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Friday, October 29, 2010
The Uber-Tool
- problem of multiple tools
- individually they're very simple,
- but together they are daunting
- similarity of function
- aggregating functionality
- similar interface
- eg Athabasca Landing
- that end-to-end functionality
- workflow
- role of Education?
- it seems that education is no longer innovating
- now it seems private companies set trends, ed follows
Handbook of emerging technologies
- need a tool that helps me synthesize
- helps me put it all together
Building tools?
- vs building skills and capacities
- Mendalay?
- because I do different things with different tools, I need a level of specialization
The Theory of Everything
- physicist/surfer
- might be different for everyone
- enables me to be online/offline, in my head in my screen
The foundational elements of a discipline
- that may be achievable - eg., critical literacies
- but these would be reflected differently in different tools
- eg., audio - will be different in local radio, satellite radio
- but the core element remains the same - 'listening'
Can we keep the thing that changes hidden so that we focus on the core?
- personal autonomy
- distributed knowledge
- social learning
It's the instantiation that confuses us, not the core idea
- eg., twitter
How do we get at the core?
- 21st century literacies?
- pattern recognition?
- two aspects: technical, and human - tech looks for connections, humans look for ideas
- analysis versus discussion
Pattern recognition
- beginning of theory generation
Pulling patterns together in this course - eg., posts, tweets
- what a computer can do better - patterns of activity
- a content analysis wouldn't get at how I do OLDaily
- more at play than just simply running an algorithm
Human - assigns meaning to pattern - semantic
Machine - assigns structure to pattern - syntax
Tracking change - tracking trends - distinction between form and meaning
In Ed Tech that distinction is sometimes misplaced
- eg you expect a person to do what a computer could do better - eg. lecture
This concept of sense-making, wayfinding, meaning
- these patterns are emerging - what does that mean socially, economically, politically
- eg. a computer can generate income data
- but the person sees the decline in middle class as serious.
Assigning meaning to perceptions
- is this something we do deliberately, or organically?
- Eg., I see a person, I am drawing conclusions, I'm assigning something to that
- When I assign attributes to an individual I am assigning meaning to it
- two people encountering the same person will assign different meanings to it
Maria's presentation (Wednesday)
- distinction between expert and novice is in assigning patterns
- the purpose of thinking is to stop thinking - eg., driving - to drive automatically
- but - the more we have to work, the more we will learn it
Reference - Sources of Power, by Klein
- Cambridge Handbook of Expert and Expertise
- we think in patterns if we're experts, we think linear if we're novice
Our capacity to recognize patterns
- our eyes are moving all over, literally craving patterns
- if there is a pattern to pursue, the mind will latch on
- not just the eye, this is what we do
Is our uber-tool like the eye? Something that creates a certain level of expertise for us, allowing us to achieve some sort of higher expertise?
6 comments:
- AnonymousSunday, October 31, 2010
>Something that creates a certain level of expertise for us, allowing us to achieve some sort of higher expertise?ReplyDelete
Kind of a scaffolding exercise?
> Kind of a scaffolding exercise?ReplyDelete
Yeah, could be. But that's not really what I'm thinking of.
The layers of the visual cortext http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visual_cortex are a bit like a pre-processing system for visual perception.
The different layers perform analytic functions, such as edge detection, or motion detection. The data which is, if you will, presented to the brain has been interpreted for us.
With respect to the internet, we are, if you will, at the place where data first comes into the visual cortex. We have to do edge detection and motion detection manually, which means we need to learn how to do this, and then actually do it.
What we want is not so much a better way to learn how to do this, but rather, a system that does this for us, so the data we are presented with can now be analyzed at a much higher level. If we don't have to laboriously detect edges, we can begin to form an ontology of objects, for example.
So such a system is in a sense a scaffold, but not in the sense that it performs functions we later want to do, but rather, in the sense that it allows us to perform higher order functions.
- AnonymousSunday, October 31, 2010
That makes sense to me. I wonder if there would be different interpretive filters, for different data sets. For example, the eye interprets visual data, the ear interprets auditory data etc.ReplyDelete
I think our uber-tool is like our third eye or mind's eye (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Third_eye -- see "In Creative Thinking"), Stephen.ReplyDelete
And where would we place it if we had the choice? I think I'd like mine on an antenna sort of hovering above watching me think through all the possibilities I can and then encouraging me to imagine even more.
Garrett Lisi's theory of everything < http://bit.ly/1d1ddW > uses the metaphor of the E8 coral "with particles at any location interacting in every possible way" to explain that "all possibilities are expanding and developing at once."
In Quatum physics, "everything that can happen does. All possibilities are realized" (Lisi, TED). My uber-tool would help me see more possibilities rather than those I can hold in my mind because I have limited short-term memory or poor strategies for keeping related resources in my mind and close enough to retrieve to add to the mix.
Lisi's theory is all about patterns and networking particles. I think the pattern recognition you speak of and tools for helping us see more patterns, more possibilities at once could be the "tool of everything."
@Stephen You want a cyber twin, not an uber tool. :)ReplyDelete
Interesting use of the term 'uber'.ReplyDelete


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Deer Hunting Forums (http://www.deerhuntersclub.com/forums/)
- The Lodge (http://www.deerhuntersclub.com/forums/lodge/)
- - Good for the Deer (http://www.deerhuntersclub.com/forums/lodge/9043-good-deer.html)
Good for the Deer
I hope i dont jinx us but this lack of winter in the Notheast is much needed for the deer after last years winter.We've only had 3inches of snow so far in Buffalo.:pickle:
Here in ky our coldest time is always January and Febuary. Most of the time the only snow we see is in January maybe twice around two inches, but in a area that don't get snow that shuts every thing around here down for that one or two days before its off the roads.
But yes 50* in December is nice for the critters that live outside for sure ! Lol
I know where the snow went to. It is all in NM. Three major storms in as many weeks. 22 inches, 9 inches and 14 respectively. Granted I live at a higher elevation than most in NM but that is still a lot of snow.
barely a trace of snow here in NW Ohio. We set a new rain fall record just this week since they have been keeping records.
N. Illinois has seen maybe, MAYBE 2" so far. hope the heavy stuff holds off till after the final week of hunting. still holding out hope for a hanger.
But a doe will do.
Hunting Man where you at in NW Ohio? I live close to Defiance
I would kill for some cold weather to get the deer active and walking. Finally turned cold one night, last Sunday, and I got a 114lb doe and saw 6 that night. Turned back to the 70s next day and didnt see a thing the rest of the week.
Here in Maine the lowest temp we had so far was -11 and only for 1 night. Only about 5" of snow on the ground. It's a blessing!! A warm open winter would sure help our deer.
Temps in central Texas have been in the mid-50's for most of the past week.
Cool and damp due to the cold fronts passing through the dumped so much snow in the panhandle and on Crawdaddy. We'll take ALL the rain we can get!
Been watching a young buck for the past week. It will be another couple of seasons before his rack will qualify him for the freezer, but he's already got a good size to the rest of him.
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subset: commoncrawl


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Aug 3, 2012 - The Associated PressCHEYENNE -- The judge in a lawsuit filed by the widow of a man killed by a grizzly bear has decided not to view the mauling site near Yellowstone National Park in person on the advice of the U.S. Marshals Service, which has deemed the area too risky because of recent bear activity.
U.S. District Judge Nancy Freudenthal of Cheyenne had been planning to visit the site this past Monday.
Freudenthal heeded the advice and changed her mind.
"The United States Marshal expressed his concern about the safety of all parties involved in the potential site visit, based both on bear activity and the remoteness of the terrain in the event of a personal injury or other issue," Freudenthal wrote July 25.
A 430-pound grizzly killed Erwin F. Evert, of Park Ridge, Ill., six miles east of Yellowstone in June, 2010.
The male grizzly had just reawakened after being trapped, tranquilized and studied by members of the Interagency Grizzly Bear Study Team, which is tasked with researching grizzly bears in the Yellowstone region.
Get your copy of The Ranger online, every day! If you are a current print subscriber and want to also access dailyranger.com online (there is nothing more to purchase) including being able to download The Mining and Energy Edition, click here. Looking to start a new online subscription to dailyranger.com (even if it is for just one day)? Access our secure SSL encrypted server and start your subscription now by clicking here.


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- Chester Gould Writes a Serviceman
- Chester Gould's Charitable Work
- Chester Gould's Card Games
- Christmas at the Museum 2005
- Comic Strip Wars in Washington, D.C.
- Dick Tracy and Events of 1931
- Dick Tracy At Sea
- Dick Tracy Magazine
- Dick Tracy Saves A Judge
- Dick Tracy Suspended
- Dick Tracy's Chiefs
- Dick Tracy's Wrist Radio
- FlatTop's 60th Anniversary
- Gravel Gertie Meets B.O. Plenty
- Hats Off! For Dick Tracy Days
- History and Change in the New Year
- Legacy of Law Enforcement
- Radio Catts and Commercial Ads
- The Black Bag Mystery
- The Genius of Cartoon Artists
- The Man Who Came To Dinner
- 88Keyes at the C&NW Terminal
By James Johnson
Originally printed in the Woodstock Independent
November 26, 2003
In researching Chester Gould's holiday themes in the museum's archives, a story was found in which B.O. Plenty and his family faced a bleak Thanksgiving. With help from Dick Tracy, Tess and Junior, however, it turned out happily.
It also showed a writing technique by Chester Gould, whereby he interwove themes from other Dick Tracy plots into his comic strips. In this case, the story introduced a robber pair, Papa Rattner and his daughter Mousey. Their mode of operation was to release white rats to create confusion and allow a quick escape from their stick-ups. Following one robbery, they accidentally struck a boy on a tricycle while driving away. Not seriously injured, the boy was able to get a good look at the occupants of the car.
Dick Tracy and Sam Catchem were assigned to the case and removed headlight fragments and paint scrapings from the hit-and-run accident scene. They later checked local body shops and found the vehicle. Dick Tracy cleverly removed the rear view mirror to recover fingerprints and help identify the driver. With the police close on the pair's trail, Mousey hijacked a truck and led a police chase into a nearby wooded area. The truck was disabled, but she managed to escape and later obtained a job in a local store to use as a temporary hideout. When the police searched the area near the abandoned truck, they found a mink coat Mousey had stashed in a tree. Expecting her to return, Tracy and Catchem staked out the tree using new television surveillance cameras (one of Chester Gould's many innovations).
The cameras showed a figure at night near the tree. The detectives caught the person and were surprised to find it was B.O. Plenty. B.O. was coincidentally on the lam after having been accused of the murder of another Gould story character named Talcum Freely. B.O. had since been cleared by a police investigation but was unaware of this. Tracy and Catchem took him into custody as a joke, simply intending to take him home. B.O. then lamented, "Here it is, daylight of Thanksgiving, and I'm a 'foogitive,' a wanted man."
Tess and Junior had meanwhile gone to Sunny Dell Acres to see how Gravel Gertie and Sparkle Plenty were doing and found them cold, penniless and hungry. Tess obtained food for the family, and when Dick Tracy arrived with B.O. Plenty, there was a joyful reunion.
Back in town, by chance, the boy from the tricycle accident happened to see Mousey at the store where she was working and told his mother, who notified Tracy. When Mousey saw the police arrive, she ran away, but was followed by her remaining pet rats who led Tracy and Catchem to her hiding place and her arrest.
Besides being an interesting story (this retelling is very abbreviated), Chester Gould was giving his readers a message. There are penniless and hungry people in the community. They need help, not just at holiday time, but throughout the year. Please contribute to the food banks and social agencies in the area that help those in need.


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Cadillac Allante Forum Discussion, Cruise Control Not Working in Past Cadillac Vehicle Discussion; The cruise control on my '93 does not work. Replaced the turn signal module and it has power but still ...
- 05-21-06 01:08 AM #1Cadillac Owners Member
- Join Date
- Jan 2006
- Location
- Napa, CA
- Posts
- 11
Cruise Control Not Working
The cruise control on my '93 does not work. Replaced the turn signal module and it has power but still does not work. Mechanic says that after market alarm system may be involved in theproblem (I didn't even know I had one) and most recently he says I need a new ECM for $300 but hte first one he tried did not fix the problem. Any suggestions? Thanks,
Re: Cruise Control Not Working
Be aware that some fault codes that might be present will prevent the cruise control from engaging. Go into diagnostics and write down all codes if there are any. This car has the ability to activate the cruise control thru diagnostics, also it will verify cruise switch operation, brake light switch operation and resume operation simply by pushing the correct buttons on the climate control display. A factory service manual is most important regarding things such as this, keeps an unfamiliar mechanic from throwing parts at it like ECM's. If any fault codes relate to an emmision issue, cruise will be disabled till the fault is corrected. GM felt that some drivers would ignore faults but would not stand for having no cruise control on their Cadillac! Before further money is spent, invest in a factory service manual. If you are not mechanically inclined, make sure the mechanic has the service manual in hand before diagnostics are attempted.


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The DMPTool is a free service that helps researchers and institutions to create high-quality data management plans that meet funder requirements.
Why the DMPTool?
Scholarly researchers today are increasingly required to engage in a range of data management activities to comply with institutional policies, or as a precondition for publication or grant funding. Data management plans are now a standard part of grant proposals for most funding agencies. To aid researchers in creating effective data management plans (DMPs), a group of organizations collaborated on the development of the DMPTool, an online application that helps researchers create data management plans.
DMPTool Background
The original DMPTool was a grassroots effort, beginning in January 2011 with eight institutions partnering to provide in-kind contributions of personnel and development. The effort was in direct response to demands from funding agencies, such as the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH), that researchers plan for managing their research data. By joining forces the contributing institutions are able to consolidate expertise and reduce costs in addressing data management needs.
The original contributing institutions were:
- The University of California Curation Center (UC3) California Digital Library at the California Digital Library
- DataONE
- Digital Curation Centre (UK)
- Smithsonian Institution
- University of California, Los Angeles Library
- University of California, San Diego Libraries
- University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign Library
- University of Virginia Library
Since its release in October 2011, the DMPTool has generated huge interest among the science and library community, including its appearance on the Library of Congress' Top 10 Digital Preservation Developments of 2011. As of November 2013, more than 6,000 users from over 600 institutions have used the DMPTool. Given the success of the first version of the DMPTool, the founding partners obtained funding from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation to create a second version of the tool, released in 2014.


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Exhibition Support
From early 19th century work to the latest trends in digital media, ICP's internationally-acclaimed exhibitions reflect the depth and range of the medium. Sponsorship of exhibitions and associated programs (lectures, tours, symposia, catalogs, national, and/or international tours) offer significant marketing and philanthropic opportunities, and are available at various levels to our patrons, corporate partners, and funders. Benefits may include:
- Recognition onsite and in all print and digital promotional materials, including invitations and our website
- Private, curator-led tours of exhibitions for employees and clients
- Employee benefits throughout the sponsorship year, including free museum admission and discounts in the bookstore and café at the ICP Museum
- Opportunity to host private events in ICP's galleries
Program Support
ICP's educational and outreach activities also offer program funding opportunities, which help sustain ICP's educational mission to share photography with diverse audiences.
ICP Permanent Collection: Our Collection has grown to more than 160,000 images and includes The Cornell and Robert Capa Archives, The Roman Vishniac Archive, The Weegee Archive, and works by all the 20th century's leading photographers. Your support will help ICP preserve, catalog, and present these important collections.
ICP School: Year-round offerings include daytime/evening/weekend continuing education courses, as well as travel programs. Contributions towards the ICP School help support the ICP Library (New York's largest photography library), Digital Media Labs, and education programs in general.
Scholarships: We offer three full-time certificate programs—for General Studies, Photojournalism, and New Media Narratives—and a full-time, two-year MFA degree with Bard College in Advanced Photographic Studies. Scholarship support helps enable a diverse student body from around the world to experience the professional training and education that ICP offers.
Community Programs: These programs serve more than 8,000 teens each year both on- and off-site through Teen Academy, Community Partnerships, and Museum Education group tours. Contributions from ICP's funders and contributors support Community Partnerships, free Museum tours for public school groups, and the Teen Academy scholarship program, through which half of all spaces are reserved for need-based scholarship students.
Pay-what-you-wish Thursdays: Between 6 and 9 pm on Thursdays, admission to the new ICP Museum will be by voluntary contribution; sponsor acknowledgements reach a broad and diverse audience.
Event Sponsorship
Sponsorship of ICP events—including annual benefits, exhibition openings, and other special occasions—provide sponsors with significant visibility and recognition opportunities. Our highest-profile annual event is the annual Infinity Awards, established in 1985 to honor outstanding achievements in photography. These prestigious awards are presented at a spring gala for an international audience of 500 guests, including professionals in the fields of fashion, photography, design, and communications; corporate patrons of the arts; and individual collectors and philanthropists.


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Roger Hall cruises the Baltic and relishes his time in fascinating ports of call without having to think about about much else.
It must be one of the longest escalators in the world. It was so long that some people were reading books on the way up. The escalator was taking us down to a station on the St Petersburg Metro, a ride on it being part of our three days of sightseeing of the city. I would have taken photos, but the Metro is considered a military installation, so it was "nyet" to cameras.
The stop we got off at was Pushkin, dedicated to one of Russia's favourite literary sons. He is commemorated by more than just a name. There is a shrine to him: a stylish statue with an elegant backdrop, flanked by pillars. At the base of the statue were several bunches of flowers.
It seemed almost too good for an urban transport system. Our guide said "Why should not the workers have something fine to travel on?" One had to refrain from pointing out the number of workers who were killed building such Metro systems.
The guide in question was the elegant and beautiful Oksana, late 20s, who escorted eight of us around St Petersburg and nearby attractions for three days.
We were in St Petersburg on a Baltic Cruise, but we were not on one of the cruise-organised land trips. If we had been, we would have been in a much bigger group and it would have cost us twice as much. By going independently we saved more than US$400 ($508) dollars each.
Of course, we saw a lot more than the Metro in our three days: a full morning at The Hermitage (and paid US$15 extra to go before the crowds, worth every cent); the Peter and Paul Cathedral; the Church of Spilled Blood; Catherine's Palace; a food market (ho-hum); Nevsky Prospect; a canal cruise; and a drive to Peterhof Palace with numerous fountains in its gardens, followed by a ride back to the city in a hydrofoil on the Gulf of Finland.
One of the big advantages of going on a smaller liner (600 passengers rather than 3000) is that it can berth right in the heart of St Petersburg on the Neva River. Bigger ships berth at the port which means a 40-50 minute ride to get to the city. Most of the ports we berthed at were within walking distance (or a short bus ride) to where we wanted to go.
This was the first cruise we had taken. Our travel agent had described this particular cruise with Oceania as the "best holiday he had ever had" (and travel agents do a lot of travelling).
Was it the fact that you could get coffee and croissants at 6.30am in the panoramic Horizon Lounge? Or the full breakfasts ("a cornucopia of hot and cold items" ) either from a buffet on deck level, or full linen service in the dining room?
Most days we were ashore for lunch so perhaps it might have been the afternoon teas? Sitting in the lounge, a string quartet playing in the background, a trolley laden with delicate sandwiches that a bloke can consume in a single gulp, followed soon after by another trolley with exquisite little pastries. This tided you over until dinner.
At the Grand dining room, it was like eating six courses at The French Cafe every night (but on board the helpings were bigger), with a choice of two other eating places, The Toscana (gourmet Italian) or The Polo Grill (New York steaks).
No wonder Oceania has been voted the cruise line with the best food.
No need to put on a dinner jacket in the dining room. The dress code was "country club casual".
We'd held off cruising for years. Partly because we thought they were for older folk than us (alas, no longer true, cruise passengers have suddenly got a lot younger), but mostly because my wife gets seasick.
She was subjected to lectures on the fact that modern ships have stabilisers and that in the summer the Baltic is rarely rough. She succumbed (she had to). We had one slightly choppy day and thus had to endure using room service for dinner that evening.
Cruising can be a pricey business, but at least the fare included the 18.5 per cent gratuities for cabin staff and waiters, so at the end of the trip there was none of the "How much do we give them?" stress (though many people do tip additionally).
But the 18.5 per cent was added on to any extra service you had on board. Including wine. Especially wine. And the wine was very expensive. A modest New Zealand wine was US$30 (plus the 18.5 per cent) and most wines were considerably more.
We solved this problem by bringing on board duty-free wine and spirits and having drinks with our friends each evening before dinner. (Sort of BYO but you'd drunk it beforehand.) And we did indulge in wine for some meals. (Note: Not all cruise lines allow you to bring on board your own wine or spirits.)
Ah, but of course, we didn't go for the food or wine, we were on the cruise for the ports of call.
There was Helsinki, a pleasing city full of elegant shops and fine examples of modern Scandinavian architecture: the Finlandia concert hall, and the opera house.
Next was the highlight and principal drawcard of the tour: St Petersburg. (We had three days there but on one of those days you could do a 16-hour trip to Moscow.)
At Tallinn, in Estonia, it was a short walk from the ship into the heart of the city. It's a Unesco World Heritage site, a delight. Oh the Europeans know how to create graceful buildings that combine harmoniously and are beautifully decorated.
The only ship's tour we went on was at Gdansk, because it was some distance from the port. Flattened in World War II - indeed, this is where the first shots were fired - Gdansk is now meticulously restored to its pre-war glory.
As well as being a place to buy amber, it is also where Lech Walensa stirred up unrest in the dockyards which led to the fall of Communism (the Domino Theory turned out to correct; it just happened that it was the Communist countries that fell like dominoes.)
On to the "wonderful wonderful Copenhagen" Danny Kaye used to sing of. Indeed it was, and here, of course, is the snag of cruising: you get a sampler of each place and, though it is amazing how much you can cram into a few hours, Copenhagen, as with most of the other ports of call, deserved a longer time than we had. There was time to visit the Art Gallery and Museum and go round the city on the hop-on hop-off bus to see (among other sights) The Little Mermaid.
Warnemunde was a port intended for most of the passengers to have a lengthy day trip to Berlin. Those who didn't go could have a relaxed day on board, potter around Warnemunde itself, or take a 15-minute train ride to Rostock.
It took a few hours the next day going through Kiel Canal en route to Amsterdam. The Kiel Canal, built for military purpose by Kaiser Wilhelm, is flanked by meadows and villages, only a few metres on either side of the ship, and cheerful locals wave to the passing liners.
Amsterdam must surely have been well covered in these pages to require no more than a customary rave, and finally Bruges, a medieval gem. If you want a cheap trip to Bruges, hire the DVD of In Bruges and you can see it all, with a few bodies thrown in as well.
Finally to the grey cliffs of Dover and our two weeks were up. A touring holiday seeing some of the great places in Europe without ever having to pack or unpack: I'd go back on board tomorrow.
Cruising: Oceania Cruises sail all over the world, catering to those who prefer a smaller ship (600 passengers).
For details of private tours in St Petersburg go to spb-tours.com. They can arrange an itinerary to suit your needs. Our guide spoke excellent English. For three days of sightseeing plus a folk concert in the evening we were charged US$415.
Roger Hall paid every cent himself.


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Roll out of bed and onto campus — you can't get any closer than this! Dolphin Cove gives you the convenience you want with the College of Staten Island lifestyle you're looking for.
Peace-of-mind included:
"Great people, great place to live!"
- Robert
A healthy, active community.
Features you're looking for.
What you need to succeed.
Great on-campus location at CSI.


text: I feel bad in that my second or third post here on the forum is one asking for help. In other words, I feel like I'm just taking and not giving and we all know that isn't fair. One of my New Year's resolutions will be to give a little on forums and not just solicit help. Can someone please help me with my search for distressed boots? I tried searching and received just so many threads that I was more lost than when I first started. Hopefully, after I describe what I'm looking for someone will recognize the boot I'm in search of. I'm looking for a motorcycle riding boot in either brown or black and I want them to have the distressed/vintage look without looking too cheesy and obvious that they were intentionally distressed. Preferably, they'll have the buckles (which I believe are called harness). Let me know what other information is needed in order to narrow it down. Oh, either suede or leather is OK. Thanks.


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Re: I lost my sock
This kitty may have lost his sock but thanks to the forces of static electricity it will be his secret friend for awhile. =]
Sorry I had this idea on Thursday but I had a hard time finishing it. I figured I'd throw it up anyway since I finally got it done.


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Georgia's Chapman Makes Seamless Transition From Sprints to Multi-Events
March 11, 2014
ATHENS, Ga. --- During Quintunya Chapman's freshman and sophomore years of high school at the Bradwell Institute in Hinesville, Ga., the thought of competing collegiately in track and field was not even close to being on the three-sport athlete's radar.
Now a junior on the University of Georgia's fourth-ranked track team and heading to her first NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships in just her first season competing in multi-events, it's difficult to imagine anything other than track as Chapman's top priority.
After totaling a career-best 4,043 points in the pentathlon and scoring for Georgia with an eighth-place finish at the SEC Championships on Feb. 27, Chapman earned the 16th and final qualifying spot into the NCAA Championships this weekend in Albuquerque, N.M. The mark saw her improve upon her previous total by nearly 400 points, in addition to moving into fifth place all-time in the school record books.
Entering the SEC meet, Chapman felt confident that surpassing the 4,000-point mark would almost certainly assure her a spot at the national meet, but the Hinesville native knew that a trip to Albuquerque was not guaranteed until the field was officially announced.
When Chapman finally found out via text message from Georgia's USTFCCCA South Region Women's Assistant Coach of the Year, Petros Kyprianou, that she had indeed earned a spot at the national meet, the first-year pentathlete felt previous feelings of anxiety and nervousness disappear, only to be replaced by a sense of accomplishment, joy and relief.
"At the end of SECs, I knew that I had made the 4,000-point mark, so automatically I thought I was going to NCAAs," remarked Chapman. "Then we got back to Athens and everyone was saying that I had to wait for the other conferences to finish. I had no idea what was going to happen until Petros texted me saying that I made it! I called my mom automatically, and she told my sister and dad and the rest of my family. Everyone was calling and congratulating, and I was just so happy to have made it."
A naturally gifted athlete who competed in volleyball, basketball and track and field for Bradwell, Chapman admits that volleyball was her favorite sport among the three and the one in which she most strongly desired an athletic scholarship to compete at the collegiate level. One of five siblings, Chapman grew up playing basketball in a competitive, athletic family before taking on volleyball as a freshman in high school.
"I'd been playing basketball since I was six, and that was my thing," said Chapman. "When I started volleyball my freshman year of high school, I just loved it. I really wanted to get recruited for it – that was my sport. I was really focused on volleyball at that point, but when the letters started coming for track, my parents just told me, 'A scholarship is a scholarship, and we have to pay for school…you're really good at track.' It was hard to just not pay attention to it."
As Chapman began to turn her attention and focus increasingly towards track and field, the recruiting letters continued to pour in. The 2011 GHSA 5A long jump state champion needed to take just one official visit before knowing which university would offer the best fit, both athletically and academically.
"At first, I really didn't want to run track in college because I loved volleyball and was so focused on that, but when I got recruited by Georgia, that's when I really began to get excited about the possibility of track," said Chapman. "I fell in love with Georgia on my official visit, and I knew that it could really be a great fit for me. Coming to Athens was the only visit that I took, and I knew afterwards that I was committing to Georgia."
Despite competing in both the long jump and sprints during high school, Chapman spent her first two years in Athens primarily as a 200- and 400-meter runner. Competing in the multi-events had always been in the back of Chapman's mind, particularly after Kyprianou first mentioned the possibility during her official recruiting visit, but the idea did not come to fruition until this season.
With a lean and muscular physique, Chapman certainly has the appearance of a multi-event competitor. But after adjusting to the rigorous training regimen of the multis athletes, Chapman now possesses the mental skills and experience necessary to accompany her physical talent.
"Oh yeah, I've loved it," said Chapman when asked about transitioning from sprints to multis. "I could go on and on about Petros because he has changed me into a different person, both personally and as an athlete. He's just very patient, and I think that's the biggest thing. For someone like me who has never done the pentathlon or multis before, he has literally taught me five events just from August, and now I'm going to Nationals."
Chapman posted personal-best marks in each of the five events comprising the pentathlon at the SEC meet, including shaving nearly three-hundredths of a second off of her 60-meter hurdle time with a mark of 8.65. During the shot put, Chapman notched a distance of 40 feet, 11 ½ inches to tied for second in the event, before following up with a jump of 19-1.25 in the long jump. This marked the first time she surpassed 19 feet in the event.
"I think that alone says a lot about Petros and how he can transform my mind from just becoming a 200 or 400 runner into now doing more events at a single meet in one day," added Chapman. "I really just applaud him for the patience and his expertise in all of the events that he coaches. He is so awesome at just instilling confidence in us."
Transitioning from the sprints to the multi events has seen Chapman add two field events to her repertoire – shot put and high jump – in addition to spending time refining technique in the 60-meter hurdles and the long jump.
"I think the shot put is my strongest event right now. When I threw the shot put that far at SECs, Petros really told me that I was picking up on how to throw the shot put. I'm finally understanding the technique. I joined Petros' training program lifting heavy weight already, so I think that really helped me out in the shot put."
Chapman is quick to attribute much of her success at the SEC Championships to Kyprianou's strength training regimen, which began with the off-season conditioning program.
"Petros is really big on strength training, and it's been super helpful for multi-events," said Chapman. "I can just feel myself getting stronger, I can feel my endurance getting better and I can lift heavier weight more easily now. He's so good with technique in the weight room, and everything just correlates together so well. I can feel the changes, and I just felt myself getting through the five events a lot more easily at SECs than at my first pentathlon in New Mexico."
The fifth and final event of the pentathlon, the 800 meters, has proven to be the least of Chapman's worries, as she's been able to utilize her 200- and 400-meter training to help with arguably the most grueling event in the pentathlon.
"After doing four events, you get to the 800 and Petros has just instilled in all of the multi athletes that we have to have heart. We just need to run," said Chapman. "At SECs, he gave me a goal time, and I was completely shocked with myself and how I did. That was my best 800 time ever. The 800 is not that bad, and when the time comes I know that I can't get out of it, so I just put my mind to it to do it. Everyone in the competition is going through the same thing, too."
Transitioning to multi-events has been increasingly smoother for Chapman with the company of teammates and fellow multis athletes Lucie Ondraschkova and Kendell Williams by her side. A senior out of the Czech Republic, Ondraschkova placed third at the SEC Championships while Williams, a freshman out of Marietta's Kell High School, earned runner-up honors at the meet and set the American Junior record earlier this year.
"It's been amazing having them – just amazing," reiterated Chapman. "The chemistry between the three of us is awesome, and I always tell Lucie and Kendell that I wouldn't be anywhere close to the progress that I've made if I wasn't training with them. They continually motivate me and have patience with me when I'm not getting something in practice. I just absolutely love our whole group. It's made my transition to multis so much easier than I thought it was going to be."
As the trio prepares for the NCAA Championships this weekend in New Mexico, Chapman aims to improve her marks in each event while also having fun in the process. The pressure of achieving a specific point value is hardly on Chapman's mind, but instead the high-energy and enthusiastic athlete wants to focus on each event individually and treat the meet like any other on the schedule.
"I just can't believe that I'm going to NCAAs, and I don't think I'll really believe it until I'm actually there," said Chapman. "My goals are to just try to improve some more – to go the extra inch in long jump or the extra inch in shot put – just little things like that. I don't really have a set amount of points that I'm shooting for, but I really just want to PR in each of them … I want to treat it just like it's any other meet."
As much success as Chapman has enjoyed this season on the track, the easy-going, down-to-earth student-athlete has made sure to save room in her busy schedule to relax, study and enjoy being a resident of Athens. Chapman lists spending time with her best friend and roommate since freshman year, Taylor Hollingsworth, and supporting fellow Georgia student-athletes in their respective sporting events as two of her favorite activities during her free time.
An avid coffee drinker, Chapman admits no shame in enjoying the caffeinated beverage on a regular basis, and she notes that her free time is often spent with Hollingsworth in the downtown Athens Starbucks, simply relaxing and enjoying the latest brews that the coffee company has to offer.
"Coffee is so addicting!" said Chapman, smiling. "I've been getting lattes a lot lately, but I just tried Starbucks' new vanilla macchiato this week. I thought it was awesome! That's just my thing – going to Starbucks and hanging with Taylor. It can be something so simple and chill, and it's perfect."
With a friendly, easygoing demeanor and a dedicated work ethic, it comes as no surprise that the Georgia native has transitioned so smoothly from sprints to multi-events. Chapman will no doubt continue to blossom under Kyprianou's tutelage, and the possibility of what she could continue to accomplish both this season and next seems excitingly endless.
"Making NCAAs in the pentathlon is definitely the most exciting point of my track career in college thus far, especially because it's my first season in multi events," said Chapman. "Petros always just reiterates the fact that we train hard, and we're going to go into the meet and perform like we've trained. That mentality has really just helped me to do well, and this weekend I just want to go out and have fun. I just want to do my best."
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Foreign Minister
Senator Carr's comments came after The Australian Financial Review exclusively revealed on Monday the government would shift another $375 million from the foreign aid budget to support the onshore processing of asylum seekers.
The move, along with the government's decision for the second year in a row to delay reaching its foreign aid spending target of 0.5 per cent of gross national income, was condemned by the Coalition and aid groups.
Opposition deputy leader and Foreign Affairs spokeswoman
Analysts have called for a decade of cuts by both the Howard government and the Gillard government to the diplomatic service to be reversed given it is now represented on the United Nations Security Council and faces a heavy and growing consular workload.
But Senator Carr ruled out more cuts and said the budget would include spending on new and upgraded diplomatic posts.
He confirmed Australia would lift its aid spending by $500 million to $5.7 billion this year but admitted the goal of achieving 0.5 per cent of GNI would be delayed to 2016-17.
Senator Carr said that as minister he had argued against the spending shift.
Ms Bishop said the government's decision to raid the aid budget to support onshore processing was "entirely inappropriate".
But she said there was an arguable case for utilising the aid budget to support offshore centres.
"There is a budget for processing asylum seeker claims . . . and we won't raid the foreign aid budget in order to do so," Ms Bishop said.
She said the Coalition would have to see the state of the budget before committing to the original 2015 timetable for achieving the aid target.
World Vision Australia chief
Oxfam Australia chief executive
The Australian Financial Review


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Dog adoption and cat adoption saves lives. Adopt a dog or adopt a cat and you'll have a friend for life! Contact us, or contact another local humane society, animal shelter or SPCA.
Applications for adoption must be filled out. We would prefer if the adoptor lived in Monrovia so we could check up on the pet, however, we would just be happy finding these animals a good home. Adoption Fee's cover spay/neuter, rabies vaccitation, canine distemper, bordetella and feline rhinotrachetis. Micro chip is also available for a extra charge of $20.00.
Why should you adopt?
Dog adoption and cat adoption saves lives. Adopt a dog or adopt a cat and you'll have a friend for life! What is the difference between adopting a dog, adopting a cat, adopting a kitten or adopting a puppy versus getting dogs for sale, cats for sale, puppies for sale or kittens for sale from a dog breeder or a cat breeder? When someone is breeding puppies or breeding kittens, they are creating new dogs and cats who need homes. Some people are interested in a very specific breed of dog, cat, puppy or kitten and they think the only way to find that specific breed is to buy a dog for sale or buy a cat for sale from a puppy breeder or a kitten breeder. Yet animal shelters are filled with dogs and cats who must find homes. So rather than buying a dog or puppy for sale from a dog breeder or buying a cat or kitten for sale from a cat breeder, we encourage people to adopt a dog, adopt a cat, adopt a puppy or adopt a kitten at their local animal shelter, SPCA, humane society or pet rescue group.


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Warriors prop and second rower Steve Rapira is out for the season after he ruptured the ACL in his right knee last weekend.
Rapira will have surgery after suffering the injury while playing for Auckland Vulcans in their New South Wales Cup match against the Mounties.
It's another cruel blow for the younger of the club's Rapira brothers.
He was in the playing squad for each of the Warriors' first three matches of the NRL season but lasted only four minutes of the third-round clash against the Cronulla Sharks on March 24 before being forced off with an ugly ear wound.
After recovering from plastic surgery to repair the damage, Rapira was making his return in the New South Wales Cup last Saturday.
He joins front rower Sione Lousi who had his season ended by an ACL injury in the first trial of the season against Gold Coast in February.
Warriors utility Sio Siua Taukeiaho was also injured playing for the Vulcans.
He'll be out for six to eight weeks after a fracture to his right lower fibula.
"No question we're having our share of injuries," said Warriors head coach Matthew Elliott.
"All of us feel for Steve as we do for Sione. It's a tough game we're involved in but it's really disappointing for all concerned when players have their seasons ended like this.
"We've got a lot of players on the injury list. It's testing our depth but it's also giving players more exposure at NRL level."
- nzherald.co.nz


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University of Scranton alumni are often in the headlines. Here is a list of links to news stories highlighting their recent accomplishments.
John A. Walsh '66, executive vice president and executive editor of ESPN, received the President's Award during the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick of Lackawanna County's annual dinner March 17. To read more, click here.
Frank Coyne '70, chairman, president, and chief executive officer of Verisk Analytics, an American financial services firm, was recently featured in the International Business Times online. To read more, click here.
William Ketcham '74, Wrentham Town administrator, was recently praised for his job performance and his contract was extended two years. To click here, read more.
Susan Swain '76 has been named co-CEO of C-SPAN, replacing Brian Lamb who recently stepped down. Swain – along with Rob Kennedy – will become co-CEOs of the channel beginning April 1. The pair had been co-presidents of the channels since 2006, and both had been with the company since the 1980s. To read more, click here.
As part of the Education for Justice series "Finding Justice After 9/11" on March 22, retired Army Colonel Mark Volk '77, G'80 talked about his experience at the Pentagon when a hijacked plane crashed into the Pentagon under his third-floor office on Sept. 11, 2001. To read more, click here.
Current Air Force Staff Judge Advocate Brigadier General Christopher Burne '80 conducted a Leader's Professional Development forum for military science level IV cadets on March 8. To read more, click here.
Bernice Tisi Tully '80 has joined the Allied's Integrated Health System in the newly created position of executive director of operations, Home Health Division. She will be responsible for the development of home health care throughout the Allied system. To read more, click here.
Peter Danchak '84, who serves as president of PNC Bank Northeast Region, responsible for 11 counties, including the Lehigh Valley, Pocono, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre/Hazleton, Bloomsburg and Danville areas, was featured in The Abington Journal. To read more, click here.
Tim O'Brien '84, a reporter with the Times Union in Albany, N.Y., covering transportation, retail and the town of Colonie, was recently profiled. To read more, click here.
Joseph Adams '85, G'96 has been named chairman of the board of directors for Human Resources Center, Inc., a multi-service, multi-county non-profit organization serving individuals with intellectual disabilities, as well as emotional and physical challenges. To read more, click here.
Eric Jacobs '87 of Forks Township was recently named Delaware Valley's athletic director, effective July 1. To read more, click here.
Deborah Moran Peterson G'88, president-elect of Kiwanis Club of Scranton, was featured in The Times-Tribune's "Talk of the Times" section, discussing the upcoming Kiwanis Club of Scranton Community Dinner and Roast April 12. To read more, click here.
Lisa A. Shearman '89, an estates, tax and business planning attorney, has joined Hamburg, Rubin, Mullin, Maxwell & Lupin PC. She will serve in the firm's estates and trust department. To read more, click here.
Kathleen Sprows Cummings '93, G'93, associate professor of American Studies, has been appointed director of the University of Notre Dame's Charles and Margaret Hall Cushwa Center for the Study of American Catholicism. To read more, click here.
Megan Morgan '95, director of tour communications for Titleist, served as the main speaker at the Society of Irish Women's 14th annual St. Patrick's Day Dinner on March 17 in Scranton. To read more, click here.
Joseph C. Baldoni '99, a certified appraiser in New Jersey and New York, has been awarded the MAI designation by the Appraisal Institute. The Appraisal Institute, organized in 1932, is recognized as the nations' largest professional appraisal organization. To read more, click here.
Matthew Bernard '99, G'03 was recently named principal at Scranton Preparatory School. He will take office on July 1. He previously served as director of alumni, director of service programs, school counselor, social studies teacher and student council moderator at the school. To read more, click here.
John L. Walker '00 was installed as president of the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick of Lackawanna County at the conclusion of the society's 107th annual dinner. Walker, along with his brother, Bob, is co-CEO of R.J. Walker Co., a Scranton-based heating, cooling and plumbing supply company started by their late father in 1954. To read more, click here.
Jason Walsh '05 of Pittston received an Academic Achievement Award at The University of Scranton for science. Walsh is pursuing a master's degree in software engineering. To read more, click here.
Jamine Mbae G'11 of Dunmore has been promoted to mortgage loan underwriter at First National Community Bank and will be responsible for analyzing residential loan documents for accuracy, completeness and compliance with appropriate company and secondary market investor standards. To read more, click here.
© 2014 The University of Scranton. Scranton, Pennsylvania 18510 (570) 941-7400


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Night 10: To the Moon, Alice!
Trip Start Jun 20, 2012
31Trip End Jul 18, 2012
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Where I stayed
Craters of the Moon National Monument
Tonight we are camping in one of my favorite places to sleep: Craters of the Moon Nat'l Monument, about 20 miles west of Arco, Idaho. This spot was part of the Oregon Trail and is a natural wonderland for those like me interested in natural history.
2100 years ago the spot where I am writing this was the north end of a 50 mile seam in the earth's crust that spewed out lava for a very long time.
Trees have a hard time here. It is dry. Soil is scarce. The sun and wind rule the black landscape. Sage is the most common plant and there is not much room for even that hardy plant. Lichen on the igneous rock reminds me that we are still in the North. Other than that, it is a barren place at first glance.
Camping here is readily available most days and cheap. In fact, on this our tenth night we have slept 9 nights in our tent for a total of $122. That is an average of $13.50 per night. The sites are big and bordered by pumice hills. The nights are usually comfortable and dry
This morning, we woke up alive in Grand Teton's Gros Ventre campground and broke camp without breakfast. We were running late. We decided to look for moose in an area we had much success with before. As we drove, we did spot one moose two miles south of our camp.
Our intended hunting ground was Moose-Wilson Road, a meandering half-paved little road connecting the parklands with Teton Village, the ski Mecca. The road runs along creeks and we have seen moose here in the ponds. Today, though, we saw no moose here. I even turned into a hot bear area at Death Canyon, but there was no sign of life in Death. We did see a party of horseriders in the woods and some great scenery.
The road ends a few miles west of Jackson so we turned back to Jackson to get prepared food from Albertson's for brunch
boiled eggs, tamales, chicken, a Boar's Head reuben... This was much better than a restaurant. It is strange to see a big box chain deli take such pride in their food.
We ate and then set off to conquer Teton Pass with its 10% grades. Being from the "Prairie State," I hate mountain passes and try to avoid them, but it was unavoidable. I took it easy going uphill, especially when I saw the engine heating up a tad. I shifted to low gear for the steep descent. Both hands gripped the wheel. Teton Pass is always a challenge.
The other side is Victor, Idaho. It sits in a valley almost completely surrounded by mountains, which meant that I had to do one more pass. This required a stop for a short rest. The next pass was formidable, but not when done the same day as Teton Pass
Idaho is mostly nothing. It is rolling green hills and struggling potato farms. Idaho is Mormons.
Soon we were at the holy LDS city of Idaho Falls, where I turned off to find the Arco area and Craters of the Moon. On the way through the plain, along the Oregon Trail, you pass boack volcanic rock fields and national lab active in energy testing. (As we know from Iran, this is
code for "nuclear testing.") Down the road is the speed trap known as Arco and just past Arco is Craters of the Moon NM.
I already explained the beauty and specialness of this place
We were screened and permitted to spelunk in Craters. Andrew was very eager to try this out so we hurried right to the most accessible cave area. These caves were carved out by underground flowages of lava during an eruption 21 centuries ago. Most of the caves we saw had been destroyed when roofs caved in. The first intact cave we encountered was Boy Scout Cave. It was very dark, had a floor of ice, and a 6 foot drop to enter and exit. I decided this was above our level, which caused the boy to have an absolute fit.
I opted for Indian Cave since I had been in it once before and survived
We also went to take a look at the splatter cones, including one so deep that it is constantly filled with snow. After this, we returned to camp only if we promised Andrew that we would go "mountain climbing" in the morning. He was a very crabby boy with severely chapped lips and way past his Central Time Zone bedtime. He was eventually calmed by a board game based on national parks and the ranger's evening program at the campground: a lesson on raptors. I learned that owls cannot move their eyes. Who would've guessed.
I made soup, wrote a bit, and enjoyed the kind of worryless sleep one can only enjoy at Craters, where the biggest invader possible at your campsite is a chipmunk.


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The CEA, French Atomic Energy Commission, is a public body established in 1945. As a leader in research, development and innovation, the CEA (http://www.cea.fr/english_portal) is active in three main fields: Energy, Information & Health Technologies and Defense & National Security. In each of these fields, the CEA maintains a cross-disciplinary culture of engineers and researchers, building upon the synergies between fundamental and technological research. The Silicon Nanoelectronics Photonics and Structures (SiNaPS) (http://inac.cea.fr/en/Phocea/Vie_des_labos/Ast/ast_groupe.php?id_groupe=152) laboratory is located in Grenoble, France within the Minatec (http://www.minatec.com/minatec_uk/index.htm) center and belongs to the Institute for Nanoscience and Cryogenics of CEA (INAC) (http://inac.cea.fr/en/). The laboratory is committed to research on physics and optics of low-dimensional silicon based nanostructures and their applications to the emerging fields of nanophotonics and nanoelectronics.
The SiNaPS laboratory will use the system to further develop research programs on semiconductor nanowires. These programs are in close collaboration with the Laboratorie des Technologies de la Microelectronique (LTM) and the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) which also took part in funding the system. "The purchase of the EasyTube3000 will enlarge the spectrum of our research with the growth of heterostructured nanowires, their doping, and with the possibility to extend the growth to a wide variety of other materials thanks to the liquid precursor kits. Our projects cover fundamental aspects (growth, carrier transport ... ) as well as potential applications (Nano Electronics, Solar Energy, Nanophotonics, MEMS and Sensors," states Pascal Gentile, Engineer from CEA.
To date, SiGe Nanowires have been produced in a few research laboratories by UHVCVD. It remains a challenge to control the diameter, length, uniformity and purity of the synthesized SiGe Nanowires because of their low dimensionality. First Nano's EasyTube ET3000 system provides the precise control of pressure, chemical delivery and temperature for SiGe Nanowire synthesis. "The integrated turn-key system expands our international installed base of equipment designed for enabling tomorrow's technology," states Gary Dyal, Director, Marketing/Sales of First Nano.
First Nano, a division of CVD Equipment Corporation (Nasdaq: CVV) (http://cvdequipment.com
Other Headlines from First Nano ... - Veteran First Nano Enables Startup Carbon Nanoprobes to Accelerate the Commercialization of Nanotech Application - First Nano Ships UHV SiGe Nanowire System to CEA / Grenoble, France - First Nano Grows Ultra-Long High Purity Aligned Carbon Nanotubes - First Nano Receives CE Mark For The EasyTube 2000 System
More Products Headlines ... - Nanologix introduces new "Petri Flat Pack", to exhibit at American Society for Microbiology annual meeting in New Orleans and unveils new website - Developing OLED Displays with CRAIC Technologies Microscope Spectrophotometers - Elec-Tech Places Order for Multiple MaxBright MOCVD Systems - Middle Tennessee State University Selects the TESCAN LYRA 3 FIB-SEM Workstation - STMicroelectronics Reveals Best-In-Class Technology Enabling Longer-Lasting Broadcast and Medical-Imaging Equipment


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Dutch Manor Antique Hotel
Select your stay dates to check availability at Dutch Manor Antique Hotel
Dutch Manor Antique Hotel
About the Hotel
Property Location
Dutch Manor Antique Hotel is in the heart of Cape Town, walking distance from AVA Gallery and Cape Town Museum. This 4-star hotel is close to Victoria and Alfred Waterfront and Table Mountain.
Make yourself at home in one of the 6 air-conditioned rooms featuring flat-screen televisions. Rooms have private balconies. Complimentary wireless Internet access keeps you connected, and satellite programming is available for your entertainment. Private bathrooms with showers feature complimentary toiletries and hair dryers.
Take in the views from a rooftop terrace and a garden and make use of amenities such as complimentary wireless Internet access.
A complimentary English breakfast is served daily.
Business, Other Amenities
Featured amenities include complimentary newspapers in the lobby, dry cleaning/laundry services, and luggage storage. A roundtrip airport shuttle is provided for a surcharge (available on request), and extended parking is available onsite.
Hotel Facilities
- Free WiFi
- Airport transportation (surcharge)
- RV, bus, truck parking (surcharge)
- Self parking (surcharge)
- In-room accessibility
- Laundry facilities
- Designated smoking areas (fines apply)
- Dry cleaning/laundry service
- Free breakfast
- Rooftop terrace
- Concierge services
- Parking (limited spaces)
- Number of buildings/towers - 1
- Luggage storage
- Tours/ticket assistance
- Number of floors - 2
- Library
- Garden
- Year Built 1812
- Designated smoking areas
- Accessible bathroom
- Free newspapers in lobby
- Total number of rooms - 6
Room Facilities
- Blackout drapes/curtains
- Hair dryer
- Slippers
- Coffee/tea maker
- Premium TV channels
- Air conditioning
- Flat-panel TV
- In-room safe
- Free WiFi
- Daily housekeeping
- Desk
- Free bottled water
- Free newspaper
- Free toiletries
- Private bathroom
- Phone
- Satellite TV service
- Separate dining area
- Washer/dryer
- Balcony
- Shower only
Hotel Policy
National Rating
Quality Graded by the Tourism Grading Council of South Africa (TGCSA) – South Africa's official quality assurance organization.
Know Before You Go
- This property offers transfers from the airport (surcharges may apply). Guests must contact the property with arrival details 24 hours prior to arrival, using the contact information on the booking confirmation.
- Children 15 years old and younger are not permitted at this property.
- No pets and no service animals are allowed at this property.
The following fees and deposits are charged by the property at time of service, check-in, or check-out.
- Airport shuttle fee: ZAR 80.00 per person (roundtrip)
The above list may not be comprehensive. Fees and deposits may not include tax and are subject to change.Show all hotel policy Show less hotel policy


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French government may water down 75 pct tax after setback
By Catherine Bremer
PARIS (Reuters) - The derailment of President Francois Hollande's 75 percent millionaires' tax presents a chance to water down a scheme which hurt France's image with investors but the Socialist leader is unlikely to give up without a fight.
Hollande pledged to press ahead with a redrafted tax on the wealthy next year after the Constitutional Council's decision on Saturday to strike down the emblematic rate on income over 1 million euros ($1.32 million).
But the Socialist president, who won office in May, avoided referring specifically to the 75 percent rate which has made some of France's wealthy, including film star Gerard Depardieu, announce they will move abroad.
"We will still ask more of those who have the most," Hollande said in a televised New Year's address on Monday, without providing details of the new proposal.
Among bankers at least, expectations are growing that the tax may look very different when the government comes back with a revised plan even if the original had strong public backing.
"I suspect this tax will be shelved," said Philippe Gudin, a France economist for Barclays and a former Treasury official.
"For the (low amount of) revenue it would raise, the outcry it has provoked and the damage it has done to France's image, it would be more sensible if it were quietly buried."
The Council said the tax was unfair as it would hit married couples where only one partner earned above a million euros but would not affect couples where each earned just under a million. Continued...


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Arthur Court Elephant Spoon Rest
We're sorry, but this particular item has sold out online, so you will not be able to add it to your shopping bag. Please try a different color or size, if applicable.
An unforgettable African Safari inspired Arthur Court's Elephant collection. Made from sand-cast, hand-polished aluminum, this spoon rest is not only durable, but easy to care for. From serving platters to elegant wine bottle holders, this collection offers something for everyone.
- 8-in. L x 3.5-in. W
- Limited lifetime warranty
- Aluminum
- Hand wash
- Imported
Shipping & Returns
Shipping your purchase is easy on belk.com. Depending on the destination of your package, you can expect it to arrive within 4-7 business days. Shipping Information
Returns are easy on belk.com. Easy returns
Arthur Court leads the way in sophisticated and functional metal serveware. The brand draws on experiences in nature to create unique pieces perfect for everyday use and display. Arthur Court has flourished in the Southeast due to its exceptionally ornate design of alternative metal pieces. One of the most extensive collections is Grape, a beautifully polished and classic collection sure to complement any entertainer's style.


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Ama 08-12 17:13
I'm really interested in purchasing the medieval Norway cosplay but I find the fabric to be much too shiny, is the female version that doesn't have a picture any less shiny?
CosplayFu ([email protected]) 08-12 21:06
Hello Ama, the actual costume is just same as the photo shown; if you'd like to change the material, please submit ticket (with product link & request) to our Support Center and let my teammate helps you directly. n_n


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|Wallace Partridge
Wallace was wounded at Shiloh, or perhaps immediately afterward in a skirmish on the Corinth Road and had to leave military service for some time to recover. A local newspaper, the Carlinville Free Democrat, made note of the injury and the terrible losses suffered at Shiloh. On December 22, 1962, Wallace re-enlisted and served until the end of the war.
In 1864, Wallace took part in the March to the Sea, a very famous moment in the history of the war. From Wikipedia:
Sherman's March to the Sea is the name commonly given to the Savannah Campaign conducted through Georgia from November 15 to December 21, 1864 by Maj. Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman of the Union Army in the American Civil War. The campaign began with Sherman's troops leaving the captured city of Atlanta, Georgia, on November 16 and ended with the capture of the port of Savannah on December 21. Sherman's forces destroyed military targets as well as industry, infrastructure, and civilian property. Military historian David J. Eicher wrote that Sherman "defied military principles by operating deep within enemy territory and without lines of supply or communication. He destroyed much of the South's physical and psychological capacity to wage war."


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Click on a thumbnail to go to Google Books.
The Prince Of Soul And The Lighthouse
by Fredrik Brouneus
No current Talk conversations about this book.
The Prince of Soul and the Lighthouse by Fredrik Brounéus is the first novel published in English by the Swedish author who now lives in New Zealand. I didn't realise until I started reading, but it's actually a YA book. Obviously I missed the main character's age in the blurb... that or I forgot the blurb to a greater extent than I usually do.
What happens when we die?
This has been the third question on mankind's FAQ list since the dawn of time (numbers one and two being: Is this edible? and Excuse me, would you care to breed?).
I know what happens. Believe me, I'd rather not. But I do.
There is a lighthouse, and it guides our souls along the narrow path to being reborn as humans. It's the light at the end of the tunnel. Unfortunately, as my undead granddad and the Tibetan special mission monk in my kitchen have kindly told me, there's a problem with the lighthouse. And if the world is to be saved, someone needs to fix it.
Which is where I come in: George Larson, eighteen years old. Who could possibly be better suited to save the world?
Well, almost anyone. Especially as being a teenage guy is nothing at all about question three but all about questions one and two.
And really, that's complicated enough as it is.
This was an engaging read. George is an ordinary teenager who wants to be a famous musician and get the girl. Then a spider communicates with him and he starts to have weird dreams in which his recently deceased grandfather visits him to drink coffee and smoke. When his mother finds a cigarette butt and some ants spell out SOS, he starts to really freak out. Things don't get less weird from there.
The Prince of Soul and the Lighthouse might have a long title, but it was a pretty short novel. Most of the story is taken up by George and associates gallivanting around New Zealand on a quest given to him by a monk (and also, like, the universe). The writing style is well paced and quirky, with several conversations occurring between various body parts of George's. The style also felt quick to read (which may just be me) so that it felt like I was turning pages quite quickly. It also made me giggle at times.
In terms of weird happenings, the plot is the sort where it's not easy to guess what's going on until someone explains it to the main character — and the monk spends a lot of time not explaining anything. But this does add to the tension and excitement. And confusion, both for the George and the reader, but not in a bad way. It kept me turning the pages despite some of the odder plot twists.
I want to mention the ending because it was sort of unusual. It definitely fit with the story and it wasn't a surprise per se, but looking back, it was pretty, well, un-Hollywood. I want to say un-USian, but given that there are yanks in the story in opposition to George, that's less specific. What I'm trying to say is that the Swedish/New Zealish author wrote a story that probably would not have been framed the same way if it had been written by a yank. (The portrayal of the bad guys notwithstanding.) I would be interested to hear if anyone else who's read The Prince of Soul and the Lighthouse feels similarly.
I have to say there were a few plot-y revelations that I felt sceptical of, but overall it was a fun read. I would recommend The Prince of Soul and the Lighthouse to readers looking for a slightly unconventional and humorous YA novel. It's a quick read and I think fans of adult quirky books will also enjoy it. Oh, also, there are a few illustrations scattered throughout, if that's your kind of thing.
4 / 5 stars
You can read more of my reviews on my blog.
I liked this book a lot. It's the first book for which I've been asked to provide a book-cover quote, and here is what I said:
"This road trip with reincarnation is full of teenage hormones, forbidden - well, inadvisable - love, signs, portents and coffee-addicted zombies. If the Dalai Lama and Terry Pratchett collaborated on a novel, it might read something like this."
References to this work on external resources.
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A comic science fiction novel about an Otago high school student who must find a way to fix the lighthouse that guides human souls towards reincarnation. Suggested level: secondary.
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A mail carrier filed a lawsuit over a dog bite attack in 2009 that left him permanently injured. Mark Vicens sustained "multiple bite marks" to his right and left shins, left leg and calf muscles, along with lacerations and abrasions after being bitten by a male Yorkie as he delivered his mail.
He was delivering mail to a local business owned by Richard Monaco. Monaco is infamous for publicized incidents involving his neighbors. He has a chicken business and has the nickname of "Chicken Man."
The dog bite lawsuit claims that Vicens received severe permanent, disfiguring and debilitating injuries. Other problems from the dog bite include numerous ailments, severe headaches, emotional distress, depression, loss of sleep, fear of dogs, and nightmares.
The dog that attacked Vicens is owned by Monaco's girlfriend, he said.
"It was under my care at the time. I was dog-sitting for my girlfriend at the time," Monaco said.
"This wasn't a Rottweiler. It was a little 5-pound dog." Monaco said. "The mailman never reported it to me that day. I do remember that," he said.
He also did not witness the dog bite.
The lawsuit seeks $25,000 got compensatory damages.
Seattle dog bite attorney Chris Davis wrote a book entitled When the Dog Bites: The Essential Guide to Dog Bite Claims in Washington. To learn more about dog bite injuries and filing a claim, order a free copy of his book by clicking here.
Mr. Davis has handled many high profile dog bite cases, many of which involve the police department. Contact Davis Law Group at (206) 727-4000 if you were injured in a dog attack in Washington State.
Mailman Sues After Dog Bite Attack, Suffering From Permanent Injuries
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A new White House Council of Economic Advisers report estimates 20,100 Minnesota jobs saved or created so far from spending in the federal stimulus bill.
OK, where are they? It's the question we keep asking and the hardest one to answer. The White House estimate is basically a best guess. Still, I'm looking at employment data and MPR reporting and I don't see it.
On October 10, Minnesota officials will report to the feds on direct jobs created via stimulus spending (might be a couple weeks later before it's made public). "We don't have any estimates yet," says a Labor Department spokeswoman. "Because that report will only have direct jobs, and not direct and indirect… it will likely report fewer jobs created than the 20,100."
Here's my run at looking for those 20,000 jobs. Email me or post below if you find anything different or think I'm off base.
Are they in the overall employment data? No. Here's a chart from the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development showing MN employment data since February, when the stimulus was passed.
Employment rose by a little more than 13,000 from March to July. Even if you assumed that all those jobs were stimulus driven (a big stretch), you're still 7,000 short of what the White House is estimating. You'd then need to assume that 7,000 jobs were saved. The unemployment rate barely budged in that period.
Are they in roads and bridges? No. While transportation construction gleaned a lot of the attention initially, the reality is that fewer than 3,000 jobs so far can be tied to Minnesota stimulus road construction. Here's the Transportation Department's most recent data.
|Projects put out to bid
|Projects under contract
|Projects underway
|Projects complete
|Jobs directly related to projects (employees of contractor, sub-contractors and consultants.)
We kept tabs on a project in western Minnesota with the help of Brent Olson, a source in MPR's Public Insight Network. Bottom line: the project produced no new permanent jobs.
That's also what MPR reporter Mark Zdechlik found when he went looking for the stimulus boost in a roads project in St. Peter.
In that story, Zdechlik wrote:
Until recently, MNDOT has been saying that for every $1 million spent, as many as 27 jobs could be directly and indirectly created. But those projections were based on what MnDOT says were old Federal Highway Administration figures.
MnDOT now says the jobs numbers could be less than half that; a total of 5,400 jobs rather than 13,500
Remember: Back in February Gov. Tim Pawlenty was touting Federal Highway Administration numbers saying Minnesota would get 5,000 jobs just from the first 60 greater Minnesota projects.
Anyone put out an estimate close to 20,000? Not that I found. My colleague Mike Caputo blogged on a local hearing on the stimulus a few weeks ago. The job numbers he heard in the hearing:
- 54 St. Paul police officers saved.
- 10 new jobs for a contractor working to rehab the Job Corps building.
- 176 jobs saved by weatherization projects in Ramsey and Washington counties.
- 170 jobs preserved in improving public housing in St. Paul.
- 1,500 people hired to teach challenged kids (albeit temporarily).
- 5,000 teaching positions saved.
That's about 7,000 jobs.
One source in our Network told us recently she's been hired with stimulus money on contract to help in a state jobless center. Avangelina McKnight of Mound wrote:
It is very difficult for job hunters. I hear people say "just get a job, any job." I was networking, informational interviewing, part of groups and applying for jobs. After being unemployed for 18 months, I gladly took the position at a 30% drop in income, more than twice the commute.
In her current post, "there is not a day goes by that I do not get tear-filled eyes when speaking with (unemployment insurance) applicants and listening to their search, struggle and worry."
The White House still predicts the stimulus will save or create 66,000 jobs in Minnesota. By that calculation, we're about a third of the way to the goal. But where are they?
If you're seeing — or seeking — some economic benefit from the federal stimulus bill, tell us about it.


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Countless threads in the forums have been dedicated to it. Debates have raged on about it. Friendships have started – and ended – over it. More importantly, perhaps, many CatholicMatch members have avoided going on dates because of it.
I am referring, of course, to the seven faith questions on every CatholicMatch member's profile. (In filling out our dating profiles, we are each asked whether we accept seven matters of church doctrine: the Eucharist, contraception, sanctity of life, papal infallibility, premarital sex, immaculate conception and holy orders.)
Is there any CatholicMatch forum fan who hasn't seen heated discussions about it?
While no one should compromise their beliefs or religious commitment, nor should anyone feel forced to accept another ideology if it conflicts with their own, I think it might be helpful to look at these seven questions in a different light.
Instead of viewing them as a litmus test for a future prospect, perhaps we could use them as a means of understanding one another.
I'll use myself as an example. I grew up in a Catholic: weekly mass, prayers each night and Grace at meals. Icons and crucifixes featured prominently in our home. Everyone had their own rosary.
I also went to Catholic school for 10 years straight, as well as a Catholic college for my undergraduate degree. Not once was a Bible opened. Not once was the role of the pope discussed. No one questioned why women weren't ordained; we knew we wouldn't get an answer. Other than a poster of the Ten Commandments in every classroom, we never never learned about any church teachings.
I look at the list of seven now and know for sure that five of them were never discussed. The other two, sanctity of life and premarital sex, were learned not so much from discussions as from unspoken warnings. If I hadn't paid attention to these unspoken warnings, as was the case with many of my classmates, I would not understand what the church taught.
How could my upbringing yield such a disconnect? How could it be that 10 years of Catholic school did not result in a thorough understanding of these teachings? It could very well be the fault of my particular school, but I think this case is far more widespread.
From what I gathered reading threads in the forum, it appears that many are in my situation: They simply never learned the church teachings. The one-sentence explanation in the profile may not be enough for a true understanding of the teachings.
Of course, members are free to find out more from their parish or from countless Christian websites. But the issue here has more to do with how we are approaching our fellow members whose understandings differ from our own.
A closer look
Sure, many members simply check off "yes" to all seven and leave it at that. The others, however, who check "no" may have a plethora of reasons for doing so. Those reasons may not have anything to do with disagreeing with the Church. It may just be a case of not knowing the full scope of the teaching.
I fully admit that when I first joined CatholicMatch many years ago, I checked "no" for papal infallibility. I was thinking of it only in terms of the church scandals. However, since then, I've read up on the role of the pope, as well as excerpts from encyclicals – in large part, I might add, from forum discussions. I've learned of the many wonderful things our pontiffs have done for the Church. I came to a new understanding of the word "infallibility" and changed my profile after that.
One case I remember reading about in the forum was from a young man who'd checked "no" for premarital sex ecause he'd committed this sin in the past. Through the forum discussion, he'd learned that the question applied only to current beliefs, not to past transgressions. He changed his profile, and thanked the forumites for their sage advice.
Another CatholicMatch member checked "no" about holy orders because she truly thought women should be able to serve. A profound discussion ensued about the role of men and of women in the Church. She came to understand that this teaching is not about the exclusion of women, but rather about the various roles that both men and women can serve, in different – but equally important – ways.
While the plethora of 7/7 threads cover the same ground, I think the issue is an important one to discuss. We should continue to have a dialogue about the Church teachings, and it should be done in the spirit of Christian charity rather than condemnation.
In this very same spirit of acceptance and open-hearted charity, I wonder if anyone on CatholicMatch would try something different: instead of saying "Next!" when browsing a profile that is less than 7/7, perhaps we could ask that member to elaborate on their response. The answer may be beneficial for both parties involved: One could make a new friend and the other could learn more about our wonderful Catholic faith.


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Get your revenge - gracefully
The Sun-Herald
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Ex factor: Sienna Miller faces up to life without Jude Law.
Photo: Reuters
Note to Sienna: you can date a movie star - and survive. And there are three high-profile divorcees who would know, Saska Graville writes.
It's hard to imagine a world in which Sienna Miller would be an object of pity. Gorgeous, rich and talented, she's not exactly charity material.
Yet Miller's moment of glory at the Venice Film Festival last week was overshadowed by the dastardly antics of her ex, Jude Law. Instead of basking in the glow of her first starring role - alongside Heath Ledger in Casanova - Miller had to contend with questions about her love life. Not what an aspiring "serious" actor wants to talk about.
To her credit, Miller handled the situation with humour. "I've met a few Casanovas that I've liked and a few that I haven't," she told a press conference. "And I hope to meet some more."
Miller is suffering Post Pin-up Depression (PPD), a disorder frequently afflicting the exes of handsome, famous men. More used to fabulous coupledom, to nights of strolling the red carpet arm in arm, the starlet suddenly finds herself alone, discarded by her famous other half for a newer model. Or, in Miller's humiliating case, a more geographically convenient nanny.
Luckily for Miller she can turn to a recently published book, How To Marry A Movie Star - And Survive, co-written by three of the world's most famous ex-wives, Jennifer Aniston, Nicole Kidman and Miller's predecessor, Sadie Frost.
OK, we made that up: there is no book. But imagine if the uber-divorcees got together to dispense their collective PPD advice? Their tips for post-high-profile divorce success would make riveting reading. Until the three stars decide to put pen to paper, we've done some ghostwriting for them. Inspired by their triumph over PPD, here are some rules for success.
Get your own day job
In the week it was revealed that Sadie Frost had received a $6 million settlement from ex-husband Jude Law, Frost was able to gloat that her fledgling fashion design company, FrostFrench, was starting to show a profit. One of the most eagerly anticipated runway shows at next week's London Fashion Week, FrostFrench may not be in the million-pound league quite yet but the label certainly gives Frost the chance of financial independence.
That independence, says psychotherapist and relationships counsellor Phillip Hodson, is essential in a partnership where the man is already successful and well established. "Always keep an egotist guessing about whether you 'belong to him'," Hodson says. "Don't over-rely or become too dependent on him."
Frost may not have got into the fashion game until her marriage was over, but Hodson is clear that a strong, independent woman is essential for a high-profile partnership to succeed. "Be as tough as Annette Bening with Warren Beatty," he advises. "Define your area of responsibility, take no crap and mean what you say. These men are childlike, potential bullies and will pounce on your weaknesses."
Campaign for attention: Nicole Kidman's glam ad.
Be really nice about your ex
"I hope he's happy, it's that simple," is the supremely diplomatic comment given by Nicole Kidman when asked recently about her ex-husband's very public engagement to a woman 17 years his junior. "If he's happy, our kids are happy. He's had a few girlfriends now and it's been years - we've moved on."
Nice one, Nicole. A sure way to come out on top in the post-break-up public opinion polls is to never, ever dish dirt.
Similarly, have you heard a bad word from everyone's best Friend's mouth about her ex-husband's beachside happy snaps with Angelina Jolie? Absolutely not. "We exited this relationship as beautifully as we entered it," coos Jennifer Aniston. "I love Brad; I really love him. I will love him for the rest of my life. He's a fantastic man." He's also the man who has "exited beautifully" with a world-class sexpot, even posing for 60 pages of "Mr and Mrs" style photos with her in W magazine. But again, not a bad word from Aniston even in her Vanity Fair cover story: she knows the PPD rules and she's not deviating. "Brad is not mean-spirited; he would never intentionally try to rub something in my face."
How sweet. Luckily, Aniston's friends are less PPD politically correct. Which leads us to:
Let your friends do the talking
Pioneered by Princess Diana, the art of allowing your "close friends" to talk candidly to the press lets your true feelings be made public without a single nasty word passing your lips. Highly skilled PPD tactics - and highly effective.
Want to know what Aniston really thought of those 60 pages of cosy Pitt/Jolie photos? "You want to shake the shit out of him and say, 'your timing sucks!'." Now that's more like it. Except that it's an anonymous friend of Aniston's talking, not the injured party herself.
It doesn't matter who said it, the point is that the sentiment has been voiced out loud, public opinion couldn't agree more and Aniston scores another point in the PPD game of staying on top.
She also avoids the trap of seeming to engage the media in her private life. Playing this game, Hodson says, can be extremely dangerous. "It depends on the goal," he says. "If you want movie publicity because you sold your soul to the devil - or to L. Ron Hubbard - years ago, then it is simply what you will do. Otherwise it is stupid and will bite you later."
Play it cool
Regardless of whether Tom Cruise has sold his soul (or his sanity), a relationship conducted in the glare of the public eye is tough to sustain. A smart star is one who keeps their emotional cards close to their chest. While Law felt compelled to issue a public apology to Miller in the wake of Nanny-gate, his estranged fiance's reaction has been dignified, low key and, above all, private.
"In a high-profile relationship it is difficult to manage discretion, privacy and confidentiality," Hodson says. "But it begs the question of why celebrities seek fame in the first place. Perhaps they are already emotionally damaged because they need adulation and public approval."
And who needs damaged goods, even if they do come with rich, movie-star perks?
Get a pet toy boy
While she may not be leaping on sofas on national television and declaring her love, 40-year-old Sadie Frost's post-Jude love affair with 24-year-old flamenco guitarist Jackson Scott has been supreme PPD game-playing at work. Wondering how Frost was feeling as her ex-husband and his new blonde became the most photographed couple in the world? Snaps of her on a beach in Thailand accompanied by Jackson and her best friend, Kate Moss, suggested that she was doing just fine.
"It is natural to feel jealous when your ex reconnects with someone," Hodson says. So you might as well make that a much younger someone - and rave about their youthful perfection to anyone who'll listen.
"Jackson is the most beautiful, most pure person I've ever known," Frost sighed. It's just that the minute her divorce was official and the multimillion-pound settlement signed, sealed and delivered, Jackson was also history.
"I realised he needed some space and that I needed some space," she said. "We're at such different stages of life."
Make sure your face is seen more than your ex's
Frost and her young beau may have been photographed at plenty of parties, but there's an even more effective way for a glamorous divorcee to keep her face in the public - and her ex's - eye: get an advertising campaign.
What better way for Nicole Kidman to prove her desirability credentials post-Tom than for her to be the face of Chanel? That's a seriously glamorous endorsement for a girl who used to bemoan her pale, freckly complexion.
And if Ethan Hawke ever has pangs of guilt about cheating on the mother of his two children with a younger model, then the billboards of a smoothly blonde Uma Thurman advertising Louis Vuitton should make him feel better. Not. A glowingly beautiful Thurman would be gazing out at her ex-husband from every magazine he opens. Not sure how many high-profile advertising contracts his model flingette has scored, but we doubt Thurman is feeling threatened. (Being photographed with high-profile buddies like John Travolta and Quentin Tarantino wouldn't hurt either.)
Leave the mid-life crisis to the boys
Has Jennifer Aniston faced the world with a strange new haircut, or Sadie Frost been caught canoodling with the hired help? It seems that while the female victims of PPD are able to carry on their lives with a degree of dignity, their male exes are left to behave like teenagers. "Billy Idol called - he wants his look back," is Aniston's famous put-down when asked about Pitt's newly bleached, spiky locks.
"Actors tend to suffer from esteem issues," Hodson says. "Of course, a male mid-life crisis is not about a bad hair day but about internal conflict - 'I no longer enjoy my life as I thought I would', 'Plan A hasn't worked out, oh God, I need plans B through to F'."
A smart PPD survivor doesn't give in to self-pity. "People say to me that I've had a really tough time, but I don't buy that," Frost says. "I find it patronising. I've gone through a lot of bad stuff, but so many people go through so many things. You just have to get on with it."
Don't be afraid to show your weaknesses
While a stoic adherence to the above rule is recommended, it's never a bad thing for a wronged party to show the public a hint of her fragile side. Frost's refusal to be a victim is admirable, but she's careful to reveal that she has hurt feelings too. "A few days ago I was at my mum's house and everyone around me was in a couple except me," she says. "I did cry then."
Kidman is open about her emotional dependence on her mother and sister, and Aniston preaches the power of professional help. "I believe in therapy," she says. "I think it's an incredible tool in educating the self on the self."
Such personal revelations make us warm to the stars even more because "we can identify with them", Hodson says. "They behave like us. However, someone like Tom Cruise is harder to read because he always seems to be acting."
Always believe in a Hollywood happy ending
"I had a dream last night about having the baby," Kidman revealed recently. "'The baby!' I'm calling it 'the baby' like it's real!"
Kidman's dream-time optimism shows that every PPD survivor believes in a happy ending. "I would love to get married again," Kidman says, "and have a baby."
Sadie Frost dreams of a life away from the bright lights and paparazzi of her London existence. "I want to be able to spend more time with my kids and have loads of animals," she says.
As for Aniston? "I think there are many people, many soul mates," she says optimistically. "There's an amazing man wandering the streets right now who's the father of my children."
Let's hope these three divorcees get together soon to write that book - the celebrity world could do with some of their hard-earned wisdom.
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Analysis: India's deficit-cutting plan faltering as clock ticks
By Ross Colvin and Rajesh Kumar Singh
NEW DELHI (Reuters) - India's finance minister has banned government officials from holding conferences at five-star hotels, restricted travel and ordered a freeze on hiring to fill vacant posts.
A single-minded political veteran who commands both fear and respect in Indian officialdom, P. Chidambaram is squeezing government ministries hard to cut spending wherever they can, and quickly, to help rein in a widening fiscal deficit.
He is a man under pressure and with an eye on the clock.
Four weeks ago to the day, he set himself an ambitious target: to hold the government's fiscal deficit for 2012/2013 to 5.3 percent of gross domestic product, even as skeptical private economists forecast a deficit closer to 6 percent.
But a series of revenue-raising setbacks since October 29 now means it will be almost impossible for the government to meet that target, economists say, and some finance ministry officials privately agree. That increases the risk that credit rating agencies could downgrade India to junk in the coming months.
"This has taken on a very great sense of urgency," said Rajiv Biswas, chief Asia economist at market information and analytics company IHS, as he called on Chidambaram to draw up a credible medium-term road-map for cutting the deficit.
The deficit reduction plan unveiled by Chidambaram last month was panned by economists for being short on specifics and putting a firewall around fuel subsidies and expensive social welfare programs for the country's millions of poor.
A month earlier a deficit reduction panel appointed by Chidambaram had urged the government to cut such spending. Their language was dramatic: India was on the edge of a "fiscal precipice" and the economy was "flashing red lights", they said. Continued...


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It's Dec. 12, 2012 or 12/12/12, the last time we will experience a sequential day, month, and year combination in our lifetimes. The next time will be 10/10/10 in 2110.
Read the full story here Web Link posted Tuesday, December 11, 2012, 11:19 PM
Town Square
12/12/12 - It's last sequential day, month, year in our lifetime
Original post made on Dec 12, 2012
Like this commentPosted by Alamo Ron
a resident of Alamo
on Dec 12, 2012 at 11:27 pm
"The next time will be 10/10/10 in 2110."
Really? Better lay off the eggnog. January 1, 2101 is 01/01/01.