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Meeting the moment with wonder: mindful dialogue and inquiry in teaching MBSR/MBCT a 4-day practice retreat for mindfulness-based teachers with Florence Meleo-Meyer, MS, MA.
This retreat is organized together with Centrum för Mindfulness in Uppsala.
Retreat program
The practice of teaching mindfulness involves engaging with the present moment with curiosity, wonder and the willingnesss to be open beyond preconceived notions of ourselves and others. The responsibility of introducing participants in MBSR/MBCT classes to mindfulness meditation includes skillfull inquiry into their direct experience. With open-hearted investigation, questions are adressed, historical, self-limiting concepts are challanged, and deeper meaning is possible. Attending to ourselves and our students with this non-judgemental interest can be experienced as compassionate care.
Many Mindfulness-Based instructors find this aspect of meeting class participants challenging. The practice of mindful inquiry rests in relational presence, not technique. In this retreat the practice of mindful dialogue and inquiry will be explored and further developed.
Intentionally practicing beeing awake to one's self while engaged with another has been developed as a meditation practice by Gregory Kramer, and the Interpersonal Mindfulness Program has been fine-tuned by Florence Meleo-Meyer specifically for the work of mindfulness-based teachers.
This meditation retreat combines silent, personal practice with mutual practice in dialogue, discussion and inquiry.
Specifically designed to identify and refine the interpersonal and group dynamics skills of Mindfulness-Based instructors, the retreat will strengthen the practice of interpersonal mindfulness, and cultivate deeper familiarity with the practice of inquiry.
Florence Meleo-Meyer, MSc
She is a senior teacher and Director of Professional Education and Training at the Center for Mindfulness, University of Massachusetts. In her teaching, Florence combines her long-time experience in mindfulness practices with compassion and a very fine sense of humor.
Details about the retreat
Dates and time: The retreat will start with dinner September 30:th and ends with dinner October 4:th. There will be sessions during the evenings.
For whom: This retreat is open for trainers, teachers, therapists and others who give mindfulnesstraining. Some experience in teaching MBSR or MBCT is required.
Location: Syninge kursgård close to Norrtälje (see map)
Costs: Tuition fee for this retreat is 6.400 SEK + VAT (25%) plus board and accommodation 4.900 SEK + VAT (25%). Early booking discount of 500 kronor if your booking is received before June 24th.
Total cost, including tuition, all meals and accommodation in single room is 11.300 SEK + VAT (25%).
Registration: Your place in the retreat is definite as soon as your registration form and payment has been received.


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So.. that took a while. Yesterday, it was exactly one year since I announced the beginning of the design that is now implemented. The reason for the huge delay is a few scrapped attempts, which is why the previous iteration was technically called "chromawoods2" and this new one is "chromawoods5"; I had two unfinished iterations in between that were simply thrown in the bin.
Focus areas
- Readability – The post contents must be in focus and all other elements should be rather discreet
- Mobility – Instead of sculpting a desktop design that later goes through some CSS-shoehorning, I gave small devices much more attention from the beginning
- Accessibility – It's a fun topic that is too often overlooked and I wanted to make this iteration better at it. Can't say I have succeeded as I am still learning
Technical stuff
These things change quickly, so if you're reading this post more than a year after it was published, my preferred stack might be something else. I'm just gonna namedrop them:
- Platform: WordPress
- Front-end task runner: Gulp
- Stylesheet pre-processor: SASS (scss)
- Editor: Atom
- JS: Vanilla (no libs)
- Fonts: Quattrocento Sans and Abril Fatface (Google Fonts)
English is now going to be the primary language of this site, with the occasional beer-related Swedish post.

subset: commoncrawl


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It is official. After a seven-month wait my transfer to Blackpool has finally come through and I start my new post on 2 October.
I have loved Blackpool ever since I first visited in the late 1980s, I was about 10-years-old and I instantly fell in love with it. Blackpool is by far way better than the daytrips I had to Southend-on-Sea and Clacton-on-Sea. Blackpool has something for everyone and is very friendly and hospitable seaside resort.
I am very much looking forward to my move and a new journey in my life. Blackpool might not be paradise for some people, but for me it has always had a special place in my heart. I will be leaving Essex in a few week's time and have a lot to do between now and then, so my Twitter appearances will be sparse.
I will still engage in political debates on Twitter and I will still be campaigning for social justice, but my new life will give me a new perspective. Living by the seaside will benefit my health and I look forward to meeting new friends. But most of all I am looking forward to a new beginning and my independence.
I have lived in Thurrock all my life but no longer feel happy there, the borough has become run down because of Tory cuts, overpopulated, polluted and mass housebuilding on the green belt is eroding the borough's beauty spots.
That said, I still have connections to Thurrock and will be making recurring visits, but my new adventure in Blackpool is about to begin and I have never been happier!
Thank you everyone for your support and patience, your friendship means a lot to me and you have all been a tower of strength.


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Hello Brian, Yes, but you will need shell access.. assuming it is running Linux, you should write a shell script to traverse the directories and make the changes. Here's a Windows batch file to do the same thing: ______________ @ECHO OFF cd "%1" ECHO Processing HTML files with Tidy... ECHO. for /f "tokens=*" %%a in ('dir /b /s *.htm*') do tidy -i -c -q -m -c -b --quote-marks yes --drop-empty-paras yes "%%a" | ECHO File: %%a ______________ ( from http://discuss.fogcreek.com/CityDesk/default.asp?cmd=show&ixPost=13187&ixReplies=1 ) If you don't have shell access, the ISP will sometimes run it for you if you tell them exactly what you want them to do.. sometimes for a fee. hope this helps, Eric http://www.rainbowseeker.us http://www.realestate-columbia-mo.com ----- Original Message ----- From: Brian Esser To: firstname.lastname@example.com Sent: Thursday, March 20, 2008 6:26 PM Subject: HTML Tidy Question Hi, I have several hundred pages already on my server that need HTML Tidy. Is there a way I can deploy HTML tidy from my hosts server or my local maching to clean up several hundred or thousand pages in one shot? That would be amazing and awesome! Any help is greatly appreciated. This process one at time will take forever with 10,000 + pages. Thanks so much! Brian EsserReceived on Sunday, 23 March 2008 12:25:13 UTC
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.3.1 : Tuesday, 6 January 2015 21:38:57 UTC


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Category: Investment, Water
Chicago - April 21, 2015 (www.waternewswire.com) Opening a new era for cooperation on the world's most critical water issues, mayors from across Great Lakes and the Middle East will sign a pioneering agreement this month that links their cities through game-changing "Sister Waters" partnerships.
The treaty-signing will take place at Water after Borders: Global Stakes, Local Politics, a historic two-day summit at the University of Illinois at Chicago, April 23rd-24th, 2015. Water After Borders will focus on strategies for sharing water across political, geographical, and cultural boundaries.
Mayors and representatives are expected to sign the treaty at the conference. They include Palestinian Mayor Hassan Jirmi, Jordanian Mayor Khalifah Suliman Mohammad Aldayyat, Israeli representative Ran Molho to convene with Mayor John Dickert of Racine, Wisconsin, Mayor Mitch Twolan of Huron-Kinloss, Ontario, Canada and Mayor Denis Lapointe of Salaberry-de-Valleyfield, Quebec, Canada.
The treaty will compel signers to "facilitate technological, business, educational, capacity-building and community exchanges through sister city and sister water relationships, including workshops, site visits, and opportunities for technical experts, municipal administrators, business leaders, and youth delegations, subject to available funding, and to jointly pursue sources of funding to sustain and enhance the partnership's associated activities."
The partnerships will be facilitated by EcoPeace Middle East - an Israeli/Jordanian/Palestinian trilateral organization dedicated to environmental peacebuilding - and the Great Lakes & St. Lawrence Cities Initiative - a coalition aimed at protecting and restoring the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River.
The two organizations have partnered to develop cooperative relations between mayors from both regions (American, Canadian, Palestinian, Israeli, and Jordanian) over issues pertaining to trans-boundary water sources. The EcoPeace/GLSLCities partnership is supported by Sister Cities International and Citizen Diplomacy Initiatives. Mayors from both regions will hold a joint panel on the second day of the summit, April 24th.
"The agreement will enable mayors in a war torn region to adapt long-standing models of water sharing from the abundant Great Lakes region," said Rachel Havrelock, associate professor of English at the University of Illinois at Chicago and an organizer of the conference. "State of the art conservation technology from the water poor Middle East will also help U.S. and Canadian mayors to implement systems that value every drop of precious fresh water." Havrelock is also a founder of Freshwater Lab, a new thinktank on water issues based at UIC-Chicago.
Mayors from the Lower Jordan Valley attending the conference represent partnering communities in EcoPeace Middle East's "Good Water Neighbors" Program - a unique project launched 14 years ago to develop cross-border cooperation over shared water issues and peaceful relations between neighboring communities in the conflict-ridden Levant. Within the Lower Jordan River basin, the program is focused on creating communal and political will for the rehabilitation of the heavily diverted and polluted Jordan River, through the facilitation of cross- border mayoral and municipal cooperation, education, community leadership, and youth activism, combined with classic top-down advocacy efforts vís-a-vís the Palestinian/Israeli/Jordanian governments.
American and Canadian mayors attending the conference represent Great Lakes/ St. Lawrence cities that are part of the GLSL Cities Initiative. The Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative is a binational coalition of U.S. and Canadian mayors and other local officials working to advance the protection and restoration of the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River. By integrating their environmental, economic and social agendas, local governments are helping to sustain a resource that represents approximately 20 percent of the world's surface freshwater supply, provides drinking water for 40 million people, and is the foundation upon which a strong regional economy is based. Members of the Cities Initiative are committed to working together and with other orders of government and stakeholders to improve infrastructure, programs and services and increase investments that protect and restore this globally significant freshwater resource.
Through their partnership, EcoPeace and GLSL Cities will foster knowledge exchanges over technical, economic, educational, capacity-building and communal aspects of water management and protection, and advance peaceful relations and stability between communities which share water resources.
Nicole Krause
Email: email@example.com
Phone: 920-213-8670
Rachel Havrelock
Email: email@example.com
Phone: 773-398-9464
Source: waterafterborders.org
Water-Stocks.com: investing ideas in water stocks
Like Water Stocks? View our water stocks directory
Disclaimer: Waternewswire.com is a news and press release publisher. The following news is published as information only for our readers. Please contact the company directly for any questions regarding the content or claims.
Published at Water Newswire 2011


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For months leading up to the 2012 election, we wrote about the clear electoral college advantage that President Obama enjoyed. Even as national polling showed a close race, it was obvious that the incumbent had many more paths than Mitt Romney to the 270 electoral votes he needed to be re-elected.
The 332 electoral votes that Obama won on Nov. 6 not only affirmed that edge but also raised the question of whether Democrats were in the midst of the sort of electoral college stranglehold that Republicans enjoyed during the 1980s. (Ronald Reagan won 500+ electoral votes twice; George H.W. Bush won 426 in 1988.)
This chart -- put together by Brad DeLong, an economist at Cal-Berkley -- shows just how firm a grip Democrats have on the electoral map. If the 2016 Democratic nominee carried only the states that President Obama won by 4.5 points or more last month, he/she would end up with 272 electoral votes and a victory.
Now, things can change quickly in electoral politics. In 2004, no one was talking about Virginia and North Carolina as swing states but they quite clearly are just that now. And, it's an open question as to whether the next Democratic presidential nominee can build the same coalition -- blacks, Hispanics, young people etc -- that President Obama was able to do in both 2008 and 2012.
Those caveats aside, the electoral college math looks decidedly daunting for Republicans as they begin to prepare for 2016 and beyond.


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- Comments (0)
- May 15, 2013
Rainy Day Craft Ideas- How to Do a Love Heart Design Friendship Bracelet with Black and Red Strings
Summary: In the bracelet DIY project, we present you a fine way to do a love heart design friendship bracelet, very simple and cute for lovely girls!
If you feel crumby in rainy days, you may want to find something interesting to do. Here's an easy rainy day craft idea for you- a cute love heart friendship bracelet. All you need are 2 colored nylon strings, a pair of scissors and a lighter. OK, let's get started to do this heart pattern friendship bracelet.
Materials and tools for making love heart design friendship bracelet:
1mm black nylon thread
1mm red nylon thread
Instructions for making love heart design friendship bracelet:
Step 1: Make the loop end of heart design bracelet
1st, snip 2 pieces of 3m length for each color, twist the center part and tie an overhand to secure the top loop;
2nd, arrange 8 strands as picture shows;
3rd, use leftmost black strand to tie forward knots from left to center;
4th, use rightmost black strand to tie backward knots from right to center;
5th, tie forward knot with center two strands;
6th, repeat to make another V shape with red strand.
Step 2: Braid the love heart shape pattern
1st, in the same method to make another black V shape;
2nd, use left black strand to tie a backward knot over left red strand, meanwhile use right black strand to tie a forward knot over right red strand;
3rd, use left red strand to tie forward knots from left to center, and use right red strand to tie backward knots from right to center;
4th, use left red to tie backward knot over leftmost black strand and right red to tie forward knot over rightmost black one;
5th, use black strands to tie forward / backward knots from sides to center;
6th, braid red strands from sides to center, so the heart shaped pattern is finished once.
Step 3: Finish the rest of heart design bracelet
1st, repeat step 2 to braid the remaining bracelet;
2nd, when the length's fit to wear, separate stands into 2 groups;
3rd, respectively do 4-strand-braiding.
Here, the full love heart friendship bracelet looks like this:
Our heart design friendship bracelet ends up now. Even in the dull and gloomy days, you can harvest joviality and happiness from handmade craftworks. Have a try!


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I've been thinking that it may be time to turn my blogging attentions to "homemaking successes" rather than mishaps. After all, homemaking is not all about injuries and failures! However, before I draw this series to a close I must share a few last incidents of note.
Today's mishaps
This morning when I went into the laundry I discovered that my trousers, which I'd been soaking to remove a stain, had mysteriously gained several new stains that were worse than the first one. Mum came over this afternoon and informed me that I had soaked them for too long, failed to submerge the whole article in the water, and used an inferior stain remover. So I sent them home with her in the hope of a resurrection.
This morning I was baking cookies for Dave. I wanted to change the trays around in the oven. I placed one on the stovetop while I went to move the other one to the lower shelf. The tray on the stovetop must not have been placed correctly, and it came sliding down on top of me. All the cookies slid off the tray and mysteriously disappeared into the crack between the oven floor and the bottom of the door. They door must have acted as a cookie slippery dip. I asked Dave to clean up the mess. I can't face my own mistakes sometimes. Thankfully, there was still one tray of cookies left to reward him with.
Mum and Dave seemed to think that both of these incidents were very funny. I disagreed.
Hanging pictures
The house we are renting has very few picture hooks. Since I figure that it is well within a homemaker's abilities to hand a few pictures, I went ahead and purchased the necessary materials, and set about enthusiastically putting holes in walls. In one notable incident, a picture's hook came out. As the picture fell from the wall its frame broke and it made a large scratch. This white gash in the dark blue paint now forms a constant reminder that hanging pictures is not as easy as it looks.
Jutting rubbish bins
I really can't leave the topic of homemaking mishaps before I mention the important subject of rubbish bins with metal pedals. Every homemaker should know that placing them in certain locations can be hazardous. Before I moved mine to a safer place, I sustained cuts to the inside of my little toe on a number of occasions. This caused days of pain and complaints. Please, for your own sake, never place these bins in thoroughfares.
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
More mishaps . . .
Labels: Loving Home
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Kings confident heading into Game 7 vs. Sharksby Curtis Zupke
EL SEGUNDO, Calif. -- Anze Kopitar never has played a Game 7 in the NHL. He's among a group of young Los Angeles Kings who developed in the organization long after the franchise's prior Game 7, back in 2002.
But Kopitar played many Game 7s in his head when he grew up in Slovenia and dreamed of a stage like Tuesday, when the Kings will play the San Jose Sharks in Game 7 of the Western Conference Semifinals at Staples Center (9 p.m. ET, NBCSN, TSN, RDS).
"I got blood under my skin just like a Canadian," Kopitar said Monday. "I don't think it's any different over in Europe either. Everybody wants to be in these types of games, and you want to raise the level of play and eventually you want to be the hero in these types of games. It's going to take a great effort [Tuesday], and we're looking forward to it."
The Kings sounded like a confident group a day after a 2-1 loss in Game 6, their fifth loss in six road games in this year's Stanley Cup Playoffs.
That confidence comes from having experienced the highs of winning the Stanley Cup last year, as well as the grind of past playoff runs, including a loss to the Sharks in the first round in 2011.
"You always remember what it feels like to lose," Kings captain Dustin Brown said. "You almost have to lose before you learn how to win. It's a motivating factor. When you have that feeling, it stays with you, and vice versa. After what we did last year, I always say you don't really know what you're playing for until you've won it."
This year's run has seen the Kings average 2.00 goals per game, down from the 2.85 they averaged winning the Cup last year. They were able to erase a 2-0 series deficit against the St. Louis Blues in the quarterfinals and could have been down 3-1 against San Jose.
"We're pretty comfortable in here," Brown said. "We've been in situations that have been very difficult. I mean, you look at Game 5 against St. Louis. We were down 2-0 five minutes into the game. It's how you respond to the adversity that really shows who you are, as an individual and as a team."
Brown is among those Kings who developed in the organization after the 2004-05 lockout. The franchise has not won a Game 7 since Wayne Gretzky turned in perhaps his greatest playoff performance in leading the Kings to victory against the Toronto Maple Leafs the 1993 conference finals.
But to say the Kings lack Game 7 experience is not accurate.
Mike Richards is 3-0 in Game 7s from his time with the Philadelphia Flyers, including 2010, when the Flyers erased a 3-0 series deficit in the 2010 Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Boston Bruins to reach a Game 7, then recovered from a 3-0 first-period deficit to win.
Justin Williams won two Game 7s during the Carolina Hurricanes' Stanley Cup run in 2006, including the Final. Matt Greene and Jarret Stoll were on the losing side in that game, for the Edmonton Oilers.
Robyn Regehr's Calgary Flames lost to San Jose in Game 7 of a 2008 conference quarterfinal series and to the Anaheim Ducks in the 2006 quarterfinals. Rob Scuderi won two Game 7s with the Pittsburgh Penguins on the way to the Cup in 2009.
"You've also got guys that have played in an Olympic gold-medal game, which is probably the equivalent of a Game 7," Brown said in reference to himself, Richards and Drew Doughty, who played in the 2010 Vancouver Olympics. "Guys have experience in big games. You look at a group of our guys [who] have won world juniors ... those final games in those world juniors and world championships and Olympics, those are Game 7s. It's a matter of using that experience and trying to get yourself ready."
The home team has won every game of this series, and the Kings will put a franchise-record 13-game home winning streak on the line. It has outscored opponents 36-17 during the streak.
"I don't know what the reason is, but we're going to have to do it on the road eventually," Kopitar said.
Kopitar was 2 years old when the Kings last were host for a Game 7, in 1989, when their home was the Great Western Forum. A few years later the local pond/Game 7 scenarios would dance through his head.
Who did Kopitar imagine he was back then?
"I just want to be like my old man [Matjaz]," Kopitar said. "He had a couple of good Game 7s when he was playing for the [Slovenian] national title."


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Inspiration: Lofty Office Living in Paddington
Another spiffy home office loft renovation joins the ranks in this month's edition of "Inside Out" magazine. Lead by inspired blogger and designer Matt Eastwood, the home received multiple wall-knockdowns and an amazing makeover with clever personal touches in every corner. More details below.
Across the loft, Matt has some IKEA PS-esque red cabinets for media storage, which pairs perfectly with the dark hardwood floors.
We love the effective open area below the computing area that lets in copious amounts of light into the upstairs area. Also, using the loft room divider as a bookshelf contributes nicely to the architectural details of what otherwise could've been a very bland open space. As far as wiring goes, it's all custom, baby. We gotta hand it to ya, Matt - this is a job well done.
Thoughts, readers?
(Via Desire To Inspire)


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What's a pulled muscle?
Our muscles are made up of a network of fibers that are laced together in a specific pattern. When we pull a muscle, some fibers get moved out of place, and the muscle doesn't work without causing pain. Our body has to repair the muscle and fix the alignment so the fibers can slide together smoothly during a contraction. Once this happens, we are able to run and play once again painfree.


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If you plan to visit the T-Dot for some knitting tourism, then here is your guide to getting to the LYSs in Toronto.
Romni Wools
658 Queen Street West, near Bathurst
Tip: Walk east (toward Yonge St) after visiting Romni and you'll end up in the fashion district. If you like beads and fabric you're in for a treat!
The Knit Cafe
1050 Queen St. West (between Ossington and Dovercourt)
Located a hop, skip, and a jump from Romni Wools is this cozy and intimate yarn shop.
The knit cafe specializes in carrying a selected few brands of high end fibres. They have a good selection of needles and accessories and a cafe with a refreshing selection of coffees, teas, treats, flavored waters and sodas. Some of my favorite things about the cafe are the patterns written by knit cafe staff that are for sale, the monthly high tea, and the weekly stitch n' bitch.
The Purple Purl
1162 Queen Street East
Queen Street is definitely a happening place when it comes to yarn shops. If you travel east you will eventually reach this well known and renowned destination-The Purple Purl. Many Toronto knitters talk about the Purl and I think this may well be one of their favorites. Staff are exceptionally friendly and have a wonderful energy. The shop focuses on providing local yarns as much as possible. There is also a little cafe so you can grab a tea and relax in an armchair with your fellow knitters. Lots of events happening at this shop so it's well worth taking a look at the website to see what's coming up.
Americo Original
456 Queen Street Westhttp://www.americo.ca/
If you started your knit shop journey on Queen West you won't want to miss out on Americo Original. This is one of my favorite shops! Americo sells their own brand of high end yarn. Lots of alpaca, wool and cotton here. There are loads of sample patterns knitted up and lying around the shop-just waiting for you to play with them. Patterns are revealed after you purchase the yarn to complete the project, but believe me it is worth it! You won't want to use any other yarn. Chunky bags, shawls, sweaters, and ponchos plus baby knits. The shop is a feast for the senses. A must-see!
Lettuce Knit
86 Nassau Street
This cool little knit shop is tucked away in Toronto's authentic Kensington Market. Kensington Market is a must-do neighbourhood as an afternoon walk on a nice day. Lots of eclectic little shops, health food stores, vintage clothing and goods, handmade items, cheapie stuff, fresh produce, fish and meat, and specialty food items. I am glad that Kensington includes a knit shop because for me this is what makes the 'hood more than worth the trip. Lettuce Knit is a small, narrow shop with lots of yarn goodies to keep you happy. Check out their website for up to date info. They offer lots of classes, so you may want to check one out while you're in the city!


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Welcome to Pachamama Forest Retreat
A Space for Healing and Sustainable Living Practices.
Nestled on the edge of the Knysna Afromontane Forest, our retreat is a space for physical and spiritual exploration and healing.
Our retreat provides a peaceful environment where you can reconnect with nature, dive deep into yourself and explore your personal practice. We offer a range of self-healing modalities that support you during your time with us. These may include Yoga, Meditation, Dietary Healing, Visions Quests, Sweat Lodges, Massage or Sound Healing. We also provide a space for workshops and retreats that are aligned with our vision and empower individuals on their particular path.
As a community, we focus on exploring and embodying sustainable ways of living, in harmony with one another and nature. Our retreat facilities and sustainable systems include permaculture inspired food gardens, eco-buildings and an on-going project of forest restoration.
'Pachamama' is a goddess revered by the indigenous people of the Andes. She is also known as the earth/time mother. In Inca mythology, 'Pachamama' is a fertility goddess who presides over planting and harvesting. She is also an ever-present and independent deity who has her own self-sufficient and creative power to sustain life on this earth (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pachamama).
To explore a sustainable future as a seed community through shamanic practice, sharing our experience and resources. Contributing to the well-being and evolution of the global community and Environment.


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By Lucy Nixon, Fit Fare – Like many other people, perhaps you're planning some New Years resolutions? Here are a few reasons why 'giving up chocolate' should NOT be on your list, even if you do want to lose some weight …
Chocolate is an anti-depressant
Serotonin, endorphins and phenylethylamine are all lurking in your chocolate bar, and these are mood-enhancers as well as alleviating anxiety.
Chocolate is good for your heart – and your blood pressure
Chocolate contains flavonoids and other anti-oxidants, which help maintain a healthy heart, keep your blood circulation working well, and reduce the blood clotting which can cause heart attacks and strokes.
Chocolate helps you concentrate
Chocolate contains a small amount of caffeine, but also theobromine and phenylethylamine, which are also stimulants. These increase the activity of neurotransmitters in the brain which control our ability to pay attention and stay alert.
Chocolate soothes your cough
One of the stimulants in chocolate, theobromine, is a third more effective at reducing persistent coughs than codeine, according to researchers at Imperial College London.
Chocolate is good for your skin
German researchers have found that women who drank flavinoid-enriched cocoa had better skin after three months … and all those anti-oxidants have to help, don't they?
Chocolate can relieve your migraine
Yes, really – though not for all migraine sufferers.
Chocolate is an aphrodisiac
According to the Aztecs, anyway … I can't find any evidence for this, but there must be a reason why chocolate is part of the standard seduction ritual here in the West. Perhaps it's the power of marketing; perhaps it's psychological – or probably just the sensual pleasure of melting chocolate.
So what else has chocolate got going for it?
- A wide range of vitamins and minerals: iron, fluorine, magnesium, copper, potassium, sodium, zinc, phenols and vitamins A, B1, C D and E
- and – perhaps most importantly – it tastes good!
Note, though, that for all these, it is serious dark chocolate that has the real goodness in – not milk chocolate nor white chocolate. And, of course, too much won't be good for you. So choose a brand of dark chocolate with a high percentage of cocoa solids in – and enjoy a small square every day. The good news is that you only need a tiny amount of this kind of dark chocolate to satisfy your tastebuds, so you shouldn't be adding too much to your calorie-load.
Who needs New Year resolutions, anyway?
Editor's Note:
This new dark chocolate trend is wonderful for dairy-free and vegan consumers, as the best dark chocolate brands (at least in our chocoholic opinions) are made without milk of any kind. If you have a severe milk allergy, and cross contamination is a concern, always check with the manufacturer on processes as some dark chocolates share equipment with their inferior milk chocolate relatives.
Here are a few of our favorite brands to date:
- Endangered Species – A fun assortment of dark chocolate bars and bites
- Scharffen Berger – Some products made on dedicated equipment, incredible for baking
- Enjoy Life Foods – Mini chocolate chips (allergen-safe company)
- Sjaak's – Organic, Fair Trade, and very gift-worthy
- Tropical Source – Dark Chocolate Chips that are 100% dairy-free and gluten-free
Of course, these are just from among the brands we have tried thus far. Many more are detailed in our product lists.
Lucy Nixon runs a UK website, Free From, for people with Celiac Disease. The website focuses on gluten-free living and has a plethora of information, including a regularly updated blog.
Photo Credit: Endangered Species


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Dr. Z is our Herder of the Week for this January 15th, 2007. He is an exemplary example of what the Herd is about. not only is he a great Trojan fan, but he sacrifices his own time to make the game-day experience better for all of us. We congratulate and thank Dr. Z for his participation in the Herd. Our interview with Dr. Z is as follows:
USCHerd: How did you used to support USC, watch games, etc., before the Herd?
Dr. Z: 'Before the Herd' means still in corporate life, when I was traveling about half the time. I used to buy single-game tickets from friends or from USC rather than invest in season seats because I never could be sure when I'd use them. I saw a lot of games on TV in hotel rooms, sports bars and the like. Sometimes I was reduced to scanning the International Herald Tribune for scores and maybe a two-sentence recap on the following Monday. Or I'd call somebody at the office to find out what happened. And, not being a USC alumnus, I'd lost connections to the university itself except when I needed to park before a game
On the Saturdays when I could make a home game, my usual pre-game ritual was to try to meet friends at the late, lamented Margarita Jones. The closing of sports-oriented restaurant-bars around campus has made tailgating the only realistic option.
USCHerd: What made you interested in joining the Herd in the first place?
Dr. Z: I'd discovered TFO and uscfootball.com in late 1999 or early 2000, so I was somewhat plugged into the group that made the Herd coalesce. And I knew something had to be done about the Mausoleum atmosphere (at the Coliseum). I remember attending a game against
USCHerd: What were your first impressions of the Herd?
Dr. Z: Sometimes on-line "voices" can be deceptive, so I wasn't quite sure what I was going to find at our first tailgate. It turned out to be a group of people from a crazy-quilt of backgrounds and talents and experiences brought together by a dedication to Trojan football. I found out that a lot of the bluster that I'd read on the boards was kidding around or was just posturing, but the personal encounters usually were very warm and differences usually could be put aside in the interests of getting our team the home-field advantage which it hadn't had in a decade or so. And I learned that those diverse skills could be put to use in negotiating with Heritage Hall and the LAPD. Finally, I discovered that guys who were older and in poorer health than I could stand through an entire tailgate and football game, so I had no excuses.
USCHerd: What does the Herd mean to you now?
Dr. Z: I left corporate life about a year before the Herd was formed, and inevitably I had begun to lose contact with some of my friends from that part of my history. These are people who'd done all those sports cliché things, delivering performances under pressure, sticking up for teammates, etc. The Herd's helped make up for that loss, because it's made up of the same kind of people. You know that you'll be cared about, that they'll have your back, and that good things will happen even under bad circumstances from Drean Rucker to Mario Danelo and from Goux's Gate to Coach O's cart. And in the Herd's case it's about something that's more fun than making money (right, Coach Carroll?). To me, being in the Herd magnifies the satisfaction of USC's winning program, because I get to enjoy good times and cushion the not-so-good ones with people I care about. From being on the boards during the week to tailgating on game day to car-pooling to MMQB with fellow Herders, it's a bigger part of my life than I would've ever thought possible.
And it isn't only about football. I've learned a little about real life in a lot of different professions, and I've followed good times and bad in a number of Herd families. Trojan football is what brought us together, but the openness of the experience is richer because Herders are willing to share of themselves.
USC Herd: Any seminal moments for you in the Herd? Any few moments that you remember vividly and are special to you?
Dr. Z: Someplace I still have my "Chow Time" plastic fork from the
USCHerd: What do your family members think about your relationship to the Herd?
Dr. Z: Back in 2002, the Herd went to a couple of USC basketball games and tailgated at one of them (
USCHerd: What do you see for the Herd as it moves forward?
Dr. Z: It is hugely gratifying to see fans in the Coliseum stand and yell at least on some key downs compared with the stupor of six years ago. Game by game, we're making it OK for fans to unleash a little bit of their emotions in a way that helps the team. We need to keep setting that example, because fan support during games still isn't all it could be. And we still need to keep up support for the program off the field, too. I know that new facilities are on the drawing board, but until then working through Heritage Hall to find some key areas where we could make a difference will give us a sense of mission beyond the game day experience. In one sense the Herd has been very lucky: it came together just as Pete Carroll came to USC, and we've both helped the trend to success along and been carried along by it. The recent news about the Miami NFL coaching vacancy is a reminder that nothing lasts forever, and I wonder how we'll adapt to a different coach or athletic director when those changes eventually happen.
I also think that there's still a lingering misperception about us that I see on the boards every once in a while, that we see ourselves as being a little better than other USC fans. That's not an argument I ever want to get into with anyone, because I believe that the Herd is as open and non-exclusive as a support group can be and still provide a reason for its members to belong. I don't ever want to get caught up in a status game with anyone, I want to help USC's football team perform as well as it can on the field. The rest will take care of itself.
USCHerd: Overall thoughts, final thoughts about your Herd experience.
Dr. Z: It's hard to imagine being happier with any other group anywhere.


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3 Energy Companies Killing Your Investment
When we take our time to choose companies that we believe will be successful investments, we do so with two assumptions in mind: that the companies have sufficient growth prospects that we can expect reasonable rates of return, and that the managers of these companies will make decisions to create sustainable shareholder value. Unfortunately, these assumptions aren't always correct. There are always companies out there that can do the opposite and kill shareholder value. Whether by large equity issuances or management blunders, these companies have done one thing well: dilute shareholder value.
Note: Share price appreciation is from the end of the U.S. recession (June 2009) to today. For a little perspective, the S&P 500 has increased 64.54% in that time frame.
Energy Companies Killing Your Investment from
What a Fool believes
Not to defend these moves, but sometimes a company needs to take actions against the interests of its shareholders to remain afloat. Enerplus Resources Fund committed shareholder treason when it cut its distribution in half last June, but the move enabled the company to weather the storm of low natural gas prices and right its ship. The actions of these companies may be hard to swallow, but they may allow for the companies to secure long-term health. Scorn SandRidge for using the equity market as an ATM and scorn LINN Energy for its big pseudo-equity issuances, but perhaps in the long run these moves will pay off.
A lot of investors are already wise to the moves at Chesapeake, and they wisely dumped their stock. Now, the company is trading at a deep discount. Is the resignation of Aubrey McClendon enough to swing this energy giant back in the right direction? Learn more about Chesapeake and its enormous potential by checking out our brand new premium report on the company. Simply click here now to access your copy.
The article 3 Energy Companies Killing Your Investment originally appeared on Fool.com.Fool contributor Tyler Crowe owns shares of LINN Energy, LLC. You can follow him at Fool.com under the handle TMFDirtyBird, on Google +, or on Twitter, @TylerCroweFool. The Motley Fool owns shares of SandRidge Mississipppian Trust II and has the following options: Long Jan 2014 $20 Calls on Chesapeake Energy, Long Jan 2014 $30 Calls on Chesapeake Energy, and Short Jan 2014 $15 Puts on Chesapeake Energy. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
Copyright © 1995 - 2013 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.


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The Army U23 defeated the RAF U23 on 28 November to retain the Inter Service Championship. It wasn't always clear cut as the Airmen showed skills in attack and vigour in defence.
With wise words from the dressing room still buzzing in their ears the Army opened at a high tempo. Skipper Ross Parkins (RE) and No8 Ryan Lewis (Rifles) led strong charges deep into Air space, whilst flanker Scott Thompson (RA) hunted and supported well. The front row was solid. The forwards were going well.
Points to follow?—No, not immediately. The Airmen were organized and up for a scrap. They secured and retained the ball for large chunks of play and were game to attack. Whilst the ever reliable James Dixon (RE) slotted a penalty the RAF's lock Lloyd Hadley dotted down a well grafted try, kicked the conversion and added a penalty.
The Army stabilized at the end of the second quarter. Huge clearance kicks from fly half Dixon drove the Airmen onto the defence and a rare glimpse of Army enterprise allowed Ben Turaganivalu (RA) to smash into the corner to cut the RAF's half time lead to 10 pts—8.
At the start of the second period the Army showed urgency but somehow it didn't click. Overlaps were ignored, emaciated wingers were left out in the cold (and then replaced) as crash and thump was iced with suicidal 'chip'n and catch' moves. More points to the RAF.
As the Halton sun burst through the mist, Turaganivalu again shrugged off would-be tacklers to sprint home and secure the lead. Scrum half Oliver Watkins (RE) ran hard for 30m to finish off some slick handling. Dixon converted both and secured a brace of penalties.
Scott Thompson was deservedly named 'Man of the Match'
Maybe, conscious of the prize before them, the 'Class of 2014' pressed too hard to give a 'performance' in their final game together. We will see more of these players as they move onwards in their rugby careers. Thanks to Head Coach Captain Andy Campbell (WG) and his dedicated team they do have a bright future.
For the 'stats' the RAF's brave performance was rewarded with second place in the 2014 Championship, ahead of the Royal Navy who had beaten them in Portsmouth.


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Harold A. Rosen
New Orleans native Harold A. Rosen credits his degree in electrical engineering from Tulane University with providing the foundation for his distinguished career in communication technology.
Rosen is one of the pioneers of the modern communications satellite industry. He is best known as the developer of Syncom, the world's first two-way voice communication satellite, and Intelstat I, the first commercial communications satellite. His many other innovations have helped improve data transmission, made intercontinental television and global weather report available and significantly reduced the costs of telephone calls.
As a Tulane student, Rosen worked at a local radio station, WNOE, as a transmitter engineer. He left Tulane in 1944 to join the Navy and returned in 1946 to complete his senior year. After graduating with a BE in electrical engineering in 1947, Rosen continued his education at the California Institure of Technology, earning an MS in 1948 and a PhD in 1951. After eight years at Raytheon, Rosen joined Hughes Aircraft Company in 1956 where he worked with airborne radars. He was named technical director of the satellite program which he originated in 1959 and vice president of the corporation in 1975. He remained with the company until his retirement in June of 1993.
Rosen is currently chief executive officer of Rosen Motors, a start-up company he established with his brother, Ben. The two are developing a hybrid electric automobile that runs without batteries.
Rosen has received numerous awards, including the National Medal of Technology, 1985; Alexander Graham Bell Medal, Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers, 1982; the first L.M. Ericsson International Prize in Communications, 1976; and the first AIAA Aerospace Communications Award, 1968. In 1975 Tulane awarded him an honorary PhD in recognition for his contributions to the engineering field. In October of this year Rosen will be one of the convocation speakers for the School of Engineering Centennial Celebration.
Rosen is a fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers, the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, and a member of the National Academy of Engineering. He holds 54 U.S. patents and has helped develop more than 100 satellites.
Rosen and his wife, Deborah Castleman, who is U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Command Control and Communications, now reside "bicoastally" in Santa Monica, Calif., and Washington, D.C. He has two sons, Rocky and Robert.
Alumni Relations, Tulane University, 6319 Willow Street, New Orleans, LA 70118 504-865-5901 email@example.com


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IOP members are elected to fellowship of the Royal Society
8 May 2014
Seven IOP members were among those made fellows or foreign members of the Royal Society (RS) in its annual election on 1 May.
Each year, up to 52 new fellows and up to 10 new foreign members are elected, drawn from candidates who have made "a substantial contribution to the improvement of natural knowledge".
Prof. Steven Chu, an honorary fellow of the IOP, was made a foreign member of the RS. He is a winner of the Nobel Prize in Physics, former US Secretary of Energy, and currently William R Kenan Professor of Physics and Professor of Molecular and Cellular Physiology at Stanford University.
IOP fellow Prof. David Charlton has been made a fellow of the RS. He is Professor of Particle Physics at the University of Birmingham and is the collaboration spokesperson for ATLAS at the LHC at CERN. Prof. Charlton is a leader in the experimental elucidation of electroweak symmetry-breaking.
Also made a fellow of the RS is IOP fellow Prof. Steven Cowley, chief executive officer of the UK Atomic Energy Authority and a professor at Imperial College London. He has played a leading role in developing the multi-scale approach to computing the plasma turbulence in fusion experiments and discovered a key mechanism for the observed explosive eruptions from confined plasmas.
IOP fellow Prof. Timothy Leighton has been made a fellow of the RS. He is Professor of Ultrasonics and Underwater Acoustics at the Institute of Sound and Vibration Research, University of Southampton. He is distinguished for his research on the acoustical physics of bubbles, for his inventions and discoveries, and for numerous industrial applications.
IOP member Prof. Paul Midgley, Professor of Materials Science at the University of Cambridge, has been made a fellow of the RS. Prof. Midgley is distinguished for many innovations and applications of transmission microscopy, diffraction and spectroscopy, particularly the pioneering development of sub-nanometre scale electron tomography.
IOP fellow Prof. Miles Padgett has been made a fellow of the RS. He holds the Kelvin Chair of Natural Philosophy at the University of Glasgow. His contributions to optics include an optical spanner for spinning micron-sized objects, use of orbital angular momentum to increase the data capacity of communication systems, and an angular form of the Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen quantum paradox.
IOP fellow Prof. Anthony Watts, Professor of Marine Geology and Geophysics at the University of Oxford, has been made a fellow of the RS. Prof. Watts is a marine geologist and geophysicist who has made fundamental contributions to the understanding of the structure and evolution of the world's ocean basins and their margins.


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Ofcom Raises £2.34bn in 4G Auction
Telecoms regulator Ofcom has raised £2.34bn from its auction of 4G mobile spectrum, less than expected. The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) had forecast that the auction would raise £3.5bn for the Treasury. The winning bidders are Everything Everywhere; Hutchison 3G UK; Niche Spectrum Ventures, a BT subsidiary; Telefonica (O2); and Vodafone. 4G mobile broadband should provide smartphone and tablet computer users with superfast download speeds.
The auction netted far less than the £22bn raised from the 3G auction in 2000.
Ed Richards, Ofcom chief executive, told the BBC that the figure was lower because "we are in very, very different times", but he insisted that maximising the size of the auction was not the objective it was set by the government. What we were trying to do was ensure that a valuable economic resource was brought into productive commercial use," he said.
Responding to the announcement, a Treasury spokesperson said: "The £3.5bn number at Autumn Statement 2012 was certified by the independent OBR and based on external expert independent analysis based on similar auctions, including the last 3G one. The final auction revenue will be accounted for at Budget in the usual way."
The OBR in its turn said it had described the £3.5bn "Government's estimate" as "an area of particular uncertainty" in its December 2012 forecast.
Iain Duncan Smith says the 4G auction shortfall will not affect government programmes but Rachel Reeves MP, Labour's shadow chief secretary to the Treasury, said: "This is yet another blow to George Osborne's failing economic plan. It shows how foolish and short-termist the chancellor was to bank this cash in the Autumn Statement to make his borrowing figures look less bad. "He couldn't bring himself to admit that borrowing was up so far this year, but his trickery has now badly backfired." Even senior Tories took the opportunity to criticise Chancellor George Osborne's figures.
John Redwood, MP, said: "The figure for the 4G auction was optimistic, just like most of the numbers in George Osborne's strategy. This is a dent, but there are far bigger dents in the public finances."
Ofcom says 4G will provide £20bn of benefits for UK consumers over the next 10 years. But the culture secretary, Maria Miller, is even more bullish, saying: "Spectrum use is worth more than £50bn to the UK economy and 4G mobile broadband is a key part of our digital growth strategy, so I am delighted the auction has been completed."
The regulator auctioned the spectrum in two bands, 800MHz and 2.6GHz, equivalent to two-thirds of the radio frequencies currently used by wireless devices, such as tablet computers, smartphones and laptops. This "will allow 4G networks to achieve widespread coverage as well as offering capacity to cope with significant demand in urban centres", said Mr Richards. "4G coverage will extend far beyond that of existing 3G services, covering 98% of the UK population indoors – and even more when outdoors – which is good news for parts of the country currently underserved by mobile broadband", he said.
Vodafone bid £791m, the most of all the bidders, for fives chunks of spectrum. Mobile operator EE, the T-Mobile and Orange joint venture, was the first to launch a 4G service in late 2012, but has struggled to attract users, leading it to cut its prices in January.


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The Soul is divided by the Qabalists into three principal parts:
NESCHAMAH - The highest part, answering to the Three Supernals, and to the higher 4spirations of the Soul.
RUACH - The middle part, answering to six Sephiroth from Chesed to Yesod, inclusive. and to the mind and reasoning powers.
NEPHESCH - The lowest, answering to Malkuth, and to the animal instincts.
Neschamah itself is further divided into three parts:
YECHIDAH - is referred to Kether.
CHIAH - is referred to Chokinah.
NESCHAMAH - is referred to Binah.
The Sepher Yetzirah divides the Hebrew Alphabet into three classes of letters, a 3, a 7, a
The Holy Place of the Temple embraces the symbolism of the 22 letters. The table of Shew-Bread, the single letters. The Altar of Incense are the three Mother letters.
Astral Spirits are those belonging to the Astral Plane. Such are false and illusionary forms, shells of the dead, and ghosts and phantoms, that are occasionally seen in seances.
Elemental Spirits are those belonging to the nature of the Elements; some are good and some are evil.
An Angel is a pure and high Spirit of unmixed good in office and function.
In the Tarot, the ten small cards of each suit refer to the Sephiroth. The four suits refer to (he letters of YHVH. Wands to Yod, Cups to Heh, Swords to Vau, and Pentacles to Heh (final).
These four suits also refer to the four worlds of the Qabalah. Wands to Atziluth, Cups to Briah, Swords to Yetzirah, and Pentacles to Assiah.
The Honours of the Tarot pack are, as it were, the Vice-gerants of the Great Name (YHVH), in the Qabalistic World to which each suit is referred. They also symbolize Father, Mother, Son, Daughter; Birth, Life, Death, Resurrection.
The 17 squares out of a square of smaller squares, refer to the Sun in the twelve Signs of the Zodiac and the Four Elements. They are arranged so that the fixed signs, mutable and cardinal signs are placed in juxtaposition.
This form of the Caduceus of Hermes is that of the Three Mother letters, Shin, Aleph. and Mem. It represents Air, as the mediator between Fire above and Water below.
This symbol has another meaning on the Tree of Life. The upper part and wings touch Chokmah and Binah. The knob touches Kether. These are the Three Supernals.
The seven lower Sephiroth are embraced by the twin Serpents whose heads rest upon Chesed and Geburah
In the Moon's increase the Pillar of Mercy is embraced. In its decrease the Pillar of Severity is embraced. At the full Moon it reflects the Sun of Tiphareth.
Published into HTML by Frater Alastor at The Golden Dawn Lectures
[Do not edit content. Format only]


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Keep Lying- December 3, 2015
I just wanted to have The Ellen Show on TV Wednesday afternoon while I cleaned and got things done. Ellen is awesome. She's doing that Christmas giveaway thing and audience members lose their minds. It's funny.
No Ellen. "Breaking news." "Mass shooting in San Bernardino, California." "Multiple fatalities." That familiar wave of horror went through me and settled in my chest. I watched for a moment before going upstairs for something. The kids were upstairs in their rooms. My 2-year-old son was waking from a nap and my 5-year-old daughter was playing. When I came back downstairs she was there, standing in front of the TV. She eyed it. I watched the question I expected come to her lips. "Mommy, what happened?"
"Some people got hurt," I explained.
I turned it off. We hurried out the door for dinner at church where she happily sang with the preschool choir. Adults said prayers for southern California as our phones buzzed here on the east coast with updates. "Searches for suspects." "Standoff with police." It all continued to unfold on the other side of the country as our evening went on.
In the car on the way home a news update came on the radio at the half hour with the latest from San Bernardino. I hear from the back seat, "Mama. Am I going to get shooted by a gun?"
Her question pushed on my chest. The weight of it stalled my breath. The worst image any parent can have came to mind. I said, "No baby. You won't be shot by a gun. Why do you ask that?" I knew why she had asked. She said, "It was on the news on TV." I assured her it was okay and that it happened far away. She said, "Well, are you and Daddy going to be shot by a gun?" I promised we wouldn't.
I changed the subject and mulled over my answers to her as we brushed teeth and got in bed. As I tucked her in I gave her the whole Mr. Rodgers speech. The "look for the helpers" quote.
I lied to my 5-year-old. I lied to her. We are lying to our children when we say "No, baby. You're safe. You won't be shot by a gun." It's a lie because they could be. As we've learned in the past decade any of us can be shot at a mall, movie theater, university, elementary school, church, medical clinic, holiday office party… I can't even remember all of them now. Who can? This Washington Post article explains that on the 336th day of 2015, San Bernardino marked the 355th US shooting. Oh, and it was the second one on Wednesday. There was another in one of my favorite US cities, Savannah, Georgia.
In my mind I've played out scenarios of what I would do if I was at Target, the park or the grocery store with the kids. Hide or flee? It depends on where we were. Would the kids know to be quiet if we had to hide? How fast can I run with both of them? Let me be clear, I'm not a paranoid person. I don't live in fear day-to-day. I just keep it in the back of my mind. My child does not show signs of any anxiety or excessive worry at this point. She's only five, though.
We cannot honestly tell our children they are safe. Even quoting Mr. Rogers isn't that comforting. My daughter asked who the helpers were. I explained that police officers and EMT rush to help people when they're hurt. But, wait. What about children in communities with strained relations with law enforcement? Would a black child in Ferguson, Missouri see a police officer as a "helper?" What do their parents tell them?
Maybe all we can do as parents is lie. We can keep telling kids it will all be okay when we really don't know if it will be. We can just keep lying.


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One of the best aspect of the Colgate experience is the wonderful community. On Friday, students of the Blue Diamond Society, Gamma Phi Beta, Colgate Fire Fighter Volunteers, and the Office of Residential Life hosted the Gate-Town Connection Barbeque. It was an incredible evening for Colgate students, faculty, administrators, and members of the Hamilton community. There were a number of games and rides for the children. Here you can see children waiting in line for the bull ride which was the most popular event!
Inside the 'Gate
Gate-Town Connection Barbeque
By Lynn Holcomb on October 4, 2011
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Comments: Please make sure you keep your feedback thoughtful, on-topic and respectful. Offensive language, personal attacks, or irrelevant comments may be deleted. Responsibility for comments lies with each individual user, not with Colgate University. Comments will not appear immediately. We appreciate your patience.


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Please submit it to firstname.lastname@example.com.
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Taste of the Town Museum of East Alabama
April 24, 2018 @ 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm
The sixth annual Taste of the Town will feature 17 of the area's best restaurants and caterers, along with two wineries, on April 24 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Museum of East Alabama in downtown Opelika.
A silent auction during the event will offer a variety of items and packages.
Restaurants and caterers participating in this year's event include Café 123, Zazu, Outback Steakhouse, Longhorn, Niffer's, Irish Bred Pub, Acre, Amsterdam Cafe, O'Town Ice Cream, Sweet Malisa's, Ursula's Catering, Southern Hospitality Catering, La Cantina, Jefferson's, Butcher Block Barbecue, Chicken Salad Chick and Zoe's.
Warm Springs Winery and Hodges Winery will provide tastings while Mocha Mama's will serve specialty coffee. Toomer's Lemonade, sodas and bottled water will also be available throughout the museum on the upper and lower levels.
While tasting superb dishes and sipping wine, attendees can browse the silent auction on the lower level, featuring treasures from local merchants, as well as trips and golf packages. Tables for attendees will be arranged inside the museum and outside on the sidewalk.
Proceeds from the fundraiser provide for repairs and upkeep of the museum. Every year visitors from around the globe visit the museum to view the history of East Alabama.
Located at the site of the old Clement Hotel on 9th Street in Opelika, the museum contains more than 5,000 artifacts from Lee and surrounding counties. The museum was founded in August 1989 by the late Eleanor and John T. Harris. Volunteers kept the museum operating until funds were available to hire a director.
Tickets for the event are $25 and are available at the museum or online at eastalabama.org. Membership is also available on various levels. Glenn Buxton is director of the museum.
The Museum of East Alabama is located at 121 S. 9th St. Hours are Tuesday to Friday 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. and Saturday 2 p.m. until 4 p.m. The museum is closed Sundays and Mondays. Admission is free; donations are accepted.
For further information call 749-2751. Sponsors for the fundraiser are Auburn Bank, Opelika Observer, Henry J. Stern Family Foundation and Glynn Smith Chevrolet.


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Mosque Destroyed by Fire in Joplin, Missouri; Arson Suspected
A fire at the mosque of the Islamic Society of Joplin, Missouri destroyed the house of worship on Monday, August 6. Federal agents are investigating the blaze, which appears to have been started intentionally.
The mosque, which has been vandalized numerous times in the past, opened in 2007 and served about 50 families in the area. The FBI and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives has already issued a $15,000 reward for information about an incident from July 4, where someone threw a fiery projectile into the building. According to CNN, the members of the mosque have seen an "outpouring of support" from the citizens of Joplin.
Joplin television station KOAM TV 7 captured this video of the aftermath of the blaze:
FBI Special Agent in Charge Michael Kaste told NBC news:
If this fire is determined to be deliberate in nature it will be investigated to the fullest extent possible. Any act of violence to a house of worship is taken very seriously by law enforcement and threatens the very core of the safety and security that our communities enjoy.
If the fire is ruled an arson, the $15,000 reward from the July 4 incident would extend to the August 7 fire as well. The Council on American Islamic Relations is offering $10,000 for information leading to the cause of the August 7 fire as well.
We will bring you more details on this story as they become available.


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FREE Belly Dance Student Guide
Make the most out of your Belly Dance course with tips from award winning Middle Eastern teacher Shemiran Ibrahim
What a journey you started in taking up Belly Dancing! When women sign up for Belly Dance classes they do so for many different reasons; to get fit, to tone up, to do something different or lose weight. What most women don't know is that they are about to open a treasure chest so deep, its goodness can enrich their lives for years to come. If they stick with it, Belly Dance will help them fall in love with their body; a key factor in any woman's true sense of joy in life.
Belly Dancing is a mind/body/spirit practice, with its roots in ancient wisdom. It will open you up on all levels, if you allow it to. It is a precious gift you are giving to yourself, and will only benefit you in positive ways. It will help you feel better in your body by using parts of your body you may have forgotten you had.
You have heard the call of the wild, something beyond your usual horizons is calling you. Belly Dance doesn't call every woman, so if it knocks on your door I believe it is trying to give you a gift uniquely suitable to you.
Belly Dancing is not easy; many new students get discouraged and leave prematurely. Please hang in there! If you go to class and make your first and foremost priority to have fun, and your teacher teaches you good technique but also inspires joy and a sense of community, then stick with it and slowly but surely you will find your body moving the way you want it to. What I always say to Beginner Belly Dance students is that; you have heard the call of the wild, something beyond your usual horizons is calling you. It doesn't call every woman, so if it knocks on your door I believe it is trying to give you a gift uniquely suitable to you. So if you are a Beginner, please finish at least your first term before passing judgement on either the dance, or your ability. For those of you who are more advanced, you will find many gems in this Student Guide as well.
Part of what discourages new students is a lack of understanding of what is going on for them that is creating the discouragement. This free Belly Dance Student Guide will help you in your learning process on all levels, giving you valuable information including:
- Choosing a teacher
- Belly Dance Principles: Upper Body & Lower Body
- The seven core movements of Belly Dance; step by step technical instruction
- How to overcome fears and self-doubt as a student
- Introduction to the different styles of Belly Dance
- Belly Dancing cultural and ritualistic understanding
- Ten simple tips to make your Belly Dance learning fun & get more out of each class
Click on each of the above links to go to that article.


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Warwick District Council would seem to be suffering with tunnel vision. Of course we all see the need for affordable housing but not at the expense of good Warwick town centre parking space.
Waterloo Housing has re-submitted an application to build just 13 residences (three houses and a three-storey block of 10 apartments) on West Rock car park in Warwick. A minimum of 41 car parking spaces will be lost and season ticket holders are to be moved to the multi-storey car park in Linen Street.
We have already had an application for a five-storey block of 37 flats by Waterloo Housing in Theatre Street passed. As part of that application 46 car parking spaces in the Linen Street car park are being allocated to residents. In other words our town centre will be losing a total of a minimum of 87 car parking spaces with these two applications.
I do have my personal reasons for objecting to this application, however, I fail to understand the reasoning of Warwick District Council, particularly as this all comes in the week that we read on the front page of your paper that the blueprint for thousands of homes, many of which are to be located on the outskirts of Warwick, was passed by the council. Once these car parking spaces are lost they can never be got back again. Surely the need is for further car parking spaces in the future?
Tony Sarson, Oken Court, Warwick


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Review: Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc S
Overview, design and feel
The arrival of the Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc S illustrates how incredibly fast things are moving in the world of Android hardware. The original Xperia Arc launched in April, now here's the upgrade a mere six months later.
Well, we say "upgrade"... what you're getting in the Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc S is two new features that aren't in the older Arc - a faster 1.4GHz single-core processor, plus the latest Android 2.3.4 update of Google's operating system and Sony Ericsson's user interface skin.
And even then, the 2.3.4 software update is scheduled to arrive as an over-the-air upgrade for the first Xperia Arc this month, meaning that the only real new thing here is the faster processor.
In terms of price, the original Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc has seen its RRP aggressively trimmed to a point where it's available unlocked for well under £300. The Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc S nearly matches that, coming in at £299 unlocked if you shop around, or on monthly contracts starting around the £26 level.
For those prices, the Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc S is a heck of a lot of phone. For a start, the screen is the same extra-large, 4.2-inch Bravia Engine Reality Display as found in the original Arc, which is one of the finest, brightest, sharpest and most responsive touchscreens around today.
Running at a resolution of 854 x 480, the screen is definitely the highlight of the Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc S. And it's been squeezed into an incredibly thin, flared chassis, which is slimmer around its waist and slightly fatter at the ends. This makes it feel impossibly thin in the hand. It's a lovely design.
One of the few complaints we had in our review of the first Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc was that its teeny-tiny power button was rather hidden away in the top corner of the phone, and so deeply recessed it was hard to find.
Now, this may be a manufacturing tolerances thing, but the power button on the Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc S sticks out a tiny, tiny bit further, making it that little bit easier to find. But that might just be because it's new and rigid.
The rest of the phone is physically identical to the first Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc. The back houses the HD camera sensor, LED flash and secondary noise-cancelling microphone, with the white finish of this particular model having a slightly mottled enamel look to it.
The right-hand side of the Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc S houses the USB connector at the top, a small volume up/down rocker that would benefit from being a little larger and more prominent, plus down at the bottom sits the camera shutter button.
It's a nice two-stage button, with a double level press - one to focus, another to shoot. Again, it's a little too small thanks to the extreme thinness of the Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc S, but it's sensitive enough to make taking photos straightforward.
Also, holding it down wherever you are in the phone's menus boots up the camera.
The top edge houses the power button and HDMI connector (but there's no HDMI cable in the box), plus you can see the proximity sensor that deactivates the screen when you're making a call. Rather oddly, the Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc S doesn't feature a front-facing camera. Just like its predecessor.
Navigation buttons are physical, with Sony Ericsson continuing to not bother with Search, giving users Back, Home and Menu. They're very low down on the phone, which can make it feel a little top heavy in the hand, but it's a compromise worth making in return for having such a whopping screen and slim case, as far as we're concerned.
So yes, it's basically the exact same physical size and shape as the first Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc, which means it's still one of the slimmest, sexiest and all-round loveliest gadgets you can buy today - plus available at a much lower price than many dual core offerings.
The changes Sony Ericsson has made to the Android 2.3.4 software that arrives on the Xperia Arc S are rather small compared to the 2.3.3 that currently powers the original Xperia Arc, but there are at least quite a lot of new little features to poke around with.
But first of all, this is an Android phone. So you get a scrolling collection of home screens, in this case limited to five by Sony Ericsson, upon which you can install shortcuts to apps, folders and all sorts of live widgets.
Long-pressing on an empty part of any home screen enables you to add your own stuff, although Sony Ericsson suggests you dedicate a huge chunk of your main central Home screen to its Timescape social network aggregator.
This is a nice little toy. It pulls in updates from various social sites, displays missed calls and text messages.
Plus Sony Ericsson has published a few plug-ins on the Android Market to expand its functionality, adding support for Gmail messages and more.
The enhanced power of the Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc S means Timescape is finally perfectly smooth and a pleasure to use. However, we'd still rather install the standalone Twitter and Facebook apps and use those. Why have phone companies decided we should all treat Twitter and Facebook as parts of the same thing?
Another nice new Sony Ericsson widget is its Favourites and Call Log tool, which gives you a nice grid of your favourite phone contacts and a second tab that displays missed and recent calls. Touching a Contact's face opens up their individual Contact page, from where you can message them in their preferred way.
Folder support has been enhanced a little, with your folders now making it more obvious when they have stuff in. Each folder now has a little 4x4 grid on the front, which displays mini icons of the first four apps you've put in them.
As you can see, folders can even be placed on the floating dock that sits along the bottom of the screen, so it's possible to absolutely ram the Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc S with links to apps and games.
The app drawer is accessed by the central button on the dock, which pops up your big list of apps. You can have them sorted automatically, but there's another very nice interface addition in here - the Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc S has a button on the bottom-right of the screen that brings up an editing mode.
You can use this to rearrange your apps, dragging and dropping them into position, or non-critical apps that are removable have a little red cross on them - press this to instantly delete them. This is a much, much easier way of removing apps than the usual Android method of rummaging about through the Applications menus.
And then the Overview mode explodes all the live widgets on your home screens and presents them in one weird, floating pile. It's in case you get lost on the five home screens. It's not really of much use.
Contacts and calling
The Contacts section on the Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc S is, again, identical to that found within the original Xperia Arc. This means you get the standard Android options to import your existing contacts from SIM card, Twitter, Facebook and a Google account, plus there's some serious Facebook integration going on here.
Any contact with a Facebook account will find themselves with a complete hub on your phone, with the Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc S pulling in all their photos and comments, then serving them up behind a tab in their Contacts listing, from which you can browse their snaps and leave comments.
It's very clever, technically, but does feel like a slightly weird invasion of privacy.
Back on less dodgy ground, the Contacts pages for each friend are very adaptable. There are custom fields galore when adding a contact, you can set specific ringtones for each person, or rudely dump them directly to voicemail.
As ever with Android, it's possible to filter these contacts, removing all your random internet friends from view. The Filter menu options enable you to show only contacts with phone numbers, which will remove most of your Twitter chums.
You can have the Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc S show only contacts who are online in some capacity if you use the phone primarily as an instant messaging tool, or you can simply toggle off Facebook to remove that lot from your phone's listings altogether.
Calling quality is good, and the Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc S's speaker is loud enough to hear without resorting to maximum volume.
However, while the noise suppression feature has a toggle to switch it on and off, it's hard to notice any real benefit from having it on. So we turned it off. Thank you very much.
The standard Android text messaging area has been brightened up a little on the Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc S, with threaded messages and a wide range of file attachment options.
When attaching a video to an SMS text message you'll be asked to crop it to size, with the app then processing it to a ridiculously low-res (176 x 144) size for compliance with SMS size rules.
Or, selecting Record Video from the attachment menu automatically sets the camcorder to its lowest resolution and limits the recording time so you know you'll have a video small enough to send.
The email app is one of the best Sony Ericsson interface tweaks. As well as a nice, clean visual style, there's a floating preview pane that you can use to easily check messages. You can resize it as you wish. It's great to play with.
The app itself supports POP3, IMAP and MS Exchange Active Sync accounts, with the usual Android Combined Inbox displaying them all, also making it easy to check all your accounts at once by just hitting Refresh when in this mega inbox.
One of Android's older features is its voice recognition support, and with Apple recently pretending to invent it with Siri on the iPhone 4S, it's interesting to have a little look at how Android does voice operations.
The Android Voice Actions controls are very simple. You say "Send text to" then the name of your Contact, and, if you're lucky, the phone will identify the person from your Contacts list and open up a simplified messaging window so you can record an SMS message.
Sometimes it doesn't work, though. This message was supposed to say "I hope it's sausages for dinner". We'd like to see Apple do any better. Voice Actions also control music functions and more, with equally varying degrees of success.
Back on the text entry side of things, there's another new Sony Ericsson software tweak in the Xperia Arc S - Swipe text input. A complete clone of the Swype alternate keyboard, this enables you to type by drawing a line from letter to letter.
It works very well indeed, practically identically to Swype. But we can't see any mention of Swype being officially involved, so it appears Sony Ericsson has just nicked the idea.
The Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc S also enables you to specify different keyboard layouts for different screen orientations, so if you prefer a phonepad-style system when the phone's in portrait option, that's possible.
Although on this huge, responsive 4.2-inch screen, the standard Android QWERTY is perfectly usable whichever way you hold it.
The original Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc was a good performer on the web, with its glorious screen and Flash support making internet browsing perfectly enjoyable.
And, despite the processor upgrade, there's no obvious difference in performance on the Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc S. The screen's still amazing, text is still incredibly sharp and readable, while the phone manages to load and draw sites pretty quickly.
It's still not quite as staggeringly fast online as the amazing Galaxy S2, but it's also never annoyingly slow or too crunchy to use.
The browser here is an untouched version of the standard Android tool. Bookmarks are accessed through the tab to the right of the URL bar, with sharing functions, lists of open windows, settings and more hidden behind the menu button.
There's no support for RSS feeds in the Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc S, though - it doesn't even manage to link to the Google Reader site. Hitting an RSS link simply opens the raw XML file and leaves you a bit confused about what's just happened.
Still, you do get full Flash Player support, and very good it is too. The BBC's mobile iPlayer website, which requires Flash, works well, so if TV streaming is a big part of your mobile life then the Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc S has you covered.
We complained that the original Xperia Arc had a little trouble accessing sites loaded down with Flash content and, despite the processor update, that's still the case with the Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc S. But it's still a very usable phone for the vast majority of your online business.
As with the original Xperia Arc, the photo-taking powers of the Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc S are a particular high point of the smartphone.
Sony Ericsson has included an 8.1MP Exmor R camera sensor, which creates bright and vivid images. They're perhaps a little too bright in places, because the sensor seems to exaggerate colours a little, like we've seen with most Sony Ericsson phones this year.
Despite this issue, it's still one of the better smartphone cameras around today.
The camera app has a broad selection of options. The 8.1MP setting is only available if you select 4:3 aspect ratio shots, with the camera dropping the megapixel count to 6MP if you'd rather capture images in 16:9 format.
Set the capturing mode to Normal and you get even more choice, because this enables you to specify the scene setting yourself. There are eight to choose from, although we didn't really bother using anything other than Landscape and Portrait.
The camera app itself is very fast in use. You can fire off a rapid succession of shots with no issue, thanks partially to the lack of a full-screen image preview.
Instead of the usual image preview, your five most recent shots are shown in a sidebar down the right-hand side of the screen, which, as with the email app's preview pane, can be pulled out for a better look if you've just taken one you're particularly proud of.
There's one other new software feature in here that's yet to filter down to the original Xperia Arc - Sweep Panorama. This is a stitching tool with support for building 3D images as well, which produces wildly varying results.
SWEEP PANORAMA: This is a panorama, built by moving the phone from left to right, with results stitched together automatically. We found the software pretty unreliable, often coming up with error messages about incorrect movements and the sensor moaning about "grey areas" in the images. But when it does work, it makes some impressive extra-wide shots.
MACRO: Great performance from the macro mode.
LANDSCAPE: The Exmor R sensor manages good contrast between light and dark, capturing scenes well. But the detail of the grassy areas isn't great.
FLASH: Inside, the flash is good performer. Low-light images are pretty good.
INDOORS: Even without the flash, indoor photos emerge well.
PORTRAIT: Slightly crazy reds has become Sony Ericsson's trademark this generation, but the facial recognition works and portrait shots come out very nicely indeed. As long as your subject doesn't have too red a face.
There's one big software update on the Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc S compared to the original Xperia Arc - an absolutely insane 16x digital zoom is now available when recording movies.
Using one or two steps of the zoom is fine, reducing picture quality only a little. But pulling in the full 16 times totally obliterates the quality, also making it impossible to keep the image even vaguely steady. It's technically impressive, but mostly useless. Like ITV1 HD.
Much more useful is the selection of focusing methods. You can leave it on auto, select multi-focus, engage face recognition or use the tap-to-focus option. The latter is a particularly fine option if you're filming moving things, reducing the amount of needless focus adjustments in your video clips.
Even with focus left on automatic, the Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc S does a nice job. It takes a second or two to refocus, which is just long enough to stop your films being filled with unnecessary focusing.
But image quality isn't amazing. The 720 clips are perfectly smooth, with VLC Player saying they all average a rock-solid 29.69 frames per second, but detail isn't quite there. Grassy areas turn a little mushy, with distant detail also lost in translation to 720p MP4 format.
Facial shots and close-ups are decent, but the Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc S could do a little more.
The music player on the Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc S is the same as the one included in the original Xperia Arc. This means you get a pleasantly skinned version of the Android player, with clever Facebook integration and a few extra social and internet tweaks.
The music player is simple. The bottom-left button pulls up a list of your SD card's audio content, with a search bar for locating tracks.
Playlist support is simple, too. Long-pressing on any track title enables you to add it to an existing playlist or build a new one, with the Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc S also automatically generating three Smart playlists that contain your newly added, most played or never played songs.
Audio quality through the built-in external speaker is good. It's a bit tinny, as we've come to expect from tiny mobile phone speakers, but it's very loud – loud enough to sit on a shelf and fill a room with your musical choices.
One extra feature that matches other recent Sony Ericsson phones such as its Xperia Mini and Xperia Mini Pro is the Infinite Button that sits on the media player. This pulls up a list of social searches, popping up YouTube links, Wikipedia entries and more. Or you can turn it off completely if you already know everything and have seen everything.
Also, there's Facebook integration in here, with a "Like" button on the main music player page, so you can broadcast your musical choices on Facebook in the style of some sort of modern mobile phone DJ playing to the world's most disinterested audience.
You get a decent home screen music player widget with simple controls, although you don't get any lock screen controls. Even the pull-down Android notifications menu doesn't give you the option to play, pause or skip tracks – it's just a link to the music app.
There's an FM radio here that's linked to the TrackID app for identifying tracks off the radio - and can also ping links to tracks straight to Facebook.
Movie playback is a bit of a weak spot. As with the original Xperia Arc, the Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc S doesn't support any DivX content, so files will need to be converted to the right kind of MP4. That's a disappointment, especially as the rival Samsung Galaxy S2 is such a star in the video playback area.
Installing Sony Ericsson's PC Companion tool will help, with that offering to convert files into the right format for you when you copy them to an SD card. But it's a bit of a chore.
Battery life and connectivity
Sony Ericsson says the Xperia Arc S is rated for seven hours 35 minutes of talk time on a 3G network, with its battery able to manage 460 hours of standby time.
Obviously those huge fantasy-world, Mickey Mouse figures don't mean anything when our smartphones are now also reading Twitter and Facebook for us over Wi-Fi all day.
In reality, we got a solid day of pretty hard use out of the Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc S. If you're sensible about screen brightness and tone down the levels of automatic syncing, you should still have enough phone left to amuse you during the commute home after a busy day of Tweeting and mindlessly checking the same web pages time and time again.
We had reliable Wi-Fi and mobile network connections throughout our reviewing period, too, with the Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc S never once dropping a Wi-Fi signal.
As with all modern Android phones, the Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc S can function as a USB modem and wireless hotspot for your laptop and other internet browsing devices.
Sony Ericsson has also pre-loaded its Connected Devices app, which is its take on DLNA support, enabling users to share their phone content through a Wi-Fi network to a TV, laptop or mobile phone that supports DLNA. It worked for us first time, without fuss.
There's a decent amount of memory in here for app storage. Even with all of Sony Ericsson's pre-loaded apps and our review essentials, the Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc S still has 237MB free for future apps.
In terms of other tech toys, the Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc S supports HDMI output and Bluetooth.
Maps and apps
As ever with Android smartphones, one of the big selling points for the Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc S is having access to the full range of Android apps, including the all-powerful Google Maps.
The Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc S powers the Maps app effortlessly, scrolling, tilting, zooming and easily managing the street-level 3D displays wherever Google has enabled them.
GPS lock-on was very quick, with the Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc S finding Skynet and generating a position in just a few seconds.
The Navigate sat nav option is the highlight here, computing routes and offering full turn-by-turn navigation for free. Plus there's voice directions support too, if you download the free pack from the Android Market before setting off on your journey.
Also from Google is the boring-but-useful Gmail app, Places and Latitude for people who go out and do stuff, Google Calendar and its synced home screen widget, plus the simple News & Weather headlines app and home screen widget.
From Sony Ericsson you get a weird collection of random apps and games. Gameloft's /Let's Golf! HD/ is on here, as is some promotional rubbish for the company's tennis and football sponsorship activities, along with a free version of the McAfee Security app. Also on board is Sony's Video Unlimited app, which enables you to "rent" SD versions of films for around £3.59 or "own" them for £11.59, plus Office Suite for reading MS Office documents.
You also get a video editing app, which doesn't do anything other than enable you to trim the start and end points of a film, but that's still more than you find on many Android smartphones.
Sony Ericsson has installed its TrackID app on the Xperia Arc S, which enables you to record samples of music for identification. The hope then is that you head off to buy said music via one of the integrated shopping systems - 7Digital and Sony Ericsson's PlayNow shop are the two options here.
And here's a god-send for anyone lumbered with the task of reviewing a phone and taking a million screenshots of its every feature. The power button menu now has an option to take a screenshot of what was last shown on the screen before you hit power.
The captures save as nice, high-res PNG files in the phone's usual gallery, so can be shared as easily as normal camera snaps.
Hands on gallery
Official photography
We liked the original Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc very much indeed. This is almost exactly the same, so we like this a lot too.
For owners and fans of the original Xperia Arc, the Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc S is way too similar to the original phone to recommend upgrading to. But the software updates are useful and the processor boost a welcome if mostly undetectable enhancement, making this upgraded Xperia Arc a very good buy for anyone after a sleek, high-performance smartphone.
We liked
The 4.2-inch screen is about as good as it gets. It's between this and the legendary Samsung Galaxy S2 when it comes to the best brightness and colour reproduction on a mobile phone, with the Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc S's Reality Display a constant joy to read on and poke.
The camera app is very fast and full of features. The resulting shots perhaps aren't quite as good as they could be, but for versatility, ease of use and features the Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc S camera is a winner.
Sony Ericsson's developers are on fire when it comes to Android enhancements. Compared to the excellent original Xperia Arc, this newer 2.3.4 software features even more social features, loads of tiny usability and visual tweaks, plus a great clone of the Swype line-drawing keyboard.
We disliked
The 720p video isn't amazing in terms of picture quality. The frame rate is solid and smooth, but the clips lack some clarity and detail. For a high-end Android device, it's not quite up there with the higher-quality 1080p-capable handsets.
Sony Ericsson's approach to widget design is a bit random. There's no coherent feel to it, the powerstrip replacement buttons are too big, with many of the widgets making the screens look rather messy when placed next to each other.
The slim phone means slim buttons. Finding the power button requires a small amount of mental focus, while the tiny camera shutter and volume rockers would benefit from being pumped up a little.
Final verdict
The Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc S is a slim, bright, powerful Android smartphone that shows off the mobile operating system to its very best. The screen is fantastic and the processor and memory perform well enough to keep the Android experience running smoothly and quickly.
However, the hardware upgrade in here isn't really noticeable at all. We never felt the original Xperia Arc was in any way underpowered or slow, so the 1.4GHz upgrade seems a bit pointless.
It's a lovely phone, but if the launch of the Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc S means the original Xperia Arc starts selling for a big discount, you'd be just as well of picking that one up instead. Both are excellent mobile phones.


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Cardinals 6, Cubs 4
Hero: Darwin Barney went 3-for-4 (all singles), was hit by a pitch, and scored twice.
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Cubs 7, Cardinals 3
Hero: Casey Coleman (3-2) allowed three runs - two earned - on five hits over seven innings while striking out four and walking two. Coleman, who did not allow a hit after the third, retired the last nine and 14 of the final 15 batters he faced.
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Cardinals 6, Cubs 3
Hero: Derrek Lee, who returned to the lineup and raised his average to .248, went 2-for-4 with a double and his 13th home run of the season.
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Giants 8, Cubs 7
Hero: Starlin Castro, now hitting .320, went 4-for-5 and scored a pair of runs. The rookie shortstop is hitting .407 since the All-Star break.
Continue Reading »


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on sale at Brian Gibb's Dallas gallery, The Public Trust. If those in charge of economic policy for the last 12 years hadn't revoked my early retirement, I might have surrendered the cash for the item at right (click on the image for a version with more legible title and pricing).
I'm disappointed I didn't manage to post this earlier, but I think the sale's still on; and it includes lots of great stuff (including work at lower prices).
And the Trust opens a great new show on Aug. 22, offering 5 original prints for $100, with work by Hopwood-Lewis, Misty Keasler, Margaret Meehan, M, and Brent Ozaeta.


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Living room reconstructed, 1972 - Metropolitan Museum of Art, NY
I was in New York for a business meeting and afterwards managed to slip in a quick visit theMetropolitan Museum to view the living room of the Little Residence. The reconstruction was done with one of the walls facing an exterior wall of the museum so the room was mostly illuminated with natural light. I was struck by how peaceful the space was when I entered the room.
Being somewhat familiar with his work now I was able to pick out traits that are common to many of his designs. Horizontal lines are evident throughout. Indirect lighting is used extensively. The brickwork has the vertical gaps filled in so that the horizontal is emphasized. I had thought this was a technique used later in his Usonian houses, but evidently this was used earlier in his Prairie houses. The exterior of the living room was reconstructed in the museum as well so the overhang that brings the exterior into the house prior to actually entering the house could be experienced. This reminded me of the transition from the entryway to the living room in the Pope-Leighey Residence.
There are a few additional Wright artifacts at the museum including items from the Imperial Hotel, theCoonley Residence, and Midway Gardens. I did not have much time to shop in the gift shop, but my inquiry about Wright-related items drew a blank. If you are visiting do your research up front concerning any souvenirs you might want. They can probably be ordered by phone or from their web site anyway.
The photos are very poor since I only had a low-end digital camera with me and flash photography is not allowed in the museum. Notice that the original furniture and fixtures were included in the room.
Overall a great "Wright experience" — if you are in the area don't miss it!


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Welcome to Green Kashmir Travels
Our Agency is located in the foothills of the Himalayan Mountains. As lifetime residents of the Kashmir region, the team at Green Kashmir Travels is highly specialised in creating tailor made package tours. Green Kashmir Tour & Travels is registered with the Dept. of Tourism Kashmir and is a lifetime Member of Travel Agents Association of Kashmir. Whether you are looking for leisure, adventure, eco-tourism, or ethnic interface – Green Kashmir Travels is ready to show you the best of Kashmir, which will be different from what conventional India travel can bring to you! Daily we celebrate the infinite parade of exotic beauty which glorifies this region and we are here to proudly present it to you. A diverse complement of options allows anything you can imagine. Upon your arrival, all your transportation and itinerary can be planned for your ease in navigating this region. Also, we can help plan and inform trekking, skiing & rafting ideas for a forever fascinating adventure. Or let us select the perfect houseboat for a magical holiday on Dal Lake. Everything is possible in this high altitude Heaven on Earth. We are eager to speak with you about the rich culture and heritage of Kashmir and Green Kashmir Tour & Travels is a vehicle to bring to you an exclusive experience in Kashmir reflecting century old traditions juxtaposed with cultural influences of these modern days.
We at Green Kashmir Tour & Travels provide you with the best Holiday Packages for Kashmir, Leh – Ladakh, Just pick any Holiday Package and leave all the rest to us. We make it sure that you get the best value for your money. We will provide you with the best possible prices to suit your pocket without compromising on the service. We assure you of our best services and hospitality. A holiday with Green Kashmir Tour & Travels will be a lifetime memory which you will cherish all your life.