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Posts tagged accepting differences
History Turns Into Itself in This Newbery Winner
Dead End in Norvelt by Jack Gantos
Jack Gantos has a whole summer planned full of baseball, history books, and war movies when suddenly, caught in the middle of his quarreling parents, he becomes "grounded for life," ruining everything. Even though he lives in the dying town of Norvelt (originally founded by Eleanor Roosevelt to help poor families) and there's not much to do, when his mom volunteers him to help an aging neighbor type up the town's obituaries, he's less than thrilled. Soon, though, Jack finds himself absorbed in the town's history and the "original" Norvelters, as his spunky neighbor calls them, and he'll do anything to get out of house arrest and over to help her in her task. Soon he's involved not only with the obituaries but in a feud with an old man who ride's a trike, play-acting the Grim Reaper, distributing Girl Scout cookies, digging a fake bomb shelter, and a near-constant nose bleed, not to mention a potential murder. Suddenly his summer is anything but dull!
Described as "melding the entirely true and the wildly fictional," Dead End in Norvelt is a most-times funny and sometimes heart-breaking story of a boy coming of age in an old town past its prime full of wacky yet believable characters. Both darker and lighter themes blend with Gantos' humor as Jack finds himself imbedded in nearly everything going on in town. The relationships between Jack's parents and himself are enough to fill a book, but author Gantos has woven an entire town's worth of personalities and interactions together seamlessly. (more…)
A Multi-Cultural Cinderella
Glass Slipper, Gold Sandal: A Worldwide Cinderella by Paul Fleischman; illustrated by Julie Paschkis
In Fleischman's book, stories from countries world-wide are pieced together to create the single story of Cinderella, told from beginning to end despite the sometimes incongruous pieces. A sweet, beautiful girl who is mistreated but makes her way to meet the prince, falls in love, and lives happily ever after, albeit sometimes with golden sandals and sometimes with diamond anklets.
Paschkis' illustrations are reminiscent of wood block prints alternating between descriptive narrative illustrations and background images of ethnic food, clothing, and creatures. Bright, bold pictures pop off the page, and each ethnic section is stacked on others, appearing almost quilt-like in its narrative arc. Paschkis did a good job of keeping images relevant to the text and bringing up cultural differences that children will delight in pointing out. (more…)
Oh my Zeus! Is that a Greek god in that book?!
The Son of Neptune by Rick Riordan
Really? you must be asking yourselves. Rick Riordan? Hasn't the whole world pretty much reviewed his books, like, years ago?
Well, yeah.
But hey, I loved the books! (Also, I'd rather review The Son of Neptune than clean my room.)
On the off chance that nobody here has read (or heard of) the Percy Jackson series, here's a brief overview: ancient Greek gods and goddesses are real, and they never disappeared–they've followed the rise of Western culture and currently reside on Mt. Olympus over the Empire State Building. Percy Jackson–main character, obviously–discovers he's a "hero" or Greek "demigod", a half-mortal, and his father is Poseidon, which turns out to be problematic. After a brief time at Camp Half Blood, he and his new friends are off on a quest full of mythical beasts, minor deities, and worldwide catastrophe. It's rollicking good fun, incredibly smart, and impressively accurate on the ancient history/mythology level. Alas, after five books, the series was done.
But wait! There's more! (more…)
Bold, Beautiful Picture Book on the Underground Railroad
Underground: Find the Light to Freedom written and illustrated by Shane W. Evans
In this unique picture book, Evans explores the emotional and physical journey of fugitive slaves running to freedom in pre-emancipation America. Evans pairs short, direct sentences (nineteen in all) with bold pictures in contrasting colors: dark blue with white and yellow, orange with brown and green. The portrayals of the trials of escaped slaves as well as a gratefulness for the help of others is achieved in absolute minimalism with phrases like "The darkness," "the fear," "Some don't make it," "the sun." His beautiful illustrations pair well with the brief narration, and overall the book is successful and triumphant.
So here's the problem: while other reviewers recommended Underground for ages through grade 3, I had a really hard time determining intended age range. The language is so simple it might be annoying to older readers, while the emotional and historical concepts behind the narration would be too old for younger kids. That said, it's definitely worth using if an appropriate unit can be found, whether used as an (more…)
Summer Vacation with Aliens & a Hippy Grandma
Aliens on Vacation by Clete Barrett Smith (The Intergalactic Bed & Breakfast series, Book One)
My name is Jenny, and I have a problem: I read too many books.
Okay, so there's no such thing as "too many books", but I certainly read more than I'm able to review regularly. Aliens on Vacation became one of my many victims–a book I loved but did not write about, a book I read prior to its publication back in May. My apologies to Mr. Smith! With that said…
Aliens on Vacation by Clete Smith is a fun romp with science fiction, summer vacation, the Pacific Northwest, and a thirteen-year-old boy named Scrub who can't believe he'll be spending the summer with his grandmother. When Scrub arrives at his grandma's Intergalactic Bed & Breakfast, an old house covered in brightly painted stars, spaceships, and planets, he thinks that his summer is doomed for boredom and geekiness. Meeting his hippy grandmother for the first time doesn't help the feeling, and when he realizes there's no internet, he knows it's going to be a long vacation. Little does Scrub know, the B&B isn't for Trekkies and science-fiction fanatics: it's actually a vacation spot for alien visitors from across the galaxy! Soon Scrub finds himself helping Grandma costume aliens of every shape, size, and attitude (some are very cranky customers indeed!) so the aliens can enjoy their "primitive" surroundings in the local town and forests without being discovered. (more…)
Sometimes Maturity Isn't All It's Cracked Up To Be
Acting Up by Ted Staunton
In this coming-of-age novel, Sam Foster is an eleventh-grade boy trying to face the ever-changing life in his small, Canadian hometown of Hope Springs. Maturity is the ever-important word as Sam tries to convince his parents that he can handle the responsibilities of a driver's license and house-sitting, all the while trying to balance his spunky, anarchist girlfriend; his goofball buddies; school work; volunteer time at the library; and a coerced participation in the school play. At times funny (and can you say hilarious-but-awkward?), Staunton strikes a believable chord as the characters develop. The situations Sam finds himself in are realistic, hilarious, and embarrassing all at once, and even the adults in the book have are wacky enough keep the reader interested. Teenagers–guys especially!–will relate to Sam's mishaps, crazy cohorts, and even crazier adult mentors as he struggles to find balance in the turmoil of becoming a so-called "grown up".
Acting Up is the third in a trilogy focusing on Sam's town and the people in it, a further development of Sam's character as a growing teenager. Mostly comic with relate-able, embarrassing situations and a cast of characters trying to figure out what they want and how to communicate with one another, it also has a few deeper notes that lend some weight to the story. Though the theme of "maturity" is often overpowering and the outcomes of some plot points are a bit predictable, Staunton's overall story and creative collection of teenage adventures and catastrophes makes it a good, solid read. Sam is every-guy in any-town (albeit Canadian), and his miscommunications, misunderstandings, and personal goals relate to the shared experience of teenage life. If you enjoy "real world" fiction, this will make a good summer read. (more…)
A Four-Part Epic Saga Begins
Relic Master: The Dark City by Catherine Fisher (Book One)
In the world of Anara, members of the Order have been outcast and are hunted down daily by the Watch, a governing body that warns the people against the superstitions and trickery of the Order. Despite the dangers, Masters continue to shield the magical relics–seemingly mystic technology–left by the Makers, gods from long ago. Since the darkness came and the Order's citadel fell to ruin, life is dangerous, and it is difficult to know who to trust.
In The Dark City, the first in Catherine Fisher's new four-part series, relic master Galen Horn and his sixteen-year-old apprentice Raffi are interrupted one night with a message from a mysterious rider: a new relic has been found. Galen, who lost his powers in an accident, is eager to search out the center of all Maker powers with the hope of being healed; Raffi is still learning and scared, and he knows that the dangers of their journey are very real.
Soon on their travels they realize they are being followed and discover Carys–secretly a spy for the oppressive Watch–and invite her to join them, though they withhold their natures and purpose. Eventually their journey leads them into the dark city of Tasceron in search of the Crow, an ancient magical being that Galen hopes can heal him. Constantly in danger and on the run, they learn more about each other and question beliefs on trust, loyalty, faith, and the things they value most. A twist at the end will leave the reader grabbing for more as we, the educated outsiders, start to understand things that the characters themselves do not. (Admit it: it's always fun to figure things out and feel smarter than the main characters!) (more…)
Divorce Doesn't Mean Bad
Dad and Pop: An Ode to Fathers & Stepfathers by Kelly Bennett, illustrated by Paul Meisel
Okay, I'll admit it: I have a soft spot for this book. Not only does it resemble my family and the way I grew up, but it's also one of the few books I've found about divorce (indirect though it may be) that shows it doesn't have to be bad. Sometimes things don't work out the way we plan, but it can mean good things in the end, like a bigger family with more people to love.
It also helps that the main character has red hair. Yes, you got it out of me: I'm a carrot top.
Bennett writes from the perspective of a little girl who has two fathers via divorce, but unlike the usual "dealing with divorce" books, hers is positive and upbeat. It's a message for kids with step-parents about the importance of family, and it focuses on the greatness behind personal differences.
Meisel's colorful watercolor illustrations are a great match for Bennett's text, and they keep the comparisons between "Dad" and "Pop" fun and light. Each set of facing pages depicts the two fathers, one on each side, in a different activity with their daughter. One parent likes to ride his bike (a mountain bicycle); the other one does too (a motorcycle)! (more…)
Multi-lingual Livestock
Beautiful Yetta: The Yiddish Chicken by Daniel Pinkwater; illustrated by Jill Pinkwater
Maybe I liked this book because it reminded me of my grandparents, but I'm pretty sure I also just really, really enjoyed it.
Beautiful Yetta is the multi-lingual story of a chicken who has escaped a fate at the butchers only to end up lost on the streets of Brooklyn, much different from her normal farm life. Initially ostracized by rats and pigeons, Yetta saves a wild parrot from a cat and becomes a welcome member of the parrot colony.
The story is unique as each character speaks their own language (Yiddish, Spanish, and English) with accompanying phonetic spellings for Hebrew and Spanish characters as well as English translations. (A phonetic Hebrew and Yiddish alphabet chart is included, presumably for adults, on the last page.) It's a great way to introduce young children to other cultures and languages, though as Daniel Pinkwater says, "it doesn't mean to be a Rosetta Stone," Colorful and geometric illustrations, which often take the place of narration, are important to the progression of the plot, and the bright images fit well with the lively narrative as it flits back and forth from one language to another.
If this book is up your alley, be sure to check out a recording of Pinkwater reading Beautiful Yetta aloud, complete with accents and laughter, on NPR's Weekend Edition (August 14, 2010).
Age 4-8
Copyright 2010
Image from www.kveller.com


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by Lindsay Beyerstein
How our blog got its name
Sidney Hillman was a powerful national figure during the Great Depression, a key supporter of the New Deal, and a close ally of President Franklin D. Roosevelt.
When the rumor spread that President Roosevelt ordered his party leaders to "clear it with Sidney" before announcing Harry S. Truman as his 1944 running mate, conservative critics turned on the phrase, trumpeting it as proof that the president was under the thumb of "Big Labor."
Over the years, the phrase lost its sting and became a testament to Hillman's influence.
It's hard to imagine a labor leader wielding that kind clout today, but we like the idea—and we hope Sidney would give thumbs up to our blog.
Clear It With Sidney
The Best of the Week's News
- Total Recall: WI Gov. Scott Walker fought off recall with an elaborate and illegal fundraising network, prosecutors allege.
- Anthropologists are sifting through mass graves in South Texas to identify migrants who died attempting to cross the border.
- Is it illegal to threaten to kill your wife (or an FBI agent) if you do it with bad Facebook poetry? The Supreme Court will decide.
- Unions question the legality of lobbying by the Tennessee Charter Schools Center, the state's leading pro-charter group.
[Photo credit: Wander Mule, Creative Commons.]
The shortlists for the PEN Literary Awards have been announced. PEN awards recognize excellence in many different kinds of writing, including fiction, non-fiction, poetry, translation, and the literary essay. Finalists for the prize for outstanding essay collection include feminist writer Rebecca Solnit and cultural critic James Wolcott.
The list for the Pen/E.O. Wilson Literary Science Writing Award includes neuroscientist Carl Hart and physician/journalist Sherri Fink. Hart is shortlisted for his book on addiction, "High Price," and Fink is shortlisted for "Five Days at Memorial," an account of tragic events at a hospital cut off from the world after Hurricane Katrina.
Kum Gang San, a popular Korean restaurant in New York City, is accused of blackmailing employees into unpaid labor with threats of deportation, Sukjong Hong reports for Gothamist:
Servers and bussers at a popular Korean restaurant say they were forced to work 18-hour shifts without overtime, attend church before work on Sundays, and "volunteer" their time picking vegetables at a farm outside the city. According to a federal lawsuit they filed against the management of the restaurant, any refusal to heed the owner's extraordinary demands resulted in humiliation, termination, and threats of blacklisting and deportation.
Former employees report that if they declined the "invitation" spend their days off as unpaid farmworkers gathering kimchi ingredients, they were expected to drop to their knees and beg their boss's forgiveness.
In addition to being forced to attend 90-minute unpaid church services before work on Sundays, former employees say they were expected to take turns paying $150 out-of-pocket for catering after the sermon!
The former employees aired their grievances in federal court during a civil trial that concluded on Monday.
[Photo credit: Word to Table, Creative Commons.]
- Pouring sugar in the c-section wound: Arizona's prison health care crisis
- Hillman Prize-winner Digby Parton debunks right-wing myths about the Miller cop shootings in Las Vegas.
- Former managers allege pervasive inventory fraud at WalMart.
- Who's behind the National Right to Work Committee?
- The AFL-CIO throws its support behind a bill that would legalize medical marijuanain New York
- Mother of seven dies in jail, serving a 48-hour sentence to erase her kids' truancy fines
[Photo credit: Wander Mule, Creative Commons.]
Beth Schwartzapfel wins this month's Sidney Award for her expose of the United States' huge and exploited prison workforce. Some 870,000 prisoners work full time, a workforce equal to those of Vermont and Rhode Island combined. The average wage in state prison is 20 cents an hour and inmates have virtually no rights at work. They aren't eligible for disability, OSHA doesn't protect them as carefully as workers on the outside, and they don't pay into Social Security.
We tend to think of prison jobs as rehabilitation, but Schwartzapfel found that job training programs are few and far between. The vast majority of working inmates are assigned menial jobs to keep their own facilities running. The image, above, is digitally stylized treatment of a CAD drawing by an inmate named Joshua, who works in a rare prison job program. In his spare time, Joshua designs and builds grandfather clocks, like the one partially pictured in the illustration.
[Image credit: Illustration based on a CAD drawing by "Joshua," an inmate-worker, who in his downtime at work at the Brown Creek Metals Plant in Polkton, NC designs and builds grandfather clocks.]
A widely-exported line of farmed shrimp from Thailand is fed on fishmeal made by slave labor, a six-month investigation by the Guardian has revealed:
The investigation found that the world's largest prawn farmer, the Thailand-based Charoen Pokphand (CP) Foods, buys fishmeal, which it feeds to its farmed prawns, from some suppliers that own, operate or buy from fishing boats manned with slaves.
Men who have managed to escape from boats supplying CP Foods and other companies like it told the Guardian of horrific conditions, including 20-hour shifts, regular beatings, torture and execution-style killings. Some were at sea for years; some were regularly offered methamphetamines to keep them going. Some had seen fellow slaves murdered in front of them.
CP Foods supplies shrimp (or prawns, as they are known in the UK), to grocery giants including Walmart, Costco, and Tesco.
Grocery workers in California are twice as likely as the average Californian to be unable to afford to buy food:
One out of three grocery workers in California is receiving some type of public assistance while one in five rations the food he or she helps sell, according to a new report that laments the industry's diminishing standing as a source of stable, middle-class jobs.
For a study set to be published Monday, University of California researchers interviewed 925 people who work for supermarket chains, smaller ethnic markets or in the grocery sections of big box retailers such as Wal-Mart and Target, making it one of the largest surveys ever done of the state's grocery industry workforce of 383,900, The San Francisco Chronicle reports (http://bit.ly/SFs6AU).
The study was commissioned by a labor union, the United Food and Commercial Workers Western States Council. It found that the median wage at unionized stores fell from $19.38 in 2000 to $15.17 an hour in 2012, with workers at non-union shops earning less than $10 an hour. [AP]
This message has been brought to you buy irony and the casual cruelty of capitalism.
[Photo credit: Bailey S., Creative Commons.]
The Best of the Week's News
- Home childcare workers win right to unionize in Vermont.
- Lives Worth Less? The Houston Police Department barely lifted a finger to solve some two dozen homicides.
- Gender and Murder: Visualized.
- Congressional Black Caucus divided over Wall Street.
[Photo credit: Wander Mule, Creative Commons.]
There are 870,000 inmates in the United States' prison workforce. These inmates have virtually no rights at work. Prisoners typically earn less than a dollar an hour, and most of them work at keeping their own prisons running. If all the work of running prisons were paid at minimum wage, prison wouldn't be nearly as profitable as it currently is.
Beth Schwartzapfel investigates the demi-monde of the nation's incarcerated workforce for the American Prospect:
Despite decades' worth of talk about reform—of giving prisoners the skills and resources they need to build a life after prison—the vast majority of these workers, almost 700,000, still do "institutional maintenance" work like Hazen's. They mop cellblock floors, prepare and serve food in the dining hall, mow the lawns, file papers in the warden's office, and launder millions of tons of uniforms and bed linens. Compensation varies from state to state and facility to facility, but the median wage in state and federal prisons is 20 and 31 cents an hour, respectively.
It might appear that the public is saving money by making prisoners earn their keep at very low wages, but this analysis neglects the fact many prisoners have dependents on the outside who are forced onto public assistance because their former breadwinner's full-time wages are scarcely enough to keep her in sanitary pads from the prison commissary. That's not even counting the indirect costs of prisoners being released with no savings, or even large debts from all the fees they racked up in the court system. When prisoners are let out with no resources to reestablish themselves in society, they may be tempted to reoffend.
[Photo credit: Valery, Creative Commons.]
The Best of the Week's News
- The government pays detained immigrants a dollar a day to serve other detainees.
- A historian of abortion recalls Dr. George Tiller on the fifth anniversary of his assassination.
- Are nanoparticles the next big health risk at work?
[Photo credit: Wander Mule, Creative Commons.]
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IOWA CITY, Iowa - Here's the game report from Kinnick Stadium, where Iowa beat Minnesota 34-13.
A-minus -- Penalties still a problem, but not much else to complain about in this one.
-- Michael Bonner
7 – Touchdowns scored by Mark Weisman. No other Hawkeye has more than one.
6 – Consecutive trophy games Iowa lost before Saturday's win.
5 – Consecutive years Iowa returned an interception for a touchdown.
35 – Yards gained on punt returns for Micah Hyde, who entered the game with 33.
33 – Rushing yards for Gophers running back Donnel Kirkwood who gained 221 in his last two games.
They weren't replacement officials, but they certainly needed a lot of help form the review booth on Saturday. Iowa and Minnesota saw four plays reviewed with two overturned. The most consequential was a Tanner Miller interception that brought back memories of a Monday Night Hail Mary.
"Oh yeah, thankfully we have the right refs out there," Miller said. "They did a great job. It was a big play in the game."
The officials' ruled Miller caught the ball but landed out of bounds. The replay showed Miller's backside landed in bounds as well as his foot, allowing Iowa to take over.
Miller was involved in another review a few plays later when he blocked a Minnesota player into the ball on a punt return. Iowa recovered but the referees ruled the ball didn't make contact with the player. After the review, the ball made contact with the Gophers' player but only after Miller blocked him into it, which is illegal.
"I didn't know the rule that you couldn't push somebody into the football," Miller said. "I was just trying to make a play."
The third review upheld a Minnesota incomplete pass. The fourth took an one yard Mark Weisman touchdown off the board, but James Vandenberg sneaked ahead for the score on the next play.
Iowa Hawkeyes wide receiver Keenan Davis (6) celebrates a touchdown by wide receiver Jordan Cotton (23) in the first half of their game at Kinnick Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 29, 2012, in Iowa City. (Liz Martin/The Gazette-KCRG)
Mark Weisman did his best to avoid a Ray Finkle-like wrath of James Vandenberg. The perfectly executed flea flicker began at the hands of Weisman, who isn't the best flicker.
"He calls it and I know, I've got to get him a good pitch. Get him the laces if I can," Weisman said. "Sometimes on that, I can, I can't. Today he was surprised that I got it to him."
"He's totally pulling stuff out of his butt. Every time we did it in practice he'd throw these knuckle balls. And I'd always say, 'Mark throw me the laces.' Completely joking around," Vandenberg said. "Today it happened to be I caught it right on the laces. And that was the first thing I told him on the sidelines."
They arrived at the sideline after a 47 yard touchdown pass to Jordan Cotton. It was the first of his career. Ironically Cotton's first career reception came last year against Minnesota.
It put the Hawkeyes up 17-0, erupted a fan base into euphoria and quieted the "predictable offense" nay-sayers.
"Coach (Greg) Davis said, 'We run this once or twice year for the alumni. This is something you keep in your playbook and you run it.' When he said that I laughed so loud, thinking the exact same thing that I hear all the time. 'Oh you're gonna run it. You're gonna pass it,'" Vandenberg said tongue in cheek. "So it's a great play to have it's a great change up and it gave us a touchdown.
Iowa Hawkeyes fullback Mark Weisman breaks a tackle by Minnesota Golden Gophers defensive back Cedric Thompson on his way into the end zone for a touchdown during the first half at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City on Saturday, September 29, 2012. (Cliff Jette/The Gazette-KCRG TV9)
With time winding down in the first quarter Greg Garmon took the handoff from James Vandenberg and carried the ball for three yards. It pushed the ball to the Minnesota 11 yard line and two plays later Mark Weisman scored the game's first touchdown.
The carry also ended a string of 58 consecutive carries for Weisman. The last time a back not named Weisman carried the ball was Garmon toward the end of the second quarter against Northern Iowa. Garmon dislocated his elbow on the play and the legend of Weisman emerged.
"It's kind of cool, but I don't think of it like that," Weisman said. "All of our running backs have the capability of running the ball, whether it's me, Garmon, Damon (Bullock) when he gets back. It's the offensive line. That's who's doing all the work."
Minnesota came into Kinnick Stadium with the top sack artist in the Big Ten. D.L. Wilhite led the conference with 4.5 sacks. His partner in crime, Ra'Shede Hageman had 3.0.
The duo left Kinnick with the same amount.
"That was huge. That was a big part of the running game. We were able to wear them down," "They're really a good, hard team to play against when you get in third in long because they have a lot of guys in the back end and a lot of guys up front that make things tough. But we did a pretty good job of staying in with our run game and staying ahead of the chains."
The only time the Gophers got close to Vandenberg came in the third quarter on a Alex Keith roughing the passer penalty.
On paper the second quarter looked to be the pivotal period for Iowa. It was Minnesota's best quarter outscoring opponents 35-7 on the year. For the Hawkeyes, they struggled in the second with a 29-13 disadvantage – the worst of any quarter.
Saturday the roles reversed. Iowa put on 21 points to role into halftime up 24-0.
"I feel everyone felt really confident about this game. We really wanted to get after it and start fast," wide receiver Keenan Davis said. "And we did."
Iowa kept its streak alive scoring on its opening drive. The Hawkeyes took the opening kick and drove 49 yards to set up the game's first score - a 44 yard Mike Meyer field goal.
While the offense continued its streak, the defense snapped one of its own. For the first time in three games Iowa's opponents' first drive ended in a punt. Iowa State, Northern Iowa and Central Michigan all scored touchdowns the first time their offense touched the ball.
The Hawkeyes had been slow starters this season. Opponents outscored Iowa 55-40 in the first half this season. At the half it held a 24-0 advantage.
"I think as a team effort, this is absolutely the best we've played this year," James Vandenberg said.
Iowa had three inactives against Minnesota. Defensive back B.J. Lowery and offensive lineman Austin Blythe both sat out with foot injuries, but could have played if they had to. Running back Damon Bullock remained sidelined with a concussion. He has yet to be cleared by the team's medical staff.
Next week is Iowa's bye week before they head to East Lansing for its first true road game against Michigan State.
The Hawkeyes hold a 22-19-2 record against the Spartans since the first match-up in 1953. Michigan State is one of two teams Iowa owns a winning record against, the other being Northwestern.
Cedar Rapids, Iowa News, Sports, and Weather
Game Report: Iowa 34 - Minnesota 13
By Michael Bonner, Reporter
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Meet the President
Mark P. Becker, the seventh president of Georgia State University, began his tenure on Jan. 1, 2009.
Becker has launched a major strategic planning initiative focused on positioning the university, as it sets its sights on its second century, to become one of the world's premier urban universities. Embracing its commitments to recognized excellence in education and research, as well as its unique location in and commitment to Atlanta, the university is poised to rise to new levels of accomplishment and impact.
Under Becker's leadership, GSU recently launched the Second Century Initiative for faculty excellence, most often referred to as "2CI." This initiative will bring 100 additional faculty members to Georgia State over five years to build internationally recognized scholarly strength and critical mass in areas of priority.
Becker is a member of the Central Atlanta Progress Executive Committee; Atlanta Committee for Progress Board of Directors; Georgia Aquarium Board; Woodruff Arts Center Board of Trustees; Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors; Georgia Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors; Georgia Research Alliance Board of Trustees; 191 Club Board of Governors; ARCHE (Atlanta Regional Council for Higher Education) Board; and the World Affairs Council of Atlanta Board of Directors.
A biostatistician, public health researcher and academic leader, Becker served as executive vice president for academic affairs and provost at the University of South Carolina before assuming Georgia State's presidency.
Prior to that appointment, Becker spent three years at the University of Minnesota as a biostatistics professor, dean of the School of Public Health and assistant vice president of Public Health, Preparedness and Emergency Response.
From 1989 to 2000, Becker was a professor and associate dean for academic affairs at University of Michigan's School of Public Health. He also has held academic appointments at the University of Washington, the University of Florida and Cornell University.
Becker earned his bachelor's degree in mathematics from Towson State University and his doctorate in statistics from the Pennsylvania State University.
During his career, Becker has been involved in several professional associations, including the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the International Biometric Society and the American Statistical Association, where he is a fellow. He has been principal investigator on research grants from the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation, and he has published extensively in leading journals of medicine, public health, and statistics. Becker has served on a number of editorial boards, was co-editor of Sociological Methodology, and was a guest editor for Sociological Methods and Research and for the Journal of the American Statistical Association
Becker and his wife Laura Voisinet have two grown children, Matthew and Julia.


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Roxanne Quimby | Controversy in Maine's North Woods
In 1998, Sappi sold its land to Plum Creek: in all, nearly a million acres. If the arrival of Roxanne Quimby caused a tremor, Plum Creek's emergence caused an earthquake throughout this, the largest expanse of wilderness east of the Mississippi.
"Plum Creek is now the largest landowner in the United States," Jym St. Pierre says. He is the Maine director of a group called RESTORE: The North Woods. In 1994, RESTORE put forward the idea of creating a 3.2-million-acre park: Maine Woods National Park (MWNP). "I saw the signs on the horizon, even back in the 1980s, that things were going to change," St. Pierre says. "What I didn't predict was the speed of it. I didn't think it was going to happen this fast. This is not evolution. This is a revolution."
By 2005, Plum Creek had proposed a plan to rezone and subdivide 400,000 acres surrounding Moosehead Lake. The plan included development of two large resorts and nearly a thousand residential lots on a portion of the land. "This is the largest, most controversial project ever proposed in the history of Maine," St. Pierre notes.
Unable to gain approval from LURC (the Land Use Regulation Commission, which acts as a zoning board for Maine's unorganized townships), Plum Creek has revised the plan three times. Its current proposal is under review. Plum Creek has emphasized that most of the land will be placed under "working forest" and conservation easements, a move to calm the fears of environmentalists.
St. Pierre explains that some of the easements will continue to allow timbering, road construction, sawmills, cell towers, herbicide spraying, mining, even subdivision, and are not for conservation but for continuous forestry. "You can shape these easements any way you want," he says. "Some of them are very good. These Plum Creek easements have no value."
Plum Creek, however, has forced the hand of many in a state where employment is way down. St. Pierre quotes statistics: 5,000 people once worked in the mills of Millinocket and East Millinocket. Today, only 500 are employed there. That cabbage smell of the paper mills, once known as the smell of money, has been replaced by the faint odor of despair.
"I don't blame people for clinging to the hope that some of those days will come back," St. Pierre says. "The forestry industry will survive, but it won't be the driver anymore. The biggest industry in Maine is tourism, and Plum Creek is trying to tap into that in a way that will give them maximum profit. They buy land cheap and sell it high. They still make money by cutting trees, but they make most of their money cutting up land."
The debate in Maine over what should happen to this abandoned kingdom gets louder with each passing year. RESTORE has been vocal in its efforts to create the Maine Woods National Park, but its proposal has been rebuffed by many a Mainer. One bumper sticker reads: "RESTORE BOSTON: Leave the Maine Woods Alone."
"For a long time, we had this big place, over 10 million acres, as big as the whole rest of New England, that people just forgot about," St. Pierre explains. "It was a big blank spot on the map, and now everybody's scrapping for it. Everything about this is big. It's the last big place. Look around the country. I don't know of any other place that's in play like this. Even Alaska. We're all trying to figure out what the brave new world will be up there."
St. Pierre cites the paper companies' indulgence in letting the public use their private lands: "The biggest reason we don't have a national park in Maine today is because we've had a de facto park for generations. People feel entitled to that land, just because it's always been there."


text:
The following is an archive of a post made to our
'vox-tech mailing list'
by one of its subscribers.
A friend asked me, Are cable modems available in Davis, and, if so, what
advantages and disadvantages to they have compared to DSL? Since I have not
looked into broadband for some time, I am passing thequestion along to the
collective brain ;-).
Henry House
The attached file is a digital signature. See <http://romana.hajhouse.org/pgp>
for information. My OpenPGP key: <http://romana.hajhouse.org/hajhouse.asc>.
Description: PGP signature
Hosting provided by:
Sunset Systems
Sunset Systems offers preconfigured Linux
systems, remote system administration and
custom software development.
LUGOD: Linux Users' Group of Davis
PO Box 2082, Davis, CA 95617
Contact Us
LUGOD is a 501(c)7 non-profit organization
based in Davis, California
and serving the Sacramento area.
"Linux" is a trademark of Linus Torvalds.


text:
2014 Artists
- The 1975
- Above & Beyond
- Anna Lunoe
- Arctic Monkeys
- The Avett Brothers
- Bear Hands
- Bebe Rexha
- Benjamin Booker
- Betty Who
- Bleachers
- Blood Orange
- Bomba Estéreo
- Bombay Bicycle Club
- Brady Rymer and the Little Band That Could
- Brillz
- Broken Bells
- Bronze Radio Return
- Cage The Elephant
- Calvin Harris
- Cardiknox
- Cash Cash
- Chance The Rapper
- Charlie Hirsch
- Chase & Status
- Chicago Kindie All Stars
- Childish Gambino
- Chromeo
- Courtney Barnett
- Crass Mammoth
- Crizzly
- cut / copy
- Delta Rae
- Desert Noises
- The Districts
- Duke Dumont
- Eminem
- Ethan Kath
- Fitz & The Tantrums
- Flosstradamus
- Flume
- Fly Golden Eagle
- Foster The People
- Francisca Valenzuela
- Gemini Club
- Gesaffelstein
- Glen Hansard
- The Glitch Mob
- Gramatik
- The Head and the Heart
- heRobust
- Highly Suspect
- Hozier
- Iggy Azalea
- Interpol
- Into It. Over It.
- J. Roddy Walston & The Business
- Jacob Plant
- Jagwar Ma
- Jenny Lewis
- jhené aiko
- Joachim Garraud
- John Butler Trio
- Johnnyswim
- Jon Batiste and Stay Human
- Joywave
- Jungle
- Kate Nash
- Kings of Leon
- Kodaline
- Kongos
- The Kooks
- Krewella
- The Last Internationale
- Lindsay Lowend
- London Grammar
- Lorde
- Lucius
- Lykke Li
- Manchester Orchestra
- Martin Garrix
- Meg Myers
- Nas
- of Verona
- Outkast
- Oyinda
- Parquet Courts
- Perry/Etty vs Joachim Garraud
- Peter DiStefano & Tor
- Phantogram
- Phosphorescent
- Plastic Visions
- Play Date
- Portugal. The Man
- Pretty Little Demons
- The Q Brothers
- Ratking
- Rebelution
- Rich Homie Quan
- Roadkill Ghost Choir
- Rocky Business
- Royal Blood
- Rudimental
- Run The Jewels
- Ryan Beatty
- San Fermin
- School of Rock Allstars
- Sebastian Ingrosso
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- Skrillex
- Smallpools
- The So So Glos
- Space Capone
- Special Guest
- Spoon
- The Temper Trap
- Temples
- Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue
- Typhoon
- Vance Joy
- Vic Mensa
- Wallpaper.
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They are innocent, if ignorant tweets. "I love krewella like her music is amazing and her vocals are just perf." Legions of Krewella fans jump in defense on Twitter. Krewella is not a her, it is a them, they correct.
Krewella is a band' yes, a band of contradictions, surprises and unexpected influences. Krewella does not quite fit in with the EDM herd, and therefore resonates deeply with anyone who does not quite fit in. To wit: It is one of the biggest rising names in dance music, but its beat-maker proclaims, "People standing behind tables putting their hands in the air is remedial." The group name-drops Fall Out Boy, Blink 182, the Faint and Timbaland as inspirations. It is ostensibly an electronic act, though one formed by singer-songwriters and a guitar shredder who put live performance above all else, who cherish being flesh to flesh with their flock. Krewella is difficult to pigeonhole, and thus speaks to all those who view themselves as difficult to pigeonhole. Which is all of us. To understand Krewella, you have to go back to the beginning."
Chicago's Fulton River District is an industrial corridor of warehouses, carnicerias and factories stretching westward from the Loop. The interiors of these old brick buildings have been chopped up and rehabbed into lofts, nightclubs, condos, galleries and chic restaurants. Though some old businesses in this meatpacking district still just pack meat in the shadow of the El tracks.
In 2010, a trio of young musicians from suburban Northbrook rented a loft in the heart of the neighborhood. The oldest, Kris "Rain Man" Trindl, 22 at the time, a metalhead who first picked up a guitar at age 11, tried to look his most presentable when meeting with the apartment agent. He wore a peacoat. Kris and his two bandmates, sisters Yasmine and Jahan Yousaf, then 18 and 20, respectively, moved into the 2,500-square-foot space with cardboard boxes and empty beer cases as furniture. They slept on mattresses on the floor. Kris ran his computer through a flat-screen television. He turned his closet into a vocal booth, drilling holes in the walls to thread cables, insulating the interior with comforters and foam padding. Inside that closet, Jahan and Yasmine belted the vocals to "Alive" as Kris crafted the amphetamine-pumping beats and longing piano arpeggios of the hopeful dance anthem on the hardwood in his bedroom.
"Cardboard is a pretty good acoustic fucking dampener," notes Kris. "But we probably didn't get our security deposit back," says Jahan. That recording would go on to reach Billboard's Mainstream Top 40.
Wait, let's rewind to 2007. Kris, Jahan and Yasmine met while attending Glenbrook North High School' the alma mater of both John Hughes and Ferris Bueller. Jahan recalls first encountering Kris, who was older and already out of school, at his parties. "He was such a star," she says. "People wanted the same guitars he had, the same pants he had. He was a bad boy."
At one soiree, at some point in the night, Jahan sensed that Kris had disappeared. She hunted him down, finding him shut away in his room. "He was programming, while everyone was playing beer pong." Kris asked Jahan to sing on the song he was secretly creating. Nelly Furtado's collaboration with Timbaland, Loose, had changed the headbanger's outlook on music. Now he wanted to make pop tunes like that.
Kris remembers first seeing Jahan at a concert his metal band was somehow playing at the Northbrook Public Library. The librarians were not thrilled. Hard to say which metal band it was. Kris cycled through ten of them. The excitable and quick-talking Killswitch Engage superfan can rattle off their names: Murder Midnight, Hero, Apostasy, et al. Meanwhile Jahan was in a group, too, a choir group for ten years. The two quickly decided a second vocalist was needed. After unsuccessfully trying out a couple of candidates, Jahan brought in her little sister, Yasmine. Though, she had been fronting a moody teenage indie band called Sunset and Camden, a moniker taken from the intersection in Singin' in the Rain.


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PG20 Series PG20 HDTVs complement virtually any decor. They are uncommonly slim and built with a unique single-layer design that virtually eliminates unsightly speaker grills. The result is a sleek plasma HDTV that sits comfortably in any room.
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Love my plasma, if your into sporting events you'll want the plasma, it has a sharper pic on motion due to the fact that plasma reacts faster than liquid cystal. You won't get...Read complete review
Love my plasma, if your into sporting events you'll want the plasma, it has a sharper pic on motion due to the fact that plasma reacts faster than liquid cystal. You won't get that blur that the LCD leaves between frames. the hidden speakers also enhance the look of this sleek unit. I can't review reliability because I only had it about a month, but I think they have improved the Plasma TV's but you might want to invest in a extended warrantee? I chose not too but might not be a bad investment for at least an additonal year.
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Great TV!
By JNB
from Houston, TX
Comments about LG 42" Black Plasma Flat Panel HDTV:
I bought my TV a few years ago after a long time searching. I have been very happy with this TV and have become a big time LG fan. I would highly recommend this TV to anyone! Easy to set up, has great features and looks great.
Bottom Line Yes, I would recommend this to a friend
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Model 42PG20
By Bluesman
from Oshkosh, WI
Picture is great but the sound is bad will not play above 60db then destorts..sound board was replaced but did not help
Bottom Line No, I would not recommend this to a friend
By jeanettev
from South Florida
Very happy with this purchase! Excellent video quality, easy to install and use. Suffers from some glare as with any other plasma tv but that would be the only trade off. Advantages over LCD are video quality, great darks and motion, etc. Great for video games, sports and movies with lots of effects. Sound quality could be improve, a little more punch, but if you own a home theater you can bypass this issue. Overall, excellent product! Would buy again from LG.
Perfect TV!
By shovelheadshelly
from PA
I highley recommend this plasma television. It hase the sharpess picture on it. My son owns a 42" sony and he thinks that my picture has better quality picture than his. I absolutely love it. I think I did very well when I was looking to by a plasma and decided to got with this LG. I'm very happy and pleased with my purchase.
love my tv!
By chamster3
from Undisclosed
this was a great buy at a great price! I love it only thing I don't like is that it only has an optical audio out so now i have to buy a newer receiver to use my tv with my extra speakers! otherwise very nice!
(5 of 5 customers found this review helpful)
By benevuy
Well worth the wait.
By AL
from Sahuarita,Az.
About Me Casual User
Excellent all around product.Have used for approx 1 month and only negative I have encountered is somewhat excessive glare.TV runs hotter than others I have owned which some may find objectionable.
Service and delivery comments:
Initial delivery arrived with a broken screen.Turnaround for a replacement was prompt and arrived in good condition.
Very pleased with the product.
By renies53
from Denver CO
The quality of the picture far exceeded my expectations.
I was pleasantly surprised at the quick delivery of the TV. Product arrived in superb shape.
very satisfied
By kermit eng
from redmond, washington
glad we bought it.
By Simon from Canada
from Vancouver Canada
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Plymouth residents' anger as parking fees are set to soar
Posted: October 24, 2013|
THE cost of allowing visitors to park near your house could rocket from £15 a year to £100 in some city streets.
Residents in Crownhill, Plympton and Plymstock face a 660 per cent rise in the cost of visitor parking permits under reforms planned by Plymouth City Council.
And the maximum number of days allowed for visitors to park will fall by a whopping 76per cent.
The change will affect residents in nine zones.
Eggbuckland Conservative councillor Ian Bowyer said: "Crownhill residents living at Cross Park Road, Cross Park Way, Cross Park Avenue, and Cosdon Place have a designated residents' controlled parking zone.
"They pay a £15 annual charge to the council to buy a visitor parking permit to allow friends, family and business callers to park outside, Monday to Saturday.
"Now the council is changing the rules. Residents will have to pay up to £100 a year for 90 tickets for the same service, including Sundays.
"It's ironic that nationally the Labour Party is talking about a cost of living crisis when locally Labour-run Plymouth City Council is adding to it. This increase is extortionate and unacceptable."
Cllr Lynda Bowyer (Con, Eggbuckland) said: "This looks suspiciously like a council wheeze to boost funding on the backs of local residents.
"What possible right does the city council have to restrict any private resident from having visitors at any time and in any quantity of numbers to his or her private residence?
"Cross Park residents appear to have been discriminated against for living in a controlled parking zone."
She called on residents to respond urgently to the council's consultation exercise before it ends on Tuesday.
In the areas affected the current charge for an annual visitor permit is £15.
The proposed charges are:
£20 for 30 tickets – a 33per cent increase in cost for an 8per cent maximum possible number of visits.
£55 for 60 tickets – a 266per cent increase in cost for a 16per cent maximum possible number of visits.
£100 for 90 tickets – a 660per cent increase in cost for a 24per cent maximum possible number of visits.
The reforms include reductions in some charges including a free 15-minute parking period in the city centre's West End, and a new option allowing drivers to pay 70p to park for half an hour in pay and display bays across the city.
But the charging period in bays across the city is due to be extended to 8am to 10pm.
Hotels face a 50per cent increase in the cost of parking permits for their guests.
Details of the consultation have not put details on the council's online consultation portal. Comments can be made only in writing (quoting reference 2013.1860370) to: Clive Perkin, assistant director for transport and infrastructure, Plymouth City Council, Plymouth PL1 2AA.
The change will affect residents in zones CA to CE, X, W1 to W3.
Plymouth City Council was unable to provide street-level information yesterday.
A Plymouth City Council spokesperson said: "We are consulting on our proposed changes to on-street parking arrangements to make charges more consistent and fairer across the city.
"The changes proposed for permit parking areas in Crownhill are to their visitor tickets only.
"Currently residents can purchase a maximum of two annual tickets at £15.
"We are proposing this restriction be removed and the annual visitors tickets be replaced with the resident visitors ticket which is currently used in the majority of areas in the city.
"Crownhill residents would be able to purchase a book of 30 tickets for £20.
"The book is valid for a three year period with each ticket valid for use over one day.
"We understand that some residents may require daily visitors, such as a carer, and we would issue essential visitor permits in these instances. "
Anyone wishing to discuss the changes can call the parking department on 01752 668000.
Comment: Page 11


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Without question, Jamaica and the Caribbean tech entrepreneurs are on their way to making their mark in their own nations, region and the world and tech conferences like Caribbean BETA and its Pitchfest competition is geared towards helping them become more successful. This year we added the Startup Bootcamp to the attendees sharpen their game after competing in the Pitchfest and for what we know is a busy 2013 season.
Sponsored by CIDA, InfoDev & JAMPRO – The Objectives were to help any aspiring and current entrepreneur with a tech-driven idea to move further, faster from where they currently are along their startup journey. Their ideas could be ones that leveraged the internet, mobile or social platforms for example- a website, web app, mobile service, mobile app and gaming. It was open to anyone, any Caribbean country, any age.
There were 35 attendees from 3 Caribbean Countries ( Jamaica, Trinidad, Bahamas).


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You already bring your own device to a new job. Why not bring your own identity?
IDC predicts that BYOID (or, BYOI as more people call it) will be one of the major trends of 2013.
The researchers dedicated two sentences to the idea in their 20-page report about IT predictions for next year:
- "Bring your own ID" will bring consumerization into enterprise security. IDC predicts that many more enterprises, and the security software and services vendors that serve them, will use the identity management systems of Facebook, Google, Yahoo!, Microsoft, and other consumer social networks and cloud services as a new foundation for enterprise authentication.
In many ways, people already do bring their own identities to work. If you use Box, for instance, you can log in using your existing Google credentials. If you use Google Apps at work, for that matter, you may use a Google login that you set up years ago when you started using Gmail. Many cloud services let people login with their Facebook, Twitter, or Google credentials.
But since not every service you use allows you to sign in with the same credential (i.e., if you prefer to use your Facebook login you're out of luck with Box, which only accepts Google's or a new one), it's still complicated.
There are also new services like Okta that allows workers to use their Active Directory credentials to log in once and then use all of their cloud services. This is a step in the right direction since it makes logging into many cloud services easier, but it still requires workers to have a work identity.
Okta doesn't think that will change.
"It's an 'and' not an 'or'," said Eric Berg, vice president of products for Okta said. Many businesses are too worried about security to let people log into apps that contain sensitive enterprise data using systems based on social services where IT has no control, he said. He says Active Directory isn't going away.
Maybe so. BUt even Microsoft, which built Active Directory, is thinking about how to leverage the identity management platforms built by the popular social networking services.
Microsoft last week started offering its Azure access control service for free, after previously charging for it. This is an authentication and authorization service that lets users log in with their Active Directory identities or their Facebook, Google, Twitter, or Microsoft account credentials. Any Azure app can take advantage of this feature.
IDC isn't the only research firm talking about this trend. Last month Gartner also put out a report that mentioned BYOI. It said that enterprises benefit when users can log in with their social identities because the number of abandoned registrations and logins will fall. Overall, letting users login with their social identities lowers friction and improves the user experience, Gartner said.
Last summer, the CTO of Layer 7 also called BYOI the next IT revolution.
It will take some time for IT to develop policies and systems for allowing single sign-on with consumer apps, and to get comfortable with security implications. But just like BYOD, BYOI will happen because users want it. Eventually, vendors will enable it.


text:
Specialties Offered
- Adult Congenital Heart Program
- Aortic Services
- Heart Failure
- Meet the Team
- Interventional Cardiology Program
Dr. Bates received his Doctor of Medicine from Eastern Virginia Medical School in Norfolk, Va. He completed his Residency in General Surgery and Cardiothoracic Surgery with Ochsner Clinic Foundation. Additionally, Dr. Bates completed a fellowship in Heart Failure and Thoracic Transplantation at Stanford University. Dr. Bates is board certified with the American Board of Surgery and the American Board of Thoracic Surgery. He is a fellow in the American College of Surgeons and a member of the Society of Thoracic Surgeons, the International Society of Heart and Lung Transplant, and the Southern Thoracic Surgical Association.
Titles Held
Staff Surgeon
Clinical Interests
Dr. Bates' clinical interests include adult cardiac surgery, minimally invasive cardiac surgery, mitral valve repair, coronary surgery, aortic surgery, transcatheter aortic valve replacement, thoracic transplantation, mechanical circulatory support, transmyocardial revascularzation (TMR), and surgery for atrial fibrilation.
Languages Spoken
Certifications Held
American Board of Surgery
American Board of Thoracic Surgery
- Medical School: Eastern Virginia Medical School
- Internship: Ochsner Clinic Foundation
- Residency: Ochsner Clinic Foundation
- Fellowship: Stanford University


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Jewelweed...Emphasis on the WEED?
Brugmansia Moderator - Emeritus
Posted Oct 10, 2011 2:19 PM
A question for those of you who grow Jewelweed - how big of a nuisance does it become for you? Does it reseed itself rampantly? I planted Impatiens gladulifera (Policeman's Helmet) in my yard, then spent about 3 years trying to irradicate it! It is listed as a noxious weed where I live & I now know why. It grew up to 6' tall and came up everywhere.
So, how aggressive is Jewelweed? I don't s'pose my hummers need the additional source of nectar, but it sounds a bit tempting.
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text: When did it become terrible if it is predictable? I'd rather have seen Bully Ray be the leader of Aces n 8s than someone who you didn't expect like D-Lo Brown being the VP. Who in the hell is going to listen to an attitude era jobber? Things predictable is good if you ask me than we receive. Example: 2009 Rumble when we had Matt Hardy instead of Christian being the attacker. I would have loved to have seen a tag match between those tag teams.


text:
'Sexting': when you send provocative photos through text message. It seems everyone's at it, or at least a lot of married male celebs are.
From slightly naughty underwear snaps to hardcore images, this foray into voyeurism shows no signs of abating, with 33% of young adults admitting to it.
As many students know, keeping the sexual tension can be difficult if you both attend different universities and a cheeky flash can help keep the heat simmering until you see each other again and weeks of yearning are finally sated.
But the accidental slip of a finger and what was meant to be for their eyes only floods all of your contacts' inboxes, including your dad's.
Sunday lunches with your family will never quite be the same again. And what about 'Skype sex?'
In theory it sounds great – being able to hear and see each other is the closest you're going to get to physically being with them if you are geographically separated.
However, anyone who has seen American Pie will know that for those who aren't technologically savvy, it can easily find itself streaming to more than just the intended recipient.
For some thrill-seekers, that is simply part of the fun, but is it really worth it?
Plus, as anyone in student accommodation knows, internet connection reliability is hardly stellar and the last thing you want is to disconnect at that pivotal moment.
Talk about an anti-climax…
Forget learning from our own mistakes, wouldn't it be far better to learn from other people's? Look at anyone from Vernon Kay to Vanessa Hudgens (twice, it seems that girl will never learn), these things have a sneaky habit of appearing at the least opportune moment.
Moreover, while you are in the full flush of love, or at least lust, the thought of a future break-up is hardly an aphrodisiac, but the fact is the person you're with now may not be there forever. With this in mind, is allowing them to have such a sensitive photo of you really a good idea? Many jilted lovers have found solace in getting sweet revenge by posting incriminating evidence on the internet.
Even if you can trust your other half not to splash photos of your unmentionables to all and sundry, with the prevalence of 'fraping' you could inadvertently find yourself with a much larger audience than anticipated.
I say just don't do it. No matter how exciting it may seem at the time, it's a train wreck waiting to happen.
Plus with all that built up sexual tension from abstaining, the reunion is bound to be met with fireworks.


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The National Association of Letter Carriers will be collecting nonperishable food items Saturday as a part of the annual letter carriers food drive.
All you have to do to contribute is place your donation by your mailbox before your mail is distributed.
All donations will go to local food banks and pantries in the community.
Your letter carrier will pick up and deliver your donation to the food banks.
For more information you can visit NALC.org.
You can also contact Harry Cahill at 603-320-5974.
The views expressed are not those of this site, this station or its affiliated companies. By posting your comments you agree to accept our terms of use.blog comments powered by Disqus


text:
Ipswich boss Paul Jewell is pleased Jason Scotland's proposed move to Blackpool fell through.
The striker was given permission to talk to the Tractor Boys' Championship rivals but Scotland opted to stay at Portman Road after failing to agree personal terms with the Tangerines.
"Blackpool made an enquiry and we gave them permission to speak to Jason," Jewell told Ipswich's official website. "They spoke to his agent but they couldn't agree personal terms. I'm quite happy to keep Jason here."
He added: "He scored against Leeds and made the winner.
"I don't have to move anyone out of the door but I think we have to be fair on people and that's why we gave Jason permission to talk to Blackpool.
"Jason knows that and I spoke to him about it.
"There's no problem and we move on."
Copyright (c) PA Sport 2009, All Rights Reserved.


text:
Quick therapy can help you overcome your fears
June 8, 2012 in Grand Forks Herald
The nervous college student was pacing the corridor, so scared of the caged spider at the end of the hall that he thought he would leave before the therapy session began. After about two hours of "exposure therapy," which involved touching the 5-inch-wide tarantula with a paintbrush, then with gloves and finally with bare hands, he didn't want to leave the arachnid. Continue Reading


text:
In two days it will be a battle royal between the robots of mechatronics 2013! An event that will pit team against team, bot against bot, in an all out robot rover RUUUMMMBBBBLLLE! and by brawl I mean the robots will pick up pay loads and return them to their base while respectfully avoiding the other robots.
It's really more like a robot race than a war, but you would be hard pressed to find a friendly competition with more trash talking. Despite the ever present humor war, everyone has been helping out other teams with de-bugging their bot. It would probably make for a nice CBS movie special.
The competition will take place on Friday morning. We will get to set way points for out bots, and an action for it to complete at each way point, but we cannot touch or aide our robot after the start. Two teams will compete at a time, and the teams will be divided up into two groups. There are three teams per group. Each team will go head to head with the other two teams in their section. Whichever team has the most points at the end will advance to the finals. Points are scored by bringing payloads back to their home base. The more difficult it is to get a payload the more points it will be worth.
It is going to be an exciting culmination of three weeks of programming, sweat, blood and tears. Don't worry, I'm being facetious in my use of that colloquialism. No one has been injured or cried, but these last weeks have been a big challenge for everyone.


text:
By Juan Lopez
Looking for some ideas of what to do while on South Beach? Here are some suggestions that range from cheap to pricey.
Low on funds? Looking frugality right in the eye? Well, pull out your beach towel, throw on the shades and head on over to gay beach (12th and Ocean Drive). The weather isn't the only hot thing going on there. Slamming bods in very fashionable swim wear abound. (Be on the lookout for Pride Flags that signal you're in the right place!)
Not into sand on your towel and don't mind paying a fee? Then chill out at The Standard's or The Raleigh's hotel swimming pools.
The Standard Hotel (located on the bayside of Miami Beach) and The Raleigh (located beach side) are sister hotels and provide a shuttle service between the two. Both places are very gay friendly and devoid of the typical touristy crowd. These pool hangouts are a great place to do some celeb spotting. There are pool fees for hanging out and food and drinks are not cheap. (Tip: Try the watermelon mojitos and mini-burgers at The Standard.)
The Standard Hotel, 40 Island Ave., Miami Beach; 305-673-1717
$50 a day from Friday to Sunday, or $40 on a weekday. The day pass is good from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. every day but Friday, when it's good until midnight.
The Raleigh Hotel, 1775 Collins Ave., Miami Beach; 305-534-4300
$25 pool entry fee.
Sick of the sun? Head to David Barton Gym at the Gansevoort South hotel and get your workout on. This is a gym like no other you've experienced before. Designed with a Moroccan theme, don't forget to look up and check out the metal ceiling panels that give you the feeling that you're inside a genie's lamp. The mood lighting makes everybody look good while they pump up. Looking to see where the boys are? Peek gay hour is from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. There is also pool and beach access, so if you want to spend the day there you can. Day passes are available at a $50 fee and include the use of the pool. Or if you're friend's a member, hit them up for a guest pass (they get four free passes a year).
David Barton Gym @ Gansevoort South, 2377 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach; 305-534-1660
12th Street Beach. Photo: Alex Guerra
[1] http://www.miami.com/gay-0
[2] http://www.miami.com/miami-beach039s-gay-nightclub-score-makes-major-move-washington-avenue-article
[3] http://www.miami.com/american-idol-star-adam-lambert-headlines-sunday-miami-beach-gay-pride-article
[4] http://www.miami.com/music-miami
[5] http://www.miami.com/free-gay-pride-festivities-weekend-miami-beach-article
[6] http://www.miami.com/when-in-south-beach-article
[7] http://www.miami.com/the-palace-article
[8] http://www.miami.com/score-article
[9] http://www.miami.com/winter-party-festival-2012-miami-beach-article
[10] http://www.miami.com/ramrod-article
[11] http://www.miami.com/bill039s-filling-station-article
[12] http://www.miami.com/white-party-week-article
[13] http://www.miami.com/hispanic-orgullo-article
[14] http://www.miami.com/simple-life-returns-article
[15] http://www.miami.com/take-cruise-ben-cohen-article


text: Through the FloridaLearns STEM (Scholars Project's Talent Development Program), talented and gifted high school juniors and seniors from small and rural districts across Florida are participating in Field Site/Workplace Experiences this summer. These experiences are made possible through partnerships with leaders in STEM industries, such as local businesses, agencies, the military, and higher education faculty. The experiences offered by these STEM Talent Developers are preparing STEM Scholars to become STEM-ready by demonstrating the value of a career in STEM areas through real world interactions with STEM-related employers.


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Wastewater Treatment Companies in Costa Rica
Category: Water & Wastewater ×
Subcategory: Wastewater Treatment ×
Employees number: 11-100 ×
Industry: Construction & Construction Materials ×
Location: Latin America ×
Location: Costa Rica ×
Bio-Microbics, Inc.
based in Shawnee, KANSAS (USA)
Bio-Microbics manufactures innovative, advanced wastewater treatment systems, septic system alternative products, and stormwater treatment that provide ideal solutions and water reuse opportunities for single-family & multi-family homes, clustered subdivisions, small communities and commercial properties around the world.
Trading Green Ltd.
based in Bangkok, THAILAND
Trading Green Ltd. provides eco-friendly solutions that save costs. > MissionWe source, import and distribute green materials for the construction industry.> Vision:To actively help fight the effects of Global Warming and to improve Public Health and Sanitation.Directly and through our network of distributors, we supply advanced materials such as:- nano solar reflective ...
Biowater Technology
based in Cumberland, RHODE ISLAND (USA)
BioWater Technology is a company focusing on development of sales of innovative technologies and solutions for biological treatment of water and wastewater. Products include but are not limited to: MBBR, IFAS and Package Plants. We have offices in the United States and Norway and partners and representatives around the world. We provide Combined Fixed-Film Activated ...
Microbac Ltd
based in Consett, UNITED KINGDOM
Microbac designs and supplies Wastewater Treatment Plants of all sizes for industrial effluents and sewage. Primarily based around Microbac`s own technology in submerged aerated fixed-film bioreactors or membrane bioreactors and adapted biological cultures, the treatment systems offer many advantages over conventional biological plants, including small footprint, rapid ...
SCM Tecnologie
based in San Giorgio, ITALY
S.C.M. Tecnologie designs and produces systems for the aeration and mixing of civil and industrial liquids: submersible aerators, surface aerators, submersible mixers, vertical mixers, diffusers.The result of consolidated design processes, S.C.M. Tecnologie's products are known throughout the world for their quality and performance.The company's use of high quality ...
Oceans-ESU Ltd
based in Barnsley, UNITED KINGDOM
Oceans-ESU Ltd is a highly respected technical consultancy and has over 25 years of experience providing specialist sustainable and integrated environmental solutions for a range of organisations around the world, from small firms and businesses to global blue chip clients.The environmental solutions we offer are custom designed and engineered to meet the needs of the ...
SRS Crisafulli, Inc.
based in Glendive, MONTANA (USA)
SRS Crisafulli manufactures, sells and services versatile high capacity pumps, dredges, power units, accessories, and spare parts. Crisafulli Products are manufactured in both custom and standard configurations. Dredges, Dredging Services, Flotation Equipment, Irrigation Systems, Lagoon Equipment, Pumps/Centrifugal, Pumps/Lift Station, Pumps/Sludge, Pumps/Submersible, ...
based in Shijiazhuang, CHINA
Supplier of Barium Sulphate, Barium Carbonate, Barium Chloride Dihydrate, Barium Nitrate, Barium Hydroxide, Barium Metaborate(Beta barium borate), barium titanate, barium oxide, Thiourea, Strontium Salt, strontium oxide, metal barium, strontium, ultra-high purity inorganic chemicals of Barium Salts, Industrial raw stuffing Materials, electrochemical,Chemical Supplier of ...
Fluid Dynamics International Ltd
based in Maidenhead, UNITED KINGDOM
Fluid Dynamics is the original manfacturer of Catlaytic water treatment systems to stop scaling caused by hard water A truly green water treatment method proven to save energy For over 40 years we have supplied our wide range of non-chemical scale prevention products to every sector of industry,commerce and the home that suffers from hard water. Our unique products ...
Albin Pump SAS
based in Goteborg, SWEDEN
The company`s history originates from Albin Verken and is since 1928 an independent company. Albin Pump develops and manufactures sealless pumps that facilitate our customers processes through innovative solutions. The knowledge of development and production of pumps for the industry is built on many years of experience. We take pride in delivering efficient and ...


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The Bachelor
Ben Flajnik's Final Six! Which Woman Is Your Favorite?
We are nearing the end of Ben Flajnik's journey as the Season 16 Bachelor, and six contestants remain.
Though we have yet to see Ben truly click with any of the ladies enough for us to determine who will have his heart in the end (thanks to all the Courtney Robertson hate-a-palooza), we think Bachelor fans have gotten to know his final five ladies well enough to hand out their own roses.
So, tell us, who's won your heart so far? Is it:
- Nicki Sterling, the sweet divorcee who's ready for love again?
- Courtney Robertson, the sexy model who knows what she wants?
- Lindzi Cox, the laid-back hottie with the sultry voice?
- Kacie Boguskie, the adorable and sensitive Southern belle?
- Emily O'Brien, the PhD student with mad lyrical skills?
- Rachel Truehart, the timid fashionista with the "slow burning" relationship with Ben?
Need your daily dose of The Bachelor? Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter. After all, you'd get our final rose.


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Constance McSnack
7,959pages on
this wiki
this wiki
|Constance McSnack
|Vital Statistics
|Hair color
|Eye color
|Other Statistics
|Factory owner
|Scooby Snack Factory
|Production Details
|First appearance
|APNSD: Wanted Cheddar Alive
|Played by
|June Foray
Constance McSnack is the owner of a Scooby Snack Factory in Coolsville.
Physical appearance
She is an elderly Caucasian woman with grey hair.
Takes her business at the Scooby Snack Factory very seriously, being president of the company. Very adamant about keeping her business going, providing Scooby Snacks for all the stores.
A Pup Named Scooby-Doo
Season one
She nearly went out of business when a cheese monster attacked her workers. When the gang captured the Cheese Monster, it was revealed to be Larry P. Acme, who wanted her factory out of business so his factory would take over the market. She thanked Scooby-Doo and the gang for capturing the monster, saving her company, and then hired Boris Roquefort back working on a reward for Scooby: bubble-gum Scooby Snacks.


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Thank you for the excellent article by James Hansen (28 July, p 30). Science can never eliminate all doubt, but policy advocates, whether environmental pressure groups, political parties or corporations, often indulge in spin and gross oversimplification to get a clear message across.
Of course, climate change sceptics use the uncertainty of science as a weapon to avoid action. We are reminded of tobacco companies pouring millions into denying the link between smoking and cancer, when there was clear evidence of it in the 1950s. If climate change deniers succeed in discouraging scientists from speaking plainly and in delaying action to break our addiction to oil and other fossil fuels, this could lead to chaos on an extraordinary scale.
From Roger Clark, GlobalWarmingResponse.org
If the rising sea level scenario James Hansen depicts is anything like realistic, then limiting future carbon emissions is not going to be enough ...
To continue reading this article, subscribe to receive access to all of newscientist.com, including 20 years of archive content.


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Apple 2013 Haswell MacBook Air Performance
Last month I wrote about how running Ubuntu Linux is a mess on the 2013 MacBook Air with Intel Core i5 "Haswell" processor. Not much has changed since then, but for those curious about the performance, here are the first official Phoronix benchmarks of the Haswell-based MacBook Air with its wonderfully-long battery life.
9 July 2013 - 1 Comment
Running Ubuntu Linux Is Messy On The 2013 MacBook Air
Earlier this month, shortly after Intel announced their latest-generation Haswell processors, Apple rolled out their new 2013 MacBook Air laptops. From a hardware perspective, the new MacBook Airs are incredible. The 13-inch MacBook Air can get a 12-hour battery life with Intel Haswell CPU. The 11-inch model continues being an ultra portable computer and has excellent performance with its Core i5 Haswell processor and HD Graphics 5000. As soon as the Haswell MacBook Airs went on sale, I bought an 11-inch model for Linux testing. Ubuntu can be installed and run on the new Apple MacBook Air, but the experience is less than desirable.
26 June 2013 - 18 Comments
Benchmarking Ubuntu Linux On The Google Nexus 7
Last month I delivered extensive benchmarks of Ubuntu Linux on the Google Nexus 10 using the recently released Ubuntu Touch Developer Preview. In that article were benchmarks from the Samsung Exynos 5 Dual (Cortex-A15) tablet against a range of ARM Cortex and Intel/AMD x86 systems. This article builds upon those earlier Ubuntu Linux x86/ARM results by now adding in the results from Ubuntu on the Google Nexus 7 plus more comparison processors have been tossed into the mix as well. This article offers Ubuntu Linux performance results for a dozen different Intel, AMD, and ARM systems. The ARM SoCs represented are from Texas Instruments OMAP, NVIDIA Tegra, and ARM Exynos families.
14 March 2013 - 5 Comments
Benchmarking Ubuntu Linux On The Google Nexus 10
After spending the better part of the past week running continuous open-source Linux benchmarks on the Exynos5-powered Google Nexus 10, the first extensive benchmark results for the Nexus 10 tablet running the Ubuntu Touch Developer Preview are now available. This performance comparison from Ubuntu on the dual-core ARM Cortex-A15 powered device is compared to numerous other ARMv7 and x86 devices. One of the interesting findings from this new round of ARM Linux testing is that the Google Nexus with its dual-core ARM SoC is competitive with AMD's first-generation Phenom Quad-Core processor for some demanding workloads.
26 February 2013 - 7 Comments
Samsung's A15 Chromebook Loaded With Ubuntu Is Crazy Fast
Google recently launched the Samsung Chromebook that for $249 USD features an 11-inch display, a 16GB SSD, a promise of 6.5-hour battery life, and is backed by a Samsung Exynos 5 SoC. The Samsung Exynos 5 packs a 1.7GHz dual-core ARM Cortex-A15 processor with ARM Mali-T604 graphics. With using this new ARM Cortex-A15 chip plus the Samsung Chromebook not being locked down so it can be loaded up with a Linux distribution like Ubuntu or openSUSE, it was a must-buy for carrying out some interesting Cortex-A15 Linux benchmarks. The Exynos 5 Dual in this affordable laptop packs an impressive performance punch.
20 November 2012 - 37 Comments
Qualcomm DragonBoard S3 APQ8060 Preview
To complement the many other ARM Linux benchmarks on Phoronix of different development boards, coming up soon are Qualcomm DragonBoard benchmarks with the S3 APQ8060 SoC.
13 November 2012 - 3 Comments
Calxeda EnergyCore ECX-1000 ARM Server
Earlier this month I was down in Texas visiting the Calxeda office where for the past four years they have been busy trying to revolutionize the server market through ultra-low power ARM-based servers. This morning one of their partners, Boston Limited, is formally launching their energy-efficient "Viridis" server built around Calxeda's EnergyCore ECX-1000 hardware. In this article are the first of some public Calxeda ARM benchmarks on Ubuntu Linux while more results will be out in the coming days.
17 October 2012 - 11 Comments
ALUSA Atom Desktop
For the past several weeks I have been testing out the ALUSA Atom Desktop with Linux. As implied by the name it's an Intel Atom powered desktop/nettop computer, but this Atom system comes out of Portugal from a small Linux-focused start-up company.
4 October 2012 - 10 Comments
CompuLab Intense-PC
Following in the success of the Fit-PC2 NetTop and Tegra 2 Trim-Slice, the latest computer out of CompuLab is the Intense-PC. The CompuLab Intense-PC is a very small form factor (19 x 16 x 4 cm), low-power, fan-less computer that features up to an Intel Core i7 Ivy Bridge processor, 16GB of DDR3 system memory, and a solid-state drive for storage. The Intense-PC is also available with Linux Mint pre-loaded as the operating system.
8 September 2012 - 14 Comments
ODROID-X Continues Battling The PandaBoard ES
Here's the latest benchmarks of the low-cost ODROID-X, a $129 quad-core ARM Cortex-A9 development board out of Korea with ARM Mali 400 graphics.
5 September 2012 - 8 Comments
Latest Linux News
Latest Articles & Reviews
Most Viewed News This Week


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Ground beef, beef mince or hamburger meat (in North America), or mince or mince(d) meat (in the rest of the English speaking world) is a ground meat product, made of beef finely chopped by a meat grinder. It is used in many recipes including hamburgers and cottage pie.
Ground beef is usually made from tougher meat and leftover meat created when the sides of beef are carved into steaks and roasts. About 17-18% of US ground beef comes from dairy cows.
Raw lean ground beef is used to make steak tartare and is popular as a sandwich dressing in Belgium, where it is known as filet américain ("American fillet").
Food safety of ground meat issues are due to possible bacterial contamination. Undercooked Jack in the Box hamburgers contaminated in this manner were responsible for four deaths and the illness of hundreds of people in 1993.
Due to these concerns, some ground beef is now irradiated. This practice has received mixed reactions from consumers .


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Wigs for Women
Women's Natural Wigs
Blue Wigs
Costume wigs
Green Wigs
Lace Wigs
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Purple Wigs
Real Human Hair Wigs
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Color Charts for Wigs
Heat & Styling Friendly Long Hair Wig - Smooth Layers and Full Bangs
Salon quality adult size long hair wig.Natural and flattering styling with smooth, straight layers gently framing the face and rich, glossy bangs.
Premium synthetic wig with heat friendly fibers, can be gently styled up to 340 degree temperatures.
Use curling iron or blow dryer.Model is wearing this wig in natural black color.Length: 22"Style: SunflowerBrand: Sepia Collection


text:
All public logs
From Uncyclopedia, the content-free encyclopedia
Combined display of all available logs of Uncyclopedia. You can narrow down the view by selecting a log type, the username (case-sensitive), or the affected page (also case-sensitive).
- 23:03, September 26, 2005 Thedogfather (talk | contribs) uploaded ''File:Catahoula leotard dog.jpg'' (Catahoula Leotard Dog)


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Make a compact keyboard?
Appreciate your thoughts.
Where did you see the keyboard?
We use really nice little Cherry keyboards for our stuff at work, they are about 65 USD ! And they come with USB/PS2 adapters.
Enter the email associated with your account and we will send you your username and a temporary password.


text:
Wedding Album The Same-Sex Couple
It's family first, as a same-sex union gets put to the test by Shannon Land
Two Latino guys with shaved heads hang out in a bar, drinking beer straight from the bottle. Then, mid-conversation, they reach out and kiss on the lips.
For some, the remarkable thing about this kiss is that it's between two men—in conservative Riverside County, no less. But for marrieds coping with the demands of young kids at home, what's more notable is the passion. Byron and Raymond Moya have been together for six years, legally married (in an elaborate Phantom of the Opera–themed ceremony) since last August. But they still talk like newlyweds, overcoming the exhaustion that comes with raising the twin two-year-old girls they adopted at birth and struggling with Raymond's diagnosis of multiple myeloma. (He's in remission.)
The Moyas are like every other Southern California family. "If you were to see us out barbecuing while our girls played in their red wagon," Raymond says, "and then blurred our images in that picture, you wouldn't know it's two dads."
But they are different, too, by virtue of being among the 18,000 gay and lesbian couples who got hitched last year between June, when the California Supreme Court first declared same-sex marriage legal, and November 4, when the California electorate passed Prop. 8. As such, the validity of their marriage hangs in the balance—even if their relationship is rock solid. The California Supreme Court is currently considering the constitutionality of Prop. 8 and is scheduled to deliver its ruling any day now.
Meanwhile, the Moyas carry on as a hospital admissions clerk and a labor organizer, even as they evolve into marriage-equality activists. "From neighbors to grocery-store clerks," Raymond says, "our community has embraced us as a gay married couple. We don't have to hide who we are."
Byron and Raymond are part of the UCLA-based online photo project 13lovestories.com, which chronicles gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender married couples.


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Paul Rudd Gossip
Paul Rudd gossip, latest news, photos, and video.
Yet more Civil War: Everyone can still get it
INFphoto.com/ AKM-GSI/ Splash News
More photos from the Atlanta set of Captain America: Civil War, including Scarlett Johansson sporting what I think is Black Widow's best-ever wig, and Paul Rudd reporting to set. Rudd will make his debut as Ant-Man in a couple months, but he's already moving up the ranks to full-blown Avenger for Civil War. Full Story
Ant-Man packs a punch
I mentioned last week that I've heard some good stuff about Marvel's other movie this year, Ant-Man. Despite its troubled beginning, word is that it's funny and the action stuff is shaping up to be pretty slick. Well now we have a new trailer that shows off a little more of the Ant-Man suit's abilities, particularly its strength capabilities. Full Story
Don't forget about Ant-Man
With Avengers: Age of Ultron less than a month from opening—and now screening for critics, who are almost universally singing its praises Full Story
Post-divorce, Marvel's Ant-Man looks GREAT
After a bitter, public divorce from director Edgar Wright in May of 2014, Marvel's Ant-Man started working out, got a new haircut, and bought a new wardrobe, and now it's having athletic revenge sex with multiple flexible partners. In the wake of Wright's messy exit, most people thought Ant-Man was down for the count, washed-up and directionless, but Ant-Man is here to tell you that is doing just fine, thank you, and have you met Aldo? Aldo's a yoga instructor. Full Story
Sad Ant-Man
Alberto E. Rodriguez/ Getty
Yesterday, in a display of stubbornness so determined it's almost impressive, Marvel tweeted a first-look image of Paul Rudd in character as Scott Lang for Ant-Man, which is now officially in production. The movie that was greenlit purely to humor Edgar Wright is now being made because Marvel can't admit defeat and acknowledge when something isn't really working (see also: Agents of SHIELD). Full Story
Paul Rudd: Superhero
Cindy Ord /Rob Kim /Getty Images
Two months ago a rumor emerged that Paul Rudd was a finalist for Marvel's Ant Man, and though I liked the idea of Rudd as part of the Marvel universe, I was cautious simply because of all of Marvel's projects, Ant Man is the least-known (and there has already been a lot of BS circulated about it). Full Story
Paul Rudd could be a superhero
Wenn, FameFlynet
And I would be totally fine with that. Wouldn't you? Variety is exclusively reporting that Rudd, along with Joseph Gordon-Levitt, is a finalist for Ant-Man, which will follow The Avengers: Age of Ultron in 2015. But this is a Marvel movie, and worse, it's directed by fanboy favorite Edgar Wright—a filmmaker who hasn't tapped commercial success in the US yet but who is crazy talented and a magnet for casting rumors thanks to the number and quality of actors who want to work with him—so this a superstorm of superhero bullsh*t. Full Story
You Needed His Opinion?
I've heard stories about some people in this industry, and I've told a few myself. Some ridiculous, and some just eyeroll-y, and a few really sweet. This is the nature of the beast, we talk constantly about the bold-face names we write about all the time, and if they're horrible to work with, everyone in the industry knows it. Full Story
Jen, Paul, and Justin's bush
Let me get this out of the way first:Justin Theroux is the third star of Wanderlust after the leads Jennifer Aniston and Paul Rudd. Being as he's also - and mostly - Jennifer's boyfriend, he's now generating some interest from media for profile interviews in support of the movie. There's a piece on him in NY Mag, and, well, the photo that accompanies the article includes a glimpse at his bush tip. Full Story
Trailer: Our Idiot Brother
It's not, like, knee-slappingly funny but I wonder if a comedy always has to be knee-slappingly funny. There was a moment, for example, in The Hangover, which I did not consider to be a good movie, when I knee-slap laughed. I did not, however, knee-slap laugh often, if at all, during I Love You Man. Full Story
Reese and her ring tour Europe
Reese Witherspoon and Paul Rudd were in Berlin this morning promoting How Do You Know. The film did not do well domestically. So it's extra extra important to be perky and sweet and appealing to make up some cash money overseas. Looks like it's a grueling travelling schedule for Rudd as he's also expected at Sundance for My Idiot Brother. Full Story
Working like a fiend
Jennifer Aniston – she shot Just Go With It with Adam Sandler, then moved right into Horrible Bosses, and now it's Wanderlust with Paul Rudd, all in one year, all comedies. And you know, it's not like she's poor. Some projects though, I guess you can't turn down. Wanderlust reunites her with Paul Rudd. Full Story
But what do you mean by "value"?
Written by Sarah I have a friend who's so rich he has no money. His bank statements reflect an amount he can never access. Where I could go into my bank and walk out with a check for my net worth, JJ would probably cripple Wall Street for a couple days if he tried a similar move. Full Story
The ESPYs coming into their own
Written by Sarah I took a stab at watching the ESPYs (ESPN's annual sports award show—I think it stands for Everybody Sports People Yay) last night. I made it to the 2:25 point, but with no end in sight and a late DVR start, I had to give up. Full Story


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Queen of the Mississippi
Ship InformationWith the Mississippi, we've recreated the grandeur of riverboat cruising of the past, while using the latest safety, environmental and construction technologies. The ship features six unique lounges, a library, elegant diving salon, elevator access to all decks and exceptionally large staterooms providing an unmatched level of comfort.
Ship Facts
2012Year Built
2012Year Entered Fleet
United StatesCountry of Registry
140Passengers (Double Occupancy)
140Passengers (Max Occupancy)
5Passenger Decks
AmericanOfficer's Nationality
AmericanCrew/Hotel Staff Nationality
75Total in all Categories
6Suites w/ Balcony
59Oceanview w/ Balcony
10Oceanview, no Balcony
Public Rooms:
Internet Center
Exercise Area on Dec
Other Facilities/Services:
Concierge Desk
Wireless Internet
Wheelchair Accessibility:
Wheelchair passengers accepted
Elevators accommodate regular wheelchairs
Elevators accommodate narrow wheelchairs
Staterooms with wide doors
Staterooms with low or no doorsills
Staterooms baths with hand rails
Public rooms accessible by wheelchairs
Decks offer access to all passenger areas


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The Office of Academic and Student Affairs reaffirms that the creation, interpretation, dissemination and application of knowledge are the fundamental responsibilities of all premier educational institutions. As the metropolitan university of the University of Nebraska, the University of Nebraska at Omaha represents a major intellectual resource for education, research/creative activity, and outreach. The Academic and Student Affairs Strategic Plan embraces the mission, vision, and values of the UNO Strategic Plan.
The University of Nebraska at Omaha is Nebraska's metropolitan university—a university with the academic and scholarly values common to all universities and with an interactive relationship with urban and regional environments.
It is the vision of UNO to be a metropolitan university of high distinction considered among the nation's premier state-supported institutions located in an urban setting.
The University of Nebraska at Omaha community is a diverse group of individuals working together to accomplish a common vision and mission.
Goal 1:
UNO will be recognized as a student-centered metropolitan university.
As we strive to achieve our vision, students are always UNO's key constituency. UNO commits to build and serve a diverse student body reflecting a dynamic metropolitan environment.
Sub-Goal A: UNO faculty and staff develop and maintain academic programs and support services designed for the varying and evolving academic, career, and personal goals of traditional and nontraditional students.
- Objective 1: Facilitate and support student learning and personal development.
- Objective 2: Assess student needs, concerns, and goals in order to develop and strengthen outstanding academic and support services.
- Objective 3: Develop, revise, and support targeted programs and services to meet the unique needs of various student populations (residential, part-time, and non-traditional).
- Objective 4: Document students' acceptance of their rights and responsibilities as members of the academic community.
- Objective 5: Promote holistic development and a healthy lifestyle.
- Objective 6: Demonstrate and assess the use of instructional technologies and active learning strategies.
Sub-Goal B: UNO students are prepared for the responsibilities of citizenship, leadership and participation in our democratic processes and for employment in diverse environments throughout our nation and the world.
- Objective 1: Design and assess programs and services aimed at critical thinking, problem solving, and research skills as students address contemporary issues facing the community.
- Objective 2: Encourage, model, and strengthen citizenship and ethical behavior.
- Objective 3: Foster the personal and professional advancement of students through leadership development programs and services.
- Objective 4: Design and assess programs that encourage exploration of diverse cultures and the artifacts which encourage the development of the intelligent appreciation of the arts, letters, and the human condition.
Sub-Goal C: Foster an environment that will actively attract and develop students, faculty, and staff of diverse talents and backgrounds.
- Objective 1: Recruit and support underrepresented students from Omaha and the metropolitan region.
- Objective 2: Design, maintain, promote and assess programs and services designed to recruit and develop students, faculty, and staff of diverse talents and backgrounds.
- Objective 3: Demonstrate and assess a welcoming environment based on a community of learners and an appreciation of differences.
Sub-Goal D: UNO will be the higher education institution of first choice for students desiring a metropolitan university experience.
- Objective 1: Design, maintain, promote, and assess exemplary programs, services and facilities that lead to the recruitment and retention of students.
- Objective 2: Design, maintain, promote, and assess exemplary programs, services and facilities that lead to the recruitment and retention of faculty and staff.
- Objective 3: Create funding structures to support additional residence halls, scholarships, non-resident tuition waivers, assistantships and fellowships to attract high quality undergraduates and graduates.
Goal 2:
UNO will be recognized for its academic excellence as a metropolitan university.
UNO strives for academic excellence by focusing on teaching, learning and scholarship consistent with its metropolitan mission. Excellence is demonstrated in programs and areas of distinction, high quality undergraduate programs and strong graduate research/professional programs.
Sub-Goal A: UNO's teaching focuses on student learning and is designed to meet the multiple needs and highest aspirations of students drawn to a metropolitan campus.
- Objective 1: Increase faculty commitment to outstanding instruction and enhanced student learning with particular emphasis on undergraduates.
- Objective 2: Conduct periodic review of all programs and services emphasizing learning outcomes.
- Objective 3: Increase faculty and staff use and understanding of technology in all aspects of the academic experience.
- Objective 4: Enhance faculty and staff development opportunities and support for improvement of student learning.
Sub-Goal B: UNO will develop, nurture, and recognize academic programs of excellence.
- Objective 1: Develop criteria and processes to define existing and future areas of excellence.
- Objective 2: Promote and support appropriate professional accreditation processes and similar programs of quality review.
- Objective 3: Create and assess selected undergraduate programs consistent with the philosophy of a premiere metropolitan university.
Sub-Goal C: UNO will increase its stature as an institution of scholarly excellence.
- Objective 1: Design and assess opportunities for all students to participate in research and creative activity with our faculty and staff.
- Objective 2: Create and maintain faculty, staff, and students' ability to compete for external funding opportunities.
Sub-Goal D: UNO will foster an environment that will actively attract and develop students, faculty, and staff of diverse talents and backgrounds.
- Objective 1: Create curriculum and discourse that addresses community, regional, and world issues from many points of view.
- Objective 2: Demonstrate and assess a welcoming environment for individuals from diverse backgrounds.
Goal 3:
UNO will be recognized for its outstanding engagement with the urban, regional, national, and global communities


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The Centre for Public Christianity (CPX) exists through the generosity of private and organisational donors, and has been endorsed by the Australian Tax Office as a deductible gift recipient. All donations of $2 or more are tax deductible and will assist greatly in expanding and maintaining CPX's online public library of video, audio and text resources.
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