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Constricting Torture Device Spanx Now Available in the Form of Jeans
Good news, fans of sausage-casing thighs: Spanx is branching out into denim. »
Good news, fans of sausage-casing thighs: Spanx is branching out into denim. »
If you think you're just cutting off your blood circulation while wearing Spanx, think again. You're actually squeezing your intestines, stomach and colon. Yikes. »
Ryan Seacrest reportedly brokered a date between Justin Bieber's mom (whose name is almost literally Patty Melt) and Bachelor host Chris Harrison. (Anyone else enjoy thinking about the phrase "Bachelor host" like a Bachelor is some sort of parasite and Chris Harrison is its host? And the Bachelor lays eggs in Chris… »
Today in sadface, more and more teenage girls have taken to wearing shapewear underneath clothes on a daily basis, even wearing it beneath their athletic uniforms, because they "don't want to stand out for the wrong reasons," i.e. be seen as fat among their peers. In fact, one of the hottest teen trends (ranked… »
A product promising to help people look thin has given its inventor a big fat wallet. Thanks to her ingenious idea to combine insecurity, enormous underpants, and elastic sausage casings, Sara Blakely, the forty-one-year-old inventor of Spanx, is now the world's youngest female self-made billionaire. »
Quoth the actress to Ellen: "I triple-Spank. Which is not good. Spanx really, really work, but you don't need to overdo it." She also recalled a recent conversation with pal Melissa McCarthy: "I could not party that night because I was being pinched in places that I didn't know it was possible… I said, 'Oh my God,… »
Apparently Spanx thinks our troops are looking a little less than svelte lately. So they've sent them a thoughtful Christmas present — some shaping undershirts to help them "feel support in a whole new way." »
Melissa McCarthy has told plenty of funny stories, but this week on The Ellen DeGeneres Show she really outdid herself. She offered up a cautionary tale to Spanx wearers everywhere that might make you weep with laughter. You see one day on her way to work, she casually threw on some Spanx and went on with her day.… »
Much unlike many a magazine editor who recommends you buy all sorts of crap that they most likely got for free, your Jezebel staff doesn't get jack shit (other than books, unsolicited). And that's how it should be. But on our own time, in our personal lives, we still buy stuff. So this is Worth It, our daily… »
We are informed by Spanx that it has moved into "active wear," meaning that you can soon shimmy and sweat into "bagel-busting, moisture-wicking Slim-X® waistband, a flared leg, and back seams to visually slim the silhouette" for $118. Yeah, that's pretty meta. »
First, I know that I'm treading on dangerous ground here as I have friends who swear by their Spanx. As always this blog is all about me in general, and today it's specifically about my experience with Spanx. I'm not trying to tell anyone else how to live. If you wear Spanx, that is awesome and I fully support you.… »
Spanx are obviously huge, and getting bigger. How — and why — did the girdle come back? »
Blue Valentine has been lauded for its visceral storytelling of the love that's dissipated between a married couple. But what heightens the realism the film strives for is the use of Spanx in the sex scenes between Williams and Gosling. »
Spanx—the company that has made a mint selling body-slimming garments—is now targeting pregnant women with its Mama Spanx maternity line. Because you're never allowed to have a gut that big, even if there is a fetus in it. »
So it turns out that we are completely surrounded by men walking around wearing Spanx and Spanx-like foundation garments, at least according to the New York Times. What does this mean for our (giggle) culture? »
Are men really clamoring to dance around the house trying to squeeze into shapewear disguised as a crewneck and "compression bottoms?" According to Sara Blakely, the founder of Spanx, men are beyond ready for some extra assistance. »
Um, if we had, we'd probably have gone with "being children." But apparently, it's Spanx. [FitSugar] »


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Drones are all the rage. Chris Anderson, Wired Magazine's ex Editor-in-Chief, left the magazine to co-found 3D Robotics, a company that specializes in the drone business. We've been seeing amateur drone kits come down in price even while the capabilities are rivaling those used 'professionally.' But even at the lower prices, they are still out of reach for many DIYers.
Not anymore. Take a look at this beauty of a blimp built by Tyler Westmoreland and Chris Shepard using Lego Mindstorms and two 55-inch helium balloons. The secret is the NXTBee wireless adaptor from Dexter Industries, which lets you remote control the NXT.
via: Engadget

subset: commoncrawl


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Its hard being rational in the summertime when there's absolutely nothing going on and the only thing one can do is speculate on free agent acquisitions, hypothetical trades, possible draft choices and when the barrel will hit $250. Its like a disease that starts around May and ends around October, call it Raptorulosis Fasciitis. Its …Continue Reading
I almost made a post on Sunday but the Celtics Game 7 win didn't sit right with the stomach. There's a team in the conference finals that has yet to win a road game, isn't this a little sad? The Lebravs had this game but he took a very bad shot down 3 late in …Continue Reading


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Associated Press
AUSTIN, Texas —
The Texas sales tax holiday weekend has been set for Aug. 9-11 as families prepare to send children back to school.
State Comptroller Susan Combs says shoppers can save money on certain items costing less than $100.
The law exempts most clothing, footwear, school supplies and backpacks priced under $100 from sales tax. That could save about $8 on every $100 spent, with some exceptions.
Combs estimates shoppers will save more than $74 million in state and local sales taxes during the second weekend of August.
The Texas sales tax holiday weekend has been an annual event since 1999.


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By Julie Huss
---- — LONDONDERRY — The ponytails were tied and the cutting was about to begin.
Londonderry High School hosted its eighth annual Pantene Beautiful Lengths "Day of Giving" event Jan. 10. About 200 donors, including students, teachers and community members, grew out their locks to support those battling cancer.
The ponytails collected will go support Pantene and the Hair-U-Wear program and be used to make wigs for cancer patients of all ages through the American Cancer Society.
Those waiting to have their hair cut were flanked by friends and family members. Many had stories about why they were donating, including supporting friends and family members who are battling the disease.
Londonderry High teacher and event organizer Steve Juster said the rally was to celebrate the program's "angels" while sharing stories of survival and hope.
Myranda Brodsky, an LHS graduate, shaved off all her hair to support the cause.
Now a student at the University of New Hampshire, Brodsky collected donations on her web page and had tallied $5,600 so far. She wanted to return to her alma mater to have her hair sheared.
"I want to inspire others to help as well," she said. "And the support here has been overwhelming. Thank you, LHS, for welcoming me back here to do this at my home."
Once the "3, 2, 1" countdown was given, it only took a few moments for the ponytails to come off.
Local hair stylists helped donors style their shorter hair once the cutting was finished.
Through the years, the rally has gained national attention, including being featured on ABC's "Good Morning America" in 2007.
Since then, more than 2,000 donations have come from Londonderry to help those battling cancer.
Students also were recognized for their efforts supporting other causes, including local food pantries, pediatric cancer patients, Toys for Tots and other community efforts.


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By Lora Scripps
Athens City Council approved the re-appointment of two residents to the Athens Board of Education Monday.
District 1 board member Jennifer Manville and District 2 board member Dr. Chris Paysinger were approved to serve five-year terms ending April 28, 2018.
Manville is the city school board's newest member. She was appointed in January to fill the vacated seat of Pat Waldrop.
Manville has a bachelor's degree from Auburn University and a master's degree from Troy University. She works as a financial analyst for a defense contractor in Huntsville.


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Girls basketball: Senior duo spark John Carroll's fourth-quarter rally
Seniors Gigi Alcindor and Agenia Delouche combined for 15 of 21 fourth-quarter points Thursday as John Carroll Catholic High School's girls basketball team rallied to beat Port St. Lucie 43-42 on senior night in Fort Pierce.
Alcindor finished with a season-high 21 points, six rebounds, four assists and three steals for John Carroll (12-11), which trailed 31-22 after three quarters.
Delouche, who finished with six points and nine rebounds, hit two free throws to tie it at 40 with 48 seconds to go.
Both teams traded free throws, with Alcindor converting one on consecutive possessions to make it 43-41. Port St. Lucie's Shianne Howe hit 1-of-2 free throws with 1.3 seconds left before John Carroll ran out the clock.
Shana DeWitt scored 14 points, Valerie Munley added 13 and Howe had 10 for Port St. Lucie (4-17).
John Carroll is assured of at least a .500 finish for the first time since the 2007-08 Rams were 15-7 in Howard Avril's 22nd and final season as coach.
John Carroll plays at Treasure Coast at 12:45 p.m. Friday.
Vero Beach 54, Palm Bay 27: Senior Jackie Halpin had 14 points as the Fighting Indians defeated the Pirates on senior night in Vero Beach.
Megan Gorman added 11 points and 11 rebounds for Vero Beach.
Margie Smith had 10 points and Jasmine Brown finished with seven points and five steals for the Indians (14-6).
Vero Beach plays at Melbourne at 7 p.m. Friday.
Jensen Beach 67, South Fork 48: Ashley Robinson had 40 points, nine rebounds, five assists and four steals as the Falcons won at Tropical Farms.
"This was a great team win for the girls," Jensen Beach coach Jill Ingram said.
Sydney Townsend added 10 points and five rebounds, and Danielle Ziemba had six points and five rebounds for Jensen Beach (15-8).
Melissa Eliseo had 14 points for South Fork (3-14).
Jensen Beach hosts Benjamin at 7 p.m. Friday.
Fort Pierce Westwood 51, Okeechobee 42: Trudy Walker scored a game-high 31 points as the Panthers won at Okeechobee.
Maci Simmons added seven points for Fort Pierce Westwood (5-15), which outscored Okeechobee 22-14 in the fourth quarter.
Ami Edwards had a double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds for Okeechobee (8-12), which closed the regular season with eight consecutive losses.
Lahna Sedatol added 11 points.
St. Edward's 44, Inlet Grove 30: Heather Roache had 11 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists as the Pirates won in Riviera Beach.
Sophia Castraberti added 15 points, four rebounds and five assists.
Olivia Blakeman finished with six points and nine rebounds for St. Edward's (3-16).
St. Edward's hosts South Fork at 6 p.m. Friday.
Oxbridge Academy 40, Pine School 33: Cassidy Bell had 15 points, three steals and four rebounds as the Knights lost in Hobe Sound.
Olivia Wesel added six points and three assists, and Madison Bonneville finished with four points and seven rebounds for Pine School (2-15).
Pine School hosts Covenant Christian at 6 p.m. Friday.
Wellington Christian 25, Community Christian 9: Cali Gumpel had 17 points and three blocks for the Eagles (3-15) at Wellington.
Community Christian (0-14) has lost 24 consecutive games dating to the 2011-12 season.
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Here, in a nutshell, is the problem with feminism. Young women 'of good character' losing their heads and wishing they hadn't. You feel so sorry for them, but can't you sense what they tasted in the air as they were doing it: freedom, fury, the power – for once – of being young and strong and agile and a homegirl, the flat-out joy of getting your hands on some free stuff. 'This is the best day ever,' Chelsea said, while looting the T-Mobile store. 'Trainers, clothes, mobiles, iPods, Macs – possession of these things is tantamount to human rights,' a writer called Charmaine Elliot posted on Blackfeminists.blog, remembering her own youth in London. 'I took a trip to Selfridges one afternoon to visit a friend and was struck by advertising slogans that said, à la Barbara Kruger, I shop, therefore I am. And I couldn't help but wonder that as I couldn't actually shop, ergo what?'
At the UK Feminista summer school in Birmingham meanwhile, Emily Birkenshaw, 24, a teaching assistant from York, was learning how to 'go floppy' when arrested. 'You're heavier then, so you can't be carried,' she told the Observer. 'It just felt really empowering.' UK Feminista was launched last year by 29-year-old Kat Banyard, whose first book, The Equality Illusion, came out at much the same time. 'The event is set to harness the recent upsurge in interest in this previously unfashionable social movement,' a press release for the summer school said. In June UK Feminista had joined forces with Object (the stress goes on the second syllable, 'I ob-ject'), another newish bright-young-feminists organisation, to campaign against the recent opening of a Playboy nightclub in London. 'Eff off Heff, stop degrading women!' protesters chanted. 'No more sexist men, Playboy empire has to end!'
Look at them on YouTube, having their genteel shout and waving their Ban the Bunny placards: 'Ob-ject, women not sex objects.' 'That's not what empowerment looks like/This is what empowerment looks like!' Idealistic, well organised, compassionate and let-them-eat-cakey, these young women have no place on their neat clipboards for disturbance, unintended consequences, humour or even humility when faced with the pressures and precariousness of most people's lives.
More from YouTube, late September. Object and UK Feminista have been busy, dressing up in white overalls with red ink on their faces, waving cleavers outside the XBiz pornography trade show in Bloomsbury: 'Just a bunch of pimps and butchers/ Who trade in women's lives!' A small bearded man shouts at them bitterly, an XBiz ID card round his neck, a bottle of Stella in his hand. 'You're a bunch of whores!' he snarls. 'I'm gonna fuck you all up the arse!'
'Pornography today is increasingly violent, body-punishing, degrading and woman-hating,' it says on Object's press release, which is both true and completely beside the point. It's a free-market economy out there, so of course there's going to be violent pornography as long as there are people fucked up enough to want it. And of course there are people prepared to make it for them. The American writer Laura Kipnis warns against getting 'teary-eyed about exploited pornography workers' when you 'haven't thought much about international garment workers, or poultry workers – to name just two'. Which is funny, because the girls from UK Feminista were wearing the hats you wear to gut chickens and pull their claws off. It's even funnier if you remember that two of porn's most successful crossover stars both front animal-rights projects that attack the poultry industry in particular: the Playboy model and actress Pamela Anderson (Baywatch, Borat) and the hardcore queen Jenna Jameson, for Peta's Kentucky Fried Cruelty and McCruelty (I'm hatin' it) campaigns.
Chicken pieces, iPods, A-level burb girls with jobs in Selfridges, unable to buy any of the stuff they sell: how often if ever are such things addressed by Object and UK Feminista? How important is being female to a young woman's everyday life and future prospects, compared to being born in the 1990s, or being Somalian, or good-looking, or receiving EMA, or going to Oxbridge, or not getting a single GCSE? 'To put it schematically: "women" is historically, discursively constructed, and always relative to other categories which themselves change.' Thus the British poet-philosopher Denise Riley in Am I That Name? (1988), her short, playful, brilliant study of the many ways in which fixed identities never work. 'That "women" is indeterminate and impossible … is what makes feminism,' Riley concluded, so long as feminists are willing 'to develop a speed, foxiness, versatility'. Can the members of Object and UK Feminista welcome such transformations, or is this what they are afraid of: that if they let themselves really look at the world around them, feminism as they think they know and need it might completely disappear?'Enough ink has been spilled in quarrelling over feminism … perhaps we should say no more about it': Simone de Beauvoir, at the very beginning of The Second Sex (1949). 'The subject is irritating, especially to women.' Long before they were shouting 'Ban the Bunny' and dressing up as butchers, feminists were annoying people, not just misogynists and sexists, but the very people you'd think would like them best. It was true in suffragette days, as it was during Women's Liberation in the 1960s and 1970s, and it's very much a problem for what boosters have been calling 'the third wave' since the early 1990s. We know the angry squiggles that signify this irritation – the hairy-legged Millie Tant man-hater, Mrs Banks in the Disney Mary Poppins, a suffragette too busy to care for her children. And it's obvious how useful such stereotypes have been in neutralising the threat felt in the wider culture. But these caricatures obscure a real problem: a confusion between self and other, identity and difference, that you might charitably view as an unfortunate side-effect of being of and for and by women, all at once; or, less charitably, as narcissistic self-absorption.
It's true that women, as a gender, have been systemically disadvantaged through history, but they aren't the only ones: economic exploitation is also systemic and coercive, and so is race. And feminists need to engage with all of this, with class and race, land enclosure and industrialisation, colonialism and the slave trade, if only out of solidarity with the less privileged sisters. And yet, the strange thing is how often they haven't: Elizabeth Cady Stanton opposed votes for freedmen; Betty Friedan made the epoch-defining suggestion that middle-class American women should dump the housework on 'full-time help'. There are so many examples of this sort that it would be funny if it weren't such a waste…
If A Tree Falls In The Woods…
December 11, 2011
Via TribLive
Apologies To Rick Perry Supporters
December 11, 2011
Russia: The long life of Homo sovieticus
December 11, 2011
TWENTY years to the month since the Soviet Union fell apart, crowds of angry young people have taken to the streets of Moscow, protesting against the ruling United Russia Party ("the party of crooks and thieves") and chanting "Russia without Putin!" Hundreds have been detained, and the army has been brought into the centre of Moscow "to provide security". Although the numbers are a far cry from the half-million who thronged the streets to bury the USSR, these were the biggest protests in recent years. The immediate trigger for this crisis was the rigging of the parliamentary elections on December 4th (see article). But the causes lie far deeper.
The ruling regime started to lose its legitimacy just as Vladimir Putin, Russia's prime minister, declared a final victory for "stability", promised to return to the Kremlin as president and pledged to rebuild a Eurasian Union with former Soviet republics. The Soviet flavour of all this had been underscored at United Russia's party congress at the end of November, where Mr Putin was nominated for the presidency. "We need a strong, brave and able leader …And we have such a man: it is Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin," enthused a film director. A steelworker told the congress how Mr Putin had "lifted our factory from its knees" and supported it "with his wise advice". A single mother with 19 children thanked Mr Putin for a "bright future".
Such parallels with the now idealised late Soviet era were supposed to be one of Mr Putin's selling points. No tiresome political debate, fairly broad personal freedoms, shops full of food: wasn't that what people wanted? Instead, unthinkably, Mr Putin has been booed: first by an audience at a martial-arts event on November 20th, then at many polling stations, and now on the streets. The Soviet rhetoric conjured an anti-Soviet response.
According to Lev Gudkov of the Levada Centre, an independent polling-research organisation, this reaction against the monopolistic, corrupt and authoritarian regime is itself part of a Soviet legacy. It is driven by the lack of alternatives rather than a common vision for change. For Russia is still a hybrid state. It is smaller, more consumerist and less collective than the Soviet Union. But while the ideology has gone, the mechanism for sustaining political power remains. Key institutions, including courts, police and security services, television and education, are used by bureaucrats to maintain their own power and wealth. The presidential administration, an unelected body, still occupies the building (and place) of the Central Committee of the Communist Party.
More important, the Soviet mental software has proved much more durable than the ideology itself. When, in 1989, a group of sociologists led by Yuri Levada began to study what they called Soviet Man, an artificial construct of doublethink, paternalism, suspicion and isolationism, they thought he was vanishing. Over the next 20 years they realised that Homo sovieticus had mutated and reproduced, acquiring, along the way, new characteristics such as cynicism and aggression. This is not some genetic legacy, but the result of institutional restrictions and the skewed economic and moral stimuli propagated by the Kremlin.
This mental software was not a generational feature, as the Levada group at first suspected. The elections were rigged in Moscow not only by middle-aged people with Soviet memories, but by thousands of pro-Kremlin younger folk gathered from across the country and dispatched to cast multiple ballots around the city. Symbolically, they made their camp in an empty pavilion of the Stalinist Exhibition of People's Achievements. Most of them had no memories of the Soviet Union; they were born after it had ceased to exist.
Yet the election results also revealed the reluctance of a large part of Russian society to carry on with the present system. Thousands of indignant men and women, young and old, tried to stop the fraud and protect their rights. One election monitor, who was thrown out of the polling station, wrote in his blog that "I thought I would die of shame…I did not manage to save your votes…forgive me." Such voices may still be a minority, but the clash between these two groups was essentially a clash of civilisations—and a sign that the process of dismantling the Soviet system, which started 20 years ago, is far from over.
A moral vacuum
When the Communist regime collapsed in 1991 there was an expectation, both in the West and in Russia, that the country would embrace Western values and join the civilised world. It took no account of a ruined economy, depleted and exhausted human capital and the mental and moral dent made by 70 years of Soviet rule. Nobody knew what kind of country would succeed the Soviet Union, or what being Russian really meant. The removal of ideological and geographical constraints did not add moral clarity.
In particular, the intelligentsia—the engine of Soviet collapse—was caught unprepared. When their "hopeless cause" became reality, it quickly transpired that the country lacked a responsible elite able and willing to create new institutions. The Soviet past and its institutions were never properly examined; instead, everything Soviet became a subject of ridicule. The very word "Soviet" was shortened to sovok, which in Russian means "dustpan". In fact, says Mr Gudkov of Levada, this self-mockery was not a reasoned rejection of the Soviet system; it was playful and flippant. Sidelined by years of state paternalism and excluded from politics, most people did not want to take responsibility for the country's affairs.
The flippancy ended when the government abolished price regulation, revealing the worthlessness of Soviet savings, and Boris Yeltsin, faced with an armed rebellion, fired on the Soviet parliament in 1993. Soon the hope of a miracle was replaced by disillusion and nostalgia. As Mr Levada's polling showed, it did not mean that most people wished to return to the Soviet past. But they longed for order and stability, which they associated with the army and security services rather than with politicians…
Life on the Instalment Plan: Is Canada's penal system for women making or breaking Renée Acoby?
December 11, 2011
IT IS A SUNNY July morning in a Kitchener-Waterloo courtroom, a bright space reminiscent of a non-denominational church. I am the only spectator, sitting at the edge of the front-row pew. A door opens, and two armed guards escort in a young woman, her small hands tightly bound and crossed at the wrist by plastic cuffs that pinch her skin. Her legs are shackled, so her gait is odd, slow. When she arrives at the prisoner's box, her chains are padlocked to the floor. The guards position themselves tight to either side of the box.
The woman is dressed in white A-line pants and a long-sleeved white blouse over what appears to be an orange tank top. She looks like a young nurse. The room is cold; she fidgets, rubs her wrists, takes in her surroundings, glances briefly at me. We've spoken but never met. She is slim, fine boned, and taller than I had imagined, with a straight back and a heart-shaped, solemn face and bright brown eyes. She is very beautiful.
Her name is Renée Acoby, and she is considered by the Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) to be one of the country's most violent women. She rarely goes anywhere without her legs shackled, her hands cuffed, and between two and five armed guards beside her. She is in this sunny courtroom because the attorney general of Ontario has agreed to an application to have her classified as a dangerous offender, following a series of hostage takings at several different jails, particularly a 2005 incident at the nearby Grand Valley Institution for Women.
Born in 1979 in Manitoba, Acoby went to prison in 2000 on charges including trafficking in a scheduled substance and assault with a weapon. Her sentence was three and a half years. Since then, she has accumulated an additional eighteen years of time for offences committed within the corrections system, putting her in the tenth year of a twenty-one-and-a-half-year sentence. She has never been paroled, nor even applied for parole. The only time she leaves the segregation unit of one of the numerous Canadian prisons in which she has been incarcerated is for court appearances like this one.
On the phone with me, Acoby has revealed a mercurial disposition and a sweet, light voice and laugh. She has another voice, too, which I've never heard. I've heard her speak in desperation but not in anger. She admits to a volatile temper, though, and says she is "pigheaded." She has spoken to me of having been "blinded by rage" in the past.
The judge takes note of her obvious discomfort and indignation in the prisoner's box, and remarks that she need not be handcuffed. The prosecutor and the police officers hastily intervene. She could grab a weapon; she could grab a pen and turn that into a weapon. "She has a history of using improvised weapons," one of them says. The judge orders that ordinary handcuffs be brought in instead. Eventually, they are.
Only two women have ever been labelled dangerous offenders in Canada. The first, Marlene Moore, committed suicide in the Prison for Women in Kingston in 1988. The second, Lisa Neve, had her sentence overturned in 1999. For Acoby, classification as a dangerous offender would mean an "indeterminate" sentence, and life on parole were she ever released. The fundamental questions being asked in her hearing are deceptively simple: Is this inmate likely to reoffend? And if released, could she control her violent tendencies?
These are difficult questions, in part because most of Acoby's criminal history has unfolded deep within the country's corrections system. She has lived almost entirely in solitary confinement for nearly six years, spending twenty-three hours each day alone in her cell. In 2004, she became one of the first to be placed on CSC's Management Protocol, a special category of punishment designed for women prisoners who have been involved in a major incident causing serious harm or threat while in the system. This anodyne-sounding regime consists broadly of a three-step program of segregation, partial reintegration, and, finally, transition to a regular maximum-security cell for at least three months. Offenders must earn their way from phases one through three and then off the Protocol, largely by avoiding aggressive behaviour. Most fail to do so — too many snakes, not enough ladders.
As of fall 2009, Acoby was one of four women covered by the Management Protocol. All are aboriginal, from among the almost one-third of women in federal penitentiaries who are of aboriginal descent. Seven women have been on the Protocol since it was created — one was taken off it last fall, perhaps not coincidentally after threatening a Charter challenge.
In his 2008–09 annual report, federal corrections investigator Howard Sapers wrote of the Protocol, "I have very serious concerns about the impact of this form of harsh and punitive confinement on the mental health and emotional well-being of these women. They need intervention and treatment, not deprivation. I think most Canadians would agree that in the 21st century there must be safer and more humane ways for our correctional system to assist a handful of high-needs women offenders."
But the debate over the Management Protocol comes at a time when Canada's attitude toward crime and punishment is hardening, with the federal government engineering a hastily designed retrofit of our justice and penal legislation that will affect everything from sentencing to parole to segregation to judicial discretion. A Roadmap to Strengthening Public Safety, the Conservatives' bible for their populist "transformation" of CSC, is described by academics Michael Jackson and Graham Stewart in their critique A Flawed Compass as "deeply regressive," based on a vision that will have a "great detrimental impact on the protection of human rights and effective corrections."
Indeed, the Roadmap never once mentions the human rights of prisoners, and deals only perfunctorily with the issue of segregation, or solitary confinement (a major component of the Management Protocol), which Michael Jackson calls "the litmus test of legitimacy for CSC, because it is the hardest thing to get right." This superficiality is especially troubling because, in the fall of 2007, while the Roadmap was being finalized, nineteen-year-old inmate Ashley Smith committed suicide in a segregation cell at Grand Valley Institution, witnessed by several corrections staff. Kim Pate, executive director of the Canadian Association of Elizabeth Fry Societies (CAEFS) says, "The level of confinement in isolation is so dehumanizing it is a violation of the Charter, security of the person, and international human rights standards."
Concerns about the human rights of Canada's women prisoners in turn raise an important practical question: is it possible that the policies and practices of federal institutions for women might actually be helping to create the criminality they're designed to prevent? In other words, has the system helped to create Renée Acoby?…
As Many Pairs of Shoes as She Likes: Is This The New Feminism?
December 11, 2011
Young women, the state and public order in Britain, as seen in clippings from the newspapers, August 2011: Natasha Reid, 24, pleaded guilty to stealing a television from a Comet in North London during the riots of 7 August. Her mother said she was 'baffled' by her own behaviour – she had a much nicer TV set at home. Shonola Smith, 22, pleaded guilty, along with her sister and a friend, to 'entering' Argos in Croydon: 'The tragedy is that you are all of previous good character,' the judge said, as he sentenced them to six months each. Chelsea Ives, the 18-year-old 'shamed former Olympic youth ambassador' shopped by her mother, pleaded guilty to criminal damage and burglary on the Sunday, and to violent disorder (a Somerfield in Hackney) the following evening. 'The public seem to automatically place me in an unnamed category for thick, low-life individuals, which is not me at all,' Chelsea wrote 'from behind bars' in a letter intended for the novelist Gillian Slovo, but which the Evening Standard used as an occasion to run her big-hair camera-phone-in-the-mirror Facebook picture yet again. She began a two-year jail sentence this month.
Civics Lesson
December 11, 2011
This image has been posted with express written permission. This cartoon was originally published at Town Hall.
Flyover Country
December 11, 2011
This image has been posted with express written permission. This cartoon was originally published at Town Hall.


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If there is one profession that relies on cooperation and collaboration, it is architecture. Whether it is the design or construction of a building, all parties involved need to know what is happening regularly.
Traditionally, this meant passing pieces of paper around as well as innumerable discussions with customers, builders and just about anyone else involved.
While these things probably still need to be carried out, using cloud-based IT systems such as Google Apps for Business makes the process much more efficient as well as less time consuming. Moreover, it can potentially save huge amounts of money.
One firm that perceived the value of Google Apps quite early on is Broadway Malyan, which is based in the UK. While most other businesses in Britain have been dilly-dallying over whether Google in particular – or internet-based computing in general – was beneficial, this firm of architects got stuck in.
In fact, with 13 offices across the globe they would be foolish not to at least give this new technology a try.
Speaking with googleenterprise.blogspot.co.uk, Ali Ball, CIO of Broadway Malyan said: "Our main motivation for moving to the cloud was to simplify our IT infrastructure and improve accessibility."
Interestingly, the business had just upgraded to Microsoft Exchange, but it seems the latter had operation problems, mainly around cost. As such, company management decided it was time to look at alternatives.
Ironically, it was found that despite the costs associated with Microsoft, it was still cheaper to move to Google – and the company hasn't regretted that decision.


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Some say that travel is about the journey more than the destination. And for a growing number of travelers, it's all about the experience - both on the journey and within the destination. Travelers focus on getting a deeper, more authentic look at well-loved destinations. Tuscany travel experiences figure on the vacation wish lists of many, but travelers can find ways to make each visit to the region one that is beyond the ordinary. From the towering churches to the humble enotecas where you can grab a bite to eat, Tuscany is the ultimate indulgence for the senses. For curious travelers, getting a closer look at the delights of the region takes some planning - and a bit of help from the experts. A Tuscany vacation with a carefully curated itinerary enables visitors to see a different side of both the cities and countryside.
For example, tours offered by Tauck place the focus on exclusive opportunities to enjoy the best of Tuscany. Relieved of the need to plan every tiny detail, travelers have more freedom to explore, and to kick back and enjoy every part of their trip - all at a savings that can be as much as 40 percent compared to independent travel. As you travel through Tuscany, you'll find the region engages - and indulges - all your senses. Don't miss these key sensory experiences as you visit the region: Sound: Wherever you travel in Tuscany, you'll hear the beautiful cadence of the Italian language. This expressive, elegant and historic language is a key part of the Tuscan atmosphere for travelers. Take a brief Italian lesson in Florence, and use what you learn to greet the many locals with whom you'll interact. Tauck's tours also add music to the mix, with a private recital at Palazzo Bargellini, the home of concert pianist Gregorio Nardi. Touch: Though you can't reach out and touch Michelangelo's beautiful marble statues, you can visit the quarries where the stone has been cut since Roman times. There, you'll get a feel for the smoothness that has made Carrara marble such a sought-after material over the millennia. For something a little softer, knead, roll and form some pasta dough in a hands-on cooking class. Taste: Italy has long been a center of wine production, and the centuries of viticulture are apparent in the incredible wines you can sample on wine-tasting tours and vineyard visits throughout the region. From sparkling prosecco to big, bold reds (some known as 'super Tuscans'), you'll be able to taste-test the finest vintages. Though it's often thought of as simply a cooking agent, olive oil is a product that has nearly as much complexity as wine. On an oil-tasting experience, you'll learn to discern the differences and appreciate this 'liquid gold' during your Tuscany tour. Scent: In the heart of Florence, the Basilica of Santa Maria Novella is worth visiting as an architectural wonder, but it is also the home of one of the most renowned perfumeries in the world. The Officina Profumo Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella has been producing fine fragrances and other body care preparations since 1612. Sample the numerous scents, including the famed 'Melograno' (pomegranate) and bring home a bottle as a fragrant souvenir. Sight: Guided tours of Tuscany are an unfurling series of spectacular sights and arresting vistas, and your eyes will savor every moment. The museums of Florence, sunset over the Arno River, rolling countryside punctuated with slender black-green cypress, sweeping panoramas from hilltop farmhouses - these are all sights that will add up to make Tuscany one of the most beautiful places you'll ever visit. For more information on Tuscany travel, visit Tauck online.


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Television > Reckless Eyeballing
|Reckless Eyeballing ARCHIVES
|More Television Stories
TV rise and fall (10/6/2010)
Courts and sparks (9/22/2010)
Countdown to fall (9/8/2010)
|More from Richard C. Walls
Classic construction (6/8/2005)
Poet of disappointment (12/10/2003)
Miles outside the funk (10/17/2001)
Published 1/10/2001
Ken Burns current PBS series, Jazz (which began Jan. 8) tackles a big subject, so its appropriate that it comes in 10 installments and runs for 17 1/2 hours. Even at twice that length it would, by necessity, seem sketchy.
Jazz has a long history, propelled by hundreds of significant talents, and so choices have to be made. Burns approach or rather that of his writer Geoffrey C. Ward and his senior creative consultant Wynton Marsalis is to emphasize the musics first 55 years and then do a relatively quick run-through of the remaining 45. Organized this way, the series has a definite rise-and-fall narrative, followed by a dutifully optimistic coda.
This chosen emphasis is also a tacit acknowledgment that jazzs developmental phase has come to an end. This is only natural. Art, unlike science, is not endlessly progressive; every musical genre will eventually run out of possible permutations. Then, it will either mutate into something else, die out or, more likely, turn to its past for sustenance. Its like a Möbius strip; you can only go so far before youre heading back home.
A microhistory of jazz would go like this: New Orleans syncopation to swing to bebop to free jazz (the last permutation) and then a lateral movement to rock and funk (i.e. fusion, a promising mutation unfulfilled) and finally neoclassicism, which is where the musics mainstream has been for about 20 years now.
Still, one has to wonder if Burns & Co.s decision to devote more than three hours to the years 1935-39 and only half that amount of time to the musics last 40 years isnt overly sentimental, a preference for jazzs years of certainty and growth over its more recent history of upheaval and opposing camps. Make no mistake, the first eight episodes of the series are excellent. One could argue that their leisurely pace is necessary to not merely present innovative geniuses such as Armstrong, Ellington and Parker, but to give us enough of their music and its context to allow its original shock-of-the new impact to resonate once again. Theres a sustained mood of wonder threading through this story as a new and seemingly indomitable form of creation moves through the lives of various people some force which blossoms apart from their personal triumphs and tragedies and spreads throughout world culture.
But by episode nine (1956-60), the mode has changed from sustained, linked stories to fragmented collage. Time is running out and our leisurely stroll is turning into a quick jog. Sonny Rollins is given a nice thumbnail profile before were rushed back to Duke Ellington for a brief update. Miles Davis makes his first, but not last appearance, then Soupy Sales is introducing Clifford Brown on some TV show (oh wow). Then its back to Louis Armstrong for 10 minutes which, considering the limited time left and the huge coverage hes already been given, seems like an egregiously ideological move. Art Blakey is given a good 10 minutes or so, as is Billie Holiday. Then its back to Miles, who turns out to be a lead-in to Coltrane, and finally Ornette Coleman.
Coltrane and Coleman are the last of the great (by consensus) innovators and they get respectful segments. Albert Murray, one of the series many talking heads, takes a dig at the latter, saying that the whole idea of art is to create a bulwark against entropy or chaos. This only makes the point that he has spent much time listening to Colemans music. As for the rest of the well-populated jazz avant-garde of the 60s and beyond, it gets a voice-over nod, saying how it would continue to inspire and divide jazz for decades to come. Well, thanks for letting us know.
Episode 10 (1961the present) is even less coherent, which is probably fitting. Cecil Taylor and electric Miles receive the pro-and-con treatment, with fusion in general getting another decades to come dismissal. The Armstrong and Ellington stories are finally wrapped up and asides are offered on the Art Ensemble of Chicago and (I must admit surprise here) Archie Shepp. The symbolic centerpiece of the episode is the mid-70s release of Dexter Gordons Homecoming: Live at the Village Vanguard, a triumph for the acoustic good after all that evil electric Miles. Then Marsalis comes in as the messiah of neoclassicism and were home free.
Given the state of things, Im not sure if this could have been done better except by making it much longer (which is unrealistic). If you have to short shrift someone, you may as well stick it to the troublemakers (though they could have at least mentioned Albert Ayler and Sun Ra and ...). In the end, the Marsalis camp has won anyway. Jazz has been tamed, the edges have been beveled, the wild ones banished. We can now look forward to an endless exploration of the existing repertoire. Or so it seems.
Richard C. Walls writes about the arts for the Metro Times. E-mail him at firstname.lastname@example.com.


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Prueter Library Family Ukulele ClassSubmitted by Scribbles on July 9, 2014 - 1:41pm
with local musician Alan Ferentz
Children 8 years or older are invited learn to play the ukulele in a four week series of classes beginning Saturday August 2 at 1:00pm.
A parent or caregiver must also attend and advance registration is required. A limited number of instruments will be available. To register call 486-5460
FOL Book Discussion @ Foster: "Bootlegger's Daughter"Submitted by Fun at Foster on July 28, 2014 - 11:26am
This coming Saturday, the San Buenaventura Friends of the Library will be discussing Margaret Maron's Bootlegger's Daughter.
This group meets monthly and reads a variety of fiction and non-fiction titles. The event is free and open to the public.
It all starts at 10 a.m. Saturday August 2, in Foster Library's Topping Room. New members are always welcome to join the discussion!
ReferenceUSA Online Training coming in SeptemberSubmitted by Scribbles on July 21, 2014 - 3:42pm
ReferenceUSA, a valuable database for job hunters and anyone starting a new business, is offering online training in September.
These hour-long classes will help new users get started and provide a great opportunity for current users to learn some new tips, tricks and techniques. Classes are:
Picture This! Read with an AnimalSubmitted by Scribbles on July 15, 2014 - 1:08pm
Read with your pet, or a friends pet, and take a picture.
Oak View Library Exhibiting Animal ArtSubmitted by Scribbles on July 8, 2014 - 9:51am
Animal Art at Oak View Library
Oak View Library is hosting an animal art exhibition in partnership with Oak View Park and Resource Center Art Studio.
Featured artists' works are in a variety of mediums including acrylic, oil and chalk on canvas, gourd painting, weaving
The exhibition runs June 23 through August 23.
Try our new library catalog!Submitted by Otto Mation on June 23, 2014 - 7:57am
We have launched our new catalog. Try it right now!
The new catalog, called "Enterprise", has a more efficient search than our "Classic Catalog".
After your initial search, see the left sidebar of the search results for filters (include or exclude): authors, other titles, publication year, languages, library, series, etc.
We welcome your feedback - tell us what you think!
For our patrons who wish to download books: Search with the default setting ("Everything"), you can then limit results to ebook and eaudiobook content by selecting/checking the eBook, eAudiobook, Electronic Resources, etc. filter under "Format" in the left sidebar.
"Classic Catalog" is still available with the link below our logo in the upper left corner.
Get a discount on the Reagan Library Baseball ExhibitSubmitted by Scribbles on May 14, 2014 - 12:59pm
Come face-to-face at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Museum with
Grab a bookmark/coupon at any of our Ventura County Libraries or use the discount code:
** Cannot be combined with any other offer. Offer expires August 29, 2014.
We welcome your feedback - please take our short survey!
The County of Ventura has set forth goals to improve citizen satisfaction in delivery of public services.
Please take our short survey to let us know how we are doing at Ventura County Library.
Thank you in advance for your time!
Upcoming Library Events
Wednesday, July 30, 2014 - 10:30am
Wednesday, July 30, 2014 - 10:30am
Wednesday, July 30, 2014 - 10:30am
Wednesday, July 30, 2014 - 11:00am
Wednesday, July 30, 2014 - 2:00pm


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The Headpiece
I'd always envisioned an alternative to the traditional veil on my wedding day, but I was never quite sure what that alternative would be. A blusher? Fresh flowers? A crystal headband? All my uncertainty was erased the moment I laid eyes on Kwiat's Art Nouveau diadem. The petals are made up of rose-cut diamonds mounted in a fashion that enables the tiny buds to articulate gently as you move your head from side to side. I can only imagine the way it sparkles when the light catches it. Sigh.
Kwiat Diamond and Platinum Art Nouveau diadem. $205,500, kwiat.com.


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18th Feb 2007, 15:40
"Would like to see an easier glass hatch to close and latch - usually takes 2 attempts to close it."
I also recently bought a 2002 Explorer, and the first thing that I noticed were the squeaky doors. I can't stand squeaky doors or difficult closing doors, because it seems like a mark of owner neglect to not care about a car (not vehicle design). Ever since my first car, I've made it a habit to periodically spray WD-40 on door hinges and latch mechanisms. I did this immediately with my new Explorer, and of course the doors are now quiet and close a little more easily. I also sprayed the window hatch latch, hinges, manual key lock button (it was a little difficult to turn the key to open the rear hatch), and the shafts for the pneumatic hatch supports.
The glass hatch closes and latches with ease. In fact, it closes so easily that I don't care to slam it or let it fall from the full height, I just let it snap shut from about 6 inches of travel.
I also lightly sprayed the shaft for the rear wiper to prevent it from becoming corroded and seizing up. I think this little attention to detail by an owner can result in a much better experience, by heading off future annoyances.


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The Bottom Line
When I first heard that Toyota was planning to offer their new Sienna minivan with a four-cylinder engine, I figured it would be a complete joke. Four cylinders to haul around two-plus tons of minivan? No way -- after all, Honda, Chrysler, and Dodge don't bother with a four-cylinder, and they know a thing or two about minivans. Always up for a good laugh, I booked a four-cylinder Sienna LE for a week-long test drive. Shame on me for second-guessing Toyota.
- Adequate power with four-cylinder engine
- Base model comes with everything a family needs
- Firm, car-like handling
- 4-cylinder's fuel economy isn't much better than V6
- 8th seat (LE model) not really usable
- Firm, car-like ride
- Base price: $25,270; Price as tested: $29,614
- Engine: 2.4 liter I4, 3.5 liter V6
- Horsepower: 187 @ 5,800 rpm (2.7 I4); 265 @ 6,200 rpm (3.5 V6)
- Torque: 186 @ 4,100 rpm (2.7 I4); 245 @ 4,700 rpm (3.5 V6)
- Transmission: 6-speed automatic with FWD or AWD
- Wheelbase: 119.3" Vehicle Length: 200.2" Width: 78.2" Height: 68.9" (70.7" with roof rack)
- Cargo: 39.1 cu. ft. behind rear seat; 87.1 behind second row; 117.8 with 2nd row seats folded; 150.0 with 2nd row seats removed
- Curb weight: 4,275 - 4,490 lbs
- Fuel economy: 19 MPG city/24 MPG highway (4-cyl FWD), 18/24 (V6 FWD), 16/22 (V6 AWD)
- Warranty: 3 years/36,000 miles basic; 5 years/60,000 miles powertrain
Guide Review - 2011 Toyota Sienna LE
Let's cut right to the chase: The four-cylinder Sienna works, thanks to a big (2.7 liter) engine that puts out 182 hp and 186 lb-ft of torque -- almost V6 territory -- and a six-speed automatic transmission. Mind you, the Sienna isn't exactly a seven-passenger rocket ship, but it scooted along better than I expected; I was able to zip onto the freeway with sweat-free palms, even with six well-fed passengers and a trunk full of luggage. Very surprising. In fact, the four-cylinder engine is actually a bit too eager, because a slight push on the accelerator brings on a lot of power. It's a trick automakers use to make their vehicles feel quicker than they are, but in the Sienna, it's difficult to accelerate from a stop without jerking your passenger's necks.
But adequate power comes at the expense of fuel economy. The four-cylinder's EPA fuel economy estimates -- 19 MPG city/24 MPG highway -- aren't much better than the front-drive V6, which is rated at 18 city/24 highway. That said, the four-cylinder is $1,300 cheaper than the V6. And had I been driving the V6, I don't know that I would have been able to restrain myself enough to match the 23.2 MPG I achieved with the four-cylinder.
The four-cylinder engine is only available in two versions of the Sienna. The base-model Sienna is a bargain at $25,270, because it includes all has all the minivan must-haves: Seven (cloth-covered) seats, front and rear air conditioning, cruise control, and a third row seat that splits and folds flat into the floor, plus more cupholders, cubbies and coat hooks than you can count. The only real downsides are that there are no available options, and base models can be difficult to find at dealerships.
I drove the $26,355 Sienna LE, which adds stain-resistant fabric, tinted windows, and ups the seating count to 8. But the eighth "seat" (I use that term loosely) is a small removable perch that fits between the second-row captain's chairs, and it's too narrow for most human posteriors. And speaking of the second-row seats, they're very comfortable for adults, but the angle of the seat bottom makes it difficult to install a rear-facing child seat properly. The LE does have a (small) options list, and my test van had power sliding doors, power front seats, a backup camera with a too-small display, side-window sunshades, Bluetooth and a trip computer, all bundled together for $2,735.
The 2011 Sienna is an all-new design, and it isn't anywhere near as van-like as the outgoing Sienna. The short windshield doesn't give the panoramic view I expect from a van, and the ride is firm, like a car -- almost a bit too firm. But the upside is that the Sienna drives like a car, whereas the old one drove like a bus.
Overall, I thought the four-cylinder Sienna did the job well enough, but I wish the fuel savings over the V6 were more significant. Perhaps if consumers show enough interest, Toyota will bring us an even more fuel-efficient version. -- Aaron Gold


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The Mankato Free Press
---- — Blue Earth County Historical Society has been collecting, preserving and presenting the history of the county since 1901. Its museum houses an art collection of more than 300 objects created by painters who lived in the 19th Century as well as contemporary artists.
The Society is offering a peek into its collection during a show in the Heritage Center Art Gallery through March. The exhibit highlights the people, places and events that have shaped Blue Earth County. The exhibit includes a diverse group of paintings, photographs, drawings and prints, including BECHS' showpiece treasures and several works by local talent.
Over the years, the Society's fine art collections have grown significantly. The exhibit emphasizes this growth while highlighting new additions to collection as well as favorite pieces.
The Heritage Center gallery is open to the public during regular hours, which have recently expanded (9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays-Fridays and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays).
BECHS operates two facilities in Mankato: The Heritage Center, located at 415 Cherry Street, is open year-round and houses exhibit space, a research center and a gift shop. The historic R.D. Hubbard House is open seasonally, May through September.
Artists represented include John Willard, who was a captain of industry in Mankato during the late 1800s, and A. R. Hall, who worked at the G. E. Keene Photography Studio.
Landscapes include "Minneopa Falls: 1953," painted by John Turner, who was a display manager for Brett's.
Several works by Emma Miller are featured, including paintings of Hubbard Milling Company and North Front Street created during the 1950s.
F.A. Rinehart's portrait of Good Eagle, painted in 1901, was displayed in the Saulpaugh Hotel. An 1851 view of the pioneer town of Mankato, by A.A. Anderson, once hung in the office of Herman W. Miller, who was president of Miller Motors.
One of the highlights of the show is Gilbert Fletcher's "Ship & Whirlpool, 1920s." Fletcher was a printmaker who also is represented in the Metropolitan Museum's permanent collection.
Examples of wood burning art, needlework and a wreath made from human hair. Hair art was used for a variety of functions from recording family history to tokens of affection.
Edie Schmierbach
If you go What BECHS art exhibit "Art and Artists of Blue Earth County" Where Heritage Center Art Gallery, 415 Cherry St. More info Gallery is open to the public during regular hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays-Fridays, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdaya. No admission fee to gallery; museum and research center general admission is $5 for adults and $2 for ages five to 17.


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The Bottom Line
The historic restaurant is best known for its setting. With its location just steps from the C & O Canal, the Old Angler's Inn housed military officers during the Civil War. The inn was transformed into a charming restaurant in 1957 and consistently ranks as one of the most romantic places to dine in the Washington DC area. The food is okay, but prices are high. This restaurant is best for a special occasion or a light snack.
- Great patio and cozy dining rooms
- Romantic Atmosphere
- Expensive
- Limited menu
- Address: 10801 MacArthur Blvd. Potomac, MD.
- Phone: (301)365-2425
- Reservations Recommended
- Hours: Mon 4:30-9:30pm, Tues–Thurs 11:30am-9:30pm, Fri-Sat 11:30am-10pm, Sun 11:30am-9pm
- Prices: Dinner Entrees $24-39, Lunch Entrees $14-19
Guide Review - Old Angler's Inn Restaurant Review
The Old Anglers Inn is a local historic landmark restaurant with unique indoor and outdoor dining areas. The menu includes salads, steaks, seafood, and pasta. I enjoyed the beet salad and the grilled Octopus as starters. For the main course, I had the Grilled Pork Loin which was tasty but too fatty and the portion was small. For dessert, we shared the Peanut Butter & Dark Chocolate Bomb which was delicious. Overall the food was okay, but overpriced.
Reviewed September 2012 - Prices Subject to Change.
Reviewed September 2012 - Prices Subject to Change.


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These are really great pickups, they sound absolutely amazing distorted and pretty darn good clean too.
POSTED: 01/05/2012 - 02:40 am
The Black Hawk 7-string set is my first experience with Bare Knuckle Pickups, and - dare I say - any electric guitar pickup of this caliber, and they are simply fantastic.
POSTED: 02/22/2013 - 02:36 am
If you love P90s, and metal, and want to sound unique and awesome, this pickup is for you.
POSTED: 02/06/2013 - 03:29 am
One thing to remember with Bareknuckle pickups is that they are very sensitive to the guitar you put them in.
POSTED: 05/16/2011 - 03:37 am
The output tends to hover around 11.5k to 12.5k resistance depending on what position you ordered, so it's a pretty hot single coil.
POSTED: 08/24/2010 - 03:27 am
The output of this pickup is nuts, it has a 15.3k resistance, so it's a pretty hot pickup, but it's actually one of the least hot contemporary humbucker pickups BKP makes.
POSTED: 08/23/2010 - 05:41 am
Hear the twang of the strings as the arrows start to fly. Full bodied, expressive and punchy; genuine '50's Strat tone.
POSTED: 01/14/2009 - 03:37 am


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Services > Grants and Funding > Community Organisations
This grant is to provide financial assistance as either a:
Local community organisations who provide support and services to the residents of the Town are welcome to apply. Grants of up to $2000 are available.
To check if your club or community organisation is eligible for a grant refer to the information below.
Grant Guidelines
Available Grants - Additional Information
Funding applications for the Community Organisations Grants have now closed for the year.
Contact us to speak to a staff member from the Town's Community Development team for further information.


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Javavana Mate Tea Review
What You Should Know
Click Here To See Our Highest Rated Review
There is a distinct difference between tea lovers and coffee lovers, unless you take a gander at Javavana Mate Tea. This tea variety sold by Teavana offers the taste of coffee and all the caffeine of coffee paired with the health benefits of tea. Teavana offers a complete list of ingredients and a list of benefits associated with the tea. None of the benefits are supported with clinical references, though finding references on the health benefits of tea is easy.
List of Ingredients
- Assam Black Tea
- Roasted Mate Tea
- Cocoa Bits
- Chocolate Flavoring
- Cappuccino Flavoring
- Vanilla Bits
Product Features
For some tea lovers, finding just the right tea flavor is the ultimate achievement. Javavana Mate Tea combines black tea and mate tea into a coffee-like beverage with all the caffeine of coffee. According to the benefits listed in the product description, the tea may increase energy, support a healthy heart and suppress appetite. We are unsure about the appetite suppression claims, but the energizing and healthy heart claims are supported by clinical research.
Tea is one of the oldest beverages on earth. It has been used for hundreds of years as a regal beverage, alternative medicine and, now, a weight loss supplement. Most of the information dieters find online regarding weight loss tea is centered on the benefits of green tea, but black tea and mate tea also provide healthy antioxidants and heart benefits.
The energizing claim is associated with the caffeine content and not the tea. A cup of coffee contains between 75 and 100 mg of caffeine, on average. If the dieter brews the Javavana Mate Tea stronger, the caffeine content will increase. It is best to use this beverage in place of your morning coffee as opposed to drinking it throughout the day due to the high caffeine content.
- Contains caffeine – proven to boost metabolism.
- Provides antioxidants for free radical control.
- May support a healthy heart.
- May suppress appetite – according to Teavana.
- The tea is not designed for weight loss.
- May contain too much caffeine for some dieters.
- May not taste exactly like coffee.
Javavana Mate Tea is a unique take on tea. The tea tastes like chocolate, coffee, vanilla and cappuccino, which likely mimics more expensive coffee drinks, but it also provides the health benefits of tea. This drink is best consumed as an alternative to morning coffee. As is the case with all teas, dieters will have to add sweetener and cream to taste for the ultimate experience.


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Welcome to the 1924 Club -- Exclusively for UNC Parents
The 1924 Club is our way to provide parents of UNC students with special offers to add value to their campus visits. Membership is simple, complimentary, and available only to UNC parents.
What are the other benefits?
- Access to our Chapel Hill hotel's preferred 1924 Club discount of 15% off our best available rate on any night except for graduation weekend
- Tiered priority reservation eligibility for graduation weekend
- Priority access to reservations for football weekends
- Personalized 1924 Club member number provided upon confirmation of your membership
- On campus location and only steps away from the historic Franklin Street district
- Complimentary local transportation during your stay at our hotel near UNC Chapel Hill available from 7:00 am to 11:00 pm within a 5 mile radius
- Refer other UNC Parents to the 1924 Club and you'll receive a $25 credit per referral which can be applied towards rooms, food and beverage or retail
Click here to complete our membership application.
An email confirmation will be sent within 48 hours and will include your personalized 1924 Club member number. All personal data is confidential and for internal use only. We will not share your information.
Please call The Carolina Inn Reservations Department at 800-962-8519 or email firstname.lastname@example.com with any questions.


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|Denmark (ˈdɛnmɑːk)
|Danish name: Danmark a kingdom in N Europe, between the Baltic and the North Sea: consists of the mainland of Jutland and about 100 inhabited islands (chiefly Zealand, Lolland, Funen, Falster, Langeland, and Bornholm); extended its territory throughout the Middle Ages, ruling Sweden until 1523 and Norway until 1814, and incorporating Greenland as a province from 1953 to 1979; joined the Common Market (now the EU) in 1973; an important exporter of dairy produce. Language: Danish. Religion: Christian, Lutheran majority. Currency: krone. Capital: Copenhagen. Pop: 5 375 000 (2004 est). Area: 43 031 sq km (16 614 sq miles)Related: Danish
|Related: Danish
Constitutional monarchy in northern Europe, bordered by the North Sea to the west, the Skagerrak and the Kattegat Straits to the north, the Baltic Sea to the east, and Germany to the south.
Note: Denmark became a member of NATO in 1949, breaking its tradition of neutrality.