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With each edition of EXPOSÉ, we appoint an advisory board to assist in nominating and judging images for the EXPOSÉ awards. All of these people are either leading artists in their own right or are experienced and respected editors and reviewers of digital content and artists. This year, we have 13 members on our advisory board and all are experts in their field.
Baysal freelanced his skills in Germany then moved to Los Angeles to work for various VFX houses such as StationXstudios, Computercafe, later known as CafeFX, and eventually joined the pmg worldwide llc to develop messiah:Studio. At age 37 he moved to Croatia to design theme park venues and begin a new life of study and development.
Following Art School in Marseille, Pascal Blanche freelanced for TILT magazine, Virtual Xperience, Xilam, Haikus studio and also with Sony, working on 'Kaena: the Prophecy'. As Art Director at Ubisoft Montreal, he worked on 'Myst IV Revelation', 'Naruto Rse of a Ninja' and James Cameron's 'Avatar: the game'. After working two years in the UK for Frontier and helping to refresh the visuals of 'Runescape', the biggest free MMO browser game for Jagex, Pascal is now back at Ubisoft Montreal. He is also a well rounded illustrator and worked for Wizards of the Coast, Autodesk, Funcom and Microsoft.
Franklin set up Double Negative Visual Effects (Dneg)'s 3D department and supervised CG animation for a number of feature films that Dneg worked on. As senior in-house VFX supervisor at Dneg, he's been involved in such VFX triumphs 'The Black Knight', 'Harry Potter: Half Blood Prince' and the VFX dream-laden, Oscar winning 'Inception'.
Lanning's 'Oddworld Inhabitants' has sold nearly six million copies and garnered awards from the game industry, as well as the music, television, and film industries, and illustration & design annuals. In 2010 he co-founded Xmobb with Sherry McKenna, bringing a live social dimension to the online media landscape.
Syd Mead is one of the most celebrated concept designers of our time. His most well-known works include production designs for 'Blade Runner', 'Tron', 'Aliens', and '2010' – the pivotal sci-fi movies that got so many budding visual effects artists inspired to pursue professional careers in this field.
For more than 20 years, Alex Morris has created artworks for the architectural market, during which time he has produced and overseen the production of over 1,200 images on more than 200 projects. These include landmark images of the Millennium Dome, Tate Modern, Chiswick Park, Gramercy Park North and 40 Bond Street.
Jeff Mottle is CEO and owner of leading architectural magazine, 'CGarchitect'. In addition, Mottle also co-founded the CGschool, catering exclusively to architectural visualization professionals. He runs industry competitions, writes editorial, performs research and analysis, and speaks at international events.
The Epic Games Art Director oversees all of the studio's games, from the billion-dollar 'Gears of War' franchise to the award-winning 'Infinity Blade' series. With more than 15 years in the computer graphics and video game industries, Chris directs a stable of talented artists/animators at Epic Games' headquarters worldwide subsidiaries.
Don Seegmiller teaches visual design at Brigham Young University in Utah, and possesses a popular teaching method in advanced illustration, figure drawing and digital painting. He has work in galleries from Hawaii to England. Seegmiller worked as an art director at the Saffire Corporation. He offers regular CGWorkshops, speaks regularly at GDC, and is author of Ballistic's d'artiste: Digital Painting 2 and Painter publications.
Sloan is an award-winning art director and author who worked with National Geographic Magazine from 1992 to 2010 as Art Director and Senior Editor. He launched Science Visualization, Inc. in 2010 as a way of integrating visual approaches to science in multiple platforms, including film, exhibits, and digital media.
Dr Mark Snoswell is President of The CGSociety and founder of Ballistic Media. He has developed Absolute Character Tools and The Ultimate Human Model set, done film production work for Disney and Warner Brothers, and production work for National Geographic. He has also taught graphic design, 3ds Max and Painter.
Steven Stahlberg is Senior Figure Artist at Zenimax Online Studios. He is internationally acknowledged as a world class digital artist and was the first artist to have a virtual character sponsored by a major modeling agency (1999). Steven's game credits include: 'Army Men', 'Conquest', 'Freelancer', 'Need for Speed', 'Eragon', 'Def Jam', 'Sims 3', 'Heavy Rain', 'Tabula Rasa', 'Reich', 'EVE Online' and 'Elder Scrolls Online'. Steven has also held nine sold-out workshops at CGSociety.org.
Leigh has been a texture painter and photographer for more than 10 years, working for numerous studios. She's currently based in London and her recent credits include 'X-Men First Class', the final two chapters of the 'Harry Potter' film series and the upcoming space epic 'Gravity', from Alfonso Cuaron.
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It's been said that "a dream doesn't become reality through magic; it takes sweat, determination and hard work." We're honored to see all of our sweat, determination, and hard work pay off with the great reviews that the new Office has garnered since Microsoft released Office 365 Home Premium to customers last month.
Already, Office 365 is racking up the awards. PC Magazine gave Office 365 Home Premium its Editors' Choice award, saying "most of the changes are extremely positive." Likewise, ITProPortal gave Office 365 Home Premium its "Best Buy Award," saying it "trounces the competition from Google Docs."
Office 365: The best Office yet
Awards such as these echo the sentiment of Forrester Research. "Things like improved usability and a simplified user experience feel like a welcome return to Microsoft's roots as the great democratizer of technology it one was," the global research and advisory firm wrote in its recent report, Office 2013: A Breakthrough in Productivity.
They also reflect the responses of numerous other reviewers, who say they like what they see in the new Office. Katherine Boehret of the Wall Street Journal said "Microsoft has a winning program on its hands." Jason Parker of C/Net described Office 2013 as a "polished, integrated, cloud-friendly, and streamlined experience." And Serdar Yegulalp of InfoWorld called Office 2013 "the best Office yet."
Still other reviewers have used adjectives such as "feature-rich," "stunning," and "game-changing" to describe Office 365. Wrote Tom Warren of The Verge: "A new on-demand version of Office 2013 is available in Office 365 and it's nothing short of stunning." Beth Blecherman of TechMamas agreed: "The new Microsoft Office 365 Home Premium is out and quite simply, it is a game changer."And Dana Wollman of Engadget called Office 2013 "a top-notch product: fast, intuitive and feature-rich."
Touching the lives of more than 1 billion customers
As our customers' needs to create, communicate, and share information have evolved, we have too by making the familiar experience of Office available to everyone as a cloud subscription service.
The response has been truly gratifying. Already, Office has touched the lives of over 1 billion people. And today, Office 365 is on track to become one of our fastest growing businesses in Microsoft history.
Having launched Office as a subscription service for consumers, we now look forward to making the new Office available to business customers worldwide. Join us at our virtual launch event on February 27 as we celebrate the availability of a major new release coming to Office 365 for businesses. If you are exploring cloud offerings, you do not want to miss this event. You'll hear from Kurt DelBene, President of the Microsoft Office Division, about Microsoft's vision for productivity and the cloud. We'll demo new features in enterprise social and show how we've transformed the full Office experience you know into an always up-to-date service. Finally, you'll hear from the City of Chicago, Toyota, and Meals on Wheels about their move to the cloud with Office 365. Register now!
Thank you for your business and for making the new Office such a success!


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The 85th Academy Awards will hit the red carpet next Sunday, along with scores of beautiful people with snappy tuxes, sizzling gowns and bottomless bank accounts.
Everyone loves movies, especially this time of year with Nor'easters and arctic blasts confining you to the great indoors. I am among the aficionados.
No, I am not a cinematic authority, but I have watched hundreds of films, including everything that featured Bela Lugosi and ZaSu Pitts, and have an appreciation of the good, bad and ugly of the silver screen.
And because, frankly, I give a damn, I am going to make an offer you can't refuse: a compilation of my favorite films. Below is a list of the top 10 in descending order, with title, year, personal sentiment and memorable quote. Numbers 11 through 25 follow, title only.
It's heavy on older films because they were made better, and, well, I'm over 40. Here's the list:
10. "Titanic" (1997): It's mostly a schmaltzy love story that stretches credibility to the snapping point. Still, you root for Jack and Rose, and the action, sound track and special effects are phenomenal. Theaters have never been chillier than after the ship goes down. "I'll never let go, Jack. I'll never let go."
9. "Fargoo" (1996): Monessen's Frances McDormand won Best Actress for portraying pregnant, personable and sandpaper-tough police chief Marge Gunderson, replete with exaggerated accent. Classic scene: Pointing at the badge on her hat when confronting the psychopath at the wood chipper. "You should see the other guy."
8. "Schindler's List" (1993): This Holocaust film is excruciating but mesmerizing in its depiction of Oskar Schindler and the eventual triumph of the human spirit. Director Steven Spielberg calls it "the most satisfying experience of my career" – and it should be. "This list …. is an absolute good."
7. "National Lampoon's Animal House" (1978) – Toga party, horse dies in the dean's office, food fight, Dean Wormer, Niedermayer, Bluto, Kent Dorfman. Best comedy ever, and it mirrored my one glorious year at a Pitt branch. "Fat, drunk and stupid is no way to go through life, son."
6. "Argo" (2012): My choice for Best Picture is so gripping, literally and figuratively, you squeeze off the arm rests. Marvelous human interest story, appropriate comic relief, and tour de forces by Ben Affleck, Alan Arkin, John Goodman. There are a lot of great quotes, all unprintable.
5. "The Godfather" (1972): Talk about script. Talk about gamut of emotions. Talk about a cast. As cold-blooded as the Corleones are, you side with them early on. "I'll make him an offer he can't refuse" is filmdom's most memorable line, but "That's my family, Kay, it's not me" is fabulous foreshadowing.
4. "Gone With the Wind" (1939): It's three-plus hours of masterful Civil War storytelling, and I love every minute every time. "I don't know nothin' 'bout birthin' babies" is just ahead of "Frankly my dear, I don't give a damn."
3. "North By Northwest" (1959): An incredible spy saga is made plausible – and riveting – by the incomparable Hitchcock. Exceptional camera work, especially with Eva Marie Saint clinging to Mount Rushmore's edge. "That's funny, that plane's dustin' crops where there ain't no crops."
2. "It's a Wonderful Life" (1946): There isn't a sappier example of Capra-corn, or a better executed one. Every one of us has a little George Bailey in him or her. "Each man's life touches so many other lives. When he isn't around he leaves an awful hole, doesn't he?"
1. "Casablanca" (1943): This is the greatest love story ever told, and it is executed by an outstanding ensemble cast. The playing of "La Marseillaise" over the Nazis' preferred ditty melts me. By the thickness of this page, it's "Round up the usual suspects" over "Here's looking at you, kid."
And more . . .
11.) "From Here to Eternity"; 12.) "Jaws"; 13.) "Wizard of Oz"; 14.) "Slumdog Millionaire"; 15.) "Monty Python and the Holy Grail"; 16.) "Raiders of the Lost Ark"; 17.) "Psycho"; 18.) "A Christmas Story"; 19.) "Remember the Titans"; 20.) "Silence of the Lambs"; 21.) "Field of Dreams"; 22.) "Deliverance"; 23.) "The Deer Hunter"; 24.) "Glory"; 25.) "The Artist"
Rick Shrum is a business writer at the Observer-Reporter. He can be reached at email@example.com
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The PGA of Canada will recognize golf writer Lorne Rubenstein with its George Cumming Distinguished Service Award on Jan. 25 at Canada Night during the PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando, Fla.
"On behalf of the PGA of Canada's national board of directors' and the association's 3,800 members, I'd like to congratulate Lorne Rubenstein on being named the 2012 recipient of our most prestigious award, the George Cumming Distinguished Service Award," said PGA of Canada president Gregg Schubert.
"For more than 35 years, Lorne has contributed to the game of golf through his passions as historian, journalist and author."
Born in Toronto in 1948, Rubenstein was curator for the Royal Canadian Golf Association's museum and Canadian Golf Hall of Fame from 1976 to 1982 before become the first editor of SCOREGolf magazine from 1981 to 1983.
He has also written a golf column for the Globe and Mail since 1980. He has won four first-place awards from the Golf Writers Association of America, one National Magazine Award in Canada, and, most recently, he won the award for the best feature in 2009 from the Golf Journalists Association of Canada.
His 12 books include The Natural Golf Swing, with George Knudson (1988); Links: An Insider's Tour Through the World of Golf (1990); The Swing, with Nick Price (1997); The Fundamentals of Hogan, with David Leadbetter (2000); A Season in Dornoch: Golf and Life in the Scottish Highlands (2001); Mike Weir: The Road to the Masters (2003); A Disorderly Compendium of Golf, with Jeff Neuman (2006); This Round's On Me (2009); and the latest Moe & Me: Encounters with Moe Norman, Golf's Mysterious Genius (2012).
Rubenstein is also a member of the Ontario Golf Hall of Fame and the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame, and was honoured with the Canadian Sports Media Lifetime Achievement Award in 2009.


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Not a fan of Plundor. That 200X version someone made has merit but the classic Filmation character is not something I want to see. Way to silly in a strange Warner Brothers way. That episode feels like He-Man stepped into the wrong cartoon. Just my opinion though. I hope they make him for those that want him.
"I summon forth the portal to the terrible dimension of Despondos!"
What about the chicken headed, uhh.. chick that was in that ep? She'd be cool to have as well.
Love, friendship, or respect, do not unite people as much as a common hatred for something.
I never think of the future. It comes soon enough.
i love those 200x designs.... kudos to whoever did those!
As silly as Plundor was, he'd be hard for me to resist.... imo, he's no goofier looking than Hordak the big eared klingon. (what the hell is Hordak supposed to be anyway? btw, i love Hordak...) at least i can tell what plundor is supposed to be...
i like the goofy villans just as much as the more serious ones.... so come on, Mattel... acquire those rights and give us some of these characters.
bring on the evil Easter bunny!!!!!!
I'll buy any figure they make, no matter who it is.
hell, we got a wonder bread He-man coming, as well as a green Sasquach with pine scent, so why not an evil pink rabbit? We even have a guy coming with a giant eyeball for a head!!?? IMO, he's cool too.
Lifelong fan of: MOTU, G.I.Joe, Transformers, most 'good' movies of any genre, Star Wars, oldies/classic rock & country music, WWE/WWF/WCW/NWA wrestling, old school circus sideshow performers & fictional movie 'creatures', my friends and family. oh, yes...and I love action figures!!!!!
Support MVCreations for MOTUC!!!!
if i collected the toy line for it or even have to see another version of him id fo for no, the ep with him and his charachter is just purely one of the worst of the entire series for me
its a great episode to shower or shave thru
"always believe in yerself"
dont be someone yer not
Not to mention I just don't like the idea personally. Some people may think that a silly purple bunny man with a goofy voice and cartoonish features is as cool as Skeletor, a skull faced lord of destruction but I just don't feel the same.
Regardless if people want him made I am not against that. I would just sell mine to a fellow forum member who was unable to get him. There are not many characters I would skip. I plan on getting all of the POP and NA figures. Mo-Larr and Plundor however will never be on my collector shelf.
"I summon forth the portal to the terrible dimension of Despondos!"
Hells to the yeah I'd buy him...but then again...I want every character made in MOTUC.
I love that MOTUC is re-creating MOTU from the 80s; but we can leave some things behind. Plundor is one of them.
I really hope we're getting Filmation rights! It's about time this character became a reality in figure form!
Plundor would make an AWESOME 2012 sub bonus figure.
"You don't wanna beat me or screw me!? What kind of marriage is this? Bring a book." -- Jerri Blank to her pretend husband Ronnie Leggett, from "Strangers With Candy"
I would definitely like him, but more like those pics of a 200X killer bunnicula look than the goofy Filmation look.
Of course that's after they do Shadow Weaver, Shokoti, Lord Masque, Scorpia, Octavia, Batros, Vultak, Hungra the Harpy, Icer, Strong Arm, Fang Man, Dragoon, Dark Dream, Delora, Kittrina, Lizard Man, Mara, & Master Sebrian first.
Last edited by phnx75; May 26, 2011 at 02:54pm.
I think it woudl be a cool figure to do for the Sub figure, by that i mean the figure you can only get if you buy the sub, like wundar, if the annouce they have the filmation rights.
the ignore list is my new best friend
He would be a nice figure for a sub to come out around Easter. A giant pink bunny on steroids screams Easter to me! Since the Meteorbs look like eggs, they should include a Meteorb with him as well!
Bring on Batros!
No thanks, I'd even prefer Tullamore the Treeperchaun to this ...pink ... bunny
I'd love a Plundor. Let the Four Horsemen add some detail to his Filmation design, make him look more like an evil MOTU figure. Not to the point of hyper anime detail or anything crazy like that, just some nice updating so he fits in nicely.
I really like Plundor's "Quest for He-Man" Filmation episode. It definitely made "Count Marzo's official top 10 trippiest MOTU episodes" for those who were wondering!
i'd like plundor if he were a joke exclusive figure. sort of like molar.
feel its still a wast.
He's a pink evil rabbit guy. What's not to love?
The fact that Plundar is so silly and obscure, makes him IMO a great candidate for a club exclusive figure IF Mattel ever got the rights.
Also, since he would require minimal tooling it would be a no-brainer on mattel's part.
Would I buy a Plundor? No.
I would buy THREE!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Seriously, we have characters based on skunks, snakes, elephants, lions, bees, etc, etc... why should anyone complain about one based on a rabbit??!?? And an EVIL rabbit to boot!
Where are the rest of my New Adventures Classics figures?!?!?
**Staunch FILMation lover!!! **** MUST complete the New Adventures Faction!!!**
MOTUC NEEDS more TROLLANS !!!
He is one of my top wants. People can make all the jokes they want about this guy but in the end he destroyed planets all in the name of greed. He should run for president. Still he is more of a threat than Skeletor and King Hiss. It takes the Horde armies to conquer or destroy planets as to where Plundor does it on his own. Pretty bad a** for a giant pink bunny.
If TMNT can have Usagi Yojimbo, we can surely have Plundorrrr.....THE SPOILERRR!!!@


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A Washington man and an accomplice from Pittsburgh are in the Washington County jail after suspected heroin was found during a raid Tuesday of an apartment in the 500 block of East Maiden Street in Washington.
Matthew Bryce Leavens, 20, of 518 E. Maiden St., Apt. 2, and Wayne Fitzgerald Murphy Jr., 20, whose last known address was Pittsburgh, were taken into custody after members of the Washington County District Attorney's Drug Task Force and members of the state police vice and crime units served the warrant signed by Washington County Judge Katherine Emery about 6 a.m. Also assisting were the state police K-9 unit and Washington police.
Rick Gluth, task force director, said the two had been dealing out of the apartment. Task force detectives have had an ongoing investigation into their activity for the last several months.
Investigators found 287 bags of suspected heroin, including 284 bags packaged for distribution, spoons with suspected heroin residue, syringes and unused stamp bags.
The amount of heroin seized was about what they were dealing each day, Gluth said.
"The operation demonstrates what can result from cooperative, professional police efforts," said Washington County District Attorney Eugene Vittone. "I appreciate the work done by state police, city police and task fore detectives in continuing to aggressively pursue those selling dangerous drugs in our community."
Both men were arraigned before District Judge Robert Redlinger on charges of delivery of heroin, possession and possession with intent to deliver heroin and possession of drug paraphernalia. They were placed in jail on $25,000 bond. A preliminary hearing is set for March 11 before Redlinger.
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MCDONALD – Josh Wise refused to treat the Washington High School boys basketball team's game Monday at South Fayette like what it was: a non-section game.
Instead, Wise knew the game's outcome would impact seeding for the postseason, to say nothing of the natural rivalry that's developed between these two teams because of football, Brownson House leagues and sharing a section.
"We still think of it as a section game because whenever you play South Fayette, it's going to be a tough, physical, fast basketball game, and that's what it was," Wise said. "I think we came out of the gate, threw that first punch, and I don't think they could recover from it."
Wise helped the Prexies throw the first punch, the second, the third and countless others, scoring a game-high 30 points during a 67-43 win over South Fayette in what was perhaps Wash High's finest performance of the season.
"I give them a lot of credit," South Fayette coach Rich Bonnaure said. "I think they played the best I've seen them play all year. They did a great job."
The win helps Wash High (13-5) bounce back from last week's three-game losing streak. Wash High has now won back-to-back games after beating Chartiers-Houston, 72-57, last Tuesday.
Meanwhile, South Fayette (10-6) lost for the fourth time in its past five games and its momentum from Saturday's 79-65 win over Keystone Oaks is halted.
Besides Wise, who made 10 field goals, dunked twice and went nine of 10 from the free throw line, Dupree Jenkins scored 14 points, and Jaylin Kelly added 10.
Wash High held South Fayette's leading scorer, point guard Evan Bonnaure, to zero points, though Bonnaure picked up his third foul late in the second quarter.
Lucas Russell had 13 points to lead the Lions, and Justin Watson added 12.
"Defensively we were great," Wash High coach Mark Gaither said. "I loved our team defense. Everybody contributed. Just a total team effort."
Wash High jumped out to a 13-6 lead in the opening four minutes, forcing South Fayette to call a timeout after a steal and a Wise jumper from the right wing.
The Prexies were ahead, 22-14, after the first quarter – despite three three-pointers from Russell in the period – before the Lions opened the second with a 7-0 run that was capped by Watson's rebound and putback at 4:19.
"In the first quarter, when everybody was hitting shots, I just felt like we had this game," Jenkins said.
South Fayette kept it a one-possession game until Wash High closed the period on a 9-1 run to take a 33-24 lead at the break.
Wise opened the third with a two-handed slam and later knocked down a three-pointer to give Wash High a 48-28 lead with 2:48 left in the period, effectively turning this one into a rout.
"We knew coming into this game that it was a big seeding game," said Wise, who also finished with 11 rebounds. "If you look at all the second-place teams, they look and see who you beat.
"I had yet to beat South Fayette during my career. So to come here and win convincingly at their place is huge. We dug deep. We talked about it and said this is something we needed. We wanted to win."
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Interesting.... ENTRAPTA is NOT coming to a toyshelf near you. At least, not for a very long while.
She-Ra variants are planned, down the line. Gooood.
Catra's not ready to be discussed yet. Hmmmm.
The ankle issues are a real pain in the a-nkle. I bought a TRU He-Man, and his right foot was lopsided in it's joint. So, I bought another one. Oh, well. At least I'm supporting the line at retail! What have YOU done for Mattel lately?


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Most are familiar with the term, "golf widow." It's used in a situation where the husband is always at the golf course instead of at home.
A similar nickname could be used for husbands who spend the latter part of the year walking the woods in search of a wall hanger with at least eight points.
It is easy for some of us to become addicted to hunting whitetail deer.
The little lady of the house has to make some choices. She can jump up and down screaming, go shopping, or join her husband in the woods. It's surprising how many have chosen the latter course.
The main rifle season is now over, and there are some matters to be taken care of. It has always surprised me how many rifles are put away after the hunt, forgotten and rusting in the closet.
As someone who worked in a firearms store, many times I saw guns that were brought in with extreme signs of gross neglect. Rust not only covered the metal, but bores were pitted and the stock's finish was a thing of the past.
In most instances, the outfit was left, even when wet, in a gun case and was not seen until the next year. You could call it firearm homicide.
Just the price of a deer rifle-scope combo should make you want to take care of this hunting tool.
I find myself not only wiping and lightly oiling the firearm after a hunt, but also making sure it is placed in a case that is dry. Putting a clean, dry firearm in a damp case is never a good idea.
If I suspect the gun case has picked up moisture, I open it and place it in front of a heating duct for at least 24 hours. Better to be safe than sorry.
While the rifle and case might be clean and dry, there can be another source of trouble. I have seen slings that were so loaded with water, you could wring them out. Want to find rust on an almost-pristine rifle? Look at the swivels.
If the outfit is to be stored for a lengthy period of time, make sure everything is dry.
A post-hunt question faced by many successful hunters is whether or not you take your kill to a taxidermist? All I can say is if you save the cape, you can take your time deciding. If you saw the antlers off and discard the cape, it's a done deal. When faced with this question, I save the cape, then decide what to do.
This is also the time to take note of the things that went wrong during the last two weeks.
Gun not sighted in? Easily corrected and shouldn't happen again.
Bad scope? It's time to drop a hint to the wife. Christmas is near.
Finding a new place to hunt can be a yearlong job, and it's never too early to think about next year.
Mentioning Christmas reminds me that even dad likes a nice Christmas present. Please not another shirt or tie, unless it's orange.
If the hunter in the family shoots at longer ranges, why not buy him a bi-pod?
I told another hunter the other day that I don't know how he could hunt without binoculars. This is especially true with the antler restriction rule.
New boots keep a hunter's feet dry, while a box of ammunition will allow for some extra practice.
If the hunter shot a nice deer, but not one big enough to mount, why not give a horn mounting kit?
Just about every hunter could also use a new knife. Today's hunter seems to favor the folding style.
There are also a few off-beat things that make good gifts.
I found a deer hanging kit useful. It includes a pulley and necessary hooks.
Once, my wife, Eileen, gave me a staple gun in my stocking. For those who shoot targets a lot, staple guns are priceless.
For years, the standard gift in my house was a can of powder for reloading. Just peek in the reloading room and find out what he's using. That way, you'll buy the right powder.
George H. Block writes a Sunday outdoors column for the Observer-Reporter.
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Last week, Reuters reported that the federal Justice Department official overseeing the bankruptcy, as well as the company's creditors, are examining "potential misappropriation" of assets by Thornburg Mortgage executives related to their new venture, SAF Financial Inc.
Court filings say the new company was founded by Thornburg Mortgage CEO Larry Goldstone and CFO Clarence Simmons. Sources tell SFR Goldstone (pictured) and several other fomer Thornburg Mortgage employees left the company last week, and that an emergency board meeting has been scheduled for this week.
In July, SFR reported how high-ups at Thornburg Mortgage had begun quietly planning for a new venture as their company entered bankruptcy.
Creditors' co-counsel Alan Grochal tells SFR the investigation into the new company is a "detour" from the bankruptcy proceedings, but could have serious consequences.
"I've seen these things where it turns out to be much ado about nothing. I've seen others where there was a whole other scam," Grochal says. "If it is established that corporate assets were being used and expended for a purpose that had nothing to do with helping the debtor company operate, there could be some criminal repercussions."
An email to Suzanne O'Learly Lopez, former spokeswoman Thornburg Mortgage, was referred to Kerri Segell, who would not comment. Someone responding to Lopez' email said she is no longer with the company.
What follows are notes from SFR's bizarre conversation with Segell.
SFR: You are the spokeswoman now?
Segell: Not at all. Just as time goes by, there's fewer and fewer people here. There's only a couple of us who are answering at the main phone. That's why [Suzanne] gave out my name and number. As I understand it, there's no comment to be made.
On what?
On anything.
Is Larry Goldstone still with the company?
Again, no comment.
Do you have a title?
Mmmm—I would prefer not to give you that information. I am employed by TMST [what used to be Thornburg Mortgage].
Is Suzanne still there, working for another Thornburg entity?
No, no.
So there's no one who can answer questions about anything?
That is my understanding.
Is that because the Reuters story implied there are potential criminal liabilities here?
I want to stay on the phone with you, but…
I'm sorry they hung out someone to answer for this who can't even give out her title.
It's not a good situation.
Today the Santa Fe New Mexican's lead business story was a puff piece based on an interview with the managing director at the separate money management company founded by Garrett Thornburg, headlined, "Looking up again." SFR profiled Thornburg earlier this year.


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SF schedules public hearing
At a July 24 continued meeting of the South Fayette Township Board of Commissioners, the township's bond council, Wayne Gerhold updated the board on what could be done with the funds the township received from the sale of a portion of the Star City property to Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC.
The township closed on the property earlier this summer. UPMC paid $1.65 million for the 2.6 acre property.
"We have to have a public hearing," Ryan Eggleston said about the matter.
The board voted to schedule a public hearing for 7:30 p.m. Aug. 14 , prior to the commissioners' regularly-scheduled workshop meeting.
Eggleston said there are several options for how the funds could be used. He said a portion of the sale could be utilized for either a new civic center, retirement of other debt or any sort of capital project.


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I'm torn between the two I played with the most: Mosquitor and the Battle Armors...though Leech is pretty high up there too.
God, I miss awesome gimmicks.
Sea Hawk
BA He-Man/Skeletor's chest
Mosquitor's chest
Kobra Khan's mist
Leech's suction
Stinkor's stink
Webstor's grappling hook
Hordak's MANY variations
King Hiss' revelation
Scare Glow's glow
Blast Attak's blast
OK, I'm sure this has been done many times over, but I couldn't find anything on the search feature and I'm curious to what everyone here thinks was the coolest action feature from the classic line.
I'm really torn between a handful of features. I loved Webstor's grappling hook. I thought Stinkor's stench was awesome. I even thought Leech's sucking didn't...suck.
But my favorite was probably Kobra Khan's mist action. That goes for Dragon Blast Skeletor and Snout Spout's hose as well. And Khan was the first, so I'm going with him.
Feel free to "write in" a figure if they are not included in the 10 I listed...
You should never underestimate the predictability of stupidity.
I'm torn between the two I played with the most: Mosquitor and the Battle Armors...though Leech is pretty high up there too.
God, I miss awesome gimmicks.
Sea Hawk
It's really hard for make a choice....
My choice is MOSQUITOR system, very awesome....
I like others too, Scare Glow is on my top 5 i think
They combined a cap gun with an action figure, and it just doesn't get ANY cooler than that!
My feedback: http://www.he-man.org/forums/boards/...=125066&page=2
Awesome Traders List: http://www.he-man.org/forums/boards/...d.php?t=135253
The Cradle Will Rock As I'm Drivin' Down Highway 40 In My Big Ol' Pick Up Truck.
Scare GLow was really cool for me.
Check out the Masters Of The Galaxy Podcast. And also check out Masters of the Galaxy Facebook page
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My feedback threadhttp://www.he-man.org/forums/boards/...or-Brian-Ozone
That's what I voted as well. I suppose Dragon Blaster was my favorite actually, but Khan was first in the "water shooting figure" department. What I loved about Dragon Blaster Skeletor was that you could hit your friend's figures from across the room if you aimed carefully. I guess I was a bit of a jerk when I did that, but it was fun.Originally Posted by LaRock
For me, it's a toss up between Moss Man and Saurod. (just recently got Saurod..noticed the FASTER you pump the switch, the more he shoots flames....cooooooooooool... ) I also like Khan and Stinkor....Originally Posted by The Northlander
.....yeah and Mosquitor's gimmick is cool too....but I liked it better on the Gr-Gory bat Mattel made in the seventies...
Too many favorites for me I guess...
On individual figure I'll go with the battle armor, they were cool variant (which are not a bad thing when they're just some) and that battle damage feature was way cool.
On the action feature, I'll say my favorite is the waist twist punch. Sure, about every figure had it, but it was one of the coolest feature on the MOTU, and one that made it distintive. It didn't altered the look of the toys (I didn't liked the Thundercats button on the back), and gave back cool action. When I talk back to friend about MOTU, when I refresh the memory of some that haven't seen any for years, thet always mention back this cool feature. It was simple, it worked (and it still on figure that are 20 years or older) and was distinctive.
I thus really like Fisto, Jitsu and Ninjor karate chop.
The other ones I really like are Mekanek (kinda silly but fun), Stonedar and Rokkon (Comet warrior that can be cool Eternian scenery all in one? Neat!) and of course you could loose an entire evening dismembering and reforming Modulok.
Last edited by Dr Bo; May 18, 2005 at 08:38am.
- Dr Bo.
Man of Kitsch, Robot and Glamour. And some barbarians hero, too.
Member with whom I completed great trade and transaction: Lady Angora, Royalbliss, 10incher, Secret_defender, Bosskmr, LupaLuna, Motu2002, Buzz Saw Hordak, Malakai9999, Racer X, Igorr & Cpuwizshot.
Stinkor's smell. The best action feature of any figure ever. Best of all, my Stinkor still has his smell.
I have the power!
More power Multibot!
I have to go with Mosquitor's chest. His action feature was so cool that I displayed him long after all my other stuff was packed away.
Proud supporter of the Snake Men.
Most Wanted: Slave Girl, Lizorr, T-Rex, Great Black Wizard, rest of New Adventures, Lodar, MOP Demons, Dream Mistress.
Most Wanted Filmation: Ileena, Granita, Teela, Hordak head, Dylamug, Twiggets, Trollans, Widgets, Dark Dream, Lady Valtira, Count Marzo, Chimera.
No Slave Girl? Watch us hurl!
A barbaric world without slave girls? That's truly barbaric!
Chris here...
I voted for the Battle Armour figures' action features - I only got these figures for the first time a couple of years ago and they're so much fun!
As a kid my favourite was Leech's "sticking" abilities - I remember suctioning him to the fridge in our old kitchen! Ahhhh, those were the days! Other favourites were Roboto's working "gears" in his chest, and Moss Man's lovely pine scent.
Take care...
Are you fed up with the problems you've been experiencing buying from MattyCollector.com?
If so, please consider joining the Facebook group Mattel Toys - Petition for Change, to present a united voice to Mattel calling for change.
MOTU Classics is an amazing toyline, and collecting it should be fun. Let's try and make a difference.
Scare Glows glow!
My Toy Photography: https://www.facebook.com/GrayskullWarrior
Of the ones listed, I had to go with Kobra Kahn, but overall...
Totally agree! That was the most awesome gimic ever.Originally Posted by Mern-Ra
A close second was Modulok though...Lego meets MotU figure...heaven!
" the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few "
" or the one "
{ @Lioncourt on Twitter | MastersCast | My Blog }19
considering the many amazing variations in cool action fetures in the motu classic line you really need an "other" option in your vote. I would choose snake faces' feature. That was very cool for me, but if i Had to vote on your poll it would be for mosquitor!
Also I got got alot of play action from memory from whiplashes tail. Man i killed so many heroic warriors with that tail, it eventually snapped off!
Why didn't they make awesome action features for the new figures?
Mosquitor's chest was great...
Scare Glow has always been my favourite!
I like very much Stinkor´s smell. He smells very bad. He is a great toy.
I went for Battle Armour He-Man/Skeletor's chest - I loved playing with these as a kid - for some reason I got hours of enjoyment out of this one gimmick.
"The privilege of a lifetime is just being who you are."
(Joseph Campbell)
I know one can only fit ten options on a poll, but no spinning (Sy-Klone, FF He-Man, TC Skeletor, Zoids)? No sparks? No tongue? And most of all, no 'spray cold water on the girl's t-shirt with precision (Snout Spout)?
"She-Ra, Princess of Power was no more. That had been the price of freedom."
Now THAT was a great feature!Originally Posted by pH6
I wish I never sold Snout Spout now...Well, at least I still have Kobra Khan...
I'm the guy behind cereal:geek magazine, The He-Man and She-Ra Blog!, and The unofficial cartoon guide to He-Man and the Masters of the Universe...
Webstor- man he was cool! Oh, Roboto's gears and Sy-Clones spin was pretty sweet too!
Please see my arts gallery here: www.pcpfh.wordpress.com Have fun browsing!
No Mek-a-nek, Ram Man, Extendar, Orko, etc...?!?!
There is no such thing as Uncle Skeletor.
----> My Wants & Haves list! <----
Mosquitor's chest easily is the best. Scare Glow would be second for sure and I always liked Mantenna's eye action feature as a kid also.
For me, Mosquitor. He was by far my most played with figure. Extendar comes in second, but they are all awesome, It's a really hard choice!
MOTUC Customs:http://masterenglish.deviantart.com/...#MOTUC-Customs
Please visit my store for custom MOTUC accessories and services.
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By Dave Maass and members of the United World College student body
Irresponsible multinational corporations in Costa Rica, corrupt officials in Tanzania, cultural clashes in the Netherlands, drought in Jordan, censorship in Vietnam: These are the greatest challenges around the globe as seen through the eyes of the next generation of leaders—the diverse, international student body of Armand Hammer United World College of the American West in Montezuma, NM.
This project began a year and a half ago with the school's Beyond Borders club, a dozen or so students, from places such as Zimbabwe, Poland, Iraq and Hong Kong, who all have a common interest in human rights. Students interviewed each other—Costa Ricans spoke to Tanzanians, Americans surveyed Cambodians—and then shared their findings. The individual words were written and rewritten into a single voice to reflect a global youth vision of the melting pot of challenges and hopes for the future.
The final product is an almanac of issues that may serve as a guide to understanding the challenges the world will face over the next few decades. Not all the nations represented at UWC appear on these pages; we selected the entries with the intention of balancing both the regions and the issues. Each country's listing is followed by the name of the student from that nation who provided the conceptual basis.
Politicians and other leaders always talk about leaving the planet better for future generations. At United World College, that future generation is already tackling the world's interwoven crises—energy, environment, the economy. The students seem to have learned quite a lot from their forbearers' mistakes. If all goes well, in a few years, we'll be looking to them to lead the way. —Dave Maass
A Global Culture
United World College is both a microcosm and road map for resolving international conflicts.
Students at United World College in Montezuma represent 73 different countries with just 200 students. Naturally, the student body has conflicting views on just about every issue, yet the campus is one of the most understanding and open-minded places I have ever been.
At UWC, everyone learns about issues from all over the world. We gain perspectives on every conflict from nearly every point of view—conservative and liberal, Muslim and Christian, peaceful pacifist and violent activist.
When ideological conflicts do occur, they're settled through structured, smart argument, rather than yelling and physical fighting.
So how does it all work? How do Palestinians interact with Israelis? How do Serbs interact with Bosnians? How do people of liberated countries interact with their colonizers?
We have a program here called Constructive Engagement of Conflict. One of its most important principles is that of accepting multiple truths. This manifested in full form during the height of the
Israel-Palestine conflict. We had all just returned from winter break, during which we sat with our families, watching the conflict escalate as we thought of our friends in the region.
Upon our return to school, tensions rose and something had to be done. We held two consecutive presentations: one by the Palestinian students and one by the Israeli students. Attendance was compulsory for all. Both groups presented their sides, during which even the most basic assumptions, such as who fired the first shot, were contested. There were certainly arguments about the legitimacy of each side but, in the end, we understood that everyone interprets an event through his or her own eyes. Perception is reality; this is truly the root of conflict. As the school began to realize this, we allowed about a week for the school to brainstorm solutions and then these also were discussed. Subsequently, in March, the Israeli and Palestinian students attended a conference in Seattle to discuss the same issues, and their presentations at the school certainly helped their abilities to communicate to larger audiences in Seattle.
As an American living on the American UWC campus (there are 12 schools around the world), I realize how much of our culture has taken root in other cultures, but also how much of our culture hardly makes sense in other parts of the world. We, the 50 Americans on campus, must introduce the other 75 percent to something new. For example, students on campus run dance parties periodically on the weekends. Many more conservative cultures do not have these types of parties back home, but nearly everyone comes to these parties anyway.
What we learn here at UWC is much larger than academia. Everyone here attempts to transcend his or her own culture and understand someone else. In the end, nothing is more important than understanding. (Tyler Fisher)
South Africa
While South Africa is more advanced than most of its neighbors, the country still faces numerous problems, not the least of which is a 36 percent unemployment rate. The country also has a severely high crime rate—second highest after Columbia in murders, with 1 per 2,000 people—which poses significant challenges for the 2010 World Cup. Newspapers have reported that behind-the-scenes officials are considering moving the games if South Africa can't implement satisfactory security protocols.
Perhaps the biggest problem is corruption in South Africa's government, best illustrated by African National Congress President Jacob Zuma. Even though Zuma faces charges of money laundering, racketeering and fraud tied to a $5 billion arms deal, he is still favored as the frontrunner for the 2009 presidential election.
Many South Africans are finding hope with the new political party, Congress of the People (COPE). The party splintered off the ANC in December 2008 in order to run candidates in the April 22 general election. Ethics reform tops the party's platform, and COPE has introduced a member of the clergy, Bishop Hamilton Mvumelwano "Mvume" Dandala, as its main presidential delegate. It's doubtful, though, that party will gain a majority.
In the meantime, pressure must be put on the National Prosecution Authority [similar to the US Department of Justice] to release evidence and prosecute leaders such as Zuma. (Gareth Smit)
With more than 40 percent of adults living with HIV, Swaziland has the most severe AIDS rate in the world.
The situation seems especially bleak because January 2009 numbers show 42 percent of pregnant women are HIV-positive, a 3 percent increase from 2006. Many consider ignorance the problem: Cultural myths about condoms leading to sterility are as common as the idea that AIDS stands for "American Ideas of Discouraging Sex."
Traditional healers insist herbs can cure AIDS, but the techniques of applying the remedies can actually spread the disease. Furthermore, King Mswati III practices polygamy, leading many to believe that sex with multiple partners is healthy. Distributing condoms in bars or taping them to telephone polls has been effective, but the next step should be a shift from abstinence-only education to prevention in public schools. (Nelson Zwane)
In 2008, President Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete dissolved his entire cabinet after details emerged that the members were involved in underhanded practices in awarding an $83 million contract to a US utility company.
While the president's action was a major step forward in confronting government corruption, it did not address the widespread culture of corruption that has trickled down to lower government agencies.
A prime example are Tanzanian hospitals, which have developed an informal system of under-the-table payments—essentially bribes for doctors and nurses—in exchange for treatments, medicines and hospital beds, although they are supposed to be free to all citizens. Solutions to this situation aren't simple, but the government can start by launching a public awareness campaign and re-evaluating the salaries of public servants. (Violet Rukambeiya)
Refugees continue to flow into Uganda from several directions: In the north, Darfurians flee genocide from the Sudanese government, while refugees from the war-torn Democratic Republic of Congo flow in from the west.
Uganda itself is still recovering from its own civil war and the influx of refugees has hampered the nation's efforts to stabilize its economy.
Often the needs of refugees fall through the gaps, and so it is important the government accepts international assistance to develop a care system for refugees and considers implementing the reconciliation processes that have been successful in other African nations. (Alvin Mwijuka)
Hong Kong
Hong Kong relies heavily on its financial and business service sectors—together, the industries account for more than 50 percent of the territory's total economic activity. As a result, an extremely uneven income distribution has developed. As of 2007, the gap between the rich and the poor in Hong Kong continued to grow; last year the richest households earned on average $10,000 per month in US dollars; the poorest earned on average $300. This disparity continues today, even though Hong Kong's GDP tops that of Japan, as well as Spain, England, Italy and Russia.
The Chinese government has stimulated much of Hong Kong's recent economic development and greatly influenced its economic policies (the territory became an official "Special Administration Region" of China in 1997), but such dependence on mainland China has led to a gradual deterioration of Hong Kong's freedom of speech and judiciary independence.
Rather than allow mainland China to influence Hong Kong's course, the region should lead China toward policies of personal liberty, democracy and human rights. This may already be impossible as the communist government consolidates its control over Hong Kong's economy and government. (Siu Ming)
Motorcycles and mopeds are the preferred mode of transportation for middle-class and working-class Cambodians, as well as students, mostly because they are affordable and use less gasoline.
For many years Cambodia lacked strong traffic laws. Between 2000 and 2007, motorcycle traffic deaths increased by 150 percent, costing the country more than $130 million in health care and productivity.
In response, the government passed new traffic laws, including a helmet law that went into effect in January 2009. Unfortunately, in March police reported that riders had begun ignoring the law. (Hokchhay Tann)
Maoists with the Communist Party of Nepal came out of the 2008 election as the ruling party of the small Asian country. Non-Maoists worry the party's goal of creating a "federal democratic republic" is only the first step toward a pure and potentially oppressive communist state.
Maoist rebels killed more than 14,000 people during the group's 10-year "People's War" against the previous monarchy, leading the US to label the ruling party a terrorist organization. Currently, the US is reviewing whether to lift the tag, which would significantly lend credibility to the leadership. (Gaurav Khanal)
One of the greatest problems in Vietnam is widespread censorship of the press and individual free expression. In 2006, for example, the government banned two newspapers from publishing for two months because the papers covered problems in the printing of new bank notes.
In 2007, students protested peacefully in support of Vietnam's side of a territory dispute with China; even though they were on the government's side, police broke up the protest. In the coming years, individuals must watch carefully how the government chooses to regulate the internet; already Amnesty International has documented systematic political censorship. (Hoang Khnah Tran)
Next to no rainfall fell on Jordan in 2008, making the country's greatest challenge its water scarcity, an environmental problem that is difficult to control or predict. Over the last few years, the problem has intensified; 90 percent of the country now receives only a few drops a year in precipitation. This presents a serious risk to Jordan's olive trade; even after a recent 10-day rainfall, farmers will only receive between 45 and 55 percent of the water needed for irrigation due to rationing.
Jordan draws water from the Dead Sea, the body of water so salty that tourists come from around the world to buoy on its surface, but even that source is drying up.
In response, Jordan has announced a plan to pump water from the Red Sea into the Dead Sea through a cross-country canal, which could raise the Dead Sea's water level high enough to return the sea to homeostasis. But this plan presents political problems because the seas are shared by multiple nations, including Israel, which has had a strained relationship with Jordan for many years.
While training in water-sustainability techniques and technology may help some Jordanians on the local level, the greater national water shortage essentially hinges on regional stability and the ability of Middle East to put basic needs over ideological, religious and political differences. (Rayah Farah)
In the 1970s, a civil war in Afghanistan led to the Soviet invasion, creating a power vacuum that led to the rise of the Taliban, which of course led to the US invasion of Afghanistan. That brings us to today, when Americans occupying Afghanistan have attempted to turn the tide in a nation overrun with warlords and corrupt government officials. With all the violence, Afghanistan has had little chance to consider the human rights of children (there is massive child labor and little education) and of women (cultural carryovers from the oppressive Taliban regime). Afghanis often blame their country's instability on US foreign policy and believe the nation won't be united until its government is seen as legitimately independent. (Mobeen Ludin)
The most important issue facing Israel's upcoming leaders is the same issue facing the current one and the one before that and so forth: the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians.
Broadly put, the disagreement is over land—who has a right to the Gaza Strip, the West Bank and certain parts of Jerusalem. However, after a decade of disagreements over borders, polls by the University of Maryland's Program on International Policy Attitudes showed that in 2002 more than 70 percent of both sides support the solution first proposed in 1947: two states, with Jerusalem as an international city.
Violence from earlier in the year set back the process substantially and now 73 percent of Palestinians and 60 percent of Israelis think that there is next to no chance that an independent Palestinian state will exist next to Israel within the next five years. The next government may have a better shot if it accepts that there can be no peace without painful decisions. (Mia Tamarin)
The Israeli offensive at the end of 2008 seriously damaged the infrastructure of the Gaza Strip: Many people lack access to clean water, several schools have been destroyed and families are struggling to cope with the trauma. Even now, external aid is often unable to get through the Israeli checkpoints. Meanwhile, in the West Bank, there are approximately 310 settlements, most of which were built after the Oslo Accord called for a halt to settlement expansion. Palestinians own only about 12 percent of their own land.
While a two-state solution is viewed by many as necessary, it seems impossible at this time. Palestinians must continue to work for human rights and dignity, and protect the most vulnerable by holding Israeli armed forces accountable for civilian deaths and injuries, and by challenging the US to play more of a peacemaking role. (Islam Qados)
Like many nations, Lithuania faces an energy crisis but, for the Eastern European nation, the problem is particularly acute because it agreed to shut down its Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant in 2009 in order to join the European Union. Nevertheless, many in Lithuania believe nuclear power is the only way the country can achieve energy independence. There is a cultural component to the issue of whether to build a new nuclear power plant: The memory of the Chernobyl catastrophe of 1986 is still fresh in the minds of many Eastern Europeans, and the conservative politicians in Lithuania have capitalized on that fear.
Currently, Lithuania is negotiating with Latvia and Poland to share a new nuclear power plant, which would offer electricity to many states in the Baltic region. The project would take 10 years to build, so it's crucial Lithuania begins to prepare youth now for scientific and high-tech jobs. (Aldona Kapacinskaite)
In both the government and in the streets, Germany faces a political atmosphere of increasingly divergent extremes. In parliament, the socialist Die Linke ["The Left"] and the far-right National Democratic Party are gaining support and picking up votes, resulting in stalemates over social programs—particularly those affecting immigrants.
On the ground, the tension manifests in terms of increased racial violence between Neo-Nazis and immigrant youth, who are often from Muslim nations. To an extent, the government can alleviate the situation by broadening integration efforts and promoting tolerance but, in the end, there may be an economic solution: If Germany can create more jobs, frustration over class may dissipate. (Claudia Nagel)
In the Netherlands, hostilities between immigrants and "native" Dutch people continue to escalate, and political leaders, such as parliamentarian Geert Wilder, are stoking the flame. In 2008, Wilder released the inflammatory documentary film Fitna about Muslim fundamentalists.
Although the international community condemned the film, Wilder cultivated an enthusiastic fan base, indicative of growing intolerance toward immigrants. At the same time, Muslim extremist groups countered with a call for the director's assassination. There really isn't any solution other than a popular effort to focus on unity and mutual understanding. (Jorien Loots)
In 1989, Poland abandoned communism and embraced democracy but, 20 years later, many in power have trouble letting go and forgetting the previous system. Through a process called "lustration," the government has used the Institute of National Remembrance (otherwise known as the Commission for the Prosecution of Crimes against the Polish Nation) to "clean" Poland of former Communists. At best, lustration is a distraction from more important issues, such as the economy; at worst it's political persecution of the most dangerous order. In order to move on and let go of 20-year-old vendettas, the next generation of political leaders must be drawn from those without ties to either the former socialist bloc or the pro-democracy "solidarity" movements of the 1980s. (Lukasz Niparko)
Portugal's Gross National Product is 20 percent lower than its Gross Domestic Product, which means foreign companies, particularly Spanish ones, have secured a large portion of the national economy. The Portuguese government's ongoing economic policy of aggressive privatization, too often to foreign-owned companies, has only made the situation worse because profits flow out of the country. With the influx of foreign workers during the global economic crisis, Portugal's unemployment tops 7 percent. One effective solution would be for the government to reverse its policies and encourage investment in domestic companies and corporations. (Isabel Camacho)
Costa Rica
Initially, Costa Rica refused to ratify the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) because it feared risks to its economy. When, as a result, Costa Rica lost major US investments, the nation's leaders swung around and ratified CAFTA earlier this year.
While CAFTA may benefit other countries, the evidence thus far indicates Costa Rica was better off without it. The country's economy is dependent on two commodities, coffee and bananas, which make up 57 percent of the national exports. However, as a result of CAFTA, 40 tons of Colombian coffee were "dumped" in Costa Rica, wreaking havoc in the market.
Another central part of Costa Rica's economy is tourism, but many hotels are owned by international companies, which bring in their own staff, thus crowding out the local population. Hotels that do employ Costa Ricans offer only menial jobs, without any promise of promotion. The situation is similar with high-tech corporations such as Intel or Verizon, which choose to employ outside experts while filling lower "technician" positions with Costa Ricans who hold doctorate degrees.
One solution would be for the Costa Rican government to re-evaluate the requirements for multinational corporations that do business in Costa Rica and consider employment quotas for locals in all levels of the company structure. (Maria Perez)
Illegal immigrants, mostly from Haiti, flock to the Bahamas seeking safe working conditions and a stronger currency. Haitians now comprise the largest population living on the 700 islands that make up the Bahamas. The government has attempted to jail these immigrants, creating humanitarian crises in the county's overcrowded jails.
It also has tried to expand its coast guard, but scandals emerged involving exploitation—financial and sexual—of captured immigrants. While the Bahamas will likely continue experimenting with these measures, it is important for the islands to promote tolerance and fund education programs for immigrant students. (Elle Newbold)
Oil companies, competing for the rich oil reserves hidden beneath the Ecuadorian rainforest, have pitted indigenous tribes against each other in order to destabilize the region and seize oil-rich land. Public awareness campaigns, such as the global Live Earth concerts, have raised money to save certain rainforests, including Yasuní, a national park in Ecuador.
The government, however, needs to take a more active role. Already the government is indicating a switch in policy; instead of taking commissions from oil companies, it is considering a plan to sell carbon emission credits to preserve the forests while supporting the economy.
(Sebastian Gallardo Coral)
Jamaica's national security is threatened by an unusual form of gang warfare: Teenage supporters of rival political parties form "political gangs," which often clash violently in public schools. The two major parties involved are the People's National Party, represented by orange shirts, and the Jamaica Labor Party, whose members wear green shirts.
According to Jamaican police, these gangs have a great interest in stockpiling weapons; one search of a 140-student school turned up more than 40 weapons, including knives and razors. Political representatives from the parties need to step forward and lead their followers in productive, rather than destructive, activities. (Nara Anderson-Figueroa)


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Here we stand as a community staring into the cold light following a dark tragedy. Santa Fe Mayor David Coss has pledged swift action in response to the deaths of four teenagers in an accident that also has irrevocably altered the lives of many people, exponentially rippling out from those closest to the people and the scene.
"Tougher laws, education and treatment," is the triad the mayor proposes to discuss at a joint meeting of the Santa Fe City Council and the Santa Fe County Board of Commissioners, scheduled to take place at 5 pm, Wednesday July 8 in City Council chambers (but don't be surprised if the meeting is moved to the Santa Fe Community Convention Center because of high attendance).
Unfortunately, the community-wide effort is a bit fractured from the get-go, with another consortium of organizations (Impact DWI, The Santa Fe Community Foundation and MADD) planning a meeting from 6 to 9 pm the same night in the Jemez Room at the Santa Fe Community College.
While that hiccup will no doubt be resolved into some kind of unified front, the question of what proposed solutions and actions to move forward is one that merits close attention. When we face issues that affect society as a whole—such as alcoholism and drunk driving—we have a tendency to believe societal and regulatory responses will address what are essentially problems of personal accountability. Organizations like MADD have made great strides in public awareness and law enforcement efforts, but such organizations simultaneously diffuse individual empowerment and responsibility: Someone out there is dealing with it so it's not my problem.
Some of the suggestions put forward this week will be extreme, both in the proposed ramifications and in terms of delusionary effectiveness. One will be that Santa Fe should be a dry county. Such a thing would not only be economically disastrous, but profoundly pointless. Our proximity to various pueblos would only mean that driving becomes a necessity for alcohol consumption and the outlaw practice of drinking would only encourage the recklessness that accompanies all furtive behavior.
Another extreme proposal will be to move toward mandatory interlock devices in all cars—sensible enough on the surface, but the technology doesn't exist to make it practical. Limited use of interlocks for offenders has worked, but that breathalyzers are frequently in error by up to 15 percent and that interlock devices can get false readings from spicy food, anything with high yeast content, perfume, cologne and mouthwash, would drive the average populace insane.
Newer technology that pulls readings from the surface of the skin would presumably be subject to false readings based on hand sanitizer or rubbing alcohol, as well as potentially duped by any number of ruses. This is the most important fact behind installing mandatory interlocks: All it would accomplish would be to spur innovation of technology to defeat and trick the devices.
A colossal legislative effort—impractical on anything but a national level—and a huge, burdensome expense would be quickly outmaneuvered by a few smart people with some tools and some time. If there is going to be a national effort on any front, it should be toward drivers education, which is a joke in this country. If stone-cold-sober drivers don't grasp the implications of hurtling through space surrounded by tons of metal, how can we expect intoxicated people to take it seriously?
Tougher enforcement? Well, better processing of cases and judicial management is the place to focus those efforts—the police and sheriff's departments are already doing their jobs. Education and treatment are areas that need better financial and community support. These are the unglamorous areas of true effectiveness.
Education and treatment are effective because they go to the core of the issue: personal accountability. I am the one who chooses to drink. I am the one who chooses to drive. I am the one who allows my friend—or even a stranger—to drive away. No law is going to make that choice. No technology is going free you of responsibility. Punishing bars or servers or store clerks absolves nothing. Education can make this point, and treatment for those who have screwed up can drive it home.
If a comprehensive investigation and trial eventually determines that Scott Owens is responsible for the accident of June 28, most people will be satisfied by the societally approved punishment of a heavy jail term. But in another sense, we will be robbing Owens of the opportunity to take responsibility for what happened. Our criminal justice system routinely mitigates true accountability with punishment, a practice that makes it easier for us to request draconian laws and Big Brother technology as a substitute for individual decision making.
Our consistent diffusion of our own actions out into a morass of shared cultural guilt allows us to pass on blame for poor financial decisions, for sub-par schools, for ineffective government representation and for all manner of ills that must somehow be someone else's fault.
Responsibility is the counterpoint to freedom, and our eagerness to surrender the first has perilous consequences for the latter.
Here we stand as a community staring into the cold light following a dark tragedy. Santa Fe Mayor David Coss has pledged swift action in response to the deaths of four teenagers in an accident that also has irrevocably altered the lives of many people, exponentially rippling out from those closest to the people and the scene.


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The state Department of Transportation's preferred option to improve a Route 88 intersection in the Mon Valley by moving traffic around a circle isn't viewed as desirable among local officials, residents and at least one businessman.
Archie Allridge, an owner of Fisher Heights Giant Eagle at Routes 88 and 837 in Carroll Township, said the proposed roundabout at the site would gobble up his store's parking lot.
"It takes the prime spots. It puts me out of business," Allridge said Monday.
PennDOT two weeks ago made public the plan along with another that would keep the T-shaped intersection with traffic signals and add turning lanes to create better traffic flows.
The roundabout almost immediately drew criticism from Carroll supervisors, said Jim Harrison, vice chairman of the board.
"We are 100 percent opposed to it," Harrison said.
"I have fielded dozens of calls, and no one is in favor of it."
Roundabouts have become the "wave of the future" because they are more efficient and safer than many traditional intersections, said Rachel Duda, an assistant PennDOT district executive for design.
Cars are forced to slow and yield into a two-lane circle and exit from various turning lanes.
Roundabouts nearly eliminate rear-end crashes because they do not force traffic to stop.
Duda said this intersection has proven itself to experience more vehicle accidents than the "standard average" in Pennsylvania, and the traffic there exceeds capacity.
"It has a poor level of service," she said.
PennDOT executives are now told to start with roundabouts as a preferred alternative when making intersection improvements, Duda said.
While the department has yet to make a decision on the one in Carroll, the roundabout remains PennDOT's preferred design, she said.
She said the roundabout would affect fewer properties than adding turning lanes, and that it involves taking one house.
If the state takes parking spaces from the Giant Eagle, the business will be compensated for them.
"We will create new ones for them," Duda said.
Allridge said PennDOT is expected to make a decision on the plan within six months.
Meanwhile, Harrison said, township police and fire officials also opposed the roundabout.
"It is a sore spot," he said.
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With Iraq to its east, Syria to its north and Egypt and Israel's West Bank to its west, Jordan is sandwiched within one of the most turbulent of the world's neighborhoods.
That's why it's a little surprising to discover that the most pressing concern when it comes to hosting exchange students in Jordan's capital Amman is … the traffic.
"I'm not kidding," said Elena Corbett, a 1994 graduate of Washington High School and, starting this academic year, the resident director of the Council for International Education Exchange Study Center in Amman.
"This is the stuff that keeps me up at night … both their safety as pedestrians and their safety as passengers in buses and taxis."
Corbett is something of an old pro, in fact, when it comes to Jordan. The 36-year-old Corbett holds a doctorate from the University of Chicago, specializing in the history of the modern Middle East. She and her husband, Joey Corbett, who is on the staff of the Biblical Archaeology Society, have been shuttling back and forth to Jordan since 1996 as they've worked on dissertation research, and they also lived in Cairo for a year.
"I find Jordanian history in particular really compelling because so many people don't," Corbett explained via email earlier this month. "There are popular, scholarly and policy narratives about it that say pretty much the same thing, and it involves kings, Bedouins and camels and then some angry people who are against them. And these are very uncomplicated understandings of context that frankly don't serve anyone very well."
In Amman, Corbett is in charge of "the whole caboodle": She administers the academic programs and oversees faculty and staff. Last semester, 150 students from colleges and universities were enrolled in the program, and about 130 are participating this semester. The program in Jordan is one of 175 CIEE has around the world and it emphasizes goal-setting, both personally and academically. Corbett hopes students leave Jordan "appreciating the complexities and nuances … that they can't make generalizations."
Corbett's father, Robert Dodge, is a professor in the history department at Washington & Jefferson College who specializes in European and Russian history and, according to Corbett, "I wouldn't be where I am had I not grown up in an environment where international travel and foreign languages were viewed and valued unquestioningly as part of one's education. Growing up around the W&J community, it was just normal to see faculty leading students all over the world while foreign students were always welcomed."
"As a father and an academician, I'm obviously very proud of her," Dodge said. He pointed out that Corbett is fluent in Arabic and "she can deal with any subject very well in the Arab language."
Along with her teaching duties in Jordan, Corbett is polishing a long-gestating book on archaeology and narratives of history and identity in both Palestine and Jordan, and has another research project in mind once the book is completed.
Before starting work in Jordan, Corbett taught in the history department at Penn State's Erie campus. Whether or not she returns permanently to America and gets back on the tenure track, Corbett is uncertain.
"I'm enjoying what I'm doing right now, I feel like I'm doing something important, I feel valued and I'm building a very important skill set and gaining experiences that are opening possibilities I could have never imagined."
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Browse Bulletins
A Park for Afghanistan
Afghanistan recently inaugurated its first national park.
Ship Camera Maps Slimy Invader
As a coastal invasive species spreads in the North Atlantic Ocean, HabCam is catching it in action.
Biologists Push to Save Sturgeon
Harvesting caviar from sturgeon in the Caspian Sea comes at a great cost—the fish's survival.
Bat Sickness Spreads to New States
As bats die across the eastern United States, biologists have more questions than answers.
Australia's Fire Danger
The wildfires that recur in southern Australia are predicted to worsen as the globe warms.
Gigantic Snake Fossil Discovered
The remains of the world's largest snake tell a story of the ancient tropics.
Light Pollution: Beyond the Glare
Light reflected off cars, buildings, and roads can derail wildlife.
Australian Coral Growth Slows
Climate change appears to be causing a coral decline in the Great Barrier Reef.
American Chestnuts: Back on Home Turf
This landmark American tree is poised to return to eastern woodlands.
China's Great Green Wall: A Dust Antidote?
China is planting an enormous swath of forest to keep dust storms at bay.
Striped Bass Decline Points to Pollution
An experiment uncovers a major killer of this popular sport fish in San Francisco Bay.
Extinct Cave Bear DNA Decoded
Genetic details help sort out the bear family tree.
Beluga Whales Endangered in Alaska
The federal government is protecting a small group of Alaskan beluga whales before it gets any smaller.
Taking Stock of Coral Reefs
Divers in Australian reefs tallied hundreds of species new to science.
Suburban Growth Stresses Streams
Roads, buildings, and other new development alter aquatic life in local streams.
125,000 Gorillas Discovered in Congo
A new survey doubles the existing number of western lowland gorillas.
Eight New Natural Wonders Listed
UNESCO has added eight new sites to its list of irreplaceable natural habitats.
Climate Change Forces Species Uphill
Some reptiles and amphibians that live on Madagascar's highest peaks could face extinction.
Animals Aid Depleted Forests
When forests vanish, seed-spreading animals can come to the rescue.
Yosemite: Biodiversity in the Balance?
When one link in Yosemite's food web falters, the effects cascade.
A Cyclone's Wake
Clearing of Myanmar's lush mangrove forests worsened the damage from Cyclone Nargis.
Beetle Outbreaks and Climate Change
A new study highlights a feedback loop between global warming and a forest insect.
Lake Mead: Empty by 2021?
Climate change could bring grave water shortages to the American Southwest.
Loggers Imperil Monarch Butterflies
Satellites show severe deforestation in a rare monarch butterfly overwintering site.
Releasing a River
What happens when rivers are allowed to flow on their own?
Coral Reefs: Seeking the Pristine
Most coral reefs are badly degraded, but Kingman Reef is the picture of health.
Mangroves and Shrimp: Finding Balance
A new study finds that mangrove forests and shrimp farms can coexist--to some extent.
Groundwater's "Trickle-Down" Effect
A new study shows that pollutants can take a century or more to show up in rivers and streams.
Finding Life at the Frozen Poles: Antarctica
Biologists have announced many Antarctic discoveries during International Polar Year.
Oil Spills Affect Aquatic Life
Oil spills foul shores in San Francisco Bay and the Black Sea.
Seasonal Fires Burn Human Landscape
Houses in fire-adapted habitats burned during some of the worst blazes in California history.
New Reserves to Protect New Species
Vietnam's threatened, still-mysterious biodiversity gets a conservation connection.
California Delta in Crisis
The delta's levees are no match for a big earthquake.
Wolves Help Aspen Trees Grow
A predator returns - and reverses decades of aspen decline.
Burn Scars of a Treasured Forest
Athens copes with the aftermath of a devastating fire.
Climate Change Affects Ecosystems
Impacts from the IPCC's 2007 report.
Record-Breaking Fire Season
The southeastern U.S. burned repeatedly in this season's extreme drought.
Satellites Spot Fishing Tracks
The muddy trails of bottom trawlers are visible from space.
Drought Provokes Forest Fires
Tinder-dry southeast Georgia is beset by the worst blazes ever seen in the state.
Migrating Birds Losing Key Stopover
A Korean estuary is turning to farmland, endangering hundreds of thousands of shorebirds.
New Frog Species Hiding in Plain Sight
Biologists discover that 1 Asian frog species is really 18.
More Roads Encourage Wildlife Poaching
The web of roads across central Africa leaves wildlife at risk.
Runoff Flows Beyond Coral Reefs
Can river sediment reach Australia's vulnerable outer reef?
Fishing for Marine Genes
A team of biologists is on a microbial mission around the world's oceans.
Preserving the Tree of Life
Should we conserve regions with higher numbers of species—or regions with more species variety?
Reconstructing Wetlands to Fight Pollution
An ongoing effort to reduce agricultural pollution in Florida's Everglades is seeing results.
Surveying Streams from Space
Space Shuttle data will help conserve "invisible" waterways.
Livestock Adds to Global Warming
Raising animals is more damaging than transportation.
Polar Bears May Make Threatened List
Global warming is stressing populations.
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Lindsay Wright scored 15 points to help Charleroi drive past Washington 45-30 in a Section 5-AA game.
It was the sixth win in a row for the Cougars (7-1, 12-5) and put the Prexies (5-3, 8-6) two games behind them in the standings.
Carina Gottheld chipped in with 13 points for the Cougars.
Mya Gordon paced Washington with 15 points.
Bethel Park 46, Canon-McMillan 42: Megan Marecic sank two free throws with eight seconds left to help Bethel Park hold off Canon-McMillan, 46-42, in a Section 4-AAAA game.
The Black Hawks (8-0, 14-1), ranked No. 1 in the state by some publications, got 19 points from Marecic.
Danielle Parker led the Big Macs (1-7, 6-9) with 12 points and Olivia Lorusso chipped in with 11.
Monessen 52, Avella 49: A 17-4 run in the second quarter helped propel Monessen to a 52-49 victory over Avella in a non-section game.
Mariah Ward tossed in a game-high 19 points for the Greyhounds (4-10), who led 29-19 at halftime. Mariha Johnson chipped in with 16 points.
Kenna Drazich led the Eagles (9-6) with 16 points and Olivia English added 12.
Monessen struggled from the free throw line, hitting just nine of 27.
Quaker Valley 43, Trinity 38: Quaker Valley rallied in the fourth quarter, outscoring Trinity 22-12 to take a 43-38 victory in a Section 5-AAA game.
Rachel Smith led QV (6-2, 10-5) with 15 points. Kayla Foster had 14 and Sierra Perlik 13. The Quakers trailed 26-21 heading into the fourth quarter.
Chartiers-Houston 2, Wilkinsburg 0, forfeit: Chartiers-Houston received a 2-0 forfeit from Wilkinsburg in a Section 4-AA game. The win moved the Bucs to 4-4 in the section and 10-6 overall.
Wilkinsburg (0-8, 0-12) forfeited because it did not have enough players. It was the second time that has happened this season.
Ringgold 64, Waynesburg 19: Eleni Radic and Bailey Cooper combined for 28 points to power Ringgold to a 64-19 victory over Waynesburg in a Section 4-AAA game.
Radic led the way with 15 for the Rams (4-4, 7-8), who led 41-14 at halftime. Cooper added 13.
Payton Lohr scored nine points for the Raiders (0-8, 3-13).
McGuffey 67, Burgettstown 21: Sammie Weiss had 25 points as McGuffey stayed unbeaten in Section 5-AA with a 67-21 win over Burgettstown.
Rachel Czulewicz added 11 points and nine steals, while Katie Demi had 10 points for the Highlanders (7-0, 14-1).
Burgettstown falls to 1-7, 1-14.
Mt. Lebanon 70, Peters Township 25: Jordan Holmes led Mt. Lebanon with 16 points in a 70-25 Section 4-AAAA win over Peters Township.
Madeline Collins added 12 points for the Blue Devils (7-1, 15-2), who had 13 players score.
Madison Kerr led Peters Township (0-7, 3-12) with nine points.
Carmichaels 66, Beth-Center 47: Morgan Berardi had 23 points, 10 assists and five steaks to lead Carmichaels to a 66-47 non-section win over Beth-Center.
Amanda Brown chipped in 19 points, and Caroline Cree added 13 for the Mikes (14-2).
Anna Bartman scored 26 points, and Angelica Sabatini added 10 for Beth-Center (3-11).
Winchester Thurston 48, Jefferson-Morgan 33: Lexie Lonero's 16 points helped Winchester Thurston top Jefferson-Morgan, 48-33, in a non-section game.
Shala Barnie added 14 points, while Brytney Humphries had 12, for Winchester Thurston (7-6).
Ally Bogden led Jeff-Morgan (6-9) with 14 points.
Boys results
Beth-Center 62, Avella 48: Three players scored in double figures to power Beth-Center to a 62-48 victory over Avella in a non-section game.
Zach Miller led the way for the Bulldogs (8-7) with 19 points. Anthony Gilpin and Adam Walters scored 13 apiece.
Brandon Miller had a game-high 21 points for the Eagles (2-13).
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