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Captured over a period of seven years, Michael's photography combines a passion for history and landscape and presents a unique reflection on the transformation of the battlefields of the Great War into the landscape of modern Europe.
Michael commented:
"This collection represents a legacy which I hope will create a gateway to the battlefields themselves, thus encouraging people to visit these historic landscapes during the centennial period and so create awareness and understanding of the events and historical implications of the First World War".
Michael says:
"This collection represents a legacy which I hope will create a gateway to the battlefields themselves, thus encouraging people to visit these historic landscapes during the centennial period and so create awareness and understanding of the events and historical implications of the First World War".
The performance of the Belgium Army under the inspired leadership of their charismatic King Albert, is generally overlooked in histories of the 1st World War. At the outset of war, their army, which had been discounted by the German High Command as "chocolate soldiers", fought with an unexpected determination which slowed the German advance through Belgium.
However, after the final collapse of the Liege forts, King Albert withdrew his troops towards Antwerp and thence westwards past Ostende to Nieuport where at the end of Oct 1914 the tidal lock gates of the Yser were opened to enable the flooding of a wide area of the Yser plain down toward Dixemude. The resultant inundation halted the German advance and created a unique landscape.
"Water is everywhere: in the air: on the ground, under the ground. It is the land of dampness, the kingdom of water. It rains three days out of four. The north-west winds ... carry heavy clouds of cold rain formed in the open sea. As soon as the rain ceases to fall, thick white mists rise from the ground giving a ghost-like appearance to men and things alike" is how it was described by a French marine, Charles le Goffic.
Above: Little has changed in the past 100 years in this little known part of the Western Front but to the discerning visitor there are numerous reminders of the past and thick white mists still cling to these largely forgotten fields of battle.
One of the myths of WW1 is that generals cowered in luxurious chateaux, keeping themselves out of danger miles behind the lines.
This memorial, in the same cavern as the Chapelle du Pere Doncoeur shown in the previous posting, gives the lie to this oft quoted fallacy.
It is a memorial to General de Villaret and General Manoury, GOC 6th Army, who were both severely wounded near here by the same bullet which cost Manoury his sight. The British had already lost one General killed and another seriously wounded by a shell at a critical juncture in the fighting at Ypres in October 1914 and at Loos in Sept 1915 they were to lose 3 generals killed whilst commanding in the front line so the realisation dawned that losing generals was not the way to effectively control an army in modern warfare.
Quite simply, in the war of 14-18, the British lost 97 generals who either died or were killed and another 146 were wounded or taken prisoner. In total 13% of generals died against 11.5% of private soldiers. The reason for their presence in chateaux was simply that as soon as a general walked away from the telephone on his desk, he could no longer be contacted with information or a request for orders.
The only effective way a general could exercise control was by communication and during the 1st World War, that meant the telephone.
So whilst the two generals commemorated here are the consequence of what must surely have been militarily one of the most effective bullets ever fired, far more importantly the memorial serves to refute the commonly held opinion that generals were callous cowards.
Carved by the Poilus (French Infantry) into the rock of a subterranean limestone quarry, or "creute", near Soissons, this chapel is surely one of the most extraordinary reminders of the conflict. Named after the heroic Chaplain of the 35th RI it is in a series of "creutes" which served as a refuge for the French as they clung to a hilltop position overlooking the Aisne.
Today, the colours of the painted altar are muted and the stair-case by which the men ascended to reach the front line overhead is blocked but the presence of the men of 14-18 abounds in this hallowed place. Richard Holmes told me that "when I stand there I am always deafened by the silent sound of the soldiers singing the Marseillaise".
Recently I was given this extraordinary description of Christmas Mass 1915 written by an anonymous soldier,
"... a sergeant in my company, Theo Potel, is an amateur painter and at the end of the cave we have made, in a big oval niche, a cross with Christ around which he has painted the light of the rising sun in a superb red. The inspiration which inspired our friend is superb: Christ wishes to be able to descend from the cross, neither his hands nor his feet are nailed. He is simply lifted into the air above us and is an allusion to God being delivered from the cross just as we French will soon rid us of these barbaric Germans.
On the two sides of the chapel Potel has painted flowers for us which has a beautiful effect. ... for light there are two small candlesticks each with four candles on the altar: two other big ones with six candles stand on either side of the altar. For decoration on either side there are two splendid fir trees.
...on the altar four vases holding Christmas roses which we found in the garden near the cave: two of the vases are German shell-cases, the other two jam-jars. The little things placed on the altar by our priest create a splendid effect. Now comes the hour. The lights are glowing and the singers are near the altar ... our verger is a superb territorial called Furnon whose beard is at least 30 cms long is carrying a superb looking halberd made from the handle of a pitch fork, a German bayonet and a curved bill-hook. A huge crowd of men take their place in the corridor. Everyone gathers their thoughts and the mass begins. The moment of the elevation comes: the piquet are carrying arms as the bugles have just sounded the call to arms. ... and then to finish the Mass we sing three verses of the Marseillaise.
At that moment, it was so beautiful it brought tears to one's eyes ..."
As always, Richard was right.
The village of Cantigny near Montdidier is where the American Army "doughboys" really entered the First World War and began the process whereby the USA would become the dominant power of the 20th century.
It was in the battles of the First World War that many of the men who were to lead the USA through the 20th century came of age.
The attack on Cantigny was planned by the young Lt.Col. George C Marshall who would become both Chief of Staff of the United States Army and U S Secretary of State in which office his "Marshall Plan" would enable the economic recovery of Western Europe after WWII.
It would also earn him the Nobel Peace Prize in 1953: for many people it must seem an oddity that a soldier should win a "peace" prize but the simple fact is that soldiers are those with the greatest understanding of the real cost of war. 'Killers' they may be, but they are the ones who have the most to gain from the coming of peace and the return to their loved ones.
In WW1 terms Cantigny was not a huge battle - the capture of the village cost them just 100 casualties although they lost more men during subsequent counter-attacks - but it gave the Americans battle experience.
Above: The real significance of Cantigny was that it heralded the American challenge both to the German army and the European domination of the world for in this little French village is where the awakening American giant first flexed its muscle in the 20th century.
These graves suggest to me that we need to accept that the "enemy" is not de facto a bad or evil man. Rather he is a young man ordered into battle in the name of duty and honour. It may be that, once the fighting started he enjoyed the camaraderie of war but the simple fact is that wars are generally started by just a few men of power who are then on-lookers to the mayhem they have caused.
Kipling, the poet of the British Empire wrote an epitaph for his son Jack which I think must surely be one of the most poignant and honest apologies that any public person has ever made:
"If any question why we died,
Tell them, because our fathers lied".
The young German soldiers who were buried in this Vosgienne forest were simply young men doing their duty as ordered, fighting for their homeland. Whether dressed in "feld-grau" or khaki, they were just young men who happened to be soldiers doing their duty and obeying orders.
So, a century later, let us just honour them as men who died doing their duty. They only fought because the politicians - their "fathers" - told them so to do. The war has become history and let us just leave it at that.
In all the debate about the effect of the Great War upon participant nations it is a shameful fact that little attention is ever given to the effect of the war in the African colonies upon the native population.
In all truth, there are no accurate figures but even taking the lowest estimates the overall picture is truly horrendous and even allowing for the exigencies of war, is a shameful reflection upon all involved.
All the armies needed huge numbers of carriers to carry their essential supplies. Thus whilst the British army put over 120,000 men into the field of whom 11,189 died, they needed over 1m. carriers of whom 95,000 died.
In the Kikuyu province of Kenya with a total population of 700,000 in 1914, 45,000 were recruited as carriers of whom over 9,000 died. The huge losses of men meant that the production of food was severely lessened so when the global influenza epidemic reached the region in October of 1918 over 70,000 people died within months and overall it is suggested that 1.5m people died in sub-Saharan Africa. Famine took its toll and it is suggested that in Ruanda, Urundi & German East Africa over 300,000 died.
I would suggest that in the coming years we would do well to reflect upon these massive losses of innocent people, who were coerced into a war which had neither relevance nor meaning to them, before we start our somewhat self-indulgent consideration of our own casualties.
True, every man that died was one man too many but the fact is that today in all our obsession with the "Western Front" we totally neglect any consideration as to the impact of the First World War upon the native peoples of Africa . And that is shameful.
Above: The railway from Taveta to Voi which was built in 1915 to supply the British army.
Bridges were always of great strategic importance as they crossed rivers and canals which formed natural lines of defence. One of the strongest defence lines during the war, the St Quentin Canal and in particular, the Riqueval Bridge North of Bellinglise were of great importance.
It was captured on 29th September 1918 by a small group of men from the 1/6th Batt North Staffordshire Regiment under the command of Capt A H Charlton who charged out the mists of early morning and surprised the German Pioneers who were supposed to destroy the bridge in the event of an attack. Charlton managed to cut the detonating wires and for his actions on the day he was awarded the DSO.
Above: The Riqueval Bridge North of Bellinglise - France
The all powerful artillery has simply obliterated the trenches leaving nothing but holes punched into the ground so that as French veteran Lt Raymond Jubert wrote in his book "Verdun 1916"
"The infantryman has no function except to get himself crushed, he dies without glory...at the bottom of a hole, far away from any witness"
In recent years Verdun has become a symbol of reconciliation between Germany and France - a fitting recognition that during the 10 month battle the opposing sides suffered over 700,000 casualties in total. This was indeed a "war within a war"
Above: Verdun, with its battered forts and pockmarked landscape, epitomises the reality of the First World War for the French nation.
An RFC pilot, Cecil Lewis was in the air at the instant of detonation and wrote:
"At Boisselle the earth heaved and flashed, a tremendous and magnificent column rose up into the sky... flinging the machine sideways... It rose, higher and higher to almost four thousand feet... A moment later came the second mine... again the roar, the upflung machine... Then the dust cleared and we saw the two white eyes of the craters.... the infantry were over the top, the attack had begun".
Today the eye is still open to the skies, an open grave for both British and German soldiers who died in combat here.
I would like to think that Lewis was smiling upon me on the day I took this photograph as I was using a micro-light which cannot really have been much different from the wire and canvas aircraft that he was flying in all those years ago.
Above: Lochnagar Crater is one of the iconic remnants of the Somme battlefield and just as in the war, one can really only appreciate its true scale from the air.
During the Great War aerial photography was an essential tool for all armies in discovering the details of the defensive systems of their opponents. Aerial photography provided essential intelligence and the flights to collect this vital information became a prime target for early aerial combat with one side seeking to protect their slow moving "scout" planes whilst the other side sought to shoot them, and their photographic evidence, out of the skies thus giving rise to 'dog-fighting' between opposing fighter aircraft.
100 years later, every detail of the battlefield of Beaumont Hamel, the trenches and shell-holes are still revealed to the "eye in the sky" just showing how naked and exposed the infantry would have felt.
Above: Newfoundland Park, Beaumont Hamel, France.
Above: Looking east & north along the railway line towards the Nova Scotian memorial east of Zonnebeke - Passchendaele road.
Above: Vosges now.
Mittel Rehfelsen is a rocky outcrop on the southern slopes of Hartmannswillerkopf which was tunneled and fortified by German troops. Hartmannswillerkopf was also known to the French as "Le Vieil Armand" a 900m hill rocky spur with extensive views over the Rhine plain North of Mulhouse. Of obvious strategic significance, it was heavily fought over for much of the war and has some of the most extensive German fortifications of any region of the Western Front.
Below: Vosges then.
German troops pictured in Vosges in deep snow.
Above: Messines Ridge
The Messines ridge, south of Ypres, had been held by the Germans since 1914 but at 0310 on the morning of June 7th 1917 the British exploded 19 mines packed with a total of 450 tons of High Explosive under the German lines along the Messines-Wijtschate Ridge.
It was the largest man-made explosion prior to the nuclear era and it is estimated killed 10,000 men in a matter of seconds.
"great leaping streams of orange flame shot upwards, each a huge volcano...along the front of attack followed by terrific explosions and dense masses of smoke and dust which stood like pillars towering into the sky, all illuminated by the fires below".
Above: Passchendaele
The annual "iron harvest" bears witness to the fury of the artillery assault during the 3rd Battle of Ypres, otherwise known as 'Passchendaele' in 1917.


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|Fabadas Asturianos - A Spanish stew or casserole containing white beans, chorizo, serrano ham and morcilla
|Faggots - Faggots are a kind of meatball made from pork heart, liver, and belly, traditionally wrapped in cawl fat.
|Falafel - Middle Eastern dish of spiced and crushed chick peas deep fried in patties or balls, often served in pitta pockets
|Farfalle - Butterfly-shaped pasta More...
|Fat Duck - Michelin starred flagship restaurant of Heston Blumenthal, probably Britain's leading exponent of 'molecular gastronomy'
|Fava Beans - Another name for broad beans
|Feta - Feta is a salty cheese from Greece and Turkey, traditionally made from ewe's milk or goat milk More...
|Fines Herbes - Mixture of green herbs used in French cooking
|Fish Sauce - Fish sauce is a salty liquid used in south east Asian cooking More...
|Five Spice Powder - A fragrant mixture of spices used in Chinese and other oriental cuisines
|Flounder - A common flat fish similar to plaice, although not as widely used in cooking
|Foie Gras - The liver of a duck or goose which has been enlarged and made extremely tender and fatty by force feeding the animal
|Food Miles - The distance food has travelled is a growing concern among ethical consumers. Local food for local people, we say. More...
|Free Range - Referring to animals which are raised and kept in conditions that give them access to the outdoors, with minimum standards set by law
|Frittata - A frittata is the Italian version of an omelette More...
|Fritto Misto - Italian dish of mixed seafood, offal, or other ingredients deep fried in a light batter
|Fusilli - Pasta shaped into spirals or corkscrews

subset: commoncrawl


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Item: G.E.T. 1ea - Stone-Mel™ 21" x 12-1/2" Textured Black Display Tray
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Francis E Kennard
Francis E Kennard, age 84 of Quincy, Illinois, formerly of Rock Falls, Illinois died on Thursday November 1, 2012 at Quincy Illinois Veterans Home. He was born on July 22, 1928 in Seward,Nebraska, the son of Arthur and Ida (Magwitz) Kennard. Francis was united in marriage to Helen McKown on August 25, 1962 in Morrison, Illinois; she preceded him in death on October 12, 2008. He served in the United States Air force as Master Sergeant. Francis worked at Frantz Manufacturing Sterling, Illinois until his retirement, was a member of the Rock Falls American Legion Post 902 and an avid bowler. He is survived by two daughters Carol (Dan) Merrill of Ohio, Illinois and Susan Kennard of Virginia; four sons Herbert (Deb) Hallen of Dover, Illinois, Robert (Sherry) Kennard of Sterling, Illinois, Martin Kennard of Virginia and Arthur Kennard of Virginia; seven grandchildren; eleven great grandchildren; two great great grandchildren; one sister Wilma Karns of Morrison, Illinois; a special aunt Doris Magwitz of Wisconsin. numerous nieces and nephews. Francis was preceded in death by his parents, wife Helen, grandson Shane Kennard and five sisters.Funeral services will be conducted on Saturday November 3, 2012 at 11 AM at Garland Funeral Home with Rev. Katie Voigt of Red Oak United Methodist Church, pastor officiating. Burial will be in Limerick Cemetery. Military Rites will be accorded by Rock Falls American Legion Post 902Visitation will be held on Saturday from 9:30 to 11 AM at Garland Funeral Home Walnut. A MEMORIAL HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED IN HIS MEMORY TO QUINCY ILLINOIS VETERANS HOME AND ROCK FALLS AMERCIAN LEGION. Condolences may be sent to www.garlandfuneralhome.com.
Saturday November 3, 2012 9:30 – 11:00 AMGarland Funeral Home
Saturday November 3, 2012 11 AMGarland Funeral Home
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A Tradition of Neighborly Service


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Cuba Libre
LA DESCARGA rum bar transports you to a Havana that
exists only in tropical memories by TESSA BENSON
produced by WYATT PEABODY / photographs by Peden + Munk
Rarely do you find a themed bar in Los Angeles that doesn't involve three levels, a few deejays and more than your fair share of Jersey Shore extras "beating up the beat" to house music. Well, no longer.
Enter La Descarga, a Cuban bar/lounge about to open on a nondescript section of Western Avenue. It's Los Angeles' next-generation rum bar, a quasi speakeasy with an unmarked black metal door and a reservation-only rule. (But fear not—just email, and they'll accommodate.)
Walking up a narrow staircase to the tiny check-in room, you're reminded of an apartment walk-up (similar to the genius concept of the old Beatrice Inn in NYC). A raven-haired hostess escorts you through a wooden armoire—à la The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe—complete with hanging white linen suits, onto the raised metal walkway of a bilevel space, on which a combo plays. (We're talking merengue, mambo, Latin rhythms—no top 40 or hip-hop here.) Below beckons a floor-to-ceiling bar made from white marble and a schizophrenic mishmash of woods. So naturally, down you go.
The parlor-like club is designed to evoke a pre-Fidel Cuba—before things got sticky—back when people knew how to enjoy the finer things in life, even if they didn't own a sugarcane farm. As you wait for your drink, a trapdoor in the ceiling opens, and scantily clad dancers make their way down for a stint on the bartop, before returning from whence they came.
Serious barmen Pablo Moix (Portfolio Mixologist of Bacardi USA) and Steve Livigni (the Doheny) manage the drinks and oversee the operation with twin owners Mark and Johnny Houston (of the Piano Bar and the Bar fame). The formula is simple, says Mark: "It's about good drinks, good music and good people."
Moix and Livigni are the real deal, inventing libations with the obsession of mad scientists. And though the drinks are innovative, the philosophy behind them is old style. "Here," Moix says, "we put the bottle in front of you and explain what each ingredient is and the history of the components that are going into the drink."
The lone exception is their Next Level—a breathtaking concoction poured into a 32-degree spherical glass made from hollowed-out ice that rests atop a base of shaved ice. Ask what's in it, and both hesitate. "Barmen can be really catty. We want to hold onto the ingredients like the Holy Grail," says Moix. "We're going to have an entire Next Level menu. Maybe make some for two—like Lady and the Tramp, where they share the pasta."
In keeping with the clandestine theme, there's an adjoining cigar room—appropriately accessed through a dark alley—that sells 10 different types of hand-rolled cigars.
One thing's for sure—you won't have to worry about Fidel raiding the place—unless he gets wind of the quality of the cigars, that is.
Opens Feb. 2; 1159 Western Ave., L.A., no phone yet, ladescargala.com.


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LITTLE ROCK, Ark.
Arkansas Mutual Insurance Donates to Impaired Physician Fund
LITTLE ROCK, Ark., Feb. 11, 2013 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — Arkansas Mutual Insurance Company, a medical malpractice insurance carrier for Arkansas physicians, recently donated $15,000 to the Impaired Physician Program administered by the Arkansas Medical Foundation. This is the third annual donation by Arkansas Mutual Insurance Company to this critical support program for physicians in the State of Arkansas.
"We are pleased once again to be able to provide financial support to the Arkansas Medical Foundation to assist them in continuing this vital public service. Our mission as a company is to support Arkansas physicians by protecting their practice and this effort is an extension of our dedication to Arkansas physicians," said Corey Little, President and CEO of Arkansas Mutual Insurance company. "This is the third year that we have donated to the fund and we see this donation as a critical piece of our corporate responsibility to the medical community."
The Arkansas Medical Foundation was formed in 1983 to provide confidential treatment and follow-up monitoring for physicians struggling with impairment, and to promote public health and safety by insuring the continued availability of skilled and highly trained medical professionals for the benefit of the public.
"The Arkansas Medical Foundation is appreciative of Arkansas Mutual Insurance Company for its thoughtful and generous contribution to the cause of the Foundation to maintain the health and safety of all healthcare providers. With this program a cascade of events occurs that benefits all of Arkansas. The beneficiaries are often the providers, the families, the hospitals, the insurers, and most importantly the public. With the help of our supporters like Arkansas Mutual, these positive events will continue," said Dr. Larry Lawson, Executive Director of the Arkansas Medical Foundation.
Arkansas Mutual Insurance Company provides stable, long-term professional liability insurance to enhance the strength of the medical community. Arkansas Mutual Insurance Company is the only physician-owned medical malpractice insurance company based in Arkansas serving only Arkansas doctors.
For more information, visit: http://www.arkansasmutual.com/ .
- PHOTO Caption: Corey Little, CEO Arkansas Mutual Insurance Company presents check to Dr. Larry Lawson, Executive Director of the Arkansas Medical Foundation.
NEWS SOURCE: Arkansas Mutual Insurance Company :: This press release was issued on behalf of the news source by Send2Press(R) Newswire, a service of Neotrope(R). View all current news at the Send2Press for Journalists Portal: http://Send2PressNewswire.com/ .
Copyright © 2013 Send2Press NewsWire for Journalists. This content is copyrighted under U.S. and international law and may only be used for non-commercial purposes by news aggregators or under license of the Neotrope® News Network - www.neotrope.net. .
Copr. © Neotrope and the news source - all rights reserved.
Arkansas Mutual Insurance Company Earns 'A Prime' Rating
LITTLE ROCK, Ark., April 27, 2012 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — Arkansas Mutual Insurance Company has earned a Financial Stability Rates® (FSR) of A, Exceptional from Demotech, Inc. This level of FSR is assigned to insurers who possess unsurpassed financial stability related to maintaining positive surplus as regards policyholders, liquidity of invested assets, an acceptable level of financial leverage, reasonable loss and loss adjustment expense reserves (L&LAE) and realistic pricing.
FSRs summarize Demotech's opinion of the financial stability of an insurer regardless of general economic conditions or the phase of the underwriting cycle. FSRs utilize statutory financial data based on insurance accounting principles prescribed or permitted by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC).
"We are extremely proud to have earned our 'A, Exceptional' rating from Demotech." says Corey Little, Chief Executive Officer of Arkansas Mutual. "After five years in business, this designation confirms the financial integrity and stability that is so critical to our business and to our policyholders."
About Arkansas Mutual Insurance Company:
Arkansas Mutual Insurance Company, a not-for-profit organization, is the only medical liability insurance provider that is headquartered in Arkansas and dedicated to serving only Arkansas-based medical professionals. Founded in 2008, Arkansas Mutual is owned and governed by its physician policyholders. Visit www.arkansasmutual.com for more information.
About Demotech, Inc.
Demotech, Inc. is a financial analysis firm located in Columbus, Ohio. Since 1985, Demotech has been serving the insurance industry by providing actuarial consulting and accurate and proven Financial Stability Ratings® (FSRs). FSRs are a leading indicator of the financial stability of a company.
News Source: Arkansas Mutual Insurance Company :: This press release was issued on behalf of the news source by Send2Press® Newswire, a service of Neotrope®. View all current news at: http://Send2PressNewswire.com .
School Food Gardens get Glass Greenhouses
LITTLE ROCK, Ark., March 20, 2012 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — When a local Hillcrest resident asked EcoHouse to remodel his 60 foot sunroom, architect and custom home builder Rodney Collins suggested donating the glassed room to local educational gardens. Not only will the material be reused, but the local food system movement will benefit by better educating our school children and producing good food for the schools and the local farmers markets. The environment will be better served in so many ways, instead of filling the landfill. The final disassembling and move will take place on Saturday, March 24, 2012.
"We are happy to have a new home for the glass house," says Clark Trim. Gold Sponsors of the Arkansas Flower & Garden Show and Owners of Colonial Wines & Spirits, Clark Trim and Henrick Thostrup make the generous donation of the sunroom.
EcoHouse contacted the Arkansas Sustainable Network for help finding a suitable local garden who needs the structure. "Smells of orange blossoms," Rodney told them.
Carsten Platz of Ace Glass, already a proponent of local food, donates his time, expertise and equipment for the massive project of disassembly, moving the curved glass room and reconstruction into new forms.
The sunroom will go mostly to Hall High School here in Little Rock for a large educational greenhouse. The gardening program is under the direction of Jonathon M Buford who is hands on helping with the move. Remaining portions of the sunroom will also go to Felder Farm and the Victory Garden Project. Felder Farm is a school farm and educational market garden located at Felder Academy, a Little Rock school for 6th thru 12th grade. The Victory Garden Project is a non-profit urban farm in the Stifft Station neighborhood of Little Rock, Ark., sponsored by the Central Arkansas New Agrarian Society and the Arkansas Sustainability Network.
EcoHouse is an architect and builder of fine custom homes and remodeling in Little Rock area. More information: www.EcoHouseConstruction.com . Contact Rodney Collins, architect at 501 303 4578. Contact Carten Platz, glass installer at 501 766 4740. Contact Jonathan M Buford, educator/farmer at 501 952 1188.
News Source: EcoHouse Construction :: This press release was issued on behalf of the news source by Send2Press® Newswire, a service of Neotrope®. View all current news at: http://Send2PressNewswire.com .


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when it came out i liked it but now it is quit old
I liked it to command great armys off Rome and see the enemy fleing from you.
Whell i love the looks of the battleships and when you fire all the canons hehe :) IRL i love...
It was fun to walk around in the Dwarven lands and maining, smelting, create armour and smash the...
This game i relly love i have only playd it 2 days but that was just stres test beta. The ships...
of Fable 2 players also played Oblivion
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DES MOINES – Consider where they came from.
The Kennedy Cougars were 11-10 last season, an ordinary team. They faced the prospect of dealing with a new coach, a new system, a new philosophy and few expectations externally.
So while a 75-65 loss to favored Sioux City North in a Class 4A state tournament quarterfinal Wednesday night at Wells Fargo Arena hurt bad, it shouldn't take away from what they achieved in 2013-14. That's achingly cliché, but true.
"Everyone came to practice ready to give it their best," said Kennedy's Zach Daniels. "No one took days off. It's a good feeling just to make it here because everyone doubted us this year. We passed everyone's expectations."
But, oh, what could have been. Unafraid to play fast against a fast team, Kennedy (18-6) survived an awful beginning and had a lead early in the third quarter.
But North (22-3) notched a couple of defensive stops, which spurred it to a 7-0 run that gave it a 65-58 lead with 3:34 left. Kennedy couldn't overcome it.
"They got wide-open layups on fast breaks, we kind of fell apart with our press," said Kennedy's Cole Murdock. "We were right there, we just kind of fell apart at the end and let them pull away."
Read more: http://iowaprepsports.com/2014/03/12/kennedy-gives-sioux-city-north-a-run-but-falls-75-65/
Cedar Rapids, Iowa News, Sports, and Weather


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Consider this your "Hey, why the hell did they release that guy?!" thread…
The final cuts are in and your 2010 Pittsburgh Steelers roster is set (for the time being, anyway). Commence with the bellyaching:
LB Patrick Bailey
CB Joe Burnett
S Da'Mon Cromartie-Smith
WR Tyler Grisham
DE Sunny Harris
C Justin Hartwig
WR Stefan Logan
DT Steve McLendon
FB Frank Summers
OG Kraig Urbik
DT Doug Worthington
For completeness, here are the guys who got axed earlier this week:
09/03/2010: TE Eugene Bright, OG Dorian Brooks, OT Kyle Jolly, WR Brandon London, TE Sean McHugh, DT Scott Paxson, LS Matt Stewart, DB Justin Thornton, RB Justin Vincent, LB Renauld Williams,
August 31: LB Brandon Renkart, CB David Pittman, FB Dwayne Wright, G Adrian Jones. Waive LB Andre Frazier from IR. G Chris Scott placed on PUP.
And with his job complete, the Turk takes the next 50 weeks off.


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Grand Arch Rises to King Edward Surprise
Outsider Grand Arch, rallying through the long Woodbine stretch, caught favored Excaper in the final strides to register his first stakes win in the $187,759 King Edward (Can-IIT) June 22 on the turf.
Outsider Grand Arch, rallying through the long Woodbine stretch, caught favored Excaper in the final strides to register his first stakes win in the $187,759 King Edward (Can-IIT) June 22 on the turf.
Grade II winner Exhi and Irish group victor Nephrite have been added to the stallion roster of Park Stud in Orangeville, Ontario, owners Michael and Laurel Byrne announced Nov. 30.
Five Iron took command out of the gate and would not be denied a front-running victory by 1 1/4 lengths in the $150,709 Victoria Park Stakes for 3-year-olds June 16 at Woodbine.
Prospective won for the first time since the Tampa Bay Derby (gr. II) in March when he overcame a stumble at the start to capture the $149,314 Victoria Park Stakes at Woodbine June 10.
Exhi, a grade II winner at Keeneland and a multiple stakes winner at Woodbine, will enter stud as a 5-year-old this year at John and Doris Carey's T.C. Westmeath Stud Farm near Shelburne, Ontario.
Mark Casse, who won the Dominion Day Handicap (Can-III) a year ago with Marchfield, will have two more chances in the latest edition of the $200,000 race when a field of 11 lines up July 1 at Woodbine.
Passed in mid-stretch, pacesetter Moonshine Mullin fought back along the rail for jockey Emma-Jayne Wilson to capture the $155,685 Victoria Park Stakes by a nose over Alpha Bettor in a big upset at Woodbine June 12.
Fifty Proof earned his first graded stakes win when he disposed of odds-on favorite Exhi on the final turn and held on for a half-length win in the $175,871 Eclipse Stakes (Can-III) at odds of 10-1 at Woodbine May 28.
Stunning Stag and Exhi, both grade III winners in their most recent efforts, head the field for the $150,000 Eclipse Stakes (Can-III) over Woodbine's Polytrack May 28.
Wertheimer and Frere's Kentucky homebred Exhi had no problem returning from his six-month layoff, as he took a short field wire-to-wire in the $150,000 Ben Ali (gr. III) April 23 for his second graded stakes win at Keeneland.
Despite making his season debut, multiple stakes winner Exhi figures to be well-backed in a short field entered for the $150,000 Ben Ali (gr. III) April 23 at Keeneland.
Successful Dan easily rolled past pacesetter Exhi just beyond the eighth-pole and romped home for a three-length victory in the $150,000 Greenbrier Fayette (gr. II) Oct. 30 on closing day at Keeneland.
Jason, Tom, and James Scully of TwinSpires.com preview the Greenbrier Fayette Stakes (gr. II). Plus, an early look at the Breeders' Cup Juvenile and Sprint. Watch Video
Stately Victor, who scored his career biggest win at Keeneland in the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (gr. I) this spring, returns to the Lexington racetrack as one of the favorites for the closing day $150,000 Fayette Stakes.
Passed in upper stretch by A Little Warm, Morning Line battled back along the rail to get up by a neck in the $1 million Pennsylvania Derby (gr. II) to win his stakes debut for trainer Nick Zito at Parx Racing Sept. 25.
Stately Victor, who took the Bluegrass Stakes (gr. I) in April before off-the-board finishes in the three off-the-board finishes, returned to the winner's circle in the Ontario Derby at Woodbine Sept. 25.
Placing Kentucky Derby future bets is part of the fun in Las Vegas. Read Blog
First Dude, Exhi, and A Little Warm are among the competitive field of seven in the $1 million Pennsylvania Derby (gr. II) on Sept. 25 at Parx Racing.
Local favorite No Hesitation, on a four-race winning streak for trainer Jim Meyaard, takes on nine rivals, including a pair of California invaders, in the $300,000 Canadian Derby (Can-III) at Northlands Park.
MAHUBAH'S CORNER, by Avalyn Hunter
West Virginia Derby winner Concord Point is the first graded winner with siblings Relaunch and Moon Glitter in his pedigree--a pattern to watch for in future pedigrees.
Kaleem Shah's Concord Point continued his rise up the 3-year-old ranks with a wire-to-wire victory in the $750,000 West Virginia Derby (gr. II) at Mountaineer Casino, Racetrack & Resort Aug. 7.
Several winners of graded stakes are among nine 3-year-olds entered in the $750,000 West Virginia Derby (gr. II) at Mountaineer Casino, Racetrack & Resort Aug. 7.
At least six graded stakes winners are expected to run in the $750,000 West Virginia Derby (gr. II) at Mountaineer Casino, Racetrack & Resort Aug. 7.
Exhi, winner of the Lexington Stakes (gr. II) in April, thoroughly dominated his three rivals in the $144,795 Victoria Park Stakes June 27 at Woodbine, extending his victory streak to four races.
Favored Exhi, making his first start at Woodbine, drew off from his four 3-year-old rivals in the $151,447 Marine Stakes to record his third consecutive win by 4 1/2 lengths May 29.
|Breeder / Owner
|Bear's Hard Ten
|Reade Baker
|Todd A. Pletcher
|Gold Medallion
|Robertino Diodoro
|So Elite
|Mark E. Casse
|Village Drive
|Reade Baker
|Queen's Plate S.
|Dance Smartly S. (gr. II)
|Highlander S. (gr. II)
|Clarendon S.
|Singspiel S. (gr. III)
|Jack Cole S.


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Someone explain this to me, please. I have one guitar that's not a PRS, my only one. It's got a 25" scale length with a 10" radius. Top loading hard tail. 6 in line tuners. Dunlop 6105 frets (I had a neck made for it a few years ago very close to PRS wide fat specs). For all intents and purposes, it should feel roughly like a PRS.
However, it doesn't. The string tension is noticeably tighter. Same strings, same setup, same everything as my PRSi. The top strings might feel slightly different because they're an extra inch longer ball end to tuner than a PRS would be, but the low strings should be right in line with the PRSi and they're tight too. I have read "some guitars are just like that" but that makes no sense to me. It's also my brightest guitar and I don't want to go to 10s from my usual 11s for tonal reasons. Also, I already know the PRSi are superior.
Why would this be?


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Alternate Side Tickets Way Down in La Crosse
It turns out, the ticket writers in La Crosse were a whole lot less busy this past winter season. After the final count from last night, cops say just about 19 and a half thousand alternate side parking tickets were written in the city since November. Nearly ten thousand fewer than the year before. It may be that people are simply more conscientious about where they park their cars in the winter. But other factors more likely attributed to the decline, including the doubling of the alternate side parking fine prior to the season and a parking study conducted around UW La Crosse that left the area exempt from those alternate side regs for the season.


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MyBankTracker rated State Farm Bank based on the following criteria that includes real customer reviews and bank fees, among others. Our bank report card is a proprietary rating system that highlights the financial health and stability of the bank.
I have been mroe than satisfied with my banking experience with state farm bank. Their online and mobile capabilities are innovative and make banking simple for me which is what i need. I get unlimited atm reimbursements which is awesome, whereas my friends will go out of their way to find their bank's atm to avoid atm fees. Oh, and i don't have to keep a minimum balance either! State farm bank's free checking accounts truly are hassle-free, fee-free, and gimmick-free! Can you tell i love state farm bank?
I opened a cd account nearly one year ago and getting access online to my statement is impossible! I have yet to be able to access the actual statement without having to try 10-12 times at different times of the day and week. All i ever get is the "sorry but the site is temporarily down" message. I have sent several message via email and have even spoken to someone over the phone. I was told that they are aware of the problem and are working on it...... Bull! Unless their site was built by the same people that did the aca site for the government, the head of the it department should be fired. In this day and age of technology there is no excuse for a wed site to be so poor. I doubt that statefarm will respond to this but if you do, please do not tell me that the issue is being reviewed and will be resolved shortly. I have been hearing that for a year now with no improvement. I will be moving my money elsewhere where there is a more professional environment. Update: above is the review i sent to state farm. I just received a response from them. Big surprise. See below... Our staff has read your review and values your contribution even though it did not meet all our website guidelines. Thanks for sharing, and we hope to publish next time! Think they have something to hide????
I was given a $50 State Farm gift card as a a gift. Wonderful. I was saving it for an emergency. I finally decided to use it and needed to call in to activate the card. No big deal. The automated system tells me my gift card has declined in value to only $7.50. What! I called and explained to them that I wasn't aware that the card declines in value $2.50/mo if not used within the first 12 mos. There is a conveniently placed activation sticker covering the "fine print" on the back of the card detailing the charges. I spoke to a rep who did nothing, his supervisor declined to reinstate any monthly maintenance fees and a SF review board also denied my request to even get a month or 2 of the fees put back on the card. Had I known the card would lose value, I would have used it right away. I feel the placement of the sticker covering the charges is placed there on purpose so you aren't aware of the fees. I was extremely disappointed that after being a SF policyholder for 30 years, that they wouldn't reinstate a month or 2 of fees. I am in the process of moving all my policies to another ins agency.
I checked other gift cards like Buffalo Wild Wings, Flat Top Grill and TGI Fridays and none of those cards lose value.
Be careful. Know the terms and know State Farm doesn't care!


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Taking Out the Stitches
8 comments:
Beautiful! He is always near. Thankful for that:))ReplyDelete
Amen! I'm so thankful that He is always faithful....even when I am not.ReplyDelete
Never too late... Amen!ReplyDelete
Thanks for your thoughts today - something that I needed to hear. I'm thankful that God is always waiting there for us and it is never too late!ReplyDelete
Something I needed to hear. Amazing how He can direct my paths when I open myself to listen. Praying for your journey in this, as wellReplyDelete
Such a great post! Sometimes, it's so easy for life to get busy and before you know it, you're putting off the things in your life that are the most important (like quiet time and studying His word). So grateful that it's never to late to get back on track!ReplyDelete
So beautiful!! Where is your sweet pattern from? Thank you for sharing you heart! Such a blessing the Lord is always there! xo HeatherReplyDeleteReplies
Isn't it the cutest?! I got it from this shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/Sewingseed?section_id=10125001Delete


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VIP Parking
On-site public parking is not available at the festival. Free shuttles are provided from the downtown theatre district and Northwest Mall to and from the Memorial Park Festival site.
There are a limited number of VIP Parking passes available at $45 each per day at the Memorial Park Festival site. VIP Parking will allow you to enter North Picnic Lane in Memorial Park and park closer to the gate. This service is provided mostly for our art buying patrons to allow them easy access to load art into their vehicles. Colonista members may also purchase the VIP passes on a first come, first served basis, and the number of spaces is extremely limited. We encourage all of our guests to use the free shuttles provided from our two easy park and ride locations. Patron art pick-up is conveniently located at gate 2 to drive through and pick up heavier/larger art pieces.
Details for the on-site Parking ticket:
$45 per vehicle
Sold Online ONLY – not sold on site
Available for Friday and Saturday ONLY
Limited quantities available


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The UK's fastest-growing regional news network
See the full forecast for your area.
Sponsored by Britelite.
Home Maidstone News Article
The former Radio 1 presenter, and champion of techno, is set to top the list of acts booked for the Social when it takes over Mote Park on Saturday, September 13, we can exclusively reveal.
The rest of the line-up is yet to be announced.
Around 6,000 people went to the festival's debut last year, organised and funded by Maidstone-born DJ Nic Fanciulli. Another 3,000 were at the Family Social the following day.
The dad-of-one said there are no plans include the child-friendly part this year. He said: "We hope to reintroduce it next year but for now, we think it will be better for us to focus on what we know best.
"Last year's event was our first and it was successful so we really want to build on that. We're looking to improve the production, the food and the facilities. We've increased the capacity but we want to keep it as a unique, boutique festival."
Mr Fanciulli, who lives in West Malling, announced the date of the Social at a charity club night at Buddha Belly.
The night raised £3,000 for the Quest School in Ryarsh, which looks after autistic children.
In the run-up to the main event, there will be a string of smaller parties. The first, called Landed, will be in Millennium Park, off St Peter's Street, on April 20.
Mr Fanciulli said: "Most tickets for Landed have been sold to people in Maidstone, which shows people are very supportive of local events."
Early bird and loyalty tickets for The Social sold out in minutes on Monday night. More tickets will be released at 6pm tonight.
For more details and tickets, visit www.thesocialfestival.com.
Click here for more news from Maidstone.
Click here for more news from around the county.


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Backslash ('\') is the escape character for quoted strings, and allows you to put special characters inside of strings. For example: \' Single quote \" Double quote You can also use \uxxxx to put out any valid unicode character. (For more information on escape sequences, you can review the Java Language Specification section on Escape Sequences for Character and String Literals at http://java.sun.com/docs/books/jls/html/3.doc.html#101089). Specifically, to print the following string on the stream named out: Click here to go to Java400.net You would execute the following instruction: out.println("Click here to go to Java400.net"); Note the two backslashes before the quotes surrounding the URL. Hope this helps! Joe Pluta www.java400.net +--- | This is the JAVA/400 Mailing List! | To submit a new message, send your mail to firstname.lastname@example.com. | To subscribe to this list send email to email@example.com. | To unsubscribe from this list send email to firstname.lastname@example.com. | Questions should be directed to the list owner: firstname.lastname@example.com +---
This mailing list archive is Copyright 1997-2015 by MIDRANGE dot COM and David Gibbs as a compilation work. Use of the archive is restricted to research of a business or technical nature. Any other uses are prohibited. Full details are available here. If you have questions about this, please contact


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Weddings: A Photographer Slipped And Took This Priceless Pic On The Way Down
We've all relied on the convenience of a vending machine at one time or another, whether getting a soft drink at a concert venue or grabbing a snack at the office (Starbuck's recently introduced coffee vending machines for the office). But in some places around the world, vending machines aren't just limited to soft drinks, snacks and coffee.
Forget to buy milk or eggs? There's a vending machine for that. Craving some freshly made French fries or pizza? There's a vending machine for that too. And in case you're cooking crab for dinner, there's also a vending machine for fresh (as in living) crabs.
See some of the weirdest food vending machines in the slideshow below.
Let us know in the comments what some of the weirdest vending machines you've come across in your travels.
Want to read more from HuffPost Taste? Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest and Tumblr.
Photo from mwbwallace, Flickr.
Photo from George Arriola, Flickr.
Photo from kalleboo, Flickr.
Photo from nourishmint, Flickr.
Photo from mjhbower, Flickr.
Photo from davitydave, Flickr.
Photo from C Jill Reed, Flickr.
Photo from JoshBerglund19, Flickr.
Photo from pixel-rust, Flickr.
Photo from colros, Flickr.
Photo from izzointeractive, Flickr.
Photo from quinnanya, Flickr.
Photo from mr_c0w, Flickr.
Photo from simonhn, Flickr.
Photo from torisan3500, Flickr.
Photo via Buzzfeed.


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Accident on 95 cleared, but delays remain
April 15, 2013 - 06:39 am
Decrease Increase Text size
An accident along northbound 95 and 234 has been cleared, but there are some residual delays.
Virginia State Police are on the scene of the car accident. Police got the call for the accident at 5:21am.
Drivers should be expecting delays.
Would you like to contribute to this story? Join the discussion.


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Registration & Service Fees
- Per course refunds DO NOT apply to full-time students who pay "Flat rate for tuition and fees".
- Students in the Full Time program who completely withdrawals from ALL courses during the semester, registration & service fees (including school related fees) are non-refundable after the Official First Day of semester, September 2, 2014.
- Students NOT in the Full Time program - Registration and Service fees are non-refundable after the 100% tuition refund date of each class.
- To see the individual class refund dates, please see following link
- http://www.stern.nyu.edu/Registrar/CourseInfo/RefundWithdrawalDates/inde...
- The Business Writing, Math and Accounting Workshop fee is refundable if you drop prior to the start of each workshop.
- Please refer to the Tuition Refund Schedule section for a listing of other non-refundable fees.
- Incoming students must notify NYU Stern that they no longer plan to enroll by the following deadline in order to still receive the Launch Fee refund - August 1, 2014


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Store: Jenson USA
Coupon Code: No Code Needed – Use Coupon
Expiry: 2011-12-31
Details: Not quite ready to make the switch to disc brakes, but want to have the ability to do so in the future? Then the Crossride UB/Disc wheelset is the perfect choice, it features the ability to run rim brake or disc brakes.
This Coupon has expired on 2011-12-31 as per our database.
Use it on your own Luck.
Use it on your own Luck.


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Tristan Newsome
Genre:Acoustic, Alt. Country, Country, Folk, Rockabilly, Rock'n'Roll, Spoken Word
*All releases (& there are many!) available for free download at selfpreservationsociety.net.au*
Billed as 'The World's Greatest Spaghetti Western Apocalyptic Folk Blues Singer' Tristan is a singer/songwriter hailing from Adelaide.
A seasoned performer, Tristan's shows are captivating & endearing. Tall tales & heart-on-sleeve story-telling built around a tradtional song-writing ethos draw upon both modern & historical themes. Whilst mainly performing with just an acoustic guitar & vocals, Tristan is a multi-instrumentalist who also uses Ukulele & Banjo for his performances.
Tristan's songs have a predominantly Country sound with hints of Folk & Rockabilly, featuring strong story-telling elements in the vein of Townes Van Zandt, Johnny Cash, Hank Williams & Paul Kelly.
Prior to taking on this solo guise Tristan performed under the banner of 'Self Preservation Society'. Also a solo outing, SPS explored the 'lives' of many different & sometimes troubled personas, with songs drawing on the infuences of Nick Cave, Tom Waits & Bob Dylan. Adaptable & versatile, Tristan has also fronted a rock n roll band, 'The Flying Squad', who gained noteriety for their energetic live shows with musical influences from 50s rock n roll, country & more.
Since stepping out as a solo artist Tristan has been selected to play in successive Semaphore Music Festivals & at the acclaimed Fleurieu Folk Festival. He has also conducted numerous song-writing workshops, is a respected music reviewer, features regularly on Adelaide Radio, incuding 5AA, Radio Adelaide & Three D Radio, & plays frequently around Adelaide live music venues.
Tristan's accolades & awards include the 2012 SA Country Music Associations 'Best Male Vocalist' & back-to-back winner & highly commended in the Songwriter's Composers & Lyricists Associations (SCALAs) National competion, the Festival of Original Music (FOOM).
Tristan also collaborates with a variety of Adelaide music identities on various live & recorded projects, so you may already have seen or heard him in one of these guises.
Tristan's exquisite story-telling will set the scene for an exciting & heart-felt journey, so come along & enjoy the ride!
'The influences of Tom Waits, C.W Stoneking and Robert Johnson are lurking in the shadows, but Newsome seems very much an innovator in his own right. It's spaghetti western, apocalyptic and folk rolled into a captivating and threatening package'----Quiet Pop 'Zine' review
'Tristan Newsome seems to be on a journey to discover his musical soul; "Self Preservation Society" is the next restless step on his path to enlightenment. This collection is different to what he has done before; it is probably going to be different to what he does next. Tristan is blessed with a smooth voice, the ability to write interesting observational lyrics, and a firm grasp of how to structure a song. Armed with these skills it will be interesting to see where it takes him.' --------Music SA review 'Gone with The Wind'
'While there is no doubting his extensive experience on the live circuit in Adelaide has prepared him well, it is the honest emotional quality of his voice that makes this album so likeable. Couple that with his intricate storytelling and Newsome stands out as one of Adelaide's best singersong writers going around, with Live At The Wheaty the perfect starting point for anyone yet to marvel at the Self Preservation Society.' ----- Music SA review 'Live at the Wheaty'
Please join Tristan's Facebook page for all the latest gigs, images, news & information.


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Stock Photos are used by individuals and companies to depict situations without using a professional photographers. Stock photo search engines can be an easy way to find royalty free images over the internet. These stock photo search engines search both royalty-free and rights managed as well as free images.Read More
CutMyPic is a simple tool to crop your images online. You can also round the corners and add drop shadow to your image.Read More
I occasionally create my own gradient wallpapers and psychedelic wallpapers using MS Paint. It's quick and easy once you figure it out. However, it's not nearly as fast and simple as the wallpaper generator I've just found.Read More
Visualize is a great online tool to bookmark and collect images for free. With a single click, you can bookmark any image and also store the related information such as tags, title and original link.Read More
Learn how to convert metadata from Flickr images to ready-to-use Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom presets.Read More
Thumbnail creator is a freeware application, which will allow you to create thumbnails from a single image, or create thumbnails of all the images in a folder.Read More
Imageshack uploader allows you to upload images to Imageshack from your desktop. Imageshack desktop uploader also keeps a history of uploaded image, and gives you the imageshack links to share the images with your friends or on forums.Read More
Multi Image Downloader is a freeware and portable software which will allow you to download multiple images from Google Image search at once, using a handy desktop interface.Read More
Moo0 ImageThumbnailer is a freeware utility to create thumbnails from images. The software does a very neat and quick job of converting images into thumbnails. The drag and drop feature makes it a simple to use image resizing tool.Read More
PhotoJoy is a really cool software that will allow you to create your own 3D Screensaver and Wallpaper collages for free. PhotoJoy is a Techie Buzz recommended software.Read More
Dropresize is a freeware tool, which will automatically resize all the images in a folder. Once you select a folder, it will monitor it for new images and automatically resize it to preset sizes.Read More
You can now edit images and pictures on your iPhone using the Adobe Photoshop.com app. The app if free to download from iTunes.Read More
Here is an application that helps you to convert your pencil drawings into real images. This was developed by a group of brilliant chinese students. A brilliant workRead More
Tineye is a useful reverse image search engine that can be used to find similar looking images on the web.You can upload an image and search for copies of the image in the Tineye search engine.Read More
Resize all images inside a folder to a different resoultion with this dead simple and useful image resizing tool.Read More


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Following pornstars on Twitter can be kind of a pain because it limits the locations where you can check Twitter. At least for me it does. For some reason, I'm just not comfortable looking at ass selfies on my phone while a bunch of mouth-breathers beside me on the bus be peeping my screen.
That said, following pornstars on Twitter is awesome because eventually you'll get to see some homemade topless pictures or pussy pictures that can't be seen anywhere else. It's like free amateur porn made by your favorite pornstars.
Sadly, one of the best pornstars to follow on Twitter, Ms Jada Stevens, is no longer on Twitter.
No more Jada Stevens on Twitter? What could that possibly mean? Could it be that Jada Stevens, the woman with the best ass in porn, is gearing up for retirement?
No. It doesn't.
Sorry to scare you, but at least you'll be a bit more appreciative of Ms Jada Stevens and her ass.
There's been quite a lot of speculation (aka panic) as to Jada Stevens's status as an active pornstar since her Twitter was deleted. Well it appears that she didn't delete her Twitter. It was suspended, which means it was most likely reported by some ass-hating prude.
Sadly, you won't be getting new Jada Stevens tweets for a while but thankfully you can still get your fair share of sexy Jada Stevens selfies by following her on Instagram: @2cheekzback.
A quick scroll through her Instagram reveals that though she's off Twitter, she's still an active pornstar.
Exhibit A: Jada Instagrams an ass shot from the set of an upcoming porn movie.
Exhibit B: Jada Instagrams an ass shot from a recent tour.
Exhibit C: Jada Instagrams having sex with Remy Lacroix (and it looks like an upcoming scene)
Ok. We can all stop panicking. Jada Stevens is not retired…yet.
It's bound to happen someday, hopefully in 5 to 20 years. At least it isn't today.
To celebrate the fact that Jada Stevens has not retired, here are some GIFs of Jada Stevens's world famous ass.
Some of you may not think that Jada Stevens's ass is the best in the entire world, but you must admit that it's the most GIF-able ass around.


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Some bang-for-your-buck drink options downtown
A deal-driven approach to eats and drinks during Comic-Con? That would be happy hour. And whether you're looking for an après-panel refreshment or hoping for an affordable meal adventure in a fun, costume-friendly setting, San Diego's bar-dense downtown has lots of deals. Here's a sampler.
Deals and times are subject to change.
Altitude Sky Lounge
Gaslamp Quarter Marriott, 660 K St., Gaslamp Quarter. (619) 446-6086 or altitudeskybar.com
Located on the 22nd floor, this swanky rooftop bar is the highest one we've got. Bottle service is available, but you could go in for happy hour (5 to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday; all day Sunday). The usual deal is half-off flatbreads, $5 for premium well drinks and $4 draft beers.
600 Fifth Ave., Gaslamp Quarter. (619) 255-7373 or barleymash.com
Half-off all drinks are a constant for this giant pub's happy hour (3 to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday). Yes, all. There's also half-off a rotating cast of their Barley Pies (flatbreads), appetizers and fries.
410 10th Ave., East Village. (619) 531-8869 or barbasic.com
Cool industrial décor. And this spot does brick-oven-baked pizzas the thin-crust, Connecticut way. See for yourself during happy hour (4 to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday). Get your share of $4 draft beers, $5 house wines and select liquors and complimentary pizza samples.
Cafe Sevilla
353 Fifth Ave., Gaslamp Quarter. (619) 233-5979 or cafesevilla.com
This is a classy go-to for tapas, and you can indulge in their small Spanish appetizers during happy hour (4:30 to 7 p.m. daily). Drink specials include $4 well drinks, house wine, red and white sangrias.
Dirty Del's
499 10th Ave., East Village. (619) 677-3789
For happy hour (4 to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday; all day Sunday) you can get $3 nachos, $4 quarter-pound hot dogs, $4 cocktails (not the premium stuff), and whatever's listed as a special.
Donovan's Steak & Chop House
570 K St., Gaslamp Quarter. (619) 237-9700 or donovanssteakhouse.com
This is a meat-lover's happy hour (4 to 6 p.m. daily). Order a drink and get appetizer-sized portions of steak sandwiches and burritos … for free.
Donovan's Prime Seafood
333 Fifth Ave., Gaslamp Quarter. (619) 906-4850 or donovansprimeseafood.com
This incarnation of Donovan's does a happy hour (4 to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday) offering up free, tray-passed appetizers. The menu varies, but leans oceanward.
Nicky Rottens Bar & Burger Joint
560 Fifth Ave., East Village. (619) 702-8068 or nickyrottens.com
It's burger heaven here, and you might find sliders. The happy hour (3 p.m. until close Monday; 3 to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Friday; 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday and Sundays) is $3 draft beer, well drinks and house wines, with half-off select appetizers.
Kansas City Barbeque
600 W. Harbor Drive, Marina District. (619) 231-9680 or kcbbq.net
Known as the "Top Gun Bar." (You can pick up Tom Cruise-themed items in the bar where the fighter-pilot flick was filmed.) People also flock here for the happy hour (3:30 to 6:30 p.m. daily), when they can plow through $8 pitchers of Bud and Miller, and get deals on chicken wings and onion rings.


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Why Listen?: What are the benefits?
What are the benefits
Our goal is to help you to understand why ear training is so important and all musicians should do it every time they pick up their instruments.
When you start to believe that ear training is the most effective way to learn music: You have made the decision for success.
And with great teacher the learning will be fun and motivating.
Benefits of The AllEars - Play What You Hear program
- You will learn to listen and then play what you hear from the very beginning.
- After you have developed basic skills (takes about 15 weeks) you can learn most of your favorite songs by ear.
- Learning by ear is extremely awarding.
- You will learn to arrange songs.
- You don't need to waste time anymore to search, ask or buy tabs/sheet music.
- You can learn songs which have never been tabbed or don't have notation available.
- You can carry the Soundtrack of Your life with you...inside your head.
- Ear training develops your memory and is very good exercise for your brain.
- It is possible to learn songs extremely fast and the speed will increase more and more when you give more time for ear training.
- It is easier to jam with other musicians.
- Usual motivation problems will be history. These will appear usually after 2 years of tab playing and in worse case scenario tab playing can end young guitarists hobby.
- Guitar playing is not just "cool" anymore... When you listen music more carefully, you will connect to it with more wider emotional spectrum.
- Ear training will take your musicianship to totally new level.
It is hard to imagine any explanation why you should not take ear training seriously. It can save you from many bad habits and from underdevelopment as a musician. Ear training is now fun because of the laid back and easy to follow Play What You Hear Program.


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Celebrating 17 Years of Lesbian and Gay Cinema - THE GYMNAST, Mariruth Kenneth, and Power Up w/ Mary Glenney, Women's Show
MARIRUTH KENNEDY, President, Tampa International Gay and Lesbian Film Festival. Mariruth will give an overview of the 132 films from over 20 countries that wil be shown at the 17th annual TIGLFF Screenings will take place at 3 venues: Tampa Theatre and Channelside Cinemas in Tampa and Muvico Baywalk 20 in downtown St. Petersburg. According to Program Director, Joseph Cook, ââ¬ÅMany of this yearââ¬â¢s films have an ââ¬Åexperimental edgeââ¬? to them.ââ¬? There will be a number of festive events in conjunction with the films, including the Tampa Bay Business Guild Expo 2006, womenââ¬â¢s happy hour and ââ¬ÅPOWER UP BRUNCH.ââ¬? www.tiglff.com or 813-879-4220. (Note: If you are attending the brunch, please call or email us early in the Marathon Show October 14th.)
DREYA WEBER, Lead Actress, The Gymnast. Dreyer talked about her background as a gymnast, the effort that went into this film, and the fact that it could only be a ââ¬Åwomanââ¬â¢s story.ââ¬? The cinematic beauty of this film and the physicality of the actresses are stunning. http://afterellen.com/People/2006/8/dreya.html
The Gymnast, Saturday, October 7, 8:00 pm, Channelside Cinemas. STACY CODIKOW, Executive Producer, POWER UP. POWER UP (Professional Organization of Women in Entertainment Reaching Up). The Los Angeles-based non-profit whose mission is ââ¬Åto promote the visibility and integration of gay women in entertainment and all forms of mediaââ¬? develops, produces and distributes films made through its Film Production Grant Program. POWER UP has had a film as an Official Selection of the Sundance Film Festival every year since 2002 and has won the Planet Out Grand Prize Short Film Award each year. http://www.power-up.net/ POWER UP Brunch at Channelside Cinemas Saturday, Oct. 14 at 11:30 am.comments powered by Disqus


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Eminent Domain in Ascutney, Vermont | I Will Not Leave
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In the summer of 1964, Romaine Tenney was a bachelor farmer. He milked 25 cows by hand on his farm in Ascutney, Vermont. He had no electricity in his house, used no gas-powered machinery. He cut his firewood with an axe and a saw; cut his hay with workhorses. He didn't own a tractor or drive a car. When he went to the nearby big town of Claremont, across the river in New Hampshire, he'd walk the six miles–except that he probably never walked all the way. People always picked him up. Everyone knew Romaine. With his long beard, felt hat, and overalls, he was a familiar sight. Romaine enjoyed visiting on these rides, and all his neighbors liked him. His farm was right on the major road between Ascutney and Claremont; the road hugged his cow barn, and neighbors would often stop to chat. He rose late and worked late into the night. "You could drive by at midnight and there he would be in his barn, fixing some harnesses or just puttering about," said Deputy Sheriff Robert Gale. It was as if Romaine held the office of Bachelor Farmer in town.
Romaine's house, trimmed under the eaves with Gothic-style gingerbread, stood behind a row of majestic maples. Tourists loved to take pictures of the house, and he'd sometimes pose for them. If they wanted a true, old-time Yankee, he'd oblige them. He was the real thing, happy to play the part for a moment, sending a tourist on his way with his prize catch: Look at this old farmer I found in Vermont. Milks his cows by hand. No electricity, no car, no tractor. Romaine Tenney was the Vermont they wanted to find.
Romaine looked good in every picture. "What I remember are his beautiful blue eyes and his eternal smile," said his niece, Rosemary Safford. "He was always smiling." And that's what everyone said. "He had a wonderful twinkle in his eye," said his neighbor, Rolly Cann. Romaine was born on the farm and spent his life there. He loved his family: his many brothers and sisters, nephews and nieces. He loved his animals. He was a happy man–until his farm was destroyed to build Interstate 91.
Vermont's first six miles of Interstate highway, a section of I-91, opened in 1958. It ran from the Massachusetts border to just south of Brattleboro, and drivers marveled at what we now take for granted: It was straight and smooth. It was the shape of things to come, and they couldn't wait. When a new section of I-89 opened up near Montpelier in 1960, 300 cars lined up to drive the six miles to Middlesex. The Interstate was more than just another road; it was a belief in progress. The highway would rescue Vermont–take the state "out of the sticks" and put it "right in the economic mainstream of the country," said Elbert Moulton, the state's economic development chief under four governors.
"The Interstate was seen [as] the answer to many, if not most, of Vermont's problems," said Paul Guare, executive secretary of the state Transportation Board at the time. "It was universally applauded." When the government condemned houses and farms in the way, filled wetlands, and leveled hills, "people were mostly happy to settle with the state." Progress as a religion permitted everything. It was the gravity of America; it was the force that held everything in its course.
Dedicating a new section of I-91 in 1961, Senator George Aiken said, "We're on the verge of the greatest development Vermont has ever seen." That section of highway had buried the senator's boyhood home.
Romaine Tenney's farm was 90 acres of good pasture and woods, with a southern exposure and plenty of water. There was a spring up the hillside that almost never went dry, a brook, and a hand pump in the kitchen sink. The fields were good for three hay crops a year. There was an orchard and a 10-acre woodlot. In the farm's prime, in the 1950s, Romaine milked 50 or 60 cows and had about 100 head of livestock total. He kept two teams of workhorses and a couple of dogs to bring the cows home.
Romaine's father had bought the property in April 1892. The following January, Myron and Rosa Tenney came over Mendon Peak in a wagon with all they owned in a trunk or two, so the family story goes. He was 45 and she was 25. The house had been built around 1843. The family who sold it to the Tenneys had dressed up the home and the barns in the latest fashion, Gothic Revival, giving the house leaded windows in a diamond-pane pattern, gingerbread trim, two false dormers, and a big porch. The Tenneys liked to sit out on the flat porch roof to enjoy the long view down the Connecticut River Valley. "It was a real showplace when my people came there," recalled Ruth Tuttle, their oldest child. "My father was very proud of the big meadow beside the house, and he used to sing and whistle as he worked there."
Myron and Rosa had nine children. Romaine was their fourth, born in 1900. His father died when he was 14, leaving his mother alone to raise the large family and run the farm. At times all they ate was oatmeal. All the children, except for Romaine, left the farm. He lived there with his mother until her last years, when she moved in with a daughter nearby.
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Janet S. of Harvard
Expanding Youth Programs at the HPL
Since the new Harvard Public Library opened five years ago, I have spent a lot of time there as a volunteer and Teen Advisory Board member. When I began thinking about possibilities for a Gold Award project, my mind immediately went to the library, a place I love, and where I knew I could make a difference. I read an article and learned that many kids were going to the library after school and being disruptive. I met with the Children's and Youth Librarians and brainstormed ways to help. I organized and ran a series of knitting programs, seasonal craft and food programs, helped with the new teen website, and worked on the library's new policy for the coming school year. When I walk into the library after school, I usually run into girls who participated in my programs. I get a hug or two and invitations to play games with them. Knowing that I made a difference in their lives is my favorite part of the project.
I was invited to my town's Memorial Day Ceremony to read the bill that created Memorial Day and the names of the recently deceased veterans from our town. This privilege has historically been given to local Eagle Scouts. It was an honor to be given this opportunity, and to see the value my community placed on the Girl Scout Gold Award.
For the past 12 years, Girl Scouts has been one of Janet's favorite activities. She is now completing her 4th year as Class Treasurer, and her 1st year as both the Tri M Music Honor Society Treasurer, and the Spanish Honor Society Treasurer. Janet is an avid library volunteer, and participates in her school's Peer Tutoring program. She has been her school's starting Varsity Softball pitcher since eighth grade, and is a member of the Math Team, while working at Dunkin Donuts. Janet plans to attend college in 2013; she is considering a major in bioengineering.


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Ralph Lauren Corporation is galloping at a faster clip than when its namesake founder first entered the arena more than 45 years ago. With golden mallet brands such as Polo by Ralph Lauren, Chaps, RRL, Club Monaco, and RLX Ralph Lauren, the company designs and markets apparel and accessories, home furnishings, and fragrances. Its collections are available at nearly 11,500 locations worldwide, including many upscale and mid-tier department stores. (Macy's accounts for 25% of all wholesale revenue.) The company operates about 435 Ralph Lauren and Club Monaco retail stores worldwide as well as eight e-commerce sites. American style icon and CEO Lauren controls the company.
Geographic Reach
Based in New York, Ralph Lauren operates in the US, Canada, Europe, Japan, South Korea, China, Southeast Asia, and Latin America. The Americas account for about two-thirds of sales, while Europe and Asia generate 21% and 12%, respectively.
As part of its business, Ralph Lauren operates through three segments: Wholesale, Retail, and Licensing. It generates wholesale sales from major department stores and specialty shops throughout North America, Europe, Asia, and Latin America. The company also sells directly to consumers through retail stores in North America, Europe, Asia, and Latin America; through concession-based shop-within-shops located primarily in Asia and Europe; and via its retail e-commerce channel in North America, Europe, and Asia. Ralph Lauren also licenses to unrelated third parties the right to operate retail stores and to use its trademarks in connection with making and selling designated products, such as apparel, eyewear, and fragrances in specified geographical areas for specified periods.
In recent years Ralph Lauren has expanded its business through acquisitions, extended the reach of its retail operations, and experienced organic growth. Its accessories business rivals European competitors as a luxury brand, thanks to strategic partnerships with licensees including Richemont SA (to form Ralph Lauren Watch and Jewelry Co.) and the Italian eyewear giant Luxottica Group, which designs, manufactures, and distributes Ralph Lauren-branded prescription frames and sunglasses. Luxottica's US arm also makes Club Monaco-branded prescription frames and sunglasses sold in the US and Canada. Other major licensing partners include Hanes (under garments and sleepwear), L'Oréal (fragrance), and Warnaco (Chaps sportswear). With its products available in every section of a department store -- there's even Ralph Lauren paint at Home Depot -- the company remains profitable as a leader in the fashion and retail industry. Macy's accounts for a quarter of Ralph Lauren's wholesale sales. By mutual agreement, Ralph Lauren and JC Penney, which markets mid-priced American Living-branded clothes and housewares through a partnership with the upscale brand, ended their relationship effective in Q4 fiscal 2012. Ralph Lauren is able to bring its classic American style to the global market as an official outfitter of the US Olympic and Paralympic teams. It has counted on its association with the Olympics to translate into millions of dollars in sales of Olympics-branded apparel and accessories. Most recently, RLC dressed the US Olympic team for the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi. Outfits for the US team for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio are already in development. (The company also dresses the on-court officials at the US Open and Wimbledon tennis tournaments.)
To support other high-growth business opportunities and initiatives, Ralph Lauren in 2012 began to wind down its Rugby brand retail operations. As part of the closure plan, 13 of the company's 14 global freestanding Rugby stores and its related domestic e-commerce site, Rugby.com, were closed during fiscal 2013, and the one remaining Rugby store was shuttered during fiscal 2014.
Sales and Marketing
Ralph Lauren, which in fiscal 2014 (ended March) spent $256 million (up from $217 million in 2013) on advertising and promotions, sells its branded products worldwide through nearly 11,500 doors. Its primary wholesale businesses sells Ralph Lauren products to leading upscale and mid-tier department stores, specialty stores, and golf and pro shops, both domestically and internationally. Some 45% of its licensing revenue in fiscal 2014 was earned from four licensing partners: Hanesbrands, Luxottica Group, Peerless, and L'Oreal.
Ralph Lauren sells its products through eight e-commerce sites, as well, that are operated by wholesale customers. Ralph Lauren primarily wholesales menswear, womenswear, childrenswear, accessories, and home furnishings. Through a limited number of premier fashion retailers, the company peddles its collection brands worldwide. In North America, department stores are a major wholesale customer. In Latin America, wholesale products are sold in department stores and specialty stores. In Europe, Ralph Lauren wholesales to both department stores and specialty stores, depending on the country. Also part of its sales efforts, Ralph Lauren distributes products to licensed stores operated by franchisees in Europe and Asia.
Financial Performance
Ralph Lauren Corp. (RLC) reported revenue of $7.45 billion in fiscal 2014 (ended March), a 7% increase versus the prior year. (Excluding the effect of foreign currency, revenue was up 8%.) Net income rose 3% over the same period to $776 million. The increase in sales was primarily due to rising retail and wholesale sales, which increased 5% and 11%, respectively. Licensing revenue declined by 9%. Online shopping fueled retail sales, offsetting declines in same-store sales at retail stores. The company's store count grew from 882 freestanding and concession shops in fiscal 2013 to 936 in 2014, and the number of e-commerce sites increased from seven to eight. Wholesale revenue got a boost from the acquisition of previously licensed businesses, including the Chaps Menswear Business acquired in 2013 and certain businesses acquired in Latin America in 2012. The decline in licensing revenues primarily reflected the transition of certain licensing agreements, including the Chaps Menswear Business and the Australian and New Zealand Business, to wholly-owned operations and the termination of certain Home licensing arrangement, partially offset by higher apparel and fragrance-related royalties.
Fiscal 2014 marked the fourth consecutive year of rising sales and profits for RLC, which, despite a small decline in sales in fiscal 2010, has proved quite resilient during a difficult period for many retailers. Profitability has risen due to higher net sales and increasing income from continuing operations.
Mergers and Acquisitions
In 2013 RLC brought several licensing arrangements in-house. In April 2013, it acquired the Chaps Menswear Business from PVH for about $18 million. In July, it bought the Australia and New Zealand licensed operations from its licensee for about $15 million.
To give the apparel maker more control of its operations in Asia, Ralph Lauren has been buying out its licensees. In 2011 the company acquired its South Korean wholesale and retail distribution operation from licensee Doosan Corp. for about $47 million. It bought out its licensing partner Dickson Concepts in a deal valued at about $37 million in 2009. Dickson was a licensee for the Polo brand in China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, and Thailand. Ralph Lauren also acquired the children's wear and golf apparel inventory of former licensee, Naigai Co. Ltd., based in Japan.
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'Don't Mean Nothin' Video Premier on Paste Magazine
June 28, 2012 in Uncategorized
Our video premier of 'Don't Mean Nothin' is live today via Paste Magazine here. The video was shot by Tom Daly in Charlottesville, VA this spring and edited by our own banjo master Chris Pandolfi.
'Don't Mean Nothin'" was recorded on Silver Sky and written by The Stringdusters with Jon Weisberger and produced mixed by Billy Hume.


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Egypt roils with revolution, Edward Snowden has become the Scarlet Pimpernel of privacy and a new study reveals that, even though Americans are exercising more, we're still fat, which is really unfair. Yet for weeks we've been bombarded with minute-by-minute televised coverage of the George Zimmerman trial.
Testimony is parsed, questions are raised — "Why was his shirt not rumpled?" — witnesses reviewed like contestants on "American Idol," and every day sees way too much footage of Zimmerman, moon-faced and unsmiling in another suit.
All the while the attorneys, the judge and various pundits continue to insist that this trial is not about race. Which is simply ridiculous. If this trial isn't about race, then why on earth are so many news organizations live-streaming it? Because it's in Florida?
No, all the cameras are trained on the Seminole County Courthouse in the hopes that the fate of the man who killed Trayvon Martin will deliver some kind of definitive word on the state of race in America, a topic so eternally divisive that just bringing it up sparks controversy.
PHOTOS: Hollywood Backlot moments
This is a country, after all, where Barack Obama is president and Kerry Washington graces the cover of Vanity Fair, where Quentin Tarantino can get an Oscar for mashing up the spaghetti western with blaxploitation film and say, with a perfectly straight face, that he wanted "to start a conversation about slavery."
We're way post-racism, right?
When the circumstances of Martin's death were made public, it was all about race. The first-run storyline — an armed, self-appointed neighborhood watchman followed, then confronted, then killed a young man he found suspicious because he was black and wearing a hoodie — prompted protests, commentary, even an odd but affecting message from President Obama, who said that if he'd had a son, he might have looked like Martin. "To Kill a Mockingbird" was evoked, which is never a good sign.
The trial, on the other hand, offers hope that the evidence will provide an alternate narrative. Even as "Fruitvale Station" enters theaters to remind us of another black man killed in recent years for no good reason, many want to believe that Martin's death was not simply an issue of color, that there were a host of other circumstances, and maybe we can stop talking about race in this country.
PHOTOS: Celebrities by The Times
As if we'll ever be done talking about race in this country.
Like it or not, race is the real, true all-American conversation. Other countries have class and religion; the United States has race. It is this country's great experiment, the root of our one civil war, the reason for perhaps the biggest blot on our self-assigned badge of One Nation, Under God.
The fact that a Continental Congress made up of educated white men decided once upon a time to take over governing the country in which they lived is nowhere near as revolutionary as what that country eventually became — a land of universal suffrage where the demographics of the Founding Fathers are increasingly in the minority.
And every time we think we're done, that we can applaud our mixed race president, put Oprah on another power list and stand under a banner of equality for all, saying, like George W. Bush on that aircraft carrier, "Mission Accomplished!" something happens to prove that we're not even close.
For a month now, it's been the talk of television, starting, surprisingly enough, with Paula Deen.
PHOTOS: The Paula Deen scandal
Critics and essayists had barely finished recording their reactions to witnessing the unbridled racism depicted in "42," the inspiring film about Jackie Robinson, when it was revealed that the celebrity chef known for her Southern style was being sued by a former employee for creating a sexist and racist workplace. More important, when she was asked in court if she had used what is now commonly known as "the N-word," she had answered, "Yes, of course."
"Yes" was bad enough; "of course" did her in, especially when it was followed not by an apology but with the tale of how a black man once held her at gunpoint. As if that made her use of the word somehow excusable.
She subsequently apologized, but that word, combined with the story of how she contemplated creating a "plantation-style" wedding, shrunk her brand-based empire almost overnight. A person can get away with many things in this country but being asked by Matt Lauer if you are a racist is not one of them. Even if your answer is "no."
Riled up by what they perceived as a racist double standard, many cried foul, pointing to the casual use of the same term by black people, including famous musicians and comedians. Several came to Deen's defense, including Kevin Hart, who uses the N-word regularly in his new film, his stand-up act and even his tweets.


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The goal of the BrightFocus Foundation is to support research and provide public education to help eradicate brain and eye diseases, including Alzheimer's disease, macular degeneration, and glaucoma. We are working to save mind and sight.
Since 1973 BrightFocus has awarded more than $140.3 million dollars to scientists seeking new approaches to prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of our target diseases. These grants have supported more than 1,000 innovative projects and an estimated 3,200 scientists who have dedicated their careers to groundbreaking research. Our funding has enabled promising researchers—talented scientists at universities, hospitals, and medical centers worldwide—to make significant discoveries about these diseases. To date, two have gone on to win Nobel prizes.
BrightFocus conducted a survey of all scientific reports developed through our grants. The study showed that the BrightFocus-supported findings are consistently cited by other scientists at twice the frequency as other research findings in the fields of Alzheimer's disease, macular degeneration, or glaucoma. A third-party roster of papers considered milestones in Alzheimer's disease lists 19 BrightFocus-supported papers, six percent of the total so honored. This is a remarkable result for an organization that provides less than one percent of global Alzheimer's disease research funding. This shows BrightFocus' success in identifying significant research.
Part of the credit for this extraordinary success belongs to the BrightFocus Scientific Review Committees (SRC). Each of the three BrightFocus programs—Alzheimer's Disease Research, Macular Degeneration Research, and National Glaucoma Research—has its own SRC composed of established and well-regarded investigators from universities and research institutes worldwide. Through a rigorous peer-review process, they carefully screen and make recommendations on grant applications based on scientific merit.
The high frequency of citation, in addition to being a measure of the quality and usefulness of BrightFocus-supported studies, illustrates the ripple effect that donations to BrightFocus generate: BrightFocus-funded research becomes a building block of research throughout the world. This influence is in part to our partnership with the free online scientific journal Molecular Neurodegeneration. Through this top-tier, peer-reviewed journal, current information on scientific studies funded by BrightFocus and others is made freely available globally.
Our funding acts as a catalyst in early-stage research. The BrightFocus programs are designed to provide initial funding for highly innovative experimental ideas. Most of the awardees use the BrightFocus donor award money to demonstrate key findings that lead to later interest and additional funding from industrial or governmental funding agencies.
The funding assists the average BrightFocus grantee in leveraging approximately ten times the value of his or her original grant in "downstream" support. This is an amazing 1,000 percent return on BrightFocus' investment.
BrightFocus Foundation programs—Alzheimer's Disease Research, Macular Degeneration Research, and National Glaucoma Research—are supported entirely by private contributions from the general public and by corporate and foundation grants. The foundation receives no government grants.
It is our firm belief that having the courage to invest in innovative ideas will lead to revolutionary approaches and life-saving breakthroughs. Indisputably, the world-class research identified and supported by BrightFocus is more than promising: it is making a real contribution to revolutionary science in the fight to save mind and sight.
Our second, equally important commitment is to public information. We communicate—in English and Spanish—with patients, their caregivers, and the general public about a wide array of issues related to these three diseases. To carry out this crucial part of our mission, we:
The up-to-date, comprehensive information on our website makes the site a valuable resource for healthcare providers, policymakers, the media, and others.
Alzheimer's disease is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States. An irreversible degeneration of the brain that causes disruptions in memory, cognition, personality, and other functions, it eventually leads to death from complete brain failure. More than five million Americans age 65 and older are thought to have Alzheimer's disease. By 2050, the number of Americans with this disease may increase to more than 15 million.
Since 1985, the Alzheimer's Disease Research (ADR) program has awarded more than $87.7 million to support promising research in fields ranging from molecular biology to genetics to epidemiology. ADR is currently supporting 65 outstanding biomedical researcher projects after awarding 28 new grants in July 2014.
BrightFocus played a role early in the career of Dr. Stanley Prusiner, who won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1997 for his landmark research on prions. Dr. Prusiner, an honorary member of the BrightFocus Board of Directors, is one of two Nobel Laureates who has been supported by BrightFocus grants. The other is Dr. Paul Greengard of Rockefeller University, also an honorary board member, who received the same category of Nobel Prize in 2000, sharing it with two other scientists for work on signalling systems within the brain.
In 2013, BrightFocus grants supported:
Well-designed research pays off. Recent BrightFocus-sponsored findings in Alzheimer's disease have indicated that:
With further research, each of these discoveries may contribute to the development of new treatments and preventions.
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is an irreversible destruction of the central area of the eye's retina (the macula). This leads to loss of the sharp, fine-detail, "straight-ahead" vision required for activities like reading, driving, recognizing faces, and seeing the world in color. Macular degeneration is a leading cause of vision loss in Americans 60 years of age and older and advanced age-related macular degeneration is a leading cause of irreversible blindness and visual impairment in the world. As many as 11 million Americans have some form of macular degeneration, including both early and later stages of the wet and dry forms. This number is expected to double by 2050.
The Macular Degeneration Research program (MDR) is the newest BrightFocus program. Since 1999, BrightFocus has awarded more than $15.8 million to support research into the causes and potential preventions and treatments of this disease. MDR is currently supporting 35 biomedical researcher projects after awarding 16 new grants in 2014.
Promising recent results by earlier BrightFocus grant awardees include:
With further research, these and other discoveries may lead to new treatments and ways of managing risk factors.
The term "glaucoma" refers to a group of eye disorders that have few symptoms in their early stages but that eventually result in damage to the optic nerve (the bundle of nerve fibers that carries information from the eye to the brain). There are two main forms of glaucoma: open-angle (the most common form, affecting approximately 70-95% of individuals) and angle-closure. These can lead to loss of side vision and eventually to complete blindness. There are more than three million Americans living with glaucoma, and an estimated half of them may not know that they have the disease.
Since the National Glaucoma Research (NGR) program began in 1978, BrightFocus has awarded more than $24.2 million to support research projects on the causes and potential prevention and treatment of this disease. NGR is currently supporting 34 biomedical research projects, after recently awarding 15 new grants in 2014.
Research results from BrightFocus-supported studies that could lead to breakthroughs in stopping glaucoma include:
Last Review: 04/01/14
For Researchers | For Media | For Financial Advisors | Legal & Privacy Information | Previous Address Information Notice
BrightFocus Foundation
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Clarksburg, Maryland 20871
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Address: 22512 Gateway Center Drive, Clarksburg, MD 20871
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BrightFocus is a tax-exempt nonprofit organization under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of the United States.


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NCAA to rate basketball programs' eligibility
Malcolm Thomas and Billy White were seniors, and sophomore Kawhi Leonard left for the NBA Draft. In APR parlance, they were all 0-for-2s for a total loss of six points.
The NCAA won't officially release the latest APR figures until next month, but SDSU's single-year score from 2010-11 is expected to be under 900. The four-year score is expected to be in the mid-930s.
It is the part of APR that receives the most biting criticism, schools being punished when players leave early for million-dollar professional careers.
"I don't think Harvard was punished when Bill Gates left (college) early," Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim quipped during the NCAA Tournament.
SDSU also could get dinged for forward Alec Williams transferring.
"That's not fair," Fisher said.
The fallout for UConn has arguably been worse than NCAA probation.
"We've never, ever been (sanctioned) for a four-year period," Fisher said, "but that could change in a heartbeat with only 13 guys and the way they calculate it. Everybody's aware. Everybody's concerned."


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commissary in a sentence
Example sentences for commissary
The money will be deposited in his commissary account to be spent on snacks, stamps or hygiene items.
The company recently spent millions, money committed before the recession set in, to build a new commissary and a gym.
The commissary may be established either in-house or by another arrangement.
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Synonyms for commissary