swindle are structured according to the topic itself and are less hampered by timeframes.
Now an important aspect of television is that, "news" sometimes comes in the guise of entertainment. Just like with many Hollywood cinema releases, tv entertainment is often funded and produced with economic or political agendas in mind. For example, the UK Film Council admits in its own website that it intends to promote "diversity", yet makes no claim of an intention to support film as an art form. The site's diversity toolkit section even encourages managers in British film and television to emphasize multi-cultural values in their fictional scripts.
These kinds of political motives within entertainment media are usually difficult to pinpoint because the promoters hardly ever state their intentions openly. The key approach I recommend is to keep an overall awareness of what kinds of entertainment themes are consistently emphasized (or ignored) in entertainment programming.
An interesting experiment you can do is to take a weekly tv guide and, for each tv channel, calculate the percentage of airtime that is given to categories such as news, soaps, sports or documentaries. Keep a look out for thematic emphasis associated with different channels as well.
I did this with a copy of the 12th – 18th July 2008 edition of What's On TV magazine, which lists terrestrial television programming in Britain. Here are the approximate daily percentages of broadcast time given to news & politics.
Channel 4 5%
Channel 5 3%
Assuming that the sample week I used is representative of a typical week, news and politics far outweighs any other type of programming on BBC 1 - almost a third of its airtime. (The BBC is the largest broadcasting corporation in the world and is outstandingly the dominant force in news broadcasting for the UK) On Channel 4, "reality" tv programmes are given far more airtime – 25% of its daily output, which is fives times greater than the its news and politics output. Having said that, Channel four offered more documentary programmes than any of the other four channels for that particular week – roughly 10% of its airtime. In my experience Channel 4 has also shown a greater tendency over the years for broadcasting controversial and challenging documentary content.
Most of the ownership and content biasing issues that I've already described also apply in the world of radio, but to a lesser degree. This is because the basic cost of radio broadcasting equipment is much lower than that of printing newspapers or producing television programs. It is easier for small, independent broadcasters to operate, though this is usually within a very limited geographical range. Of course these kinds of small radio stations generally lack the means to market themselves, so it is up to you to seek out their stations for yourself.
According to Wikipedia, there are about 250 radio stations in the UK. The office of Communications (or Ofcom) is the regulator of these stations, and according to their website, there are also an estimated 150 illegal or "pirate" radio stations in the UK. Of course most of these stations are not nationally syndicated and so if you wish to pursue radio as a viable news source, your choice will very much be based upon your location.
However, if you want a really wide range of choice in radio then the best place to turn is the internet. Also known as webcasting, internet radio stations can be accessed from virtually any location in the world that has internet access. Being that the technology for this is even cheaper than traditional radio, the number and variety of internet radio stations is much greater.
Unfortunately, many young people today are extremely poor readers. They're hooked on fast access forms of bite-sized information that challenges neither their intellect nor their attention spans. This is unfortunate because the ability to absorb and process complex information is becoming a greater necessity for the average citizen. The mental discipline involved in reading non-fiction books is a key way of addressing this dumbed down conditioning.
To take full advantage of books in a way that minimizes time consumption, I highly recommend you learn some basic speed reading skills. Speed reading primarily involves an enhanced understanding of how written language is structured. For example, the first sentence of a paragraph generally offers a broad outline of the entire paragraph content, while the remainder merely offers an expansion of detail. So by reading only the first lines of paragraphs you can quickly skim through a chapter. Whenever a paragraph of key interest is stumbled upon you can take a moment to read that paragraph in full.
Another approach is to skim your eyes up and down pages, taking notice only of keywords that specify context such as names, dates or locations, while process words such as "and, the, for, to" etc can be ignored.
Most non-fiction books will only contain a small amount of information that is useful to you and which could be encapsulated in perhaps a dozen pages. Speed reading enables you to get to that useful information quickly without reading the entire book word for word.
Another benefit of non-fiction books is that they are usually heavily referenced, that is the author provides a list of other information sources from which you can double check their claims. Unfortunately this often doesn't happen with newspaper and television reports, although it would be a great improvement to the quality of mainstream news if the law required them to state their sources. When a newspaper claims that "the government" or "a scientific research group" has released "a report" that states X, Y and Z, they often don't specify the exact name of the report or its publishing source. This makes it difficult for you to chase up the report and read it for yourself. And it is important to chase up these sources because professionally compiled reports often vary greatly from the way they are described by the mass media. Again, the reference sections of non-fiction books are an excellent way of verifying or disproving an author's claims.
Like with other forms of commercial media, book publishing companies tend to fall within specific ownership hierarchies, which are often interlinked with newspaper and television ownership. So, on this basis it is perfectly feasible for a newspaper to bias a book review based upon whether the book's publisher falls under the same parent company ownership. In this case a so-called "book review" could be more realistically thought of as a covert advertisement.
One thing that is noteworthy about book publishing is that there are a considerable number of companies that do not fall under the direct ownership and control of mega media corporations. There are also many authors out there who self-publish.
Small publishing companies tend to bypass public awareness, firstly because of their limited marketing resources, but also because many readers associate grand marketing campaigns with quality reading. The fact is that high financial investment in a book's marketing can just as easily be attributed to an investor's economic or political motives. As a prime example I would like to turn your attention to World famous documentary filmmaker and author Michael Moore. In his book Stupid White Men he actually encourages companies to reject white male candidates for jobs on the basis of their sex and their race. He really should be sued for inciting racism, but because the book supports pro-globalization agendas it actually has been promoted by large media establishments. The same goes for his DVD Farenheit 911. Try watching an alternative documentary called 911 Press for Truth, which is a great deal more informative than Moore's film, yet has been avoided by distributors and mainstream film reviewers like the plague.
I'm not suggesting you completely avoid reading books that are published by large media companies – merely that you vary your reading to include authors and publishers whose purse strings are not pulled by political and economic heavyweights. The difference here is that you generally have to seek out these kinds of small publishers.
As with any other form of media, it is important with trade publications to have a sound awareness of who edits and distributes the publication, who its funding sources are, and what financial / economic motives those sources may have. One of the benefits of reading a trade publication is that the readership are more likely to be knowledgeable of the industry topic. Therefore a greater quality and accuracy of information is expected of the publication. This doesn't mean that the information is always accurate and honest. Workforces can still be misled or manipulated through trade journals by corrupt management teams, but it's just a little more difficult for them to get away with.
Availability is a key consideration. Some major trade publications are available in high street newsagents, but some are only available by paid subscription. Others are given away for free, but only to employees of a particular organisation.
If you can get hold of them, a very important benefit of reading trade publications is that you are more likely to get specific information about who provides funding and how that money is distributed. Finance is the key aspect to study in virtually any industry.
Now we're getting into much more specific territory as regards to information. Academic papers are almost universally required to source every detail of the author's claims so as to be 100% verifiable. Misquotes are frowned upon by peer academic reviewers. A great emphasis is also given to research methods in that they must be concise, measurable, unbiased and repeatable – in other words, a reader who follows the same series of research experiments will encounter the exact same data.
Of course these information purifying principles are strived for in academic research, but it does not mean that they are always achieved. Academics frequently challenge each other's published claims and disagree over their research methods. In fact most of the perceptual flaws that generate disagreement in every day conversation can affect the quality of an academic paper. The key difference is that with academia the semantics are more complex and the presentation of "evidence" is more specific.
This having been said, academic papers generally provide much more accurate information than other media sources, and so it is well worth your effort to read them. If you are not in the habit of doing so then I suggest you start.
Of course there is one influence in academic publishing, which I have repeatedly linked to every form of media information so far – and that is funding. This is of crucial importance because far too many people, including academics themselves, are of the opinion that academic researchers universally have sincere and genuine motives. Unfortunately this is not the case. Academics, like industry specific employees, are career climbers. They have status desires and salary aspirations that often take priority over their professional integrity. On this basis they can and often do sway their research in favour of a projected research conclusion because to do so secures funding for future projects. Or sometimes they will bias their research simply because it protects their hard earned reputations among their peers.
The carrot and stick conditions attached to research funding have as much influence over academics as a monthly salary does over any other professional. Within academic institutions are key executives who decide which researchers get funding and for what projects. Once again economic / political motives can be at work. Academic institutions, like the media, are funded by governments and by privately owned corporations.
A case example of a fine academic writer whose research challenged the agendas of his funding sources is Professor of Economics, Anthony C. Sutton. Despite meticulously researched books that expose US corporations for selling weapons technology directly to the Soviet Union during the cold war, Sutton found himself ostracized by his peers and thrown out of UCLA and Stanford Univerity. To this date I haven't found a single academic article that disproves any of Sutton's research.
Withdrawal of funds and institutional rejection are not the only ways in which academics can be manipulated into biasing their research. Funds and publishing opportunities can also be redirected towards rival academics who strongly oppose the "boat rocking" researcher. Those opposition researchers may not represent the majority opinion in their field, but if they are the ones being funded then the illusion of peer consensus can be achieved.
A great thing about academic papers is that they are often freely available to download via the internet. Others have to be purchased and they can be expensive. Some are only available to students and academic professionals through university libraries and intranets, but a good way to get around that obstacle is to have friends within the academic system who can obtain those papers for you.
Think tank group publications are a goldmine for serious news content. These strange organisations usually stay out of the media limelight, but a great deal of prominent political rhetoric can be traced back to specific think tank group origins. For example, check out the Fabian Society for a peak into the origins of New Labour's policies. The Fabian's are as old as the Labour party itself and have been central to Labour's socialist policies for decades. In fact most think tank groups that are dedicated to policy design and analysis usually operate with party allegiances. Some are also based within universities and specialize in specific areas of research. There are currently about 70 known think tank groups in the UK.
Most of these groups have websites where "key" publications can be downloaded by the general public – sometimes for free and sometimes at varying prices (the International Institute for Strategic Studies' (IISS) annual publication "The Military Balance", which compares military strengths of different countries, currently sells at a whopping $187 per copy). Other publications are available only to members of think tank groups.
The size of individual think tank group memberships also varies greatly. The aforementioned Fabian society has thousands of members including a sub-division of under 30's called The Young Fabians, while some thinking tank groups may contain only a dozen members.
There are even think tank group hierarchies like the Centre for European Policy studies - an umbrella organisation, which oversees the activities of many other EU think tank groups.
The allegiances of specific politicians and corporate bosses can often be clarified by their membership of specific think tanks. When their decision making track records and compared with those think tank allegiances it becomes more obvious which agendas they serve. Many US presidents have been members of a very famous think tank group called The Council on Foreign Relations.
Something else that is interesting about think tank group literature is that, while government policies are written in the standard ultra-complexity of legal paperwork, the thinking that goes behind those policies is often revealed in think tank group publications using a much more simple and readable form of presentation.
As always, you should retain an awareness of funding source motives when reading a freely available think tank document. Sometimes these funding sources come directly from governments, but they also are frequently funded in part or in whole by privately owned corporations. The idea of privately owned business interests funding political research may seem odd, but it does happen. The Washington based Center for International Policy is wholly funded through private individuals and corporations. How much influence these kinds of business funded think tank groups have over governments is an important area of debate.
Some think tank groups are highly active on a global level and hence do not necessarily fall under any specific regulations of accountability. Some examples of these include The World Economic Forum, The Club of Rome and The International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis.
Considering the global impact of their meetings and publications, and the lack of legal oversight of their activities, it is essential that large numbers of citizens and independent media companies keep a close eye on these organisations.
I have one simple piece of advice regarding information that is available from government sources – ignore the rhetoric and read the policies, which are usually available on government websites as free downloads.
Politicians, regardless of whether they are corrupt, will always shroud their activities in a veil of sincerity. They will smile, shake hands and nod their heads. They will look journalists, members of the public and television cameras straight in the eye as they speak slogans that have often been written for them in advance.
Politicians are usually accomplished negotiators and academic achievers, but mostly their roles in government are that of trained actors. They basically announce decisions that have already been agreed upon in think tank groups or sometimes even in private boardroom meetings with people more powerful than themselves such as bankers, business tycoons and top ranking military personnel.
So the key thing to do on any political issue is to read the actual policies that are at the centre of a debate. I won't patronise you by saying that these documents are fun to read. They are sometimes written in a complex semantic language that can take time and patience to unravel. For example, you will encounter very long sentences that are broken up with multiple commas. Unless you break these long sentences down into sub-sentences, you may well find yourself mentally exhausted trying to decipher them. Certain clauses will contain references in relation to other clauses in the same document or even to clauses that lie in completely different documents such as earlier drafts that were passed decades before. These legal semantics have slowly evolved, just as governments have and basically amount to an almost separate language. When a policy contains particularly controversial laws that the public would disapprove of, the incriminating clauses are sometimes embedded within page upon page of repetitive jargon that challenge the reader's attention span.
As laborious as it sounds, analysing policy documents is essential for the general public to keep informed about who and what they are voting for. As an intermediary step in developing this kind of reading skill, I recommend that you begin by studying smaller corporate policy documents, which are usually simpler by comparison.
Of all the different sources of news information available, independent media websites are probably the most variable in terms of quality and content. The advantage is that you are more likely to find information that has been researched by everyday people like yourself, who do not hold allegiances to particular funding bodies.
Most of these sites are themed toward specific issues such as feminism, foreign policy, financial advice, climate change, terrorism, Euro-skepticism, animal rights and so on. Just like with funded media, these topics range from the informative to the ridiculous. The good thing is that topics that are almost completely ignored by the mainstream media (such as positive discrimination, controversial whistleblowers or fractional reserve lending) are reported upon in great detail. In fact controversial whistleblowers are sometimes forced to rely on websites and independent radio because the mainstream media have their hands tied by their funding sources and hence can't give them the coverage. Here is a list of academic, corporate and political whistleblowers you may wish to search for online.
Scott Ritter (WMDs)
John Patrick O'Neill (terrorism)
Michael Coffman (global warming)
Robert Baer (covert ops)
Sibel Edmonds (security agencies)
George Hunt (UNCED)
The limited, and sometimes total lack of, mass media coverage of these whistleblower's claims demonstrates the limited freedom of thousands of journalists whose salaries are controlled by a small number of bureaucrats.
Some websites, however, are malicious and there are some basic filters you can use to avoid them. The obvious one is to look into is who created the site. If the web author does not provide open and honest info about who they are, their background and their aims then there is a good chance that they have dishonest agendas. Sometimes the web author turns out to be affiliated with other organisations, and if their site appears to have a lot of money pumped into it from undeclared sources, then once again their funding loyalties must come into question.
The character and integrity of a web author can be further assessed if they have other websites. An online search of their name and organisation will sometimes bring up other info that their own site did not disclose. It's also useful to have a quick glance through their Myspace or Facebook pages, if they happen to have one.
Of course, the news reports posted on any such independent media websites should ultimately be judged by whether the details can be verified from external sources. If they have provided the necessary links to these sources then great. If they haven't, then do some online research yourself. You'll sometimes find that the verification of a web author's claims is available even though it wasn't sourced on their web page.
Although video sharing sites cover just about any topic, they are sometimes incredibly informative as news sources. This comes in a variety of forms. Sometimes members of the public use their own camera equipment to film newsworthy events and then post the footage on video sites for all to see. Another form of video sharing is when members of the public use home dvd recorders to capture and redistribute significant mainstream media broadcasts that otherwise would have been aired only once and then forgotten about. The interesting aspect of this is that in many instances funded mass media footage of an event is starkly different to the footage shot by independent video activists, so by visiting the websites you get more of the story.
A great advantage with these video sharing sites is that you can hunt down video clips on a category by category basis. So if I go to Youtube (currently the most popular video sharing site) and do a search for "time to go demonstration Manchester 2006", I then find approximately 70 video clips from one of the contributing events that led to Tony Blair's resignation as Prime Minister. This event received very poor coverage from the mass media.
If there is publicly available video footage of a newsworthy event, you'll very often find it on either Youtube, Google video or one of the many other video sharing sites.
FILE SHARING (online)
File sharing is done over the internet and usually through dedicated software programs. The basic deal is that as you're downloading a document, music or video file from a community of online users, you also allow others to upload the same file from your computer. Some of these programs allow users to make a whole library of files available from a specific folder on their hard drive for other users to browse and upload from.
The popularity of specific file sharing programs seems to shift and change rapidly. The music sharing Napster program was what kicked it all off. Despite the fact that Napster was forced to shut down its operations, it was superseded by other file sharing programs like Kazaa and Limewire. These have since begun to give way to torrent engines such as Bittorrent and Utorrent.
The scale of illegal downloading of copyrighted films and music through these file sharing programs has become so monumental that it is near impossible to police or keep track of. As a result the film and music industries are radically rethinking their entire marketing strategies.
Note: the author of this article does not recommend or condone the downloading of copyrighted files.
The plus side of all this is that information on news and politics is now being distributed via these file sharing networks and anybody can take part. There are now hundreds of underground documentary films available from all kinds of activists and whistleblowers who, for various reasons, are not given coverage in the mass media. Some of these documentaries are copyright free, which means not only can you download and watch them legally, but you can also distribute them as you wish.
Here is a short list of underground documentaries that contain powerful info that you generally won't find through mass media sources:
Freedom to fascism
The money masters
Manufacturing consent
Press for truth
The war on democracy
Some of these films can also be purchased from online dvd sellers or from auction sites such as ebay.
If you're interested in making use of file sharing programs like Bittorrent or Limewire then there are plenty of websites and online forums offering basic user guides.
Campaign groups are a much more involved way of accessing news information. The vast majority of these groups will be based around a key issue such as the environment or foreign policy. At such groups you will typically find people who are very familiar with their subjects and who can point you toward the right books, news publications or websites. Just spending an hour or two with a group of people who are familiar with an issue can be much more educational than a typical televised debate on the same subject. You get to ask questions directly and clashes of opinion cannot be edited out as they can on the printed page or on the television screen.
Campaign groups can also be very biased. If a group have been in long-standing agreement on an issue, but you show up and express disagreement then you can find yourself greatly pressurized to conform.
It's also important to be careful of campaign groups that are dominated by the opinions of a particular individual. Such a group dynamic is sometimes simply because certain individuals are more well read or experienced on certain subjects, but no matter how idolised they are you should always request evidence of their claims. When the group take to simply believing a leader's word alone, the leader effectively becomes a guru. The lack of intellectual challenges from the group can then give the leader a false sense of confidence that encourages him / her to become lackadaisical in their research.
Once again it is essential to look at the funding sources. An unfortunate reality of modern propaganda is that campaign groups are sometimes covertly set up in order to sabotage public opposition from within. In many ways this even occurs with large scale political organisations – a sort of staged democracy.
Campaign groups can also draw in people who have psychological obsessions with particular issues. The obvious factor to look for is emotional intensity – Are the group members calm and rational and open to new information? Do they aggressively attempt to slander people who offer differing opinions?
Finally, I'd like to mention the most uninhibited and unlimited form of news education – social networks. No matter how much propaganda or misinformation is spewed out through mainstream media sources, the informed opinions of a trusted friend, colleague or family member can always override it. For this reason I advise that you make an ongoing effort to share and discuss news content with other people in your life. This can lead to emotionally heated clashes, but even if agreement is not found during these conversation, people will often go away and rethink their opinions afterwards.
On the larger scale, social conversation about news content has an extremely slow educational effect on society. However, it is incredibly powerful and has historically caused many social upheavals, both productive and destructive. Quality info communicated in a single conversation can be passed on by the listener to a handful of other people, who then each pass it on to a larger handful of people again and again so that the effect multiplies. This word of mouth domino effect is extremely difficult to track and trace, even through detailed academic study. That is also what makes it so difficult to control and monopolise.


text:
Certain retirement planning events are triggered at specific ages, such as when you can begin drawing on Social Security, or when you are required to take IRA distributions.
Other retirement planning events are not age-triggered... but perhaps they should be. Below is your guide to planning by retirement age - a list of what happens, and what you need to be thinking about as you reach various retirement ages.
Age 55? It's time to get serious about your retirement planning. Rather than looking for the best investments, you should begin thinking about strategies that help you maximize your lifetime income.Learn more:
- 5 Steps To Take Within 5 Years Of Retirement.
- Strategies To Maximize Lifetime Income
- 15 Things You Must Do Between 50 and 64
- 3 Things to Consider Before You Retire At 55
In addition to considering where your retirement income will come from you'll want to look at changes in your insurance needs and make sure you have the appropriate estate planning documents.Learn more:
59 ½ is the first age at which you can take withdrawals from your IRA accounts without incurring a penalty tax. Begin to look at how your retirement income will be taxed and if you'll have enough to live the lifestyle you want in retirement.Learn more:
- IRA Withdrawals
- Will I Have Enough To Retire? A Simple Calculation Delivers A Yes Or No Answer
- Taxes In Retirement
- Create a Retirement Income Plan in 4 Steps
This is the age when you can begin receiving Social Security benefits. You will receive a larger Social Security benefit if you wait until your full retirement age to apply for benefits, and an even larger benefit if you wait until age 70 to start collecting. Before making such important planning decisions, be sure to take a detailed look at your personal life expectancy - this can help you make the best financial decisions for your individual situation.Learn more:
- 6 Ways To Estimate Life Expectancy
- 5 Key Things To Know About Social Security
- 3 Steps To Increase Your Social Security Benefits
This is when you enroll in Medicare and Medicare Part B. Your Medicare Part B premium will be calculated based on MAGI (Modified Adjusted Gross Income) from your tax return two year's prior. If your current income is much lower than your income two years ago you can request a decrease in your Medicare Part B premium.Learn more:
- How to Retire at 65
- What is Medicare and Medicare Part B?
- When and How to Apply for Medicare
- Medicare Part B Premiums
As you reach 70 and beyond strategies such as reverse mortgages and immediate annuities become more attractive. Such strategies may allow you to increase your income without taking on market risk.Learn more:
Once you reach age 70 ½ you are required to take distributions from your IRAs and/or other qualified retirement accounts like 401(k) plans. These mandatory distributions are called required minimum distributions.Learn more:
Every few years it is important to review the plans you have put in place. Periodic reviews allow you to catch small problems before they become large problems. The 9 step retirement plan review will tell you what to look for when conducting a thorough review. You'll also want to give some thought to, and begin discussing, end of life decisions with your spouse and immediate family.Learn more:

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Keira Knightley.com Forums - View Single Post - What types of roles do you visualize Miss Knightley In? VOTE NOW!! This could help KK
What types of roles do you visualize Miss Knightley In? VOTE NOW!! This could help KK
View Single Post
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: earth
Posts: 12
My sentiments exactly! Thank you for your vote and reply.
My sentiments exactly, not only that but you took the words from my mouth and mind. Thank you for your vote and reply. However my script makes Wanted look like a milk carton kid or a "red headed step child" Because you can't bend the trajectory of a bullet at all. It is Impossible. The velocity of the bullet is so fast that no matter if Bruce Lee or Jet Li were "Twisting their wrists" (I view them as fast and real fighters that learned from a young age) they wouldn't be fast enough. In fact if you put a gun on a robot and have it replicate those scenes of bending the path of the bullet it would be impossible. I base my script on reality for the most part. However due to a former C.I.A. agents comments have shown me the only way to make a bullet change trajectory. If she accepts my script I would be happy to let her perform a scene that is based in realizm and not fantasy involving changing the trajectory of a bullet. A film to educate people and more. However the Lead role will changed the bullet's trajectory first then teach her character how to do it. Yes my script has a male as the lead role however there is a female character that has been sent to assassinate the lead role and fails. If she accepts the script then later they join forces, if not then they won't (which is how it is written now). Sounds more simple than it is played out but it plays out professionally. I have decided to spice up the script a bit as far as fighting and chases so it may run more than 120 minutes but I know it's not wise to try to keep an audience forever. Ha Ha some directors, they are a joke.
21st Century Ian Fleming
Last edited by nightNwhitesatin; 21-09-2008 at
. Reason: Further Elaboration.
View Public Profile
Send a private message to nightNwhitesatin
Find More Posts by nightNwhitesatin


text:
Subscribe to Outdoor Life
Get 1 Year for Only $10
» Where to Buy
After about a 12-hour delay in Anchorage, Ramsey Russell of Getducks.com and I made it to St. Paul Island, Alaska, at 2:00 a.m. and met up with Moe Neale and Jeff Wasley of Alaskan Eider Outfitters. That's the good part. The bad part is that my bag with all my clothing, my cooler and my Benelli Super Vinci were still in Anchorage.
The amazing part of this trip took place the next morning when campmate Trevor Peterson of Bethell, Alaska, who is here with his father Greg, of Helena, Montana, came back to the house -- with the first pull of the trigger he dropped a king eider. But not just any king -- a banded king!
In a matter of days, Saturday to be exact, I'll make my way to one of the most inhospitable places on earth to hunt for one of the hardiest, most desired ducks known to waterfowlers – the king eider.
St. Paul Island, found within Alaska's Pribolof chain, is located in the remote reaches of the Bering Sea. Closer to Siberia (500 miles) than to Anchorage (about 800 miles) and home to a few hundred full-time residents, St. Paul Island is "Deadliest Catch" territory; Bering Sea crabbers drop their catch at the island's processing plant when plying the killer water surrounding the small land mass.
So there I was (yeah, it's one of those stories). There I was, walking through a field with barely enough grass cover to hold a sparrow much less a pheasant or even quail or hun. Kona and I had been hunting hard all day; going deep while exploring the south end of some public property.
We went off the beaten path, worked heavy cover adjacent to a creek and finally climbed our way out of the bottoms and to the top of the plateau surrounding the area. That's when we encountered the sparse grass.
And then I noticed a truck go by on gravel road. "Must be an access road down here," I thought.
And then I saw some outbuildings throughout the area. "I wonder if those buildings are part of the homestead the state purchased?"
And then I noticed all the cattle looking at us. "Well, I know the state still allows grazing on the property," I reasoned.
At some point, however, I put 2 and 2 and 2 together and realized that I had walked right off the 13,000-acre property and onto private land. I have no clue at what point this transgression took place. I quickly unloaded my gun and walked to the nearest road and house.
Outdoorlife.com is part of the Field & Stream Network, a division of Bonnier Corporation.
Copyright © 2014 Bonnier Corp. All Rights Reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited.


text:
This is the portfolio and blog of Kris DeGraeve - visual artist and designer.
I'm also a contributing editor at howdidyoumakethis.com
I made a tutorial for color filling laser engraved wood and posted it on HDYMT?You can also enter win a set of charms for your own coloring fun here (but be quick, it ends tomorrow!)
View Printer Friendly Version
Notify me of follow-up comments via email.


text:
Virtual Tour
1500 Masters Blvd
ChampionsGate, Florida 33896
Phone: (407) 390-6664, Fax: (407) 390-6600
At the Omni Orlando Resort at ChampionsGate, an array of delicious cuisine is always on the menu. With five unique restaurants onsite, satisfying any culinary craving is easy.
Enjoy pan-Asian dishes, sake and an innovative sushi bar. Open for dinner 6 - 10 p.m. Asian-themed privacy screens create separate dining areas. Private dining room available upon request, subject to availability and advance reservation.
Please check with the Resort Concierge for the days of operation. The Concierge can also assist you with making reservations.
Online Dinner Reservations Dinner Menu
Sushi Menu
A la carte Menu
Zen Experience Menu
Delight your senses with the sounds of Italian music and the aroma of fresh bread floating from a brick oven. Trevi's serves delicious meals throughout the day starting with a bountiful breakfast buffet. Diners enjoy indoor dining as well as the solace of outdoor dining in the Italian Herb garden where chefs collect fresh Basil, Thyme and Rosemary. Open for breakfast and lunch from 6:30 a.m. - 2 p.m.; Dinner is served from 5 - 10 p.m.
Online Dinner Reservations Dinner Menu
David's Club
An upscale sports bar and grill serving mouthwatering steaks and spectacular resort views, David's Club is a spirited gathering place with a loose tie feel. While flat screen TVs air favorite sporting events, guests can enjoy the camaraderie of a game of pool. David's Club opens at 4pm.
Online Dinner Reservations Dinner Menu
Broadway Deli
Easily accessible from the outside pool area, and the lower lobby, Broadway Deli serves up simple meals, pre-made salads and sandwiches, pizza, ice cream, and a variety of snacks, candies and beverages. Whether you're on the way to the first tee, out to the pools, or back from the theme parks, Broadway Deli is a one-stop shop for all your refreshment needs. Open 7 days from 10:30 a.m - 9 p.m.
Piper's Grille and ChampionsGate Lounge
Guests can request golf cart shuttle at the main recreation fountain from 6:30 a.m. to the clubhouse. Piper's Grille is open for breakfast and lunch and features a selection of healthy and hearty sandwiches, salads and entrees. ChampionsGate Lounge is open throughout the afternoon for golfers to enjoy a refreshing break. Reminiscent of the British Isles, we celebrate the heritage of the championship International Course with a sunset tradition, offered seasonally fall through spring. 30 minutes before sunset, guests gather at the ChampionsGate Clubhouse to listen to the sounds of bag pipes and watch the last rays of sun set over the 10th hole.
Breakfast & Lunch Menu
Lobby Bar
The perfect place to gather with friends or business associates for a before- or after-dinner cocktail. Opens nightly at 4 p.m.
Croc's serves up delicious meals, fresh salads with regional ingredients, grilled sandwiches, tasty appetizers and refreshing beverages and cocktails, poolside. Croc's is open daily from 11 a.m. to sunset, weather permitting.
Enjoy your favorite Starbucks beverage along with a pastry or yogurt, to-go. Open 7 days a week from 6 a.m.
Guest Room Dining
24-hour guest room dining is available if you choose to enjoy delicious cuisine in the privacy of your room.
Promotional codes are special deals offered by Omni Hotels or partners.
If you're staying with a group, convention, conference or other gathering, special rates may apply. Check with your organizer to see if your group has a code.
Advanced Search
Find International Locations
Omni Hotels & Resorts is proud to be a partner of the Global Hotel Alliance (GHA). If you are traveling outside of North America, enjoy the same great experiences and loyalty benefits at any of our partner brands.
To book our partner brands outside of North America, please visit www.GHA.com.


text:
Now Playing
Connect with Us
Podcasts & RSS Feeds
|All Content
|View all podcasts & RSS feeds
The Two-Way
Tsunami Was More Than 77 Feet High At Its Peak
"A tsunami wave that hit a coastal city in Iwate Prefecture after the March 11 massive earthquake is estimated to have reached 23.6 meters in height, a government-commissioned field survey by the Port and Airport Research Institute showed Wednesday," Kyodo News reports.
That's 77 feet, 5 inches. Or, about the height of a six- or seven-story building.
It wasn't a record, though. Kyodo says that:
"The tsunami wave measured in the city of Ofunato was lower than the domestic record of 38.2 meters [125 feet. 4 inches] marked in the 1896 Meiji Sanriku Earthquake Tsunami, and 34.9 meters [114 feet, 6 inches] logged in the wake of the 2004 earthquake off the Indonesian coast of Sumatra."
For some perspective, here's what the view looks like from the seventh floor of the NPR building here in Washington, D.C. Imagine you're standing on top of that tsunami:
And if you were looking straight down:
Update at 1:40 p.m. ET. Ofunato, as this video report from Britain's Channel 4 makes clear, was basically destroyed: Copyright 2011 National Public Radio. To see more, visit http://www.npr.org/.


text:
Human Resources Offerings
SHRM Learning System
Prepare for your Professional Human Resources (PHR) or Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) designation with the updated and expanded HR Certification Institute exam preparation course. Designed by subject matter experts, the curriculum covers the HR Certification Institute body of knowledge tested in PHR/SPHR exams. The blended instruction format uses printed workbooks, software, online tools and a dynamic classroom experience to teach relevant content essentials for HR professionals in the workplace. You can also earn 3.5 continuing education units (CEUs) for completing this course.
Functional areas of human resource management covered include:
* Strategic Management
* Workforce Planning and Employment
* Human Resource Development
* Total Rewards
* Employee and Labor Relations
* Risk Management
The next testing window is Spring 2014: May 1, - June 30, 2014. For information on the exam and how to register, visit www.hrci.org.
Next session coming Fall 2014
Total Compensation System
Learn the key elements of a total compensation system
* Explain the basic elements of a total compensation system
* Understand the role of base pay, incentives, and differentials in employee compensation
* Explain the four key steps of the compensation system design process
* Provide an overview of benefits commonly offered by employers
Mar. 25, 2014
Liberty Crossing, M114
Register by: Mar. 18, 2014
Employee Development
Obtain an understanding of orientation, development and training
* Understand the importance of learning styles and adult learning principles in developing training
* Explain the purpose of orientation, onboarding, development, and training
* Identify on-the-job and off-the-job training strategies
* Identify key professional development tools
* Explain the four levels of evaluation
Apr. 8, 2014
Liberty Crossing, M114
Register by: Apr. 1, 2014
Performance Management
Discover the purpose and process for performance evaluation
* Describe the performance evaluation process and systems
* Identify common evaluation errors
* Conduct effective disciplinary meetings
* Identify legal issues to consider during employee terminations
Apr. 22, 2014
Liberty Crossing, M114
Register by: Apr. 15, 2014
Coaching for Peak Performance
Effective coaching is one of the most important drivers of team member performance. Whether leaders are guiding people toward success in new or challenging situations, or helping people improve or enhance their work performance, their ability to coach and provide feedback makes the difference between mediocrity and high performance.
By helping learners understand the importance of three coaching techniques and how to effectively handle both proactive and reactive coaching discussions, this course helps leaders have more effective and efficient interactions.
Devta Kidd
Apr. 11, 2014
Liberty Crossing, Room M114
Register by: Apr. 4, 2014


text:
525 Scott Boulevard
Covington, KY 41011
Phone: 859-442-1601
To reach a security guard at the Urban Center call: 859-444-8404
Building Code: GTWULC
The Urban Center is a bike-friendly destination.
The Urban Center of Gateway Community and Technical College
The Urban Center is a Gateway site located in the heart of downtown Covington, KY.
We understand that students are exceptional and that each student presents a unique set of strengths and challenges when deciding to attend college. We know that students can face any number of barriers when starting college including financial, transportation, childcare, and self-confidence. Gateway has created a program that helps reduce these barriers and gives students that live in the urban communities of Northern Kentucky an 'easy button' to attending college.
We offer a customized one-stop shop that includes developmental and college-level courses; individual student support and attention in getting started at college including completing the admission, financial aid, advising and the registration process; and many other student support services that increase a students' success.
For more information about the Urban Center of Gateway or to set up an appointment, please contact us at 859-442-1601.
Parking: Students should park in the Midtown City Garage located on 5th and Scott Boulevard.
Parking Procedure at Gateway's Urban Center
To make it easier for students, faculty, and staff to park in the Midtown Parking Garage at the Gateway Urban Center, a parking validation machine has been installed outside the Urban Center's front office.
Please follow the procedure below to validate your parking ticket and park in the Midtown Garage for FREE:
1. Bring your Midtown Garage parking ticket to the parking validation machine located in the hallway outside the Urban Center front office door.
2. Scan the parking ticket. The scanning monitor will read "validation successful"
3. Upon exiting the garage, enter your validated parking ticket into the terminal
4. The gate will rise and you can exit the garage. Note: you will not get the ticket back.
5. You will need to repeat this procedure each time you park in the garage.
Security: We have a security guard present in the building during our hours of operation. He will be stationed by the front main entrance. He will also be patrolling the location throughout the day and evening.
Monday through Thursday: 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.
Friday: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Front office hours are Monday through Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. and Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
The Urban Center is closed on Saturdays.
Offices and Services at the Urban Center include:
Programs offered at the Urban Center:


text:
The Real Story of Chelsea Clinton's Marriage
Doomed lawmaker jests that she wanted Clinton's 'first born.'
Maybe Bill Clinton had more to do with his daughter Chelsea's wedding than the former president has revealed. [Check out U.S. News's new iPad app.]
Appearing at a Georgetown University event last Friday, former President Bill Clinton reflected on his time in the White House, his economic achievements, and the back-room deals he reached with Congress. Sponsored by the Clinton Foundation, the event also featured Clinton's former advisers and political allies, who praised the former president for eliminating the budget deficit and expanding the U.S. economy.
[Test your knowledge of the first ladies]
One of the panelists, Marjorie Margolies, was serving her first term in Congress when, Clinton says, he asked her to cast the deciding vote for a $500 billion deficit reduction bill, which got her a lot of negative press. It "put her on the plank" to be a one-termer, Clinton admitted during his telling of the anecdote.
In return, "I asked Bill for his firstborn child," Margolies said in jest.
[See the month's best editorial cartoons.]
Looks like Clinton paid the piper. Former first daughter Chelsea Clinton married investment banker Marc Mezvinsky, Margolies's son, last year.


text:
Melissa Campanelli
Melissa Campanelli is a technology writer in Brooklyn, New York, who has covered technology for Mobile Computing & Communications and Sales & Marketing Management magazines. You can reach her at firstname.lastname@example.com.
From Melissa Campanelli
30 Recent Stories
Selling Online
Starting an Online Business in a Down Economy
As shoppers flock to their computers instead of driving to the mall, entrepreneurs with e-businesses can make a hefty sum.
Entrepreneur Magazine
Scale It Down
Want your website to reach more people? Make it ready to move.
Building a Website
The Gift of Hassle-Free Returns
Make returning gifts painless for your online customers with these tips.
Entrepreneur Magazine
Make Your Mark
3 simple ways to make your online enterprise a standout.
Entrepreneur Magazine
Luxury Goods Shine Online
As shoppers get bolder, it's the perfect time to sell the finer things online.
Entrepreneur Magazine
Searchandising: The Solution in Sales
Show shoppers what they're missing in your search results.
Entrepreneur Magazine
Poll Vaulting
Need a tool that will help you get a jump on market research and customer feedback? Look no further than online polls.
Entrepreneur Magazine
Take It Outside
Free up your crucial resources by outsourcing fulfillment.
Entrepreneur Magazine
Postage Cramp
How entrepreneurs are coping with the new postal rates.
Building a Website
Build Your Own Website
Before worrying about design details, start by creating a site outline.
Entrepreneur Magazine
All That Jazz
Spice up your customers' shopping experience with web tools that let you do just about anything, from one-click calling to webcasting.
Entrepreneur Magazine
Seize the Day
Launching a deal-a-day site could be a boon to your business.
Entrepreneur Magazine
Seeing Is Believing
Visual search engines make it simple for shoppers to find your products.
Entrepreneur Magazine
The Right Stuff
Web design experts reveal their top 10 trademarks of stellar sites.
Building a Website
Speed Up Your Site With AJAX
Does your site need a little sprucing up? See what AJAX can do.
SEO | Search Engine Optimization
RSS Marketing Feed Frenzy
More e-tailers are marketing with RSS--and finding success.
SEO | Search Engine Optimization
Loyalty Programs That Work
Why try to rope in new customers when your regulars are far more likely to buy? A loyalty program will keep repeat visitors clicking.
Keeping Online Payments Safe
Security standards might make you rethink your payment system.
Building a Website
Ready for a Site Redesign?
Is one of your plans for the New Year to improve your website? Savvy e-tailers offer up their ideas for positive changes.
Building a Website
How to Use Online Surveys
Do them right, and online surveys can be very revealing.
Give Your Site an Extreme Makeover
Upgrading your site is an investment, but it could pay off handsomely.
SEO | Search Engine Optimization
Sell to Other Entrepreneurs
Other small businesses could be some of your site's best customers.
Building a Website
Rich Media for Your Website
Wow customers by adding rich media elements to your website.
Finding Customers
Oh, Canada!
Want to jump into the international market? Meet our friendly neighbor to the north.
Online Marketing
Get Your Site Ready for the Holidays
Tis the season for sales, so make sure your site is ready.
Online Payment Options
Credit cards aren't the only way to pay online these days.
Anti-Fraud Measures for Your Site
Outsmart the bad guys with these anti-fraud tactics for your site.
Online Marketing
Why You Should Encourage Online Product Reviews
Online reviews by your customers can turn browsers into buyers.
Marketing with a Microsite
Looking for new markets? A microsite could help you reach them.
Keeping Your Domain Current
Don't risk losing your corner of the web by letting it expire.


text:
Justice Dept. Files Brief Defending Health Care Mandate
WASHINGTON - The Obama administration is defending the health care overhaul in a new filing with the Supreme Court that calls the law an appropriate response to a "crisis in the national health care market."
The administration filed a written submission to the court Friday, focusing on a core requirement that individuals buy insurance or pay a penalty.
A federal appeals court struck down the so-called individual mandate as exceeding Congress' power under the Constitution. But the administration asks the court to uphold the requirement. It argues that Congress was well within its power to adopt that requirement.
More briefs due later this month and next will address other parts of the law that the court will consider when it hears arguments over three days in late March.


text:
Obituary writer Jan Uebelherr reflects on those who've left us and the nature of human endings.
Milton Vretenar, longtime mayor of St. Francis, has died
Milton Vretenar, who served as the mayor of St. Francis for 26 years, died Sunday. He was 85.
Vretenar was elected in mayor in 1974, after having served two years as alderman. He was unseated in 2000.
In his final bid for re-election, Vretenar said he believed he led the city through years of often frustrating work to get the Lake Parkway built, handle an airport extension and increase the city's tax base.
He noted that he became mayor at a time when there were few city streets, and that he worked to make sure roads were put in and understand the traffic patterns that came with progress.
Vretenar also served on the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District and the Intergovernmental Cooperation Council. He owned Vretenar Construction Co., a firm founded by his father, John Vretenar Sr., in 1949. Milton Vretenar took over the firm in 1965.
Visitation will be held from 3 to 8 p.m. Sunday at Schramka-Nero Funeral Home, 3701 E. Layton Ave., Cudahy. Funeral services will be held Monday at St. John Evangelical Lutheran Church, 4850 S. Lake Drive, Cudahy, with visitation at 10 a.m. until time of services at 11 a.m.
A full obituary is in the works.
Permalink | Email This Blog
- You can log in to this system either through Facebook or using your JSOnline public profile. JSOnline public profile. Please note that your public profile login will be different than your JS Everywhere login.
- You can personalize your public profile with a photo. You can also use that profile to sign up for email newsletters and alerts.
- While we strive for a lively and vigorous debate of the issues, we do not tolerate name calling, foul language or other inappropriate behavior. Please see our discussion guidelines and terms of use for more information.
- While we do our best to moderate comments, we do not screen comments before they are posted. If you see a comment that violates our guidelines, please use the "Report Abuse" link to notify us of the issue.
- We reserve the right to close commenting on specific stories.
Milo was a asset to his family, community & church. He was proud of his Slovak heritage & became a success from humble beginnings.


text:
The Defensive Line recorded one of the worst sack totals in Cowboys History. Improvements will be needed.
This is the third installment of the weekly fan-post which evaluates the Dallas Cowboys Off-season Priorities. This week I will be focusing on the Defensive Line. If you want to check out any of the previous articles published, the links are below.
Pt 1. Here | Pt 2. Here |
Well as stated above, the Cowboys defensive line recorded one of the lowest sack totals in franchise history. There is no question this at-least had had something to do with the Rob Ryan firing. The Dallas Cowboys have been blessed to have many HOF worthy D-lineman in their history. Bob Lily, Harvey Martin, Randy White, Ed Too Tall Jones, Jim Jeffcoat, and Leon Lett are just a few that come to mind. DeMarcus Ware will soon join that list when he retires and will be remembered as one of the best OLB/DEs of the past decade.
My good friend NY Horn provided me with some PFF defensive line grades which I will use to evaluate the current players available, and which position on the line needs the most attention. The lineman are not numbered in any order.
Name | Position | Sacks | Tackles | Pass Rush Grade | Run Defense Grade |
1. Marcus Spears | DE | 1.0 | 25 | -4.8 | 0.0 |
Summary: Turning 30 in March, Spears is due $2 million in 2013, but has no guaranteed money left on his deal. He played in 15 games in 2012, started six, and recorded 25 tackles .Spears had another disappointing year and while he is decent versus the run, he offers no pass rush. According to the Dallas Morning News, his days as a Cowboy are over.
2. Jason Hatcher | DE | 4.0 | 51 | +10.1 | +17.5 |
Summary: Hatcher had another solid year and started all 16 games. He made great stops against the run & brought constant pressure. He was graded as the 4th best 3-4 DE in the league(per PFF). He will likely start at a 3 tech in Kiffin's scheme & could rotate around the line.
3. Sean Lissemore | DT | 1.0 | 15 | -4.1 | -2.0 |
Summary: Sean Lissemore was injured half the year and did not adapt well to the DT position after injuries to Ratliff & Brent forced him to move inside. He still managed tor record a sack and could be another rotational player for Kiffin in the 4-3.
4. Tyrone Crawford | DE | 0.0 | 16 | -1.8 | +2.5 |
Summary: Tyrone had a nice rookie season and occasionally flashed his potential in games. While he was not officially given a sack, I did see him sack a QB. He played the strong side DE in college and that is where he could fit in Monte's scheme should Spencer leave.
5. Josh Price-Brent | NT | 1.5 | 13 | +1.8 | +4.8 |
Summary: Josh Brent began the season as a starter due to Ratliff's injury and unlike his counterpart Lissy, he shined. Josh could have reached 4 sacks had he not been arrested half way through the season. He showed the ability to split double teams and cause havoc. He graded positive in all his rankings and it is a shame he might not ever play football again. He would have fit the bill perfect as our 1 tech, now we have to find one.
6. Jay Ratliff | NT | 0.0 | 10 | +5.8 | -3.6 |
Summary: While Jay Ratliff could not stay healthy, he certainly pressured the quarterback when he did. His future might be in question due to his recent outbursts & DUI, but Jones hinted he could return. Jay is scheduled to earn 7 mil in 2013. He would likely play the 3 tech since he has not been able to stay healthy facing double teams.
7. Kenyon Coleman | DE | 0.0 | -1 | +6.0 |
Summary: Coleman presence was felt when he was put on IR. He can stop the run as good as anyone and is great at taking up double teams. However, due to change of scheme and age, I think upgrades in the draft will take his spot. He is a better 3-4 DE anyways.
8. Anthony Spencer | OLB/DE | 11.0 | 55 | +7.2 | +18.9 |
Summary: Spencer's season was awesome. He showed all his doubters why he is a perfect OLB. He can diagnose a play & stuff the run, but when needed he came in the clutch. His sacks versus the Bengals, Steelers, Redskins, & Panthers were all in the 4th quarter when the team needed to get the ball back. Unfortunately, he may cost too much for the cowboys but I would not be shocked if Stephen found a way to resign him. He would play opposite DE from Ware.
9. DeMarcus Ware | OLB/DE | 11.5 | 33 | +12.1 | -1.1 |
Summary: You know you have a special player when 11.5 sacks are a downgrade. He provided great pressure when healthy & although he only got 2.5 sacks the last 8 weeks, he was clearly playing with one hand versus the Redskins. Our prayers go out to him to get fully recovered and have a monster year next year playing DE. I have no doubts he will bounce back.
10. Victor Butler | OLB/DE | 3.0 | 21 | +3.3 | +6.1 |
Summary: Victor Butler had a rise in snaps due to injuries along the Defensive line and had his tackles and fumbles increase(2.0). The problem with Butler has never been rushing the QB, but stopping the run. He started versus the Bears and struggled. He may not be back due to change of scheme & his weakness versus the run. Overall, he was a great rotational player.
11. Rob Callaway, Ben Bass, Brian Schaefering | DT | 0.0 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Summary: These three did not receive enough playing time to fully evaluate them and recorded 1 tackle between the three. They will most likely will get a shot in TC to show if they can fit in this 4-3 scheme.
After seeing the grades & evaluating their impact on the team, It is clear that the NT/ 1 technique is the biggest need of the off-season. Hatcher, Ratliff, & Lissemore can all play the 3 tech. Tyrone Crawford & Spencer would play strong side. Ware would be the weak side DE with a draft pick or Butler being his backup. There are multiple options in the DRAFT like Short. Richardson, Jonathan Hankins, Ezekiel Ansah, Datone Jones, Margus Hunt, & Sam Montgomery who provide potential sacks & pressures to this line. Free Agency offers guys like DE Henry Melton (Chicago Bears), DT Alan Branch (Seattle Seahawks), DE Arthur Jones (Baltimore Ravens), DE Vance Walker (Atlanta Falcons), & DT Terrance Knighton (Jaguars), who can be signed to improve the line. It all depends on how Stephen & Jerry manage to fix the cap. For all the Free Agent Defensive Lineman available click Here.
Leave your comments on who you think can improve the defensive line & who you want to see wearing the Star. Thanks for reading - Moses
Part 4. Will evaluate the Cowboys Safeties.


text:
- The Shop
- Our Designers
- Editorial
- News
- Community
Coral Crown Ring
MACABREGADGETS (Kiev, Ukraine)
£150.00€190.00, $255.00, ¥25,943.00
Available in various ring sizes. Please state your preference (16-20 mm inner diameter) in the Comment box during the checkout stage.
Pressed Coral
Cultured Pearls
Cultured Pearls
Free World Wide Shipping
In Stock
The Macabre mood of subjects is embodied by cutting-edge execution techniques and materials: pressed coral, pressed bone, industrial polymer plastic and inlaid semi-precious stones, pearls and metals.
Macabre Gadgets is inspired by the infernal aesthetics of the dark side, which is inherent by the world view of mankind at all times, epochs and styles, from the early Middle Ages to progressive postmodernism.


text:
Graduate students in the Department of Geology and Environmental Geoscience are doing innovative, exciting and valuable research. They are traveling across the country and around the world, collaborating with, and learning from scientists in a variety of disciplines. Check below to see what some of our students been up to, and to read about the recent highlights and results of their graduate studies.
Tabitha Aldridge has a keen interest in planetary geology and being outdoors
Jen Cumpston likes integrative science with an international flavor
Kendle Fraley likes digging for gold
Camilo Higuera-Diaz loves traveling and knowing places
Tim Hodson is a Master's student who wants to color the world with his maps
Matt Konfirst studied for a year in Germany, and spent two months at sea
Luke Trusel loves the cold
Companies hiring our recent M.S. and Ph.D. graduates include…
ARCADIS U.S., Inc.Barrick Gold Corp.Byrd Polar Research CenterChemtech Services, Inc.Environ InternationalHillsborough Community CollegeIllinois State Geological SurveyIMERYS World Minerals GroupKodiak Oil and GasKosmos EnergyMicroSeismic Inc.Occidental PetroleumPatrick EngineeringSamson ResourcesSchlumbergerShell OilSouthern Illinois UniversityUnited States EPAUnited States Geological SurveyUniversity of South FloridaUniversity of Wisconsin, Fox ValleyUniversity of Wisconsin, Osh Kosh
DeKalb, Illinois 60115 | Regional Sites | Contact Information
Emergency Information | Employment | Maps
© 2014 Board of Trustees of Northern Illinois University.
All rights reserved. Web Site Privacy Policy


text:
Information Technology
Our IT investment interests focus on software and online services, data communications, and digital media – major IT industry segments with a strong presence, large talent pools, and substantial anchor companies.
Chaordix: Calgary, AB A leader in crowdsourced market intelligence
Elastic Path: Vancouver, BC. Elastic Path builds ecommerce software that powers the next generation of digital experience.
ePACT Network Ltd.: Vancouver, BC. ePACT enables families and organizations to connect and share critical information and tools before, during and after a crisis.
Equicare Health: Vancouver, BC. Equicare Health offers software as a service to improve patient outcomes during post-cancer treatment.
Foodee: Vancouver, BC An online food ordering platform for companies and organizations.
Genologics: Victoria, BC. Software for genome sequencing, proteomics, and biorepositories
GrowLab: Vancouver, BC. A startup bootcamp company.
Indicee: Vancouver, BC. Cloud-Based Business Intelligence. Acquired by Dun & Bradstreet in April, 2014.
LoginRadius: Edmonton, AB. A social login and sharing provider.
Mixpo: Seattle, WA.
A video advertising technology provider that enables users to easily deliver and analyze dynamically tailored, interactive video ads customized for unique audience segments.
Monexa: Vancouver, BC. A provider of SaaS Enterprise Billing and Commerce solutions
Mover: Edmonton, AB. Mover automates the complicated process of moving large numbers of files to and from cloud storage.
Partnerpedia: Vancouver, BC. Enterprise App Stores and Marketplaces. Acquired by BMC Software in July, 2013.
PHEMI Health Solutions: Vancouver, BC. A process automation and Big Data platform company focused on improving clinic productivity, patient outcomes and medical research.
Pretio Interactive: Victoria, BC. Pretio connects valuable user actions with targeted rewards from top brands.
Shadow Networks: San Francisco, CA and Vancouver, BC Next-Generation threat detection and mitigation powered by software-defined networking and virtualization technologies.
Tasktop: Vancouver, BC. Integration middleware for Application Lifecycle Management systems.
Thetus: Portland, OR. Semantic knowledge modeling, analysis and discovery software.
Tutela: Vancouver, BC. Tutela develops analytics software which allows cellular data service providers and Wi-Fi operators to monitor and refine cellular data offloading processes.
Wantering: Vancouver, BC. Wantering turns the expertise in fashion blogs and social networks into a digest of the most interesting fashion products on the web.


text:
The College of Arts and Sciences is proud to announce the winners of its 2012 Outstanding Alumni Awards: Sandra Barnhill and Stephen Garber.Sandra Barnhill earned her B.S. in Political Science in 1981, and then went on to law school and began her career working as a defense attorney. She heard from her female clients that they were worried – more than anything else - about their children, and decided to do something about it. She founded ForeverFamily, a nonprofit that supports children whose parents are incarcerated, in 1987. Today the organization serves families in Atlanta, Louisville, Ky., and Austin, Texas."GSU is where I really cut my teeth as an activist," Barnhill said. "Through my involvement with co-founding the GSU college chapter of the N.A.A.C.P., and through working on the Missing and Murdered Children's Campaing, I learned about fighting for the things you believe in and serving the community. It was at GSU that the purpose of the academy realy hit home for me – the education we receive should help us blend intellect and heart so that we can be of service in the world.""Sandra Barnhill is the epitome of service and leadership," said Akinyele Umoja, chair of African American Studies, who nominated her. "She has used her talent and resources to improve the possibilities of families and communities that others had condemned to failure. She has also provided opportunities for dozens of GSU students and alumni to engage in community service and youth development."Stephen Garber, who is an Atlanta native, earned his M.A. and Ph.D in Psychology in 1972 and 1974 respectively. He served as the director of Child and Adolescent Services at South Central Fulton County Mental Health Center and the Southside Comprehensive Health Center before going into private practice. That practice, the Behavioral Institute of Atlanta, is one of the largest in the state. BIA's 18 partners include Garber's wife, Mary Ann, who also got a Ph.D. from GSU, in education."The GSU Psychology Department was one of the best programs in the country," Garber said. "To have such a good program, and to have it in Atlanta – I made connections, I made friends, and I made it through in record time, partly because of the research opportunities in the city."Later in his career, Garber had a profound impact on Robin Morris, GSU's Associate Provost for Strategic Initiatives and a Regents Professor of Psychology."I was junior at Emory back in the 1970's and had a practicum with him and others at the Southside Health Center," said Morris, who at the time was intending to be a medical doctor. "I have to say that experience with Steve was one of those events in my life that changed my entire view of psychology and what it could do to improve the lives of children and their families. I added a psychology major to my curriculum and the rest is history.""Our alumni award winners this year have both used their education to benefit others – Stephen Garber through his work as a therapist and Sandra Barnhill through creating a support network for families," said William Long, Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. "They embody the GSU ideal of education as an investment not only in individuals, but in the entire community."The Outstanding Alumni Awards for 2012 will be formally presented to Barnhill and Garber at the college's annual Honors Night banquet, scheduled for April 18.viagra onlineviagra onlinejamaica blog negril sex viagra
No Related Events


text:
Begin New Search
Refine Last Search
Cemetery Lookup
Add Burial Records
Help with Find A Grave
Top Contributors
Success Stories
Discussion Forums
Find A Grave Store
Log In
Diana L. Brace
member for 10 years, 10 months, 22 days
Add to MyFriends
Bio and Links
Notes: If anyone spots an ancestor, relative, pal, etc., amongst my memorials, please give me a shout and I'll gladly turn them over to you. However, please note that I'm lazy about checking my email but I'll get to you eventually. The same goes for email regarding any corrections . . . I have filed these and will get to them eventually as well. Sorry for any delays, but I don't have a lot of time on my hands.
I am a historian, ie., Family Historian and a bit of a tombstone tourist. I especially like to find gravestones from Colonial days through the late 1800's. Further, I feel strongly that gravestones are a testimony to the greatness of America's past. There are several reasons for my decision to transcribe cemeteries. First, I needed a hobby, because I quit smoking two years and three months ago. Second, I would love to obtain as many grave photos for my genealogy book as possible.
My family, on my mom's side, were colonists and came to American soil prior to 1637, according to Sidney Perley, author of "The History of Salem, MA". According to another source: "Upon a Ship called The Sparrow." My Branch of the "Patch" family first resided in Salem to Beverly to Wenham to Ipswich (all towns of Essex County), MA - then Newton to Concord to Groton (all towns of Middlesex County), MA - they came to Vermont in 1781 - being the 6th family to reside in Ludlow, Windsor County, VT.
Because of our beliefs in a united states we became Americans prior to 1776. However, our family did not seem to lean toward Puritan Stock, but were rather merchants of enterprise. We did not arrive in America as indentured servants as many did. We were, quite literally, "Fishermen" come to fish the abundant waters found here. In fact, the very first place of residence of Nicholas Patch Jr. was: Mackerell Cove on the Beverly side of Salem, MA.
Leave Public Message
Contributions to
Find A Grave
5,413 Memorials Added
5,252 Memorials Managed
10 Memorials/week
279 Photos
8 Photo Requests
11 Volunteer Photos Taken
355 Virtual Flowers
4 Fame Ratings
3 Friends
Search Contributor's Records
First Name
Last Name
Find A Grave Friends
Alan Lathrop
Ginny DeLong
Janet Muff
Messages left for Diana L. Brace (145)
Leave Message
Bethany Bishop memorial# 85129487
I've submitted some edits to Bethany Bishop memorial# 85129487, a 6th great grandmother to me. I'd be interested in a memorial transfer, if your not a relative to add more information and links. I've added a pic of her stone as well. Thanks for posting.
Shawn West(#46550807)
Added by
on Jul 23, 2014 8:13 PM
Janet Muff
Sarah Salisbury
Thank you for the information on Sarah and her parents. I have Abraham Salisbury and Zilpha Westcott in my database with daughter Sarah, but hadn't realized that she married George Westcott.
Janet Muff
Added by
Janet Muff
on Jul 23, 2014 2:08 PM
Lillian A. (Barrett) Pitts
Her mother and father are with her in Spafford Cemetery. Her mother is (97157152) Lovissa Newton Barrett and her father is Thomas Clark Barrett (97156865). Thank you. She is my grandmother.
Added by
on Jul 05, 2014 1:22 PM
Bonnie Kies
Margaret Taft Jackson
Memorial# 7104212 Hi Diana my name is Bonnie and I would like to use your photo of Margaret on my family tree (ancestry). I would be sure to credit you for your photo as well as Findagrave, and the creator of the Memorial. She was the wife of my 9th Great Grand Uncle. Thank You and have a Happy 4th
Bonnie :)
Added by
Bonnie Kies
on Jul 03, 2014 10:09 PM
Re: Martha Brownell, wife of Benjamin
Sorry, in the previous message I meant to say MARTHA Brownell, not Mary.
Added by
on Jun 25, 2014 5:00 AM
Re: Mary Brownell, Westport, Mass.
I sent you a message through the "suggest a correction" feature concerning Mary Brownell,
It appears that her memorial was created in the wrong cemetery. According to the Westport, MA cemetery records, she was interred at the Ezekial Brownell Burial Ground with her husband, Benjamin, not at Westport Friends-Central Village. Please check into this and make the necessary correction. Thank you!
Added by
on Jun 25, 2014 4:56 AM
Silas Parmalee/Parmele
Hi Diana,
I was wondering if you could share your sources for Silas' date of birth, parents' names, as well as his wife's name. I have been trying to track down some information on him, but don't seem to find all that much. I was hoping that perhaps your sources could poke a hole in this wall I seem to be up against!
Thank you!
Added by
on Jun 22, 2014 11:00 AM
Bonnie Kies
Margaret Taft Jackson
Memorial# 7104212 Hi Diana my name is Bonnie and I would very much like to add your photo of Margaret to my family tree (ancestry) she was the wife of my Great Grand Uncle John Jackson. I would be sure to give you credit for the photo, Findagrave and the creator of the Memorial. Thank You Bonnie :)
Added by
Bonnie Kies
on Jun 11, 2014 7:20 PM
Edit Request
Diana I requested a edit for Prudence (Woods) Mason in East Sullivan Cemetery in Sullivan New Hampshire. Her memorial # 31809867 I hit the wrong button for her birth date. She was born in Sullivan< Cheshire, Hew Hampshire in 1793. I have her death record to prove my request. Thanks
Added by
on Jun 08, 2014 5:56 PM
paul byrne
RE: Find A Grave Memorial# 85622019
The Gilbert Tracy site should be changed to Giles Tracy(there is no Gilbert). I will shortly upload a photo of the headstone along with genealogical information. My Boy Scout Venture Crew located this stone (which was missing for years) for the Blandford Cemetery Commission and town historical society.
Please respond to firstname.lastname@example.com
Added by
paul byrne
on May 26, 2014 2:38 PM
View all messages...
Privacy Statement
Terms of Service