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Review: JBL Studio 180 tower speaker
On my first gig as an electronics journalist, way back in 1989, the magazine's senior editor introduced me to the technical editor with the explanation, "He's in charge of all the black boxes." Twenty-two years later, little has changed. Browse this website and you'll see that audio and video gear still generally takes the form of black boxes that make this look like a radical piece of industrial design.
Into this aesthetic wasteland strides JBL with its new Studio series. View the Studio 180 from any direction but the front and you'll see yet another banal black box. But when you stare the Studio 180 in the face, you confront a distinctive geometric design. The front baffle and grille incorporate the Weave concept found on many other pieces of JBL gear, even low-priced fodder that seems purpose-built for playing Katy Perry MP3s.
When I saw the picture of the Studio 180 included with the introductory press release, I immediately thought, "There's no way that thing can sound good." But as I looked closer, I realized I was wrong. The Weave design cleverly conceals the tweeter, midrange and woofer while mostly getting the hell out of their way so they have a chance to perform properly. The gray areas of the Studio 180's face are speaker grilles, while the dark areas are solid. The top grille hides a 4-inch midrange and a 1-inch tweeter and the bottom grille camouflages a 6.5-inch woofer.
You can expand the Studio 180 into a full 5.1 or 7.1 surround-sound system by adding the Studio 120C center speaker and one or two pairs of Studio 130 bookshelf speakers — plus a subwoofer if you so choose.

subset: commoncrawl


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DHD UHac
The Dutch Haskell Users Group is hosting a combined event for Haskell enthusiasts: an informal mini-conference and a weekend hackathon. It is the Dutch HUG Day followed by Utrecht Hackathon, or more concisely ...
Event: | DHD >>= UHac |
Dates: | April 20 - 22, 2012 |
Location: | Utrecht, The Netherlands |
Quick links: Local Information | UHac Project Information | Links
The DHD and UHac are two events held over a long weekend and organized by the Dutch HUG.
NOTE: Everything regarding the DHD >>= UHac is in English!
Dutch HUG Day
The DHD will be on Friday, April 20. We invite people from all backgrounds to speak about their hobby projects, their research, or anything else related to functional programming.
This will be the second time the Dutch HUG has hosted such an event. The first Dutch HUG Day was held on April 24, 2010. It was a great success and brought together people from all over the Netherlands, as well as Germany and Belgium.
We intend to make this year's DHD just as successful and open it to an even wider audience by binding it to a hackathon, which usually attracts people from all over Europe.
Utrecht Hackathon
UHac immediately follows the DHD and lasts from Friday, April 20, to Sunday, April 22. In the now-grand tradition of Haskell hackathons, UHac is an international, grassroots collaborative coding festival with a simple focus: build and improve Haskell libraries, tools, and infrastructure.
Haskell hackathons have been held every year since at least 2006. Utrecht hosted its first hackathon, Hac5, in 2009, and this is the second.
Dutch Haskell Users Group
The Dutch HUG is an informal group with monthly meetings. Each meeting often includes talks on novel applications of functional programming. Other times, members just gather for drinks at a pub. The group was founded on April 19, 2009, at the end of Hac5. In April, 2012, the group celebrates its 3rd year of existence.
We have combined two events in the hopes that people interested in one might also take the opportunity to check out the other. Thus, it's much easier if the events are juxtaposed. In that light, here is a preliminary schedule to help you plan your time here.
Date | Time | Event |
Friday, April 20 | 9:30 - 15:30 | DHD at Ordina (venue, program) |
16:00 - 20:00 | UHac at Newton (venue) | |
Saturday, April 21 | 9:00 - 19:00 | UHac at Newton (venue) |
Sunday, April 22 | 9:00 - 19:00 | UHac at Newton (venue) |
Local arrangements
Refer to the local information page for the latest on everything related to the location.
See the program page for details.
Project information
Have plans for a project to work on during UHac? Want to find out about other people's projects? Check out the project page for details.
We have two rooms for UHac, and one of those rooms will support tutorials and presentations (and anything else that requires a projector or group meetings). See the rooms page for more information.
Discussion and social
Join the official #uhac channel on irc.freenode.net.
Use the email@example.com mailing list to communicate broadly with other hackathon attendees.
Join the firstname.lastname@example.com mailing list to chat with other Haskell hackers in the area of the Netherlands (and even occasionally Belgium and Germany). The Dutch Haskell Users Group meetings are announced on this list. Most communication is in English, since there are a number of foreigners involved.
- Hash Tags
On Twitter or Google+, use #dhduhac
for all things related to DHD >>= UHac.
The DHD >>= UHac is now underway. See the current development of links around the web that are relevant.
We are extremely grateful to the following sponsors for making the DHD >>= UHac experience very enjoyable.
Ordina (Dutch site) hosted the DHD and provided lunch to the participants. This is the second time they have hosted the DHD.
Well-Typed, LLP, the Haskell consultants, provided dinner on Friday for the UHac participants.
The organizers are:
- Sean Leather (firstname.lastname@example.com)
- Jurriën Stutterheim (email@example.com)
- Jurriaan Hage
If you have any questions regarding the event, please feel free to contact us.


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Thomas Gerbasi, UFC - He's the talk of the fighting world after his second round knockout of Rashad Evans last Saturday. But who is Lyoto Machida? If you're new to mixed martial arts or just want to know a little bit more about the new UFC light heavyweight champion, click below for a compilation of stories and fight reports chronicling the UFC rise of "The Dragon".
Lyoto Machida – In The Blood – Pre-UFC 97
By Thomas Gerbasi
The son never had a chance.
There would be no soccer fields or jiu-jitsu mats for Lyoto Machida, at least not at that point, especially not if his father had a say in the matter. And as the head of the family, Yoshizo Machida did have the last word, so when his son was three, he began training in the family business – not as a banker, a farmer, a storekeeper, or a craftsman, but as a martial artist.
Studying Shotokan Karate under his father, a renowned Master who had left Japan for a new life in Salvador, Brazil, young Lyoto was a quick study in the art of combat, but what he was being taught went far beyond blocks, kicks, and katas.
"My father always taught me to be an honest man with integrity," said the younger Machida, now 26, through his manager / translator Ed Soares. "He also showed me the path of being a true fighter through Oriental Philosophy."
And as he grew older, Machida would find time for the usual pursuits of youth, but he never strayed far away from a gym or dojo, whether it was to study and compete in karate, sumo wrestling, or the art usually associated with Brazil, Jiu-Jitsu. There was no doubt – young Machida was going to be a fighter.
"Fighting has been in my blood since I was born," he admits, and at 15, when he first walked into the gym to start training in Jiu-Jitsu with Master Alexei Cruz, he began putting all the pieces of the mixed martial arts puzzle together, and he was accepted well by his fellow students.
"I was always treated very well everywhere I went to train," said Machida. "My family was known to be fighters so that made it much easier for me."
Preparing to fight professionally would be anything but easy though, with long hours in the gym and participation in various tournaments in different disciplines fitting around his studies, where he graduated with a degree in Physical Education.
His true graduation day wouldn't come until May 2, 2003, though, when the 24-year old Machida would make his professional MMA debut with a decision over Kengo Watanabe at a NJPW show in Tokyo headlined by fights featuring Josh Barnett and Kazuyuki Fujita. Four months later, Machida would take 4:21 to stop a young American fighter who was on the verge of becoming a star in the States, Stephan Bonnar, and suddenly, fight industry insiders started to take notice of the son of the karate master.
Fight fans soon jumped on the bandwagon that New Years Eve in Japan, when unbeaten rising star Rich Franklin – fresh off impressive first round wins over Evan Tanner and Edwin Dewees – stepped into battle with Machida and left with his first loss via a second round TKO.
Now things were going to get interesting.
Machida began fighting for the K-1 organization in 2004, and added two more wins to his ledger as he submitted Michael McDonald and decisioned Sam Greco. 2005 saw another high-profile name fall to defeat at Machida's hands as BJ Penn rose up in weight to fight the then-heavyweight and lost a three round decision.
Since then, Machida stopped Dimitri Wanderley back home in Brazil, and outpointed Vernon White in his US MMA debut for the now-defunct WFA in 2006, and with the demise of that organization, he will now fight in the States on a more consistent basis as a member of the UFC's light heavyweight roster. And though he doesn't come to the Octagon with the fanfare of fellow newcomers Mirko Cro Cop and Quinton Jackson, die-hard fans are eager to see what he will do in the UFC when he makes his debut this Saturday against Sam Hoger.
"These expectations are good because I expect to show all the American fans what I can do inside the Octagon," said Machida. "I really enjoy fighting in America and hope to have a lot more fans here after February 3rd."
Machida appeared to be tentative and was less than explosive in his decision win over UFC veteran White last July, but with his US nerves out of the way, don't expect a repeat when he comes to the Mandalay Bay Events Center this weekend.
"There is always pressure when I'm going to fight," he admits, "but I never want to let down the fans, my friends, and my trainers. This is what motivates me to train so hard."
He'll need every ounce of motivation he can get, especially in a division where there are no gimmes and every night can be hell when you're facing the likes of Chuck Liddell, Tito Ortiz, Quinton Jackson, Rashad Evans, Keith Jardine, Babalu Sobral, and Forrest Griffin. Machida is well aware of the mountain he'll have to climb to get to the top.
"I know this weight class is stacked with a lot of talented fighters that have a lot of experience," he said. "I believe I have what it takes to compete with the best of them, and I hope to be the champ, but for now I'm going to take one fight at a time, and when the UFC feels that it's time, I will be ready."
That's the best course of action any fighter can take, and a mature approach for a young man of 26. But then again, when you've been studying martial arts since you were three years old and have the legacy of a karate master to live up to, maturity comes with the territory.
"My father is very proud of my accomplishments," said Machida, "and he is very happy that I am able to spread the family name throughout the world."
Yeah, the son never had a chance; but then again, he's not complaining either.
"I love what I do," he said.
The Machida Chronicles – Part I – A Father's Lessons - Pre-UFC 84
By Thomas Gerbasi
5:30 AM. An ungodly hour for most, even for Lyoto Machida. But without fail he rises, like he has for almost 30 years, and he faces the man who will always be his toughest opponent: his teacher, his hero, his father – Yoshizo.
Lesson number one – Discipline.
"I believe that without discipline there is no result," said Lyoto. "That's why for an athlete to get results he needs to stop doing certain things. Waking up early to train karate with my father is the most difficult, 5:30 am. My father schedules this time to make it difficult."
Since the age of three, Machida has been schooled in Shotokan Karate, the art which his father mastered. Young Lyoto was a quick study in Karate, and despite his subsequent success in mixed martial arts, he kept it as a core foundation of his fight game, making him a rarity in a sport where wrestling, jiu-jitsu, Muay Thai, and western boxing have become the accepted focus areas.
And strangely enough, while hardcore aficionados scoff at using Karate as a base in mixed martial arts, thanks in part to the assumption that the art has launched countless strip mall 'masters' and eight-year old Black Belts, Machida's Karate has led him to 12 wins without a loss in MMA and to a featured slot in May 24th's UFC 84 show against former light heavyweight champion Tito Ortiz. And considering that the names BJ Penn, Rich Franklin, Stephan Bonnar, and Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou dot his record, it's safe to say that Machida must be doing something right.
Just ask a previous opponent like David Heath, who, before his UFC 70 fight with Machida in 2007, knew that figuring out the southpaw was going to be difficult.
"Machida has a really complex style and that's gonna take a lot of work to get past some of the stuff that he does and make it the type of fight that I want it to be," said Heath, who went on to lose a shutout three round decision in a fight that may not have been aesthetically pleasing, but which revealed the type of Rubik's Cube Machida's style is to decipher.
"The difficult style of fighting I have was achieved by all the karate training I have done through my whole life, and for all that my father has taught me," said Machida, whose discipline in the Octagon is aided by the voice of his father.
Another important lesson: never give up on my objectives.
When you watch Machida fight, there in no emotion on his face, no look of panic when in trouble or fire in his eyes when he has an opponent in trouble. This is a competition, a fight to be won, yet whatever it takes to achieve victory, Machida is willing to do. If it means going on the attack immediately, he will do that. If it means sitting back in the pocket and waiting for his foe to make a mistake, he will, no matter how long it takes.
And inevitably he will win, whether by sheer technique or by the blunt force of his left hand counter, a punch that is delivered with the speed and accuracy epitomized by southpaw boxing superstar Manny Pacquiao. Again, it's Karate at work here, with decades of tedious drilling finally paying off. It was never an option for Machida when he was growing up in Salvador, Brazil, and as he saw his friends doing things every kid and teenager did, Yoshizo had him working.
"I believe that I've gotten to this point in my career because I always wanted this very much," said Lyoto. "I train and have trained a lot, always. I do many repetitions, many hours of training. While my friends were out playing and at parties, I was training."
Now, as he and his wife expect their own child, he understands what his father was doing for him as he prepared him for competition and for life, with lessons which have been seared into his mind, body, and soul. Not that it was easy, despite his spotless MMA record and status as one of the sport's rising stars. First there was the transition from fighting in competitions to fighting for real.
"The main adjustment for me was adapting competition karate to fighting karate," he said. "There is a big difference. In competition you control the move, you don't use knees, and I competed for a long time. When I first got into MMA it was difficult at first because I wanted to control each move unconsciously."
Today though, he has adapted his karate into a well-rounded MMA game, and when he competes, he does so with a quiet confidence. He won't engage in trash-talk with opponents and is not one for outlandish predictions.
My father taught me to respect my opponents, to never think they are weak.
That means every opponent, whether a former champion like Ortiz or a no-name prelim kid, will be trained for with the same unwavering intensity. At this point, losing is not an option for Machida, who has come too far to lose now. But perhaps even more important to him than winning is making his father proud.
"My father respects my career, enjoys watching my fights and always finds flaws in them," he said. "For him, it's never good enough, which is great for me because I always want to get better."
So at 5:30 am tomorrow, Lyoto Machida will continue to rise.
The Machida Chronicles – Part II – The Last Samurai
By Thomas Gerbasi
For those who look at Lyoto Machida and see a glossy undefeated record, a prime spot on one of the UFC's biggest pay-per-view shows and figure – using the boxing world's mentality – that he has been coddled and eased up the ranks to get here, you would be sadly mistaken.
At this level of mixed martial arts, there are no gimmes, no easy fights, and one glance at the names on Machida's MMA record bears this out: BJ Penn, Rich Franklin, Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou, Kazuhiro Nakamura, Stephan Bonnar, Vernon White, Sam Greco, and Michael McDonald.
That's a career-long resume that any fighter would be proud of, yet Machida is only five years into his pro MMA journey, and at 29, he may not even be in his prime yet. And if you ask him who has been his biggest challenge thus far, it's not one of these contenders or champions, it's been the man in the mirror.
"My biggest challenge is beating the tiredness and body aches everyday, that's really tough," Machida told UFC.com. "I try not to think on who was the toughest or easiest opponent, that doesn't exist, they all train very hard."
It goes back to his father Yoshizo's lessons, which taught him to never underestimate anyone, whether it was 7-8-2 Kengo Watanabe, or then 12-0 Rich Franklin. So when he works in the gym and prepares for his UFC 84 bout against former light heavyweight champion Tito Ortiz, he doesn't see a fighter who may be on the tail end of a storied career; he sees a viable contender who stands between him and glory.
"I've been studying Tito a lot," said Machida. "I've seen his strong points and weaknesses. My training is based on those. Beating Tito would really be great for my career. He is a legend and he once said in an interview that "for you to be a legend you have to beat one". Maybe this is my opportunity."
There are no boasts, no outrageous statements, just a grace to his manner, his speech, and his style. It's gotten him through some tough times in competition and outside of it, when sometimes growing up of Japanese descent in Brazil wasn't particularly easy.
"In all difficult moments of my life I think like a samurai, I think that's why I never gave up on anything I started," he said. "To understand how this works I always tell my friends to read about the life of samurai Musashi."
In the introduction of Musashi's renowned "A Book of Five Rings", he speaks of his early journeys.
From youth my heart has been inclined toward the Way of strategy. My first duel was when I was thirteen, I struck down a strategist of the Shinto school, one Arima Kihei. When I was sixteen I struck down an able strategist, Tadashima Akiyama. When I was twenty-one I went up to the capital and met all manner of strategists, never once failing to win in many contests.
After that I went from province to province dueling with strategists of various schools, and not once failed to win even though I had as many as sixty encounters. This was between the ages of thirteen and twenty-eight or twenty-nine.
At the age of 29, Machida has not once failed to win in mixed martial arts competition. In this sport, getting to 12-0 against world-class foes is a feat in itself, but that's not to say Machida hasn't been exposed to criticism from those who say his technical acumen and strategic planning doesn't provide the same thrill as watching someone duck his head down and swing blindly for the fences. The native of Salvador has taken these criticisms to heart though, and with his last two wins over Nakamura and Sokoudjou, he has shown a more aggressive style intended to not just win fights, but to finish them.
"The American fans are demanding, and they're right, it makes me want to get even better," he said. "I think that today I am more mature and I think a lot about my fans, winning fights and making them happy. I've tried to do a more exciting fight and that has brought many fans."
Now, four fights into his UFC career, Machida has become a favorite of fans who not only appreciate the intricacies of his style, but who also want to see what he's going to do next against the top guns in the 205-pound weight class. And as far as 'The Dragon' is concerned, he's here to stay.
"I consider the UFC my home, the place where I feel comfortable and happy, my workplace," he said. "And I train everyday with my dream in mind: the belt."
First, he must beat Ortiz though, and to do that, it takes a single-minded approach to the fight that can only be achieved by constant training. As Musashi wrote:
"You must train day and night in order to make quick decisions. In strategy it is necessary to treat training as a part of normal life with your spirit unchanging."
Machida agrees.
"Training is the most difficult part (of a fighter's life); sometimes you are in pain or very tired but you still have to train," he said.
That's where 12-0 records truly come from.
The Machida Chronicles – Part III – Destiny
By Thomas Gerbasi
Fight week. For some fighters, the days leading up to their Saturday battle can be the worst part of their entire routine as pro athletes. Weight cutting, nerves, media obligations, waiting. One, some, or all of these can tear at their psyches, making them pray for the moment when the Octagon door closes and the bell rings.
If you're facing a former UFC light heavyweight champion like Tito Ortiz, the tension can get amped up even more. Love him or hate him, the man has made his bones in mixed martial arts, and if he has taken you down and is raining elbows down on your head, there is probably no worse place to be.
Lyoto Machida doesn't blink though. He doesn't show his emotions on his face or let you know what he may be thinking about Saturday's bout with 'The Huntington Beach Bad Boy'. Despite his previous wins over the likes of BJ Penn, Rich Franklin, Stephan Bonnar, and Sokoudjou, this fight will likely be the one to define his career. Win it, and he will move closer to a shot at the light heavyweight title held by Quinton Jackson. Lose, and he may have damaged his chances of getting to the championship anytime soon.
With such high stakes, one would be well advised to fight this fight like it's his last. That's precisely the point, says Machida.
"My thoughts don't change because it's Tito Ortiz," he said. "I always train thinking it's going to be my last fight. That's why I train hard."
It's why, in addition to his usual routines back in Brazil, he has enhanced his training with some early work at the American Kickboxing Academy in San Jose, California, where he spent plenty of time working with Cain Velasquez, the two-time All-American wrestler and current UFC heavyweight prospect. For Machida, each fight requires not only reinforcement of fundamentals, but opponent-specific training and strategy. So as far as he's concerned, he trains not only as if it's his last fight, but as if it's his first. In other words, his 12-0 record means nothing when the bell rings.
"If I think about invincibility I demand too much of myself, that's why I don't think about it much," said Machida when asked about his perfect MMA slate. "I train for, and think about the fight that's about to come, not on the ones that have passed."
That goes both ways as well, so don't expect Machida to be intimidated by Ortiz' resume, which includes an organization record five 205-pound title defenses and wins over the likes of Wanderlei Silva, Vitor Belfort, Ken Shamrock (three times), Vladimir Matyushenko, Evan Tanner, and Forrest Griffin.
"Tito is a good fighter," admits Machida. "He's made his history through his fights. Now I believe it's time for other fighters to make history and I want to make my own."
If he beats Ortiz, he will be on the short list of those in line for a shot at 'Rampage,' which ultimately is the goal for the 29-year old from Belem.
"I respect Quinton, but I want the belt that he has today," said Machida, whose unorthodox style would give fits to any of the top light heavyweights in the game today, including Jackson and Ortiz. He humbly deflects such praise though.
"My style is not the best," he said. "It's just different and difficult."
And it's made him a favorite among aficionados of the finer points of the game, while he's kryptonite to those who may have to face him in the Octagon. He doesn't necessarily agree though.
"I don't believe there are fighters who don't want to fight me because of my game," he said. "Everyone is a professional. If there really are fighters who are afraid of fighting me, I think it's funny, but I'm not vain about it."
With no trash talk in his vocabulary and no beating of his chest to tell the world he's the best, that's no surprise. It's the way he's been raised and the way he will teach his son some day.
"My son needs to know that nothing in life comes easy," he said. "Everything takes a lot of sacrifice, and discipline, especially if you want to be a fighter."
That's what it all boils down to for Lyoto Machida. He lives the life of a samurai, the life of an athlete, the life of a father, son, husband, and brother. All of those elements have combined to make him who he is today, but ask him what he was born to be, and there is no hesitation in his response.
"I was born to be a fighter, and to challenge myself," he said. "I was born to be a champion."
The Way of The Dragon - Pre-UFC 94
By Thomas Gerbasi
For 14 minutes and 25 seconds, the UFC 84 bout between Lyoto Machida and Tito Ortiz was your typical Machida master class. Flawless both offensively and defensively, the Brazilian was closing in on a lopsided unanimous decision win when – with just 35 seconds left – Ortiz almost pulled off an improbable comeback with a triangle choke, the last maneuver you would have expected from the former UFC light heavyweight champ.
All of a sudden, Machida's perfect record was in jeopardy, and he knew it.
"I did get concerned because the triangle was locked on," Machida told UFC.com through translator Derek Kronig Lee. "I didn't expect him to do that. I had trained a lot of ground work so I was prepared, but it surprised me."
For what seemed like an hour long ten seconds, Machida struggled as Ortiz then moved him into an armbar. But Machida would pull loose, and with the crowd roaring, he made it through the round and to a well-deserved. It was Machida's 13th victory without a loss, and without a doubt his most important one, especially considering that he was caught in right the middle of the pre-fight feud between Ortiz and UFC President Dana White.
"There was a lot more pressure," admits Machida. "That was the hardest part. There was a fight going on between Dana and Tito, and I didn't want to get involved, but at the same time, I was in the middle of it. Either way I was able to stay relaxed."
And with the exception of Ortiz' late fight submission attempt, Machida was in total control the whole way. He even made it look easy, but rest assured, says "The Dragon", it wasn't a walk in the park.
"It was a difficult and strategic fight," he said. "I had to keep a distance because his takedowns are dangerous; many of his wins came from ground and pound. But I do believe that I was better in both fundamentals – on my feet and on the ground."
He was, and in scoring his third win over a UFC champion (Ortiz, Rich Franklin, BJ Penn), he continued to build the type of resume most fighters would kill to have. But he's not about to let up now, especially with a title shot looming in the future if he can get by fellow unbeaten countryman Thiago Silva on Saturday night.
"He is a complete fighter both on his feet and on the ground," said Machida of his foe. "He has many qualities, but I don't think he presents difficulties for me."
Regardless, Machida is preparing for Silva with the same Spartan work ethic that has become his trademark. It's not just about the victory; it's how you achieve that victory, and with his father, Shotokan master Yoshizo, by his side, there is no chance that Machida will cut corners in the gym or in the Octagon. The father simply won't allow it.
"My father is happy (about my success), but he tells me that I need to study harder for each opponent, train harder and always stay focused," said Machida, who admits that his father is his toughest critic.
"For sure, whenever one of my fights is over, he always writes down everything that I did wrong and what I did right to correct my mistakes."
There have been few mistakes by Machida in his UFC career thus far, a stint that has encompassed five fights in which the Salvador native has yet to lose a round, let alone a fight. Keeping that streak of perfection has got to be a lot of pressure on the 30-year old.
"I'd rather not think about it," said Machida when asked about his unbeaten record. "I am very happy about it, but every fight I need to forget about that otherwise there is more pressure."
In fact, the only criticism that has been leveled at Machida is that he hasn't come out guns blazing and gotten into a 'Fight of The Night' type slugfest thus far in his UFC career. But that's just not his style, and Machida hopes that the fans will eventually come to appreciate what he does bring to the Octagon on fight night.
"It bothers me a little, and I wish that all would understand my style, but I think that will come with time," he said. "I fight a true martial art, where you can't let your opponent touch you, as if he was carrying a knife or baton."
He's not kidding either. According to Rami Genauer of FightMetric, Machida has absorbed fewer strikes than any fighter in UFC history, taking only 41 strikes in 70 minutes in the Octagon (0.6 strikes per minute, which is less than half of what an average fighter takes). That's technique and discipline at its highest level, and it's not something that comes without hard work.
"I keep my discipline by training every day, I never stop," he said. "Our strategy is created depending on my opponent, and that keeps me always well trained."
And it's kept him unbeatable thus far. Does Thiago Silva have the tools to beat him? Does UFC light heavyweight champ Rashad Evans? Does anyone at 205 pounds? Machida's not speculating. All that matters is Saturday night.
"I focus on the next fight, because it's important to fight well now to be the champion in the future," said Machida. "My fans can expect a great fight, and I hope to have a more open game and show my techniques."
With the Work Done and the Lessons Learned, Machida's Destiny Awaits - Pre-UFC 98
By Thomas Gerbasi
Yoshizo Machida is not one to dole out praise lightly, not a teacher who tells you everything's going to be all right when it's not. His son, Lyoto, calls him his toughest critic. But when the results of his discipline and tough love are 14 wins, no losses, and a shot at the UFC light heavyweight title this Saturday night, you don't argue.
But just getting the title shot is not enough. You have to close the deal and take the belt. So when Lyoto Machida broke the news to his father that he would be facing Rashad Evans in the main event of UFC 98, the response was what you would expect from the karate master.
"Congratulations," which was quickly followed by the words "now we have to train harder than ever to win this fight."
Ever since that day, Machida has practically lived in the gym back home in Brazil, preparing more intensely than ever for the fight that will change his life.
"My training got tougher," he told UFC.com through translator Derek Lee. "My strength and physical training was especially more intense. My technical training remained the same."
If he beats Evans and straps the light heavyweight championship belt around his waist, the change in his life is obvious – he will now be an international star and ambassador for mixed martial arts and the undisputed best 205-pound fighter on the planet. If he loses, it will be the first time he has ever tasted defeat as a pro fighter, and you never know how such a setback can affect you in or out of the Octagon. In fact, Machida has to go back years and years to remember the last time he lost any competition. "I have lost a karate championship, but that was a long time ago," he said. "Losing made me train harder, and I won the next time."
It's as if being Lyoto Machida is a heavy burden to bear – it's almost written on his face, which is serious, always focused. We're not getting the whole picture, he insists, as he says "I really enjoy spending time with my family, my wife, and my son. I am just very calm, I like to relax and read."
But when it comes to fighting, there is nothing more serious for him. This is no joking matter, no "I'll just try my best and put on a good show" from Machida. Displaying his techniques and winning is paramount, and while his opponent on Saturday, Rashad Evans, is unbeaten as well, the champion has a draw with Tito Ortiz on his record as well as a series of close calls on the judges' scorecards. He knows what it's like to be in a tough fight where you have to dig deep into your bag of tricks to find a way to win. Machida, with the exception of a late triangle choke attempt by Ortiz in their May 2008 bout, has never been close to losing a fight. He's never even lost a round in his UFC career. And if you think he fought stiffs before coming to the organization, the names Stephan Bonnar, Rich Franklin, and BJ Penn dot his victims list. Bottom line, Machida has yet to face a fighter that can push him to the brink or over it, but every night, the man across the Octagon from him may very well be the first one to do it.
"The pressure is always there," he admits, "but I have put in my mind that this is my moment and I have to take advantage of it, so I don't think too much about all the pressure."
He's also stuck to his guns by continuing to respect his father's style of karate when he fights. It hasn't been easy, as he's heard the boos from fans who want to see him employ a more reckless attack, but as his career in the UFC has progressed, he has won over the cynics, especially with his wins over Rameau Sokoudjou, Ortiz, and most recently, Thiago Silva, who he halted in the first round.
"I have been working hard to satisfy my fans and I feel that my hard work paid off in that fight," said Machida, who is to be respected for not only going against the grain and keeping his integrity as a martial artist, but for being successful at it.
"It was difficult in the beginning because there were no other fighters as a reference," said Machida. "Many people would tell me to train boxing or Muay Thai, but my father would tell me that our Karate had all the aspects that I would need, and I always had faith in what he said and in our family's tradition. I have trained other martial arts to learn how to defend myself against different opponents, but I never trained to learn how to use them."
So far, no one has been able to come up with a strategy to beat him either. But if anyone has the know-how and execution to get it done, it's Evans and his trainer, Greg Jackson. Strangely enough, Evans' formerly one-dimensional, but now counter-based style has become a bit of a quandary for opponents as well, leading the champ to remark recently that he sees Machida and himself as very similar fighters, almost clones.
"I believe that he means we are similar in the aspect that we are patient and wait for the right time to attack, which I agree with," said Machida, who, when asked what difficulties a fighter like Evans presents, was non-committal. "I will have to feel him out to find out what difficulties I will be facing. But he has great hands and great takedowns."
In terms of picking a winner for this bout, most pundits are stumped, and when pressed, the lines are usually drawn down the middle. For that reason alone, this is one of the most highly anticipated title fights in recent memory and certainly the hardest to handicap. Not for Lyoto Machida though. He knows what he has done in the gym, what his techniques have brought him so far, and what he can do when the bell rings. For him, this isn't just a fight; this is his destiny, and it's a lot bigger than just strapping on a belt.
"If I win the belt, I will be standing up for my family, my country and my state," he said. "There are no other fighters from my state of Para that have reached the point that I have. About 200 people from my home town are travelling to Las Vegas to support me, and there is going to be a lot of good positive energy. With this decision from the UFC (to give him a title shot), I have the chance to fulfill a lifelong dream, and I want to show everyone that it is possible to accomplish your dreams."
Brazil's Lyoto Machida made a low-key UFC debut with a three round unanimous decision win over Sam Hoger in a light heavyweight preliminary bout.
In an interesting first round, Machida – who owns wins over Rich Franklin, BJ Penn, and Stephan Bonnar - scored the big shot of the frame as he dropped Hoger with a left hand, but 'The Alaskan Assassin' shook off the cobwebs and made a fight of it as he tried to control matters on the mat. Machida's leg kicks started to take a toll in the second as he scored repeatedly and then put his opponent on the mat with a couple of well-placed knees while in the clinch. With under a minute to go in the second stanza, Machida opened up on his foe while on the ground, but again, Hoger was able to weather the storm and make it to the bell. The third was fairly uneventful, with Machida continuing to control the action both standing and on the mat as he pounded out the lopsided decision win.
"It was a satisfying victory and I hope that the American fans liked what they saw," said Machida, now 9-0. "Sam was very predictable. I spent a lot of time watching tape and that definitely paid off tonight."
Light heavyweight contender Lyoto Machida kept his unbeaten (10-0) record intact by outpointing David Heath (9-1), but the fans were less than thrilled with the bout, which was serenaded with boos for the majority of its 15 minutes due to a lack of action.
The Belem, Brazil native's unanimous decision read 30-27 (twice) and 30-26.
The first round could be politely described as tactical, as both fighters circled each other with only sporadic action coming from Machida and Heath, with Machida holding an edge due to his more frequent and accurate leg kicks.
Round two was a near carbon copy of the first with the exception of the booing getting louder and Heath attempting a couple of unorthodox maneuvers in an effort to either catch Machida napping or force him into a mistake. Neither scenario played out.
Finally, midway through the third round, Machida erupted with a series of unanswered knees to the head that eventually sent Heath to the mat. By that time though, the Oklahoman's head had cleared and he was able to ride out the follow up barrage and a rear naked choke attempt from Machida and make it to the final bell.
Light heavyweight contender Lyoto Machida improved to 11-0 with a shutout unanimous decision win over PRIDE veteran and UFC newcomer Kazuhiro Nakamura.
Scores for Machida were 30-27 across the board.
Showing more fire than in his previous two UFC performances, Machida took the fight to the Octagon newcomer and scored well with strikes from long and close range, as well as on the ground, in the opening round, and he also defended well against Nakamura's takedowns.
The second round mimicked the first, with Machida again pushing the pace. Early in the frame, he worked his way to Nakamura's back and briefly locked in a rear naked choke that the Tokyo resident battled his way out of. Machida kept working though, getting into the mount position and opening fire before Nakamura (11-7) got back to his feet. While standing, Machida was a step ahead speedwise, leaving few options for Nakamura, who was able to score a takedown but only with seconds left in the round.
Down two rounds, Nakamura pressed forward in the final stanza, still trying to score with one of his judo throws. Machida defended well, eventually getting the fight back to the mat, where he got the mount for a moment before Nakamura got back to his feet and landed with a couple of hard rights. At close range, Machida continued to hold the upper hand as he fired away with body punches and knees until the bell ended the bout.
Maybe it was the new nickname, or maybe it was the aggressive style UFC newcomer Rameau
Thierry Sokoudjou brought to the Octagon that brought out the best in light heavyweight contender Lyoto 'The Dragon' Machida, but whatever it was, that's what fans at the Mandalay Bay Events Center got tonight, as the Brazilian scored the biggest and most impressive win of his UFC career by submitting the highly touted Cameroon native in the second round of their UFC 79 undercard bout.
"I'm ready for the belt," said Machida, 12-0. "I've beat the Alaskan Assassin (Sam Hoger), the African Assassin (Sokoudjou); what other assassin is there?"
Sokoudjou (4-2) – who had scored knockout wins over Antonio Rogerio Nogueira and Ricardo Arona earlier this year in PRIDE - started the fight fast, getting Machida's attention immediately with a hard punch to the face followed by a takedown. Once on the mat, Machida worked effectively, trying to secure his opponent's arm. With under three minutes left, Sokoudjou pulled his arm loose, but Machida remained in control from the top position before referee Mario Yamasaki stood the fighters up with under 1:30 left. After some standup, Sokoudjou tripped his foe to the canvas briefly, but neither man was able to sprint into the lead before the bell sounded.
Machida opened up the second with solid kicks downstairs and up, but Sokoudjou took the blows well and kept moving forward. What he didn't respond to well was a counter left to the jaw by Machida that dropped him to the canvas. Machida immediately pounced and after a few ground strikes, he looked to submit his foe twice. The second time Sokoudjou escaped the full mount but was still the recipient of flush forearms to the head. After a few of those Machida went for the arm triangle a third time, and this time it took, with Sokoudjou tapping out at 4:20 of the round.
It was an emotional night for former UFC light heavyweight champion Tito Ortiz in the final fight of his current contract with the organization, but it was equally so for unbeaten Lyoto Machida, who scored the biggest win of his career with an almost technically flawless three round decision that was only spoiled by a late fight submission attempt by Ortiz that almost pulled things out for 'The Huntington Beach Bad Boy'.
Scores were 30-27 across the board for Machida, who improves to 13-0. Ortiz falls to 16-6-1.
"I'm very happy with this fight," said Machida. "Tito is a tough guy and a legend of fighting for the UFC."
"He's very elusive and it was tough to chase him down," said Ortiz. "He's a great fighter."
With flashbulbs lighting up the arena, Machida and Ortiz circled tentatively, trading range finding kicks. Ortiz looked to close the gap for a takedown, but Machida kept him at bay and worked his kicks to the legs. Ortiz kept stalking, trying to put his foe on the mat, but Machida fought off the takedown attempts at the round entered its second half. With under 1:30 to go, Machida continued to score with sporadic kicks, while Ortiz' advances continued to be rebuffed, drawing a frustrated drop of the hands by Ortiz, who was then thrown to the canvas and pounded by 'The Dragon' late in the round until the bell sounded.
Ortiz was undeterred in his forward march to begin round two, but there was little significant action in the opening minute of the stanza. Ortiz' first takedown attempt was turned away, punctuated by a quick flurry from Machida. With two minutes gone, Machida started to loosen up with his hands and feet, and Ortiz' inability to cut off the Octagon was beginning to become a major issue. The fight finally hit the mat with a little over a minute left, but Machida quickly turned the position to an advantage before standing and resuming his stick and move strategy. As the round neared to a close, Ortiz dropped his hands and challenged Machida. Machida answered with a quick flurry just before the bell, cutting the former UFC light heavyweight champion over the eye.
An angered Ortiz came out aggressively to start the final round, but just as he would get set to attack, Machida would be gone. Ortiz did get close with a little over a minute gone, landing some strikes in the clinch before Machida broke free. It was Ortiz' best moment of the fight thus far, and with under three minutes remaining, he was able to push Machida to the fence and score more consistently. Machida escaped danger though, and as the two minute mark approached, Machida had Ortiz against the fence, drawing a restart from referee Yves Lavigne. That restart was all Machida needed, as he knocked Ortiz down with a perfectly placed left knee to the body. Machida roared into action on the mat, trying to finish Ortiz, but the Californian almost pulled off a miracle finish with a triangle choke attempt followed by an armbar attempt.
"I thought I had him for a second," said Ortiz, who is mainly known for his ground and pound, not his jiu-jitsu game. "I have submissions but I never used them before."
"It was a big surprise for me," admitted Machida, "I was thinking, I'm gonna die, but I'm not gonna tap."
He didn't tap, and as the bell rang, the two combatants knelt in the middle of the Octagon and faced each other respectfully, with Ortiz thanking Machida for the bout, and the fans thanking both for their efforts with a thunderous ovation.
Criticized in the past for his unorthodox countering style, Lyoto Machida silenced the critics in the co-main event of UFC 94 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, walking through previously unbeaten Thiago Silva en route to a first round knockout win that solidified his case for a light heavyweight title shot.
"People, do I deserve a title shot," asked Machida of the packed house that roared in the affirmative. "I'm ready - whenever, wherever, whoever."
Machida peppered Silva with kicks early on, not getting touched in the process. With a little over a minute gone, the action was halted after Machida landed a low knee, but after the fight resumed, he went right back to work, taking his opponent down, and then after the two stood, dropping Silva with a knee followed by a punch to the jaw. On the mat, Machida remained in control, and when he stood, he continued to score with kicks to the legs of the still prone Silva. Despite the frustration showing on his face, the bruised up Silva kept moving forward, eventually running into another combination that put him down a second time. After rising, Silva and Machida grappled against the fence, but after Machida tripped his foe to the canvas, a right hand to the jaw put Silva out at 4:59 of the opening round.
With the win, Machida improves to 14-0; Silva falls to 13-1.
"Karate's back," shouted Lyoto Machida, and it's hard to argue with him now that the words "UFC Light Heavyweight Champion" precede his name after a spectacular second round knockout of Rashad Evans in the main event of UFC 98 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena Saturday night.
"I tried all my life to be champion and I am very, very happy," said the new title holder. "Now I want to keep this belt for a long time."
"It was a good fight," said a gracious Evans. "He was very difficult to solve, very fast and explosive."
As expected, the two 205-pound stalwarts searched for openings from a distance as the bout started, feinting to see the reaction coming back from each other. With 90 seconds gone, the two got within striking range, and with two minutes gone, it was Machida who landed the first strike, a kick to the head that knocked Evans off balance. The champion fired back a flurry but missed, and the two calmly went back to their tactical chess match. As the round entered it's final stages, Machida's kicks were finding a home, and with under a minute left, one landed, and a follow up left hand dropped Evans. Machida moved in for the finish, but Evans quickly recovered, got back to his feet, and made it to the bell.
The first offense of the second round came from Machida's feet again, but the Brazilian was rebuffed on his takedown attempt. Moments later, Machida landed a hard punch, but Evans responded with a flurry that put the challenger on the defensive for the first time in the fight. And though they were blocked, Evans started throwing back his kicks in the second half of the stanza. With 1:30 left, Machida hurt Evans with a straight left to the head and dropped him. Evans got up and courageously fired back, trying to get back into the fight, but Machida's pinpoint accuracy was too much for the New York native to handle, and after a ferocious overhand right followed by a left hook, Evans was sent to the canvas for good, prompting referee Mario Yamasaki to halt the bout at the 3:57 mark and begin a new era in light heavyweight mixed martial arts.
"If you have a dream, go hard, it's possible," said Belem, Brazil's Machida, now 15-0.
Evans falls to 18-1-1
"This is my first time on the other side," said Evans. "You got to take it how you give it. Maybe next time I'll do better."
Jamahal Hill Talks UFC 300 Main Event
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Have you seen a western bluebird flitting about your neighborhood lately? This small thrush nests in pairs and feeds on insects (grasshoppers, termites, beetles, you name it)–a great asset for the home gardener who occasionally does battle with bugs. Cue TweethausOAK, a project of the FLUX Foundation that's working with elementary school students to design, build, and install houses for the western bluebird, encouraging the growth and sustainability of the species in Oakland.
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Oh, and don't miss the mobile fire sculptures, and FLUXcycles that will also be part of the FLUX Foundation exhibit at the Mini Maker Faire this year. What, you ask? Right. Check it out.


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Note of a meeting in the Northern Ireland Office on 13 November 1974 including officials from various ministries, the Attorney General's Office and the Treasury Solicitor's Office. The 'Counsel' referred to in the document is almost certainly the legal counsel representing the British Government at the European court case taken by the Irish Government in respect of multiple violations of...
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Arrest policy for protestants - loose minute December 1972
MoD memo discussing the criteria that might be applied 'if and when' loyalists would be detained. Refers to loyalist violence including 'comparatively harmless vigilante activity'.
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Arrest policy for protestants - loose minute
Discusses the changes that would be required and asked a fascinating question at paragraph 4! Just what did the RUC object to? See memo from AW Stephens above.
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Arrest Policy for Protestants - Memo from MoD
At point 1 (apologies for the quality of the copy) reference is made to a meeting at Stormont Castle on November 29 1972 where the GOC (General Officer Commanding - the British army) was asked to "draft an arrest policy covering the UVF and other extreme loyalist elements, though not the UDA per se."
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Arrest Policy for Protestants
Discussion of the difficulties in laying down criteria for arresting loyalist paramilitaries. 2 of 3 pages (page 3 not released)
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Internment criteria letter
Letter from Secretary of State William Whitelaw to General Officer Commanding Harry Tuzo outlining criteria for internment orders and why loyalists 'may not fall' within the new Order.
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Arrest Policy for internment of Loyalists
Outlines criteria for internment – explains why policy does not allow for arrest of loyalists except under certain circumstances. Poor quality copy but other copies below provide same detail.
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Internment- British Documents and the Irish experience
PFC | 10 August 2016
Photos from recent JFF/PFC Feile event (August 2016) with Margaret Urwin, Anne Cadwallader and Tony Brown.
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12 Best Natural Deodorants That Actually WorkIt takes a lot of trial and error to find a natural deodorant that keeps your pits stink-free. We took on the challenge for you. Here, the 12 best natural deodorants that really do work |
SEE NEXT PAGE: Best Natural Deodorant No. 4: Lavanila Laboratories Lavanila Healthy Deodorant
Older comments
I really want to try the geodeo now.!
by kfloyd01 Friday, May 10, 2013 at 08:43AM Report as inappropriate
I'm sure these work well, but I'm more comfortable with a tried-and-true antiperspirant/deodorant like "Certain Dri" or "Mitchum."
by GigiSD Tuesday, April 23, 2013 at 01:36PM Report as inappropriate
I've been looking for an effective, all-natural deodorant that contains no alcohol or aluminum. I tried a few brands but was most satisfied with Lavilin. I've been a satisfied customer for over 7 years and got my husband and daughter to switch over a few years ago as well. Some of our friends have also started using it. Everyone's happy and odorless!
by Courtney2371 Tuesday, April 23, 2013 at 12:33PM Report as inappropriate
The Lavanila deodorant is absolutely the best in the world. I have super super sensitive skin and it this is the only deodorant I can wear. And it smells amazing too. NO matter how extremely sensitive your skin is, I promise this will work.
by maddy_c Tuesday, March 26, 2013 at 01:36PM Report as inappropriate
i like the way the testing was "designed" ;)
by AstridB Monday, March 25, 2013 at 03:10AM Report as inappropriate
nice to know about some of these products
by butterfly11 Saturday, March 23, 2013 at 01:03PM Report as inappropriate
ive been looking for something that last the whole 24 hours and smells good
by littlesweets801 Sunday, March 17, 2013 at 01:39PM Report as inappropriate
There is a new 100% natural scentless mineral rich deodorant that works 24 hours or more, its water based, so no oiliness and mess, it has dead sea minerals, organic food grade ingredients, and vitamins, no aluminum, no baking soda, I read the ingredients list, and its clean from nasty chemicals, my wife is using it while breast feeding, Two pregnant woman in my family too, they are vegans, and nature freaks. Sound Good enough to me. its called MgDeo a short for Magnesium Deodoant
by Gizmo1bw Saturday, February 16, 2013 at 01:40AM Report as inappropriate
I am on a quest for a natural, aluminum free deodorant that will work on even the hottest day. I agree that the Lavanila is the best, but smell still breaks through it. The Weleda spray is useless.
by HeathRene Tuesday, January 29, 2013 at 04:20PM Report as inappropriate
I definitely want to try some of these!
by ACClique Tuesday, January 29, 2013 at 11:02AM Report as inappropriate


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They were the forgotten women of Ireland, kept under lock and key, forced to clean and sew, and to wash away the sins of their previous life while never being paid a penny. Some stayed months, others years. Some never left. They were the inmates of Ireland's notorious 20th century workhouses, the Magdalene Laundries. And this week, with the publication of a government report into the dark history of the laundries, the women came that much closer to obtaining justice.
The laundries — a beneficent-sounding word that helped hide the mistreatment that took place inside their walls — were operated by four orders of Catholic nuns in Ireland from 1922 to 1996. Over 10,000 young women, considered a burden by family, school and the state, spent an average of six months to a year locked up in these workhouses doing unpaid, manual work. Some were kept there against their will for years. Their numbers were made up by unmarried mothers and their daughters, women and girls who had been sexually abused, women with mental or physical disabilities who were unable to live independently, and young girls who had grown up under the care of the church and the state. The laundries were "a mechanism that society, religious orders and the state came up with to try and get rid of people deemed not to be conforming to the so-called mythical, cultural purity that was supposed to be part of Irish identity," Irish historian Diarmaid Ferriter told Ireland's national broadcasting service, RTE, this week. Known as the fallen women, the workers were only entitled to leave if signed out by a family member or if a nun found a position of work for them, and if they tried to escape the confines of the home they were brought back by the Irish police.
The report released this week by an Irish government committee focused on Irish state involvement in the Magdalene Laundries and revealed previously unknown details about the women, many of whom spent years of their lives locked in these workhouses. The report found that a total of 2,124 women (26.5%) of the 10,012 admitted from 1922 to 1996 were referred by the state. Successive Irish governments have denied that the state played a role in sending women to the workhouses. The report also found that the youngest girl to have been admitted was 9 years old while the oldest woman was 89. Nearly 900 women died while working in the laundries, the youngest of whom was 15 years old. The findings state that "the psychological impact on these girls was undoubtedly traumatic and lasting."
(MORE: Will Ireland Apologize to the Women of the Magdalene Laundries?)
For years, advocacy support groups representing the women who lived in the laundries have called for the Irish government to offer a full apology on behalf of the state. Following the release of the report on Feb. 5, Prime Minister Enda Kenny repeatedly apologized for any "stigma" that was attached to these "fallen women" and also apologized for the length of time it had taken for the government to carry out the inquiry, but he did not acknowledge that the state shared responsibility for what happened to the women in the laundries. He has called for a parliamentary debate later in February at which MPs are due to discuss how the government should respond in full to the findings of the report.
Professor James Smith of Boston College, who has written two books on the history of the Magdalene Laundries, voiced his dissatisfaction with the government's response. "I wrote in the Irish Times today that this government would be judged on its response to the report," Smith said in an e-mail to TIME, "but Mr. Kenny has failed that test." Meanwhile, a key advocacy group, Justice for Magdalenes (JFM), has called once again not only for an apology but also for the Irish government to establish a "transparent and nonadversarial compensation process that includes the provision of pensions, lost wages, health and housing services."
Mari Steed, co-founder and committee director for JFM, was adopted from a laundry when she was a baby and says it was the discovery of her birth mother's past that motivated her to find out the truth behind the laundries.
Steed discovered that her maternal grandmother had given birth to four children out of wedlock, something that was greatly frowned upon by many in mid-20th century Ireland. Steed's grandmother's family, ashamed of their daughter, sent her to Manchester to start a new life on her own — away from her children. Soon after she arrived in England she got married and went on to have seven children, but she never told her husband about her other four children in Ireland. One of these was a girl named Josephine — Steed's birth mother.
(PHOTOS: New Hope for Belfast)
When Josephine was separated from her mother, she was sent by family members to a tough residential industrial school, run by nuns, in the city of Waterford. When she was 14, the nuns transferred Josephine to a Magdalene Laundry in Cork, in the south of the country. She spent the next decade behind its walls. (Josephine is still alive but requested that her daughter, Steed, only provide her first name to TIME).
Educated by nuns, Josephine had minimal knowledge of the outside world and no experience of men. "They were easy prey because they were so naive and vulnerable," explains Steed. The nuns found Josephine a job working in a hospital in Dublin and allowed her to leave the laundry. She met a man named Arthur at a dance when she was 27 and became pregnant by him — but he had a partner and two children, says Steed, who learned the history from her mother. Josephine told him she was pregnant and he went to visit his newborn baby in Cork, but he felt his duty was to his wife and children in England. A relationship with Josephine and her child was impossible in 1950s Ireland, although, as Steed recalls, it was "evident he brooded over it his whole life."
Steed spent the first 18 months of her life with Josephine in a mother-and-baby home in Cork but was adopted in 1961 by an American couple who lived in Philadelphia. Josephine was heartbroken to see her baby girl taken away from her, but she had little choice — she was a young, single Irish mother with no financial or family support. It was then she made the decision to never to have children again for fear that they, too, would be taken away.
(MORE: The 25 Most Powerful Women of the Past Century)
Josephine, like many other Magdalene women, fled to England once the nuns released her from the laundry. She married twice but kept her life in the laundries a secret from her partners. "It was difficult for a lot of the survivors, especially those who went to the U.K. and were really trying to blend in," Steed says. "It really wasn't something you wanted people to know because they'd make fun of you and you'd get bullied for it."
After they were reunited, Steed took her mother to Ireland in 2002. It was Josephine's first trip to her homeland in 40 years, but she no longer felt any connection to the country where she had suffered so much. "The more I thought about it," recalls Steed, "what did Ireland have for her?"
The release of Tuesday's report means that women like Josephine may finally have the courage to step forward and identify themselves. But first they need recognition of state involvement in the laundries from the Irish government, says Steed. "I believe the absence of an apology and an invitation to talk about what happened has kept people silent," says Maeve O'Rourke, a legal representative for JFM. O'Rourke, who interviewed women who had been kept in the laundries against their will for a submission to the U.N. Committee Against Torture, believes that an official acknowledgment from the state could bring an end to the stigma and shame associated with having lived in a laundry. These women "vividly described the ongoing effects to me, in terms of mental health issues, poverty and isolation," she says.
The testimonials she gathered paint a dark picture of the deep scars the laundries left on the women. In the U.N. submission, one woman wrote anonymously: "I am still treated for depression, for years and years. And I had tried to commit suicide many times in the past. I never found happiness. I felt like broken pieces, and I never felt in one piece." Others are still nervous about returning to Ireland — some even harbor the fear that they could be sent back to the laundries. "I ask them how they feel now about Ireland, and they feel betrayed," explains O'Rourke. "They feel conflicted because it's their country, it's their identity, but it has failed them so badly."


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Even during this desultory economic recovery, one industry thrives — the manufacture of synthetic hysteria. It is, however, inaccurate to accuse the Hysteric in Chief of crying "Wolf!" about spending cuts under the sequester. He is actually crying "Hamster!"
As in: Batten down the hatches — the sequester will cut $85 billion from this year's $3.6 trillion budget! Or: Head for the storm cellar — spending will be cut 2.3 percent! Or: Washington chain-saw massacre — we must scrape by on 97.7 percent of current spending! Or: Chaos is coming because the sequester will cut a sum $25 billion larger than was just shoveled out the door (supposedly, but not actually) for victims of Hurricane Sandy! Or: Heaven forfend, the sequester will cut 47 percent as much as was spent on the AIG bailout! Or: Famine, pestilence and locusts will come when the sequester causes federal spending over 10 years to plummet from $46 trillion all the way down to $44.8 trillion! Or: Grass will grow in the streets of America's cities if the domestic agencies whose budgets have increased 17 percent under President Obama must endure a 5 percent cut!
The sequester has forced liberals to clarify their conviction that whatever the government's size is at any moment, it is the bare minimum necessary to forestall intolerable suffering. At his unintentionally hilarious hysteria session Tuesday, Obama said: The sequester's "meat-cleaver approach" of "severe," "arbitrary" and "brutal" cuts will "eviscerate" education, energy and medical research spending. "And already, the threat of these cuts has forced the Navy to delay an aircraft carrier that was supposed to deploy to the Persian Gulf."
"Forced"? The Navy did indeed cite the sequester when delaying deployment of the USS Truman. In the high-stakes pressure campaign against Iran's nuclear weapons program, U.S. policy has been to have two carriers in nearby waters. Yet the Navy is saying it cannot find cuts to programs or deployments less essential than the Truman deployment. The Navy's participation in the political campaign to pressure Congress into unraveling the sequester is crude, obvious and shameful, and it should earn the Navy's budget especially skeptical scrutiny by Congress.
The Defense Department's civilian employment has grown 17 percent since 2002. In 2012, defense spending on civilian personnel was 21 percent higher than in 2002. And the Truman must stay in Norfolk? This is, strictly speaking, unbelievable.
The sequester's critics correctly say it is not the most intelligent way to prune government; priorities among programs should be set. But such critics are utopians if they are waiting for the arrival of intelligent government. The real choice today is between bigger or smaller unintelligent government.
Obama, who believes government spends money more constructively than do those who earn it, warns that the sequester's budgetary nicks, amounting to one-half of 1 percent of gross domestic product, will derail the economy. A similar jeremiad was heard in 1943 when economist Paul Samuelson, whose Keynesian assumptions have trickled down to Obama, said postwar cuts in government would mean "the greatest period of unemployment and industrial dislocation which any economy has ever faced."
Federal spending did indeed shrink an enormous 40 percent in one year. And the economy boomed.
Because crises are government's excuse for growing, liberalism's motto is: Never let a crisis go unfabricated. But its promiscuous production of crises has made them boring.
Remember when, in the 1980s, thousands died from cancers caused by insufficient regulation of the chemical Alar sprayed on apples? No, you don't because this alarming prediction fizzled. Alar was not, after all, a risk.
Remember when "a major cooling of the climate" was "widely considered inevitable" (New York Times, May 21, 1975) with "extensive Northern Hemisphere glaciation" (Science magazine, Dec. 10, 1976) which must "stand alongside nuclear war as a likely source of wholesale death and misery" (International Wildlife, July 1975)? Remember reports that "the world's climatologists are agreed" that we must "prepare for the next ice age" (Science Digest, February 1973)? Armadillos were leaving Nebraska, heading south, and heat-loving snails were scampering southward from European forests (Christian Science Monitor, Aug. 27, 1974). Newsweek (April 28, 1975) said meteorologists were "almost unanimous" that cooling would "reduce agricultural productivity."
Today, while Obama prepares a governmental power grab to combat global warming, sensible Americans, tuckered out with apocalypse fatigue, are yawning through the catastrophe du jour, the sequester. They say: Cry "Havoc!" and let slip the hamsters of sequestration.
– – – – – – – – – – –
George F. Will's op-ed article was originally published in the Washington Post.


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Suns-Spurs Suspension Mania! OK, so I appreciate that it was the Spurs' Robert Horry who was the instigator of the Game 4 game-ending goonery.
And I appreciate that it was the "victimized" Suns who got obliterated by the NBA's Game 5 suspensions for Amare and Boris Diaw.
And I appreciate that the NBA's ruling effectively guts
And I appreciate that, consequently, the NBA's decision could cost the Suns the series.
And I appreciate that it could ultimately hurt the NBA itself (if you believe, as I do, that the Suns' style of play represents one of the only things that might slow down the NBA's otherwise inevitable decline from the legacy of its "star system.")
And yet... it's one of the easiest rules to remember (and follow) in the NBA: In the event of an on-court scuffle, don't leave the bench.
It's pretty simple, really. It's not like anyone thinks the rule itself is a dumb one. What I'm hearing is that people think that rules (and punishments) should be applied selectively. That, of course, generally defeats the purpose of rules. (Judging "intent" is a brutal game that the NBA will almost always lose.)
Expediency is a tempting reason to ignore the rule, but it also ultimately undermines the integrity of the game more than ruining the Suns' chances of toppling the Spurs.
If you want to blame someone, don't blame the NBA, which had little choice. Blame the players, who made the wrong choice. I don't care that their leader was brutalized by an opposing player. Be SMART about it: Don't leave the bench; deliver some on-court payback later in the game (or, if that's not possible, the next game). And be sure that it's a bench player doing it, not the team's all-NBA big man or most versatile player.
Besides: I wouldn't write the Suns off for Game 5 just yet. Combined with the home-court hype, being forced to be innovative -- a Mike D'Antoni specialty -- might befuddle the Spurs.
And watch out for the NBA to ensure officiating that "balances" out the negative p.r. from suspending Amare and Diaw. In fact, between tactical novelty, home-court hysterics and sympathetic officiating, I'll take the Suns to win.
P.S.: I want to point you to my friend and fellow blogger Henry Abbott at True Hoop, who develops and delivers the most reasoned (and influential) wisdom on all things NBA. Start with this most recent post. Then this one, which came earlier. UPDATE: Here's a post today, even better.P.P.S.: Aha...the inevitable hedge. It's not that I don't see the reasoning of those who disagree with the ruling or who point out the NBA's own inconsistencies in its application. It's just that the most direct responsibility can be laid at the feet -- literally -- of the two players who broke the simple rule, despite (I assume) knowing all about it and the potential risks involved.
It's the end for the Warriors and the three weeks of mania they inspired from their die-hard fan base and NBA fans everywhere who craved something... different.
The team's mercurial style was behind its win AND its loss: Those wins against the Mavs were inspired; last night's ugliness was not.
But hopefully, it will inspire other teams to try to be more creative – and raise expectations among fans everywhere that despite roster limitations, innovative coaching can turn freaks into a funhouse ride.
Bulls crush Pistons in
Lance Berkman says the Home Run Title is "tainted" if Bonds earned it. I wonder how Berkman feels about his boy, Jeff Bagwell and his 449 home runs, many of which helped Berkman's Astros immensely. I'm not accusing, I'm just saying...
MLB Stud, Player: Jesse Litch, who made his MLB debut on his dad's birthday and went 8.2 IP, allowing 1 ER and 4 H. (Thanks to reader RL for the nomination.)
MLB Stud, Team: The Devil Rays, who played their first game at
MLB Dud: Lastings Milledge (aka "L Millz"), for joining in on a misogynistic rap song titled "Bend Ya Knees."
Clemens Watch: Will the Yankees have Clemens pitch before the end of May, side-stepping a possible Rocket debut at Fenway?
(While I would appreciate avoiding the media hysteria around THAT one, it seems like it would deny us one of the more dramatic moments of the season.)
Indy 500: The Fan-Unfriendly Move of the Year goes to the Colts. The team won't let No. 18 driver Jimmy Kite paint his car Colts blue colors with the words "Go Colts." But they'll let Peyton Manning be the race's official starter. I mean, for gosh sakes: It's the
Vick Problems:
Speaking of NFL problems, Tank Johnson meets with Roget Goodell today. Cue ominous horror-thriller music...
In more positive NFL news, Jon Kitna loves Calvin Johnson. But really, though: Who wouldn't? (Oh, perhaps someone who thinks his name is "Charles," not "Calvin.")
NASCAR: Dale Earnhardt Jr was docked 100 points and his crew chief was suspended for cheating. It's a nice reminder that the outrage standard for cheating in, say, auto racing (and – cough – the NFL) is so much higher than in baseball. Imagine the brouhaha if the greatest player in baseball was busted for (or even simply accused of) cheating. Oh, wait...
College hoops: Patrick Patterson, the last remaining uncommitted top prep player, will make his college choice today at a press conference at 3:45. He's down to
Video Games: A new version of Tecmo Bowl is being released in 2008. Reminds me of one of my favorite T-shirts of all time, courtesy of No Mas.


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Time to observe for most of time zone: 11:29pm - 05:05am (CST)
On: December 20-21 Your time Zone: UTC/GMT -6 hours Current Universal (UT) date and time 03/01/24 - 11:16 UT (month/day/year - time in 24hr format)
Phases of the lunar eclipse by UT time
Total Eclipse ends: 8:53 UT Partial eclipse ends: 10:01 UT Penumbral ends: 11:05 UT
Unlike solar eclipses, all lunar eclipses are completely safe to watch without the use of special glasses or filters. All you need is your two eyes, and maybe a cup of your favorite drink to keep you warm.
A telescope or binoculars are not required to view a lunar eclipse, but these instruments may come in handy if you do use them. A standard pair of 7x50 or 7x35 binoculars would help magnify your view, thus making the red coloration on the moon brighter and easier to see.
Central America - Costa Rica
Lunar Eclipse Wikipedia Page - Wikipedia NASA - Lunar Eclipse Page - NASA December 2010 lunar eclipse - Wikipedia
Upcoming sky events
North America - Mexico & United States
North America - Canada
Winter solstice and a lunar eclipse are both occuring on the 21st of December. Together for the first time in 456 years!
In some reckonings, the winter solstice is the first day of winter. Winter solstice is the date with the shortest day and the longest night of the year. In the northern hemisphere, this date falls on December 21- December 22, while it falls on June 21/June 22 in the southern hemisphere.
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