text:
David Irving's Right Wing ExtremismTable of Contents
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Ewald Bela Althans -DJBW and AVÖ1
|4 Mar 1989
|Diary: P records meeting Althans for the first time in Toronto I with Zündel:'One of Schonhuber's lieutenants there, Ewald --asked if I would speakfor Sch[onhuber]: jawohl.'
|8 Sep 1989
|Diary:'Ewald Althans came with friend to discuss Berlin demo plannedfor October 3. Seems a bit of a Nazi, but helpful.'
|15 Sep
|Althans circular inviting guests to an evening dinner with P on 3 November in Münich.
|1 Oct 1989
|Diary: P records Althans's help in arranging the Berlin demonstration against the 'Sender Freies Berlin' on 2 October.'Ewald Althans arrived in the evening ...followed soon by Karl Philipp. He is full of Tuesday's planned demonstration against SFB, and I have my work cut out throttling him back. Otherwise he 's likely to 'optimisticate' me into an early grave.'
|2 Nov 1989
|Letter Althans to P, welcoming him to Munich. Diary:' Ewald Althans and male companion arrived to discuss arrangements for tomorrow. He has 86 guests.'
|2-11 Nov
|Diary: P records Althans' help in organising Ausnian tour, a tour accompanied by Althans and Philipp.SC para 39 (RFI 49)
|3 Nov 1989
|Diary:P records speaking at dinner organised by the DBJW: 'Grand dinner of 86 people, organised by Ewald A Ithans ...,
SC para 39 (RFI 49)
|6 Nov 1989
|Diary: P records (in Vienna): Leisurely breakfast with Ewald. He is a very useful young man. 23, but looks older and tougher. Spent ten days in jail for technical offence (insulting Weizsücker).'
|7 Nov 1989
|Diary: P describes how Althans delivers a speech for him, after P is banned fro speaking.'I appeared amongst them with asticking plaster covering my mouth, and a notice stuck to myback reading: " Sorry, can't speak -but can sign books! "Ewald delivered my lecture, from memory, using notes I had rapidly prepared for him. He is a fine speaker, and when heirelied on his own material rather than mine he was very good.'
|11 Nov 1989
|Diary: P records driving to Stapbourg with Althans and 'his skinhead friend ---' to attend Christophersen's meeting in Hagenau [12 November].
|18 Nov 1989
|Diary: Whilst in Spain speaking for Pedro Varela, P records Althans' arrival; ' fu11 of plans for a new tour by me of Germany, France and Spain in late February. Althans makes a good impression, businesslike and ambitious, keen, and organised. He has learned a lot already.'
|18 Dec 1989
|Letter Bemd Drose [DVU] to P, warning him about' a man called Ewald Althans ...who is trying, so we are told to ingratiate himself with publicists connected to us and other personalities' and advises 'caution' in his dealings with him.
|31 Dec 1989
|Letter P to Althans, informing him of the information contained in Drose' s letter. P asks Althans for written conflmlation of the forthcoming meetings.
|Blank contract between Althans and the AVO and third parties to engage P as a speaker.
|1 Jan 1990
|Letter Worch to Zündel, stating that he had met Althans who was ' organising a speaking tour for Irving'.Worch requests that his planned meeting in Hamburg take place under Zündel's name because of 'the purely psychological reason, that Ewald Althans unfortunately only enjoys a limited trust in the circles ofmy comrades.'
|4 Jan 1990
|Letter P to Sally Cox [his assistant], enclosing list of speaking dates, 13 February to 11 Mar. P received list from 'Toronto' (i.e. Zündel] whose name he cuts off from the list 'for various reasons'.
|5 Jan 1990
|Letter Zündel to P, stating that Althans is off to the former East Germany to try and find a 'university forum' for P. 'This is new ground we are breaking there, so it will be a real test of Ewald's skills!'
|7 Jan 1990
|Letter Althans to P, informing him on progress organising the tour.'Please cancel the date with Mr Frey in Passau, and please send me a copy of the letter, and also a copy (when possible) of Frey's warning to you about me.'Informs P of 12 arranged meetings. 'Please consider 'Althans-AVÖ , was your contractual partner.'
|18 Jan 1990
|Contract between the Dresden Palace of Culture and Althans's DBJW for P's meeting of 13 Feb 1990.
|3 Feb 1990
|Diary: P records a telephone conversation with Zündel,'Iexpressed annoyance that Althans has made no attempt to contact me in 2 ½ months. That is very unprofessional.'
|13 1990
|Diary: P's speech at Dresden.'It emerged that Zündel, who is now out of jail, has paid ?wald an honorarium to arrange this tour, which he has done very well in Dresden.'[See also K3/tab 6, p493:when Weber introduced p at the 10th IHR conference, he quotes P's closing remarks from this Dresden speech:'Ladies and gentlemen, survivors and descendants of the holocaust of Dresden, the holocaust of Germans in Dresden really happened That of the Jews in the gas chambers of Auschwitz is an invention. I am ashamed to be an Englishman']
(Feb 1990)
|Althans circular, informing partners about P's forthcoming tour. In the discussion in Dresden, p had 'clearly identified himself with revisionism' and asking fellow organisers to show flexibility as 'long experience in the GFR and the Austria tour in autumn last year have taught us to be more careful.'
|18 Feb
|P's diary: Althans visits p in the evening; Althans wants P to call a press conference in Nuremberg:'I am suspicious of the press conf[erence],it sounds as though he wants me to disavow Frey. I don't see the point of that'; and Althans wants P to appear 'at Hess anniversary in August' [that is,Wundsiedel].
|3 Mar 1990
|P's diary: in the evening, at Althans' request, p attends the National List function in Hamburg [see Worch section]; P '...made a rousing speech, which was well received '
SC para 42
|4 Mar 1990
|Flyer for P's meeting in Porta Westfalcia signed by Udo Walendy. The flyer states that the audience would also meet 'the handful of our young people' who had organised P's meeting in Dresden.
SC para 43
[see also P's diary for 4.3.90 and the Worch section.]
|9 Mar 1990
|Diary: P records speaking at an AVÖ meeting at Moers.'Althans arrived said Antwerp is off How wet! And 8 infuriating. [...] So I decided to go to Passau tomorrow after all 'Althans informs p of' his highly visual plans for the April 21 function in Munich.
In his speech p said' We will assert our views, but only with the help of the German people and the German population. Obviously you can support it by sending letters to, to the press, by using rumours and verbal propaganda,to repeat what I have told you this evening. ' P also admitted that what he said was illegal.'We are in constant danger of being arrested...because what we are saying borders on, it is, extremely dangerous. For what we are saying is... [interrupted by commotion in the hall].' Later in the talk p asks-someone who had entered the room why he had come in. After a long pause, during which the new arrival is escorted out, P explains: 'It's quite clear. What I'm telling you tonight is fairly explosive, very dangerous, I don't want to end up in prison just because some unauthorised person comes in here and acts as if he is just an interested observer.'
SC para 44
|11 Mar
|Diary: p records that' Althans was not pleased that I had gone to Passau, though he agrees his April 21 meeting will now [have] been enhanced by the result of the ban. (I hope I don't get banned there.) He arranges a last minute deal with me, whereby he will pay me DM 5000 for right to publish a synopsis of this most recent Vortrag [presentation]. They'll print 10, 000. He is an ambitious man, and I like that.'
SC para 45
|11 Mar
|Handwritten list of monies paid to P for the Feb/March tour, signed by Althans.
|30 Mar
|Diary: P records that Althans phones 'with details of Karl Hoffkes' offer', namely money offered for a brochure 'Truth Frees-Diary of a Speaking Tour','text of Moers speech', Dresden speech and video royalties.
|10 Apr
|Diary: P records a flight to Bochum to record his banned Passau speech with Althans. ' We met there Althans' benefactor and great white hope, publisher Karl Höffkes... During the day we set up a long term marketing program for my brochures, speeches, videos and audio tapes.'
SC para 46
|20 Apr
|P attends the revisionist conference in Munich, 'Wahrheit-macht Frei' [20-22 April] P's diary:'...went down to the dinner Althans 'organised'. It ended with a Trinkspruch [toast], spoken by him, to a certain statesman [i.e. Hitler] whose 101st birthday falls today. All
|rose, toasted; I had no glass, as I don't drink. ' The dinner was attended by, amongst others, Wilhelm Staglich, Karl Philipp,Ingrid Weckert, Anthony Hancock, and Daniel Knecht.
SC para 31.1
|21 Apr
|Diary: P records his appearance at 'Wahrheit macht Frei' conference.' Allhans stationed on the stage (a) a large banner, proclaiming that I was fighting for the Honour of the Germany; very helpful; (b) a large man, standing at ease with a Reichskriegsjlagge next to the podium; ditto; (c) twenty-six young folk carrying placards on poles, seated on the rim of the stage -the placards were worded WAHRHE1T MAcm FREI[Truth Frees] on the obverse; okay. I spoke after Allhans and Karl Philipp, who is a surprisingly good orator, though a bitexplosive. My first speech was rambling and disorganized, but went down well; after an interval I spoke again, on the topic Was Nun, wie geht's weiter, [What now, where does it go from here ], and ended with a thrice spoken, 'Wir machen es nicht ; mehr mit!'['We will no longer stand for it!'] Standing ovation, which I had not really deserved. [ ...] I was followed by a forceful, flowing, beautifully modulated speech by an Austrian, Herr Bachmann, who called upon them to stand on their feet, then make for the streets.'During the demonstration after the meeting, P is arrested. After his release, he 'dictated a statement stressing the "spontaneous " nature ofthe assembly.'
|24 Apr
|Letter P to Althans, congratulating him for the success of 'Wahrheit macht Frei'.'My only criticism: the skinheads and the flags -that only serves our cause up to our opponents on a plate.'
|24 Apr
|Diary: P records that Althans is raided by the police, 'pulling it [Althans's home] apart, loading everything away.'
|26 Apr
|Diary: P records that Wetzel of the DVU phones 'alarmed by the press reports, they couldn't imagine that I have marched on the Feldherrnhalle. I said, greatly exaggerated. He asked if Allhans was on the square (inappropriate metaphor).I said so far as I could see. But he's a hothead, needs curbing.'
|18 May
|Zündel's Power publishes picture of P at the head of a group on the demonstration towards the Feldherrnhalle on 21 April 1990.
|9 Jun 1990
|Diary: P records in meeting Althans. Althans details a robbery suffered by Zündel to P.'There is a suspicion that The Enemy had an insider who effected the job. This is all Allhans knows. He was pretty shaken by it, as he had banked on getting some of those funds to set up a safe house for Z[ündel] in Germany ...'
|27 Aug 1990
|Diary:P records meeting Althans and 'planningfor the future'.
|9 Sep 1990
|Diary: P records that he meets with Hoffkes and Althans at a recording studio where Althans interviews him for cassettes that are to be marketed.
|18 Mar 1991
|Dairy; P records that 'Frey faxed me re Althans' clumsy PR workfor 'Kongress','
|8 Mar 1991
|Official notes of discussions between Althans, Stephan Niemann, and Reinhard Rade and the Munich authorities about hiring the German Museum for the conference of 23 Mar. The notes record that the aim of the congress is to' make the area 'Revisionism' known, to connect extreme and moderate revisionists...' The notes further state that' Following a talk with Mr Althans, Mr Kuhnen will not take part, because" Revisionism " is intended to make a breakthrough to seriousness.
|22 Mar
|Fax Wetzel (DVU) to P, enclosing a press release by Althans claiming that p had taken part in the' spontaneous -demonstration' after the 'Wahrheit macht Frei' congress in April 1990.
|23 Mar
|Diary: p records his brief speaking appearance at Munich at the banned revisionist congress, complaining that' Althans does not care if we get arrested'.
SC para 48
|23 Mar
|Filmed record of the protest on 23 March 1991: Althans announces that David Irving, Mark Weber, Ahrned Rami, Wilhelm Staglich, Fred Leuchter, Dietlieb Felderer, Ernst-Otto Remer, and Mrs. Rost von Tonningen were to have spoken; the speakers at the improvised protest meeting included Irving, Althans, Rost von Tonningen, Ahmed Rami, Henri Roques, Wilhelm Staglich, Dietlieb Felderer, Christian Worch, Raimund Bachmann, and Pedro Varela who conveyed the greetings of Leon DeGrelle. [Videocassette 201, 'Der Leuchter-Kongress -Teil 2,'].
SC para 48
|24 Mar
|Diary: P records attending a press conference organised by Althans-'(no press)'.
|25 Mar
|Diary: P records attending a press conference in Stuttgart organised 'by Althans (who is missing!) and Leuchter, who read out his Report endlessly. Further shambles.'
|26 Mar 1991
|Diary: P records receiving a fax from the D VU: 'Althans told press I was at 21.4.1990 march!(untrue).'
|26 Mar 1991
|Letter P to Althans, complaining about the press release that had' damaged me greatly'.
|8 June 1991
|Diary: P records attending a book signing to open the A v6's book shop in the Herzog Heinrich Strasse in Munich. ' It is an impressive effort by Althans (though Susie [Topler -P's assistant] told me later that Reinhard Rade [Topler's fiance] has .financed it and is the title holder ...). About 150 to 200 people came during the time I was there, including familiar faces.'
|11 June 1991
|Diary: P records that Althans (whom he meets for a snack) 'suggests I come to Munich two days June 28 for confrontation with Karl Philipp and Faurisson at Nuremberg. What the -?'
|1 July 1991
|Letter Althans to P, lamenting 'the total catastrophe' as the planned July/ August tour has to be cancelled because of judicial, financial and political problems. ' Thus for example K[arl] P[hilipp] has managed to incite Gen[eral] Remer and presumably G[erd] Honsik against me. They in turn have managed to stir things up more with their naive innocence andtheir good reputation (you know how much I value Remer and Honsik).'
Further:'Perhaps one would have got somewhere if we had been at the meeting. There were a lot of people there upon whose supportive assistance I could have hoped. But Karl Philipp. who knew that you were coming because I was stupid enough to register you as a guest as required. lied to you that In wanted to use you to break up the event. You believed him and cancelled with me.So Philipp could tell people Althans is a liar, even David Irving doesn't like him and therefore doesn't come to the conference. And, as expected, I alone received no invitation.'
|3 July 1991
|Letter p to Zündel, complaining of Althans's 'unprofessional' actions. Thanks Zündel for the circular of his forthcoming tour and warns' Incidentally go easy on the shinkicks against the Jews-were taking'trouble enough as it is from them.'
|3 July 1991
|Diaty: P" records that he 'sent something to Zündel about the disaster. Can something be salvaged. Similar faxes to HojJkesand Karl Philipp.'
|4 July 1991
|Letter Zündel to P, outlining alternatives. ' Even though you are sore at Althans. my suggestion would be to have another Buchverkauf [booksale] at the store with you signing books. If need be I would come over as an additional drawing card, to get people out! Better to make afew thousand marks this week than to gamble on cancelled meetings! They cannot cancel the store, since I pay the rent!'
|10 July
|Letter P to Althans, saying that he will be in Munich on 23 July and in the evening could 'undertake a small casual event ar yours in the shop -talk, discussions, sign books etc. -if it suIts you.
|12 July
|Letter p to Althans, agreeing to Althans's suggestion he appear for Michael Swierczek in Augsburg and that they meet in the bookshop."'
|19 July
|Diary: p records that Althans had phoned to offer that P stay in his "'shop "'
|P tours in Germany
|12 Sep
|Circular Zündel to P;,Massive police raids are in progression in Munich against my office there! [ ...] Althans my Munich Office Manager is being detained. ...,
|1 Jan 1992
|Letter P to, amongst others, Althans, offering his services and outlining his availability in the forthcoming year. 1 Mar 1992 Letter P to Althans, informing him of his arrival in Munich on 81 13 March and his wish to pick up books from the AVO bookshop.
|1 Mar 1992
|Letter P to Althans, informing him of his arrival in Munich on 13 March and his wish to pick up books from the AVÖ bookshop.
|16 Apr
|Letter P to Althans agreeing to a provisional itinerary for P in May.
|19 Apr
|Diary: P records that Althans phones regarding details of P's May tour.'Could 1 also in principle manage a mid-week function outside Germany? 1 said yes, provided it was legal.
|28 Apr
|Letter Althans to P, confirming that a hall has been booked and enclosing a press release announcing P's pressconference on 4 May preceding his court case. for utterances made during 'Wahrheit machtFrei'.
|4 May 1992
|Diary: P describes cancelled press contedence
|5 May 1992
|Diary: P describes his court appearance in Munich. ' any of Althans' friends were in court, I recognised quite a few. I wish he had not done that, I specifically asked him and the others not to put on a display of force.'
|12 May
|Diary:P records;'then to AVÖ and after supper (meeting with Althans) spoke onto tape the trial Schlusswort [closing speech ], which we shall now market as a propaganda tool.' [P tapes the second half on 14 May 1992]
|15 May
|Diary: P records receiving a ban for the following day at Sindelfingen.'Since they cite 'Auschwitz as the motive, it is plain that the unauthorized National Offensive leaflet issued from Münich' (I.e. by Althans!),which already muddled up the starting time...is to blame. The leaflet gave no topic.I am furious. [...]I remain stoical, however, and hope another location can be found. Sauer (NO) states 'Herrenberg', and by fax (for security) he informed us [of] the location.
|17 May
|Diary: P records a meeting in Schliersee.'Athans seemed to think himself vindicated, but the fact remains he let me down badly for the nth time, and I shall not depend on him again.
|21 May
|Letter p to Renate Werlberger [NPD], saying that he has 'Mr Althans, better said the N[ational] O[ffensive] to thank' for the five banned meetings.
|21 May
|Letter Zündel to P, informing him that Althans is in Toronto and that together they are working on a box design for cassettes of the Munich court case.
|22 May
|Letter P to Zündel:'I don't believe I will speak for the Nat[ional] List. Nat[ional] Offensive or AVÖ again.'
|13 June
|Diary: P records an abortive trip from Munich to Rome and his deportation back to Munich. '...back downtown, phoned Althans. He is delighted to hear my voice, has arranged a big meeting for Ernst Zündel to address this evening Would I come and speak too? I: 'Provided you take three boxes of my books along to sell. ' All's well that ends well.'
|12 Sep
|Diary: P records driving to Antwerp with Althans and Pedro Varela. ' Althans had just come back yesterday morning from Croatia. What a gang.'
|13 Jan 1993
|Diary: P appears at Munich court accompanied by Althans.
|14 Jan 1993
|Diary: P records plans for a talk in Austria. ' ...Althans came...and we recorded my speech for this evening in case I am 'verhindert' [prevented]
|3 July 1993
|Diary: P records that phoned Althans: ' He will arrange Monday evening speech for me to about 80 people. That would be good.'
|5 July 1993
|Diary:P records the meeting in Munich as the' usual Althans cockup'.
|31 July
|Letter P to Althans, wishing him 'wellfor the [Rudolj] Hess Mar.''You blame me for the failure in Munich. Not my opinion!' p writes that from the enclosed pages he sees that Althans intends to distribute his books as a prize. ' I have nothing against it, but would like to know before hand how and when I will be remunerated. ...'P informs Althans he .will be in Germany in October.
|23 Sep
|Letter Althans to P, congratulating him on his victory in Australia, and informing him that Wiesel has taken over the AVO bookshop. As soon as he and Wiesel have overturned the current ban on them trading they will remunerate p monthly. Althans regrets he will not be in Germany in October but expresses a wish to clear up 'recent difficulties'.
|6 Oct 1993
|Letter Zündel to P, advising him to pick up his books from the AVO book shop because of Althans's 'completely cavalier attitude towards these things' and 'that place you have then attracts problems like a lightening rod attracts lightening bolts in a storm!'
|7 Oct 1993
|Letter P to Zündel.'On Althans: confidentially, one of his lieutenants was here this weekend. is taking charge of my book stocks. though he says Althans helped himself to stacks of them. A[lthans] also has strange habits with funds donated to the organisation. says my source. I have suggested that they hold a Generalmitgliederversammlung [general members , meeting) and decide what to do with A[lthans), who is damaging the Bewegung [ movement) by his antics and his close contacts to the media.'
|21 Nov
|Letter P to Stephan Wiesel, expressing the hope that Wiesel has picked up his books in time.'In the coming weeks I will produce a video presentation for Germany with the title 'I'LL BE BACK'. You could make good money out of it. I'll send you the advertising for it in the next few days. The film" will be supplied from England to avoid problems with our traditional enemies.'
|30 Dec
|Letter P to Wiesel explaining that I expect to be active in the country again in spring at the latest.'
|29 Jan 1994
|Letter P to Althans, complaining about his stock of books. 'I hear that you have finished with the whole thing. That is certainly good. ...'
|31 Jan 1994
|Diary: P records '...lengthy conversation with Karl Philipp. [...] Discussions about Althans. He says that to his knowledge [Stephan] Wiesel and Althans were in Belgium last week trying to persuade Verbeke to do their printing for them (in vain). I mentioned the Mathias (?) Schmidt, Spiegel tv cameraman who had volunteered information to the police about my speech in Lowenbrau meeting; Philipps [Sic.] says Schmidt turns out to be Jewish -Althans has introduced him Ias a 'safe cameraman' to all of his pals. Althans needs exposing: perhaps a job for A[ ction] R[eport]. He is a habitue of the Munich gaybar P.21...'
|1 Feb 1994
|Letter P to Susie Topler asking her to pick up his books.'It Iturns out that he [Wiesel] has not separated himself from Althans. Both of them were in England together a few days ago...'
|7 Feb 1994
|Letter Althans to P.'I don't know what you are trying to imply [by saying] that I have finished with it. If you mean the political, then you are very wrong. At the moment I am preaching to millions of Germans, through a cinema film made about me, that the gas chambers in Auschwitz are fakes. To my sorrow anyway, you appear to research very badly at the i moment! Thus you are also spreading the rumour of, homosexuality in connection with the lie that I have AIDS. What is this rubbish? You are making a fool of yourself I forbid such stupidity, also from you. I have a lot of respect for you. 1 also have sympathy for your ways, even when on the one hand you are difficult and on the other I am sorry that you move on political thin ice. like the demonstration in Halle or the planned tour with Wiesel that had to go bad.You exhausted every speaking possibility to do with Auschwitz through my organisation. Now you need someone in Germany who enables 1rving to appear even in absence. And you know that can only be someone like me. I consider it of central importance that the backbiting stops. We have to defend ourselves together.
|Sep 1994
|P report on judicial sanctions against Wiesel an the AVO bookshop in"-Munich in his ActioReport[September;1994].
|2 Sep 1994
|Diary P records a conversation with Zündel in California. Lunch with the gang-heated remarks by me to Zündel about Althans and the damage he has done (a) to me and (b) the-cause. Zündel stuck by Althans (who's coming tomorrow: who's paying for that?); I'll say one thing for Z[ündel] he sticks by his friends.'
|5 Sep 1994
|Diary: P describes leaving the table when Althans arrives, 'another homosexual exhibitionist, and the source of much of my international misfortune. (Apr 21, 1990!).'
|15 Nov
|Diary: P records a telephone conversation with Zündel.'...he says Althans put up a good defence on the first day of his trial...delivering a powerful speech in his own defence...on Tuesday he was according to reports from Woysch [Sic J-arrested on instructions of the Berlin public prosecutor and taken to Berlin where he is being held...to face charges connected with the film Beruf Neo-Nazi. Maybe my doubts against Althans were misplaced after all.'
|9 July 1995
|Letter P to Müller [German Press Agency], enclosing a draft article on Althans written for his Action Report in February 1995.'I repeatedly warned my colleagues worldwide that by.'his methods he was only damaging our cause, revisionism, and all of us wondered whether he was doing it on purpose. ' In the draft P describes Althans as a' self-proclaimed leader of Germany's extremist youth, femme fatal of the European right wing'.P relates details of Althans's youth, including that he had taken part in Action Signs of Sacrifice,'Germany's oleaginous if belated attempt to buy Jewish sympathy by sacrificing her innocent youngsters for communal work in Israel and elsewhere.'
1. See Statement of Case ('SC') section 6, paragraphs 38-52; Requests for Infonnation (RFI) extremism' section,48-49


text:
Indy 500 Daily Track Report – May 12
Mike Conway rolled out in late afternoon on Opening Day at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in a brand new ABC Supply Dallara powered by Honda.
Conway logged 33 laps total and posted his quickest lap of 214.1mph on the final lap of his run. Conway's teammate for the month, Wade Cunningham did not run in his No.41 ecat/ABC Supply Dallara/Honda but will run on Sunday.
"We're running a new ABC Supply car, so we shook it down just to make sure there were no problems," said Conway. "We tried to get a good feel for what the car was doing, made some changes and we found some things so it was good. Today wasn't about speed for us. We'd learned a few things between[Wade's] rookie orientation and today which we needed to verify on track. As the week rolls on, then that's when the real work starts. Tomorrow we'll be out as soon as we can and learn as much as we can to try to find some speed."
Team owner A.J. Foyt said, "We got out a little later than we expected to. We had about 30+ laps on the tires and as time ran out on us, we made some changes and he ran a little over 214 [mph]. Probably if we put new tires on he'd be 216 and half. We're kind of happy –it's the first time with this brand new car we unpacked."

subset: commoncrawl


text:
About the Book
"Hypnotic….It is ever tempting to try to fathom his restless spirit and his determination to challenge fate."<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />
—Janet Maslin, New York Times
Werner Herzog (Grizzly Man) is one of the most revered and enigmatic filmmakers of our time, and Fitzcarraldo is one of his most honored and admired films. More than just Herzog's journal of the making of the monumental, problematical motion picture, which involved, among other things, major cast changes and reshoots, and the hauling (without the use of special effects) of a 360-ton steamship over a mountain , Conquest of the Useless is a work of art unto itself, an Amazonian fever dream that emerged from the delirium of the jungle. With fascinating observations about crew and players—including Herzog's lead, the somewhat demented internationally renowned star Klaus Kinski—and breathtaking insights into the filmmaking process that are uniquely Werner Herzog, Conquest of the Useless is an eye-opening look into the mind of a cinematic master.
One of the most revered filmmakers of our time, Werner Herzog wrote this diary during the making of Fitzcarraldo, the lavish 1982 film that tells the story of a would-be rubber baron who pulls a steamship over a hill in order to access a rich rubber territory. Later, Herzog spoke of his difficulties when making the film, including casting problems, reshoots, language barriers, epic clashes with the star, and the logistics of moving a 320-ton steamship over a hill without the use of special effects.
Hailed by critics around the globe, the film went on to win Herzog the 1982 Outstanding Director Prize at Cannes. Conquest of the Useless, Werner Herzog's diary on his fever dream in the Amazon jungle, is an extraordinary glimpse into the mind of a genius during the making of one of his greatest achievements.
Educator and Librarian Resources
Critical Praise
"Hypnotic...Any book by Mr. Herzog...turns his devotees into cryptographers. It is ever tempting to try to fathom his restless spirit and his determination to challenge fate." — Janet Maslin, New York Times
"Reveals Herzog to be witty, compassionate, microscopically observant and—your call—either maniacally determined or admirably persevering." — Los Angeles Times
"Stands alone as a compellingly gonzo piece of reportage. . . . As a read, Conquest flies along—but not because it's especially plotty. Rather, it gathers its kick from the spectacle of a celebrity director escaping the late–'70s famescape into his own obsessions." — Time Out New York
"Those who haven't encountered Herzog on screen will undoubtedly be drawn in by the director's lyricism, while cinephiles will relish the opportunity to retrace the steps of one on the medium's masters." — Publishers Weekly
"Urgent and compelling. . . . A valuable historical record and a strangely stylish, hypnotic literary work." — Kirkus Reviews
Product Details
- Imprint: Ecco
- On Sale: 06/30/2009
- Trimsize: 6 in (w) x 9 in (h) x 1.067 in (d)
- Pages: 320
- List Price: 24.99 USD
- BISAC1: BIOGRAPHY & AUTOBIOGRAPHY / Personal Memoirs


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The Sleepy Eye Public School fourth grade class won the MN-Southwest-West Central Regional Sumdog online Math Contest held last week.
The contest ran for one week with 19 schools and 1,461 students participating. During that week the Sleepy Eye Public School fourth graders answered 31,070 questions correctly at an average of 86 percent correct.
Classroom teachers Mr. Scott Hadley and Mrs. Nicole Jensen will receive 30 free subscriptions to Sumdog for winning the contest.
Location, ST | website.com


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Hello Islander Fans,
Well, what can I say? The feeling of going to Pre-Nationals and going up against the best cross country teams in the nation was an experience my teammates and I will never forget. It was a cold day in Indiana and slightly muddy from the rain showers of that morning, but a little rain didn't affect us and the cold weather, well I am sure most of my teammates will agree we were happy that we were gone from the Texas humidity and heat. There were 52 teams competing and seven runners in each team, which meant we were going to run in a race that contained 364 runners from all across the United States, and we were excited to be in the mix.
The last time the Islanders went to Pre-Nationals was in 2005 when Shadrack Songok led the way, as he placed 7th overall. This time, and once again this season, leading the way for the Islanders was Philipp Baar, as he completed the 8k race in 24:58, missing his personal record by just eight seconds. The next four Islanders that came across the finish line all had personal records, starting with myself crossing the line in 25:15, finishing second for the Islanders. Finishing just three seconds back of me was our captain Justin Adame, as he crossed in 25:18. Our fourth and fifth runners were our freshmen, as Cesar Gonzales crossed the line with the time of 25:44, destroying his old record by almost two minutes, and finishing off strong was Edgar Martinez with the time of 25:50, beating his personal best by 30 seconds. This performance really gave them a boost of confidence heading into the Southland Conference Championship, which will be held at McNeese State on Nov. 1.
The Islanders men left pleased with our performances, but we are still not satisfied until we reach our goal of winning the Southland Conference Championship. We are still training very hard and even though we still have two weeks until our championship race, we are not going to let up until the time counts. As a team, we want to be one of the best in Islanders history, and only time will tell if this is the team that takes home the grand prize. If you have a Twitter and want to know more about the team, send your questions to @jsn_garcia. Because as Islanders we train hard, to win easy.
"You wouldn't believe it if we told you, but we run like the wind blows"


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Local author Joshua Flenniken takes on corporate ineptitude - and a host of other topics - in his first book, "The Pequod's Coffin," released in September by independent publisher, Black Rose Writing.
The book is not for the faint of heart or those easily offended, as the author's long disclaimer warns. Witness a wife who proffers a threesome to Jehovah's Witnesses speaking with her husband on the porch as a way to drive them off, and a protagonist who gets clients off the phone by telling them he has "bleeding [rectal] cancer" and has to go change his adult diapers. Perhaps needless to say at this point, much of the language and subject matter is decidedly offensive - in the name of humor - throughout.
Certainly there's appeal in that among some audiences, as there is for off-topic rants by the quirky, bombastic protagonist, Ishmael, as he navigates the endlessly murky waters of his employer, a hospital software company, while seeking to change his email address to ward off religious fundamentalists bent on saving his doomed soul. Time and time again, the company is revealed as inefficient and inept, a major source of Ishmael's wide-reaching disillusionment.
Many elements of the book appear autobiographical - the Summit County setting, the supporting character based on the author's friend (who did the cover art and interior pages) and Ishmael's former employer, a Vail Resorts reservations department, in a section replete with its own set of snarky and silly tales.
Flenniken describes his book as "a satirical look at corporate America, dealing with some serious issues in a lighthearted but hopefully comedic manner." Still, he is the first to admit that the wit falls on "the baser end of the humor spectrum," citing the protagonist's pet Shar-Pei, "Scrotum," as an example. And let's not forget Ishmael's boss, Maximus Johnson. Feel free to guess at Ishmael's nickname for Max.
"The Pequod's coffin" is a "Moby Dick" reference; Pequod is the name of the whaling ship in pursuit of the whale. The curious Ishmael, clearly educated despite his predilection for raunchy rumination, has never read "Moby Dick," even though he is named after its main character. Thus one of the subplots is Ishmael's battle with not having read the book.
It takes a thick-skinned individual, with a particular brand of humor, to enjoy "The Pequod's Coffin." If you self-identify as such, it's available on Amazon.


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The Bay Area holiday season ushers in events and performances ranging from resplendent and traditional to drag-queen comedies and star-studded fundraisers. Here's a partial rundown:
Contra Costa Ballet: The company's annual "Story of the Nutcracker" is a particularly kid-friendly hourlong version of the classic; eight performances today through Sunday; Lesher Center for the Arts, Walnut Creek; $23-$33; 925-943-7469, www.lesherartscenter.org; http://contracostaballet.org.
"The Velveteen Rabbit": KT Nelson's dance work might not be as beloved as the 1922 children's story it's based on, but it's getting there. The holiday show by ODC Dance Theatre is back for its 26th year; through Dec. 9; Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, San Francisco; $15-$50; 415-978-2787, www.ybca.org, www.odcdance.org.
Black Diamond Ballet Theatre: Billed as East Contra Costa County's first professional ballet company, Black Diamond Ballet is bringing its lavish, evening-length production of "The Nutcracker" to Pittsburg High School's Creative Arts Building; 7:30 p.m. Dec. 7-8, 2 p.m. Dec. 9; $15-$20; at www.blackdiamondballet.org.
Berkeley Ballet Theater: The company's annual production of "The Nutcracker" is considered one of the best in the Bay Area; Dec. 7-16; Julia Morgan Center for the Arts, Berkeley; $29; 510-830-9524, www.berkeleyballet.org.
Valley Dance Theatre: The 32-year-old Livermore company's annual "Nutcracker," accompanied by Livermore Amador Symphony, is a proud Tri-Valley tradition; Dec. 8-16; Bankhead Theater, Livermore; $24-$34; 925-373-6800, www.valleydancetheatre.com.
Ballet Folklorico Costa de Oro: The company devoted to traditional Mexican dance and music presents the colorful "Fiestas Navideñas" holiday show; 2 p.m. Dec. 8; Cal State East Bay Theatre, Hayward; $17-$25; www.bfcostadeoro.com.
Smuin Ballet holiday show: New works by company choreographer Amy Seiwert and dancer Jane Rehm highlight the always-festive holiday show from this San Francisco troupe; Dec. 14-23; Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, San Francisco; $36-$65; www.smuinballet.org.
Ballet Joyeux -- Once Upon Christmas: The kid-friendly dance/theater show returns to Walnut Creek's Lesher Center for the Arts; 7 p.m. Dec. 21, 2 and 7 p.m. Dec. 22; $25; 925-943-7469, www.lesherartscenter.org.
"It's a Wonderful Life": The play adapted from Frank Capra's charming tear-jerker of a movie is Town Hall Theatre Company's holiday offering; today through Dec. 16, Town Hall Theatre, Lafayette; $12-$32; 925-283-1557, www.townhalltheatre.com.
Big Bubbly Holiday Spectacle: Holidays or no, Louis Pearl -- aka the Amazing Bubble Man -- is always a treat for kids and adults. His holiday show runs through Jan. 6; Marsh Berkeley; $11-$50; 415-826-5750, www.themarsh.org
"Bah, Humbug!": This adaptation of Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" has lots of local twists thrown in; Friday-Dec. 15; Front Row Theatre, San Ramon; $11-$16; 925-973-2787 or www.sanramonperformingarts.com.
"A Broadway Holiday": Cantare, the San Leandro community choirs, presents a holiday show featuring songs from suchg Broadway favorites as "Les Miserables" and "Ragtime": Friday through Dec. 9; California Conservatory Theatre, San Leandro; $10-$25; 510-909-9516, www.curtaincallperformingarts.org.
Cantare Con Vivo: The East Bay choir presents "All I Want for Christmas Is You," a concert featuring Benjamin Britten's famed "A Ceremony of Carols"; 7:30 p.m. Saturday at Walnut Creek Presbyterian Church; 4 p.m. Sunday at First Presbyterian Church, Oakland; $10-$35; 510-836-0789.
Christmas Revels: This unique winter solstice show and Bay Area tradition returns for its 27th year and incorporates a cast of dozens, traditional music, dance, demonstrations and theatrical elements to tell the story of a 16th-century multicultural celebration in the Adriatic village of Prosecco. Dec. 6-17; Scottish Rite Theatre; Oakland; $20-$55; 510-452-8800, http://californiarevels.org.
"A Merry Forking Christmas": The San Francisco theater/comedy production company Piano Fight reprises this adult comedy about less-than-holy doings at a mall on Christmas Eve, with the audience getting to vote on how the show ends; Dec. 6-30; Traveling Jewish Theatre, San Francisco; $18-$40; www.pianofight.com.
"The Golden Girls -- The Christmas Episodes": The Girls, a four-man drag act that re-creates episodes of the iconic 1980s sitcom, presents two holiday-themed episodes of the show; Dec. 6-30; the Victoria Theatre, San Francisco.; $30; http://goldengirlssf.eventbrite.com.
"Puss in Boots": The "fractured fairy-tale" musical comedy is presented by Pleasanton Civic Arts Stage Company; Dec. 7-15; Amador Theater, Pleasanton; $10-$18; 925-931-4848, www.firehousearts.org.
"The North Pole Revue": The teen theater troupe Center Stage of Diablo Valley presents an original holiday musical show; Dec. 7-16; Lesher Center for the Arts, Walnut Creek; $15; 925-943-7469, www.lesherartscenter.org.
"Wavy Gravy and his Guided Mistletoes": The counterculture icon presents a semi-holiday show with music and stories, for ages 15 and up; Dec. 13-23; the Marsh, San Francisco; $15-$50; 415-826-5750, www.themarsh.org.
"The Biggest Gift": The Fantasy Forum Actors Ensemble youth theater troupe presents its annual holiday show about a plucky elf and his toy friends saving Christmas; Dec. 13-16; Lesher Center for the Arts, Walnut Creek; $14; 925-943-7469, http://fantasyforum.org.
"Brian Copeland's The Jewelry Box, a Genuine Christmas Story": The popular Bay Area writer and performer weaves a family-friendly tale about holiday shopping in Oakland; Dec. 14-29; The Marsh, San Francisco; $20-$50; 415-826-5750, www.themarsh.org.
"Mittens and Mistletoe -- A Winter Circus Cabaret": The family-friendly holiday show is presented by Sweet Can Productions; Dec. 21-24; Dance Mission Theater, San Francisco; $15-$60; 415-225-7281, www.brownpapertickets.com; www.sweetcanproductions.com
Kung Pao Kosher Comedy: The annual comedy show returns with performers, including Judy Gold, Adrianne Tolsch, Mike Capozzola and event founder Lisa Geduldig; Dec. 22-25; New Asia Restaurant, San Francisco; $44 (with cocktail and snack), $66 (includes dinner); 925-855-1986, www.koshercomedy.com.
An International Christmas: The Ascension Liturgical Choir performs with guest soloists, the Kairos Youth Choir, members of the Young People's Symphony Orchestra and others in a program of traditional carols, Greek Orthodox Christmas hymns, excerpts from Handel's Messiah as well as a brief sing-along; 8 p.m. Friday; Ascension Cathedral, Oakland; free; 510-531-3400; www.groca.org.
Dave Koz and Friends: The smooth jazz sax man brings his holiday show back to San Francisco, with David Benoit, Sheila E., Javier Colon and Margo Rey; 8 p.m. Monday; Warfield; $39.50-$125.50; www.ticketmaster.com.
Kitka: The Bay Area women's choral group presents its annual holiday concert series, including a free sing-along; 8 p.m. Dec. 7 at St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Oakland, $20-$135, 510-444-0323, www.brownpapertickets.com; 8 p.m. Dec. 8 at Old First Concerts, San Francisco; $15-$20, 415-474-1608, www.oldfirstconcerts.org; Wintersongs Community Sing; 5-7 p.m. Dec. 9 at Nile Hall at Preservation Park, Oakland, free (donations accepted), 510-444-0323, www.brownpapertickets.com.
"Amahl and the Night Visitors": Gian Carlo Menotti's Christmas-themed one-act opera is presented by Livermore Valley Opera; 2 and 5 p.m. Dec. 8; First Presbyterian Church of Livermore; $12-$25; www.livermorevalleyopera.com.
Magnificat: The musical group dedicated to music of the 17th century performs Marc-Antoine Charpentier's "Nativity Pastorale"; 8 p.m. Dec. 8 at St. Mary Magdalen, Berkeley; 4 p.m. Dec. 9 at St. Mark's Lutheran, San Francisco; $12-$35; 800-595-4849, http://magnificatbaroque.com.
Help Is on the Way: Cast members from "The Book of Mormon" and "The Lion King" join Mary Wilson, Bruce Vilanch, Tim Hockenberry, Paula West and more in the annual fundraiser for Richmond/Ermet AIDS Foundation; 7:30 p.m. Dec. 10; Marines Memorial Theatre, San Francisco; $40-$60 (show only), $100 (show and reception); 415-273-1620, www.helpisontheway.org.
San Francisco Boys Chorus: The Grammy-winning choir presents "Navidad Nuestra," a Nativity-themed work by Argentine composer Ariel Ramírez; 2:30 p.m. Dec. 8 at St. Dominic's Church, San Francisco; 8 p.m. Dec. 15 at Cathedral of Christ the Light, Oakland; $19-$20; 415-861-7464, www.sfbc.org.
Jeff Bordes and Friends: The trumpeter and Pleasanton native and his band presents "A Jazz-Funky Christmas" concert for a hometown crowd, with organist/vocalist Don Lewis and other guests; 8 p.m. Dec. 8; Firehouse Arts Center, Pleasanton; $12-$25; 925-931-4848, www.firehousearts.org.
A Chanticleer Christmas: The Bay Area a cappella group's beloved holiday show is one of the can't-miss tickets of the season; Dec. 10-23; various venues; $35-$65; www.chanticleer.org.
"A Down Home Christmas": Nell Robinson and Jim Nunally perform a country-themed holiday concert featuring such songs as "If We Make it Through December" and "Daddy Looked a Lot Like Santa," along with original tunes; Dec. 13-21; Aurora Theatre, Berkeley; $25-$28; 510-843-4822, www.auroratheatre.org.
"Have Yourself a Little Gospel Christmas": Stevie Wonder keyboardist Victoria Theodore heads a band presenting a night of inspirational holiday songs; 8 p.m. Dec. 14; Del Valle Theatre, Walnut Creek; $10-$20; 925-943-7469, www.lesherartscenter.org.
VOENA: The Benicia children's choir (the title stands for Voices of Eve and Angels) has played for presidents, a pope and at the opening of the London Olympics in July. Now the chorus is set to play a homecoming holiday show; 4 p.m. Dec. 15; Empress Theatre, Vallejo; $25; 707-552-2400, www.empresstheatre.org.
Solstice Celebration: A community sing-along led by Betsy Rose; 1:30-4:30 p.m. Dec. 16; Sacred Stream Center, Berkeley; $15-$25 (suggested donation); www.betsyrosemusic.org.
Franc D'Ambrosio's Christmas in New York: Mr. "Phantom of the Opera" performs Broadway favorites in a benefit for the Peter Pan Foundation and Children's Hospital and Research Center in Oakland; 7:30 p.m. Dec. 21; Rheem Theatre, Moraga; $50-$150; 925-388-0751; www.lamorindatheatres.com.
Hawaiian Christmas: Singer-songwriter Willie Kahaiali'i -- aka Willie K -- backed by the Kalama Brothers, presents this holiday show built on traditional island music and pop, rock and blues; 8 p.m. Dec. 21; Bankhead Theater, Livermore; $14-$43; 925-373-6800, www.mylvpac.com.
Moscow Boys Choir: The famed touring Russian chorus brings a program of traditional melodies, folk songs and Christmas classics to the East Bay; 7:30 p.m. Dec. 22; Bankhead Theater, Livermore; $14-$63; 925-373-6800, www.mylvpac.com.
A Toast to the Holidays: California Symphony and Voices of Musica Sacra present a night of traditional holiday tunes; 7:30 p.m. Dec. 23; Lesher Center for the Arts, Walnut Creek; $35-$55; 925-943-7469, www.californiasymphony.org.
Contact Randy McMullen at firstname.lastname@example.com. Follow him on Twitter.com/randymac57.


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NEW YORK -- Nancy Strumwasser, a high school teacher from Mountain Lakes, New Jersey, always thought she'd have two children. But the layoffs that swept over the U.S. economy around the time her son was born six years ago helped change her mind. Though she and her husband, a market researcher, managed to keep their jobs, she fears they won't be so fortunate next time.
"After we had a kid in 2009, I thought, 'This is not happening again,' " says Strumwasser, 41, adding, "I never really felt comfortable about jobs, how solid they can be."
The financial crisis that followed the collapse of U.S. investment bank Lehman Brothers in 2008 did more than wipe out billions in wealth and millions of jobs. It also sent birth rates tumbling around the world as couples found themselves too short of money or too fearful about their finances to have children. Six years later, birth rates haven't bounced back.
For those who fear an overcrowded planet, this is good news. For the economy, not so good.
We tend to think economic growth comes from working harder and smarter. But economists attribute up to a third of it to more people joining the workforce each year than leaving it. The result is more producing, earning and spending.
Now this secret fuel of the economy, rarely missing and little noticed, is running out.
"For the first time since World War II, we're no longer getting a tailwind," says Russ Koesterich, chief investment strategist at BlackRock, the world's largest money manager. "You're going to create fewer jobs. ... All else equal, wage growth will be slower."
Births are falling in China, Japan, the United States, Germany, Italy and nearly all other European countries. Studies have shown that births drop when unemployment rises, such as during the Great Depression of the 1930s. Birth rates have fallen the most in some regions that were hardest hit by the financial crisis.
In the United States, three-quarters of people surveyed by Gallup last year said the main reason couples weren't having more children was a lack of money or fear of the economy.
The trend emerges as a key gauge of future economic health -- the growth in the pool of potential workers, ages 20-64 -- is signaling trouble ahead. This labor pool had expanded for decades, thanks to the vast generation of baby boomers. Now the boomers are retiring, and there are barely enough new workers to replace them, let alone add to their numbers.
Growth in the working-age population has halted in developed countries overall. Even in France and the United Kingdom, with relatively healthy birth rates, growth in the labor pool has slowed dramatically. In Japan, Germany and Italy, the labor pool is shrinking.
"It's like health -- you only realize it exists until you don't have it," says Alejandro Macarron Larumbe, managing director of Demographic Renaissance, a think tank in Madrid.
The drop in birth rates is rooted in the 1960s, when many women entered the workforce for the first time and couples decided to have smaller families. Births did begin rising in many countries in the new millennium. But then the financial crisis struck. Stocks and home values plummeted, blowing a hole in household finances, and tens of millions of people lost jobs. Many couples delayed having children or decided to have none at all.
Couples in the world's five biggest developed economies -- the United States, Japan, Germany, France and the United Kingdom -- had 350,000 fewer babies in 2012 than in 2008, a drop of nearly 5 percent. The United Nations forecasts that women in those countries will have an average 1.7 children in their lifetimes. Demographers say the fertility rate needs to reach 2.1 just to replace people dying and keep populations constant.
The effects on economies, personal wealth and living standards are far reaching:
Births might pick up again, of course. In France, where the government provides big subsidies and tax breaks for children, birth rates are back where they were in the early 1970s. In other countries, women who put off having children in the recession might play catch up soon, as they did after World War II. Demographers note that women were having children later in life even before the crisis, and so births are likely to rise anyway.
But even a snapback in births to pre-recession levels will leave families much smaller than they were decades ago, a shift that has already affected industries and economies around the world.
In Japan, sales of adult diapers will exceed sales of baby diapers this year, according to Euromonitor International, a marketing research firm. In Germany and Italy, towns are emptying as families shrink and there aren't enough children to replace older ones who are dying. And in South Korea, where births have fallen 11 percent in a decade, 121 primary schools had no new students last year, according to Yonhap, the country's government-backed news agency.
In China, where the working-age population is set to shrink next year, the government is relaxing a policy that had limited many families to one child. It might not help much. Chinese are choosing to stick to one on their own.
Lei Qiang, a logistics manager in Shanghai with a 2-year-old daughter, has ruled out another child. "I just couldn't think how expensive it is to have two," says Lei, 39.
Economists are worried not just because growth is stalling in working-age populations. Their numbers as a share of the total population in many countries is falling. Economists like to see this share of total population rise, because it means more people are earning money, expanding the tax base and paying for schools for the young and pensions and health care for the old.
Before the recession, the number of these potential workers as a proportion of total population was falling in three of the world's six biggest developed economies -- Japan, Germany and Italy. Now the proportion is also dropping in the United States, France and the United Kingdom, according to investment firm Research Affiliates.
A country can compensate for this demographic drag on economic growth by encouraging people to work longer or to use technologies to increase output. But most economists doubt that such changes are forthcoming or would be enough.
"You need incredible productivity growth," says Michael Feroli, a JPMorgan economist. He says economic growth of 3 percent is unlikely on a "sustained basis" even for the United States, which is blessed with a flow of immigrants, albeit a slowing one, to soften the blow.


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|Razzle Dazzle Delights:
Sequined Threads from Berroco
|Until now, if you wanted to add glitter or sparkle, you had to make do with a limited choice of yarns. If you didn't like how the yarn felt against your neck, tough luck.
A new kind of glittery effect changes all this. It involves the use of sequins that have been strung and spun onto a fine string that's either black or white in color. All you need to do is pair this yarn with your existing yarn, knit away, and voilà, instant sparkle.
Berroco Mirror FX and Lazer FX
Massachusetts-based Berroco Yarns was the first yarn manufacturer to produce sequined threads in any significant quantity. Two sparkly incarnations fall under the FX label, producing silver, gold, rainbow-like crystal, or pastel colors on square or circular sequins.
Lazer FX comes in 70-yard skeins, Mirror FX in 60-yard skeins. Both are made in the United States, composed of 100% polyester, and retail for $13.95 a skein.
Knitting Up
I definitely experienced a learning curve with these yarns. The fine thread easily evaded my needle when knitting or purling, and I often didn't notice the dropped thread for several rows. I also found that the thread was susceptible to snags and splits.
I finally achieved a smoother, more consistent effect by keeping my tension as relaxed as possible. This gave the sequins and yarn more room to adjust to any gaps or tight spots produced by the irregular placement of sequins. The loose tension was also important because the thread is completely inelastic. Squeezing your needle into a tight stitch can be quite a challenge.
Control Freaks Beware
I was most frustrated by my inability to control the exact placement of my sequins on the knitted fabric. Sometimes they'd lie on the knit side, other times on the purl side.
I could nudge a few of the sequins through to the outward-facing side of the fabric, but in any large-scale garment this would've been slow and frustrating. I should note that the problem totally disappears with scarves, because both sides are equally visible.
Sequins in Action: The Pairings
Where to Buy Online
Yarnware.com Back to overview of glittery yarns
Discuss this yarn in our forums


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Update: Just a little reminder. . . Sasuke is NOT in this gallery. Recently I've had a lot of submissions of him that keep getting denied. If he is in a picture with another Akatsuki member, fine. If he is alone, that art is not permitted.
Hello, and welcome to Akatsuki-Lovers, a fan club dedicated to our dearly beloved Akatsuki and its members ♥ This club was founded by Grim-Grinning back in 2007 and has stepped down to pursue her future in the arts.
To Join the Club:
All you have to do is click the 'join' button at the top of the page c: That simple!
To Submit Art
You can go right to our gallery and submit away! However, please be aware of two things:
1. No smut that is too sexual or questionable. Art in our gallery that's kissing, or hugging, or snuggling- those are fine. If you're wondering if you should submit it, don't.
Folders Reminder
Just a little reminder. . . Submit things to the correct folders, please :< That's the main reason why submissions are being declined. Don't feel discouraged! Just pay more attention to what folder you submit it to I have a life too, so I don't want to spend all my time sorting through submissions haha~ Plus, I'd rather not have any contributors :/
If you have any questions on where to submit a piece to, or what can or cannot be submitted, feel free to send me a note through either my account or the club, or leave a comment on this journal or the frontpage
To Affiliate With Us
Just click the 'affiliate' button at the top of the page c: I eagerly accept any type of group ♥
Contest / Miscellaneous Promotions


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January 3 - 20, 2017
Oftentimes the fall and spring semesters can be overly hectic for students – a full-time course load, student club responsibilities, work, internship commitments, and social obligations. This busy time forces students to focus mainly on their academic progress which doesn't always allow freedom to explore a new interest or take advantage of the many cultural resources that originally drew them to New York City.
January Term provides an array of courses enabling students to earn academic credit (major, minor, or elective) in courses that are in high–demand, to accelerate degree completion and to concentrate on personal interests.


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Cosmo Beauties of the Week, 1/25
Michelle Obama looked amazing on Inauguration Day as she stepped out wearing a Thom Browne navy checked coat, fuchsia gloves, and black pointy-toe boots. But what really caught our eye was the way she pulled together her entire look with a bejeweled J.Crew belt, making her look that much more polished (if that's even possible!).
We were inspired by the First Lady's style, and found a ton of cool belts that'll change up your entire ensemble as soon as you slip one on.
Since you can't get your hands on Mrs. Obama's exact belt, this one is a close second. Its gray tone allows you to pair it with any color palette—plus, its added embellishments instantly call attention to your waistline, adding elegance.
Clasped over a sleek coat, cocktail dress, or casual shift, this belt makes a statement like no other.
Anthropologie Bowline Belt, $48 anthropologie.com
The Best Celebrity Beauty Lines


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When you walk in the front doors of Brooks Shaw's Old Country Store you'll feel like you are back in the 1890's. You'll love the Southern general store atmosphere with thousands of antiques on display from our private collection of thousands of early American antiques.
Established in 1965, we have a truly delightful Gift Shoppe featuring beautiful country quilts, old fashioned candies of all kinds, dolls, Tennessee products and souvenirs, jewelry and scarves, Southern themed gifts and of course our own Old Country Store cookbook!
Our beautifully recreated Ice Cream Parlor & Fudge Shoppe is perfect for a refreshing cup of ice cream or old fashioned soda treats from milkshakes to ice cream sundaes. Named one of the Top 50 Ice Cream Parlors in America! Be sure to ask for a free sample of our famous homemade fudge!
How cute is this?
The historic 1925 era Wellwood Country Store where founder Brooks Shaw worked as a young boy for 50 cents a day and all the hoop cheese he could eat. Completely restored and lovingly recreated, it is attached by a breezeway in the Gift Shoppe to the Old Country Store it later inspired. See our Events page for more details.
Experience the authentic South at Brooks Shaw's Old Country Store!
A "Must Have" for
"Your server treated us like royalty! The food was excellent!"
| Wireless Compatible |


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Description: 512MB 133MHz ECC Registered SDRAM Memorypart Number(s)
Option Part# 128279-B21
Spare Part# 177628-001
Note: Our Part# 177628-001 is guaranteedgenuine HP product with a HP serial number and logo. We do not sell 3rd party HP memory.
Overview:Information technology professionals rely on HP quality to ensure maximum productivity. As the power of applications processors memory adapters and storage devices increases high-end computer users are seeking ways to optimize their system performance. HP provides leading solutions adding new levels of performance availability flexibility and management.


text: It's pretty well-known that hardcore has been awful basically ever since Earth Crisis jocks started ruining shows in the early 90s. But out of Australia comes its savior: eight-year-old Juliet, who loves slam-dancing, half-time breakdowns, and her dog Robert, and hates hypocrisy, frat boys, and the smell of her pet fish. Talk about "youth crew," am I right? "Youth crew"? Right? [via @Alex_Ogle]


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- Aug 4:
- Thousands attend Candlestick Park to bid farewell to stadium
- Aug 3:
- 49ers find plenty of Levi's Stadium issues to work out before NFL action starts
- Aug 2:
- Getting to Levi's Stadium opening event OK for most, horrible for some
- Aug 1:
- Earthquakes-Seattle Sounders first up for Levi's Stadium
- 49ers open Levi's Stadium Saturday: 10 things to watch for
- Jul 31:
- Levi's Stadium to offer 49ers fans high-tech treats
- Earthquakes have 5-year deal with 49ers to play at Levi's
- Jul 30:
- Levi's Stadium: Three college football games this year
- Wilner: 49ers, Levi's Stadium pursue college football's potential
- Awaiting 49ers, Santa Clara gears up for first Levi's Stadium event Saturday
SANTA CLARA -- Paul Fraher and his daughter, Sophia, were among the first to break through the Levi's Stadium gates, raising celebratory clenched fists as soon as they cleared the security line.
One small step for man, one giant leap for fankind.
The Earthquakes game against the Seattle Sounders marked the first athletic event at the 49ers' $1.3 billion new home, and regardless of what sport people came for -- soccer, football or taking selfies -- they became part of Bay Area history.
The gist of many instant reviews? Great place, needs work. The light-rail trains ran behind schedule, the ushers sometimes pointed people the wrong direction, the bag policy proved confusing, and the concession prices caused shock. "Are they paying for this place with beer?" one fan wondered.
But by the time fans made it to their seats, the good outweighed the bad -- by a long shot. They forgot the inconveniences in the splendor of the Bandera Bermuda turf grass.
"I never had a feeling of pride in my stadium, but I went to Candlestick because that's how I was raised," said Alexis Marina Kershner, 34, of San Francisco. "I learned how to tailgate by the time I was 6, out in the parking lot, where it was cold and it was windy and my hot dogs blew away.
"But coming here? This is like a whole new level. This makes me proud."
By design, this was a soft opening, an event that drew 48,765 to a stadium that will hold 70,000 during the NFL season.
This was a chance to see how ready the stadium was for the onslaught of crowds -- a house-swarming party. For the first time, people navigated their way to 30,000 parking spaces (compared with 18,000 at Candlestick), ascended the 38 escalators (compared with six), and lined up at the 370 concession stands (compared with 239).
Perhaps most importantly, they also tested the 1,135 restroom fixtures, and fans were flush with excitement. "The bathroom was immaculate -- immaculate!" Kershner said, a phrase never once uttered in the history of Candlestick Park. "I didn't have to go. I just went in to see it."
The 49ers will get a football dress rehearsal Aug .17, when they play a preseason contest against the Denver Broncos. The first regular-season game is Sept. 14 against the Chicago Bears.
Some of the 49ers couldn't wait. Offensive linemen Joe Staley and Adam Snyder, and punter Andy Lee were part of a sizable contingent of current players watching from some of the stadium's 9,000 club seats.
That group was part of an odd hybrid crowd. Large swaths of fans in 49ers jerseys came to watch soccer. (Kaeper-kicking?) They were here for a sneak peek at their team's future home, with many of them conceding they could never afford tickets for the real thing.
Peter Scalise, a longtime 49ers fan, reclined in a cozy spot in Section 104 and wolfed down a bowl of curry from the concession stand. That was not something he did much of when his dad took him to Kezar Stadium in the 1960s.
"Kezar? Kezar was just benches," Scalise said. "There were no seats."
Not every seat was comfy. Sheryl Boardman and her family got on a northbound VTA light rail train at the Snell station in South San Jose at 5:41 p.m. and expected to arrive at the stadium at 6:37.
But things became intense when the train was delayed at the River Oaks station, where the VTA operator had to turn off the power and reset. When they did, the air conditioning did not go back on for almost 30 minutes.
"It was a sardine sauna," she said.
Meanwhile, as they waited, two women started panicking and crying.
"People were pounding on the walls and yelling for them to open the door," Boardman said.
She and her family finally arrived at the stadium stop at 7:10.
Ira Yeldin and his wife, the grandparents of Sounders player DeAndre Yeldin, were in Brazil for World Cup and said that was more manageable, even with the language barrier.
"They spent $1.2 billion on a stadium, and I have to park on a golf course? ... The traffic was ridiculous."
Paul and Sophia Fraher -- the early gate-crashers -- had an easier time. They drove from Pleasanton, arriving about 4 p.m., largely to be part of history. Paul's father, Phil, attended the first Giants game in San Francisco after the team moved west in 1958.
So Paul figured this would be a great 10th birthday for Sophia, a soccer fan.
"Fifty years from now, we'll be able to say that she was here," he said.
"I think it's awesome," Sophia said.
Staff writers Patty Hannon and Bud Geracie contributed to this report.


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FoodFacts.com makes every effort to keep our community up to date on the latest news regarding the obesity crisis. We've got a long road ahead of us as we, as a nation and a world, attempt to reverse a trend that's making our population prone to preventable conditions and diseases. Sadly, the news we read today speaks to the idea that we aren't where we need to be in order to realize the turn-around we so desperately need.
About 5 percent of U.S. children and teens are "severely obese," and the numbers are rising, according to a new statement from the American Heart Association.
Although recent data suggesting that the rate of childhood obesity has started to level off, "a worrisome trend has emerged in the form of severe pediatric obesity," the researchers wrote in their study published today (Sept. 9) in the journal Circulation.
"Severe obesity in young people has grave health consequences," said study author Aaron Kelly, a researcher at the University of Minnesota Medical School in Minneapolis. "It's a much more serious childhood disease than obesity."
Severely obese children have higher rates of Type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular issues at younger ages, including high blood pressure, high cholesterol and early signs of atherosclerosis – a disease that clogs the arteries.
Treating children and teens with of severe obesity is challenging, the researchers said. Many treatments that are commonly used with some success in overweight and obese children, such as lifestyle changes, are less effective in those with severe obesity.
The researchers recommended using a standard definition for severe obesity in youth; they define children over age 2 as severely obese if they have a body mass index (BMI) at least 20 percent higher than 95 percent of other children of the same age and gender. The researchers also said any child with a BMI of 35 or higher should be considered severely obese.
Based on this definition, a 7-year-old girl of average height weighing 75 pounds, or a 13-year-old boy of average height weighing 160 pounds, would be defined as severely obese.
Most experts recommend treating severely obese children first with the least intensive treatment options such as lifestyle changes, the researchers said. More intensive treatments such as medication and potentially surgery should be considered after other treatments have failed.
Increased funding will be needed for research into whether new medications and other treatments, including surgery, are safe and effective in treating children with severe obesity, the researchers said.
FoodFacts.com will continue to follow news and research regarding the obesity crisis. We know there will continue to be reasons for hope and encouragement as new research leads us to the kinds of treatment that will have a lasting and positive effect, finally reversing the existing trends of the growing crisis.


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I'm using the 1.03 version on Ubuntu Server.
When starting PMS, i see it binds to the wrong IP address:
[main] TRACE 10:46:17.146 Using address /192.168.10.1 found on network interface: name:tun0 (tun0) index: 4 addresses: /192.168.10.1;
[main] TRACE 10:46:17.146 Created socket: /192.168.10.1:5001
It should bind to my eth0 interface. Is there any way to force it to use another interface, maybe by using a PMS.conf?
Anyone have a template of this PMS.conf as it wasn't included in the release?


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Get a Great Workout -- Sitting on Your Couch
Finally! Here's a workout for slackers that actually works. If you find it tough to motivate yourself to get off the sofa, you're going to love this one ...
But despite my complete aversion to working out, I am aware I need some sort of exercise program if I want to live a non-bedridden life. Enter: this couch workout (or couch-ercising, as I like to call it).
Click here to see the workout you can do completely while sitting on your couch.
Yes, it is actually entirely possible to get a decent workout without ever leaving that indented spot on your couch where you always plop. I asked personal trainers, pilates instructors, and physical therapists for exercise routines that not only can be done at home, but can be done with your butt firmly planted on a sofa (well, for most of the moves at least).
So, if you're like lazy ol' me, keep clicking for a ton of moves that will change your body, one episode of "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" at a time �
SEE NEXT PAGE: Seated scissors
Older comments
very helpful!
by alwayshasastraw Friday, May 24, 2013 at 07:15PM Report as inappropriate
Great information!
by RORO84 Friday, April 26, 2013 at 03:55PM Report as inappropriate
No excuse not to exercise when you can be sitting--these are great!!!
by GigiSD Tuesday, April 16, 2013 at 08:17PM Report as inappropriate
very helpful!
by sdavi60 Sunday, March 24, 2013 at 04:09PM Report as inappropriate
so helpful!
by angel_golz Thursday, February 21, 2013 at 02:01PM Report as inappropriate
These are great!! I may even be able to get my guy to do some too... lol
by Kinipela Tuesday, February 19, 2013 at 11:26AM Report as inappropriate
Gotta start trying these!
by yestfl Tuesday, January 29, 2013 at 03:24PM Report as inappropriate
These are great! Totally going to try some!
by ACClique Tuesday, January 29, 2013 at 10:32AM Report as inappropriate
love these! getting toned while catching up on tv ROCKS ;)
by jenstar313 Tuesday, January 22, 2013 at 10:18AM Report as inappropriate
These are all great moves. Try some at work!
by Ydabney Tuesday, January 15, 2013 at 07:44AM Report as inappropriate
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Sylva man sentenced to life for 2 killings
Published: Friday, November 1, 2013 at 7:05 a.m.
Last Modified: Friday, November 1, 2013 at 7:05 a.m.
SYLVA (AP) — A man who killed his estranged wife and another man in Sylva just hours after she took a restraining order out against him has been sentenced to life in prison.
Matthew Wayne Moore was sentenced Thursday after pleading guilty to two counts of first-degree murder.
Prosecutors had been seeking the death penalty against Moore in the May 2011 deaths of 20-year-old Melody Conger and 25-year-old Kevin Shawn Frady. Authorities say the two were shot to death hours after Conger got a domestic violence protection order against Moore.
Moore fled but was arrested hours after the killings when he surrendered to police in Easley, S.C. The estranged couple's 4-month-old daughter was found unhurt outside the mobile home where Conger and Frady were killed.
Reader comments posted to this article may be published in our print edition. All rights reserved. This copyrighted material may not be re-published without permission. Links are encouraged.


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Mieris was extremely popular during his lifetime and this popularity continued throughout the whole of the 18th century. He fell out of favour in the late 19th century along with all the fijnschilders – "precious painters"– of the Leiden school of which he was one of the most talented exponents.
This style of painting has undertones of gallantry, with the association of music and love so common in Dutch painting of the 17th century representing the artist and his wife Cunera van der Cock (1629/1630 – 1700). It also illustrates the theme of the five senses.
This painting, which had belonged to Count Charles de Perrégaux, was sold by his heirs, including his son Edouard who spent all his money supporting the beautiful Marie Duplesssis. We can suppose that the proceeds of the sale enabled him to buy camellias as a gift for the famous courtesan. The two lovers served as models for Alexandre Dumas fils' heroes Armand Duval and Marguerite Gautier in his novel The Lady of the Camellias.


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The Complete Guide to Capri, Italy
Insider information and authentic island experiences: plan, book, and live your Capri!
Ferry schedules » Book ferry tickets online now and be sure to get a seat!
What's your travel style?
Shore Excursions to Capri
Helpful tips for organising a daytrip excursion to Capri if you are on a cruise.
Excursions by sea
Tour of the Isle of Capri by boat "Fratelli Aprea 7.80"
Do you really want to enjoy the blue sea of Capri?
The best option is to book a private boat to sail around the island!
With its discreet charm the "Fratelli Aprea 7.80 open cruise" is the model that more than others represents the tradition and the classic line of Gozzo Sorrentino.
Excursions by sea
Rent a Lancia Caprese from Marina Piccola
A small wooden boat without skipper (Starting from 2 hours)
Excursions by sea
Boat Tour of Capri
Boat tour around the island of Capri on board a traditional 7.5 meter "gozzo" boat, with a large cushioned sundeck
Excursions by sea
Sunset Sail around the Island of Capri
A sail around the island of Capri by sunset with cocktails on board!
Caprese Masterclass
Learn how to cook a traditional Caprese 3 course meal from a local Capri chef using recipes passed down through the family for generations. This class is for lovers of authentic Italian cooking who enjoy meeting others and who have a passion for all things Caprese!
Most Popular: Last 30 Days
- Grand Hotel Quisisana from € 330
- Villa Eva from € 100
- Hotel Capri from € 125
- Girasole from € 65
- Villa Helios from € 120
- J.K. Place Capri from € 700
- Ambassador Weber from € 150
- Punta Tragara from € 384
- La Giuliva from € 80
- La Scalinatella from € 330
- Da Luigi ai Faraglioni €€€
- E' Divino €€
- Villa Jovis €€
- da Paolino €€€
- La Fontelina €€€
- Capri Pasta Delicatessen €
- Aurora €€€
- Lido del Faro €€
- Pizzeria Aumm Aumm €
- Buca di Bacco €€
Tours and Experiences
- Island Tour + stop by Blue Grotto - Yellow Line € 16 (per guest)
- Transfer to Blue Grotto - Blue Line € 14 (per guest)
- Rent your scooter online - Full Day (6 hours) € 40 (Per scooter)
- Tour of the Isle of Capri by boat "Fratelli Aprea 7.80" € 150 (Per boat. Up to 7 persons.)
- Rent a Lancia Caprese from Marina Piccola € 70 (Up to 5 passengers)
Highlighted hotels
New Capri Insider App
Your essential Capri travel guide: download our free app for iPhone & Android
Official hotel & tour reservations
Bookings guaranteed by Caprionline


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As a busy, on-the-go. Mum-to-be of twin boys in January, I first fell in love with Storksak when reviewed in the London Metro this past August. I have always been fashion conscience and as a Marylebone London based wedding & event planner, www.katherinecourtney.com I have been determined to maintain a certain professionalism when meeting with clients and exclusive industry suppliers despite being heavily pregnant. Having twins no doubt has put a limit on my stamina, but it won't hold me back in the fashion stakes – enter my tan Storksak Sofia bag.
I required a changing bag that could easily pass as a handbag or brief that can go from nappy change to client meeting without a second glance. When the boys arrive, juggling both my business and becoming a new mother of two will undoubtedly be challenging, however, having such a versatile bag that is large enough to carry all the baby gear plus still hold my files, purse, keys, cosmetic bag, mobile, phone, etc. safely and securely whilst still looking luxe and fashionable is beyond fabulous!
As the weeks progress and I get closer to my due date, I'm thinking of ways to make use of my Sofia bag before the little guys arrive, as the bag is simply too gorgeous to not yet use!
I'm beginning to prepare my hospital bag and can't think of anything better to use than my lovely Sofia. With all the compartments that this bag offers, I can bring a multitude of home comforts with me to the hospital. Toiletries, slippers, nightwear, cosmetics, hair products, lotions, magazines, phone chargers, cameras, you name it, this bag can carry – and of course, I must not forget the most darling 'going-home' outfits for my two little boys. There is simply room for everything making my hospital stay comfortable and dare I say, fashionable?
What I particularly love is the discreet logo Storksak has put on their changing bags as once the boys have outgrown the needs of a nappy bag, my Sofia can still be used daily as a travel or overnight bag. Other changing bag brands have huge identifying logos that clearly identify the bag as being a baby bag, however, Storksak's branding is minimal, elegant and refined, meaning I can get use of my luxury bag for years to come.


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If you're a kid trying to raise money for a science project, team or social cause, what do you do? Hold a car wash? Sell candy bars door to door? Get some old guy to organize a charity golf tournament for you?
Sorry, but that sort of old-school fundraising wasn't for 11-year-old Leona Das and her aeroponics team. Sensing they couldn't sell the idea of growing plants without soil from a sidewalk stand like lemonade, these children of the Information Age turned to Piggybackr.com, a new "crowd funding" website for young people.
They raised $375 in less than a week, encouraging them to pursue their goal of starting a business teaching others how to grow tonight's salad and veggies at home.
"We want to make the world a healthier place," Leona says. "We are awesome!"
Down the freeway a bit, the NorCal Crew youth rowing team needed a new, eight-man racing boat. These things cost about $45,000. That's a lot of paper, printing and postage stamps for direct mail appeals, the team's usual method up to now. Turning to Piggybackr, 100 young rowers in the club raised the boat money in a relative snap.
"We had been looking for an online way to raise money," said the team's director, Allison Frykman. "We are pleased with the results."
And across the bay in Berkeley, Christie Levine's wheelchair basketball and racing team used the website to raise about $4,000 for tournament travel and new equipment.
"It's an easy way to raise money without going door to door," the 15-year-old said. "I didn't really have any business skills, but it helps you step by step."
A better way
Piggybackr is the brainchild of Andrea Lo, a 27-year-old UC Berkeley grad who wants to help young people raise money for their projects, schools, teams and social causes and teach them entrepreneurial skills along the way. She even quit a cushy job in finance to do it.
"A lot of people were perplexed," said Lo, "by what I was trying to do."
Growing up in Cupertino, Lo remembers too well the tedious methods of childhood fundraising. As a Girl Scout, she hid behind her mother's skirt as the two of them sold cookies door to door. In high school and college, she baked cakes, wrote donation letters and called countless donors for contributions.
Finally, she was inspired to come up with a better way when she helped her younger sister, Chelsea, raise money to protect rain forests. Lo helped Chelsea set up a website for selling $1 bracelets, which became pricier as Chelsea broadened her audience. Lo wondered why more young people weren't harnessing the Internet for fundraising.
"I was shocked that things hadn't changed," she says. "They were using the same methods as I did when I was a child."
One explanation, she says, was that children under 18 are not allowed to use most crowd-funding sites. She enlisted a co-founder, Keenahn Jung, and set about creating a site that would protect children from predators, help them raise money and teach them entrepreneurial skills in a fun way.
With mentoring and seed money from the AngelPad startup incubator, the creation of Google employees, Lo and Jung launched Piggybackr in mid-April. By then they had recruited 10 nationwide partners, including the United Way, that refer entrepreneurial young people to the site. To date, Piggybackr has helped about 2,000 youths from 30 states raise over $325,000.
Nothing frivolous
Piggybackr doesn't let kids sell products online simply to make a fast buck or seek contributions for expensive sneakers. Instead, Piggybackr screens every kid, looking to support a talent, educational experience, athletic training or social cause that will benefit society down the road.
For example, Leona Das' team needed $975 to buy the buckets, hoses, spray guns and nutrient-rich water for aeroponic workshops they hope to teach and charge a $45 fee. They expect to turn their project into a profitable business some day, but it would be a "green" business that would help reduce hunger and clean up the environment.
Early on, Lo figured out that if Piggybackr hoped to be inspirational and attractive to kids, it had to be fun and cool.
Each youth or team applicant gets a Web page. They have to explain who they are, what they want to do with the contributions and why. The youths earn points, something like merit badges, for crafting donation letters, calling businesses for support, finding a major sponsor, sending reminder emails and using social media in their quest.
"They make it fun," says Brianna Das, Leona's sister and teammate.
Piggybackr keeps track of fundraising and learning on the same page for all to see. Donors are blocked from communicating with the young entrepreneurs directly and can only post general, public comments with their contribution amounts. Parents of kids under 13 must approve and monitor the accounts.
With a deeply social and educational mission, Piggybackr looks more like a nonprofit organization than a for-profit website. Lo and Jung say they earn a 5 percent commission and 30 cents on every transaction but aren't getting rich, at least not now.
"I'm still living off my savings," Lo said.
The main reason for Piggybackr to remain a for-profit company, she said, is to set an example for young people wishing to make a difference in the world and needing enough money to pursue their visions of happiness.
"I really think you can do well and do good at the same time," she said, "and you really don't have to choose between the two."
Contact Joe Rodriguez at 408-920-5767. Follow him at Twitter.com/JoeRodMercury.


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For Congress, Three Shoes Left to Drop: Highway Bill, Ex-Im Bank Charter, Government Funding
Ta ta, tax reform. See you later, immigration overhaul. Farewell, fiscal deal. As summer sets in, and lawmakers set their eyes on the November elections, the prospects for big, ambitious legislative deals have evaporated. But that doesn't mean Congress can take the summer off and start planning Halloween parties.
They have three issues with deadlines that must be addressed in the coming months. If no action is taken, there will be consequences of varying degrees.
1.) Highway Bill. Deadline: July or August
The highway trust fund is running on fumes, and budget watchers believe the federal government will begin delaying payments to states sometime in July or August if changes aren't made. Essentially, more money is going out through payments than is coming in through tax revenue.
Both parties want to make changes to ensure the program has funding, but they have big differences over how to fund it. The Senate Finance Committee plans to begin debating a bill sponsored by Chairman Ron Wyden (D., Ore.) on Thursday that would raise revenue through a number of tax changes in order to fund the program through the end of the year. House Ways and Means Committee Chairman David Camp (R., Mich.) has said this plan is a no-go, as it raises taxes. He vows to propose his own plan in early July.
This is usually one of those issues where Democrats and Republicans will find a way to cut a deal. But given how close both sides are to the midterm elections and how taxes have become a central feature in the debate, it's difficult to anticipate what will happen.
2.) Export-Import Bank. Deadline: Sept. 30
Suddenly everyone has an opinion on the future of the Ex-Im Bank, a federal agency that guarantees loans and offers credit insurance to promote U.S. companies shipping their goods abroad. The agency's charter expires at the end of September. If the charter isn't renewed, Ex-Im Bank will no longer be able to offer new financing. Almost all Democrats want the charter renewed, and Republicans are split into two camps – one that wants the charter to expire and another that wants the agency to continue existing but with reforms.
The "expire" camp seems to be in control at the moment — and is holding most of the cards — but business groups are planning a lobbying blitz throughout the summer to soften opposition. This fight could come down to the wire.
Highlighting possible space for common ground, Rep. Maxine Waters, the ranking Democrat on the House Financial Services Committee, said in a statement to the Wall Street Journal that she is open to possible reforms for the agency if that would help foster negotiations with Republicans.
3.) Government Funding. Deadline: Sept. 30
Congress successfully navigated the spring without another government shutdown, and Democrats and Republicans reached a relatively long-term (for them, at least) deal that funded the government through September, the end of the fiscal year. The agreement reached several months ago by House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (R., Wis.) and Senate Budget Committee Chairman Patty Murray (D., Wash.) set spending levels for the year that begins in October, so some of the heavy lifting has already been done. But these spending deals are never easy. Given how close this one is to the midterm elections in November, there's a chance that both parties will try to make a statement. And to be sure, the process is not off to a very good start.
That said, there will be factions in both parties that will try to avoid taking too many risks, worried that an ideological stand might backfire.


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NH's Keene Pumpkin Festival reclaims jack-o'-lantern record
Careful attention to onerous rules helped the city of Keene again break the world record for the most lit jack-o'-lanterns. Guinness World Records confirmed that 30,581 carved and lit pumpkins were displayed Saturday night, topping the record of 30,128 pumpkins set by Boston in 2006.
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Share your experiences with this event below Back to event details page.
Kudos on the 2010 inaugural event! Congrats to Whitney Franklin and the rest of the Winchester race crew on pulling off a nice rural marathon in southern Tennessee. You may never find warmer southern hospitality at any road race - from the packet pick up team in front of the quaint Oldham Theatre, to the Rotary volunteers serving up pancakes and coffee before the race, to the plethora of local policeman escorting, and cheering for, the runners.
A mere $60 registration fee (if you signd up early) got you a USATF sanctioned event along a beautiful course that starts at the rustic Winchester town square and winds thru Tims Ford Lake and the Cumberland Plateau. Not to mention the very nice technical T-shirt and cool finishers medal. The post-race refreshments were sufficient, with several sit-down dining alternatives around the town square after the finish.
I ran with my ipod, and needed it in the latter stages, because of little spectator support outside the town area. So, if you are looking for the throngs of New York or Chicago, this may not be for you. Nor is it an easy PR course - lots of rolling hills, though none very steep. But, overall a great value and a fun event with southern charm.
My buddy and I along with our wives drove from Nashville to run the half after another larger one in our area had sold out. This was a small race with just over 200 people, but our experience was awesome and we plan to come back next year.
It was well organized and everyone was extremely friendly. The town square has great restaurants and everything is in easy walking distance. This changed the way I view some of the smaller races.
There were only about 25 people doing the 26.2, and I could imagine it getting pretty lonely on the last half without the crowd support of larger races. I highly recommend this for running 13.1, but you should make a weekend of it and enjoy this small town.
Great small town race. I did the full marathon and enjoyed the scenery. Th course had quite a few rolling hills but none were steep. If your looking for a PR race this probably is not the race but having said that I would highly recommend this race for pure enjoyment of running. The water/Gatorade stands were every 2 miles and the volunteers were great. The only thing I would recommend for next year is to have a BIG sign were the full splits from the half to tell which way to go. Me and another runner ended up going the wrong way and had to get someone at the finish line to tell us how to get back to the marathon route. This added an extra 1/2 mile but mentally was a night mare. Overall the race was excellent. Kudos to the whole group at Winchester.
I thought this race was great. My parent's live in the area and it was great being able to run a 1/2 in their neck of the woods.
Packet pick up was great, Mom said. She picked up form on Friday. I live in Nashville and did not want to worry about getting it on the morning of the race. Everyone was very nice to her.
Water/Gatorade stations were great. Would recommend having GU or some other energy supplement between miles 6 and 7.....I really needed it.
Agree the demarcation for the 1/2 and Full should have much more obvious. I did not even see it until I was leaving the race. I ran the 1/2 so did not go the wrong way.
I did set a PR at this race. I used it as a training race for the full in Vegas in December. This was a great course and the weather was perfect! Will do it again next year for sure!!!
This was my first half marathon and i found it to be fantastic. Good support from non runners in the area. Great downtown places to enjoy shopping and eating. The people involved with the race did a fantastic job. The area was very pleasant and i found it to be peaceful. I recommend coming to this one next year and probably will. I think the marking of the race could use a little more work, but for the first ever marathon, they did a great job.
Great race! The support was incredible, the weather was perfect. I ran the marathon and the first half was an awesome course, the second was very pretty countryside with great views of the mountains but it was a little too hilly. Overall it was a wonderful experience, the southern hospitality of Winchester and Franklin Co was top notch. First Marathon Winchester, great Job!!
GREAT race. I did the 1/2 and thought support was excellent, route was well marked and well protected and overall event was very well organized. I hope it is an annual event! The only criticism I have is the publicity. Pre - race advertisement wasn't as widespread or obvious as it might have been, I live in the area but I found out about the race from my daughter who lives in Clarksville, TN almost 3 hours away.
This was my first marathon, and even though it was a tough course, I thoroughly enjoyed myself. I was very impressed with the community support with this being the first event. The square was wonderful, the event was well organized, and the weather gorgeous. Great job to everyone who helped!
I ran the full marathon - 5th marathon overall.
Course: Very hilly - continual rolling hills. The course fell into two pieces in regards to traffic - complete desolation or packed with traffic. On the back half there were mostly no cars, but on the front half and the last 2 miles the traffic was horrible. For those last 2 miles we had the white line to run on with traffic 2 feet away.
Organization: Well organized, with a prompt start, water/Gatorade every 2 miles, and easy packet pick-up. Website and information could be enhanced.
Spectators: As mentioned above, this was the first year, but there were very few spectators on the course. The ratio of those watching the intersections versus those watching the runners was about 10 to 1.
This was my first half marathon and because I managed to register incorrectly as a full marathoner instead of a half it caused me some grief. Somehow on Active.com I checked the wrong one and overpaid $20 as well.
Because I checked the wrong one I received a bib number with black numbers instead of red. Since it was my first marathon I didn't realize this. The issue that came up was that I came close to the square to the finish line and was directed away from it because they thought I was a full marathoner. It took me about 7 minutes of running to realize I was heading away from the square and had to explain it to the volunteers so they would direct me back toward the finish. This miss up added 15 minutes to my time.
Live an learn - right?
Anyways, the course itself was a challenge. The community was great and future marathons in Winchester will only get better.
I hope to run more of them and learn to better prepare to run longer.
This was my 3rd half marathon and everything went smoothly from the packet-pick-up to the finish line. Weather and organizers were great although, I hope to see more spectators at future events.
My only complaints were with the course itself. While I don't mind a challenging course, it would be good not having to endure diesel fumes for a five mile stretch running along side a traffic jam. Parts of the course were very pleasant along winding country roads, but too much of the course involved running with or against traffic on busier streets, and as one person pointed-out, one small section wasn't barricaded
Winchester is all about small town Southern charm and country living. I have to give the residents major Kudos for putting on an event that required so much to benefit so few. There were 150 Half Marathoners and 54 Full Marathoners which meant that there was roughly one volunteer or police office for every runner there!
That is what made this marathon for me. The Volunteers were ultra attentive and the police were great. One motorcycle officer carried my water bottle for me for almost a mile while he gave me my very own police escort. Not bad for a middle of the pack runner like me. They don't call Tennessee the Volunteer state for nothing.
I would have liked to have seen the start time moved up an hour to 7AM for the Full Marathon since it was pretty toasty by noon when I finished and there was virtually no shade to shield you from the sun. The route was mostly rural with a some city stretches and traffic was sometimes an issue. Still, the police were out in force and the locals were, for the most part, gracious. I did enjoy the hassle free packet pickup, easy parking and surprisingly good organization. Getting some more types of food and some entertainment at the finish would be nice but might be too much to ask of a race this size.
A nice finisher's medal but the whole and the half medals could have been a little more distinctive from one another. Also I would have liked to see the words "Inaugural" or "First" on the medal but I am a medal snob and probably most people don't care about such small details.
Overall a good run made even better by the warm hearted an enthusiastic volunteers.I have run a lot of marathons but none can top this one in terms of friendly people dedicated to being gracious and attentive hosts. Many thanks to the people and police of Winchester.
Great run for a first event for Winchester. We ran the half and took our time to enjoy the area. The big runs are fun but you can't beat a nice jog in the country. Thanks to all the volunteers.
I loved this half marathon. I thought it went smoothly and it was a very easy run.
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Delgado offers registration help to student vets
Representatives on hand Tuesday, Wednesday
Delgado Community College is offering registration assistance for the spring semester to students who are military veterans and their dependents.
Representatives of the college's academic divisions and student services departments will be on hand this week at two sessions:
- Tuesday, 2-4 p.m., Delgado West Bank campus, 2600 Gen. Meyer Ave.
- Wednesday, 9 a.m.-noon, Delgado City Park campus, 615 City Park Ave.
People who attend can select classes, check on their financial aid status and submit paperwork for Veterans Affairs benefits programs.
More details are available by contacting Mickey Pigg at 504-671-5165 or by email at email@example.com.
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