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II Hispanic Film Festival
When: October 24 - November 14, 2013
Where: Lecture Hall 4
The Department of Romance Languages and Literatures is excited to announce its full lineup of movies for the 2nd Hispanic Film Festival, which will take place in Fall 2013. This edition will feature a diverse group of award-winning films which are representative of the cultural and socio-economic complexity of the Hispanic world. All screenings are free, open to the public and subtitled in English. More information on the films and the series can be found here.
For further details, contact Vanessa Cañete-Jurado, firstname.lastname@example.com.
Sponsored by the Department of Romance Languages and Literatures and Harpur College Dean's Office.
Download the festival poster (.pdf, 5.5mb)
Download the festival calendar (.pdf, 516kb)
Chico & Rita
October 24, 7:00 p.m.
Lecture Hall 4
Fernando Trueba, Javier Mariscal and Tono Errando / UK / 94 min / 2010
Oscar®-winning director Fernando Trueba (The Age of Beauty) and famous artist Javier Mariscal have teamed up to make Chico & Rita, an animated love story starring the music, culture and people of Cuba. Chico is a dashing piano player and Rita is an enchanting and beautiful Havana nightclub singer. When they meet, the sparks fly and they fall madly in love. An epic romance unfolds as the pair travels the glamorous stages of 1940s/1950s Havana, New York City, Las Vegas, Hollywood and Paris.
Pa Negre (Black Bread)
October 31, 7:00 p.m.
Lecture Hall 4
Agustí Villaronga / Spain / 108 min / 2010
Andreu comes across the bodies of a father and son in the forest; leaning over the dying boy, Andreu hears him whisper "Pitorliu"—the name of a monster supposedly haunting local caves. But the real monsters in this brilliant adaptation of Emil Teixidor's novel are the local Fascists, who keep close watch on the family of Andreu and other Republican sympathizers—and who think Andreu's father might know more about these murders than he admits.
Un Cuento Chino (Chinese Take-Out)
November 7, 7:00 p.m.
Lecture Hall 4
Sebastián Borensztein / Argentina / Spain / 98 min / 2011
Ricardo Darín plays Roberto, a gruff, anti-social loner who lords over his tiny hardware shop in Buenos Aires with a meticulous sense of control and routine. After a chance encounter with Jun, a Chinese man who has arrived in Argentina looking for his only living relative, Roberto takes him in. Their unusual cohabitation helps Roberto bring an end to his loneliness, but not without revealing to the impassive Jun that destiny's intersections are many.
Aquí y Allá (Here and There)
November 14, 7:00 p.m.
Lecture Hall 4
Antonio Méndez Esparza's directorial debut radiantly captures the complex homecoming of a loving father. After years of working in New York, Pedro returns home to a small mountain village in Guerrero, Mexico. He finds his daughters older and more distant than he imagined. The villagers think this year's crop will be bountiful, but the locals are wise to a life of insecurity. Their thoughts are often of family members or opportunities far away, north of the border.
This festival was made possible thanks to the support of Pragda, and the Embassy of Spain in Washington DC, Spain-USA Foundation. Special thanks to the Secretary of State for Culture of Spain.


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ED Magedson – Founder
Ripoff Report
kleargear.comGrandville, Michigan USA
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This report was posted on Ripoff Report on 11/19/2013 09:57 AM and is a permanent record located here: http://www.ripoffreport.com/reports/kleargearcom/grandville-michigan-49418/kleargearcom-no-delivery-of-order-after-2-month-waiting-grandville-michigan-1100602. The posting time indicated is Arizona local time. Arizona does not observe daylight savings so the post time may be Mountain or Pacific depending on the time of year.
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subset: commoncrawl


text:
The Best Pickup Lines For Valentine's Day This Year
Having trouble initiating that uncomfortable first conversation? Fret no more lonely losers, these pickup lines are sure to get the ball rolling but we're not responsible for any slaps or whacks to the face.
10.) Excuse me are you a cartographer? Because I think you've got the map to my heart.
9.) I'm not the best looking guy here, but I'm the only one talking to you.
8.) Are you from Pearl Harbor? Cause you're the bomb!
7.) Oh I'm sorry. I thought you had a braille name-tag.
6.) Do you have a quarter? My mom told me to call home when I met the girl of my dreams.
5.) Hey does this rag smell like chloroform to you?
4.) Normally I don't like amputees but you have a great face!
3.) If you wanted to come over and have some Crystale, my mom's not going to be home til 11.
2.) Sorry, I thought this was the men's room. Well, since we're in here and everything…
1.) You'll do.
So there you have it kids, now go get your whack on... or off. Happy Valentine's Day.


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Human Trafficking is the third largest and one of the fastest growing crimes in our world today, and it is a major problem right here in America. According to the National Weekend of Prayer Coalition, the average at which a girl enters prostitution in this country is 14 and in some states as low as 12.
The General Council of the Assemblies of God is among numerous endorsing churches and organizations across the nation, including the Family Research Council and the National Association of Evangelicals that supports raising awareness and providing a prayer covering.
During the weekend of January 11-13, 2013, a number of prayer initiatives will be launched to combat this evil.
Go to www.weekendofprayer.net for more information about how you can partner with the Weekend of Prayer. Please plan to participate in this prayer initiative, praying that this tide of evil will be diminished and that enslaved children and youth will be set free.


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Clearwater Threshers Baseball Team to Change Jersey Colors...to PINK!
Pitch for Pink Supports Morton Plant Mease Breast Cancer Programs
By Tony Penna / Clearwater Threshers | July 28, 2009 9:31 AM ET
On August 14th, Bright House Field, home of the Clearwater Threshers and the spring training camp for the World Champion Philadelphia Phillies, will transform into a field of pink. Players will wear custom pink jerseys during the game. The jerseys will be autographed and auctioned off after the game along with the pink baseball bats used in the game. Pink baseballs will available for sale.
The first 1,000 women in the ballpark will receive a commemorative pink Threshers tote bag. Many local businesses have donated more than 100 items for silent auction and balloon raffles. Some of the items include hotel/resort packages, furniture, bikes, Oakley sunglasses, spa packages, tickets to local attractions, and gift certificates to local restaurants and shops.
"Pitch for Pink is a great community event that helps to support groups for breast cancer survivors and free mammograms for women without health insurance or the means to pay for a screening mammogram," said Peter Blumencranz, MD, medical director of the Morton Plant Mease breast health program. "Without this type of community support, we would not be able to help as many women and their families."
A highlight of the event takes place during the pre-game when breast cancer survivors are invited to make the lap around the bases, supported along the way by the team and fans through cheers and many happy tears. Past participants call it a "reunion of survivors."
"Our community has been very supportive of the Threshers. We wanted to find a way to give back to our fans. It made sense to support the breast cancer programs at Morton Plant Mease because so many people have been touched by this disease," said John Timberlake, director of Florida Operations for the Clearwater Threshers.
Admission at the gate is $4, $6.50, and $9. Gates open at 5:30 p.m. and the game starts at 7:00 p.m. Business and individual ticket packages are available. Contact Amanda Warner for more information at (727) 712-4405 or email@example.com.
All money raised during the event will be donated to the Morton Plant Mease Foundation to benefit the hospital system's many breast cancer programs.
This is the 4th year the Threshers have held the event, and each year more money is raised for breast cancer programs at Morton Plant Mease. In 2008, approximately 5,500 people participated in Pitch for Pink, and $33,000 was raised during the event.
2009 Breast Cancer Statistics
According to the American Cancer Society, an estimated 192,370 new cases of invasive breast cancer are expected to be diagnosed among American women this year. It is the second leading cause of cancer death in women. 40,610 women are expected to die in the United States this year of breast cancer. However, the numbers have been declining for the past 20 years. The decrease is believed to the result of early detection, increased awareness and improved treatment. Approximately 2.5 million Americans are breast cancer survivors.
About the Morton Plant Mease Foundation and Morton Plant Mease Health Care
The Morton Plant Mease Foundation provides philanthropic support to the four hospitals of Morton Plant Mease Health Care. Nationally recognized for health care excellence, Morton Plant Mease is dedicated to providing community owned health care services that set the standard for high-quality, compassionate care. Morton Plant Mease Health Care is comprised of the following hospitals - Morton Plant, Clearwater; Mease Dunedin, Dunedin; Mease Countryside, Safety Harbor and Morton Plant North Bay, New Port Richey.
This story was not subject to the approval of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues or its clubs.View More


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Sunday, 15 April 2012
observer ONLINE
by Ranil WIJAYAPALA
Eight people died in seven fatal accidents in Galkiriyagama, Gampaha,
Kotadeniyawa, Ambalangoda, Kelaniya and Kurunegala during the 24 hours
from Friday morning till 6 am yesterday, Police Spokesman SSP Ajith
Rohana told the Sunday Observer yesterday.
Thirty-five road accidents were also reported countrywide during the
same period causing injuries to 85 people. Another 124 accidents were
reported causing damage to vehicles, the spokesman said.
Police personnel deployed to maintain law and order during the
festive season took in for questioning 177 drunken drivers and detected
333 cases of negligence and high speed driving, he said.
"Most of the drunken driving cases were reported from Anuradhapura
while negligence and speedy driving cases were reported from Chilaw",
the Police Spokesman said.
During this period police also arrested 609 people for excise related
incidents while 142 people were held for dangerous drugs offences such
as using heroin and other dangerous drugs.
Meanwhile, Accident Service of the Colombo National Hospital,
Director Dr. Prasad Ariyawansha said that 126 patients had been admitted
to the accident ward during the 24 hours from Friday morning to 7 am
yesterday following road accidents, violent and domestic accidents
during the Sinhala and Tamil New Year.
Two-hundred-and- twenty-three patients were treated at the Out
Patients Department of the Accident service during this period, he said.
Two patients were admitted following fire crackers related accidents
during the corresponding period last year. There were no patients
admitted to the hospital due to fire cracker related accidents, he said.
Dr. Ariyawansha said that 43 patients had been admitted to hospital
due to road accidents apart from 46 violent incidents and another 31
domestic accidents.
Police Media Spokesman Superintendent of Police Ajith Rohana
cautioned the public and motorists that road traffic congestion may
increase today as people visit their relatives as a custom.
The spokesman called upon motorists to abide by road rules and avoid
drinking and driving. Drivers under the influence of liquor will be
produced in Courts along with the vehicles, he said.
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Three Deaths Matter More Than a Killer's Motives
So here we are, Moncton. We're today's edition of water cooler discussion across the country. It's our turn for the world's sympathy, news vans, wild speculation, dark jokes, gun debates and even a Wikipedia page devoted to our tragedy. Our small, peaceful city has been dragged into a much larger and rapidly growing community of tragedies, all with one thing in common: for some amount of time, no matter how brief or long, we've been held in the grip of a young man with a gun.
Our story mirrors those before it: another man in his 20s takes up arms against his imagined oppressors. Another young man acts out fantasies -- fantasies of power, respect, and, in its truest sense, terrorism -- that too many like him secretly harbour, alone and in silence, while collecting guns.
But why is it always young men? And why do they do it? For so long we've blamed violent video games because the killers play them. So do almost all men born after 1980. Before that, we blamed rock music because the killers used the musicians' words for their own, despite the songs being played countless times by countless people who never caused such pain. And before that, we blamed Hollywood because the killers watched action and horror movies, along with hundreds of millions of others.
We pull these threads with desperation because often we're left with nothing but a detached young man living out his life alone in a jail cell, or just a body with a self-inflicted gunshot wound. We pore over Facebook posts full of lyrics from heavy metal songs and rambling blog posts full of cliché and anger. We try to divine the reason for these tragedies in the same way these young men did when they observed and were inspired by their predecessors.
When we hunt for reason in madness, we sometimes forget correlation does not mean causation. Rather than being a product of the things they consume, perhaps people capable of such atrocities reach into our otherwise stable cultural exchange and cherry-pick tools to harness and express their frustrations.
Tools like guns.
These totems of strength in our age, some hard to find, some hard to fire, some downright illegal to own, built a culture centred on the gun's intoxicating power. It runs parallel to that of those who sarcastically call it "gun culture." Its members are mostly men, mostly white, whose identities are inseparably linked to mechanical devices engineered to launch projectiles quickly and cause great devastation.
The conversations that inevitably happen in the wake of such tragedies are always unproductive. Gun control advocates stretch blame onto responsible and respectable gun owners and collectors, saying tragedies like this wouldn't happen if troubled young men didn't have access to firearms. Gun owners respond with indignation, saying the only thing they have in common with these young men is the device in their hands, and that if it wasn't a gun, it would have been something else. And it's true. A hobbyist isn't defined by those who use the focus of his hobby to cause pain and destruction, whether it be guns or model trains.
But model trains aren't valued by their efficiency in destroying targets, particularly people. They aren't smuggled across the border between Maine and New Brunswick in droves by otherwise law-abiding collectors who the Department of Public Safety calls "an important segment" of the illegal gun trade in Canada. They aren't hoarded by the socially marginalized as a sort of adult security blanket, carefully up-kept for the long-fantasized day they will be used against the enemy.
"I don't have those fantasies," many gun owners say. "But if this lunatic tried to get into my house, he'd find himself a bullet between his eyes."
The irony is likely lost on them.
"He must be crazy," many will say. "Mental issues." This is often true. Mental illness is so prevalent that some researchers put its rate of occurrence at one in five. But those who suffer from serious mental illness not related to substance abuse account for three to five per cent of all violent crimes. This means those suffering from mental illness are more likely to be the victims when a mass shooting occurs than to cause any violence in the first place.
Another theory posits the meticulous plotting and preparation is a result of long-held anger and frustration manifested in one thunderous act. This explanation, combined with elements of the others, makes the most colloquial sense. The evolutionary scream of masculinity when a young man finds himself marginalized. Testosterone demanding he be in control, command respect, display power. Our society's reaction has proved profound and insistent: the most efficient way to transition from unfamous to infamous --- loser to legend -- is mass murder.
And still many people, particularly men, believe in 'venting,' the long-proved false adage that hard feelings can be relieved by expressing our rage outward. The cure, so they say, exists outside the individual; like bloodletting, just get the badness out by any means necessary, and you'll feel better.
That is, if you disregard the psychological studies that show 'venting' actually worsens a person's outlook. And that those who vent almost always find themselves more and more frustrated as the cycle intensifies. And that a harmful habit is formed when routinely tying frustration to violence. And that connecting violence to problem-solving causes outbursts like the one we're experiencing right now.
Despite all the old talking points, we still don't know why young men take up guns and shoot innocent people. But here's what we know: these young men are always frustrated. Their targets are rarely specific individuals, but rather cultural symbols the men are lashing out against. In Connecticut, children were attacked because their murderer saw them as culturally cherished objects vulnerable to his power. In Moncton's tragedy, the killer sought those we trust to enforce our law to prove his power over it.
Here's what else we know: the killer in our city has been stopped, a few hours after another young man with a gun murdered one and injured three others at a university in Seattle. Both cities are now just two more lines on a growing list, alongside Columbine and Virginia Tech and Sandy Hook and countless others. Strangers will say things about our tragedy like "Only three dead?" or "At least it was only cops." They'll say these things because mass shootings have become normalized to the point that our tragedy, the senseless murder of three of us, is now nothing more than common gristle for our daily tragedy mill.
Three of us are dead. Three of us who bought groceries from Sobeys on Vaughan Harvey Boulevard and went to Wildcats games at the Coliseum. Three of us who hold our kids when nightmares scare them from their beds. Three of us are dead and gone because of a young man with a gun. Again.
The world will say the same old things about guns, and mental illness and angry young men with something to prove. They'll say the same things about the Seattle killing. Then they'll sit and wait for another tragedy somewhere else. And when the same conversations come up, we'll nod knowingly.
Three of us are dead. And once again, we don't know why.
More than 200 RCMP officers have been killed on the job since the 1860s. Close to 90 were killed by gunfire. Holding Stetsons of slain RCMP officers are from left, Joan Kuyp; Joe Sangster; Bethany Hoskin and Jason Lapointe. A memorial for four officers killed near Mayerthorpe, Alta. was held at the University of Alberta's Butterdome in Edmonton on March 10, 2005.
Constables David Ross, 32, Fabrice Gevaudan, 45, and Douglas Larche, 40, were shot and killed by a heavily armed subject in Moncton, N.B. The suspect was arrested after a 30-hour manhunt that shut down a large part of the city.
Const. David Ross, 32, and his wife were expecting their second child when he was killed. They have a 1.5 year old boy.
Constables Douglas Larche, 40, David Ross, 32, and Fabrice Gevaudan, 45, were shot and killed by a heavily armed subject in Moncton, N.B. The suspect was arrested after a 30-hour manhunt that shut down a large part of the city.
Constables Fabrice Gevaudan, 45, David Ross, 32, and Douglas Larche, 40, were shot and killed by a heavily armed subject in Moncton, N.B. The suspect was arrested after a 30-hour manhunt that shut down a large part of the city.
A woman signs a book of condolences on June 6, 2014 in front of photos of the three slain N.B. Mounties.
A vigil was held outside the Codiac RCMP on June 6, 2014 in honour of the three slain N.B. Mounties.
Const. Christopher John Worden was shot and killed while responding to a complaint at a home in Hay River, Northwest Territories. He served with the RCMP for five years. He left behind his wife and eight-month-old child.
Const. Christopher John Worden was shot and killed while responding to a complaint at a home in Hay River, Northwest Territories. He served with the RCMP for five years. He left behind his wife and eight-month-old child.
Const. Douglas Scott was shot and killed after responding to a report of a drunk driver on the remote Baffin Island in Nunavut shortly before midnight. Dispatchers lost contact with him shortly after he radioed that he was responding to the incident. A second constable found his body. A RCMP SWAT team was flown to the location and the suspect surrendered about four hours after the shooting. Scott had served with the agency for one year.
Const. Marc Bourdages and Const. Robin Cameron, who responded to an assault call in Spiritwood, Sask., were shot in a gun battle after a 27-kilometre chase. They later died in hospital. Bourdages had served with the agency for 5 and a half years. He left behind his wife, also an RCMP constable, and 9-month-old son.
Luca Bourdages, nine months, is carried by a relative following funeral services for his father, RCMP Const. Marc Bourdages, at the RCMP Training Academy in Regina, Sask., on July 25, 2006. Curtis Alfred Dagenais was charged with two counts of murder and one count of attempted murder in the case.
Const. Natasha Szpakowski, widow of Const. Marc Bourdages, points out Marc's name on the cenotaph at RCMP headquarters in Regina, Sask. on July 5, 2007.
Const. Marc Bourdages and Const. Robin Cameron, who responded to an assault call in Spiritwood, Sask., were shot in a gun battle after a 27-kilometre chase. They later died in hospital. Cameron, a five-year veteran, left behind an 11-year-old daughter.
In one of the deadliest days for the RCMP, four officers investigating a marijuana grow-op were gunned down at a rural property outside Mayerthorpe, Alta.
Const. Leo Johnston, 32, joined the RCMP with his twin brother, Lee. He was an ace marksman and had been with the force for four years when he was killed.
Const. Anthony Gordon, 28, had served on the force for two years. He had a son and his wife was pregnant when he was killed.
Const. Peter Schiemann, 25, loved to sky dive and fell in love with the RCMP after going on ridealongs with members.
Const. Brock Myrol graduated from the RCMP Academy three weeks before his murder. He was engaged at the time.
A memorial park with statues of the four Mounties was created in Mayerthorpe.
A memorial park with statues of the four Mounties was created in Mayerthorpe.
A memorial park with statues of the four Mounties was created in Mayerthorpe.
Cpl. Jim Galloway, 55, was shot after gunfire erupted at a standoff in Spruce Grove, Alta. The suspect was also killed in the shootout. Galloway was a dog handler who helped train search and rescue volunteers. The 35-year veteran left his wife, three children and six grandchildren.
Const. Dennis Strongquill, 52, was killed on the Waywayseecappo First Nation near Russell, Manitoba after he was shot at in his police car while investigating an armed robbery. He left behind his wife and three children. Strongquill's killer was sentenced to 25 years in prison for first-degree murder.
Const. Jurgen Seewald was shot while responding to a domestic dispute in Cape Dorset, Nunavut. He had 26 years of service with the RCMP.
Follow TJ Milburn on Twitter: www.twitter.com/TJMilburn


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The father of Sherri Rae Rasmussen, the victim of the 1986 murder that the LAPD now says was committed by one of its officers, says he told detectives repeatedly about his suspicions that a cop was involved. Nel Rasmussen will apparently vent about it in a press conference following Tuesday's arraignment of detective Stephanie Lazarus. She was charged Monday with capital murder.
More by Kevin Roderick:Ralph Lawler of the Clippers and the age of Aquarius
Riding the Expo Line to USC 'just magical'
Last bastion of free parking? Loyola Marymount to charge students
Matt Kemp, Dodgers and Kings start big weekend the right way
LA Times writers revisit their '92 riots observations
Recent Police stories on LA Observed:Police union's take on what we've learned from the riots
Officer saves choking infant before nabbing robbery suspect
LAPD, Trutanich add more muscle around USC
KNBC 'live-tweeting' the run-up to '92 riots
MALDEF sues sheriff over withheld Ruben Salazar files
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MVNU to Host Dr. Steven Garber for 2013-2014 Lecture Artist Series
February 19, 2014
MOUNT VERNON, Ohio - MVNU is pleased to host Dr. Steven Garber for the 2013-2014 Lecture Artist Series. Dr. Garber, founder and principal of the Washington Institute in Washington D.C., will present on February 19 at 10:20 a.m., and later at 7:15 p.m., in the R. R. Hodges chapel auditorium. The event is free and open to the public.
Before founding the Washington Institute, Dr. Garber taught on Capitol Hill in the American Studies Program and was the Scholar-in-Residence for the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities. Author of the book The Fabric of Faithfulness: Weaving Together Belief and Behavior, he has contributed to Faith Goes to Work: Reflections from the Marketplace, Get Up Off Your Knees: Preaching the U2 Catalogue, the Mars Hill Audio journal, Tacit Knowing, and Truthful Knowing: The Life and Work of Michael Polanyi. He also writes frequently for Comment and Critique.
Dr. Garber is involved in a number of organizations, serving as a board member for Ransom Fellowship, the Blood:Water Mission, A Rocha, and the Telos Project. He also acts as a consultant for the Wedgwood Circle, the Murdock Trust, the Demdaco Corporation, and the Mars Corporation. A native of the great valleys of Colorado and California, he is married to Meg and is the father of five children whose own callings have them scattered around the world.
For more information, please visit www.mvnu.edu/lectureartist or www.washingtoninst.org.
Mount Vernon Nazarene University is a private, four-year, intentionally Christian teaching university for traditional age students, graduate students and working adults. With a 327-acre main campus in Mount Vernon, Ohio, and several convenient Graduate and Professional Studies locations throughout the state, MVNU emphasizes academic excellence, spiritual growth and service to community and church. MVNU offers an affordable education to more than 2,200 students from 29 states and 12 countries/U.S. territories.


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|753 sq. ft.
|Property type
|Minimum Stay
|7 nights
The two-bedroom villa has 70sq m of comfortable living space. It contains a large living room and full service kitchen. The two bathrooms contain showers, with the larger bathroom having a bath with jacuzzi. The villa has 30sq m of outdoor balcony space, all having views of the sea, the White Mountains and the city of Hania. The outdoor area includes; a private pool, shower, stone barbeque and spacious lawn for outdoor activities. This villa is fully furnished with a custom-made dining table, chairs and entertainment center. The kitchen is fully equipped with a full size stove, dishwater and refrigerator. It is equipped with full TV satellite service and complete Internet access. The villa contains state of the art windows and doors that open vertically and horizontally. All windows and doors, including slide doors, contain screens. To ensure a comfortable stay, each room includes an air-condition unit.
Old Fountain Villas are three private villas surrounded by 12.000 sq meters of natural landscape on the quiet countryside of Galatas. Each villa has its own private pool with its own unique views of the Mediterranean Sea, White Mountains, and Chania. Full service amenities, parking, barbeque, and outdoor recreational area are included. To ensure complete privacy and peaceful environment, each villa is surrounded by naturally crafted stone walls and various kinds of flowers, aromatic herbs, olive trees, lemon trees and apricot trees. To learn more about where the villas are situated on the grounds please look at our aerial pictures. Each villa offers natural surroundings for you and your family to relax and have fun. Mike and Helen, the owners, who speak Greek and English, live nearby and are there to help and give any advice you may need.
Old Fountain Villas are family owned as the three Villas are named after our three sons. We take pride in our establishment and we'll do our best for our guests to have an enjoyable and relaxing vacation.
Helen and Mike Moumoutzis purchased this villa in 2004
We're were born and raised in this magnificent land. We know first hand the value and the benefits of this area. The beautiful beaches are nearby, the land grow various fruits and vegetables not to mention the olive oil -the gold of Crete-. The historic and cosmopolitan city of Chania is only 7 km away.
Location, location, location. Protected from the hustle and bustle of other vacationers while close to nearby beaches, markets, and attractions.
Helen and Mike
Thank you for a lovely week in your beautiful house. And thank you for your hospitality and the fantastic fresh fruits you gave us. Our little baby Emilia,has really enjoued to stay here and bath in your pool!
Love from Theresse ,Christian
For more details regarding the Villas, you can visit our web site at: www.oldfountainvillas.com
We first discovered Old Fountain Villas in the autumn of 2014 and have just completed our third stay. Set in the Galatas hills overlooking the distant sea, we find the four-bedroomed villa quiet and peaceful. Surrounded by olive trees and orange groves we hear the twitter of birds and can see raptors flying over the valley. If you like to be away from it all, yet within easy reach of the local village, and about ten to fifteen minutes from the local beaches adjacent "the strip", there is no better place.
Helen and Mike directed us to the taverna in Galatas village, run by a local family who offer a variety of delicious Cretan dishes. If you fancy a change there are ample tavernas along the "strip" and we found some particularly good food off the main street just up the hillside. There are also two very large supermarkets within easy reach which Helen and Mike again told us how to find.
The villa has very comfortable beds, three bathrooms and plenty of alternative seating areas. Eating out on the upper terrace which is well shaded, is a treat. There is a large unheated swimming pool with a spacious area for sun-loungers.
If you fancy a day out we prefer the beach at Gorgona, down "the strip", turning right immediately before the traffic lights and Sylk Oil garage on the left. There are ample sun loungers on the beach for hire, beach restaurant serving excellent food and a children's play area if the youngsters like to do something different. Chania town also provides a good day out with a wealth of restaurants and shops to keep you occupied.
In Helen and Mike we have found hosts who are so kind and friendly. They give us space yet are so attentive keeping us supplied with olive oil, eggs if the chickens are laying well and vegetables from the garden depending on the season. We can say they are the best hosts we have encountered in 25 years of hiring villas in Western Europe.
This last year we were accompanied by our two daughters and their respective partners and two grandchildren. Such was the good time had by all we received an immediate request to book again for 2017. The dates are already in Helen's diary.
This was our second visit to the villas and it was even better than the first. We have not slept or relaxed as much for a long time on holiday. The villas all have outstanding views, we enjoyed the privacy of your own pool. Chania only 15 mins away, although the local shops and supermarket 5 mins away, a car is essential. Helen and Mike are very discreet but on hand to help with anything. They provide the most amazing olive oil, cake, bread, vegetables and we even had a lemon tree in our graden. Their kindness and generosity knows no bounds and we will not hesitate to visit their special place in Crete again.
If you are looking for a Villa where the facilities are good and the owner is both hospitable and doesn't interfere when you are there then look no further thah Villa Michael.
Helen was extremely helpful in meeting us when we arrived and taking us straight to the Villa--and we were welcomed with home made cakes, wine, olive oil and Raki, as well as being able to pick fresh lemons and apricots from the trees in the garden.
A really relaxing and pleasant two weeks and we would certainly recommend this to others who want peaceful surroundings but somewhere that is close to Chania and a not too long a drive from Rethymnon.
Thanks Helen for making it a really good two weeks.
Our stay at Villa Michael was peaceful and relaxing. The views of the sea coupled with the surrounding olive groves, beautiful gardens and privacy make it a perfect getaway. The hosts were very friendly and accomodating. The villa itself is very clean, tastefully decorated and has every amenity you need. We would highly recommend this property and plan to come back someday.
Karin and Bob, Seattle, WA USA
Old Fountain Villas is located on the outskirts of the small beautiful traditional village of Galatas. Galatas is rich in history , heritage, kind people, and beautiful scenery. You can walk or drive to reach the town's local markets, cafes, and tavernas, serving authentic Cretan cuisine. There is a butcher shop with organic meat and produce, a local bakery 100 years old, mini market with daily fresh fruits and vegetables. Old Fountain Villas are located 7 km from the cosmopolitan and beautiful city of Chania. When visiting Chania, you can visit the venetian port ,the museum, shops, restaurants, boat tours, and galleries. When you are ready to leave the pool and go to the beach, you will be able to visit numerous beautiful beaches within a 5 km radius (Kalamaki, Agioi Apostoloi, Crisi Akti, and Platania).
If you are interested in more information or to see more pictures, please, do not hesitate to contact Mike and Helen,the owners of the villas.


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Who's paying?
- By Stephen M. WaltStephen M. Walt is the Robert and Renée Belfer professor of international relations at Harvard University.
One of my occasional hobbyhorses on this blog has been the desirability of greater transparency on where research and advocacy organizations (and intellectuals) get their money. It's the old question: cui bono? You can read what I've said in the past here and here. I frankly would welcome a system where think tanks had to publicly disclose all of their sources of support, so that consumers of their work could see exactly who they were beholden to. Lest you think I'm being hypocritical about this, I think university professors ought to do the same with any outside income that they earn.** The reason in both cases is simple: when anyone participates in public discourse on vital issues, outsiders should be aware of potential conflicts of interest and should know exactly who might be paying for it.
Eli Clifton at the Center for American Progress has a revealing post up on the various backers of the neo-conservative Foundation for Defense of Democracies. This organization has been in the vanguard of the campaign for war with Iran, reflexively supportive of the Israeli right, and a fertile source of fear-mongering Islamophobia. It will therefore surprise no one that its primary financial backers are also hard-core Zionists, and that the democracy it seems most committed to defending is located far from Washington D.C.
This situation underscores a point that John Mearsheimer and I emphasized in our book: the Israel lobby is not confined to formal "lobbying" organizations like AIPAC. It also includes well-funded think tanks and advocacy organizations that actively work to shape political debate and public discourse in ways intended to reinforce the U.S.-Israel "special relationship" and to persuade policymakers to support policies that these organizations believe (in my view incorrectly) will be beneficial for Israel and the United States.
It bears repeating that there's nothing illegal, conspiratorial, or unethical about what these donors are doing; individuals and foundations in the United States are entitled to fund whatever advocacy organizations they wish. But Clifton's data helps you understand why discourse inside-the-Beltway is so heavily skewed in one direction.
**Postscript: In my own case, in 2010 I received a consulting fee from the S Rajaratnam School in Singapore and speakers' fees from eight other universities (for public lectures). I also received honoraria for presentations at several events sponsored by the Department of Defense and for participating in a colloquium sponsored by the State Department. I was also paid to speak at an Economist magazine conference in Athens and for doing some research work for the New America Foundation. Foreign Policy pays me a modest amount to write this blog, and Cornell University Press pays me to co-edit a book series. And in case some of you are wondering, I didn't receive any money from any individuals, groups, countries, or corporations connected with Middle East politics.


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|March 25th, 2006, 08:00 PM
Hula Girl At Heart
Join Date: 11-08-05
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Anyone have life insurance?
Trying to get some information/advice/opinion about "Whole" life insurance. Our agent (of course) is "strongly encouraging" us to get whole life insurance. It looks great on paper, but I'm sure there is a catch even though I can't seem to find it in the figures.
Anyone out there got some feedback. Feel free to PM me cuz I understand that this is a somewhat personal topic. At this point level term is what I'm leaning toward, but I want to hear some argument for or against the whole life from folks I "trust" vs. the dude selling the stuff.
Thanks tons for your insight. Guess I owe you a , huh?
|March 25th, 2006, 08:43 PM
Catch the wave
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when jake, our first born was on the way, we realized that it was time to do some planning, other than my employer provided life insurance.
we bought a small whole life policy. however this was when the dot com was going through the ceiling, and we realized we were spending a LOT of money for this "investment". that wasn't really yeilding a lot of money.
we cashed it out. we only then found out that a friend of the family had diversified their insurance company to include life insurance. it coincided with a wonderful package that Cincinatti Life was offering (to my knowledge they no longer are).
30 year term policies for me, and my wife. after 30 years, our mortgage will be paid off, other bills cleared up, and out kids will be well past college, and thus "income replacement" won't really be an issue.
of course, by then, we would expect that our wife's family will have passed on too - which will literally leave a lotto style payout in her trust...
|March 25th, 2006, 09:52 PM
Living on the Edge
Join Date: 01-10-06
Location: Chesterfield,MI
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I have to say up front the whole does look good. (know what you're thinking) but used to work at primerica back in the mid 90's. pretty much what I did and have to say is this. I picked up a policy for my wife and I for about $30 a month for $100K for each of us until my son is old enough to take care of himself. Death insurance is exactly that "in case of death"
|March 25th, 2006, 09:59 PM
Retired double dipper
Join Date: 11-05-05
Location: Waterford
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Life insurance is a gamble. In reality you are gambling against yourself. You are gambling you will die and your beneficiaries will receive the face value before you pay them the face value.
I help young veterans and their widows understand their government life insurance plans daily.
Personally I have a 30 pay life. Which means I only pay for it for 30 years, yet my survivors receive the full face value plus accrued dividends for my entire life.
The only negative issue with "whole life" is it has to be paid for the insured's whole life. It is never "paid in full". This only becomes an issue when the insured become old, or disabled. Someone must continue to pay on whole life until the death of the insured for the face value to be payable at time of death.
You didn't mention if this is coverage for a child policy, your policy, or a family policy.
That being said, persons of comfortable/substantial protected assets don't need life insurance.
Last edited by RICK; March 25th, 2006 at 10:02 PM.
|March 25th, 2006, 11:52 PM
Senior Member
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Whole life is a terrible investment no matter what they (the salesman) tells you. You should look into term life that is as long as it would take to make sure you have enough saved/invested should you or your spouse die it would be ok finacially. To start you should get about 8-10 your annual salary. If you invested the money you would have put into a whole life plan you would make a lot more than you'll ever get out of the policy itself. Sure adventually you can get some money back out of it but its at about a 3-5 percent increase. Thats bad.
|March 26th, 2006, 12:20 AM
formerly square eyed rio
Join Date: 11-07-05
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So you say I should take out a term policy for 8 to 10 times my annual salary and faithfully pay the premium for say 30 years to only have the policy expire and now I'm 70 , in poor health and I need to shop for a new policy . But if I bought a whole life policy which never expires and I pay the same premium in 30 , 50, 60 years that I pay at todays standard that is terrible ?
I do not have my whole life policy in hopes I get a small return on it , I have it because just like a 401k or a retirement plan I can borrow against it , it is double face value if I die by accident and when I'm 80 yrs old or more I still have the same coverage as I did in 2005 or even 1995 . It is there to aid my family in the event I should die.
In my opinion term life is a terrible investment and is not different than renting a house for 30 years when you could have bought the house and it would be yours , term life is just that ...term , when the terms up so is everything you paid for , if you plan to invest in something you should plan on it being sound and permanent.
I'm not an insurance salesman but I surely can not see the benefit of paying for something for 30 years to only have it expire and possibly not be able to be re newed.
|March 26th, 2006, 12:44 AM
Senior Member
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Insurance on your life is no more of an "investment" than insurance on your car, or extended warranty your plasma screen from circuit city (policy held by insurance company). Its a calculated risk, you try to beat them, they hope you fail. Go to a inurance companies head quarters you will see they are impressive, they arent building skyscrapers by being wrong less often than being right. Just like a casino, different names .... the game is the same.
Also the comparison of term and full life vs. buying renting is not very good. You often rent a home for as much, as you would if you buy it, with out tax benefits, or appreciation. You can buy term cheap as hell if you are 20-45'ish because such a small percentage die before their late 50's .... and they know it.
Your goal should not be to simply be able to say you have insurace up untill your death. It should be a fallback plan to you can get some investments going.
Cliff notes: If you are single you never need life insurance. If you are married thik twice if you need it, if you have a kid term is good fall back till the lil guys grow up. If full life helps you sleep at night and you got money burning a whole in your pocket its a good value.
Last edited by jamiesann; March 26th, 2006 at 04:51 PM.
|March 26th, 2006, 06:59 AM
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Term here. Thinking about getting Whole Life for the kids so they can have it when they turn 18. They can keep it for life insurance on themselves or cash it out. We have USAA and love em.
|March 26th, 2006, 07:51 AM
Just The Spouse's spouse
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Keep researching. We regretfully went with whole life. We are "tweaking" our finances. Nancy switched from whole to term. That is the next thing I'm gunna do. All the research I've seen is to go with term.
Motley Fool
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Last edited by motrctyman; March 26th, 2006 at 08:00 AM.
|March 26th, 2006, 09:11 AM
Catch the wave
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when I'm in my 60s/70s/80s (if I live that long) I had damned well better be in a financial position to not need to have any concern over leaving funds for my heirs.
my kids should be self sufficient long before then, my own financial affairs in order, and my wife set up by her family as well.
if I could buy home owners, or a car policy with a fixed rate for 30 years you bet your ass I would do so in a heart beat.
|March 26th, 2006, 09:36 AM
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Jamisahn is right on. You shouldnt need life insureance when your 60+. Or even younger. Your investments (not insurance investments because its the worst one you could make) should WELL surpass anything you'll get from an insurance company. Borrowing against your own insurance policy is as dumb as borrowing against your home, it's your money/equity and you'll need to "barrow" it to get it? You USE your own money from other investments if you need money. Whole life IS NOT a savings/investment plan. With that said you DO need to look out for your family in the case you die and to be sure there covered. So thats where the 8-10 times your salary comes in. If after 10 years they cant make it then there is something wrong. If your not going to invest anything throughout your life then your in trouble and if your going to count on an insurance company for your retirement funds then your in real trouble. Oh and term life is much less expensive then whole life in the long run. Mostly because if your in good health now (assuming your in your late 20's or 30's) then getting it should be a breeze and fairly cheap. Relatively speaking. Good luck and shop around no matter what you choose. SOME insurance guys are as bad as used car salesmen and are not looking out for YOUR future.
|March 26th, 2006, 10:16 AM
Living on the Edge
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I have already posted but have read the whole thread. I realize alot of info to digest. the main thing is coming from my point of few is that I was recently in a life or death motor cycle accident. I will be 40 in June thank GOD. I have term insurance $30/month for a 100K and invested the difference say 50/week my way. I've had the insurance for around 5+ yrs. my investment has earned me an account of 20+K of my money I don't have to ask to borrow my own money. just my input.
|March 26th, 2006, 12:42 PM
Motrcytman's spouse
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Dave Ramsey has a lot to say about whole life.
The only good financial thing about whole life is that you don't have to declare the $$ you have in it in a FAFSA form when you are applying for financial aid for the kids when they go to college.
They 'tell' you that you get these great returns, but typically, its less than 2% from our experience. I think when we got our policy, the examples showed 10% return. We use to have a policy with Prudential, we canceled it and got our money out of it.
It was a horrible investment.
For example, back in 1993, I got a $100,000 policy, that cost me $75.00/ month. Plus, I bured extra money in it so I didn't have to declare those funds when the girls applied for financial aid (FAFSA). This year, I cancelled the policy & got a term $100,000 policy for $17.00 a month. That means for 12+ years, I was paying almost $60.00 a month into the investment piece, and even with the extra thousands I put into it, I next to nothing out of it when I cashed it in.
The insurance sales person try to justify that the reason I didn't get more out was that the insurance alone is around $30.00/month. Um... No it isn't.
Type in term life in google, and check out some of the sites, you'll find that the term life insurance is half the salesman will tell you. They take so much off the top, you're rate of return is around 1.7%. At least that is what it was with Prudential.
Maybe in our case, we made out better because the girls probably got more financial aid, but if that isn't your driving force, I'd say DON'T do it.
|March 26th, 2006, 04:29 PM
Senior Member
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Amen to Dave Ramsey. He pretty much changed my life and the way I view money. Oh yea Term insurance all the way. It is just what it says INSURANCE! Not a savings account!
|March 26th, 2006, 05:38 PM
Swamp Stomper
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I was also licesced to sell Lofe insurance, but quikly got outof it, the biggest thing I can say is this, keep your investments as investments, and insurace as insurance. Do you expect to get money back from your auto insurace without making a claim on it? No,
Typically for the same premium you will get way more insurance with term them whole, if not there is something wrong, either your paying too much for the term, or there's something they are not telling you about the whole.
|March 26th, 2006, 05:53 PM
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We have never carried any Life Insureance. Is that not what SS is supposed to be for? My Dad Passed he had re-married and had 3 children with a new wife. She recived enough SS to raise them with out any life insurance. and as far as having life insurance on my own children I figured If I was to loose a child the price to lay them to rest would be way less the the cost of raising them and never seen any reason to carry life on a child.
Thats just the way we looked at it and the Insurance people can go and flip burgers like every one else.:tonka:
|March 26th, 2006, 11:35 PM
Senior Member
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I went with term life ins. In my line of work, you NEED it. Going to work everyday for me is a crapshoot. All it takes is one person determined to kill a cop that day, and I'm done. Hopefully my training and God's good grace will see me old and knowing my grandchildren.
|March 27th, 2006, 06:32 AM
Hula Girl At Heart
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Thanks everyone for your input. This has been a long drawn out "consultation" with the person we are working with. I have done google searches and read up on the issues and the majority say term is the way to go and that whole life isn't as cracked up as it looks on paper. The numbers this guy shows us on "cash value" etc. on the permanent whole life are impressive, but I KNOW there has to be a catch otherwise everyone would be touting this as the way to go and the sales dude wouldn't have to work so hard to sell it
We are looking for salary replacement in the event one of us is hit by a bus. Retirement stuff is mostly taken care of through my father's smart investing and frugal living (must skip a generation :tonka:). So I'm not about to hand over a whole bunch of cash to some salesman for a year of whole life when that will pay for about 10 years of term which is really all we need.
BTW, our sales guy told me that the commission on whole life is 55% which also made me skeptical on how that can make it a great investment for me. Great investment for HIM obviously (no wonder he has a great house on Torch Lake for a cottage---he isn't lying when he says "whole life and it's benefits" helped me get the property Up North...)
Well, bummer for our sales dude, no new boat for him due to our commission......term is good for us..
Thanks again. Guess I owe you guys a sometime, huh???
|March 27th, 2006, 07:25 AM
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1) whole life is not attractive because of its cost.
2) there is more than one whole life, i.e. "guaranteed"
3) make sure the company actually underwriting is reputable and been around for a very long time.
|March 27th, 2006, 11:03 AM
Swamp Stomper
Join Date: 11-05-05
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the problem with this is there is ussually still added fees that don't go to your acount, so if you where paying $100/month, how much of that is actually going in your account, plus as you stated, 4.5 isn't very much, so why not pay for a much much less term policy, and inverst the money saved in something else, chances are after 10-20 years you would have much more in your own investment then you would have in that whole life policy, and the money would be more accessable to you if you ever needed it. People whole sell whole life can be very convincing with these twists, but I've seen holes shot in every one of these policies when they are looked at with a microscope, every time paying seperate for term/putting money in your own investments, beating out the whole every time.
also, if you are going to let a whole life saleman try convincing you to buy their policy, then let a guy who only sells term do the same, guys who sell both will push whole because they make more off the whole life policy.
as much as people say bad things about Primerica, they actually teach people some good things avout the importance of investing early, and the differences in term/whole life
if you want life insurance, get your info about the whole life, then have a primerica person come over and show you all the bad points in it, get a quote for term from primerica, then shop around, primerica is expencive for term, but cheap compared to whole life.
check with your credit unions, many offer good priced term insurance
and also I'll say Miffy makes soem good points too, not everyone NEEDS life insurance, and those that do probably don't need 250k to 1mill like the sales guys push on you
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The Prodigal Son
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With the rice finished Jai has decided to start on the mat making again; cutting the grass, dying it, drying it then weaving. Needless to say I help when and where I can - which isnt a great deal.


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Heretics HTML version
Heretics belongs to yet another area of literature at which Chesterton
excelled. A fun-loving and gregarious man, he was nevertheless troubled
in his adolescence by thoughts of suicide. In Christianity he found the
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How A Silk Pillow Case Can Improve Your Skin And Hair
There is nothing I love better than a good nap. Or sleeping in for that matter. Placing my head down on clean crisp pillow cases and sliding into cool sheets for a long slumber.
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Keep your eye on my blog, as I continue to look for ways to help you feel and look your very best self. If you have questions or comments, feel free to leave a comment below. I would love to hear from you.
Theory: Warm milk makes you sleepy due to its tryptophan content (an amino acid that promotes sleep). How to: The reality is you'd have to drink over five litres to feel the effects of tryptophan. Warm milk is more of a placebo — which is perfectly fine, because if it helps you sleep then why not try it?
Theory: Bananas contain high levels of magnesium, a mineral that acts like a muscle relaxant, and potassium which can help regulate sleep patterns and calm your nerves. How to: Make bananas your bedtime snack and it could help you get to sleep faster.
Theory: Although drinking warm tea before bed hasn't been proven to help you sleep better, the ritual of sitting down to drink it can help you unwind after a long day. How to: Make sure to reach for non-caffeinated teas, such as valerian and chamomile, which can help make you drowsy. Although sleep-inducing benefits aren't actual properties of these teas, making this a part of your bedtime ritual can help you relax before bed.
Theory: Regular exercise maintains and improves cardiovascular health, which is a key to a good night's sleep. How to: The most efficient way to maintain a regular exercise regimen is to find a form of physical activity that you enjoy and schedule it into your day as you would a meeting or a meal. Regular exercise will help you feel energized throughout the day and tire you out for a restful night's sleep.
Theory: Although all physical exercise is good, no matter what time of the day, exercise stimulates your heart, brain and muscles, so working out right before bed might make it harder for you to fall asleep. How to: Exercise gives you energy, so try morning and afternoon workouts to get you through the day and avoid exercising four hours before bedtime.
Theory: Practicing a five to 10-minute yoga routine before bed can help you ease into a sleeping mode. How to: Some helpful poses you can do to prepare for sleep are the upside-down relaxation, winding down twist and the night-time goddess stretch. The best part is you can do all these moves on your bed!
Theory: If you are exercising regularly, having a bedtime snack to curb the hunger pains can help you focus on sleep instead of your rumbling tummy. How to: Bread, cookies and cereal seem like the obvious go-tos, however they will spike your blood sugar. This causes your body to release hormones to regulate your sugar levels, stimulating your brain and causing you to lay awake counting sheep. Instead, reach for low-sugar, high-protein foods such as Greek yogurt, a few ounces of chicken or a tablespoon of nut butter, all of which won't spike your blood sugar and will allow your brain to be ready for sleep.
NEXT: 9 perks of a good night's sleep
Theory: Eating a large meal right before climbing into bed puts a lot of stress on your stomach to digest, which may keep you awake. Also, watch out for spicy or acidic snacks, as they may cause indigestion and heartburn. How to: Aim to eat dinner no later than three hours before your bedtime to ensure it's been fully digested before climbing into bed.
Sleeping beauty had this one right: regular shuteye alone actually makes you look prettier, according to a 2010 study published in the British Medical Journal. The researchers took photos of 23 people after a normal night's sleep of eight hours and after a period of sleep deprivation. Then, a group of 65 people rated each set of photos for perceived health, attractiveness and tiredness. The sleep deprived group scored lower in all three categories. "We propose that sleep is a cheap and effective beauty treatment, both acutely and in the long-term," John Axelsson, lead researcher on the study, told MSNBC. "Sleep should be seen as the body's natural beauty treatment and a clear alternative or complement to other beauty treatments." Sleep can also actually help to keep your skin in top condition. Over the long term, sleep deprivation can cause increased stress-related aging, a decreased ability to stay hydrated and a decreased ability to fight off environmental pollutants, writes Elizabeth Tanzi, M.D. on DoctorOz.com. "The most important thing you can do for your skin may be getting a great night's sleep," dermatologist Dr. Howard Murad told the Los Angeles Times.
Both experts and scientific data have long connected lack of sleep with increased hunger and weight gain -- and now a recent study has quantified the phenomenon. The findings, presented last month at an American Heart Association meeting, suggest that otherwise healthy people may eat more than 500 additional calories a day when they're sleep deprived, the Huffington Post reported when the study first came out.
Stumped? You may want to sleep on it. A study published last year in the Journal of Sleep Research found that people make smarter calls after a good night's sleep. The researchers asked 54 young adults to play a card game aimed to imitate casino gambling. Those who were well-rested made decisions that resulted in greater winnings four times more often than those who were sleep deprived -- and they had a firmer grasp on the rules. "This provides support for what Mom and Dad have always advised," lead author and psychologist Rebecca Spencer, of the University of Massachusetts Amherst, said in a statement. "There is something to be gained from taking a night to sleep on it when you're facing an important decision. We found that the fact that you slept makes your decisions better."
If you're sorting through a painful memory, try giving it a rest. One small study last year found that sleep might help to take the edge off difficult emotional experiences that happen during your waking hours. "The dream stage of sleep, based on its unique neurochemical composition, provides us with a form of overnight therapy, a soothing balm that removes the sharp edges from the prior day's emotional experiences," senior author Matthew Walker, associate professor of psychology and neuroscience at UC Berkeley said in a statement. But remember we're talking a solid eight-hours of shuteye -- too much sleep may be a sign of depression.
You may be conditioned to think that the best way to learn is to stay up all night cramming, but the truth is that you'd be better off to get some sleep. Several studies have linked rest with increased performance on learning-related tasks, and now a new study has found that the timing of sleep may matter, too. The researchers asked more than 200 people to memorize related words (such as "fire and smoke") and unrelated words (think: "insect and truth"). When later tested for recall, those who slept just after learning performed better than those who went a whole day before sleeping.
Ever notice how you can read the same paragraph over and over again when you're tired, without ever really retaining anything? That same phenomenon can result in your home or work-space becoming cluttered, explains Robert Oexman, D.C., director of the Sleep to Live Institute in Joplin, Mo. When humans are sleepy, they can lack the focus and drive to stay on task long enough to keep things orderly. "Sleep-deprived people can't focus very well," he told The Huffington Post. "A lot of things are cluttered in their lives and they find themselves less organized."
It's the oldest excuse in the book: "Honey, I'm too tired." And while there's certainly some truth to being too exhausted to have sex, Oexman believes there's something deeper at work here. Chronic sleep deprivation can take a mental toll that affects how people perceive their own attractiveness and, in turn, sexual desire. "They don't just not feel like it," Oexman says. "They really don't feel like it. They don't feel good about themselves."
Too wiped to hit the gym after work? The culprit may actually be your sleep habits, not the stress of your job. "Work should not wear you out," Oexman says -- you may be mentally exhausted, but, if you're working a desk job, you shouldn't be physically exhausted, as well. So if you feel like you just can't do it, consider upping your hours of shuteye each night. Added bonus: sleep can actually be a boon to your athletic ability. One study published last year found a correlation between increased sleep and improved performance in elite college basketball players. "Intuitively many players and coaches know that rest and sleep are important, but it is often the first to be sacrificed," study author Cheri Mah said in a statement. "Healthy and adequate sleep hasn't had the same focus as other areas of training for peak performance." Some research also suggests that regular rest can aid with muscle memory, Oexman says, which helps you learn how to do all kinds of new tasks, like perfecting your golf swing.
We all know a bad night's sleep can make us grumpy. And over time, that can take a real toll on your personality. "People who don't sleep well tend to over-escalate a problem," Oexman says. In fact, one study even found that sleep deprived people could be more likely to blame other people and plan revenge against them. "Sleepier people seem to engage in counterfactual thinking that is more dissatisfied and perhaps more selfish," study author David Mastin, Ph.D., associate professor of psychology at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, said in a statement. "It may be that the sleepier you are, the more likely your musings are to be angry thoughts about how others could have done better." So if you can't stop thinking how everyone else is to blame, you might want to pause to consider how many hours you've been clocking in bed each night.
It's pretty much common sense that if you're rundown or exhausted, you'll be more susceptible to picking up a bad cold. But a recent study helped to explain that link further. As The Huffington Post reported when the findings were released: Researchers found that the body's circadian clock controls an essential immune system gene in mice -- a gene that helps the body ward off bacteria and viruses. "People intuitively know that when their sleep patterns are disturbed, they are more likely to get sick," study author Erol Fikrig, professor of epidemiology at the Yale School of Medicine, said in a press release. "It does appear that disruptions of the circadian clock influence our susceptibility to pathogens."
Follow Sacha DeVoretz on Twitter: www.twitter.com/SDeVoretz


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Item: RPC010
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For sensitive skin
Made with baking soda
4 oz Bar(s)
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.29 lbs
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Made with baking soda
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OGDEN, Utah – Sophomore goalkeeper Lauren Weaver was named the Big Sky Conference Defensive Player of the Week today for her play this past weekend against Ball State and Evansville. She is the team's first conference player of the week selection this season, and eighth in the last 10 weeks dating back to last season.
"I am really excited," Weaver said. "This caught me off guard, but I couldn't have done it without my team. It's awesome."
Weaver entered Friday's game against Ball State at the 17:48 mark in relief of junior Natasha Slaughter and made a career-high 11 saves, preserving a 2-2 tie despite the Lumberjacks being outshot 22-13 for the game. She became just the seventh Lumberjack goalkeeper to record at least 11 saves in a single match. Weaver then started Sunday's match against Evansville and played 110:00 scoreless minutes, making three saves in a 0-0 tie and registering the Lumberjacks' first shutout of the season.
"Lauren's organization of the backline has been solid," said head coach Andre Luciano. "She came in on Friday night and immediately took over the game. We don't ask our goalkeepers to win games, we ask them to make the saves to keep us in games, and that's what she's done the last two games. She has a lot of confidence right now and I think the team is really confident in her."
In total, Weaver played 202:12 minutes in goal last weekend while making 14 saves and allowing zero goals. She currently leads the conference in saves per game (6.00), second in total saves (36) and fifth in save percentage (.735). Her goals against average dropped almost a goal and a half from 3.74 entering the weekend to her current mark of 2.27.


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The Master's degree Marketing and Business follows on from the Bachelor's degree of the same name, deepening students' knowledge of issues which are necessary for active influencing markets and the successful conducting marketing and business campaigns. [+]


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Presidential Election Portfolios
Dr. Ludwig Chincarini
In the next couple of months, the United States will either elect Barack Obama or Mitt Romney as the President of the United States for the next four years. Although markets tend to be highly efficient and market prices attempt to anticipate events in advance, the resolution of the uncertainty could ultimately lead to some stocks performing better than others. For example, when President Bush beat Al Gore in 2000, many believed that defense stocks would have a boost. Obviously, September 11, 2001 played a significant role in that, but even before September 11, Lockheed-Martin went up by 18% from November 2000 to the end of August 2001, while the S&P 500 dropped by 14%. Over the entire Bush term, LMT was up by 153%, while the S&P 500 was down 32%. Of course, it would be better to be able to predict which President will win, but even after the President is chosen, it might not be too late to get the right stocks.
So who's going to win, Obama or Romney? Currently, the betting sites have Obama winning the election (InTrade and IowaMarket). Although, one should interpret these with some caution because often times the bettors on these sites aren't very sophisticated. For example, in 2000, these sites strongly held that George Bush would win the popular vote, but he didn't.
Then there are the polls which survey a sample of voters in order to get an idea of who will likely win. Many national polls find Obama ahead (Politico). But this lead diminishes if you look at "likely voters" and becomes within a statistical error term. The Ramussen poll has Romney in the lead (Rasmussen) but also within the margin of error. The Gallup Poll has Obama in the lead (Gallup), but also within the margin of error. Ray Fair, a Yale Economist, uses only a few economic variables to predict the Presidential elections. He has been doing this for many years now and has been right most of the time. His latest results have Obama with a slight lead, but too close to call (RayFair). The majority of polls favor Obama, but are too close to call (AllPolls). This is much different than what we saw in 2008, when Obama had significant leads over McCain. So we're back where we started.
What stocks might you consider a post Obama victory or a post Romney victory? Let's start with the first big issue: dividend taxes. Romney wants to extend the Bush tax cuts. This means that dividend taxes will remain at 15% versus the 39.6%. In addition to this, the Obamacare would make higher income individuals pay an extra 3.8% in taxes on dividends and other passive income (ObamaCareTaxes). Thus, the tax rate on dividends would jump from 15% to 43.4%. On the margin, this could make dividend paying stocks less attractive and investors may begin dumping high dividend stocks prior to and after an Obama victory. So what's a possiblestrategy? If Obama wins, one might consider the possibility of selling high dividend paying stocks (he could add a link here for our readers to pull up research reports indicating which stocks are high dividend paying)and portfolios of stocks and if Romney wins, consider if it's within your investment strategy to buy them.
What about healthcare companies? There are arguments pro and con to holding healthcare. With Obama, health care companies will have higher costs, but they will also have more customers. Various analysts have disagreed on whether health care will be better or worse under Obama, thus, I would eliminate this from consideration (for more analysis on healthcare, see Stovall's report on September 4, 2012).
A Romney win could help oil companies. Big banks may do the same under both, but more small banks and mid-size banks might do better under Romney, since excessive regulation will be likely curtailed. Defense stocks could do better under Romney as well. Steel and Coal companies may also do well. A Romney win might also help private equity companies due to the carried interest debate. Two companies that are publicly traded private equity firms are Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. and The Blackstone Group. Investors should perform due diligence to assess which securities fit your investment and risk objectives.
An Obama win could help relatively more home related stocks, renewable energy companies, and gold. Ironically, gold might go up, because there may be a lack in conviction in Obama's ability to turnaround the economy and the fear of further stimulus.
Whomever you vote for and whatever investment you make, think about taking a small position based upon who actually wins the presidency.
Check out Dr. Ludwig's blog here!
Dr. Ludwig Chincarini
TradeKing All-Star Commentator
Author of The Crisis of Crowding
Twitter @chincarinil
Disclosure: No positions in any stock mentioned
At the time of publication and in the preceding month, TradeKing and the third-party content provider did not have ownership greater than 1% in any stocks mentioned here and do not have any other actual, material conflict of interest known at the time of publication. Neither TradeKing nor the third-party content provider, received compensation from a public offering or from investment banking services related to any companies mentioned here within the past 12 months, or expects to receive any in the next 3 months. Neither TradeKing nor the third party content provider engaged in market making in the securities mentioned here. TradeKing selects and defines as All-Stars certain independent market commentators who are recognized industry personalities and experienced traders. TradeKing All-Stars provide timely market commentary via the TradeKing All-Star blog at http://community.tradeking.com/members/tk-all-star/blogs. Each All-Star commentator's bio, related qualifications and disclosure as to their relationship with TradeKing can be found on the All-Star blog roster, available at http://community.tradeking.com/members/tk-all-star/details. The selection of All-Stars commentators is solely based on the quality and style of the content provided. TradeKing does not measure, endorse, or monitor the performance or correctness of any statement or recommendation made by independent All-Stars commentators on TradeKing.com. Supporting documentation for any claims made in this post will be supplied upon request by the author of the post, who is solely responsible for the views expressed here. Send a private message to All-Stars using the link below the profile image.
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I have so much work to post right now, I can't upload it all for fear of it CRUSHING THE INTERNET. I hope you don't mind if I share only select things from the past few weeks.
I'm in a class called Illustrated Book right now, and it basically breaks down as a semester-long project in which we pick a book and then, well, (re-)illustrate it. I chose Hans Christian Andersen's The Snow Queen (designs shown are the Robber Maiden and the floaty mirror trolls). I remember it being my favorite fairy tale when I was little, though I don't know why, because it's extra-dreary, not particularly action-packed, and there wasn't a Disney version. Anyway, I was initially anxious about having to work on one thing for an entire semester, but now I'm pretty excited about how this is going to turn out. I'm planning on using pencil for the entire thing, which I haven't done before. Hopefully this will help me make the characters a more eerie and stylish than I have seen them in other books and allow my drawings to retain some of that energy that often gets lost during the inking process.
Also, I mentioned in my previous post that the Charm City Roller Girls used my "Let Them Eat Skate" illustration for their March poster (Art Director: Katy Clark; Design: Craig Lammes). Well, here it is all fancied up and ready for brawling. I swear, going to see live roller derby for the first time was even better than I expected. I'm not sure if this is because roller derby is awesome in general or because the CCRG did so incredibly that night. Regardless, I'm definitely going again.
Also, also, completely unrelated to illustration... Saturday night, I went to see Patton Oswalt record his new special in DC. That guy doesn't get nearly enough recognition, especially for his stand-up. He's my favorite comedian and I think if you check out his performances or read his blog, you'll enjoy him too. Here's a fanvid someone made for a routine that never gets old.
... Yeah, I just wanted an excuse to use that line from his act as my Title.


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Jonathan Swift's Resolutions for Old Age
I love this entry from Lists of Note. It's a list that Jonathan Swift wrote in 1699 (when he was 32, over a decade before he wrote Gulliver's Travels) of resolutions for his future, titled "When I Come To Be Old".
The items shows a lot of wisdom and insight, as well as humor – particularly when you get down to the end of the list.
It reads:
When I come to be old. 1699.
-Not to marry a young Woman.
-Not to keep young Company unless they reely desire it.
-Not to be peevish or morose, or suspicious.
-Not to scorn present Ways, or Wits, or Fashions, or Men, or War, &c.
-Not to be fond of Children, or let them come near me hardly.
-Not to tell the same story over and over to the same People.
-Not to be covetous.
-Not to neglect decency, or cleenlyness, for fear of falling into Nastyness.
-Not to be over severe with young People, but give Allowances for their youthfull follyes and weaknesses.
-Not to be influenced by, or give ear to knavish tatling servants, or others.
-Not to be too free of advise, nor trouble any but those that desire it.
-To desire some good Friends to inform me wch of these Resolutions I break, or neglect, and wherein; and reform accordingly.
-Not to talk much, nor of my self.
-Not to boast of my former beauty, or strength, or favor with Ladyes, &c.
-Not to hearken to Flatteryes, nor conceive I can be beloved by a young woman, et eos qui hereditatem captant, odisse ac vitare.
-Not to be positive or opiniative.
-Not to sett up for observing all these Rules; for fear I should observe none.


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