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The annual rate of sales of cars and light trucks improved in 2013 from about 14.9 million units in January to almost 15.7 million units in December. In other words, the actual number of vehicles sold in December would translate into 15.7 million for a whole year at the same rate. That's a dramatic turnaround from the annual rate of 9.5 million units in the summer of 2009.
Some expect the auto industry to remain strong because of the aging U.S. fleet, which is well beyond the typical replacement cycle. Also, new fuel standards mean that many new vehicles and drive trains will come on line over the next five years. Both of these help support motor-vehicle and parts production.
However, there are a couple of reasons to be cautious about the automotive industry. While sales have been strong, dealer inventories have been building. Perhaps more importantly, the industry has plunged back into sub-prime lending to generate new sales. Car loans are now being extended to as long as eight years. This is a sign that the consumer is only able to afford the new car by getting the monthly payment as low as possible. Going to these extremes to sell cars should make OEMs and their suppliers cautious about the future.
Unless inflation begins to pick up, real interest rates will not support more consumer debt for much longer. Also, the rate of growth in real disposable income has been slowing since October 2011. Because of the trends in interest rates and income, real motor-vehicle and parts spending has been growing more slowly since May 2013. As a result of slower growth in spending, production of motor vehicles and parts has been growing at a slower rate since November 2012. Even though the rate of growth has been slowing for more than a year, it is still at a historically high level.
Our automotive business index shows that the industry has grown for seven straight months. The industry has grown at a slightly faster rate in each of the last two months. New orders have grown for the last five months. Over the last four months, the rate of growth in new orders has been quite strong. Production has expanded in the last five months as well. It has generally been on an uptrend since the end of 2012. Since June 2012, backlogs generally were improving, which indicated increased capacity utilization in motor-vehicle and parts manufacturing.
However, the backlog index looks to have broken its uptrend in January. Employment contracted in two of the last three months. Exports increased in five of the last six months. Future business expectations have improved significantly since April 2013.
Steven Kline Jr. is part of the fourth-generation ownership team of Cincinnati-based Gardner Business Media, which is the publisher of Plastics Technology. He is currently the company's director of market intelligence. Contact: (513) 527-8800; email: firstname.lastname@example.com; blog: gardnerweb.com/economics/blog.


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February 5th, 2013
Washington (CNN) - CNN has learned there are now at least five Republican senators who would oppose a filibuster of former Sen. Chuck Hagel to be secretary of defense, all but ensuring the embattled nominee will be confirmed in the coming days.
According to a CNN survey of senators, the five are Thad Cochran of Mississippi and Mike Johanns of Nebraska -who both support Hagel taking over the top post at the Pentagon – and John McCain of Arizona, Richard Burr of North Carolina, and Tom Coburn of Oklahoma – who all oppose Hagel's nomination but also disagree with blocking it by filibuster.
At least four other Republican senators – Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Dean Heller of Nevada and Roy Blunt of Missouri - have said they are not inclined to back a filibuster but haven't made a final decision.
While no Republican senator has said definitively he or she will filibuster Hagel, several have suggested they might, including the two senators from Texas, Ted Cruz and John Cornyn who is the second-ranking Senate Republican.
If a filibuster were launched, it would take 60 votes to cut it off. There are 53 Democrats in the Senate plus two independents who regularly vote with them. So the additional five Republicans would provide the votes needed to break a filibuster.
Democratic aides tell CNN they expect no defections from their side.
While there is considerable Republican opposition to Hagel, a former Republican senator from Nebraska, many senators believe strongly a president has the right to pick his Cabinet members and get an up or down vote on their qualifications. In the country's history, a Cabinet nominee never has faced a formal filibuster, according to the office of the Senate historian.
A confirmation vote could come as early as Thursday in the Senate Armed Services committee, which held a hearing on the nomination last week.
A floor vote has not been scheduled yet, according to a Democratic leadership aide.

subset: commoncrawl


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Industry News
RETAIL: Depasquale Style
Some salons just know how to do retail. MODERN stopped by Depasquale The Spa in Morris Plains, NJ to see how they prepare for the holidays. Salon/spa co-owner Justin Depasquale takes us on a tour of the space which includes jewelry, clothing, accessories and oodles of "hostess gifts". Although the boutique itself is 1000 square feet (a fraction of the 24,000 square foot salon and spa), there are additional retail displays scattered throughout the salon floor and spa area.
Before leaving we asked Boutique and Retail Manager Jessica Klein how sales are going. "It's amazing," she says. "Our retail is fantastic, but this season things are better than usual." When asked if there were any retail surprises, Klein picked up a small bag (selling for $85) which conceals cell phone chargers. "I can't keep these in stock," she says.


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You are here: Kidspot Activity Corner Art activities Nature painting
Nature painting
Number of players:
What you need:
- Glue
- Tempera paint
- Feathers
- Pine cones
- Pine needles
- Flowers
- Paper
Mix a small amount of glue with the paint.
Instruct your child to use some of the natural objects to brush the paint onto the paper.
You and your child will notice the patterns that are developed by each object.
To add to the artwork you can even leave some of the objects on the piece of paper to create a fun 3D collage.


text: Check out all the threads about the pacers on the espn nba general message board. There is a lot of smack talk between bulls and pacers fans. Most people are saying the pacers are a legit 4th seed in the east. It's really exciting to see threads about the pacers after they've been pretty much been absent from discussion the last few years. Looks like we're starting to get some band wagoners. That bulls series seems to have made us a popular team.


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"We're going to make our voices heard"
Early Thursday morning Yvette couldn't wait to stand in a line that wound block after block through Ybor City because there's nothing that would keep her from seeing the President when he came to town.
Yvette is proud and grateful to the generations that came before her and opened doors so that one day we would see someone named Barack Obama be President of the United States of America. Now she wants to do her part to open doors for others, so she's doing everything she can to re-elect President Obama.
"We're calling churches and asking them to get their congregation involved, especially this Sunday. We want people to vote and we want them to vote early. We call it Souls to the Polls and I think it's really important to the African-American community.
What we're doing is really exciting and we've gotten commitments from about 60 churches in the area. The Civil Rights movement sprang to life in the churches of the Deep South and it's important that the people who are growing up in this generation understand the importance of what our ancestors fought for. I think voting is the greatest of those civil rights.
Our first Souls to the Polls shift is this Sunday after the first services are completed. We're encouraging congregations to travel together to cast their ballots because this election is too important to sit on the sidelines.
All of us can come together in unity; it's a family affair. We want you to take ownership. Grab your neighbors hand, tell them 'Hey let's go vote, no excuses.' We're gonna do it, we're not gonna complain, and we're gonna have fun!
Get all the information you need to vote early in Florida here: http://vote.barackobama.com.


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Last week my father called me and said his wife Yoshimi wanted us to all go to see a concert at Irving Plaza (also called the Fillmore). The band was called Vamps and like Yoshimi are from Japan. I had no idea what to expect and was surprised that when we reached the venue the line was around the block reaching Union Square! Most of the people online where Asian or NYU students in their early twenties. The music itself seemed like some sort of very safe rock n roll copy. However, as you can hear by the audio recording these guys have a serious fan following.
I was at Irving Plaza twice before the Vamps concert. The first time was 1988 Halloween night. I went to the West Village Halloween parade with my first girlfriend and after to Irving Plaza to see Skinny Puppy live. There was a cheesy new wave opening band and then Skinny Puppy came on and dissected a fake dog with blood gushing and all. Some of my friends in the front where covered in blood by the time the concert was over. Thinking back it must have been the VIVI Sect VI (iTunes link) tour. Year's later I looked at my ticket stubs and noticed the name of the opening band: Nine Inch Nails.
The other time I was at Irving Plaza was to see Granddady (iTunes link). I heard them on WFDU 89.1 earlier the same week for the first time and fell in love with the music. I had no idea if they had any fans or not but went by myself to see them play. I was pleasantly surprised to see hundreds of hipsters also knew this band was incredible and it wasn't too long after that they became very popular. Too bad they broke up because I sure would still be buying their tunes.


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Noble Corporation confirmed late Thursday in an earnings conference call that the Noble Regina Allen (400' ILC jackup), which tilted during a jacking system test on Dec.3, 2012, is now securely berthed by Jurong Shipyard.
Noble Corp's Chairman and CEO David Williams noted that an investigation conducted by Jurong Shipyard and Friede & Goldman (F&G) shows that the legs, jacking system and hull suffered no structural damage.
"Data collected to date by the various investigation teams has ruled out structural or component defects, and teams are now concentrated on the jacking software control logic, electrical components relating to the jacking system, and the break holding capacity," Williams said in a statement.
Jurong Shipyard, a subsidiary of Sembcorp Marine, is still working to isolate the exact cause and rectify the problem. Sembmarine confirmed on Jan.15 that the rig was successfully restored to its upright position, and that the rig is expected to exit the shipyard by the end of 3Q 2013.
Commenting on the health and safety aspect of the incident, Williams remarked that "thankfully, of more than 700 people aboard the rig, there were no serious injuries reported."
Singapore's Ministry of Manpower (MOM) Occupational Safety and Health Inspectorate confirmed that 89 workers were injured as a result of the incident. A stop-work order (SWO) imposed by the MOM, which covers all production works on the rig, is still in place.
After the incident, F&G instructed Chinese state-owned shipbuilder, Dalian Shipbuilding Industry Offshore (DISC), to suspend the construction of jacking systems for F&G JU-2000E rigs for Prospector Offshore Drilling.
Prospector Offshore Drilling, incorporated in Luxembourg in 2010, is new to the drilling industry. It has six high-spec jackups under construction, four by DISC and two by Shanghai Waigaoqiao (SWS) with deliveries from 1Q 2013 to 1Q 2014.
CIMB Research's analyst, Lim Siew Khee, noted in a report issued in late December that DISC and SWS were awarded these rig contracts due to attractive payment arrangements that required as little as one percent in deposits.
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Billbine action figure marks first release...
To insure your action figure collection, get in touch with Collectibles Insurance, the official insurance company of the Figures.com network. Say "Figures.com" to get 5% off your first term premiums.
To buy action figures, take a look at BigBadToyStore.com, RedfordFilms.com, PastGenerationToys.com, BriansToys.com, ToyWiz.com, SmallJoes.com, MonkeyDepot.com, and Urban-Collector.com.
Tamashii Nations announces the long awaited introduction of the Aura Battlers from the anime series, Aura Battler Dunbine into the Robot Spirits line-up beginning with Billbine. State-of-the-art Robot Spirits action figure technology has been incorporated to realize a seamless transformation gimmick to the Wing Caliber, as well as open/closable cockpit.
Releasing this August priced at a MSRP $54.99, the Billbine figure set features weapon accessories for aura sword, aura rifle/sword, hyper aura slice effect parts, and three sets of interchangeable hand parts.
Check out the gallery below for more images.


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Kevin Pietersen has revealed his "disappointment" at being left out of the England Test squad to tour India.
Pietersen was omitted from a 16-man touring party, the latest indication from the England and Wales Cricket Board that he faces a long road back before he represents his adopted country again.
Pietersen responded by releasing a statement, via his agents Mission Sports Management, that read: "Kevin Pietersen is naturally disappointed about today's decision, having gone to great lengths to reach a reconciliation with the ECB."
Without Pietersen, England have called up two uncapped batsmen - Joe Root and Nick Compton - to help fill the vacancies left not only by him but by the retirement of former captain Andrew Strauss.
In the statement, Pietersen also sought to set the record straight over the "provocative" text messages he sent to opposition South Africa players during the Headingley Test - in which there were allegations he made "derogatory" references to Strauss.
The statement continued: "Pietersen has met with - and apologised to - Andrew Strauss.
"He has also met with Alastair Cook to stress his commitment to England and met with ECB board members, including face-to-face meetings with Hugh Morris, David Collier and Andy Flower, prior to his departure to Sri Lanka.
"At all times, Pietersen had wished his dealings with the ECB to remain private so as not to inflame an already difficult situation.
"His recent silence was not an admission of any wrong-doing; he wanted to explain and apologise to the ECB for the messages exchanged with members of the South African team.
"He has also made absolutely clear both to the ECB and the England team that - despite unsubstantiated allegations to the contrary and repeated media speculation - he did NOT offer ANY tactical advice to the South Africans. Pietersen remains available for England."


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Africanized honey bees (AHB), also called "killer bees", became established in Texas in 1990 and are spreading to other southern states. AHB are expected to enter southern California by the mid 1990's and eventually migrate throughout the state. Although its "killer" reputation has been greatly exaggerated, the presence of AHB will increase the chances of people being stung.
Learning about the AHB and taking certain precautions can lower the risk of being injured by this new insect in our environment.
The Africanized honey bee is closely related to the European honey bee used in agriculture for crop pollination and honey production. The two types of bees look the same, and their behavior is similar in many respects. Neither is likely to sing when gathering nectar and pollen from flowers but both will sting in defense if provoked.
A swarm of bees in flight or briefly at rest seldom bothers people; however all bees become defensive when they settle begin producing wax comb and when raising their young.
Africanized honey bees are less predictable and more defensive than European honey bees. They are more likely to defend a greater area around their nest. They respond faster and in greater numbers although each bee can sting only once.
Note: Remove potential nest sites around buildings. Be careful wherever bees are present.
As a general rule, stay away from all honey bees swarms and colonies. If bees are encountered, get away quickly. While running away, try to protect face and eyes as much as possible. Take shelter in a car or building. Water or thick brush does not offer enough protection. Do not stand and swat at bees; rapid motions will cause them to sting.


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Chris Heinbaugh, the openly gay chief of staff for Dallas Mayor Tom Leppert, sent out a message earlier this week encouraging people to attend a fundraiser this evening (Friday) for the Trevor Project, the national organization focused on crisis and suicide prevention among LGBTQ youth. Heinbaugh is on the host commitee for the event, which somehow got left out of the Pride schedule we posted earlier. Anyhow, here's an excerpt from Heinbaugh's message:
"20 years ago, I lost a close cousin to suicide when she was 16, and can never begin to understand what struggles pushed her to such a desperate and irreversible decision. Sadly, these tragedies don't seem any closer to an end. I have been stunned to see in the news recently examples of kids, some very, very young, who have taken their lives after being relentlessly bullied, many times being taunted for being gay, or being perceived as gay.
"Clearly, this weekend is loaded with plenty of celebration and fun. But it's also a reminder of how much work we have to do… and the wonderful organizations out there fighting the good fight. They need our support."
The fundraiser will be from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. at the Craighead Green Gallery, 1011 Dragon St. in Dallas. Tickets are $50 at the door, and you must be 21 to attend. Here are some more deets from the FB page:
Enjoy complimentary drinks in celebration of Dallas Pride. Mix & mingle with local professionals dedicated to The Trevor Project's life-saving work throughout North Texas. Eco-Friendly cocktails provided by VeeV. The evening also includes a raffle drawing with prizes ranging from $200-$600 in value.


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The following are among the best markets for buying property while following "your heart and your wanderlust," according to Kathleen Peddicord, author of "How to Buy Real Estate Overseas."
Argentina: Offers strong lifestyle choices, but "wait for the next collapse (which is coming) before buying."
Belize: A sleepy Caribbean nation where English is spoken. But it's not for those who "crave regular doses of culture or first world-style amenities."
Brazil: An economic powerhouse. Consider the beach town of Maceio, where a three-bedroom apartment sells for under $75,000.
Chile: Consider investing in colonial La Serena, home to several major observatories and where night skies are among the clearest on earth.
Colombia: Medellin, best known for its cocaine trade, will be known as a retirement haven in seven years. Home prices there are "an absolute global bargain."
Croatia: The Istria peninsula offers affordable property in a "wonderland … of vineyards and olive groves."
Dominican Republic: A top choice for investment and retiring, offering "one of the most affordable lifestyle choices in the Caribbean."
Ecuador: Great for people retiring on a budget, due to low living and housing costs. Consider home shopping in the colonial city of Cuenca.
France: The best place in the world to live or retire, budget considerations notwithstanding. Rental properties are as recession-proof as real estate gets.
Ireland: Home prices are where they were 15 years ago, so investment makes more sense today. The surest bets are on tourist trails.
Italy: Real estate in Abruzzo, east of Rome, is 80 percent cheaper than in Tuscany, 50 percent cheaper than in Umbria. In Pisa, one-bedroom apartments sell for as little as $200,000.
Malaysia: A regional and global hub, where retiree residency is easy to get and English is spoken widely. Kuala Lumpur homes are inexpensive by Western standards.
New Zealand: A top investing choice is Christchurch. Foreign retirees are limited to six months a year.
Panama: The economy has expanded every year for seven years, and the country has first-world health care at third-world prices. A Panama City apartment will generate reliable cash flow.
Uruguay: The best value is in the Costa de Oro, which contains some of the nation's best coastal towns for full-time retirement.


text: Curved metal hair elastic Item B7630 Color: METALLIC GOLD Size: ONE SIZE All sizes are US sizes. ONE SIZE Size Charts Quantity: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Prices do not include taxes. Add to Bag Wishlist Add to Bag Add To Wishlist share: size & fit Product Details Give your daily ponytail a much-needed upgrade. Steel, rubber/nylon. Import. Item B7630.


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You can just call me Human Xanax
Leta: Mom, am I going to have to get braces?
Me: Hm… that's not something we can really tell right now. We'll have to wait until you've lost more teeth and see how they all grow in.
Leta: I'm scared to get braces. I really, really, really don't want …


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Fahari Arts Institute Artistic Director Harold Steward announced the 2012-13 season that begins on Sept. 15 with Pouring Tea: Black Gay Men of the South Tell Their Tales, written and performed by E. Patrick Johnson.
The dramatic reading is based on oral histories collected in Johnson's book, Sweet Tea: Black Gay Men of the South — An Oral History. The histories are from black gay men who were born, raised and continue to live in the South and range in age from 19 to 93. The stories range from religion and sex to transgenderism, love and coming out.
The show takes place at the South Dallas Cultural Center, 3400 Fitzhugh Ave. on Sept. 15 at 7:30 p.m. The program is free.
That will be followed on Oct. 5 with Queerly Speaking PRIDE Edition in conjunction with Dallas Southern Pride. Poets Ronamber "Flo" Deloney and Marvin K. White are scheduled to appear. That takes place at the Crowne Plaza Hotel Dallas Downtown, 1015 Elm St.


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Ranking All 65 Movies I Saw in a Theater in 2012
Every movie critic in the known world sees hundreds of movies every year, mostly for free, and then they sit down and distill everything they see into a Top 10 list. But what about all the other movies they've seen? How can we even know what their taste is like if we don't know how they felt about the other 98.7 movies they saw that year (that .7 is for the one movie they walked out of at Cannes because they just couldn't possibly get through it all). And they get to see all the movies before the rest of us, so everyone put Zero Dark 30 on their Top 10 lists and it's not even out in most of the country right now. This whole gambit of list making is a scam!
Well, to combat all that critical scammery and art house movie snobbery, here is a list of every single movie that I saw in a movie theater during the calendar year 2012. There are 65 of them. I paid to see 54 of them, so unlike the professional cinema elite, I saw a majority of these with you, the fans, on rainy Saturday afternoons and boring Tuesday evenings. I also spent about $17 trillion for the honor. And here is my opinion on every single movie I saw in a theater. Are you ready?
1. Silver Linings Playbook: If I was giving out the Oscars today, I would hand it over to this David O. Russell movie, even though I'm still a little bit mad about how he treated Lily Tomlin. This is the type of movie I like best, one that hews closely to a set format but does it so well that it busts out of the genre entirely. This should be your basic rom-com, but made in the hands of someone with care and insight, it is also a look at mental illness, loss, redemption, family, dance competitions, and just how difficult it is to stand out in suburban America. Bolstered by great performances including by the usually milquetoast Bradley Cooper and the always astounding Jennifer Lawrence. There's even a good turn by Robert De Niro, whose modern work is about as uniformly bland as a can full of Slim Jims at a gas station mini-mart. Smart, different, and extremely winning, this is a movie that is like a million you've seen before, but somehow manages to break the mold.
2. Argo: This deserves to be at the top of the list for Ben Affleck's hair alone, but this affecting thriller about American hostages in Iran fuses drama, comedy, and some (yes, made-up) tension to make real events spectacular.
3. The Sessions: What seems like a sweet movie about a mostly paralyzed man learning how to have sex turns out to be a very sweet movie about a mostly paralyzed man learning to have sex: an engaging story that goes for the heart without getting sentimental. John Hawkes better start winning some damn awards.
4. Headhunters: Not many people went to see this Norwegian film about a headhunter who uses people's job interviews to break into their houses and steal all their art, but you're really missing out. As the movie progresses, our anti-hero gets more and more desperate and things get grosser and grosser as he tries to find a way to get his life back to normal. Normal never comes, but the twists don't stop until the very end.
5. Queen of Versailles: If you love the Real Housewives of Every American Town, then you need to see this documentary about a family trying to build the largest house in America and losing everything in the process.
6. Cabin in the Woods: I do not enjoy horror movies, but this movie, contrary to its marketing, is not really a horror movie. It's a comedy, a comment on genre, and a meta look at how we consume and enjoy movies. Its cleverness never becomes twee and the ending is so good that if anyone spoils it for you, you should sic Freddy Krueger on their ass.
7. How to Survive a Plague: This documentary about the early days of AIDS activism is just as fascinating when examining lives of the heroes who risked everything to get patients experimental medication as when their organization ACT-UP falls apart because of its own success. There's also a 10-hankie twist three-quarters of the way through which shows the path toward hope.
8. ParaNorman: The best kids movies are the ones that take adult themes (like bullying, not fitting in, and troubled family dynamics) and make them suitable for children. If you can do that in a great story about witches and zombies that is full of first-rate gags, then, well, you deserve to be in the Top 10.
9. Skyfall: Daniel Craig is great. James Bond is great. When you get them both doing the best work the franchise has done in decades, well, that's just greatness squared.
10. Farewell My Queen: Oh great, another movie about Marie Antoinette. But if you see any movies about the privileged aristocrat, it should be this one. The film is told through the eyes of a servant girl trying to survive the final days of the French aristocracy while staying true to herself and her queen.
11. The Avengers: Sure, the story for this culmination of the last five years of Marvel superhero movies was a bit complicated and contrived, but Joss Whedon knows how to keep us laughing and engaged for two-plus hours of super powers, alien invasions, and Hulk transformations. This is what you want every blockbuster to be like.
12. Your Sister's Sister: This "mumblecore" movie about a lesbian who sleeps with her sister's best friend seems like it should be a cut-and-paste character study about Pacific Northwest hipster types, but the emotional turns keep coming and the complications seems revelatory rather than contrived. Bonus points to Emily Blunt for finally making a really stellar movie.
13. Cloud Atlas: Everyone hated this ambitious project that tried to roll six movies into one. I did not. It had its problems, but from what I saw, it was the most successful of this year's overly ambitious movies. Sure, some of it was totally nuts, but it was always entertaining.
14. Chronicle: Finally, a way to do the "found footage" movie that doesn't seem like a total scam. This story about three teenagers who get telekinetic powers was the first truly experimental entry into the superhero genre we've seen in a long time. Let's hope the sequel doesn't screw it up.
15. Miss Bala: If you want to see the destruction drug cartels have created in Mexico, then try this saga about a beauty queen whose life gets increasingly desperate as she tries to find a way out of an impossible situation.
16. 21 Jump Street: Channing Tatum is funny. Go figure!
17. The Dark Knight Rises: Too long, too complicated, and too politcally murky, this finale to a great triology still managed to be pretty awesome. Most of that is due to Miss Anne Hathaway (Selina Kyle).
18. Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy: A spy thriller so unemotional, it should have been called All These Men Came in from the Cold. Still a great mind-bender.
19. Magic Mike: Considering how much naked male flesh per capita this movie promised, I wanted to like it more. I think I would have if it hadn't been marketed as a good time feast of flesh and then delivered a dour rumination on sex and longing. That rumination was worth having, but we were sold strippers and glitter and given heartbreak and desperation.
20. Looper: I hate time travel and even I loved this truly inventive dystopian action movie. It gets credit for having the most original vision of the future that we've seen in a long time.
21. Moonrise Kingdom: It's too twee for its own good, but Wes Anderson's story about young love is winning and memorable. And you can't hate anything with Tilda Swinton.
22. The Master: Oh, man. This one. Paul Thomas Anderson knows how to make a beautiful film and knows how to get a stellar performance, but this tale about a guru and the animalistic man who becomes his right-hand never really adds up to much. But what good are great characters if you don't give them anything exciting to do?
23. Life of Pi: For a movie that creates such amazing visuals using boats sinking into the ocean and whales jumping out of it, it's ironic that the story is as shallow as a half-evaporated puddle.
24. Pitch Perfect: Good songs, great jokes, Rebel Wilson, and a puke scene that will make you bust a gut – this Glee-on-film flick has everything you need.
25. Max et les Ferrailleurs: Someone dragged me to the delayed American release of this 1971 French movie about a cop who goes too far undercover investigating petty criminals. I'm glad he did, not only for the great retro outfits, but for the emotionally complicated look at a familiar story.
26. The Dictator: As long as you don't have a problem with rape jokes, this is a silly good time.
27. The Amazing Spider-Man: Not every superhero needs to be remade as dark and brooding and not every superhero franchise needs to be remade.
28. The Hunger Games: I loved the book, but the movie just didn't have the weight and dread that the books conjured. However, I'll see Jennifer Lawrence in anything.
29. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo: Never read the book, but I liked the movie well enough. I mostly liked Daniel Craig's winter wardrobe, which is funny because I usually like him wearing next to nothing.
30. The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel: Old people in India are cute, aren't they?
31. Lawless: Tom Hardy gives one of those great silent performances where you just read everything about his defiant bootlegger character on his face. Shia LaBeouf is…well, he's in this movie.
32. Wanderlust: My New Year's resolution for 2012 was to hate Jennifer Aniston less. This modern day hippie movie sure helped. But I think I liked it mostly for Paul Rudd.
33. Beauty and the Beast 3D: Tale as old as time. True as it can be. I saw it again. With a group of friends. We saw it in 3D.
34. The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey: This Tolkien prequel was more bloated the your fat grandmother after Thanksgiving dinner.
35. Diana Vreeland: The Eye Has to Travel: This is a lackluster documentary with a magnificent subject. If you don't know everything about this former Vogue editor, then get the movie right away.
36. Wreck-It Ralph: I wanted this video game nostalgia trip to be like The Incredibles for a Nintendo generation. Instead, the only cute thing about it was the Q-Bert gags.
37. This is 40: Judd Apatow takes an interesting and unvarnished look at middle age but a good portion of the movie is as unnecessary as a third cupcake.
38. A Cat in Paris: Stellar animation and a rather grown-up story still couldn't save this mediocre kid's flick.
39. Snow White and the Huntsman: Even the absolute fierceness of Charlize Theron's evil queen couldn't fix this eye-rolling wretch of a fairy tale.
40. Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol: I remember enjoying this action movie, but don't remember one single thing about it. Guess it couldn't be that good.
41. Albert Nobbs: 2012 was a year of great performances in dull movies. There were two women playing men in this one, both worth checking out, but maybe in a better script.
42. John Carter: Oh, come on. It wasn't that bad. It was pretty and moved along and Taylor Kitsch had his shirt off the entire time!
43. Seven Psychopaths: Too clever for its own good, this making-a-movie-about-making-a-movie had some keen insights that got lost in a lot of mush.
44. Premium Rush: This year, Joseph Gordon-Levitt could do no wrong. Well, maybe except for this slightly absurd but still good fun biking movie.
45. The Secret World of Arriety: This is animation master Hayao Miyazaki at his worst, trying to turn the children's fare The Borrowers into something of his own. The animation was stellar as always, but the narrative could have used some of his signature mythological flourishes.
46. Les Miserables: I always hated the show and the movie suffers from the same problems: too long, too boring, and doesn't make any sense. Added to that the direction swoops in on the actors as they sing and over emote during their solos. This goes a little higher up on the list thanks to Anne Hathaway (enjoy that Oscar, sister) and because "Castle on a Cloud" got stuck in my head for a week.
47. Django Unchained: Quentin Tarantino thinks that he is so funny, and his smugness in his own hilarity is all over this movie, where each scene goes on too long and half of the story is unnecessary. What Tarantino needs more than anything is a good editor.
48. Prometheus: I really wanted this to be better and I thought I liked this Alien prequel until, well, I thought about it some more and it really didn't make any sense. But I will never forget her nasty alien abortion. Gross.
49. Friends With Kids: This Jennifer Westfelt rom-com was an interesting experiment in trying to make a rom-com that wasn't a rom-com at all, but, in the end, it became just like every other sappy Hollywood movie it pretended to hate in the first place.
50. Bachelorette: This Bridesmaids rip off wasted Rebel Wilson, Lizzy Caplan, Isla Fisher, Rebel Wilson, and the rest of the talented cast. Even worse, writer director Leslye Headland wasted her brilliantly caustic play by turning it into a toothless, conventional movie.
51. Hitchcock: Great makeup does not a great movie make. Like My Week with Marilyn before it, this thing was like an overly long Vanity Fair article come to life.
52. The Iron Lady: Meryl deserved that Oscar. The rest of us deserve to forget this sloppy movie forever.
53. Ultrasuede: In Search of Halston: A great subject wasted on a filmmaker who has no idea what he is doing and thinks we care as much about him as the fashion icon. The best scene in the movie is when Vogue legend Andre Leon Talley yells at director Whitney Smith for not having done his research.
54. Five-Year Engagement: This felt like it went on for not five years but 20. Oh, Emily Blunt, please stop making bad movies.
55. Savages: The best I can say for this overly-violent, utterly rote Oliver Stone drug drama is that everyone looks really good with their clothes off.
56. Hysteria: I went to see this on a Friday afternoon in the summer in an empty theater in Manhattan. It was literally empty except for me and a friend and two people sat in the seats directly behind us and then talked through the movie! I had to yell at them and tell them to shut up and move because there are hundreds of seats, you don't pick the ones that are directly behind the only two other people in the theater. Then I felt bad because this dildo drama was so boring I wanted to make fun of it with my friend, but since I made a stance about being quiet in the movies I had to keep it all in. Well, until now.
57. Pina: This documentary about choreographer Pina Bausch had some of the best 3D I'd ever seen. Too bad there was too much repetitive dancing and not enough about her life.
58. Flight: This is not a movie, it's an illustrated story from an AA meeting. The plane crash at the beginning is pretty amazing though.
59. Wrath of the Titans: This Greek Mythology something-or-other makes about as much sense as a unicorn having a baby with a Sphinx.
60. The Ocean Waves: OK, I was wrong, this is Miyazaki at his worst. I saw this at a retrospective of his work at IFC Center and it had never been shown in the U.S. before. Let's hope this overblown teen melodrama is never shown here again either.
61. Dark Shadows: Why did we have to waste Michelle Pfieffer's comeback on this?
62. W.E.: As an American Homosexual, I can not say anything mean about Madonna. I will say that Madonna's nonsensical movie about Wallis Simpson looked like the most gorgeous magazine pictorial I ever saw. Oh, and I saw this at the premiere and Madonna was there. She wore a nice dress.
63. Damsels in Distress: I don't know what Whit Stillman was trying to say in this outdated take on girls in college, and I don't think I want to know either.
64. Chasing Mavericks: How did someone convince me to pay money to see a movie with Gerard Butler? The only reason this wasn't in last place is because the surfing footage was absolutely stunning.
65. Killing Them Softly: What makes this movie the worst is that it (and plenty of other people) think it is one of the best. It is not. It is about Brad Pitt going to clean up some mob mess and there are a bunch of characters all of whose arcs are going nowhere. There is no character exploration, there is no thematic development, there is nothing. That includes women (there is literally one woman in this movie and she is a whore) or sense behind the glorified violence. Yeah, it looks pretty cool, but most of it doesn't leave any commentary on violence it all. It's just gore for the sake of it. Oh, and in case you missed it, the point is that the mob is just like America or politics or something, which is why we keep hearing Barack Obama give speeches about our economic future during the action of the movie. Yes, we get it. We get it. How about some subtlety next time?
Follow Brian Moylan on Twitter @BrianJMoylan
[Photo Credit: The Weinstein Company (2); Warner Bros (2); Lionsgate; Fox Searchlight; Focus Features; Columba Pictures (2); Walt Disney; Universal Pictures]
The Ultimate Top 10 Movies of 2012 List
The 20 Best Movies of 2012 (and the 5 Worst)
10 Best Box Office Bombs of 2012
20 Hottest Bikini Bodies of 2012: Katy Perry, Miley and More!


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Assemblyman Lou Tobacco, the South Shore Republican firebrand whose anti-smoking crusade among school kids and bumper-sticker campaign against high bridge tolls earned him a boroughwide following, announced this afternoon that he will not seek re-election this fall.
In an exclusive interview with the Advance, Tobacco, 39, a father of four from Tottenville, cited the burden of making economic ends meet at home.
Tobacco, who earns $88,500 as a lawmaker, got laid off from his high-powered part-time post as a pharmaceutical salesman for Pfizer in 2010 after his division was eliminated. He had earned upwards of $100,000 annually from that gig.
A Sunnyside native and Eagle Scout who got hooked on politics at the age of 8, watching Ronald Reagan accept the GOP nomination for president in 1980, Tobacco interned for former Assemblyman Robert Straniere and for Guy Molinari in Congress and Borough Hall.
Tobacco, whose affable demeanor and ready smile won him praise from both sides of the aisle, won a special election to the Assembly in 2007 and currently sits on the Health Committee as its ranking minority member.
Tobacco is a graduate of Monsignor Farrell High School and SUNY Albany.
His departure comes at a time when Republicans are uneasy over questionable fund-raising revelations by Rep. Michael Grimm. But the solid Republican district is considered a lock for the GOP.


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By Varietal
In this burger, I employ my unique creation: Chipotle Bacon Maple Jam. It really does wonders to the burger, which is simultaneously sweet and spicy and a little bit smoky.
This burger captures the flavors of the food from Mexicali, a town just south of the border. Esquites, a popular street food dish made of corn, gives a great texture and taste to the burger.
Growing up on our weekend farm I experienced the joy of a garden full of fresh vegetables. There is nothing like eating tender corn on the cob, green onions, and fresh jalapeños.


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18 May 2012
With one out in the ninth inning, and two-strikes against him, Pittsburgh DH Josh Harrison threw his bat at a breaking ball that was off the plate and looped a slow liner up the middle for a base hit. It was the first hit of the night for the Pirates, and the only hit they would record against Justin Verlander in the entire game.
It was just one of those nights. It seems like we say this every time Verlander goes out, but he had his good stuff tonight and had everyone thinking no-hitter by the end of the fourth inning. The perfect game was off the table early – Neil Walker drew a walk in the very first inning – but Verlander mowed through the Pittsburgh lineup all night long, recording 12 strikeouts and forcing nine groundouts.Verlander's game score was 95, which ties him with Jered Weaver (no hitter) for the third best score in the major leagues this year. Only Philip Humber's no hitter, and a Matt Cain one-hitter have scored better – both at 96. It was the second time that Verlander posted a game score of 95 (the best mark of his career), the other was his 2007 no-hitter against the Milwaukee Brewers.
But, the grand scheme of the season, the bigger story was the quality win that the team put up. It's been a rarity for the Tigers to put a superb pitching performance together with a nice offensive game, but that's exactly what they did tonight. The offense showed up in support early with two runs in the first inning and went on to end the game with 13 hits and six runs scored.
Detroit has too much talent to wallow around the .500 mark for too long. Hopefully they can use a game like tonight to get into the groove and snap off a winning streak.
Matt Snyder is the editor of The Tigers Den. He can be reached on Twitter @snyder_matthew.


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The Caravan 034: Viva La Revolución!
I am an artist, a model, a writer, and a muse. I am also a practitioner of the Lucumi faith. We are not satanic nor are we cruel. We have been severely misrepresented by the media and I'm here to help stop it.
Last night leaders and practitioners of Afro-Caribbean faith were called to participate in a radio show on H2O discussing the media and it's misrepresentation of these faiths. Often we are depicted as blood thirsty satanists sacrificing anything we can get our hands on. That is not the case. If anyone bothered to ask a priest of the religion they'd get their answers. But that would make for a boring story, and well boring doesn't sell, now does it?
I live in a country that is supposed to be free. Many men and women risks their lives every day to protect our freedom and yet it's abused every day. I am an animal lover. I grew up on a farm. We had goats, chickens, dogs, cats, and horses and each animal was like a part of the family. I was vegan for two years and vegetarian most of my life. Just recently I've started eating meat for health reasons. I have compassion, I'm a healer, I live my life as honest and respectfully as I can. And yet the media has made a caricature of my faith and ignored my individuality as a human being.
There is a petition being circulated among the community. For years Afro-Caribbean faiths have been portrayed as harmful to mankind. I'm writing this today, to stop that portrayal. The people of these faiths are good people. We work hard, we mind our own business, we do not judge others for their beliefs. Why are we getting attacked? For those who are on the defensive, do your research. I'm tired of the poor journalism in many of these articles.
I'm posting this to show those out there that I am one of the public faces of Afro-Carribbean tradition. I'm tired of my brothers and sisters being discriminated against and portrayed in a poor light. On this blog, you all know me. I'm creative, happy, excited about life, and deeply involved in the rights of both human and animal kind.
I am asking you today to please sign the petition to stop the misrepresentation of faiths within the Afro-Carribean diaspora by the media.
I am also asking people to repost this blog or create your own. Take a photo with your elekes and post it with your statement. If you are a supporter of religious rights say it. The more people stand up, the less we are afraid. We've passed the burning times, let's prove it.
If you would like me to post something for you email me at: email@example.com
The response so far has been amazing. One former Marine writes:
"I am a far right wing christian conservative, with an open mind, I served 19 years in the Marines, 3 years in combat, holding the belief I was defending the freedom of religion among other things, I may not agree, but its not my position too, good luck with you fight, I wish you well."
My Godfather Ocha'ni Lele writes:
"The Lucumi faith is neither barbaric nor cruel; it is an expression of God, a thing of beauty, a heartfelt expression of the divine. It is my faith. I am a santero."
Janet Poe writes:
"I am Janet L. Poe, and I am following suit of Katelan Foisy. I am a mother, a healer, a teacher, a lover, and most importantly I am a daughter of the Orisha Oshun! I too practice the Yoruba/Lucumi faith. I object to how the media has portrayed us to be satanic monsters! Our belief systems were an organized school of thought over 1,000 years before Christianity was even thought of. I am here to help! PROPAGANDA!!!"


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Mila Kunis Opens Up About Pregnancy and How Ashton Kutcher Is Preparing for Baby [Video]
Subscribe to Channel 95.7 on
Mila Kunis has kept quiet on her pregnancy and engagement to Ashton Kutcher for so long that when she appeared on 'The Ellen DeGeneres Show' this week, she let it all out.
"We actually were able to hide it for a very long time," she commented about her pregnancy. "It's amazing." She later told the host that she and Kutcher were also able to keep the engagement private for two months as well — but is happy to be opening up about both milestones now.
While Kunis didn't reveal her due date ("I promise you, it will be this year," she laughed) or her baby's gender, she explained that she and Kutcher do have a name picked out for their little one — a little one who has been giving the actress some intense cravings. And Kutcher has been more than attentive to his expectant fiancée, devoting an entire refrigerator to the food she craves.
"He assumed I was going to have goofy cravings, so he stocked our secondary fridge with weird food," Kunis revealed. "Like pickles and sauerkraut and anchovies and ice creams just in case at one point during this pregnancy I'd be like, 'I really want something!'"
And when that happened, Kutcher was prepared.
"He was like, 'Hold on a second,' and he disappeared in the backyard and came back with the most amazing dill pickle of all time."
But that's not all the 'Two and a Half Men' star has been doing to prepare for the baby. He has also been taking Russian language lessons in order to be able to speak to the baby in Russian. (Kunis, who is Ukrainian, is fluent in the language.)
"He's been taking classes for probably like six months now," the 'Family Guy' actress said. "A woman comes to the house and gives him lessons."
Kunis also revealed her plan for labor — and she is going to go all natural.
"I am going to do it as all natural as I possibly can," she revealed. "Unless there is an emergency or something that goes wrong. … I did this to myself, I might as well do it right," she joked.
"You didn't do this to yourself," DeGeneres replied. "I know that much!"
"I did have a little help," Kunis laughed. "Just a little bit."
"Well, you don't want to say that either," Degeneres joked, causing Kunis to crack up and even wipe away tears from laughing so hard.
We're so happy that Mila Kunis has finally opened up about her engagement and pregnancy! She seems over the moon, and we couldn't be happier for her, Ashton Kutcher, and their soon-to-be bundle of joy.


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12 ft. Vinyl Sheet
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Product Number
Performance Class
Premium Plus
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CleanSweep G with Antimicrobial protection
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Low Gloss
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12 ft.
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54 x 36
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DIY Level
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Modified loose lay or Full spread
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Rated 4 out of 5 by 3 reviewers.
Rated 5 out of 5 by Chopinfan Classy, family friendly product This is a very forgiving floor and we are very happy with the investment. After two years, it continues to look brand new, despite regular abuse from a young child, pets, spills and high traffic. It disguises dirt well and visitors believe it is real stone. I am so glad I went with the higher end resilient as it has held up beautifully. September 18, 2015
Rated 4 out of 5 by Rogerwh0825 Great floor with easy claening and realistic texture. Put this floor in the kitchen about a month and have been renovating kitchen since. I have been surprised at how easy this floor cleans up. Love the soft texture and the realistic grain of the floor. Would definitely recommend for those looking for a great floor that will hold and up and clean easily. September 21, 2013
Rated 3 out of 5 by sk8888 High Quality Look With Dissapointing Durability Results I searched high and low for flooring that would have that natural old-world European feel. This fits the bill perfectly. I have received SO MANY compliments from friends, family and neighbors who thought it was stone at first glance. However, our success in finding the right pattern has been overshadowed by durability issues that we think are unacceptable for a 25-year product, in a household with no pets or children. Within the first year of ownership, there were tears in three places. It was nearly impossible to notice them, since this floor also hides the dirt VERY WELL. But given that we had the floors professionally installed, we were dismayed with how soon the floor got damaged. Worse yet, to repair the tears, our floor installers wanted to charge us almost $500. So, we carefully clean around the tears to avoid getting water and cleaning product liquid in the tears. (And hope we will not have to completely replace the flooring in less than three years of ownership.) I would love to wholeheartedly recommend this product because it looks so great. But I just don't think the durability matches up with the beauty. July 25, 2013
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I had *SO* much fun creating this ~ and couldn't be happier with the outcome ^_^ The title/quote has been floating around in my brain for a while now (can't remember where I heard it), but it totally struck a chord with me, and I just knew I had to use it! The purpose of this piece is to remind myself that every time I venture into the unknown - I emerge a more inspired and confident life artist. Thanks so much for looking!
TECHNIQUES: I used a custom PS mask w/ the "Friday Night Cocktails" PP to create the "kelp" in the background.
I used the scalloped trim from the same kit, as a makeshift mask to create the scalloped paper strip.
The star "bubbles" were created using a stock PS brush .
(Photo is about 3 years old, I'm growing my hair out again!!)
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Showing 1 - 24 of 45 Hoodie


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For more expo booth news, check out From the show floor: Fresh Summit 2012 booths A-E and From the show floor: Fresh Summit 2012 booths P-Z.
ANAHEIM, Calif. — Packer staffers Greg Johnson, Pamela Riemenschneider, Amelia Freidline, Vicky Boyd, Mike Hornick, Tom Burfield, Coral Beach and Tom Karst collected these news items Oct. 27-28 on the Fresh Summit exposition floor.
FARM FRESH PRODUCE: Touting a new 40-pound high-graphic box for sweet potatoes are (from left), Diana Ramirez, Farm Fresh Produce, Faison, N.C., Steven Ceccarelli, Farm Fresh Produce, Faison, N.C., and Bethany Ceccarelli, Farm Fresh Produce, Faison, N.C. The box was expected to be in production by mid-November. The new box for domestic sweet potatoes follows a recent redesign of the 6-kilo export box, Steven Ceccarelli says.
FAMOUS SOFTWARE: Famous Software, Fresno, Calif. highlighted new Famous Business Intelligence software, says Heather Hammack, sales manager with the company. The product, currently in limited release, allows customers to extract data from Famous databases to gain business efficiencies. Hammack says the Famous Mobile case-tagging system for harvest crews is gaining business, with one of the firm's customers, Salinas, Calif.-based Pacific International Marketing, expecting to use the system with 75 of its field crews by the end of the year.
FIRSTFRUITS MARKETING: FirstFruits Marketing, Yakima, Wash., taste-tested a new, unnamed apple variety, as well as club varieties at its booth, says Keith Mathews, chief executive officer for the company. "We are in the third year on Opal and second year on Sweeties and both are doing very well," he says. FirstFruits Marketing is continuing a partnership with Katie's Krops and Katie Stagliano, Mathews says. Mathews says FirstFruits Marketing promoted its involvement in the Fuel Up to Play 60 program.
FOX PACKAGING LLC: A new eight-sided carousel bagger, tagged Ochopush, is being marketed by Fox Packaging, McAllen, Texas, says Ed Savigny, general manger of Fox Solutions LLC, Lockport, N.Y. The variable speed bagger can pack between 1-pound and 25-pound bags, and features a slip clutch operation that provides safety to operators, he says. Patents are pending on the $40,000 machine, Savigny say.
FRESH SOLUTIONS NETWORK: The Fresh Solutions Network, of which the Basin Gold Cooperative, Pasco Wash., is a member, introduced a number of products. Tray packs of three triple-washed, foil-wrapped sweet potatoes joined its Grillables line along with a new floor display that resembles a large propane grill, says David Masser, vice president of sales for Keystone Potato Products, Hegins, Pa. A tray pack of four sweet potatoes was added under the Heartland label. The network also rolled out Simply Spuds — sweet potatoes and five potato varieties in 1.5-pound microwavable steamer bags, as well as a floor display. They are all packed in light-blocking bags that slow greening and enhance shelf life.
FRESHWAY FOODS: Freshway Foods, Sidney, Ohio, has introduced a new romaine blend salad that is proving popular with school foodservice accounts, says Mena Ruggiero, director of retail sales. The mix, introduced late summer, is 80% green romaine, 10% red romaine and 10% greenleaf, Ruggiero says. The blend was created for one of Freshway's distributors in South Bend, Ind., because it wanted a different salad for schools to meet updated nutrition standards. "The spring mixes seems to scare the children away, so we kind of did something different for them and it seems to be going really, really well," Ruggiero says.
FRIEDA'S INC.: Los Alamitos, Calif.-based Frieda's officially launched its Stokes Purple sweet potatoes at Fresh Summit, says Alex Jackson, who handles sales promotions. The California non-GMO potatoes have a "vivid, bold purple flesh," are high in antioxidants and available in 15- and 20-pound packages, according to the company says.
GOURMET GARDEN: Folson, Calif.-based Gourmet Garden is running a new promotion offering consumers a free cookbook with the purchase of two tubes of its herbs and spices. Margaret Laport, North American marketing director, says the book, "The Insider's Guide to Cooking with Herbs and Spices," features healthful recipes with a strong emphasis on using fresh produce. The first retailer signed up to run the promotion is Raley's in California, Laport says, with others in the planning stages.
GOURMET TRADING: Gourmet Trading Co., Los Angeles, showcased tri-color asparagus packs at Fresh Summit 2012. The company offers green, white and purple asparagus in a Tri-Color pack for retail and foodservice operators September through mid-December, according to Brian Miller, vice president of sales. For foodservice, Gourmet Trading offers an 11-pound box featuring four bunches of green asparagus, four bunches of white asparagus, and three bunches of purple asparagus. The company also offers a one-pound bag of green, white and purple asparagus for retail, Miller said.
THE GREENERY: The Greenery's Tommies Snack Tomatoes were one of five PMA 2012 Impact Award winners for excellence in packaging. A panel of judges looked at 78 submissions vying for the award. Justin Ruta, vice president of sales and marketing for Greenery North America Inc., Westhampton, N.J., says the Tommies Snack tomatoes are a high-sugar, low-acid baby plum variety. They are grown in Holland during the summer and Mexico during the winter, he says.
GREEN GIANT FRESH: A 10-ounce pouch of greenhouse grape tomatoes is one of 15 new products from Salinas, Calif.-based Green Giant Fresh. Many of the products offer Box Tops for Education coupons. New quick-response codes, for example on single-wrapped cauliflower, offer consumers information on growers. Green Giant Fresh packs in pouches and clamshells.
GRIMMWAY FARMS: Bob Borda, vice president of marketing at Grimmway Farms, showed off Simply Delicious Carrot Creations — in honey brown sugar and cinnamon, and roasted garlic and savory herb — which started shipping a week before Fresh Summit 2012. Carrot Dippers with ranch sauce is a bulk pack of five 2.5-ounce snack bags that started shipping for foodservice and retail around Nov. 1.
HLB SPECIALTIES: Lorenz Hartmann de Barros, director of sales for HLB Specialties, Pompano Beach, Fla., says the company is bringing in rambutans from Guatemala for the first time, with the season this year running from April through November. The company also has added avocados from Mexico and Peru this year, he says.
HOLLANDIA PRODUCE LLC: Carpinteria, Calif.-based Hollandia Produce plans to introduce Grower Pete's organic living butter lettuce by the end of the year, say Pete Overgaag (left), president, and Vince Choate, director of marketing. The product will be sold in a one-count clamshell container and is similar to the company's existing conventional greenhouse product.
IPPILITO INTERNATIONAL LP: Ippilito International has expanded its Queen Victoria microwavable artichoke line, with a two-pack that contains two microwavable bags. A visual aid printed on the bags helps consumers match cooking time to the artichoke size, says Butch Corda, general manager.
JACOB FARMS/DEL CABO: Pescadero, Calif.-based Jacob Farms/Del Cabo launched a Fair Trade line that includes bananas, specialty tomatoes, avocados, mangoes and limes. It also introduced Living Basil — living plants with the roots still attached that are packed in sleeves. The grower-shipper plans to introduce other living herbs, says Todd Smith, western regional sales manager.
JEMD FARMS: JemD Farms is offering its Artisan line of greenhouse beefsteak tomatoes, tomatoes-on-the-vine and cherry tomatoes in clamshells with brown basket-weave-molded bottoms and clear tops. The Kingsville, Ontario-based firm also introduced greenhouse mini-cucumbers, tomatoes, grape tomatoes and peppers in modified-atmosphere packaging that helps increase shelf life, says Sabrina Pokomandy, marketing and public relations manager. Also, JemD Farms has individually packaged green, yellow and red bell peppers.
KEYSTONE FRUIT MARKETING INC.: Keystone Fruit Marketing has begun handling organic Mayan Sweets certified sweet onions from Peru. The Greenville, Pa.-based firm also offers bunched, thick grilling asparagus, and asparagus in 2.25-pound clamshells and 10-ounce microwavable bags under the America's label, says Judy Shatzer, sales and marketing.
KINGSBURG ORCHARDS: Kingsburg Orchards, Kingsburg, Calif., teased expo attendees with a red late-season pluot that will be part of its Dinosaur Brand when it comes to market in about two years. "The retailers are very interested about extending their stone fruit season into the holidays," says Dan Spain, vice president of sales and marketing.
KWIK LOK: Kwik Lok, Yakima, Wash., shows off its 901C printer that users can customize to print information, such as variety, harvest dates and traceability data, on Kwik Loks. The unit uses a water-based ink that is heat-set into the plastic closures, making it nearly permanent, says Gary Ellington, Midwest regional sales manager.
MANN PACKING: Lorri Koster, vice president of marketing for Salinas, Calif.-based Mann Packing Co., displays the company's new vegetable trays that use a peel-off lid in lieu of the traditional black tray. Koster says the new packaging uses nearly 40% less plastic by net weight than the company's current trays, and 50% less than others on the market. It also allows consumers to better see the product. The company is adopting the new packaging across the board, completely replacing the black trays. "This is the right thing to do," Koster says. "It's a sustainability win."
MARIANI: Mariani Nut Co., Winters, Calif., has a new floor-ready display. It's available as a half pallet or full pallet, says Matt Mariani, vice president of marketing and e-commerce. Designed by Trevor Ferruggia, the boxes show an orchard in bloom, and communicate to consumers where the nuts originate. The packaging launched in mid-October, Mariani says, and can include mixed cases of the company's products.
MASTRONARDI PRODUCE: Kingsville, Ontario-based Mastronardi Produce has updated all of its boxes, labels and packaging with a more refined, modern label, Chris Veillon, director of marketing, says. The company also has a new slogan — "Inspired by Flavor." The changes are part of the evolution of the Sunset brand, he says. The company markets a number of tomato, cucumber and pepper products, including One Sweet, Zima and Angel Sweet tomatoes in shaker clamshells that can be held under running water to wash the product in the container.
MISIONERO VEGETABLES: Lemony Blend and Wasabi Arugula Blend started shipping in September under the Garden Life label from Misionero. The arugula is mixed with spinach and lettuces. The other blend combines baby lettuces with a citrus herb.
MOUNTAINKING POTATOES: Houston-based MountainKing Potatoes is focusing marketing efforts on display-ready cartons and packaging that helps consumers get inspired to cook restaurant-like potatoes at home. John Pope, vice president of sales and marketing, says the company's most recent consumer bags have an easy recipe with directions to get restaurant flavor at home, perfect for younger consumers who may not be experienced in the kitchen.
MUCCI FARMS: Joe Spano, co-owner, shows a prototype of a lunch-like bag for Mucci Farms' mid-size tomato cluster, tentatively for a spring 2013 launch.
NATIONAL ONION ASSOCIATION: The National Onion Association and U.S. Potato Board are collaborating on a pilot program for co-branded retail totes, says Kim Reddin, industry and public relations director for the National Onion Association, Greeley, Colo. The size 7 bag from Package Containers Inc. has onion information and recipes on one half and potato messaging and recipes on the other. "Consumers are often on auto-pilot as they shop the onion and potato category," Reddin says. "This will hopefully get them to stop and get inspired."
THE NUNES CO.: The Nunes Co. is adding a full line of organic items that mirror the firm's conventional offerings. Starting in November, Nunes will expand its organics to include bunched kales, cilantro, parsley, chard varieties, Italian parsley, sweet baby broccoli and kale, says Matt Seeley, vice president of marketing and brand management for the company, Salinas, Calif. Seeley says Nunes has a sponsorship deal with the PBS' "America's Test Kitchen." Seeley says Nunes is one of seven weekly sponsors of the program in 2013. Kevin Crossgrove (left), organic sales, and Jesse Gomez, product manager for organic sales, display organic romaine hearts.
OCEAN MIST FARMS: Kori Tuggle, director of marketing and business development, displays Ocean Mist brussels sprouts in a 1-pound microwavable zipper-lock bag. They're also available in 2-pound cello club packs. The microwavable bag won a PMA Impact Award.
ONEONTA STARR RANCH: Jim Guthrie (left), and Chad Hollibough, two of the export sales staff at Oneonta, Wenatchee, Wash., show bags of organic apples from Columbia Valley Fruit, Yakima, Wash. Kyle Fagg, domestic sales manager, says the apples are the first organic product Oneonta has handled. Fagg also says Oneonta will offer a new apple variety in two years that is a cross between a braeburn and a Honeycrisp.
ONTARIO GREENHOUSE VEGETABLE GROWERS ASSOCIATION: Chef Anthony Dalupan, executive chef at the Windsor Yacht Club, prepares samples at the Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Growers Association booth. He says he prefers greenhouse vegetables to field-grown because of consistent flavors and textures.
OSO SWEET ONIONS: Brian Kastick, president of Oso Sweet Onions, Charleston, W.V., showed attendees the uniform size and shape of sweet onions the company offers year-round. He says Oso Sweet filled out its program with growers in Nevada and Peru, doubling its volume in the past four years. The Oso Sweets mesh bags in 2-, 3-, 4- and 5-pound sizes have PTI-compliant labels.


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Recovery is on the horizon, but industry experts are cautious in their forecast as the 2012 economy slowly bounces back.
Looking at Arizona's recession-starved commercial real estate industry as a whole, 2011 was flat and 2012 is trending just slightly better. So say local experts.
But broken down into its various components, there is a wide divergence of attitude and optimism for the rest of this year.
AZRE tapped key players from a variety of real estate-related disciplines to check their crystal balls and predict whether commercial real estate will soar, slump or stagnate in 2012, and what factors could turn the tide.
A plethora of CMBS properties will come due in 2012, and private owners of distressed properties may be more willing to sell, says Jennifer Pescatore, who oversees commercial real estate loans for Bank of Arizona.
There is plenty of money available for the right property in the right submarket and investors with the right credentials, she says.
But except for the multi-family sector and some industrial opportunities, Pescatore isn't sure values have slipped enough to generate a significant number of sales or new development in 2012.
She's anticipating relatively small loans — $2M to $15M — on income properties as standard 2012 fare.
But substantial job growth and improvement in the global economic picture could change that relatively pessimistic outlook, says Ryan Suchala, Bank of Arizona president.
"Arizona offers a unique opportunity, and it's a great place to do business," Suchala says.
This year could be better than expected, Suchala notes, but for measurable improvement in real estate values and transactions, 2013 is a more realistic time frame.
Economic development
Economic development directors by nature are always upbeat about the future, and Chandler's Christine Mackay has reason to be.
"Activity level since the first of the year has gone through the roof," she says.
Intel is constructing a new fabrication plant scheduled for completion in 2013 but already keeping a virtual army of construction workers busy. And when Intel ramps up, so do the tech giant's customers and clients, Mackay adds.
Other healthy growth signals: EBay/PayPal is expanding, building out the fourth floor of its Chandler facility.
In January, San Diego-based developer Doug Allred Company broke ground at the NEC of Price and Willis roads in Chandler for Park Place, the Valley's first spec office complex to rise from the dust of the recession since 2009.
Phoenix has a lot more old office properties to fill up before any spec projects are likely to appear on its planning agenda, but virtually all the big warehousing/distribution center space has been snapped up, and the city is actively looking for "shovel ready" spots where developers can build more, says Bruce MacTurk, deputy director for economic development.
It's a good news-bad news scenario, he says.
By mid-January, five large industrial users were looking at Phoenix, but the city had only two buildings with more than 500,000 SF of space available.
There's even some good news about Phoenix's languishing retail centers as owners are renovating to reposition the sites, MacTurk says.
While economic development leaders like MacTurk and Mackay are focused on job creation, the fallout from job growth is a healthier, more vibrant residential and commercial real estate scenario, they say.
"Compared to this time last year, it feels much better," says Bo Calbert, McCarthy Building Cos. Southwest president. "There are a lot more opportunities to pursue."
McCarthy's revenue is up 10%, he says. Key drivers for that spike are healthcare, renewable energy, schools and Native American projects, especially in hospitality and gaming.
But Calbert says he believes there is "more pain to come" before Arizona's construction industry is back on a solid uphill track.
"To be an Arizona-only contractor is not sustainable," he says. "There is promise, and more opportunities are coming, but not enough."
D.P. Electric vice president Scott Muller says he has a backlog of healthcare and military projects to keep workers busy in 2012 — primarily technology upgrades.
And the company is detecting more interest from local property owners and developers, some hoping to entice California data centers and manufacturing operations ready to make a move.
"We're excited about 2012," Muller says.
"Those in the real estate and construction industry understand that the current market, compared to three or four years ago, has created a great opportunity to build, move or expand at a significant cost savings," he says. "In 2012, we've seen an increase in our Design-Build/Design-Assist projects because this is where the best value is brought to the owner/developer."
Data centers, specialized healthcare facilities and military installations are also on Mike Medici's 2012 hot list.
"Technology is constantly pushing the limits of existing buildings," says Medici, managing director of SmithGroupJJR Arizona Architects. "And a lot of hospitals are positioning for the future or catching up from the past."
Architects are tapped for new projects at the conceptualizing stage, and Medici sees good news coming for all commercial real estate sectors, even if the bounty won't happen in 2012.
"We are seeing several developers looking at mixed-use office/retail/multi-family, especially along the light rail line," he says. "It's not as much activity as in 2004, 2005 and 2006, but there are opportunities bubbling up. For two years previously developers were not talking to us. Now modestly they are coming out of the woodwork."
LEO A DALY architectural firm just completed the Casino Del Sol Resort in Tucson and is currently working on a project with Davis-Monthan Air Force base, says senior architect Rod Armstrong.
There is no pent-up demand for shopping centers or new office buildings, Armstrong says, but the international architecture firm is "always in business development mode," and the signs are positive.
"We feel the increased level of commitment with potential clients. People are loosening up, and things will happen quickly. We're hopeful for 2012," he says.
While interest in and financing for new development remains limited in Metro Phoenix, one sector finding favor is multi-family, fueled by a limited supply and the single-family housing market collapse, says Tom Simplot, Arizona Multihousing Association president.
"Apartment owners are cautiously optimistic due to a rebound in values and rents," Simplot says.
He doesn't envision a lot more product coming online in 2012, but in select markets — in Scottsdale, Ahwatukee, and along the light rail line — some projects are moving forward and could be under construction this year and available by 2013.
Luxury condo developer Optima is betting Scottsdale is ready for more downtown-living opportunities.
"Optima Sonoran Village is in an advantageous position because it is the first new residential development in several years and builds on the economic, architecture, and marketing success of Optima Camelview Village," says David Hovey Jr., Optima vice president. "Construction has started on Optima Sonoran Village with occupancy second quarter of 2013."
Hovey says financing is still tight and mixed-use projects are iffy because of existing over-supply of office and retail components, but, if there is "only a gradual increase in new product over the next few years, the luxury unit market will remain healthy."
Medical facilities needing upgrades or expansions to keep up with changing technologies, aging baby boomer needs and unsettled health coverage issues, are providing work for local real estate trades — a trend that will continue throughout 2012.
Cancer- and pediatric-focused projects are already in progress, as are several clinics and rehabilitation centers aimed at bringing cost-effective healthcare into communities, says Sundt Construction's Russ Korcuska, who has been piloting hospital construction projects in Arizona for two decades.
Still, some of the big players will "sit on the sidelines until the (November) election because of the tremendous effect that could have on healthcare and Medicare. The new congress will be pivotal," Korcuska says.
Some upgrades can't wait.
"Healthcare construction is tied to population, and there is a great need to accommodate the baby boomer generation," says Steve Whitworth, Kitchell's Healthcare Division manager.
Healthcare construction will see a "slight increase in 2012, as larger organizations prepare for healthcare reform," he says.
Whitworth predicts a sharper focus on cost-cutting delivery methods and energy efficiency in 2012 both in new development and upgrades to existing facilities.
"Healthcare will remain healthy," he says.
Solar power was Arizona's red-hot growth topic a year ago, with government leaders proffering incentives and touting the state's virtues to the clean-energy companies looking for a place to grow and prosper.
Then mid-year, solar panel makers Solyndra and Stirling Energy Systems failed, and in December industry giant First Solar said it would slow progress of its under-construction Mesa plant.
So how do some of the state's solar experts envision their industry's 2012 prospects?
SRP sees strong demand for solar upgrades in both commercial and residential uses even though it "slowed somewhat" from 2011 when monetary inducements were greater, says Debbie Kimberly, director of customer programs and marketing.
"It's encouraging to see this demand even at reduced incentive levels," Kimberly says.
She says she expects interest in solar to continue apace throughout 2012, especially in leased rather than purchased systems.
And APS' 2012 outlook for solar is "overwhelmingly positive" based on continued strong customer demand, says Barbara Lockwood, the utility company's director of energy innovation.
"We asked our customers," she notes. "The customers want solar."
Installers could second that.
"Our forecast is 100 percent growth over last year," says Gary Held, Harmon Solar sales and marketing manager. "And last year was the biggest year we ever had on the commercial side."
But that's from the perspective of the companies that purchase and distribute solar energy.
While solar demand remains strong, supply is growing faster as solar producers and manufacturers ramp up, boosting competition and sending prices plummeting, Lockwood says.
The growing global glut in solar manufacturers is squeezing the industry from that perspective, she says, as evident by First Solar's slowdown and some companies folding.
Lockwood predicts prices will stabilize in 2012, and solar supply and demand will reach equilibrium.
Nobody has a handle on the intricacies of the local commercial real estate industry like the brokers who buy, sell, market and lease properties. Their outlook for 2012 is guardedly upbeat, depending on the type of property and its location.
Phoenix's overbuilt office market remains too over-supplied for new development, says Craig Henig, CBRE senior managing director.
In 2011, 1.8 MSF of office space was absorbed, dropping the vacancy rate to 25.5%, Henig adds.
And overall there was 5.9 MSF of "gross activity," as plummeting rents prompted tenants to move to classier digs.
Most of the Valley's Class A offices filled up in 2011, and Class B and C space could see an occupancy boost in 2012, whittling away at the surplus supply, says Chris Jantz, Cassidy Turley/BRE Commercial vice president of research.
But neither Henig or Jantz envision a big drop in overall office vacancy this year.
Empty industrial space was gobbled up in 2011, and that could spur development, Jantz says, but new properties likely won't come online until 2013.
Retail real estate has been the big laggard throughout the recession, and while Henig doesn't expect much overall absorption in 2012, he foresees "musical chairs" as retailers reexamine their footprints based on recent consumer trends. For example, the surge in online sales may result in smaller, or at least different, brick-and-mortar space usage and bigger warehousing needs.
Henig also predicts that Phoenix area retailers will take advantage of still-sinking rents to move into better locations in 2012.
Tucson's prospects are rosy.
"All signals are pointing up for Tucson in 2012," says CBRE Tucson managing director Tim Prouty. "Our vacancies have improved. We see a positive absorption in industrial certainly, office probably, and some improvement in retail as well."
A recent University of Arizona study predicting 2.35% average job growth in Tucson for the next five years — a boost of more than 52,000 jobs overall — is nurturing Prouty's confidence.
And Tucson's successful wooing of biotech businesses, such as Roche Group's planned major expansion, "will be a big story in 2012," Prouty says.
After bottoming in 2009, land sales nationally picked up modestly in 2012 and remained level in 2011, according to Grubb & Ellis.
Through 3Q 2011, land sales were just about even with the same period in 2012 at $13.6B, but the sales mix was different. Through 3Q 2011, industrial land sales were up 133% as the industrial leasing and user-sale market improved to the point where developers began ramping up for the next expansion cycle.
In 2012, according to Grubb & Ellis, expect a modest increase inland sales led by development sites for multi-family projects and distribution centers, which are further along the recovery cycle.
Key concerns
While all the players envision a slight, if spotty, up tick in Arizona's commercial real estate market, they say job growth and the global economy are key concerns determining 2012's prospects.
A couple of local legislative issues also factor into the mix, says Nick Wood of Snell & Wilmer.
Tax assessments paid in arrears for commercial structures built in the mid-2000s that experienced severely plunging values in recent years could hamper sales and renovations of languishing real estate, Wood says.
"If you look at values for 2007, some offices have lost 60% to 70% of their value, and there hasn't been a corresponding reduction in taxes," Wood says.
And recent revisions to government property lease excise tax (GPLET) rates for new commercial structures can act as a deterrent to economic development, especially in downtown areas, he says.


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Jennifer Lopez is one star who is not afraid to take fashion risks — remember that plunging Versace at the 2000 Grammys? — and last night was no exception. With husband Marc Anthony by her side, J. Lo stole the spotlight at a Latin Grammy event in her red-hot Alex Perry bubble-skirted mini dress and major Lorraine Schwartz jewelry (don't miss the blinged-out heels too). She's definitely got the legs for this micro-mini and the strapless neckline sets off her flawless hair and makeup (no more mistakes there!). It's what's in between that we can't decide on. Tell us what you think: Is J. Lo's bubble dress a Hit or a Miss?
To vote on more Hits or Misses, click here to check out our gallery and vote on stars like Halle Berry.
To see more Jennifer Lopez on Off The Rack, click here.
Photo: JOY E. SCHELLER/London Features


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Aviation is a valuable driver of the world economy, but it is also leading the way with efforts to improve its environmental performance. It is the first industry to have ambitious global goals for reducing the climate impact of its operations which currently contribute 2% of man-made CO2 emissions.
- September 18, 2017
- Newswire


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Bejesus girl, you'll catch your death in that!!
Mariah Carey was her usual Diva-licious self while walking her dog in the snow Saturday night—and Popdust has the photo.
The 43-year-old mom-of-two took a stroll in the freezing cold snow in Aspen in…. a red bikini.
As you do.
Meanwhile, Mimi is certainly looking forward to the holidays this year.
"We always do really fun, tricky things for each other for Christmas and this year I'm just, like, let's make it about the babies, because they're only going to get this year once where they're really going to understand it for the first time," she told Access Hollywood.
"This is the first time they're really getting that Christmas is an event that they are going to receive gifts.
"Now they see the tree and they light up. They're so excited ... it's amazing for me to watch and to re-live."


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The market continued to sink post-election on Thursday as confidence wanes that both sides can come to agreement quickly to deal with the fiscal cliff. Stocks that had huge run-ups in the past year and high-dividend stocks have led the decline as investors sell to avoid higher capital gains and dividend taxes in 2013. Investors are justifiably rattled, as the market's fate seems to be in the hands of politicians.
But this pull back provides opportunities. I particularly like the position of income investors who were prudent or fortunate enough to keep plenty of cash on hand. Many high quality income plays are selling 10%, 15% or even 20% lower than they were two weeks ago. For yield players, it is as if Christmas came early. This is especially true if you hold income investments in tax-deferred vehicles since the higher dividend taxes on the way are not relevant.
As I touched on in Thursday's column, I continue to favor some of the high-yielding master limited partnerships that are building and maintaining the nation's rapidly growing domestic energy infrastructure. First, distributions from MLPs are considered return of capital, so they should be unaffected by increased dividend taxes. In addition, there are no current plans to change the tax treatment of these vehicles.
The amazing increases in domestic oil & natural gas production have been one of few bright economic accomplishments over the last six to eight years. I believe this expansion will continue and the U.S. is well on its way to becoming energy independent. There are numerous opportunities to benefit from this expansion with investments that offer high yield and solid growth. Another energy MLP I recently picked up on sale after it fell some 20% because of a disappointing earnings report and the overall market sell-off is Atlas Pipeline Partners (APL). It gathers and processes natural gas through 9100 miles of natural gas gatherings systems and seven natural gas processing plants.
Five reasons APL still is a solid income play at $30 a share:
- APL yields 7.4% and the company has almost doubled its distribution payout over the last two years.
- Analysts are positive on the shares. The median price target held by the five analysts that cover the stock is $40 a share. Price targets range from $38 to $42.
- The company has an under-levered balance sheet compared to peers, which should allow it to continue to add strategic acquisitions.
- Analysts expect revenue growth to come in at 50% in 2013 and the company has tripled its operating cash flow over the past three years.
- All of the company's assets are in business-friendly states and are near regions with expanding production, which bodes well for future growth.


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And Then There Was The Time The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Appeared On The Oprah Winfrey Show
The 1990s were a very strange time. Imagine, if you will, a world where the single most popular thing in the entire world was a media franchise about four adolescent anthropomorphic turtles who wore domino masks and knew karate, and that this popularity was so great that they appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show to sing songs and promote an arena tour where they would perform more songs instead of doing any actual karate.
If you're having trouble imagining that, and I understand why you would, don't worry. It actually happened, and thanks to Brett White, who unearthed video of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles' appearance on Oprah to promote their Coming Out Of Their Shells tour, you can spend the next 45 minutes witnessing one of the most surreal talk show appearances of all time.


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|Assistant Coach
Tanner Hahn joins the women's tennis coaching staff for the 2013-14 season and has been playing tennis for eight years, including the Concordia University Wisconsin men's tennis team for the past three seasons.
Hahn brings a wealth of knowledge to the program after helping the Falcons win three-consecutive conference championships, including a streak of 28 straight victories and three NCAA Division III Tournaments appearances.
Hahn is interning during his senior year with the admissions and athletic office, and is majoring in public relations with a minor is sports and entertainment management. He has also been an assistant coach for the Maple-Dale Middle School tennis pProgram, a tennis instructor for Shorewood Recreation Department during the summer months and a Paley Tennis Center instructor during the summer program as a camp counselor.
"I have a strong passion for the game of tennis," Hahn said. "I want to share my passion and knowledge of the game with others. I enjoy coaching others to enjoy and have fun playing tennis. My motto is to improve some aspect of your game each and every time you step out on the tennis court."


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Bradford-based Yorkshire Water has been named as one of only two water companies in the UK to reduce leakage last year.
The figures – based on the amount of leakage as a percentage of the water supplied – show that leakage in Yorkshire reduced by 0.41 per cent during 2012-13 when compared to 2011-12. The only other water company to reduce its leakage was Severn Trent.
Tony O'Shea, Yorkshire Water's leakage manager said: "Water which is lost from the system is effectively water we have paid to treat and move around the supply system without anyone getting any benefit from it, and we want to ensure that this happens as little as possible."
In its fight against lost water the company has totally overhauled how it monitors, responds to and anticipates leakage.
This has included millions of pounds of investment in new technology, improved monitoring of the network and higher standards of repair than ever before.
The water company maintains 19,500 miles of clean water pipes – enough to go to Australia and back if laid end to end.


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Skip to Content
A CU-Boulder group is using satellite data to map the record-breaking flooding in Europe. The mapping is by the Dartmouth Flood Observatory, http://floodobservatory.colorado.edu, headquartered at CU-Boulder's Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research and directed by Senior Research Scientist G. Robert Brakenridge. The center provides a digital map record of Earth's changing surface water, including changes related to floods and droughts, and is the only comprehensive global archive of surface water change information that is available free to the public.
For more information contact Brakenridge at 303-735-5485 or email@example.com, or Jim Scott in CU-Boulder's office of news services at 303-492-3114 or email@example.com.


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MONTREAL — Ties between the law faculties of the Université de Montréal (UdM) and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem were cemented earlier this month with the signing of an agreement.
It took place during an economic and academic mission to Israel and the West Bank led by Montreal Mayor Gérald Tremblay.
"In deepening our partnership with the Hebrew University law faculty, one of the best universities in the area of international law, we can offer a unique perspective on the most current issues in international law," said UdeM law dean Guy Lefebvre.
The faculties, both known for their strength in international law, will increase their co-operation, and organize exchanges of students and researchers.
A joint conference is scheduled to take place in Jerusalem in the fall of 2013.
UdeM vice-rector Hélène David, who was a participant in the mission, said, "Our researchers and students are open to the world. The co-operation that we establish with the greatest universities, on all continents, is an eloquent proof."
During the same mission, McGill University signed three memoranda of understanding on collaborative research with three Israeli universities.
They include the renewal of a partnership with the Weizmann Institute of Science for cancer research, dating back to 2007; a new agreement with Tel Aviv University's Sackler Faculty of Medicine; and another new agreement with Bar-Ilan University concerning McGill professor Moshe Szyf's work in behavioural epigenetics.
"Internationally, McGill is developing an approach to research that is more entrepreneurial and global," said vice-principal for research and international relations Rose Goldstein, also a mission participant.
"Israel has established very productive partnerships among universities, industry and governments – providing a particularly interesting example for Canada and McGill."
Tel Aviv University has the largest institute of higher medical education in Israel, with about 1,000 teachers, associated with seven medical centres, six psychiatric hospitals and a large rehabilitation facility.
The collaboration with Bar-Ilan will be on how exposure to drugs, food, trauma and other experiences is registered in brain circuitries and the genome, and whether this leads to disease.


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Nelly Furtado – Onde Estás
I made a video to Nelly's song "Onde Estás" from her first album "Whoa.Nelly!" because it's one of my favourite Nelly song and there is no official video to it, so I wanted to change that by making my own unofficial video. I used the videos "In God's Hands" and "All Good Things". So enjoy and I hope you like it! Feel free to rate and comment 😉


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Superheroes, Horror, Cartoons and more
80sTees.com is the place to find some of the coolest and most popular Halloween costumes this year. Check out the great selection in their Halloween Superstore!
They also continue to have a fantastic selection of t-shirts from the most popular video games, comic books, movies, TV shows, and more including a number of New Items like...
* Sookie & Bill True Blood t-shirt
* Camp Crystal Lake t-shirt
* Freddy Krueger t-shirt
* Tron Platform t-shirt
* Ghostbusters Stay Puft t-shirt
* Forces Of Evil Marvel Comics t-shirt
* Deadpool t-shirt
* Doctor Doom t-shirt
* Spider-Man t-shirt
* Superhero Sublimation Marvel Comics shirt
Be sure to also check out 80sTees.com's selection of Top Sellers as well as over 200 items on sale in their Clearance Items section!


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If the Melbourne Football Club's attempt five years ago to lose games for early draft choices did not already sit high on the long list of the game's most haunting cautionary tales, then Paul Roos confirmed its place on Sunday.
The Demons' practices of 2009 seemed initially successful but proved ultimately disastrous. That is well documented.
Roos didn't explicitly say so after his side's capitulation against the Brisbane Lions at Etihad Stadium on Sunday, but he spoke ominously and emotionally about there being ''a reason'' behind the skill errors, the breakdown in stoppages and kick-ins. A reason behind a team that was ''waiting to get beaten''.
At some point, Roos will stop talking about the past. He surely realises there is a fine line between referring to the sins of those who came before him and erasing it from the conversation altogether.
But to give him the benefit of the doubt – and premiership coaches with reputations like his deserve that – clearly he believes that talking about a problem sometimes cannot be a bad thing.
Only six days earlier, Melbourne chief executive Peter Jackson spoke of the club's ''toxic'' culture and how this was not something that could be eradicated in one year. Jackson was referring to Roos' contract extension.
But as Roos handles that delicate balancing act of surgically rebuilding Melbourne and its scarred footballers – scars that appear to have deepened during the short but ugly Mark Neeld era – the good news is that tanking appears to have been removed from the AFL narrative this season.
There will always be an incentive to finish on the bottom of the ladder as long as the draft moves forward in its current form. But no team will come close to qualifying under the commission's new discretionary powers to hand out priority draft choices this year and no team intends to ask. While three teams, including Melbourne, appear to be in contention for the wooden spoon, recruiters appear divided as to who is the No.1 draft choice anyway. And all those bottom teams – including StKilda and Greater Western Sydney – have achieved at least one genuine scalp in 2014.
As bad a game as Melbourne and Brisbane dished at the weekend, there was no sentiment among the audience or those behind the glass that this was a game either would have preferred to lose.
Certainly Roos appeared taken aback in his disappointment. It is worth remembering that he was sitting on the Fox Footy couch the night Brock McLean spoke of and ultimately blew the whistle on the tanking affair – an affair that led to football director Chris Connolly leaving Melbourne, former coach Dean Bailey being suspended, and the club heavily fined. If McLean spoke honestly about that whole unfortunate period and the effect it had on him, then he cannot have been alone in his sentiments – even if he was the only one to speak up.
Roos appears to still be learning about the aftershock of setting up teams to lose when at the same time setting standards to win.
The other club to have adopted this unfortunate and unsporting process almost as blatantly and escaped penalty was Carlton, and it did the Blues and those who were there at the time no favours either.
Clearly Roos misread the extent of the damage at Melbourne, but the fact he has agreed to stick around to try to fix it cannot only be about a lucrative contract. Nor does it seem to be about excuses any more.
This is good news for Melbourne, as was his tough call on those players he pointedly stated on Sunday might not be able to get over the past. This is not an indictment on Roos nor the players, but those who masterminded the clumsy tanking strategy in the first place and those who stood by and allowed it to happen.