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|November 26, 2008, 01:22 AM
Senior Member
Join Date: October 19, 2008
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 250
USPSA Qualifier?
I'm thinking about getting into USPSA or IDPA. I'm leaning towards USPSA after reading some threads here on TFL. I think I would use my M&P 9mm for competition. I've had some difficulty deciphering the USPSA website. So my question is what class/es can I compete in with this weapon? And what is the qualifier? Do I need to 'pass' one to qualify to compete? I'm a proficient shooter, but I'm a total NOOB about this competition stuff. Thanks ahead of time fellas!
|November 26, 2008, 01:55 AM
Senior Member
Join Date: October 25, 2001
Location: Alabama
Posts: 14,205
You COULD compete in any USPSA divison except Single Stack but the Plastic M&P is best suited for Production.
USPSA has a book of classifiers, there will usually be one in every match. When you have enough on record, you will be issued a classification card based on your scores as compared to the best in the country.
There is no overall qualifier to be allowed to shoot USPSA, if you think you can hack it, you can enter. Some some local clubs will require a demonstration of your ability to safely handle a gun before they let you shoot a match, but many do not.
Being a proficient shooter is not all that is required. You must be able to draw the gun, fire the gun, shoot from various positions and locations, move with the gun, reload the gun, and remember where you need to go next.
My Four Priorities:
First and foremost: Be safe. Don't hurt anybody, don't scare anybody, don't get disqualified for a safety rule violation.
Second: Execute the Course of Fire (CoF) Understand what you are supposed to do and do it. USPSA is less strict than IDPA on procedural matters but there is still plenty of opportunity to screw up. Pay attention and don't accumulate penalties.
Third: Hit the target, hit it in the middle. It is often said, you cannot miss fast enough to win.
Fourth: Move along. Do not run before you walk, LITERALLY, but don't dilly-dally around, your time to get through the CoF is half of your score. (Hit Factor = Points on Targets divided by Time)
|November 26, 2008, 08:41 AM
Senior Member
Join Date: June 26, 2008
Location: L.A. - Lower Alabama
Posts: 365
Jim explained it very well. I would only add that most clubs welcome new shooters with open arms and will bend over backward to help you safely have a good time. Expect at a minimum a "new shooters briefing" possibly more detailed instruction. Always remember there are a few grouchy old farts everywhere and don't let them scare you. Every one of us had to shoot a "first match" somewhere in the past. Obviously, its great fun or we wouldn't have come back. Bet you can't quit after your first match.
USPSA is a bit more fun than IDPA as USPSA is "free-style". You see the course and you decide how you will shoot it within the limits of the rules, common sense, and safety guidelines.
Bring lots of mags and ammo, some courses can be long with reasonably high round counts.
Have fun, be safe, shoot alpha's!
|December 4, 2008, 01:36 PM
Join Date: December 4, 2008
Location: NE Illinois
Posts: 20
All of the above responses are excellent. What I would add are a couple of things I've seen in officiating and match-directing a fair number of both types of matches.
First of all, if you've not been in modern pistol competition before, you're going to find out that, very likely, your gun-handling habits are not that good.
My experience suggests that USPSA is the most rigorous about the safety habits and application of them, with IDPA close behind. The USPSA Range Officer program goes way deep into safety issues and IDPA, the relative newcomer, followed closely. I don't intend to malign any other discipline with generalities, but I've been to a whole lot of matches and the big lesson you're probably going to get is that you don't have near as good a set of gun-handling habits as you think.
When I went to my very first match, I believed I was a competent gun handler of thirty years safe experience, and well-prepared to handle my old Colt 1911 under match, or any, conditions. Within an hour I was disabused of that notion completely.
Here's why. Public matches, where just about anybody able to make it down the driveway can gun up and go, have some pretty stringent gun handling rules that are enforced quite closely, much more than any other environment. It has to be that way, just because... we don't know anybody, and what they know.
Muzzle direction and finger location are the two big obsessions. As an RO who's run lots of brand-new competitors (who still had lots of shooting experience), I can tell you, very few folks have muzzle and finger discipline sufficiently ingrained. This is often the result of years or decades of just going to range and shooting, usually with friends, and no particular enforcement beyond just a loose sense of common sense.
At an organized match, you'll hear about it instantly if your muzzle strays beyond the "180", that theoretical cone from where you are to the back of the range, 90 degrees around in all directions.
And if you let that trigger finger stray into the trigger guard while you're slamming a magazine home, there's a good chance you'll hear the dreaded range command "Stop!".
But, you will quickly realize that all this will make you a far, far better gun-handler, and it all soaks in quickly.
Another new concept to many new match participants is the "cold range" thing. Basically, you may never, ever handle a gun, with two exceptions: at the designated, official "safe area", and only then without ammunition either present or being handled, or on the actual firing line, at the very specific range command including the magic words "make ready".
I can't tell you the number of times I've had a new competitor step up and yank his gun out once he's in the start box. It's a DQ- a disqualification, and you're out, completely.
DQs are a draconian-seeming thing, especially at first, but, again, you'll see the sense of it in short order.
I put all this out there not to hector, but to prepare folks who haven't done this before. I only wish I'd been so informed in advance- I almost (and should have) got DQed in minute #1 my first match, because I didn't know any of this stuff.
So... watch the muzzle, watch the finger, and in a short time, you'll be having more fun with a gun than you ever did before. It's going to all fit together soon.
And you will be much, much better for it.
|December 4, 2008, 02:47 PM
Senior Member
Join Date: March 1, 2000
Location: Western WA
Posts: 7,190
Our Section (association of USPSA clubs in a geographic area) requires a Safety Check card signed by a certified Range Officer, as evidence of a minimum level of competence before a shooter can compete at any club in the Section. When I performed Safety Checks, for a new shooter, it required a couple hours and 100 rounds to complete. It allows the new shooter to be aware of and familiar with all of the requirements of competition before being dumped into a match situation.
All the clubs in our Section run a classifier stage every month, but it would appear that clubs in some areas run only a single, annual classifier match? I shoot 30-40 classifiers a year, while I see some apparently very active competitors from other parts of the country with only a classifier or two on record for the previous twelve months.
|December 4, 2008, 11:00 PM
Senior Member
Join Date: June 26, 2008
Location: L.A. - Lower Alabama
Posts: 365
I like the idea of a "Safety Check". I didn't have that advantage when starting out. One club near me actually has a competition course where they give the new competitors a chance to shoot some short courses and teach them how the game is played along with a hefty dose of safety and range etiquette.
Couldn't hurt if we all could offer something similar.
|December 5, 2008, 06:57 AM
Join Date: December 4, 2008
Location: NE Illinois
Posts: 20
I haven't seen a safety check system anywhere around these parts, at least, not at any of the 15 or so clubs I'm able to visit in a season. But I like it.
As a alternative, the club I belong to has done everything possible to channel new competitors into the regular monthly steel match. Historically, it's been set up using the Steel Challenge model, with five or six shots per string (excepting a Vice Pres) done from a box. We've had a lot of success with this, and use it as a de facto training session. We added a rimfire division to lower the intimidation level, the expense, and broaden the available pool of newbies.
As a training program, it's produced some very good USPSA shooters.
It's not the same as an overt safety check program as RickB describes, but given a sometimes-limited volunteer base, I can imagine lots of places having some difficulty coming up with enough bodies to make it function.
I would like to have such a thing, though, and now, the wheels are turning...
Maybe this ought to be pulled off to a separate "Introducing New Shooters" thread of its own.
|December 7, 2008, 12:40 AM
Join Date: December 15, 2007
Posts: 35
Just did my first USPSA event today....my main goal was just to not break any safety rules. The event was one put on as a training "competition"...kind of like what rduckwor described
On my first stage i did break a rule (finger inside trigger guard while moving) but didn't get DQ'd....just given an explanation on what i did wrong. It was honestly the first time i'd ever moved quickly while holding a gun so i'm not surprised i did it even though i told myself i wouldn't before i started. The rest of the stages i did fine as far as safety stuff....just went slow and didn't always hit where i wanted to
|December 7, 2008, 02:54 AM
Join Date: March 14, 2007
Location: Utah
Posts: 18
IPSC is a highly addictive hobby/sport and I don't recommend you getting involved. I started about two summers ago and finally made a deal with my wife this summer to just do one match a month. We have allot of fun as we all become safer, and more proficient with our guns.
|December 9, 2008, 08:09 AM
Senior Member
Join Date: June 26, 2008
Location: L.A. - Lower Alabama
Posts: 365
It is nice to have something of a life outside of the shooting competitions.
|December 10, 2008, 09:36 AM
Senior Member
Join Date: February 20, 1999
Location: home on the range; Vermont (Caspian country)
Posts: 14,270
match shooting beats all
To newcomers: Just go. Watch. Ask. Learn. Join in.
Whatever gear you have will be (normally) okay; if you let clubs know in advance often gear, including guns, can be lent.
Most clubs WANT newcomers to visit, join, and enjoy it.
Ours does.....
"all my ammo is mostly retired factory ammo"
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Topic: Donnie Darko.
Good film, don't ask me to describe what it's about...
Although it might be about a school kid who's visited by a very scary looking rabbit and who's convinced the world is about to end.
The soundtrack was the best thing about the film for me. Tears for Fears never sounded so good.
Did anyone else see it?
Does anyone know who did the cover of 'Mad World' near the end of the film?

subset: commoncrawl


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Shelby G.T. 500 KR. Photo by Eric English. No shortage of attention is given to the mechanical heroes created under the guidance of Carroll Shelby during the heyday of his Shelby American operation and its collaborations with Ford Motor Company. Yet, despite the scrutiny applied to these machines y ... Read more
Lee Marvin's former 1968 Shelby G.T. 500 KR. Image courtesy of Russo and Steele. The gravel-voiced, six-foot-plus Lee Marvin cut an imposing presence on both movie and television screens, so it stands to reason his daily driver would be no less brash. Financially flush from starring roles in ... Read more


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GOP considers tactics as gas prices drop – McCarthy vote set; Vitter still unhappy - Report: Feds warned JPM on energy 'schemes' - Fla. high court tosses suit against nuclear fees
With help from Erica Martinson
GOP RECONSIDERS STRATEGY AS PAIN AT THE PUMP LESSENS: The threat of $4-a-gallon gasoline is a fast-fading memory, forcing House Republicans to shift tactics as they continue to blame President Barack Obama's policies for driving up Americans' energy prices. Republicans' broad agenda is largely unchanged, anchored by the Keystone XL pipeline, expanded offshore drilling, a rollback of EPA regulations and other steps they say would offer relief for consumers. But unlike the past two years, the price at the pump isn't cooperating this time.
Story Continued Below
Instead, spring gasoline prices are at their lowest point since 2010. And all signs point to the price continuing to drop to as low as $3.20 a gallon during the summer driving season — what used to be prime time for the GOP to pound its "drill, baby drill" theme on the House floor while Democrats fretted about the possible impact at the polls. Darren Goode has the story: http://politico.pro/ZCOYla
HAPPY FRIDAY and welcome to Morning Energy, where we're pretty sure Google glasses are the kind of thing that would cause us to walk into oncoming traffic accidentally. Send your energy news to firstname.lastname@example.com, and follow on Twitter @ alexcguillen, @ POLITICOPro and @ Morning_Energy.
MARK YOUR CALENDAR: The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee will vote on the nomination of Gina McCarthy to head the EPA on May 9 at 9:15 a.m. Chairwoman Barbara Boxer said McCarthy has responded to more than 1,000 questions submitted by Republicans on the committee. If passed by EPW, McCarthy's nomination will head to the full Senate for a vote. Sen. Roy Blunt currently has a hold on her nomination.
That's a lot of questions, but top EPW Republican David Vitter isn't satisfied with the answers. "So far, EPA's response to the committee Republicans' transparency requests has been inadequate. But I remain hopeful that that will improve over the next week," said Vitter. "We'll see how much EPA is willing to supplement in the next week, and that will determine how Republican members handle the scheduled markup." Neither Vitter nor Boxer's office responded to requests for more information about to which questions EPA has answers, what remains unsaid and what questions were submitted by Republicans in the first place.
EPA's responses: EPA shared with POLITICO its responses to Vitter's transparency requests over the last several weeks, including a response sent on Wednesday: http://politico.pro/108q0qx. And Vitter's "disappointed" reply to EPA's letter: http://politico.pro/18yhW6k
EPA's other letters to Vitter: http://politico.pro/106KgHY; http://politico.pro/134r4jp; http://politico.pro/135GKC5; http://politico.pro/16xz2Vi; http://politico.pro/164VUvt
REPORT: FEDS WARNED JPMORGAN ABOUT ENERGY MARKET SCHEMES: The New York Times reported late last night: "Government investigators have found that JPMorgan Chase devised 'manipulative schemes' that transformed 'money-losing power plants into powerful profit centers,' and that one of its most senior executives gave 'false and misleading statements' under oath. The findings appear in a confidential government document, reviewed by The New York Times, that was sent to the bank in March, warning of a potential crackdown by the regulator of the nation's energy markets." NYT: http://nyti.ms/16wfDnB
NRC SEEKS COMMENTS ON HOW IT HANDLES CHALLENGES TO REGULATIONS: The NRC is looking for public comment on proposals to "streamline and clarify" its system for handling challenges to its regulations. The proposals being noticed in the Federal Register — the first comprehensive update to the process since 1979 — is not in response to the Fukushima disaster or President Obama's regulatory streamlining executive order. It stems from a 7-year-old commission memo. Then-NRC Chairman Nils Diaz and Commissioner Ed McGaffigan, proposed that NRC staff streamline the rulemaking process by removing unnecessary constraints while improving transparency with the public. Comments will be accepted for the next 75 days. http://1.usa.gov/ZCEN0c
** A message from America's Natural Gas Alliance: Which affordable and American resource is helping our nation achieve record-low power sector emissions levels? Natural Gas. Follow us and join the #natgas conversation. www.twitter.com/angaus **
FLORIDA HIGH COURT TOSSES SUIT AGAINST NUCLEAR FEES: The Florida Supreme Court yesterday threw out a lawsuit brought by the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy against a 2006 Florida law that lets utilities charge customers for yet-to-be built nuclear power plants, even if that facility is never ultimately constructed. SACE argued that the law gave unconstitutional powers to the Florida Public Service Commission and that the law isn't supported by substantial evidence; the court rejected both arguments. "Authorizing recovery of preconstruction costs through customer rates in order to promote utility company investment in new nuclear power plants, even though those plants might never be built, is a policy decision for the Legislature, not this court," the court's seven judges ruled: http://bit.ly/ZYtZsS
Reaction: "We remain concerned that the commission acts as a captured regulatory entity beholden to the big power companies," SACE Executive Director Stephen A. Smith said in a statement. "We have real concerns that the protections the Legislature envisioned with this bill may not be executed by the current commission. If they are not, this governor or a future governor must appoint a slate of commissioners that interpret the provisions of this bill favorably for the more than 6 million electricity customers in Florida subject to this unfair nuclear tax."
Legislature modifies law first, though: The Orlando Sentinel notes that state legislators made some changes to that law shortly before the court released its opinion. "The ruling was released about an hour before the Florida Senate gave final approval to a bill that would make certain changes to the law, which has become a particularly heated political issue in the Tampa Bay area. … The changes in the newly approved bill stop short of repealing the law or requiring refunds for customers, as some critics of the law had sought." Sentinel: http://thesent.nl/101xLTT
COURT UPHOLDS N.Y. TOWNS' ANTI-FRACKING LAWS: Via Reuters: "A New York state court on Thursday ruled that two towns should be able to choose whether or not they can ban a controversial oil and gas drilling technique known as "fracking." In a decision that could set precedent in the state and create a major setback to oil and gas drilling firms, the New York State Supreme Court, Appellate Division, upheld zoning laws that allowed the towns of Dryden and Middlefield to ban oil and gas exploration and production." http://reut.rs/10vmdSV
APPEALS COURT HEARS CASE ON SEWAGE SLUDGE INCINERATION RULE: The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit will hear oral arguments this morning over EPA's regulation of sewage sludge incineration under section 129 of the Clean Air Act. Sewage plant operators say the agency is adding technically incorrect, costly and inflexible regulations for municipal utilities, and EPA should be regulating the burning of the sludge under a different section of the act (112) that gives them better options.
NAME CHANGE FOR TEXAS PANEL? The Texas Railroad Commission — the body that today oversees oil and gas operations in the Lone Star State, not rail lines, as it originally did when founded in 1891 — may soon get a more appropriate moniker. State senators have approved legislation changing the TRC's name to the Texas Energy Resources Commission. AP: http://bit.ly/155dGPd
POLL: MARKEY LEADS GOMEZ BY 6 POINTS: In the Massachusetts Senate race, Democratic Rep. Ed Markey leads Republican Gabriel Gomez by 6 points, according to a new Emerson College poll conducted Wednesday, the day after the primary election. Markey polled at 42 percent among registered voters surveyed, while Gomez had 36 percent of the vote. However, while the pair have good favorability ratings (Markey 48 percent, Gomez 45 percent), Markey has a significantly higher unfavorable rating — 37 percent, compared to Gomez's 25 percent. Emerson College Polling Society President Felix Chen says that may make it difficult for Markey to attack Gomez, who is still relatively unknown in the state. More results: http://bit.ly/ZCF9ni
MOVER, SHAKER: Shane Skelton, a policy adviser for the American Petroleum Institute's downstream and industry operations branch, is leaving on May 15 to become a staffer for House Budget Committee Republicans. Skelton previous worked for Ohio Republicans Bob Latta and Jim Jordan.
LOBBYING WATCH: Lobby shop J.M. Burkman & Associates has picked up several new energy clients, according to new filings: California-based Encore Mining LLC; Garden Solar of Flemmington, N.J.; Florida-based Green Earth Technologies; Factory Direct Safety, an "environmental innovation company" based in Texas; and Massachusetts-based wind energy company HEW Group. Burkman already represents a number of energy and water companies, including Apache Oil Co., Circular Energy and All Day Solar.
WAS 'FRACK TO THE FUTURE' TAKEN? If you're watching the Kentucky Derby this weekend, keep an eye on a 3-year-old thoroughbred named Frac Daddy. The horse, owned by Carter Stewart, who runs Cardinal Oil and Stewart Geological Inc., surprised many last month by qualifying for the derby. ('Frac' is a spelling for the practice preferred by many in the industry.) Billings Gazette: http://bit.ly/17GGXvK
COMING MONDAY: Need insight on what's happening in the tax world? POLITICO is launching a late-morning version of Morning Tax, the premier newsletter on tax policy. POLITICO Pro Tax subscribers will continue to receive the exclusive 6 a.m. version, and starting Monday, POLITICO will offer the Morning Tax roundup to a wider audience later in the day. To sign up, click here: http://www.politico.com/morningtax/.
— The AP has a long (and sure to be controversial) story concluding that "in the race to conquer energy technology, Old Energy is winning." http://apne.ws/10ZkFs3
— Bloomberg has the latest from international climate talks going on in Bonn, Germany: http://bloom.bg/104L5kB
— Mississippi is getting $69 million for BP for coastal recreation. AP: http://bit.ly/163GyXU
— And Texas is getting $18 million. AP: http://hrld.us/102LEAZ
— A number of top posts going unfilled at NOAA are creating problems for the agency, Greenwire reports: http://bit.ly/18gB9vY
— SunPower narrowed its first quarter loss and the company says sales exceeded estimates. Bloomberg: http://bloom.bg/105waXw
THAT'S ALL FOR ME. Have a great weekend.
** A message from America's Natural Gas Alliance: We believe in a clean energy future. Natural gas is a cleaner energy choice and a key partner to solar and wind technologies. From California to Florida, natural gas facilities are working with renewable energy to ensure steady, affordable and cleaner energy choices for communities across our nation. Because it is an abundant and affordable energy source available right here in America, natural gas can help make the promise of cleaner energy a reality in more American communities. Natural gas is smarter power today. Visit anga.us to learn more. **


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Morquio syndrome, also called mucopolysaccharidosis IV, rare hereditary disorder of intracartilaginous bone development that results in severe malformation of the skeleton (particularly the spine and long bones) and dwarfing. The disease is recognized within the first two years of life and is usually progressive until bone growth ceases in late adolescence. The vertebrae of the spine are wedge-shaped and flattened, and back deformity is common; compression of the spinal cord may occur if back deformity is severe. The heads of the thighbones are small and malformed, sometimes resulting in dislocation of the hip; knock-knees and asymmetrical development of paired bones are also common. Other symptoms include clouded corneas and circulatory malformations. Individuals with Morquio syndrome have a normal life expectancy. Treatment is directed toward symptoms of the disease.
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Arkitip launched the Chronicles section on their website, which is a more in-depth look at their work and collaborators.
"The Arkitip Chronicles will focus on designers and artists that work and collaborate directly with Arkitip. You could call it our inside the artist's studio if you like. We will aim to provide you with access to studios, behind the scenes looks at creative types and features on artists globally.
We will also dig deeper to showcase the process and inner workings of Arkitip at issue release events, exhibitions and company related functions. Giving the viewer a closer look at the personalities at Arkitip and those in our extended family."
The first Chronicle is on the Highmath Exhibition that recently took place in Berlin. Check it out here.


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Simpson University to Hold 5th Annual EXPOSURE Film Festival
For Immediate Release
REDDING, Calif. – Simpson University is presenting its 5th annual EXPOSURE Film Festival on Friday, Nov. 19, at 7 p.m. EXPOSURE will feature 10 short films produced by Simpson University students and will be shown in the Heritage Student Life Center (gym) on the university campus.
Tickets can be purchased at the door for $5 or in advance at the Simpson University Bookstore located on the first level of the Owen Center.
All films, which are under 10 minutes in length, will be evaluated and judged by faculty and staff at the university, including several film professors. The winner of Best Picture will receive a check for $500. Other categories include Best Editing, Best Actor/Actress and Best Cinematography. Flannel, a non-profit organization, is sponsoring the Best Christian Message award and donating a complete box set of films from their Nooma series.
The film festival is designed to spotlight the works of Simpson University students and to give them an opportunity to express themselves through the medium of motion picture.
Katie Kirkindoll, student director of activities at Simpson University, said, "The EXPOSURE Film Festival is a unique event which allows the local community to see films produced by our talented students."
To learn more about EXPOSURE, visit www.exposurefilmfest.com.
Simpson University is a Christian university offering undergraduate, graduate and teaching credential programs. Simpson's academic programs include ASPIRE, a degree-completion program geared toward working adults in the north state. Simpson's recent curriculum expansion includes degrees in biology, nursing, outdoor leadership, and a master's degree in counseling psychology. For more information about the university, or to arrange a personalized visit, call 1-888-9-SIMPSON or visit simpsonu.edu.
Contact: SU Public Relations
(530) 226-4737


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On the anniversary of the first news story based on Edward Snowden NSA leaks, Fight for the Future and other Internet privacy advocates are taking matters into their own hands. Legislators have failed to own up to the illegality of the NSA programs which collect massive amounts of data on all citizens, nor will they protect them from NSA monitoring.
The US government is conducting cyber warfare on its own people and whole populations in other countries around the world with little or no oversight. Thus, people must choose to protect themselves from government and corporate prying eyes.
In this video, cybersecurity professional Ian Schlakman explains why he chose to leave the IT world to run for office in the district of the NSA.
In the video tutorial, you'll get instructions to install the #ResetTheNet Privacy Download. The instructions take about ten minutes, and installation no longer than 5 minutes for Mac or PC.
– Simple Free Privacy Protection
– How to install step by step instructions
– Tor Project information
The Privacy Download is here: https://pack.resetthenet.org/
For more information on how to Reset The Net in your home or office:
Free VPN Easy & Fast to install
For more information on Ian:
ian42.com & on Twitter @ian4md2
Twitter: @fightfortheftr @EFF @FreePress @DCMediaGroup


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Chances are that if you read my column regularly, you already know how I feel about remakes. If you don't, well let me fill you in: I abhor them. I hate them with a passion. I personally believe they are single-handedly going to destroy Hollywood because they take away from the creativity and unique ideas that the city was once home too.
This being said, when I heard a new Judge Dredd movie was being made, I found myself oddly excited. Being a huge comic book geek, I was not a fan of the 1995 Sylvester Stallone film. To me, his portrayal of the character just felt wrong, especially when the Judge took off his helmet. It sounds like I'm nitpicking, but this one little thing totally strays away from the comic books and it took me out of the film. However, when "28 Days Later" screenwriter Alex Garland was announced to write the remake and it was released that Karl Urban (who played Dr. Scott "Bones" McCoy in J.J. Abrams' 2009 "Star Trek" reboot) would play the film's titular character, I found myself really looking forward to the final product.
Fortunately, "Dredd" does not disappoint. Directed by Pete Travis (director of 2008's "Vantage Point"), the film delivers the character of Judge Dredd in all of the violent glory the character deserves. The film follows the Judge and trainee Judge Anderson (played by Olivia Thirlby) who find themselves trapped in a turf war for a new kind of narcotic drug. When the leader of the drug ring locks the cops inside the 200 story building, the two officers realize the rules have changed and it's kill or be killed.
Garland's script is just about the best thing a fan of the Judge Dredd comic books could ask for. He manages to take the bleak, post-apocalyptic world comic authors John Wagner and Carlos Ezquerra created and drop audience members into the middle of it, making Judge Dredd seem as tough and fearless on screen as he does on the page, and fortunately, never allows the judge to remove his helmet. Garland's strong writing lends itself perfectly to Urban's performance, which blows Sly out of the water. Urban delivers the Judge's lines in the character's signature, dry way, adding a Clint-Eastwood like snarl to everything he says, and whereas in Stallone's case the helmet wore him, Urban wears the helmet and owns the role.
Suprisingly, the film's 3-D is very well done. I've never truly understood the purpose of 3-D and I often feel as if it is just a gimmick for studios to make money. However, in an incredibly rare feat, I think the 3-D works to the films advantage. Travis knows when to lay it on heavily and uses it in a way that truly enhances both the action scenes, and some of the more expositional shots. It adds a true feeling of depth to the environment that Travis truly uses to his advantage. The film's over the top gore and eventful action set-pieces are a blast (pun not intended) to see in 3-D and the opening set-piece looks spectacular, with the 3-D putting film goers right next to the Judge in his quest to find the drug dealers.
Unfortunately, I think the timing of the film's release may ultimately hurt it in the long run. Long time readers of my articles will recall that I wrote about my top 10 favorite of the year so far. One of those films was an Indonesian action flick entitled, "The Raid: Redemption". The film follows a SWAT team as they make their way through drug dealer's lair in order to prevent to production of the narcotic. Sound familiar? Essentially, the film's plot lines are one and the same. This is unfortunate because Garland began writing the script for "Dredd" in 2006, long before writer Gareth Evans began the screenplay for "The Raid". While the plots are similar, hopefully viewers will be abler to separate the two films and enjoy them both for what they are.
While certainly not for the squeamish, "Dredd" is a comic-book adaptation done right. Garland manages to bring the character to life while not getting him lost in the thick of the story. 4 stars out of 5 for one of the best remakes in recent memory, and perhaps one of the best reboots of all time.


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Mermaid Bath Home and Garden Vintage Metal Sign
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This Mermaid Bath vintage metal sign measures 14 inches by 8 inches and weighs in at 1 lb(s). This vintage metal sign is hand made in the USA using heavy gauge american steel and a process known as sublimation, where the image is baked into a powder coating for a durable and long lasting finish. It then undergoes a vintaging process by hand to give it an aged look and feel. This vintage metal sign is drilled and riveted for easy hanging.
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Weekend link-o-ramaNovember 17th, 2012 | By RJ Rushmore | No Comments »
Had a fantastic time in New York last weekend finishing up The Art of Comedy, but that meant missing out on a lot of news, so some of this week's link-o-rama is a bit more dated than usual:
- The Wall Therapy mural project in Rochester, NY is working on a short documentary about this year's event, and they've recently released a trailer for that film.
- Station 16 recently released Hanksy's latest print.
- I absolutely love this collaboration in London between Stinkfish, Cranio, Aeon Fly, and Dscreet.
- Vitche's latest mural in Sao Paulo has some interesting elements that pop off the wall a bit.
- If you're a fan of Horfe, you've got to check out this video of the Peace And Love crew, of which Horfe is a member.
- How and Nosm are the latest artists to paint the wall at Bowery and Houston.
- KAWS has work on the outside of a NYC subway car, but not in the way you might be hoping, just the way you'd expect.
- Erica il Cane and Blu have collaborated once again, this time on a mural in Bari, Italy.
- Hell yes: Two trucks painted by Aryz.
- A zoo in Turin, Italy closed down. This is what happened when artists were given access.
Photo by Luna Park
Category: Interview, Photos, Print Release, Random, Videos | Tags: aeon fly, aryz, blu, cost, cranio, dscreet, ericailcane, Horfé, how&nosm, kaws, keeley, stinkfish, vitche, wall therapy


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28th > March > 2011 Archive
Steve Jobs screws my wife (out of $944)
CommentI couldn't tell who was more excited about our new electronic toy: me or my wife.
Quanta crams 512 cores into pizza box server
Quanta Computer – the Chinese manufacturer that builds the majority of laptops in the world and that wants to break into the server racket in a big way – has started shipping its first production machine based on massively multicored processors designed and manufactured by chip upstart Tilera.
Windows Server pushed to the super limit
Server maker Silicon Graphics doesn't think it can take on the entire Windows server market, but the company – which is best known for supercomputers and hyperscale rack servers – does think it can chase and win deals in the evolving HPC market for windows.
Oracle's Itanium gambit: A play for HP's checkbook
CommentEverything Oracle does is about money. You have to look at any of its actions - no matter how peculiar or provocative they may be - through an economic lens, focusing on the benefit those actions will provide to Larry Ellison and the company he co-founded decades ago.
Dell's storage vision: From reseller to innovator
CommentHaving bought storage technologies and companies to gain entry into new storage categories, Dell is now rolling out a unified storage architectural vision embracing file systems added to every storage offering, and Ocarina-deduplication everywhere. Compellent's fluid data idea is being applied across Dell's storage portfolio from entry level PowerVaults, through SME, and the enterprise out to the cloud.
120 Underground Wi-Fi hotspots will erupt in 2012
Transport for London is tendering for bidders to open Wi-Fi hotspots at underground stations, and possibly even at bus stations and stops.
iPad 2 3G price-plans compared
UpdatedPlanning to buy a 3G-enabled iPad 2? To help you choose the right package, here are how the UK operators stack up. We'll be adding other carriers as they announce prices.
MPs now free to surf and tweet
MPs appeared last week to have overtaken the somewhat more cautious House of Lords, with the publication of new guidelines allowing MPs to tweet – and surf – during debates in the Commons, so long as they do it tastefully, and don't take up too much room.
MoJ goes cloudy
The Ministry of Justice is spending £14m on a five-year cloud contract.
Asus prices up netbook-convertible Android tablet
Asus' tablet-meets-netbook, the Eee Pad Transformer, will cost the best part of £500 when it goes on sale here on Wednesday.
Curiosity kills 3D Cameron cams
NASA has decided to ditch plans to equip its Curiosity Mars rover with a pair of 3D cameras.
Osborne tosses £3bn gift to the green elite
Something interesting is happening in politics at a quite seismic level, and as usual, the professionals haven't noticed. Let's start with the details.
Sony Ericsson preps Gingerbread for Xperia X10
Sony Ericsson has changed its corporate mind and decided to upgrade its Xperia X10 smartphone's on-board software beyond Android 2.1 Eclair.
MySQL.com hacked via... SQL injection vuln
MySQL.com was hacked over the weekend via an attack which used a blind SQL injection exploit to pull off the pawnage.
Internet pioneer Paul Baran dies
Paul Baran, one of the pioneers of packet-switched networking, the basis for the internet, has died in his home in California aged 84.
Have you thought about using a mainframe for that?
Data centre managers and IT operations staff in large enterprises are now faced with a bewildering array of demands from their users, who take for granted that systems will work without any form of service interruption, planned or otherwise.
iPad 2 tougher than iPad 1. True
The iPad 2 is more durable than its predecessor, at least as far as its glass face is concerned. The new model incorporates a much stronger, more flexible screen than the old one did.
Apple lands patent blow, but the slugfest continues
Apple has gained ground in the ongoing patent spat with Nokia. The US International Trade Commission (ITC) investigation judge has made an initial determination that Apple isn't infringing five Nokia patents.
Nintendo 3DS console and games
The latest incarnation of Nintendo's handheld games console - and the first to offer glass-free 3D viewing - family is here. See what we think of it.
Visio 2010: strengths and weaknesses
WorkshopFew people in the UK have worked with diagramming tools for as long as David Parker and Chris Roth. Here they give us the benefit of the wisdom gleaned from years of delving into the ever-changing world of vector graphics.
EU bodies schooled on ethical data-gathering
EU bodies should tell people that some personal information on them might be made public before gathering any personal data, the bodies' privacy watchdog has said. The bodies should adopt 'a presumption of openness' in certain cases, it said.
Fire-quenching electric forcefield backpack invented
Boffins in America say they're on the track of a backpack electro-beam forcefield device capable of snuffing out raging fires without any need for water, hoses or other traditional firefighting apparatus. Apart from portable applications, they raise the possibility that the new technology might replace building sprinkler systems with ceiling mounted conflagration-squelching zapper terminals.
Nokia talks Pure typographic cobblers
LogoWatchAs we announced last week, Nokia has unleashed its new "Nokia Pure" font on an unsuspecting world, but we seriously underestimated just how much whalesong and joss-sticks went into the creation of its "humanist sans face".
El Reg is recruiting reporters
The Register is looking for ambitious reporters to join its London editorial team. The Register is the UK's biggest technology and science news website. We're also pretty big in the US, Canada, Europe and India.
Sales, meet Finance (redux)
WorkshopBoth public and private organisations deploy business applications as a way of providing a more joined-up view of company information across departments. In many cases the aim is to minimise re-keying – two people entering the same data, or worse, one person taking information from one computer system and typing it into another.
The challenges of desktop configuration
DesktopFor businesses, many of the problems with PCs come from the 'personal' part of personal computer. If every system is set up differently, with different applications, updates, security settings, power management and interface options, the individual user might be happier.
Nvidia flexes Tesla muscles
2010 was the breakout year for Nvidia's Tesla division, according to Tesla VP Andy Keane, who spoke at the company's Industry Analyst Day earlier this month. I think it's pretty obvious that he's right, and a quick review of the last year tells the story.
Google in mobile payments ménage à trois
MasterCard and Citigroup will be deploying NFC payment applications into Google's Nexus S phone, with other handsets to follow, as part of the chocolate factory's bid to turn phones into wallets.
Zomm wireless leash
ReviewThe Zomm is a pebble-shaped wireless 'leash' for mobile phones. It pairs to a phone using Bluetooth and if the two devices are separated by a few meters then the Zomm alerts you, first by vibrating, then flashing and a few seconds later by beeping.
Lindsay Lohan ditches her surname
Bespeckled thespiatrix Lindsay Lohan has dealt a serious blow to the El Reg space paper plane bureau by announcing she's going to drop the "Lohan" and emerge as just "Lindsay".
Making the decision on hosted apps
WebcastOn the 29th March at we have Reg reader Chet Loveland – who's also the CISO from MeadWestvaco Corporation (MWV), a 20,000 strong global business – giving us a practical run through how and why he moved a large chunk of his users into the cloud.
The Professionals set to abseil into cinema
Arse-kicking CI5 operatives Bodie and Doyle are to be brought out of retirement for a big-screen version of The Professionals.
Mobile phones immobilise bones
Forget about brain tumours, mobile phones may also cause your bones to crumble, scientists in Argentina appear to have discovered.
Comodo-gate hacker brags about forged certificate exploit
An Iranian hacker has stepped forward to claim responsibility for the SSL certificate hack against Comodo, providing an insight into how the high-profile hack might have been pulled off.
The Reg Guide to server virtualisation scale-up
In December, our research partner Freeform Dynamics polled Reg readers about your experiences with server virtualisation projects: some 458 IT pros took time out to reply. Thank-you.
Airship 'Sky Tugs' ordered from Lockheed for Canadian oilfields
The famous P-791 prototype airship - built last decade for a military transport programme which eventually came to nothing - is to give birth to new, mighty commercial versions of itself with Canadian financial backing.
Facebook friends Obama's ex-press rep
Social networking giant Facebook is shortly to hire Obama's ex-press secretary.
Spotify apologises for tainted ad kerfuffle
Spotify has promised to review its security following an attack that exposed users of the free version of its music streaming service to malware on Thursday.
HMS Ark Royal goes under the hammer
We at El Reg have always fancied our own navy, so we're seriously considering making a bid for the recently-decommissioned aircraft carrier HMS Ark Royal.
iOS 5 falls back to autumn, say moles
Don't expect iOS 5.0 to be available to download as early as June - it'll be out in September.
Hosts with the mosts: Getting to grips with SLAs for the cloud
When email is down, businesses cease to function. If the email goes down due to a mishandling of the Exchange server, the appropriate sysadmin is found and duly berated.
eBay splashes $2.4bn for ecommerce services firm
eBay has splashed out $2.4bn to buy ecommerce services outfit GSI Commerce in a deal will do little to dampen concerns about wonky valuations in the tech sector.
Composers, songwriters feel squeeze from disappearing CD
Composers and songwriters are feeling the pinch as the CD disappears from the High Street, and tight-fisted internet giants refused to pay for music.
Apple confirms dev conference, but not much else
Apple developers will be heading to San Francisco in June for a five-day beano of coding and fondle-slabbing.
Intel gets spanking new SSD
Intel has replaced its mainstream X25-M solid state drive with the 320, which is more than two times faster doing sequential writes.
Kaminario drops DRAM SSD pricing drawers
Kaminario, which supplies DRAM-based solid state drives, has dropped its entry-level pricing and raised its maximum capacity.
Java daddy borged by Google
James Gosling, the father of Java, has joined Google – despite his previous criticism of the company's Java-happy Android operating system.
Apple limits Design Awards to App Store residents
Apple has piled another brick onto the ramparts of its walled garden: to be eligible for this year's Apple Design Awards, Mac OS X developers must sell their apps through the Mac App Store.
Bomb threat forces Apple campus evacuation
A bomb threat cleared an Apple facility outside Sacramento, California on Monday morning, but a subsequent search turned up no iXplosives.
Arista punts 10/40 GbE juice-sipper
Arista Networks – the fourth major startup created by Andy Bechtolsheim of Sun Microsystems fame – has again pushed the 10 Gigabit Ethernet performance and efficiency envelope by pumping out a new switch that delivers a port for under two watts of juice when under load.
Oz parliamentary network breached
In a security breach that presumably now has Chinese spies trawling through the kind of letters MPs do their best to deflect or ignore, the Australian Parliament House network has been invaded.
Vocus buys Perth data centre
ASX listed data centre provider Vocus Communications is expanding its footprint to Perth, entering into negotiations to buy Perth data centre operator PerthiX.


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Kris Allen sings "Away in A Manger" with some children on his recent trip to Africa with World Vision USA. The performance remained flaw-free, until Kris encountered some wildlife. Ha.
- girlygirltoo
This was very sweet. LOl at the fly on his nose. A hazard of outdoor performances :)
He's such an angel and this was beautiful. It wouldn't be Kris without something cute/funny happening. 'There was a fly on my nose.' lol
I love this guy.
so pretty
- standtotheright
Good videographer, fly and all. This was very pretty.
- Triskel4
LOL. Kris has some interesting wildlife encounters. Also, the little boy with his head resting on Kris is adorable.
- rayni
Beautiful! Love anything he sings and love that personality!
- linsmile
Aww, yes, the child sitting next to Kris, resting on Kris is so adorable. Last week during the livestream from Africa Kris said he didn't see stringed instruments there and the kids were very intrigued by his guitar. I look at the face of the child next to him and wonder what thoughts and feelings the music/song/Kris is inspiring.
- isb77
That was adorable!
- Montavilla
That was simply adorable. Kris is going to make a great dad someday. (If, you know, that's something he and his wife decide to do. No pressure.)
- Eileen99
This video captures everything I love about Kris – his voice & musical sensitivity; his love of others that shines through and his sense of humor. It basically sums up everything you need to know about Kris in one video.
And I agree that it would be something related to Kris without something funny happening.
- blackberryharvest
Random question relating to Kris, I noticed that "My T Mouse" was the copyright on the Christmas EP. Is that the name of his self-release label?
I'm pretty sure that is Sylvia's little girl, Jane, resting her head on Kris. He was quite taken by her.
- tripp_ncwy
Kris mention King5 news Seattle about his relationship with World Vision.
World Vision charitable gift giving catalog
- mtlfan2
aw that was sweet! lol at the fly interruption
My T Mouse is his corporation.
How adorable is Kris!! Cute ,Funny, likeable and sweet with a beautiful heartfelt soothing voice. <3
Gorgeous video and so cute at the end w/ the fly
- marmom07
That was wonderful. Love Kris' voice and his sense of humor. He is just so chill. What an amazing human. Adam and Kris remain my favorites as both humans and musicians. I just can't even imagine what it must have been like with that much amazingness sharing a room in the idol mansion or being on idol the year they were both on.
I just don't do organized religion any more but I really enjoyed Kris' interpretation of that song.
- MissMyEm
I know I've said this many times, but when I see things like this video, not only does my heart swell with admiration for Kris, but I am so proud to be a fan. Not only was this song sung very prettily, but the little girl resting on his arm was adorable. And of course the fly on his nose was typical. So Kris.
- Ratna12
Love his laugh, so adorable and love Kris.
- mzhallcat
The voice, the child, the laugh, that darn fly–this video is all kinds of adorable.
I wonder what My T Mouse means. And why name his corporation that way? Very intriguing.
- suenigma
- blackberryharvest
Yes, I would like to know the reasoning too!
- Incipit
suenigma posted the WIKI entry for Mighty Mouse – or My T Mouse – As far as the literal meaning goes – a pocket sized Cartoon Superhero.
Figuratively, a small entity can still do big things to be a success, and to help people.
IMO. Of Course.
What an awesome trip for Kris to be the host for WorldVision in Kenya. I love this song and look at the sparkle in the kids' eyes! The first time thru I didn't notice the fly on Kris' nose until he said why he was? laughing at the end of the video
- nyc57
late,but I agree that this video encompasses everything Kris fans love about the guy.MY T Mouse is such a great name.It's so Kris.I just want to hear him sing the theme song from Might Mouse.lol


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W.H.: Obama will talk hacking with Chinese president
White House press secretary Jay Carney declined to confirm a Washington Post report that Chinese hackers have compromised dozens of U.S. weapons systems, but he said President Obama is likely to bring up cyber-security concerns with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
"I would refer you to the Pentagon for specifics about potential hacking of weapons systems, but I would note, as you've heard from the president, national security advisers and others, cyber security is a key priority of this administration; It is a key concern that we have," Carney told reporters aboard Air Force One.
"It is an issue that we raised at every level in our meetings with our Chinese counterparts, and I'm sure will be a topic of discussion when the president meets with President Xi in California in early June."
Carney added that national security adviser Tom Donilon has raised the issue during meetings this week in China.
The Washington Post reported that China breached more than two dozen advanced U.S. weapons systems critical to missile defense, combat aircraft and ships, according to a confidential report from the Defense Science Board.


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Sharp introduces a Black box for the automotive market
Post a comment
Painstakingly detailed work to reconstruct the circumstances of traffic accidents will soon be a thing of the past, at least in Japan. Sharp has developed a black box for the domestic market that can record up to six hours of travel. The heart of the high-tech travel recorder is a 2 MP CMOS sensor in 1/4 format, combined with a 180° lens in order to record what happens across the entire width of the road. The black box system comes in two versions, one for rear-view and the other for the front-view applications.
CCD and CMOS modules are also becoming increasingly popular in Europe as sensors for camera-supported driver assistance systems. Sharp will be offering optimised CCD and CMOS automotive camera modules within the next one to two years for this extremely fast-growing market (42% annual growth).
The state-of-the-art devices in cameras for passive driver assistance systems that serve primarily as visual aids for the driver are the highly sensitive CCD modules as offered by Sharp. They deliver beautifully clear images, thanks to their light sensitivity of just 1.8 lux the equivalent of the ambient light of a moonlit road. Through improved software, the next generation of Sharp CCD modules will superimpose automatic guidelines that will mark the danger zone, e.g. when reversing. CCD modules are still ahead at the moment, due to their light sensitivity but, in the long term, CMOS modules will be used more and more as rear-view cameras. Once the CMOS sensors have achieved the necessary image performance in dark environments, they will also bring a whole host of further advantages with them, such as lower costs, higher resolution and, above all, a more compact design, as the image processor can be integrated directly onto the camera chip.
CMOS is the technology of choice for sensors for active driver assistance systems that intervene automatically in driving if there is a hazard. High frame rates and dynamics (greater than 100dB) are required, particularly for front cameras, in order to get clear images under even the most extreme light/dark contrast conditions. Equipped with roller shutters, the next generation of Sharp CMOS camera modules for active driver assistance systems achieves shutter speeds of up to 30 images a second with a dynamic range of 100 dB. As a comparison: the human eye can take in around 14 images a second with a dynamic range of 105 dB.
Sharp Microelectronics Europe
Service hotline: +49 (0)180 507 35 07 (0.14 €/min. from the fixed network of DTAG.)
Service e-mail: email@example.com
About Sharp Microelectronics Europe
Sharp Microelectronics Europe, Hamburg, Germany, is a divisional company of Sharp Electronics (Europe) GmbH, which is a subsidiary of Sharp Corporation, Osaka, Japan. Sharp is a worldwide developer of core digital technologies that are playing an integral role in shaping the next generation of electronic products for consumer and business needs. Sharp Microelectronics Europe offers groundbreaking solutions in the areas of memory products, LCD, Opto Components, CCD, RF/IR, IC and LSI components, along with packaging and integration skills that help design engineers throughout Europe to bring their ambitious ideas to market. Sharp Microelectronics Europe is dedicated to improving people's lives through the use of advanced technology and a commitment to innovation, quality, value and design.
Note: The above text is the public part of the press release obtained from the manufacturer (with minor modifications). EETimes Europe cannot be held responsible for the claims and statements made by the manufacturer. The text is intended as a supplement to the new product presentations in EETimes Europe magazine.


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And you thought February was the month for love. Or Fashion Week(s). This year, the shortest month of the year is also filled with an unusual number of fashion and technology events. Here are five anyone who follows fashion and technology won't want to miss: IFB Conference: The semi-annual fashion blogging conference is back just […]View Post
News: Polyvore in NYC, Curators Conference, Top Shopping Apps + More
Posted on by Lorraine Sanders in Digital Style News No Comments
Happenings and notable things from the intersection of fashion and technology… Polyvore opens up an office in New York. Bay Area-ites, don't freak. The company is still headquartered here. via TechCrunch The Curators Conference will take place for the first time in New York this September and feature notables such as fashion blogger Susie Bubble. […]View Post curators conference, fashion and tech events, fashion and technology, fashion apps, fashion bloggers, fashion startups, polyvore, shopping apps


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ATLANTA -- Leave it to the Colorado Rockies to spoil the feel-good story of the season almost before it began.
The official start of John Smoltz's comeback was greeted with a standing ovation by a crowd of 31,221 at Turner Field, but soon after he took the mound the Rockies wounded his psyche, banging out six hits and five runs in the first two innings Thursday night en route to an 8-3 win that ended the Braves' bid for their first three-game winning streak of the season.
Making his first regular season start since Oct. 1, 1999, Smoltz hoped to work at least six innings, but he was chased after throwing 70 pitches, 45 for strikes, in three innings.
The Rockies wasted no time in tormenting Smoltz, scoring three times before many fans had finished the stroll in from the MARTA station.
Juan Pierre, Colorado's leadoff man, tapped back to Smoltz, who made a diving stop, then had no one to throw to as rookie first baseman Wes Helms broke toward the ball. Neifi Perez rolled out, but Todd Helton singled, and Jeff Cirillo hit one into the left field seats to make it 3-0.
In the second, Pierre singled, Helton walked, and both runners scored on Walker's single. Smoltz pitched a three-up, three-down third, but Bobby Cox, sensitive to his surgically-repaired elbow, lifted him following his at-bat.
San Francisco
7:30 p.m.
The numbers weren't good, but Smoltz's performance was nonetheless encouraging. His fastball topped out at 96 m.p.h., he threw several sliders for strikes, and his command, though not reminiscent of Greg Maddux, was fine for a pitcher facing major league hitters for the first time in 19 months.
Rockies starter Denny Neagle nearly gave back all of the 5-0 lead, as the Braves scored two runs in the third on Brian Jordan's double and another in the fifth when Andruw Jones hit his eighth home run into the left field grandstand.
Neagle, who spent 212 years in Atlanta, set down six of the next seven batters he faced. He was dismissed after six, and the Rockies bullpen held the Braves scoreless over the final three innings.
The Rockies proceeded to tee off on Chris Seelbach, who's been lost amidst the rakes and shovels in Ed Mangan's shed. After slipping out of a bases-loaded jam in the fifth with strikeouts of Brent Mayne and Mark Little, he was rocked by Helton's two-run home run in the sixth that made it 7-3.
Any hopes the Braves harbored of keeping fans in their seats until the end vanished in the eighth. Pierre's chopper clanked off Matt Whiteside's glove, then he bounced a pickoff throw past Helms, and Perez's run-scoring single sent the fans scurrying for the exits.
This article published in the Athens Banner-Herald on Friday, May 18, 2001.
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Hotel La Royale
Select your stay dates to check availability
Hotel La Royale
About the hotel
Property Location
Located in Leuven, Hotel La Royale is minutes from Leuven Central Library and Ladeuze Square. This hotel is within close proximity of M - Museum Leuven and Tweebronnen Library.
Make yourself at home in one of the 36 guestrooms. Complimentary wireless Internet access keeps you connected, and cable programming is available for your entertainment. Private bathrooms with bathtubs or showers feature complimentary toiletries and hair dryers. Conveniences include phones, as well as desks and blackout drapes/curtains.
Rec, Spa, Premium Amenities
Make use of convenient amenities, which include complimentary wireless Internet access and tour/ticket assistance.
Enjoy a satisfying meal at a restaurant serving guests of Hotel La Royale. Quench your thirst with your favorite drink at a bar/lounge.
Business, Other Amenities
Featured amenities include a 24-hour front desk and an elevator (lift).
Hotel Facilities
- Tours/ticket assistance
- Elevator/lift
- Bar/lounge
- Number of buildings/towers - 1
- Smoke-free property
- 24-hour front desk
- Restaurant
- Free WiFi
- Total number of rooms - 36
- Number of floors - 4
Room Facilities
- Private bathroom
- Desk
- Free toiletries
- Hair dryer (on request)
- Free WiFi
- Free cribs/infant beds
- Bathtub or shower
- Television
- Blackout drapes/curtains
- Phone
- Cable TV service
Hotel Policy
Know Before You Go
- One child 2 years old or younger stays free when occupying the parent or guardian's room, using existing bedding.
- No pets and no service animals are allowed at this property.
Mandatory Fees and Taxes
You'll be asked to pay the following charges at the hotel:
- A tax is imposed by the city: EUR 1.00 per person, per night
We have included all charges provided to us by the property. However, charges can vary, for example, based on length of stay or the room you book.Show all hotel policy Show less hotel policy


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The Waste Land
New York, NY 10001
The Thomas Jaeckel Gallery is pleased to present the Solo exhibition in New York of Armando Mariño, entitled The Waste Land.
In 2010 he moved to New York from Madrid as part of the ISCP Brooklyn for one year and participated at the exhibition Keloids, Mattress Factory Museum Pittsburgh. Between 2010 and 2012 his work has drawn the attention of several critics and curators in USA. He was invited to participate in several exhibitions such as The Museo's Biennial (S) Files. Museo del Barrio. New York. USA 2011 and Building Identities Contemporary Cuban Art from the Shelly and Donald Rubin Private Collection. Cleveland Clinic's Art Program Arts & Medicine Institute. OH.2012
2011/ 2012 he was invited as Artist Studio in residency at the Bronx Museum, New York he was awarded with The Pollock Krasner Grant.
His works are in many private and public collections:
The Donald and Shelley Rubin Collection, the Deutsche Bank Collection USA.
The Howard Farber Collection USA, The Berardo Collection Portugal
The Netherland Bank Holland, National Museum of Fine Art Cuba, The Coca Cola Foundation Spain, among others
His first solo show in May here in New York Recent Paintings from the year of the Protester took place in The 8 Floor Space, with the support of the Rubin Foundation and The Bronx Museum. As a result he was invited to participate in Project V at Hudson Valley Contemporary Art Center Peekskill and his sculpture "EXILED" is part of Skyline Adrift Cuban Art and Architecture on view at Art Omi. Ghent New York. From 2012 to 2013.


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Nicosia, Cyprus, May 19, 2010 / 10:06 pm (CNA/EWTN News) .-
The Cyprus ambassador to the Holy See asserted that the "moral influence" of Pope Benedict XVI will be "massive" during his upcoming trip to the Mediterranean island, which is currently under Communist leadership in the south and under Turkish occupation in the north of the country.
In an interview with Terrasanta.net, Ambassador George Poulides spoke on the preparations and overall significance of the Holy Father's June 4-6 visit to Cyprus. The Pontiff will make history on the island by releasing a working document for the synod of bishops in the Middle East, which is aimed at promoting peace and helping end religious persecution in the region.
"The preparations have reached fever pitch," Ambassador Poulides said of the papal visit. "Both the Government, the Orthodox Church and the Catholic community are working non-stop for this important occasion."
"Not only is the vast mobilization of all Cypriots expected, but also the dynamic flow of hundreds of journalists from every part of the world. In addition, many of the faithful will arrive from neighboring countries in the Middle East, together with their Bishops," he told Terrasanta.net.
Ambassador Poulides expressed what he believes to be the Holy Father's intent for the visit, saying that first and foremost "Pope Benedict XVI wishes to send a sign of peace and justice toward the people of Cyprus and a message of sympathy and support for the efforts of the government of the Republic of Cyprus" which seeks to unify the island and remove the Turkish military from the northern portion of the island.
The ambassador explained that following the Turkish invasion of 1974, the "Holy See and all succeeding Pontiffs have indeed been noble defenders of international law, always calling, with great coherence, for the application of the numerous resolutions of the United Nations which condemn the Turkish intervention." Ambassador Poulides also mentioned the the significance of Holy Father's release of the working document for the Middle East Synod, saying that it will make Cyprus "the focal point of Christian efforts in favor of peace in the tormented region of Middle East."
"It concerns an event of great importance," he observed, "as it will not strictly be about political issues, but also the crucial question of the relations between Christians - as a whole - and Muslims, wherever the latter compose the majority of the population."
When asked about the Communist leadership in the country, the ambassador said that he could not see how the current president "could negatively influence the excellent relations established between Cyprus and the Holy See."
"The President declares himself a believer, but even if he wasn't, I can assure you that the relations with Vatican would still been excellent," the ambassador told Terrasanta.net.
On whether or not he is confident that the Holy Father's visit will help bring peace in the area, Ambassador Poulides asserted that "moral influence of Pope is massive."
"The Pontiff brings a message of peace and justice that travels beyond the Christian world," he underscored. "Even his mere presence on this wounded island constitutes a vigorous protest against the injustice and the violence that the Cypriot people have undergone, namely the Turkish occupation."


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Mayor Berry Celebrates the City's Newest Historic Landmark
Albuquerque, NM - Mayor Richard J. Berry and the Planning Department are pleased to announce the designation of the Atchison Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad Hospital, currently known at Hotel Parq Central, as a Historic City Landmark.
"The rehabilitation, restoration, and re-purposing of this property is an elegant example of what historic preservation can produce," said Mayor Berry. "The City of Albuquerque applauds the dedicated efforts of Memorial Ventures LLC that transformed the property into a first class, boutique hotel."
Originally built in 1926 the property served as a hospital for employees of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway Company. In the 1940's the name was changed to the AT & SF Hospital. The property was purchased in the 1980's by a group of psychiatrists who changed the name to Memorial Hospital.
In 2003 the property was purchased by Memorial Ventures LLC who creatively renovated the project, in keeping with the building's historic integrity, "although we didn't purchase the property with a particular use in mind, we realized we had become stewards of the property," said co-owner David Oberstein. "We took the job of historic renovation quite seriously. We wanted the highest and the best use of the property - a use that would be more available to the public."
The property's main buildings were gutted while preserving the original layout. Renovation details pay homage to the building's first railroad tenants and its use as a medical facility, some of which are highlighted in the rooftop Apothecary Lounge.
The City will unveil the Historic Landmark plaque at a reception on Monday, December 5, 2011, 2:30 p.m., at Hotel Parq Central, 806 Central SE.


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Свежие наборы данных и обновления данных из разных источников со всего мира
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This database contains information on several demographic and labour market characteristics of the population of 28 OECD countries around the year 2000, by country of birth. The OECD countries included are Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, the Slovak Republic, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, the United Kingdom and the United States. Most of the thematic files of the database include three core variables: the country of residence, the country of birth and educational attainment. Other variables available in the database include age, gender, citizenship, duration of stay, labour force status, occupation, sector of activity and field of study. In general, the database covers all individuals aged 15 and older.


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Veterans blaze path to owning businesses
By APRIL DUDASH | The Fayetteville Observer | Published: February 17, 2013
Two paths are traditionally stressed for service members transitioning from the military - either find a civilian job or pursue a college degree.
But as more local resources are being devoted to entrepreneurial training, veterans have a solid third path. They can own their own businesses.
U.S. military veterans own 2.4 million businesses, or nearly 1 in 10 of all businesses in the U.S., according to the Small Business Administration. They employ 5.8 million people and generate $1.2 trillion in receipts.
Combine that economy-boosting power with more service members transitioning due to military drawbacks, and installations and universities are taking notice. This year, the Obama Administration gave the Small Business Administration's "Boots to Business" entrepreneur program $7 million to expand. As the Army pilot starts in March, Fort Bragg already is acting as a testing ground for the initiative.
In addition, colleges and Fort Bragg offer an array of services for military members - from guiding the development of a feasible business plan to helping them shift to a different work culture than what they're accustomed to.
At Fayetteville State University last week, about 20 veterans attended a Veteran Entrepreneur Boot Camp. Participants transformed their ideas into solid business plans with the help of small business experts, financial planners and successful veteran business owners.
Ed Sullivan is preparing for entrepreneurship. He's a former Navy helicopter pilot who delved into the pharmaceutical and biotech industries after serving. He worked for a company that eventually downsized and offered him severance. Now he's looking forward to his third career, mentoring wounded vets as a sales and marketing consultant.
"I loved my job but hated working for the man," Sullivan said. "I want to be in control of my own destiny."
Robert Rehder, who runs the boot camp and serves as director of FSU's Veterans Business Outreach Center, currently mentors 257 clients. His office has reviewed more than 830 business plans.
Rehder was in the Navy and went to work in the maritime shipping business after his service.
This is his fourth Entrepreneur Boot Camp, which has served 80 graduates with the center's Small Business Administration grant. He said he expects 30 percent of the boot camp's graduates to immediately start a small business.
Soon, the center will find out if it will receive another grant to offer entrepreneurial classes to wounded service members.
But for now, Rehder is helping vets focus their business plans.
"At least half of them don't work, will never work," Rehder said. "We try to move them into a niche in the market that will work."
Overcoming obstacles
While soldiers have big dreams for their own businesses, they're facing other obstacles, including a tough economy and oversaturated markets. Plus, banks still aren't willing to lend to startups.
In 2012, 650,000 businesses started up in the United States, Rehder said in his presentation. Only 210,000 are expected to remain in business after three years.
"Most overpromise and under deliver, and that will kill you faster than you can shake a stick," Rehder said.
Marty Cayton, director of the Methodist University Center for Entrepreneurship, recently spoke at a Life After the Military panel hosted by the Fayetteville Regional Chamber. Cayton, also a Navy veteran, works as president of communications for a company called Amerizon Wireless.
"There has been an opportunity in entrepreneurship like there has never been before," Cayton said.
The baby boomer generation is reaching retirement age, and almost 10 million businesses will be transitioning over the next decade, he said.
He also said the economic downturn in 2008 and layoffs brought entrepreneurship to the forefront.
"What really drives this nation's economy is small business and entrepreneurs," Cayton said.
Tamara Bryant with the Small Business Center at Fayetteville Technical Community College teaches business planning. She has seen more veterans attend her classes. Part of the process is matching their military skillset with an idea for a civilian business and helping service members make the transition from a culture built on military orders.
"You are that go-to person," she said of veteran entrepreneurs. "You are the one that makes that decision. That's one challenge for them, is changing their mindset."
Transition planning
Soldiers are now required to start transition planning at least 12 months prior to leaving the military. At five months, they have to decide whether they will pursue a job, school or starting a business.
Bill McMillian, the transition services manager at Fort Bragg's Army Career and Alumni Program, is in charge of shaping the new entrepreneur track for soldiers at the installation. McMillian said said they're "at the birth stage" of implementation.
Soldiers can take part in Boots to Business, a two-day entrepreneur class on Fort Bragg that is completed with an 8-week online course.
More than 40 soldiers took the first course in January, and McMillian has seen ideas range from motorcycle maintenance to computer repair.
Bragg also is offering free facility manager classes to 120 soldiers at a time.
McMillian said they are working to create a network of entrepreneurs who will help each other start their businesses.
"You're like how you were in the military," he said. "You're depending on members of the team to help you be successful."
Sharing dreams
FSU's boot camp ended this week with students sharing their entrepreneurial dreams with the class.
Linda Wilkins-Daniels, a former airman from Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, wants to start A New Hope, an HIV case management business. Her cousin died alone of AIDS because of misperceptions about the disease.
"I didn't go into it thinking I'm going to make some money," Wilkins-Daniels said. "I just love helping people."
For Matthew Locklear, a former Army policeman, it's a family affair. He will one day take over and expand his father's construction business in Fairmont.
"It's in my genes," he said. "... Instead of working 60 hours a week for somebody, I'd rather be working for myself."
Jintana Cutno-Wiggins graduated from the Entrepreneur Boot Camp a year ago. Since then, she's turned her child care business into a children's exhibition center, Intrigue, in Spring Lake. She and her husband, retired Staff Sgt. Cleveland Wiggins of the 82nd Airborne Division, went into the nonprofit business together to target under served and special needs children in disadvantaged areas.
Cutno-Wiggins said the boot camp helped their ideas become reality.
"He's all in it with me," she said of her husband. "... He sees that there's a niche also. There's a need in this community."
Retired Staff Sgt. Brad M. Lang, who was a technician with 2nd Explosive Ordnance Disposal Company, 2nd Marine Logistics Group, stands in his workshop in Jacksonville, N.C., Oct. 26, 2012. Lang lost both of his legs when an improvised explosive device detonated in Afghanistan in 2011 and now runs his own business.


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A must-read for all sports parents
Mon, 27 Feb 2012 16:29:35 GMT —
Our typical vision of a nightmare sports parent is one of excess " the parent who goes so nutso he's arrested or makes the evening news. He's a YouTube embarrassment to the family.
Maybe you know a nightmare sports parent who makes a spectacle of herself at her child's games. But do you fit in the category of nightmare sports parent? Or at minimum, a bad dream sports parent?
I certainly thought I was innocent. I try to yell only encouragement from the stands and keep my grumbles of complaint limited to the fans sitting next to me. My husband will occasionally admonish an official, You need to call it both ways, ref. When he says it, he's calm and I think, generally right. He's a great coach and spectator who wants the game played fairly and the kids to have fun.Together, we sat down to read an article from a site called The PostGame . It made us review our behavior during and after a game and wonder, Are we guilty? The number one offense of well-meaning parents seems to happen on the ride home, when we dissect the game with our kids. This article says your young athlete needs distance after a competition. Let your child bring up the subject when he or she is ready. This advice comes from a pair of long-time coaches who give seminars around the country on how to be a good coach, spectator and parent. According to their informal survey over the years, the number one complaint of young athletes, The ride home from games with my parents. My husband and I are not ogres. We would never berate our children about the way they play. But I'm not sure we give them the downtime they may want. It seems we're asking about the game the second they shut the car door. These motivational speakers say the only thing your child really needs to hear is, I love watching you play. From there, the ball is in his or her court, as the saying goes. Many parents are guilty of undermining the coaching staff. These coaches say parents should not yell instructions from the stands. Oops. I think of the times I've told my girls to set up the offense or to look for the outlet pass. Let the coach handle that stuff. Another no-no: don't second guess the coach or other players with your child. Don't question why a coach called a play or how a teammate tossed up far too many shots. Stick to the positive. Absolutely. Bite your tongue, even if you have to draw blood. Good advice, but sometimes, oh, so hard to follow. A point on which I disagree with these motivational speakers is when a parent says something like, You did it just like we worked on in the driveway. To me, that's positive reinforcement. They say that's an example of a parent taking credit for the child's good play. The article gives some good advice and pointers, including five situations to avoid and the five signs you are a dream sports parent. I encourage you to read it and ask yourself which team you're playing for. Take care ~Sarah D.


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Indiana-Inspired Gift Ideas
This year, I've decided to buy local or from independent sources, So here are a few ideas for Indiana-inspired gifts for everyone on your list, regardless of interest. Read more
This year, I've decided to buy local or from independent sources, So here are a few ideas for Indiana-inspired gifts for everyone on your list, regardless of interest. Read more
In past relationships, finding the perfect gift for birthdays, Christmas, or just because presents was always one of the more challenging aspects of the relationship. I must admit that my first thoughts about gifts were grossly stereotypical and that only Read more
Even before I became the sophisticated 21-year-old that I am today, I always had a fascination with wine, and�I made it my personal goal to one day be referred to as a "wine connoisseur" or even better, a "wino." Now, Read more
When my family moved to Columbus about a year ago, the landmark we used to give everyone directions to our new house was to get off the highway�at the "outlet exit." If you've ever traveled I-65 in this area, then Read more
FREE CHOCOLATE! Beautiful words, aren�t they?� Free is a wonderful thing in itself, but �free chocolate� just about makes my head spin.� Just thinking about the possibilities makes it hard for me to focus on my work.� Fortunately for me, Read more
Throughout Indiana there are talented Hoosiers creating high-quality, handmade works of art and food. A craftsman in Madison uses Indiana hardwoods to produce acoustic, steel-string guitars. A group of nuns in Ferdinand make traditional Benedictine cookies to help support their Read more
Well, there�s popcorn! Growing up in Indiana, I�m use to a cornfield as the daily landscape. Yes, I know what corn detasseling is. (Corn detasseling? Check it out here.) So it is only natural that Indiana is a leader in Read more


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With his season opener just a few days away, Deer Park, Texas, quarterback Austin Flynn, the No. 3 ranked quarterback in the state of Texas, is raring to get the season started and is already contemplating choosing a college.
"It's been a long summer," Flynn said. "It's all just leading up to Saturday night."
That's when Flynn leads the Deer into action against Klein in a special Astrodome match-up.
Article Continues Below
For Flynn, unlike so many other high school athletes, his senior season in high school will not be his last one on the gridiron. Instead, he will have the opportunity to take his talents to the next level. The young right-hander passed for approximately 1,050 yards and rushed for another 450 in seven games as a junior.
That effort, combined with his good size, arm strength and accuracy, have placed him as the state of Texas' No. 3-ranked quarterback, behind only nationally-rated quarterbacks Reggie McNeal of Lufkin and Vincent Young of Houston Madison.
It also means that college coaches have taken notice. And one school currently stands above the rest.
"If I were to commit today, it would be to Iowa State," Flynn said. "They are easily my No. 1 choice."
While Oklahoma State, West Virginia, Arkansas and Houston are also in the mix, the Cyclones are the favorite for several key reasons.
"They didn't sign a high school quarterback last season," he said. "So if I go in there, there won't be a guy a year older than than me already waiting in the wings. Also, their receivers coach e-mails me all the time, and I think that that's pretty cool."
Although he favors the Cyclones, he doesn't plan on making a final decision until after his official visits. Flynn says he will likely make his official visit to Ames in early December. He is also looking at visiting West Virginia on Nov. 23. Both of the schools have extended scholarship offers.


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Jeremy Moseswrote a review of Black Diamond Camalot C4 Package #0.5 - 3 on January 29, 2011
OH Yea!!!!
these are by far the bread and butter of my rack! they're a little heavy but the versatility they pack is worth it. will be buying more of these, especially the green one, on average definatly the most usable size on the rack


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Many jazz fans associate improvised music with the sort of chaotic, dense, howling stuff that characterized a fraction of the recordings issued by independent jazz labels of the late 60s and early 70's, such as Impulse, FMP, ESP, and BYG. The Ganelin Trio's music, while at times concentrated and intense in the manner of late 60s free music, also has passages that sound more like a Lithuanian folk tune, a Rachmaninoff piano concerto, a sci-fi film soundtrack, or an early 60s Blue Note record. This is some seriously diverse music! Not content to be merely eclectic, the Ganelin Trio's music has an inner logic and outer beauty that pulls the listener along - I was completely enthralled, waiting to see where they were going to go next.
The first of the CD's two long tracks, 'Conversation III', starts off with an absolutely ripping piano solo over a mist of phantasmagoric synthesized effects. Characteristically, Ganelin's piano improvisation is not merely outlandish or showy or purely chaotic - the image that kept coming to my mind was Andrew Hill improvising on a theme by Shostakovitch. Vysniauskas enters, sounding not unlike Wayne Shorter in his prime, and reels off an equally extraordinary soprano saxophone solo, backed by Ganelin's piano and synthesizer. As drummer Klaus Kugel starts to step into the action, the music takes off in all sorts of interesting and engaging territories. Kugel, like his predecessor Vladimir Tarasov, sticks to a standard drum kit, which he plays with unerring taste, sensitivity and swing. Even at the music's most intense peaks, Kugel maintains a sort of transparency of sound that permits these improvisations to retain a truly conversational character. His opening dialogue with Vysniauskas in 'Conversation IV' is completely stunning - here he almost sounds like two drummers.
Ganelin's use of synthesizers is quite original. Though somewhat restrained, they play an important role in the bass-less trio's music. Most often, they pop up in the background as a vaguely orchestral backdrop or scene-setting device. Ganelin also uses the synth to provide a brief melody or lead line, or a bass line behind a sax solo, or his own piano solo. Occasionally, he'll use the pre-programmed rhythms for humorous effects.
For all of the intense and heavy moments on "Live in Lugano", there are some truly poignant and ballad-like passages. The lengthy piano - saxophone duet that develops one third of the way into 'Conversations IV' is a case in point, though this too slowly builds and expands into something huge and cinematic before melting away into a Weather Report-like electro-jazz segment driven by a Ganelin's insistent walking bass line.
"Live In Lugano" is a fascinating listen - it's the sound of three master musicians interacting at the highest level for over an hour. They never run out of ideas or interesting things to say, and their music is completely free of bald spots and tired sounds. Best of all, the crystalline, detailed, and wonderfully dimensional live recording catches every nuance. Highly recommended.


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- This event has passed.
Bruce Holsinger discusses his historical novel A Burnable Book
March 4, 2014 @ 7:00 pm - 8:00 pmFree
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It's London in 1385 and England has just crowned a new king, Richard II, whose youth and inexperience make his position perilous. Songs are heard across London––catchy verses and quatrains from this seditious "burnable book"––that threaten the stability of the realm since among the book's predictions is the assassination of King Richard II himself. None other than poet Geoffrey Chaucer enlists his corrupt yet connected friend John Gower to help find this book before its prophecies become a full-blown scandal. Yet they discover that the book––and incriminating evidence about its author––has fallen into the hands of young prostitutes who will be drawn into a labyrinthine conspiracy that reaches from as high as the king's court to as low as the slums and brothels of 14th century London. Rarely before has medieval London been rendered with such learned care and historic precision. Bawdy, brilliant, and breathtaking in its authenticity, I predict this debut could be a huge success.
A prolific and award-winning scholar of the medieval period who teaches at the University of Virginia, Bruce Holsinger's books on medieval culture have won numerous prizes from the Modern Language Association, the Medieval Academy of America, and other scholarly organizations. He is a Guggenheim Fellow and a recipient of research fellowships from the National Endowment for the Humanities and the American Council of Learned Societies.


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Now is the time of year when people begin to think about peace, generosity-and taxes?
While it may seem to be much too early to worry about filing your tax return, the end of the year is a great time to get your records in order and take other steps that will minimize the hassles when tax time does roll around. It's also often your last chance to take advantage of deductions or other tax-saving opportunities for the year.
The Connecticut Society of CPAs provides this advice on getting a head start.
Get an update
There are some dramatic tax changes set to take place in 2013 if Congress does not act before the end of the year. In some cases, we may not know until very late which of these changes will occur. If you're not sure what impact the tax uncertainty may have on your own taxes — or on your small business, if you own one — it's a good idea to get informed about what's on the horizon and what it may mean to you.
A CPA can fill you in on the details and provide insights on any steps you should take.
Set your records straight
No matter what tax laws may affect you, it's always important to approach your tax return preparation with clear and complete records of your income and relevant expenses for the past year. That means getting your receipts and document out of the shoe boxes and organized.
Having comprehensive documentation can ensure that your return is accurate and that you are able to take all the deductions or credits for which you qualify. It can also make it easier for a CPA to offer tax planning advice that can help you minimize your taxes now and in the future. If you're not sure what you'll need, ask a CPA for details.
Safeguard your information
If you lose your financial records due to disaster or theft, would you be able to replace or reproduce them? If possible, try to keep electronic backup of all important documents, including past year tax returns and bank statements.
Also consider storing important documents in off-site storage, such as a bank safety deposit box.
Take those last-minute deductions
Have you contributed the maximum allowed annual amount to an individual retirement account? Although you might not qualify for a deduction on your tax return, you generally have until April 15, 2013, to add to your account pre-taxes. If you've been meaning to set up a tax-advantaged college savings plan, or add more to an existing plan, you often have until year-end to get a state tax deduction or credit for a contribution this year.
Additionally, you should act now to support your favorite charity-donating gives you the chance to do good, and get a deduction for this year's return. A CPA can help you determine what deductions you are eligible for and explain what steps to take now to maximize your opportunities.
Simplify with social media
Once you've filed your return, how can you track what's become of your tax refund? There's an app for that. IRS2Go is an Internal Revenue Service smartphone application that lets taxpayers check on their status of their tax refund and obtain helpful tax information.
The Service recently added features that connect you to the IRS YouTube channel and the latest IRS news and enable you to access your tax records. Check into this and other free applications now that can help make tax time easier next year.
The Connecticut Society of Certified Public Accountants supplies this column. For more information, visit www.cscpa.org