text:
Entry requirements
You are normally required to have a good undergraduate honours degree (or equivalent from a university outside the UK). However, our participants come with a variety of relevant legal and non-legal experience and all applicants are considered on individual merit.
Months of entry
January, September
Course content
The University of Reading School of Law is a leading UK law school with a world-class reputation and global outlook. We were ranked 10th for research intensity in a recent national assessment, with 100% of our research rated as world leading or internationally excellent.
We offer a dynamic and international learning environment. Our teaching is supported by first-class research conducted by renowned experts across the main fields of national, European and international law. Our Centre for Commercial Law and Financial Regulation is a forum for stimulating and conducting research and disseminating knowledge on international commercial law. You will also benefit from our strong links with the Graduate Institute of Political and International Studies, Henley Business School, and the International Capital Market Association (ICMA) Centre. Students on the Global Law LLM programmes benefit from links with the Walker Institute, the School of Politics, Economics and International Relations, the School of Agriculture, Policy and Development, and with Global Law at Reading (GLAR). Based at the School of Law, GLAR is a research hub which offers networking, conference and work experience opportunities.
Alongside your core subjects, there will be career development and co-curricular opportunities and a series of guest lectures by practitioners. We offer double master's programmes with a wide range of leading partner universities worldwide, including Peking University and Renmin University in China, ALBA in Greece, MGIMO in Russia, Hanyang University in South Korea, and CYCU and National Taipei University in Taiwan.
• Ideal preparation for PhD studies • Develop advanced skills in legal research methods and analysis of law and legal issues • Very small cohort of high-calibre students • Sustained training in methodological approaches to legal research • Emphasis on doctrinal, theoretical and contextual study of law, and your self-understanding as a participant in the practice of legal scholarship
A postgraduate law degree will open many doors for you, not only in specialised areas of employment, such as law firms, European and intergovernmental and nongovernmental organisations (NGOs), but also in academia (with further postgraduate study), the media (journalism and broadcasting), the civil service, and other branches of public service. Graduates from our LLM programmes have gone on to work for a range of national and international law firms, as lawyers and as in-house legal counsel for large multinational companies in the UK and abroad, as well as international organisations and NGOs.
Information for international students
Evidence of English Language ability required: an overall score of 6.5 in the IELTS with no individual element scoring less than 5.5 (or equivalent)
Fees and funding
Qualification and course duration
Course contact details
- Name
- Aleardo Zanghellini
- firstname.lastname@example.com


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[It's been a while. Sorry. Still, never complain, never explain as Katherine Hepburn or Benjamin Disraeji apparently said.]
It is Czechman who reminds me that there is soon to be a general election back in Blighty. The conversation goes something like this:
Czechman: You know there's going to be an election in England soon don't you?
Me: (barely suppressed yawn) Is there?
Czechman: (incredulous) You are going to vote, aren't you?
Me: (sigh) No. Why should I? What difference does it make anyway?
Czechman: (irritated, contemptuous) I cannot believe that someone like you, with your education, who spends so much time listening to BBC 4 –
Me: – it's Radio 4 actually –
Czechman: – can't be bothered to vote! You will sort this out, won't you?
Me: Umm, probably. [Which of course means no].
I have only ever voted once. Excited at having the chance to play a very small part in helping to oust the Tories, I put my cross in the box for Labour. What did Mr Blair's government go and do? Finish off the job the Conservatives had started by getting rid of student grants and replacing them with loans – just as I was about to go to university. This is my excuse for being disillusioned with elections and politics (or should I say, poli-tricks).
It is just an excuse though. The main reason I don't vote is apathy and Czechman knows it. The fairly transparent subtext of his part in the above exchange can be paraphrased roughly as follows. I grew up under Communism and so I know more about the value of democracy than you, spoilt Westerner. Throwing away your right to vote because of laziness – and therefore letting others decide for you – is negligence of the worst kind.
I know he's right. It's just so hard to get excited about Messrs Brown and Cameron and so much easier just to ignore all the petty Punch and Judy exchanges now I've left the country. And yet. It's not exactly that the suffragettes had in mind but I will probably succumb to Czechman pressure and apply for an expat post vote just to keep the peace.
Who will be getting my cross in their box? I'm not telling. You see, that's democracy, comrade.
* * *
'What about the dirty talk?' those of you who've actually read this far may be wondering.
Ah. I'm thinking of changing the name of the blog to 'Girl in Czechland With A One Track Mind'. It will please those who end up here after typing 'Hot Czech teen nymphos' into Google.

subset: commoncrawl


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text:
The Pleasures of God
Is God Glad Osama Bin Laden's Dead?
May 3, 2011
God's emotions are complex—like yours, only a million times more. Right now, your emotions about bin Laden are not simple, i.e. not single. There are several, and they intermingle. That is a good thing. You are God-like. In response to…
11 Ways God Works for Us
Jul 9, 2011
Only a few things have gripped me with greater joy than the truth that God loves to show his God-ness by working for me, and that his working for me is always before and under and in any working I…
Where Was God in All the Goodness of 2012?
Dec 27, 2012
As this year ends, the question I am asking is: Where was God when so many good things happened this past year? How can God be a God of justice, yet allow so much good to happen to people who…
Explore Resources on This Topic
"If there is any true happiness outside of God in this universe, it is a happiness derived from God."
Mark Jones, from God Invites You into His Happiness


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In an effort to state it's social savviness, The Sunday Times has launched The Social List – a fun spin on it's annual 'Rich List'.
According to it's creators, The Social List "determines your wealth, not by how much money you make but by how rich you are socially".
Being a curious bunch, we were keen to test our 'social wealth'.
Considering all the hype we were expecting something special. In reality we were a little disappointed.
The site draws social information from the 'big four' social networks – Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn & Foursquare, in order to work out your 'worth' and ranking in the list.
Rather than rank you based purely on the noise you make, it claims to also look at responses to your posts – assigning points to each interaction.
The more noise you make and the more noise people make in response to that (reply's, comments) the more socially wealthy you'll become, and in turn climb higher up the list. You get the idea.
The system measures 'activity' so there's no advantage or disadvantage attached to how many social networks you use – it all depends on how much you use them. So, in theory, someone with just a busy Facebook account could be deemed more socially wealthy than someone with accounts on all four sites.
Nice thought, but in reality it doesn't look that simple.
To test the theory out, resident Matt Batterham volunteered to see just how social he is…
Out of around the 7,000 people who have registered on the site to date, his rankings were as follows. (Note that these numbers refer to position, not score, so the lower the better).
We also played around with a few other combinations of social networks and the results were very unpredictable.
Granted, like any social-measurement tool, any information has to be taken with a vey large pinch of salt, but this just seems totally random.
It comes back to the big debate – how do you measure influence?
Your thoughts are welcomed…


text:
A trip to Mount Airy two years ago turned out to be the best football camp East Gaston football coach Sean Joyce has ever attended. He was looking for another productive week as the Warriors returned to Surry County on Tuesday for three days of workouts.
�I�m hoping that this will help bring them together,� said Joyce, who took 25 athletes and his entire coaching staff with him. �I feel like it�s a good thing for our guys.�
East Gaston is one of at least three Gaston County teams that traveled out of town for football camp this week ahead of the start of official practice. North Gaston and South Point have been at Mars Hill College. Others are continuing preseason workouts at their respective schools. East Gaston�s three-day camp culminates with a 7-on-7 event Thursday evening at Mount Airy High School. The Warriors will face Davidson Day, Mount Tabor and North Surry in the 7-on-7. Upon returning home, East Gaston�s first official practice begins at 5 p.m. Friday.
North Gaston arrived at Mars Hill on Sunday night and South Point showed up the next day as the teams sought to take advantage of the lower temperatures of the North Carolina mountains. The Mars Hill trip is a long ongoing tradition for South Point. North Gaston is making the trip for a third straight year.
Official full-team practice begins Friday across the state. Scrimmages begin Aug. 11.
Jackets offer Neal � Forestview junior running back/athlete Moe Neal on Friday picked up an offer from Georgia Tech, bringing his offer list to nine schools. Previous offers came from Akron, Boston College, Charlotte, Duke, Mississippi State, N.C. State, Syracuse and Wake Forest.
Dallas pep rally � The North Gaston Community Athletic Foundation is planning the third annual Dallas Community Pep Rally for 3 to 7:30 p.m. Aug. 16 at the Dallas court square. The pep rally was conceived to kickoff the beginning of school, promote communication between the schools and community, and invite parents to become more involved in their children�s education.
Dallas-area schools, churches and businesses have been invited to set up booths at no charge. Entertainment includes bouncy houses, face painting, a rock climbing wall, cheerleaders, the North Gaston High School marching band and the Wildcats football team.
South Point booster drive � South Point�s Big Red Booster Club will hold its annual membership drive at the South Point football stadium 10 a.m. until noon on Aug. 9. Red Raider merchandise, parking passes, memberships and more will be available. Visit www.bigredboosterclub.org for more information or email Rhonda Van Pelt at email@example.com.
NCHSAA Hall of Fame � Former Shelby High School football coach Chris Norman is among the seven individuals who have been selected for the N.C. High School Athletic Association Hall of Fame�s next induction class.
The late Jack Holley of Teachey, Ralph Holloway of Morehead City, the late Joe Miller of Wilmington, Moyer Smith of Chapel Hill, Rick Strunk of Carrboro and Jerry Winterton of Cary join Norman in the 28th group of inductees.
The new inductees will be honored Oct. 18 during halftime of North Carolina�s home football game against Georgia Tech. The new class will officially be inducted at a banquet next spring.
Phillip Gardner: 704-869-1843; twitter.com/gazettephil


text: Mother Gaia in Tea form! A wonderful starters tea for anyone interested in exploring the world of Pu-Erh. The taste of of the soil is grown in , the malty and rich taste you get with each sip, its like feeling your the tea itself absorbing the nutrients it absorbs and nourished by it! A definite standby for me!


text:
The Totally NEW Team Corwin Thread
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March 1st, 2014, 22:27
If all we're looking to gain by completing Necro4 is Silver Flame healing pots, feel free to run without me if it ends up going that way. I'll try to be there tomorrow, but don't wait because of me. Being a 2nd lifer, I should be reasonably OK on XP. I'm perfectly fine with others having some different goals and I'm fairly certain we haven't messed up any of those goals. That was a specific consideration before I took my level.
I'd still like to complete my tome, shield, and sigil just because I haven't managed it before. That said, I was rather surprised that collecting everything from every toon I've got didn't get me that far. I figured 11 lives thru that area would have been sufficient to collect everything, even by accident. So, while all that flagging is still a goal for me, I'm not going to get overly wound up if it doesn't happen this time around.
We're still planning on running Ghost first thing next week, AFAIK.
Sorry. No pearls of wisdom in this oyster.
Dallas Cowboys: Punt. Bring on the draft. / / Detroit Red Wings: Dylan Larkin, fastest All-Star EVAH!
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It's all quiet on the southern front – for now, anyway.
Like the rest of the Australian property market, South Australia has had a very quiet winter. The cumulative effect of the seasonal lull, the federal election, the protracted bargaining period after the polls closed and the continuing impact of successive interest hikes earlier this year means it's been 'all quiet on the southern front'.
RP Data's senior research analyst, Cameron Kusher, reckons the state's capital – which has been a solid but not stellar performer in recent years – has been as flat as a pancake throughout the winter. "Over the three months to July 2010, Adelaide home values have recorded a value growth of 0.2%," says Kusher. "During July itself, values also recorded growth of 0.2%."
The latest Residex data supports this trend after median house values grew by less than 1% to $408,000 in the August quarter. Units suffered a 1.68% decline in median values during the same period, only notching up 1.77% growth in the year ending August.
And, despite the spring season promising more market activity, it seems like gains are unlikely to be had in the short term, according to Adelaide local, university lecturer and author of Australia's Top Suburbs Peter Koulizos.
"It's been very slow coming out of winter and the post-election period," remarks Koulizos. "There's a lot of uncertainty, fuelled in part by the concerns over the new political order. While the optimist in me hopes that the new government will work well – after all, other countries seem to cope with minority governments – the pessimist in me thinks it'll be a time of no major decisions."
Koulizos reckons that political inertia at federal level will bleed into the housing markets – not least due to the fact that the economic stimulus packages that characterised 2009 are now gone – and the fragile nature of the Labor- Green-independent alliance will make it more complicated to introduce similar measures in the coming months.
He's philosophical about this fact, though. "You can't expect the market to go up all the time. In fact, I expect the lull to continue throughout spring: I think we'll see more supply, with little demand. While that won't mean big price increases over the next six months, it will mean that Adelaide will become a cracking market for buyers."
Indeed, Koulizos reckons that patient investors stand to make a killing. "Mid-December to mid- January will be a great time to pick up a bargain: seasonally, the market will be slow again – only by that time, there'll be a stock overhang from the spring."
There's gold in them thar hills
That's all well and good, but if there's only weak growth on the horizon – or potentially no growth at all – what's the point of bagging a property below market rate? Koulizos reckons it's the long-term view that matters.
"South Australia's mining industry will undoubtedly drive future growth in the state," he says. "For one, you've got the Olympic Dam expansion project, which is set to make that mine the largest open-cast mine in the world. There have been delays with that – chiefly due to mineral price fluctuations during the GFC which has slowed [mine owner] BHP Billiton's plans – however, the environment impact process is proceeding apace."
Even if there are further delays, Koulizos argues that the copper, gold, silver and uranium that forms the core of the Olympic Dam project will still be in the ground: hence, it's just a matter of time before the mine is expanded. On top of that, smaller operations are already cropping up all over the state.
"Other mining companies are already producing, and there are a significant number of gold, copper, uranium and mineral sands miners who are projected to do very well over the next year or two," he continues. "When you add to that the influx of defence personnel and military technology companies to South Australia over the last few years, the fundamentals are all there for increased employment, more demand for housing and significant growth. That's why I'm putting my money where my mouth is, and am hanging onto four units I've just built as well as buying two more in Port Willunga."
Hot properties
Port Willunga is one of the suburbs that Koulizos picks out as stars of the future, along with its fellow southern suburbs Reynella and Christies Beach. All of these have been earmarked in South Australia's 30-year plan to establish commuter hubs (or transport-oriented developments) around Adelaide, and which will benefit from rezoning to encourage medium-to-high density housing and infrastructure spending.
Bart Quinn, WBP Property's state manager for South Australia, agrees, and also highlights Seaford as a key suburb which will benefit from the planned duplication of the Southern Expressway. The $445m project is planned to commence in 2011 and will take three years to complete.
He also reckons that Brompton, one of Adelaide's inner north-western suburbs, could also benefit from the 30-year plan. "Brompton, as well as Bowden and surrounding suburbs, will benefit from the tram line extension from the CBD, currently under construction," he comments. "The locality will also benefit from the redevelopment of a 10-hectare former Clipsal site by the Land Management Corporation, as well as the 'Bowden Village' development which will consist of a medium/high density transport orientated development to create a distinct village feel."
Quinn highlights that the 12 months from June 2009 saw a 13.7% increase in Brompton's median house price, and he believes that continued development will ensure values continue to perform in the area over the coming year.
He also argues that other inner-northern suburbs are becoming increasingly popular as Adelaide's inner-eastern and southern suburbs become more unaffordable. This is particularly the case for purchasers with lower borrowing capacity who are attracted to period homes.
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This is a another drawing of a warriors.Guess who!?lol its bright heart! i love this charater she goes threw alot and dats why i drew her!hope u like!rate comment and or fav!
DragoArt members upload artwork and drawing tutorials! They are also allowed to leave comments on tutorials, profiles, etc. Many more features, as well; it's way better than just being a boring guest! Register Now!


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" Address: Shropshire / West Midlands / England "
Whixall Moss, together with Fenn's and Bettisfield Mosses, on the English/Welsh border near the town of Whitchurch, are together the third largest 'lowland raised mire' in Britain. This is a wild, bleakly beautiful, but potentially hazardous place.
The term 'raised mire' indicates that the site is a peat bog raised above the surrounding countryside; a habitat that is globally threatened and extremely rare. The area is home to a unique range of endangered plant and animal species and has been designated as a National Nature Reserve in recognition of this.
The area is huge, covering over 2000 acres; a flat landscape that looks desolate but which is, in fact, teeming with life. The mosses are incredibly old. Formation of the mire started over 12,000 years ago. Mosses thrive on the saturated peat bed. When these die, the anoxic conditions prevent them decomposing completely; they form peat, adding to the existing layers, and slowly raising as a dome, above the surrounding fields.
At its maximum, the peat dome would have sat around 50 feet above its surroundings. Then, inevitably, humans intervened. Peat has been cut on site for four hundred years. The mosses have been drained to make this easier, and the dome has collapsed. 12,000 years of growth have been reversed in a relatively quick period.
All is not lost, however, as the site has been obtained by Natural England and the Countryside Council for Wales. These two organisations have ceased the peat cutting, dammed the mosses, and are slowly reversing the centuries of damage.
Part of their remit has been to open up the site for visitors, for recreation and education. I believe that English Nature and the CCW have done a superb job here. There are several way marked paths around the reserve with entrances (and car parks) at two places. The paths are colour coded, circular routes that cover the most popular areas of the mosses, allowing walkers to experience this beautiful area in safety. Wellingtons are recommended, however, as the paths can be extremely soggy.
Visitors are warned to stay on the paths; the old peat cuttings have left a network of extremely deep ditches and ponds. An unwary step could lead to tragedy quite easily here. If, however, you are interested in open access to the whole reserve, a permit is available, and a very comprehensive map supplied to show you how to navigate the reserve safely. The permit can be obtained by contacting Dr Joan Daniels at Natural England.
For those who don't want to wander the mosses unaccompanied, Natural England runs many themed guided tours throughout the year. Here you will have expert guidance, telling you of the history of the mosses and the fascinating wildlife that can be found within.
The site has had a long association with humans due to its supply of peat. The preserving nature of the peat means that anyone unlucky enough to die here would have their body 'pickled', keeping it from rotting for thousands of years. In fact, three 'bog bodies' have been recovered from the mosses, all in the mid nineteenth century. One of these has been dated as approximately 2,000 years old! Other human artefacts have been recovered such as axe heads and even a wooden stool.
More recent human activity on the site occurred during World War II. The mosses were used for a dual purpose: as a rifle and bombing range, and as a decoy for the nearby city of Liverpool. Lights were lit to try to encourage the Germans that they were bombing Liverpudlians, rather than an empty bog!
The site is a haven for many rare species of animals. Perhaps the most infamous is the adder. The Whixall adders are almost black in appearance, a fact which used to annoy the old peat cutters who inadvertently encountered them basking on their stacked peat rolls!
Another of the mosses residents will not appeal to many people; the great raft spider. This spider is the largest found in Britain: an adult laid in the hand would cover the palm! These are not, however, aggressive or dangerous to humans. They are also only found living on and in the water, so are unlikely to be encountered.
Many birds live and breed on site. The bubbling call of the curlew and the strange song of the lapwing echo across the landscape during the spring and summer months. Cuckoo's sing their disyllabic song whilst hunting for meadow pipits nests in which to lay their eggs.
The spectacular hobby, a summer visiting falcon, can be seen from June to September. This incredibly aerobatic raptor can be breathtaking to watch as it catches dragonflies in mid air, and proceeds to eat them on the wing!
Insects are ubiquitous on the mosses. Over 2,000 species of moth have been recorded here as well as 27 species of butterfly. The site is nationally important for its dragonflies, too (a fact which the hobbies appreciate)! The 'white-faced' darter is common on the mosses, but rare elsewhere in Britain.
Some unwelcome insects live here too. In summer, to travel on to the mosses without applying insect repellent is to attract a variety of bites from midges, mosquitoes, cleg flies, and horse flies; ruining what could be a wonderfully peaceful walk (one can only imagine what the old peat cutters had to endure in the days before repellents were invented)!
And this is a wonderful place to walk. The site does not receive many visitors, and if you arrive in the early morning, it's possible that you will have the 2,000 acres to yourself.
Wandering around the reserve can be an almost spiritual experience. Standing in the middle of the mosses, the land is flat for miles around. In summer it will not be quiet, with the hum of the insects, the singing of the birds, and perhaps the scream of an unfortunate small mammal caught by one of the resident polecats. In the centre of the mosses, there are not even any trees. The vegetation consists of bog plants such as mosses and cotton grass, all low growing, and lushly green, with little to hide the view.
Despite the (natural) noise, and the activity of the birds and animals, a sense of peace and calm pervades this place. There's always a hint of danger here, with the need to watch out for adders and the deep, vegetation covered drains just waiting to trap the unwary, but this to me, is a place to relax and reflect. Reflect on the history of the mosses; 12,000 years of growth, of animals living and dying, and of people encroaching on this special place to earn a living or obtain fuel for their fires. A visit here always touches me and leaves me feeling calm and content.
There are, of course, no facilities on the site. The visitor here must bring everything they need with them. This is not then, a friendly nature reserve, with a café on site, for the family to spend a day out. But for the visitor who's properly prepared, the miles of paths networking through the mosses can be a fabulous place to visit. I travel here every summer and look forward to visiting this unique landscape almost as soon as I've left.
A reserve for peatland.


text: On 25 Apr 2008, at 15:38, Tom Schrijvers wrote: >>> Prolog works under the assumption of a closed world. That's >>> contrary to the open world view of regular type classes. So these >>> aren't the intended semantics. >> >> By which I gather you mean the interpretation of ":-" as logical >> connective "=>" rather than provability "|-"? > > What I meant was that when Prolog says "there are no more > solutions", it doesn't know of any more. In realtiy it means "there > no more solutions under the closed world assumption". That means > there could be more solutions if you haven't told Prolog > everything. In this context, there may be more class instances (you > simply haven't told the system yet). I had no intention to deal with that problem. Just forget what Prolog says, and when it says "there are no more solutions" think of it as "no more solutions determined". (If one interprets ":-" as provability "|-", there needs to be additional axioms for the object theory, and if the theory is consistent, it becomes possible to prove that there are no more solutions.) >> My point, though, was to interpret >> class a b | a -> b >> as a functional dependency b = b(a) rather than as >> D a b, D a c ==> b=c >> Thus trying to eliminate the use of "=". > > I don't follow you here. I got ?- instance(d, l(A), l(B)). B = b(A) ?- instance(d, l(A), C). C = l(b(A)) so pattern-wise C and l(B) are the same. But I do not bother introduce an explicit operator "=". So at least in this case, if say D [a] Int will be reject as Int is not of the feom l(_). If one has D [Int] [Char] and tries to define D [Int] [Float], the leads to trying to associate the implicit b(Int) with both Char and Float, which would be rejected. Hans


text:
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text:
Longtime customer & big fan!
I am recently looking at options for a Minecraft server for 3-5 players, and there are a few options out there who offer smaller servers.
I just wanted to touch base, and see if you guys had anything like this in the offering?
Edited by TCH-Thomas, 22 January 2012 - 03:03 AM.
See follow up post


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AT&T Creates New App and Website to Bring "To the Brink: JFK and the Cuban Missile Crisis" Exhibit to Online World
App and Website Feature Documents, Images and White House Recordings from Groundbreaking Exhibit at the National Archives
Oct 19, 2012, 15:29 ET from AT&T Inc.
WASHINGTON, Oct. 19, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- AT&T, collaborating with the National Archives, its John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, the Foundation for the National Archives, and the Kennedy Library Foundation, has created an app and website of the new exhibit, "To the Brink: JFK and the Cuban Missile Crisis," bringing it to online audiences around the world. The app for iPad is available for free download in the App Store. At www.JFKCMC.org, Android, smartphone, other tablet and laptop users can also experience the exhibit.
(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120612/DA23287LOGO)
"To the Brink" is a new exhibit at the National Archives that looks back at the Cuban Missile Crisis from the 50-year mark. The exhibit shows President Kennedy and his advisers in the throes of deliberation during 13 agonizing days in October 1962, as the United States and the then-Soviet Union stood on the brink of nuclear war. The peaceful resolution of the crisis, resulting in the removal of Soviet nuclear missiles from Cuba, is considered to be one of Kennedy's greatest achievements.
As lead sponsor of "To the Brink," AT&T worked with the National Archives, its Kennedy Library, and their foundations to create the free app. AT&T worked with Seattle-based Treemo Labs to build the app.
"AT&T is proud to bring virtual access to this remarkable exhibit assembled by the National Archives and its John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum," said Jim Cicconi, AT&T senior executive vice president. "Through the power of innovative technologies and networks, many more Americans will be able to experience an exhibit -- including the actual recordings of President Kennedy and his advisors --- that brings to life one of the most important moments in American history."
"We are deeply appreciative of AT&T's longtime support of the National Archives," said Archivist of the United States David S. Ferriero. "Through its partnerships with our foundations, the company has supported the digitization of many records from the Kennedy administration to make them accessible online, and has supported great educational exhibitions like 'Discovering the Civil War' and 'To the Brink.' This new app and website help us to reach an even larger audience so that people around the globe can explore the important records of our history."
"AT&T has helped us to rethink the possibilities of how the public accesses information, helping us to create the nation's first digital presidential archives," said Tom Putnam, director of the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum. "No longer do researchers need to travel to Boston to access President Kennedy's materials; they are all available online. We hope visitors will come to DC and Boston to experience this exciting new exhibit, but if they cannot do so, the exhibit can travel to them via this new app and website."
"So much of what our foundation has supported at the National Archives involves harnessing new media to spread the word about the great treasure of historical records here," added A'Lelia Bundles, Chair and President of the Foundation for the National Archives, the Archives' private-sector partner. "Through innovative websites like the Digital Vaults and DocsTeach, through Facebook and other new media, we have been able to expand our reach, so that students, teachers, and lifelong learners can access and use the records of our democracy. Great partnerships like this one with AT&T make it all possible, and we are most grateful for their support."
"To the Brink: JFK and the Cuban Missile Crisis" is currently showing at the National Archives' Lawrence F. O'Brien Gallery in Washington, DC. Early next year, the exhibit will travel to the Kennedy Library in Boston.
Visitors to "To the Brink" will hear recordings of the President in White House meetings with his closest advisors, working to avert thermonuclear war after the Soviet Union installed missiles in Cuba capable of targeting the United States. The recordings and other National Archives records document the dramatic events that brought the United States and the Soviet Union to the brink of war and back again.
Exhibit Curator Stacey Bredhoff of the Kennedy Library authored an accompanying exhibition catalog, also titled To the Brink, published by the Foundation for the National Archives.
As lead sponsor of the exhibit, AT&T donated $500,000 to support "To the Brink," in addition to the creation of the app. AT&T also has had a long history of supporting the great work of the National Archives and JFK Library and Museum. It was a founding technical partner in the creation of the Kennedy Presidential Library's online digital archives, a $2.23 million in-kind support project to preserve, catalogue, and digitize the papers of President Kennedy and make them available to the public through the World Wide Web.
About AT&T
AT&T Inc. (NYSE: T) is a premier communications holding company and one of the most honored companies in the world. Its subsidiaries and affiliates - AT&T operating companies - are the providers of AT&T services in the United States and around the world. With a powerful array of network resources that includes the nation's largest 4G network, AT&T is a leading provider of wireless, Wi-Fi, high speed Internet, voice and cloud-based services. A leader in mobile Internet, AT&T also offers the best wireless coverage worldwide of any U.S. carrier, offering the most wireless phones that work in the most countries. It also offers advanced TV services under the AT&T U-verse(r) and AT&T | DIRECTV brands. The company's suite of IP-based business communications services is one of the most advanced in the world.
Additional information about AT&T Inc. and the products and services provided by AT&T subsidiaries and affiliates is available at http://www.att.com. This AT&T news release and other announcements are available at http://www.att.com/newsroom and as part of an RSS feed at www.att.com/rss. Or follow our news on Twitter at @ATT.
About the National Archives The National Archives and Records Administrationis an independent Federal agency that preserves and shares with the public records that trace the story of our nation, government, and the American people. From the Declaration of Independence to accounts of ordinary Americans, the holdings of the National Archives directly touch the lives of millions of people. The National Archives carries out its mission through a nationwide network of archives, records centers, and Presidential Libraries, and online at www.archives.gov.
About the National Archives Experience The National Archives Experience, created by the National Archives in partnership with the Foundation for the National Archives, has transformed the visitor experience at the National Archives' Washington, DC, building, and includes a renovated Rotunda for the Charters of Freedom, the award-winning Public Vaults permanent interactive exhibition, the William G. McGowan Theater, the Lawrence F. O'Brien Gallery for special exhibits, the Boeing Learning Center, and the Digital Vaults and DocsTeach websites. These components make the rich resources of the National Archives accessible to Americans nationwide.
About the Foundation for the National Archives The Foundation for the National Archives is an independent nonprofit that serves as the National Archives' private-sector partner in the creation of and ongoing support of the National Archives Experience, which includes permanent exhibits, educational programs, traveling exhibits, special events and film screenings, educational literature, and historical/records-related products and media. The Foundation helps the public understand the importance of the holdings of the National Archives by presenting the depth and diversity of the records through award-winning, interactive educational exhibits and programs. It generates financial and creative support for the National Archives Experience from individuals, foundations, and corporations who share a belief in the importance of innovative civics education.
About the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum The John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum is a presidential library administered by the National Archives and Records Administration. In addition to being the world's principal center for research on the life of John F. Kennedy and American democracy in the early 1960s, the Library serves as a living memorial to President John F. Kennedy and a source of inspiration about the values of a democratic society in a free world and how they can be served today.
About the Kennedy Library Foundation The John F. Kennedy Library Foundation is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization that provides financial support, staffing, and creative resources for the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum. The Kennedy Library Foundation is not a grant-making foundation. Through its Board of Directors, its committees and staff, the Foundation assists the Library in the planning and establishment of its long-term strategic goals and objectives and provides the Library with financial and creative resources with which to enrich its many educational programs, to expand its research and archival capacity and to enhance its museum and exhibits.
About Treemo Labs Founded in 2005, Treemo Labs provides robust mobile apps publishing platform with integrated social media, social networking, location services and gaming powered by advanced, web-based, content management tools. Treemo's Appavideo, Appafolio and Flowboard products enable companies, artists and anyone to create amazing, custom video, photo, portfolio and presentation iPhone®, iPad® and Android apps and experiences. Treemo Labs has built and manages apps for some of the biggest brands in the world. For more information, visit www.treemolabs.com.
SOURCE AT&T Inc.


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Liberty University Online
Master of Arts in Christian Ministry: Leadership
1971 University Blvd.
Lynchburg, VA 24502
United States
Program Information
Degrees Offered:
Master of Arts in Christian Ministry: Leadership
Format: Online
Program Description:
Liberty University Baptist Theological Seminary's Master of Arts in Christian Ministry program is designed to meet the growing need of ministry leaders in churches across the country seeking specialized training in the area of Christian discipleship. Courses provide students with a strong understanding of biblical leadership principles and strategies specific to small group settings to train up disciples within their local churches. This program is well-suited for associate pastors, discipleship pastors, small group pastors, and Christian education pastors.
Accreditation:Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges
Eligibility Requirements:Must have an accredited Bachelor's degree
Facts & Figures
Classification: Master's College or University I
Loans Offered: Available to many students and parents, loans are an option for funding one's education.
Size & Settings: 40,000+


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WINNIPEG - The Tories held on to their seat in Morris and Arthur-Virden with landslide victories in a provincial byelection Monday.
But the vote will go down in history as the lowest voter turnout in Manitoba byelection history in Morris.
Its not surprising at all, said Shannon Martin, the victor for the Tories in Morris of the low turnout. Its always a challenge with byelections, but this year youre looking at a backdrop of almost a year without representation, called during the holiday, held in one of the coldest months ever in the province.
Martin swept the Morris election with more than 69% of the votes, filling the seat left vacant for the past 350 days.
Morris resident Ernie Siemens, 73, came out to vote, but he believed calling an election in winter was too late and done in the wrong season.
I think it should have been done sooner, he said. Theres no excuse, I dont know the reasoning. I think its wrong.
Doyle Piwniuk won the Arthur-Virden riding with 68% of the votes.
Both ridings have historically been Conservative strongholds.
NDP candidates struggled in one of the first elections since they hiked the PST from 7% to 8% last year without a previously required referendum. NDP candidate Bob Senff received a little over 10% of the votes in Arthur-Virden. In Morris, the party also faltered, receiving a little over 12% of the votes.
It is a reflection of what the average voter is thinking, said Piwniuk of the NDPs poor showing. It is the referendum that we never got to have.
- With files from Daniella Ponticelli and Joyanne Pursaga


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This is a tragedy. I'm about to become a headline, an accidental martyr for a Fox News super-nation to rally behind. In a musky concrete enclave somewhere between India and Turkey, I stand terrified. Three men wear turbans and tightly grasp automatic weapons; their eyes singe me. I'm not even pretending to be Canadian.
As I sprint through my list of gods to pray to, the tallest of the three guards nods and my guide presses his hand to a fingerprint reader. It beeps affirmatively and the concrete door grumbles and budges, revealing a bright, lucid mirage. I telegraph an anxious smile and walk past the motionless guards, their eyes still furious. And there it is, just as it was promised: the ocean.
Well, maybe not the ocean, but its small desert cousin. It is bright green and smells funny; it feels radioactive. Four guys are out, each about 50 yards apart, and four men stand on the beach adjacent to the surfers. They appear to be coaches. I hear a controlled explosion and a wrinkle appears in the nuclear sea. It takes shape and heaves, A-framing and exploding, then softening up for a perfect carve section and finally closing out with a Lowers ramp of an end section. All four men destroy the waves, but one of them does so in a way that redefines perfection — casually spit out of the first section, a carve better than Kelly's on the next before sending it home with a stalefish alley-oop. I rub my eyes, partially believing that I was killed and this is an eccentric form of purgatory.
My guide senses my confusion, lets out a chuckle and signals for me to follow him. He leads me to a thick door adjacent to the wave pool, but stops before we walk in. "Look," he says, "It's going to be a little crazy in here. Just be very respectful and try to relax." My heart explodes.
Inside, a musky training camp. It is overcrowded and sweaty. I hear shouts and chants, whips being lashed, and the moans of about 100 men who vary from 10 to 22 years in age. The group collectively holds a pushup in plank position. Shout. Chant. Down. Up. Poorly formed planks are given a pat on the back by a bloody whip. Shout. Chant. Whip. A large but dull screen shows a slow-motion clip of Mick Fanning's surfing. Shout. Chant. Up. Down. Whip. This is training. I'm nauseous.
"It's time for you to meet the director." At this point, I feel like I'm ready for anything. "Follow me." Another door opens to a lavish marble hallway. We walk down the hallway and guards show us to a room with high ceilings and some of the most elegant décor that Martha Stewart could ever dream of. The director walks in and sits down.
His smile is somehow soothing as he offers me a glass of a wine. I accept and a woman in a burqa immediately fills a chalice and hands it to me. After pleasantries are exchanged, he opens up. "You see, here in Iran, we're not the evil nation that the United States wants us to be. They say we possess plutonium and uranium — which is true — but it is for constructive reasons. We're not trying to manufacture any nuclear weapons. My friend, we just want to surf."
For a moment, it makes sense. His smile is soothing. But George W.? U.N.? Liars? I don't know what to believe. He continues, "During the Persian Gulf War, one of our special services confiscated a copy of Morning of the Earth from a U.S. Navy Ship. Our fascination was immediate and we've dedicated the past 20 years to surfing. We were afraid of the U.S. intervening and building a propaganda campaign to 'emancipate' us with the Western World's ASP system. But, we have our culture and our ways, and we are not apt to change that. So we built our own enterprise. It might seem a bit harsh on the surfers, but with every inhale of agony comes an exhale of greatness. And we now have the greatest surfers in the world."
He walks us to a room that overlooks the pool. Another group of surfers are in the water and I watch one land a tweaked slob grab backflip. These are, in fact, the best surfers in the world. "We are progressive surfing extremists," the dictator tells me. I sip my wine and sigh. I should never have voted for Bush. —Brendan Buckley


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|Property type
|Minimum Stay
|7 nights
This beautiful holiday house is located in Alsómocsólád, directly along three big lakes and at the edge of a nature area. A place where there is an abundance of hospitality and where you can come to complete rest.
The HU-7345-03 consist of two houses HU-7345-01 and the HU-7345-02. They are situated together on a 2800 m2 estate. Ideal for a holiday with two families or a group of friends, because the living room of one of the houses is big enough for everyone!
Alsómocsólád is situated in the province Baranya Megye...here you can find everything for a varied holiday: royal cities, romantic mountains, beautiful hiking areas, many possibilities for cycling trips in the nature, swimming, fishing or hunting or a visit to the castles, museums or vineyards or a day of peace in one of the many health spas which this area is rich in.
Furthermore, you will find the beautiful lakes of Orfu within 20 km distance. Here you can swim, sail, water cycle, canoe, wind surf, fish and horse ride.
Within 37 km is the beautiful old Roman town Pecs, which is surely worth a visit, a town with a rich stormy history.
And for the interested; a beautiful 18-holes/72-par golf course "the European lakes golf & country club", in Hencse. Complete with a tennis court and a fitness hall! The clubs can be hired per piece or per set, there no need to bring along any.
In short: Hungary keeps you young and healthy and will take care of you so that you wil never forget your holiday!
Classification: Ground floor: (hallway, Living room(double sofa bed, TV(satellite), stereo unit), Kitchen(oven, microwave), Large kitchen(TV(satellite), radio, oven, microwave), bedroom(double bed), bedroom(2x single bed), bedroom(2x single bed), bedroom(2x single bed), bathroom(shower, washbasin, toilet), bathroom(shower, washbasin), toilet)
terrace(private), garden(private, fenced), garden furniture, BBQ, playground equipment, cot, high chair, play cot
These costs are charged on site. They are not included in the rental price.:
Deposit; Ft 29.358
Final Cleaning; Mandatory: Ft 7.340
Pets; Not allowed
Bed linen; Included
Bath towels; Included
Kitchen linen; Included
Electricity; Included
Gas/Oil; Included
Wifi; Not available
Tourist tax; Mandatory, indication: Ft 294 /person/night
Centre 1.0 km., Forest 100 m., Lake 1.0 km., General supplies 5.0 km., Public transport 2.0 km., Tourist information office 5.0 km.


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DRINKERS are toasting the publication of a guide to the best watering holes in Oxfordshire.
The North Oxfordshire branch of the Campaign for Real Ale (Camra) voted for 28 pubs in the area to be featured in the 2014 edition of the Good Beer Guide.
Members celebrated the launch at the White Horse in North Bar Street, Banbury, last Thursday.
The Fox Inn in Souldern also made it into the guide.
North Oxfordshire Camra branch chairman John Bellinger, above, who lives in Souldern, said traditional pubs needed supporting more than ever.
He said: "The once thriving pub trade has been brought to its knees due to cheap beer and lager on sale in supermarkets, which has led to mass closures.
"Well-run pubs at the bottom of the pecking order suit the needs of their regulars and are often the focus and hub of their communities."
The new guide contains details of 4,500 of the best UK real ale pubs.
Its pages contain information on 69 Oxfordshire pubs and include 22 new entries from the county.
It also lists 23 Oxfordshire breweries, including three new ones – Fisher and Co in Noke, and Bell Street Brewery and Henley Brewing Co in Henley.


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This product is no longer available.
You can try these similar gifts instead.
Inner Circle Necklace
by Vanessa Gade
The chain becomes an integral part of the pendant in this necklace that seems to defy gravity by using elements of engineering to create a shape that's suspended on its side.


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(click linked text below to jump to related section of the review)
- The Movie Itself
- 3.5 Stars
- HD Video Quality
- 5 Stars
- HD Audio Quality
- 4 Stars
- Supplements
- 2 Stars
- High-Def Extras
- 2.5 Stars
- Bottom Line
- Recommended
Alexander Revisited
- Street Date:
- September 18th, 2007
- Reviewed by:
- High-Def Digest staff
- Review Date: 1
- September 24th, 2007
- Movie Release Year:
- 2005
- Studio:
- Warner Home Entertainment
- Length:
- 214 Minutes
- MPAA Rating:
- Unrated
- Release Country
- United States
Editor's NotesNon-format-specific portions of this review also appear in our HD DVD review of 'Alexander Revisited.'
The Movie Itself: Our Reviewer's Take
I can't think of a modern historical epic that's been received with more ire than Oliver Stone's 'Alexander.' Even before the film hit theaters, it was heralded as an inevitable flop of disastrous proportions. When it finally debuted here in the US, critics declared it "unwatchable" and it failed to catch on with moviegoers as well, earning a paltry $34 million against its $155 million dollar budget.
'The film itself tells the sweeping tale of Alexander the Great (356 BC - 323 BC), one of the most renowned military commanders in the history of ancient Greece. As a boy (Connor Paolo), Alexander struggles to navigate the relationship between his father, the lecherous King Philip (Val Kilmer), and his mother, a barbarian sorceress named Olympias (Angelina Jolie). As a young man (Colin Farrell), he finds himself torn between his loyalties and a throne that's suddenly thrust upon him. Finally, as a fair and just ruler (still portrayed by Farrell), he embarks on a dangerous militaristic campaign across the Asian continent that takes him into strange, Persian territories populated with hordes of new subjects.
Added into the mix are copious subplots that often make 'Alexander' feel more like a historical documentary than a dramatic epic. The king is personally tutored by Aristotle (Christopher Plummer), conquers the majority of the world then-known to the Greeks, inspires a soldier named Ptolemy (portrayed in separate eras by Elliot Cowan and Anthony Hopkins) to greatness, takes a foreign wife named Roxanne (Rosario Dawson), and slowly loses his grasp of the men who swore to fight by his side (Jonathan Rhys Meyers and Jared Leto among them). In short, the story follows Alexander as he changes warfare and the world, sparking philosophy, tactics, and ideologies that continue to echo through time, even into our modern age.
Although 'Alexander' has been recut two times now -- once for a Director's Cut (seven minutes shorter than the 175 minute theatrical version) and once for this "Revisited" cut (which is substantially longer at 214 minutes) -- it seems that regardless of Stone's efforts to reinterpret his own material, his film just can't escape its poor reputation and lackluster critical response (it currently rates 16% on Rotten Tomatoes). Listening to Stone's Director's Introduction and Commentary, you can almost hear the defeat in his voice -- he's genuinely baffled by the negative outcry against his labor of love.
It's unfortunate too, because despite all the negative buzz, 'Alexander' isn't an awful film across the board. Yes, it has a long list of well-documented flaws, ranging from the merely superficial (Jolie's age, Farrell's blonde hair and the film's seemingly random assortment of accents) to the more fundamental (dense plotting, heavy-handed performances, and an inconsistent overall tone), but if you're able to look past these issues, there's a surprisingly stirring wartime drama underneath that examines a complex man who falls victim to his own pride.
The military campaigns are tense, easy to follow, and brilliantly filmed -- the blood and violence are mere window dressings in an exploration of influence, intelligence, and Alexander's surprising humanity. Likewise, the political scenes are nicely acted, eerily poignant, and reminiscent of historical maneuvers and political power plays exhibited throughout the 20th century. Through Stone's eyes, Alexander is a man ahead of his time -- as such, I always feel real sympathy and compassion for the conqueror despite his eventual mistakes and stubbornness.
Although this "Revisited" cut of 'Alexander' fails to resolve any of the film's more fundamental issues, I personally found it more rewarding than the original as it adds further heft to the earlier film's stronger points. Stone has resurrected an enormous amount of material that allows for further development of key characters (particuarly Ptolemy and Olympias), increased violence and gore (take one look at the battle in India), more complex and controversial relationships between key characters (especially Alexander's relationships with Roxanne, Olympias, and Philip), and a more honest examination of the homosexual overtones simply hinted at in the other two cuts of the film. Stone also uses this opportunity to completely restructure his nonlinear narrative resulting in stronger dominant themes and more nuanced subtleties.
Detractors will almost surely describe this cut as "more of the same," and I certainly wouldn't recommend it to those who didn't find anything to enjoy the first time around. Still, for my money, 'Alexander' remains one of the most remarkable "flawed films" I've ever seen. Watching this new cut, even though I could still pinpoint the things that go wrong on a scene by scene basis, I found myself moved by the time the credits roll. It's not for everyone, but those who are able to put their own biases and the film's bad reputation aside may be surprised to find a lot to love in this ugly duckling.
The Video: Sizing Up the Picture
Presented in 1080p using the VC-1 codec, 'Alexander Revisited' showcases a confident, stable picture that's arguably reference quality. Color reproduction is simply gorgeous and features nicely saturated fleshtones and accurate primaries. The film's palette remains vibrant whether it's rendering intentionally over-exposed exterior shots or dim, fire-lit interior scenes. Even when Stone pulls or pushes color from a shot, the stability of the image and tonal quality of the hues remains intact.
Contrast is also dead on throughout the film with solid whites and deep blacks. The illusion of depth is breathtaking at times -- look no further than a shot at the end of disc one where Alexander stands atop a snowy mountain in a crimson cloak. Simply beautiful. Even more importantly, the dimension of the image doesn't fall victim to crushing issues or obscured delineation. In fact, even the darkest rooms contain fluid shadows that fall across objects rather than blotting them out.
Fine detail is aloso remarkably sharp -- pores and hair stand out without feeling enhanced, textures are earthy and believable, and background elements show off the exacting attention to detail of the set designers. The transfer has a moderate veneer of grain overtop the image that retains the filmic quality of the print while remaining unobtrusive. As expected of a recent film, the print is in excellent shape and I only caught glimpses of minor nicks here and there (generally in the newly inserted footage).
There are a handful of insignificant blemishes in 'Alexander Revisited,' but they collectively appear on screen for less than thirty seconds and fail to make a dent in the film's overall video rating. Specifically, there are three bursts of light pixelation (look for a quick shot during the final battle when Alexander regroups and charges), three undersaturated cutaway shots (watch Jared Leto as he stands near the death bed in the third act), and two interior shots in which extras appear unnaturally flushed (watch the faces in the courtyard when Cleitus criticizes Alexander).
Even so, this is a breathtaking transfer that will easily please fans and should wow even those who despise the film itself. It provides an instantly noticeable upgrade over every version that's appeared on DVD and should make this double-dip easier to stomach for those who might have been on the fence.
(Note that the Blu-ray and HD DVD editions of 'Alexander Revisited' include identical VC-1 transfers.)
The Audio: Rating the Sound
Though not as strong as the video, this Blu-ray edition of 'Alexander Revisited' features an intricate, pulse-pounding Dolby Digital 5.1 surround mix (640 kbps) that's surprisingly solid. Dialogue is crisp, well prioritized, and is rarely drowned out by the enormity of the on-screen chaos (excluding moments when a loss in audible clarity is clearly the director's intention). Voices settle comfortably across the front channels and trickle into the rear speakers to help create convincing environmental acoustics. The surrounds are active with ambient noise throughout the production (even in the quietest of scenes) and I was able to easily immerse myself in the film without any audible distractions.
Likewise, the track's dynamic range is particularly impressive, showcasing frequent natural bass rumbles and stable treble tones. Channel movement is unbelievably clean at times and directionality is downright astounding. The battle scenes are the centerpieces of this track and each one delivers a unique and resonant audio experience. Just listen to the climactic battle on disc two in which Alexander leads his forces against an Indian army using elephant riders -- their footfalls shook my home theater, the shouts of the armies swarmed the soundscape in waves, and the hisses of arrows whizzed behind my head. Best of all, the blaring war cries of the elephants shot back and across the soundfield, leaving me with literal chills as they trailed off and echoed through the virtual jungle.
Still, as strong as this track is, I can only imagine how much better this mix might have been if it hads been presented with a high-end PCM or TrueHD track. Warner Brothers seems to be stuck in a rut when it comes to technical audio quality -- I personally think they should be getting as much flak as Universal received earlier this summer (when the video transfers on their HD DVD catalog titles weren't as stunning as they should have been). High definition allows for staggering audio upgrades, and studios should be making the most of this whenever they're given the chance.
(Note that both the standard Dolby Digital track on the Blu-ray and the Dolby Digital-Plus track on the HD DVD version of this release feature the same audio bitrate, and I could not detect a distinguishable difference between the two.)
The Supplements: Digging Into the Good Stuff
'Alexander Revisited' in high-def includes most of the extras that appeared on each of the film's previous releases on DVD -- in fact, the only "missing" supplements are the commentaries that were recorded for the theatrical and director's cuts of the film. Since exclusive commentaries have been recorded specifically for this high-def edition (see the high-def exclusives section below), it's a non-issue.
First up is an "Introduction by Director Oliver Stone" that sets the stage for all of the supplements to follow. The director makes it clear that he sees 'Alexander' as "a flawed film" and he even goes so far as to predict that this cut of the film will polarize fans and non-fans even more. It's a candid intro that certainly isn't the typical "here ya go" from the director -- I appreciate that Stone uses this as an opportunity to address and explain the existence of three cuts of his film.
He also lovingly explains his inclusion of an intermission (and the subsequent division of the film onto two discs) on the Revisited cut as a throwback to the golden age of cinema. Format loyalists who have posted rants about this specific topic can lower their knives -- 'Alexander Revisited' is being presented on multiple discs simply because Oliver Stone wanted it that way.
Next comes a trio of well-made, in-depth docs by Sean Stone (the director's son) that appeared on the 2-disc "Director's Cut" DVD. Together they comprise an hour-and-a-half documentary that examines the sometimes strained production of 'Alexander.' "Resurrecting Alexander" (27 minutes) explores the preparation, planning, and execution of the set design, costuming, effects (special and practical), and cinematography of the film. "Perfect is the Enemy of Good" (29 minutes) is a sobering look at the director's notorious attention to detail and the tireless research that helped build a startlingly accurate reproduction of Alexander's ancient culture. "The Death of Alexander" (31 minutes) looks at the problems, delays, and tribulations of the shoot. In all three docs, Stone's son portrays a stark and honest look at his father and the problematic production.
"Vangelis Scores Alexander" (4 minutes) provides a look at the composer creating the film's music in real time as finalized footage plays in his studio. Sadly, this featurette is a bit heavy on talk and (like others of its kind) fails to deliver a compellingly thorough look into the art of score composition. Still, it's worth the brief time it takes to watch.
Last but not least, this release includes the film's "Theatrical Trailer" and "Teaser Trailer."
(Note that although Stone's introduction is presented in full high-def, all of the other video features listed above are presented in 480i/p widescreen.)
HD Bonus Content: Any Exclusive Goodies in There?
Showing an impressive commitment to high-def disc, not only has Warner graced this release with all of the material listed above (which has been cobbled together from the film's various DVD releases), but it has also included two high-def exclusive audio commentaries, as well as an exclusive featurette.
After recording two different director's commentaries for previous DVD editions of 'Alexander,' Oliver Stone delivers yet another commentary, this time exclusive to this cut of the film and high definition. I've written before that Stone often delivers the best commentaries I've had the pleasure to listen to, and thankfully this trend continues with 'Alexander Revisited.' He's measured, candid, and engaging, readily discussing the flaws of his film. It was quite interesting to listen to him discuss studio pressure, the differences in the taste of foreign audiences, and the reasons this particular film has been released with three different cuts.
All that being said, it's actually his examination of the historical Alexander that gives this track staying power. You can hear the excitement quivering behind his voice -- this is clearly a project he feels a tremendous amount of passion for, regardless of the lukewarm reception it received. Listening to him talk about the level of research and detail transferred to the screen makes it very clear that his films are carefully coordinated from beginning to end. His frank thoughts on war, history, and the strange parallels between our age and Alexander's are intriguing. Those worried about Stone's left-wing leanings can rest easy -- he's respectfully reserved and doesn't divert into rants about current conflicts. Best of all are his discussions of Vietnam and the way he used imagery from his own wartime experiences to ground 'Alexander' in the dirt, grime, and confusion of battle.
Unfortunately, an additional exclusive commentary with historian Robin Lane Fox largely falls flat. Fox had previously appeared with Stone on a commentary recorded for the theatrical release of the film on DVD -- in that track, Stone dominated the conversation and Fox filled in the gaps. On 'Alexander Revisited,' Fox spews plenty of facts about the history of Alexander and his journey east, but spends the majority of his time pointing to the "brilliance" and "genius" of the director and the film. I know the two have become tight (Fox was a close friend and key consultant throughout the production), but he often comes off in this track as distracted by his own love for the film. As such, his track bobbles between dry history lectures and hand-waving compliments that only serve to lessen its impact. Still, I'm happy he gets his own track rather here, than taking time away from the director's comments.
Finally this release features yet another doc by Sean Stone, an excellent fly-on-the-wall documentary entitled "Fight Against Time: Oliver Stone's Alexander" (1 hour and 16 minutes). A thorough, low key account of the trials and tribulations of the film and its headstrong director, the son once again doesn't cast a warm glow on the father, instead he bluntly navigates his footage and interviews and provides a well-balanced look at the commitment and dedication the film required of its cast and crew. I would recommend this documentary to fans and detractors of 'Alexander' alike -- it has a strong voice and careful focus that allows it to avoid the pitfalls that Fox falls into on his commentary. This documentary is presented in 480i/p widescreen (although the low resolution is no huge loss since the documentary was filmed entirely on a handheld digital camera).
Final Thoughts
Oliver Stone's 'Alexander' is certainly not a perfect film, but I've never found it the total trainwreck its reputed to be. Especially in this extended "Revisited" edition, the film packs an impressive punch as it recreates an enormous amount of history with stunning battle scenes and interesting characters. As a Blu-ray presentation, this one's almost sure to wow, with a demo-worthy video transfer, a convincing audio mix, and more than ten worth hours of candid supplemental material (most of which is exclusive to this high definition release).
Technical Specs
- Blu-ray
- BD-25 Single-Layer Discs
Video Resolution/Codec
- 1080p/VC-1
Aspect Ratio(s)
- 2.40:1
Audio Formats
- English Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround (640kbps)
- English Subtitles
- Spanish Subtitles
- French Subtitles
- Director's Introduction
- Documentaries
- Featurettes
- Theatrical Trailers
Exclusive HD Content
- Commentary Tracks
- Documentary
Review Components:
- 52" Sony Bravia XBR3 1080p Flat-Panel LCD
- Sony Blu-ray (BDP-S1) Player
- Yamaha 7.1 (840w) with Klipsch Synergy series 7.1 speakers
- HDMI and optical audio connections
Puzzled by the technical jargon in our reviews, or wondering how we assess and rate HD DVD and Blu-ray discs? Learn about our review methodology.
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Katniss and Gale are back in action! We already knew that Jennifer Lawrence and Liam Hemsworth were in Georgia to film part one of Mockingjay, the last installment in the Hunger Games franchise, and today we got to see them costumed and ready to go! The two stars headed into the woods for their filming, where they perched on a rock and Jennifer leaned on Liam for support.
Even though we've learned that Mockingjay will be split into two parts (with November 2014 and 2015 release dates), the two installments are being filmed back to back, and we can't wait to see the rest of the action unfold. Additionally, and not to be dismissed, we're less than two months out from the release of Catching Fire, which hits theaters Nov. 22. While we're waiting, let's check out the newest set pics.


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This is my dog reacting to my big hairy microphone windshield :) Really cool growling and whining. The file is 96kHz so you can speed it down without loss of quality. Unfortunately you can hear my sister and mother speaking in the background over some of the growls. There is also one digital clip that is a little disturbing. Recorded with Sennheiser MKH-60 plus big hairy windshield :) to a SoundDevices 744T with Low cut on. 96kHz 24 bit mono. Please tell me if you use this to something.
Thank you so much, very usefull sound, i haven't got any dog...
I am definitely using this for a wolf growl in a Red Riding Hood short film I'm doing for class. It was perfect! Exactly what I was looking for! Thank you.
Dude, some of these sounds appear in Minecraft. I just recognized them!
All i was looking for was a Growl... awesome clip...
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New photo ID laws may cause decline in turnout of young people of color
MICHAEL K. FRISBY | 4/11/2013, 4:21 p.m.
Rogowski said the new laws may impact the presidential contest, as well as at least 16 competitive House races across the country where photo identification requirements will disproportionately impact minority voters.
In Florida, a crucial battleground state in the presidential race, voters are required to show photo identification or some other form of ID that displays a signature. More than 100,000 youths of color in the state could be demobilized by these new voting requirements--far more votes than the number that separated George W. Bush and Al Gore in the 2000 presidential election.
Meanwhile, the report estimated that if Pennsylvania's photo identification law is upheld by the state Supreme Court, 37,000 to 44,000 young people of color may stay home or be denied the right to vote, significantly influencing the state's presidential contest.
While these laws are likely to disproportionately demobilize all youth of color, they may have more severe consequences for young Blacks. Citing data from the Brennan Center for Justice at the New York University School of Law, the report said that 11 percent of American citizens don't have government-issued photo identification such as a driver's license, state ID card, military ID or a passport. Only 9 percent of whites lacked photo identification, compared with 16 percent of Latinos and 25 percent of Blacks.
"African-Americans possess photo IDs at lower rates than other people of color, but Black youth also exhibited the greatest increase in voter turnout in 2008 compared to 2004," Cohen said. "These laws, therefore, create additional challenges for sustaining high levels of participation among African-American and other youth of color and highlight the need for campaign, community and civic organizations to devote increased efforts to mobilizing young voters of color in November as well as contesting these laws over the long run."
The entire report can be found at http://research.blackyouthproject.com/files/2012/09/Youth-of-Color-and-Photo-ID-Laws.pdf.


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Kinky Friedman, the 1970s cult-favorite satirical singer-turned-successful-author, is on the phone from his Texas ranch, explaining how he came to be working on his first solo disc of new material in four decades.
Friedman says he was "sitting on my [derriere]" watching re-runs of "Matlock" on TV in the middle of the night when he got a call from old friend Willie Nelson.
"He says, 'What are you doing?'" Friedman recalls. "And I said, 'I'm watching 'Matlock.' And Willie says, 'That's the surest sign of depression.' He said, 'Turn it off and start writing, Kinky, start writing.'
"I hadn't written songs in 40 years. So I started...


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U.S. Presentation from NAVSUP '08
October 22, 2008
The following presentation was delivered by the National Coordination Office representative at the XVI International Scientific and Technical Conference for The Role of Navigation in Support of Human Activity at Sea (NAVSUP) organized by the Institute of Navigation and Hydrography at the Polish Naval Academy in Gdynia, Poland.
Global Positioning System -- Status and U.S. Policy Update
Charles Daniels, National Coordination Office for Space-Based PNT
This briefing provides a status report on the Global Positioning System, the GPS modernization program, and U.S. space-based PNT policy implementation.
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text: The Center for Equal Opportunity released its latest study, documenting the evidence of admission preferences based on race in undergrad, law, and medical school admissions at the University of Oklahoma. My op-ed today in The Oklahoman, summarizing the study, is here, and our reply to the OU's lame response is here. On Election Day this year, Oklahomans will be voting on a ballot initiative that would ban state- and local-government preferences and discrimination based on race, ethnicity, and sex in contracting, employment, and education (including public universities).


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March 8, 2006 - Taylor Zumbusch has a talent for seeing ordinary things in an extraordinary light, and she is starting to get recognition for it.
The Catalina Foothills High School senior was selected by the Photo Imaging Education Association for a single image black and white photo.
With more than 6,000 entries, Zumbusch's piece made the cut. It will now travel nationally and internationally in an exhibition of other students' work also selected by PIEA.
Photography became a passion for the 18-year-old after she picked up her first single-lens reflex camera her sophomore year in the school's beginning photography class.
"I was really into athletics," she said. "But I have had a few surgeries so I had to turn to other outlets. I've always been interested in the arts, but I'm not necessarily good in the hands on arts."
She laughingly comments that she suffers from an unsteady hand and a little bit of impatience for painting or sculpting. But with photography, it all just seemed to click, she said.
"I think everyone's born with a different perspective and it's a matter as to where they want to focus that perspective," she said. "It's a way of capturing what the eye can't necessarily see fast enough."
Zumbusch's winning entry in the competition stemmed from a class project that required students to find two objects that were different but looked similar.
After an hour in the produce section of her local grocery store, Zumbusch purchased a red bell pepper that, oddly enough, looked like the back of a well-chiseled male, she said.
She then turned to her friends on the football team and asked one of them to pose for the photo.
The finished product is a piece of art showing two objects the average eye may never see as similar.
She is humble when speaking of the selection by PIEA, which will reward her with photography equipment and supplies.
"It's a big, big contest," she said. "I was thrilled. I was really ecstatic."
But she isn't letting it all go to her head. She is still pointing and shooting her camera and admitting that not every picture snapped can be a winner.
"Photography is really (subjective), someone will always see something different in it," she said. "I like photography that people can look at and see what they want to see."
This is not the first time a student from Catalina Foothills High School placed in the PIEA competition. Over the past five years, at least one student has placed annually in the competition.
The high school offers a stellar photography program and employs a photography teacher whose passion and intelligence forces the students to strive for excellence, Zumbusch said.
"(Jay) Barwell is an amazing motivator and teacher," she said. "But, more than anything, he's always willing to be a friend."
Jay Barwell has taught for almost 30 years. He started his career teaching English literature, but after 20 years behind a desk teaching about books and famous authors, he wanted a new challenge and took on the job of teaching photography, something he also was educated in.
"(Photography) is very accessible to everybody," Barwell said. "It's incredible to watch kids learn."
Out of Barwell's five photography classes and 130 students, Zumbusch was the only student this year selected by the PIEA.
"It's so hard to get any recognition in that," he said. "Things really have to stick out in the (judges') minds."
Last year, then senior Krysta Jabczenski's portfolio placed second in the competition.
She is now studying photography at the prestigious Brooks Institute of Photography in Santa Barbara and is doing amazingly well, Barwell said.
He sees many similarities between Zumbusch and Jabczenski. They are both extremely talented students with a great eye and real talent, he said.
"She (Zumbusch) is a special student, very self critical," Barwell said. "She's always searching for something new."
For now, Zumbusch wants to follow her own education path and is opting to keep photography as a hobby and not make it into a career, she said.
She never wants the fun to be taken out of capturing a special image from behind the lens, she said, because when a great picture is taken, special things can happen.
"It makes the world more interesting," she said.


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Friday, May 6, 2011
Contact: Doug Hecox
Tel: 202-366-0660
Bicentennial of America's First Interstate Celebrated
'National Road,' critical to America's westward expansion, turns 200 this weekend
WASHINGTON - U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood today marked the 200th anniversary of America's first federally funded road, which connected Cumberland, MD with present-day Wheeling, WV.
"This is a major milestone for residents served by this historic route and for the nation as a whole," said Secretary LaHood. "From the 19th century until today, the transportation systems we build continue to be economic engines for prosperity and growth. The highway and bridge projects of today follow in the grand tradition of our first National Road."
Construction of the National Road began on May 8, 1811. Authorized by Congress in 1806 and signed into law by President Thomas Jefferson, the road connected the Potomac River at Cumberland, MD, and the Ohio River at Wheeling, VA, which is now in West Virginia.
Settlers hoping for better lives in the American frontier headed for Ohio, which became a state in 1803. By opening the door for thousands migrating west through the Appalachian Mountains, the National Road strengthened trade and communications lines from the East Coast to Ohio and beyond.
"The National Road was the beginning of what became the world's largest and most sophisticated highway system," said Federal Highway Administrator Victor Mendez. "Our modern system preserves the legacy of that original interstate - strengthening local and regional economies and connecting communities."
When Indiana and Illinois joined the Union in 1816 and 1818, respectively, the National Road was extended, reaching nearly 800 miles long. The road reached Vandalia - then the capital of Illinois - but plans to extend it across the Mississippi River were abandoned due to disputes over whether to cross the river at Alton, IL, or St. Louis, MO.
In 1912, the road became part of the National Old Trails Road and its popularity grew in the 1920s as automobiles became more common. In 1926, the road became part of U.S. 40 as a coast-to-coast highway.
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School kids around Australia gearing up for Children's Book Week starting this weekend. Six year old Nate joined his Father Arthur Muhl on the ABC Midwest and Weahtbelt Breakfast program to talk about his love of reading.
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Now in its 67th year, Book week is the longest running children's festival in Australia.
Geraldton's Nate Fox-Muhl is in year one and his reading has really taken off this year.
When he reads in his head he likes to imagine what the characters are like.
"Sometimes I'll close my eyes for a minute after I've read the page and I'll just think about it," he says.
Some books Nate has enjoyed reading recently are Flying Feet and Duck Noises.
"It's about a little boy who kept hearing duck sounds at night so in the morning he went down stairs, through a secret passage way, out a door, through the bushes, across the road to the park and there was man there and he was a duck stealer. The boy tricked the man and then he put the duck back free."
You can hear more of what young Nate has to say as he speaks with his father, ABC Midwest and Wheatbelt Breakfast present Arthur Muhl, about his reading.


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Brrr. That's all I'm going to say about the weather this week.
Please keep little Madelyn Gross in your prayers. This beautiful little six month old baby girl had to have surgery at the end of February and is getting to come home this week. She has done so well and we pray she continues to improve. Daddy Dustin said she also got her first tooth while in the hospital recovering.
The basketball season has ended for both Bradleyville teams. The girls played a good game against the number one seeded team. They played well but the Chadwick girls have had an amazing season and came out the winner in district play. The boys played number one seeded Niangua for first place in districts and had a great game but Niangua pulled away and won the game. Both teams played great and had nothing to be ashamed of. Each and every one of them gave their best. Congratulations to both coaches for a winning season and for excellent coaching as well as being great role models for our kids. There is always next year, unless you are a senior. There is always a little sadness when it is your last high school game. We will miss our senior players next year for sure.
I know I speak for all the parents and grandparents when I say how much we appreciated all the pictures Elane Crum took and posted to facebook for everyone to enjoy. I know from trying to take pictures at ballgames it is hard to catch good shots but she captured a lot of good action shots. My pictures always came out too dark to see when I took pictures at ballgames and I finally gave up trying. I know there was probably a better setting for my camera but I never could even understand most of the directions that came with it.
Birthdays for the coming week include: March 6: Dillon Gross; March7: Lori Burkhart, Ray Hurst; March 9: C.J. Badovinatz, Tyler Braden, Rex Clemans, Cletis Shortt, Dennis Whittaker; March 10: Joe Scott; March 11: Georgi Clark; March 12: John Day, Ethan Douglas.


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It is a fundamental Kawaida contention that one of the greatest powers in the world is the capacity to define reality and make others accept it, even when it's to their disadvantage. This is why Min. Malcolm insisted that a people truly committed to freedom must liberate their minds, think freely and counter the logic of oppression with logic of liberation on every essential issue. He reminded us that the capacity of oppressors and rulers to define reality is overwhelming and often difficult to resist and reverse. In fact, they can, thru the power of the media and hired associate academics, "turn victims into criminals and criminals into victims". And so it is now with the people of Somalia and the emerging uninformed twitter and patriotic call for "all hands on deck" to deal with a new-found focus of national hate and horror called piracy.
Indeed, as the country and world were becoming weary of the tiresome talk of terrorism around every corner and convenient designation, we now learn piracy is still alive and we must rush to the rescue on the high seas. The corporate media and narrow mind like labeling and belligerent line-drawing because of the simplicity and sense of certain knowledge it seems to offer. It is a quick and convenient way to exalt the U.S. and its allies and to indict enemies and dismiss others. But the narrative of piracy is a larger more complex one in which the U.S. and the self-designated big-power "victims" have a more primary and provocative role.
In 1991 when the dictator of Somalia, Siad Barre, was overthrown by a combination of militias, the state collapsed. Civil war ensued and remains ongoing in various forms. The U.S., always recognizing the strategic importance of Somalia and the Horn of Africa region, attempted a "stabilizing" intervention under the cover of providing aid, but was forced to withdraw in 1993. However, it continued to intervene to disrupt and destroy what it considers a "haven" to radical Islam and Al Qaeda. Thus, it gave support and cover for the Ethiopian invasion of Somalia to overthrow the former Islamic Courts Union government and install the tottering Transitional Federal Government friendly to it and Ethiopia.
The absence of a state to protect and provide for the Somali people made them vulnerable to internal and external forces. Internally, the civil war destroyed the economy invited lawlessness, laid the ground for famine and increased the suffering of the Somali people on various levels. The U.S. and its allies pursue their own interests with alternate gestures of aid, advice and attack. And it is in this situation of instability and vulnerability that European countries began a deliberate dumping of industrial, toxic and even nuclear waste in Somali waters producing, according to a UN assessment team, high levels of medical conditions associated with radiation poisoning: ulcers and bleeding of the mouth, respiratory and unusual skin infections, abdominal hemorrhages, etc.
In addition, larger European and Asian fishing trawlers arrived to rob the Somali people of one of their most available and vital resources-their sea life and food supply. Without a central government, the people had no structural capacity to enforce their right to their own resources and to regulate traffic, trade and other activities on their waters. Indeed, the big-power bandits attacked and blocked Somali fishermen, and crushed their boats. The Somali were thus faced with a choice of accepting this injustice and dangerous threats to their lives and livelihoods or resist. They chose to organize and resist. In the face of overwhelming odds, they dared to use the meager ways and means they had to assert their rights and protect their natural resources. Thus, they formed a Volunteer Coast Guard composed of local fishermen with sea knowledge, former militiamen with military knowledge, and professionals with knowledge of technology.
It was, then, because of big-power banditry, i.e., the pillage, pollution and depletion of the marine environment, attacks on the people, and the devastating effect of this on the health, lives and livelihood of the Somali people, that the people took up arms in resistance and defense to tax the violators, interrupt their activities and prevent their ability to arrogantly seize and sail safely at the expense of the Somali people. And it is from this beginning resistance that lumpen elements got involved and began to engage in hostage-taking for ransom that we now call piracy. Some of the monies received in ransom have gone to relieve the suffering of the people, to create jobs, businesses and revive towns. Moreover, the hostages are treated humanely and have always been returned after the "tax" or ransom was received. But obviously much of the monies go to lumpen elements who, like those criminal elements in so-called regular armies and law enforcement structures of the world, engage in illegal activities for their own benefit.
Thus, there's no need or interest in justifying small-scale piracy and certainly not big-power banditry masquerading under the deceptive banners of "avenging victims", guardians of order and justice, and other self-anointed and innocent-sounding names. Rather, my interest is in revealing the root causes and evolution of the piracy, reaffirming the right of resistance to oppression, and opening space for a deeper and more fruitful discussion about where to go from here to relieve the suffering of the Somali people and address other concerns.
Thus, in respect for the humanitarian and national interests of the Somali people and in consideration of the rational and ethical redefinition of U.S. interests in this strategic area, a policy of mutual respect and partnership could be pursued along several key lines. These include: (1) discontinuing attacks on the Somali people and country; (2) massive humanitarian and economic aid for the Somali people to rebuild their lives, livelihoods and economy; (3) stopping the dumping of hazardous waste in Somali waters, and providing monies and means for clean-up, compensation and prevention of future violations; (4) recognizing and respecting the Somali people's right to their own resources and halting illegal fishing and over-exploitation of the marine life; and (5) working together with various political groupings to restore the Somali government on a democratic foundation, using the auspices and expertise of the African Union and the UN.
This is just a beginning, for the work of peace and justice is difficult, demanding and long-enduring. But as a Somali proverb says, reaffirming faith in the possibilities of unity with mutual respect, good will and hard work: "if people (really) come together, they can repair a crack in the sky".