text:
Reconsidering the Federal Deductibility of State and Local Taxes
James R. Hines, Jr., Department of Economics, University of Michigan
a 2006 CLOSUP Small Grants Program award
This project will evaluate the economic consequences of the state and local tax deduction, together with the (closely associated) federal exclusion of interest earned on state and local bonds. This issue is long due for reconsideration, since there is considerable reason to believe that there are serious flaws in the received economic logic suggesting that there are large distorations associated with the state and local income tax deduction.
Americans are currently entitled to deduct state and local tax payments in calculating their federal taxable incomes. Deductibility can significantly reduce the real cost of high state and local taxes. For example, a high-income taxpayer facing a marginal federal income tax rate of 35% and a state and local tax rate of 10% in fact has a net state and local tax burden of 6.5%, since federal taxes are reduced by 3.5% as a consequence of federal tax deductibility. Not all taxpayers benefit from the deductibility of state and local taxes, since the benefit requires that that taxpayers itemize deductions, and many find the standard deduction alternative to be more attractive. High-income taxpayers, and those in high tax states, tend to be the ones who benefit from deductibility. In a typical year, 38% of the Michigan taxpaying population itemizes deductions and thereby claims a deduction for state tax payments; nationally, the figure is closer to 35%.
The benefit of tax deductibility is considerable, due in part to the fact that the minority of the population that itemizes its deductions nonetheless pays the vast bulk of U.S. income taxes. The Joint Committee on Taxation estimates that the deductibility of state and local income taxes reduced federal tax revenues by $55 billion in fiscal year 2005. This, together with the estimated $27 billion saving from the exclusion of interest on state and local bonds, produces a total saving of $82 billion, or 5.5% of the aggregate budgets of state and local governments in 2005. Some observers have expressed concern over the magnitude of the implied federal subsidy for state and local spending, and its possible distortionary effect in encouraging subnational governments to undertake projects a portion of which the federal treasury unwittingly underwrites. For example, the 2005 Presidents Advisory Panel on Federal Tax Reforms offered two recommendations for fundamental reform of the nations tax system, both of which included removal of the deductibility of state and local income taxes. The Panel was motivated by the need to raise tax revenue in order to finance other tax reductions, and the preceived distortion associated with the implied federal subsidy to state and local operations.
The purpose of the proposed research project is to evaluate the economic consequences of the state and local tax deduction, together with the (closely associated) federal exclusion of interest earned on state and local bonds. This issue is long due for reconsideration, since there is considerable reason to believe that there are serious flaws in the received economic logic suggesting that there are large distortions associated with the state and local income tax deduction.
The standard economic argument concerns incentives. If the marginal dollar used to finance state and local activities comes from taxpayers facing an average federal income tax rate of 25%, then the U.S. government effectively pays 25% of the cost of any additional spending. Hence a state project that costs $100 and produces only $90 of value would nonetheless look attractive to state policy makers, since the real net cost to state residents is only $75. The economics literature occasionally makes reference to luxury trash removal services. These luxury services are net losers from the standpoint of the country as a whole, since they cost $100 and produce value of just $90, but are undertaken because state and local governments do not bear the full costs of their actions.
Probing these issues just a bit more deeply starts to reveal the weaknesses of the standard argument. Suppose that, instead of trash removal services, the state and local spending category is primary education, and that the return to education comes much later in the form of higher wages and better citizenship. Higher wages are subject to federal taxation. Hence a state government that spends $100 to increase the productivity of its workers by $120 in present value in fact increases their after-tax wages by only $90 if the workers are subject to a 25% federal income tax. If state and local taxes are not deductible, then the state government, acting on behalf of its citizens, will not have incentives to spend this $100, despite the $120 of value that it creates for the country. (There is an additional issue, also noteworthy, that states might spend money to educate workers who will ultimately move to other states and pay taxes there as adults, all of which suggests that state education spending should be subsidized rather than discouraged by the federal government. This consideration will be addressed in the research, but for now we confine attention to cases in which children can be expected to live in the same states throughout their lives.) What is essential to the education example is that the return to state spending comes primarily in a form (higher wages) that is subject to federal taxation. Education spending is by no means the only such example. State and local spending on roads and highways serves two functions, the first to facilitate commerce (including business travel, workers commuting to their jobs, trucks transporting products, and other uses), and the second to improve the quality of personal life by permitting people to get from here to there. The first of these uses, which is likely to be the most quantitatively important, produces returns subject to federal tax. It is noteworthy that even the second of these uses may have some federal tax implications, since the provision of convenient roads that individuals use to shop for food or other items encourages earning income by increasing the net returns to having income to spend.
Viewed in an appropriate light, much of state and local government expenditure is devoted to improving the livelihoods, and therefore the taxable incomes, of local residents. This is true of police and fire services, health and hospital expenditures, and many others. It follows, therefore, that in the absence of federal tax deductibility, the overhang of the federal income tax system would inefficiently discourage state and local governments from spending money. If the return to most state and local spending comes in the form of increasing taxable incomes, then the federal deductibility of state and local taxes serves to undo this distortion, and, by implication, removal of deductibility would introduce important inefficiencies by discouraging spending. Surprisingly, this elementary insight appears nowhere in the economics literature on federal tax deductibility.
The research project on state and local tax deductibility has four components. The first component is to develop the theory of efficient state and local spending levels under federal income taxation, and identify the implications of this consideration for previous research. The second component of the research is to analyze the important state and local spending categories in an effort to measure directly the extent to which state and local spending generates returns that are taxed by the federal government. This portion of the research will be based largely on the analysis of others, aggregated by spending category.
The third component of the research will be an econometric investigation of the determinants of state and local spending levels. Previous studies estimate state and local spending levels as functions of the fraction of state income taxes that are deductible on federal returns, interacted with marginal federal income tax rates. The implication of the pecuniary view of the returns to state and local spending is that federal income tax rates should not matter, if they are expected to remain constant; in this interpretation, only deductibility matters. In a somewhat more sophisticated framework, what should matter is deductibility and the expected change in federal marginal tax rates between the time when expenditures are made and the time when returns are received. Furthermore, incentives vary by spending category, depending on the length of time before returns are realized. These propositions are testable, and this portion of the research will test whether actual spending patterns correspond to these predictions. Expenditure data are available from the Census of Governments, and tax data from the World Tax Database and the NBER TaxSim program.
The fourth component of the research is to investigate the extent to which the federal tax exclusion for state and local bond interest may subsidize state and local spending, and thereby indirectly substitute for federal income tax deductibility in the case the latter is removed. Clearly this tax exclusion is valuable, though state and local governments can obtain some if not all of the same benefits by taxing themselves in early years, thereby avoiding the need for taxpayers to hold assets whose returns are taxed by the federal government. Given the extensive use of debt finance by state and local governments, and the correspondingly sizable magnitude of the federal tax subsidy, it is important to determine the role that the tax subsidy for debt finance may play in attenuating the effects of federal taxation of the returns to state and local spending.


text:
Motorola Moto X Confirmed; Coming in October
Motorola Moto X Confirmed; Coming in October
It's official - the Moto X smartphone will be launched by October!
Dubbed as the company's next "hero" device, Motorola CEO Dennis Woodside made the announcement at D11 earlier and went on to highlight his company's strengths in making phones such as "managing the power of the device" and "managing ultra-low power sensors".
The Moto X is contextually aware and capable of anticipating a user's needs. For example, the device knows that it is in the pocket and when it is taken out of the pocket, the user may want to do something. Woodside provided an example of a user wanting to take a picture and the phone will activate the camera. He went on to describe the things that Motorola is doing right now as "quite exciting".
More significantly, the Moto X is stated to be the first smartphone to be assembled in the U.S. It is designed, engineered and assembled in Fort Worth, Texas. There are several business advantages that Motorola cited such as:
- the ability to iterate on design much faster
- the ability to create a leaner supply chain
- the ability to respond much more quickly to purchasing trends and demands
- the ability to deliver devices to people much more quickly
Images of the Moto X phone were leaked earlier this month with reports stating a release in early July. Telstra Chief Technology Officer, Hugh Bradlow told senior mobile staff that it will be a "game changer" with "real breakthrough" features and capabilities not seen on any smartphones today.
Sources: AllThingsD, Motorola

subset: commoncrawl


text:
In a year when Detroit launched a comeback, the real news in the automotive world came from Washington, D.C. In July 2011, President Barack Obama announced a historic agreement with 13 automakers to increase fuel economy to 54.5 miles per gallon for cars and light duty trucks by model year 2025. The agreement meant little to consumers looking for cars in 2011, but it meant a great deal to the engineers designing next-generation vehicles.
During the course of the year, mainly in anticipation of such declarations, automakers around the globe launched new technologies aimed at helping them reach the aggressive fuel economy goals. They rolled out plans for hybrids, plug-in hybrids, and electric cars. They announced motor-generators for mild hybrids. At the same time, they also unveiled technologies aimed at helping with safety and vehicle connectivity.
Here's a look at the five biggest trends.
1) Vehicle electrification: In what may be the biggest news for electric cars in the past decade, the Chevy Volt and Nissan Leaf hit the streets in 2011. Sales numbers have been small -- 8,048 for the Leaf and 5,003 for the Volt through October -- but manufacturers of both vehicles promise those numbers will rise. The Volt and Leaf weren't the only electric cars to make headlines, however.
At the Detroit Auto Show in January, Ford announced plans for the Focus Electric. GM also shook up the automotive world later in the year by announcing its first all-electric car since the ill-fated EV1. Called the Spark EV, it will begin production in 2013. Luxury automaker BMW said it would also roll out an all-electric production vehicle known as the i3 in 2013. Other electrifications include the jumbo-sized 102EX concept car from Rolls Royce and the DeLorean EV, an electric car that marries existing vintage-1980s DeLoreans with a lithium-ion-powered electric drivetrain of today.


text:
Scientists discover a new, simpler way to make stem cells
A team of Boston and Japanese researchers stunned the scientific world Wednesday by revealing a remarkably simple and unexpected way to create stem cells able to give rise to any tissue in the body.
To transform mature cells into powerful stem cells that are a biological blank slate, the team simply bathed them in an acid bath for half an hour. The technique appears to be far easier and faster than current methods for creating these cells, which scientists are racing to develop into therapies for a range of diseases.
The result is "shocking,'' "astounding,'' "revolutionary,'' and "weird,'' said scientists not accustomed to using such exuberant words to describe new research findings. The finding has been officially reported only in mice, but human studies are underway. Researchers at Brigham and Women's Hospital said that over the weekend they made what appears to be a human version of the stem cells, although further study and confirmation of that preliminary result is needed.
"It's just a wonderful result; it's almost like alchemy,'' said Douglas Melton, co-director of the Harvard Stem Cell Institute, who was not involved in the research published Wednesday in the journal Nature. "It says one has found a way to reveal the hidden potential of cells with a relatively straightforward method.''
The discovery less than a decade ago that it was possible to "reprogram'' mature human cells to become stem cells was hailed as a breakthrough and was recognized with a share of the Nobel prize in 2012. It spawned a huge push, funded with hundreds of millions of dollars in public and private money, to devise ways to use the cells to treat diseases in which tissues are injured or lost, such as juvenile diabetes or heart failure.
The new work reveals a potentially cheap, fast, and simple avenue to create the powerful cells — by exposing mature cells to environmental stress instead of having to manipulate the genes inside the cell's nucleus. If the finding is replicated by other scientists, it also promises to yield fresh insights into the behavior of cells, and demonstrates that important scientific advances often emerge from unexpected areas of inquiry.
The approach is so simple and so out-of-the-box that it might never have been tried if it hadn't been for the persistence and curiosity of Dr. Charles Vacanti, a Brigham and Women's anesthesiologist working largely outside the field of stem cell science.
Vacanti is best known for his work on the "earmouse,'' the flashy tissue engineering feat of growing a human ear on the back of a mouse that made headlines in 1995. Vacanti wanted to find a better cell type to use on tissue engineering projects and began working with a team including his younger brother Martin, a pathologist, to find one.
In a 2001 study, they reported the discovery of a new kind of stem cell that they isolated with a technique that had been used to isolate neural stem cells: they mashed up mature tissue and passed it through ever-smaller pipettes to sift out a new type of cell they called a "spore-like cell.''
"Our lab was pretty ridiculed,'' Vacanti recalled, of the scientific response. After that, "I kind of kept it to myself.''
Then, six years ago, a Japanese graduate student named Haruko Obokata arrived in Vacanti's laboratory. Vacanti asked if she would take up the work again — doing it more rigorously and addressing the valid questions critics had raised.
In the intervening years, his ideas about the research had also shifted. What if, instead of isolating existing stem cells from the tissue, he had actually been creating them through the harsh extraction procedure? Were the cells reverting to stem cells because of the stresses of the procedure, or were they already there? Obokata began the work.
Ultimately, the team found that the environmental stress was producing the stem cells. The mechanism is not fully understood, but scientists saw telling changes in the pattern of molecules that attach to DNA and determine which genes are active. Further work showed that other types of stress, such as growing the cells in low oxygen or bathing them in a solution that is more acidic than milk but less than juice, transformed a portion of the cells into STAP cells — short for stimulus-triggered acquisition of pluripotency.
STAP cells had genetic markers that were signatures of stem cells, but they weren't quite the same as true stem cells found in embryos. They didn't live as long, and they couldn't multiply indefinitely. But the researchers found that if they put the STAP cells in lab dishes with the right growth medium — a nutrient gel that is used to help embryonic stem cells multiply — the STAP stem cells became just like embryonic stem cells.
"It's good quality. They did the right experiments ,'' said Rudolf Jaenisch, a stem cell biologist at the Whitehead Institute, an MIT-affiliated research laboratory who said that his lab would likely try to repeat the work. "We need to learn much more about these cells.''
Obokata, now a scientist at the RIKEN Center for Developmental Biology in Japan, said during a press conference that it was still unclear what the therapeutic use of these cells would be, or how they would compare if put side-by-side with embryonic stem cells or with induced pluripotent stems cells — which are reprogrammed by adding genes or chemicals and known as iPS cells. This is now the way that most scientists produce pluripotent cells with the ability to develop into any tissue in the body.
"From a practical point of view toward clinical applications, I see this as a new approach to generate iPS-like cells,'' Nobel laureate Shinya Yamanaka, who shared the Nobel for discovering the cellular reprogramming method for creating iPS cells, wrote in an e-mail.
Vacanti believes that it's possible what the researchers uncovered is part of the body's natural healing mechanism — that the more stringent the stress on the cell, the further they get kicked back to a pluripotent state.
Other researchers, while praising the work, expressed doubt about Vacanti's hypothesis. While emphasizing that it appears to be a powerful and impressive result, they said they aren't sure the process would naturally occur in living mammals.
Dr. George Q. Daley, director of the stem cell transplantation program at Boston Children's Hospital, said that it had been a long time since he read a scientific paper and felt both so amazed and perplexed. The technique must be repeated in many labs, he said, and probed to see whether it could be useful, but it's a provocative reminder of the malleability of cells – a concept that has undergone a revolution in biology over the past decade.
"It's a startling result that makes you stand up and go, 'Wow!''' Daley said. "With an equal dose of amazement and skepticism.''
Be civil. Be kind.Read our full community guidelines.


text:
MiniBuzz is a simple, clean and minimalist business wordpress theme suitable for business and corporate websites. This theme also suitable for portfolio and gallery websites.
This theme is powered by Klasik Framework
Compatible with:
Main Features:
- Responsive
- Retina Ready
- Blog
- Portfolio
- Menu Manager
- Auto Image Resizing
- Custom Widget
- Simple and Unbranded Theme Options
- Option to use Right or Left sidebar
- Translation Ready (Available .po file)
- Threaded Comment
- Camera Slider
- Multi Level Dropdown Menu
- Cross Browser Compatible
- XML sample data included
- Well Documented
- PSDs files Included
Theme Update:
- Version 4.0
- New Framework use Klasik Framework
- Responsive
- Compatible with WordPress 3.8
- This theme does not use portfolio and any post type anymore, after update you must re-setup the content
Theme Support
After purchase please ask support question via our support form.
Get the theme here !


text:
Get Involved
We welcome our alumni and friends to partner with us on recruiting, research collaborations, and philanthropy to uphold our rankings and global reputation as a leader in computer science education and research. Learn about all the ways you can benefit from getting involved.
Build the Talent Pipeline
Illinois Computer Science has developed programming throughout the year to engage and inspire more young people to explore the fun and diverse applications of computer science.
- Girls Who Code chapter—ongoing programming for local girls
- Sail (April)—a day of student run workshops targeted for high school students
- NCWIT Aspirations Awards (April)—recognizes high school girls for their interest in computer science
- Gems Computer Science Camp for Girls (June & July)—6 weeks of day camp for middle and high school girls
- ChicTech Retreat (November)—an overnight retreat for high school girls
- Hour of Code (December)—open labs for coding fun for the whole family
All of these outreach activities are funded by the CS Department, alumni donations, and corporate partners. To get involved, email email@example.com.
Continue Your Education
Keep your skills on the cutting edge. Explore the CS Graduate Programs, Illinois Online offerings, or MOOCs through the Illinois-Coursera Partnership.
Stay Active with CS Student Groups
The CS-Affiliated Student Groups are strong and as active as ever. They are eager for alumni to stay involved, and welcome corporate partners to participate in events.
- HackIllinois (February)
- ACM Showcase (April)
- WCS Alumni & Student Dinners (April & October)
- ACM Reflections | Projections Conference (Fall)
Join in the Illinois Computer Science Alumni Network
Keep the Illinois Computer Science Alumni Network strong—attend or host a regional CS alumni networking event in some of our high alumni population cities across the country. We have plans to be in Chicago, New York, and San Francisco on regular cycles. Keep an eye out for e-invites. Make sure your contact info is up-to-date with us!
Share Your Expertise with Current Students
Schedule a custom Engineer in Residence experience where you can meet with faculty, give a presentation, attend or speak in a class, meet with student groups, and tour around the newest areas of campus. Email Michelle Wellens at firstname.lastname@example.com to schedule your campus visit today.
Visit Campus for CS Awards and Homecoming
Illinois Computer Science joins forces with our student groups, including ACM, to jointly host the WCS Alumni & Student Dinner and the CS @ ILLNOIS Distinguished Alumni Awards. Held in conjunction with Homecoming, this is the best time to visit campus to deeply engage with CS faculty, students, and fellow alumni. Enjoy panels, networking events, campus tours, tailgating, and football. (Fall)
Become a Corporate Partner
We encourage alumni to connect their companies to Illinois Computer Science to establish recruiting relationships and to explore sponsored research opportunities. Visit cs.illinois.edu/corporate to learn more.
Take the CS Alumni Engagement Survey
Tell us how to best connect with you and develop communications and engagement activities that interest you. We'd also like to know about your affinity with our student groups and get your thoughts about philanthropy. Visit: http://go.cs.illinois.edu/alumnisurvey
Be Philanthropic
Learn how making a gift—of any size—can really make a difference in supporting current students. Visit cs.illinois/give


text:
So since we've been in the Midwest this week, we've appreciated the primal pleasure of a good political attack ad. Most of the races in New York aren't close, so everyone's all nicey-nice in their ads. Not so in Missouri, where there's not only a brutal Senate battle between Jim Talent and Claire McCaskill, but also an Amendment about stem cell research on the ballot. We're not going to get into details, because politics gives us a headache, but the point is, Michael J. Fox, rather deep into his Parkinson's now, filmed an ad for McCaskill that has proven damaging, so Talent has enlisted, in response to Fox's ad ... some athletes to have his back.
We love when athletes get involved in politics, because it never seems like they quite understand what's going on, but this ad has the virtue of timing on its side: Its main speakers are Jesus Christ (well, Jim Caviezel, anyway) and Game 4 World Series starter Jeff Suppan. Of course, Mike Sweeney and Kurt Warner are in there too, and that can't help the cause much.
Anyway, see if you guess which are the athletes, and which are the actors.


text:
Tel. +44 (0)161 217 7100
Motor Technology - Control in Motion
Motor Technology has been providing solutions to servo, motion control and automation problems across industry since 1985. We can assist with specifying a single coupling, sizing a drive axis or designing a complete turnkey control system.
Our range of products includes:
- Brushless servo drives and motors
- Brushed servo drives and motors
- Digital and analogue servo drives
- Stepper drives and motors
- Linear and rotary direct drive motors
- Stand-alone motion controllers
- Motion control cards
- Precision planetary and worm gearboxes
- Precision metal bellows and elastomer couplings
- Magnetic incremental and absolute encoders
- Mechanical belt and ball-screw driven actuators
- NEW - Triplex plunger metering pumps
Please browse the web site for further details, use the search function (left hand column) or send us an email. Alternatively go to the contact page and use the enquiry form.
For information and availability on legacy products click here or visit our on-line eBay shop euroServo.


text:
With the end of Basketball Season coming soon, (Well at least for the Knicks) I figured we would get the long off-season started off right by doing a thread I'm sure of us have alot to talk about.. Our All Time Favorite Movies... I narrowed it down to 5, But you have more than 5 Please Share! Here's mine!
1. Artie Lange's Beer League - (If you havent seen it,
Deffinately Check It out, Hilarious! Especially if you like howard stern)
2. Goodfellas (I'm Italian, Obvious Reason's)
3. Casino ( I would have to say this is my all time favorite I can watch this movie Over and Over again and it never gets old)
4. Pulp Fiction (Great Actors, Greater Story This movie along with Resovior dogs are instant classics Quentin Tarantino you da man!)
5. The Warriors (Ever Since I was a kid this movie enchanted me, I dont know why. The Subways with the grafiti, The Wardrobe, this movie was sheer briliance. Every Detail just made an impression on me.. Seeing New York City in the 70's is amazing as well, especially when you look at how different times are today... In my opinion one of the most underrated movies of all time.
I have many many many many many more, But for right now, these are my top 5... ok guys your turn! Lets see them! This should be interesting!


text:
Penn State trustees to weigh recommended changes
Pa. auditor general says, 'Time for General Assembly, governor, trustees to step up'
Penn State trustees will weigh the state auditor general's recommendations that the school's governing structure be changed in the wake of the Jerry Sandusky child molestation scandal.
Trustees began two days of regularly-scheduled meetings Thursday. Auditor General Jack Wagner's recommendations, released Wednesday, included the removal of the university president as a voting trustee.
Trustee James Broadhurst said leaders spoke briefly with Wagner by phone before he released his report. They only received Wagner's full report late Wednesday or Thursday, he said.
"There's obviously a lot more information there," he said. "A lot more we need to address and talk about."
In his conversation with trustees, Wagner highlighted several points, including taking away the vote of the school president, Broadhurst said. The other main points, Broadhurst relayed to a trustees committee meeting Thursday, was to make the governor a nonvoting member; increase the number needed for a voting quorum from 13 to a majority of members; and fully extend the Right-to-Know law to Penn State and the other three state-related institutions of Lincoln, Pitt and Temple.
Wagner told reporters Wednesday his suggested changes might not have prevented what occurred after Sandusky, a former assistant football coach, was charged a year ago this month with abusing boys on and off campus. Still, Wagner called for "real and substantive reform."
Sandusky was convicted of sexually abusing 10 boys over 15 years. He is serving a 30- to 60-year prison sentence. Criminal charges also are pending against former high-ranking university officials, accused of helping to cover up complaints about Sandusky.
Trustees chairwoman Karen Peetz said the board is awaiting similar recommendations from the Faculty Senate. They've already received recommendations from former FBI director Louis Freeh, who led the university's internal investigation into the scandal.
"We need to decide at the end what we want to do" after more deliberation over all recommendations, Peetz said at the governance committee meeting Thursday. Potential changes will also be a main topic of a January retreat by the board.
Trustees on Thursday also discussed the process to replace President Rodney Erickson, who plans to step down when his current contract expires in June 2014. Peetz plans to serve as head of the search committee, and Penn State plans to vet search firms to help with the process.
The future of the status of emeritus trustees and whether the current 32-member board should be downsized -- two other issues that have been targeted by critics -- were also topics of discussion Thursday. The committee did not make any final decisions. The full board meets Friday.
Trustee Carl Shaffer said he read some of Wagner's report and thought some points may not apply to Penn State. "This is a unique situation that a lot of it may not fit us," Shaffer said.
"We have everyone in the world telling us what to do, but this is our university," he said. "I think it's up to this board to decide how to take this university forward."
Responding to Shaffer, trustee Joel Myers said Penn State was in a unique situation to evaluate recommendations but "it doesn't mean we have to accept it all ... This is a period that's going to define Penn State's future after all that's happened. It's unique in that regard."


text:
Size Guide
The size is stated in Hong Kong standard size. To make sure your socks have the best, most comfortable fit possible, use our size guide which will help you find the correct sock size (and corresponding EUR, UK and US sizes).
Product Information
We are confident that our bamboo socks will exceed your expectations in every way. Eureka Socks give your children's feet the softness and comfort they deserve. Bamboo socks feature naturally odor-resistant, moisture-wicking properties to help keep your feet cool and comfortable [Read more about the many bamboo benefits].
It's time to give your child's feet the best that exists in the market today: natural, healthy* and extra soft! It's good for you and it's good for the community!
And if this was not enough, Eureka Socks is committed to giving back to the community: With every purchase you make, we donate one pair of socks to a child in need. Join us in our mission to make all children's feet in Asia warm and happy this coming winter [Read more about how we support our community].
* Eureka socks are produced by socially responsible partners; they are OEKO-TEX® Standard 100 approved and they have also been independently tested for harmful substances [Read more about our quality commitment].
Product Details
80% Bamboo
15% Polyamide
5% spandex
100% committed to the community
Washing care
Eureka Socks are made using the highest quality bamboo fibres. For best washing results and to prolong the life of your socks, please follow our recommendations:
Wash your socks inside out / Do not use fabric conditioner / Do not bleach / Do not iron / Best not to tumble dry (or low heat) / Do not dry clean
After many washings, your socks will feel even softer!


text:
Official Website of the City of Milwaukee
CALL for Action (414) 286-CITY | Click for Action
Mayor Tom Barrett
Thank you for your interest in serving the City of Milwaukee through participation on one of our many boards, commissions or task forces. The City of Milwaukee has more than 100 boards, each unique and focused on a distinct topic.
The Mayor of the City of Milwaukee is, by ordinance or statute, tasked with appointing citizens to serve on boards and commissions. A full list of boards and commissions, including vacancies, can be viewed here. Appointments are also made by other entities, including the Common Council President.
If you would like to submit your name for consideration for a Mayoral appointment, please submit the following information and your resume below. Please note, submission for consideration does not guarantee an appointment. Potential appointees will be considered as vacancies arise.
Although we encourage you to indicate your interests or particular boards you are interested in serving on, you may be considered for boards or commissions other than those you may have mentioned.
Being appointed to a board or commission is a public process. Please be aware that some Boards or Commissions require background checks on potential nominees and most are subject to Common Council confirmation, which may involve a public hearing about your background and experience. By submitting this information, you acknowledge that such action will result in the creation of a public record, subject to Open Records requests under Wisconsin State Statute § 19.31-39.
Boards or Commissions
of Interest:
Please submit a copy of your resume, biography or other relevant document that details your professional and community experience.
City Hall
200 E. Wells Street
Room 201
Milwaukee, WI 53202
Phone: 414-286-2200
Fax: 414-286-3191
Design by City of Milwaukee


text:
Rick Perry is waaaaaaaaay behind in polls everywhere, so he's literally throwing a Hail Mary pass to Iowa's conservative evangelical Christian community with a new TV ad that is getting pounded across the political spectrum — and even from within Perry's campaign — for its anti-gay message.
"I'm not ashamed to admit that I'm a Christian," Perry says in the ad currently in heavy rotation in Iowa. "But you don't need to be in the pew every Sunday to know that there's something wrong in this country when gays can serve openly in the military, but our kids can't openly celebrate Christmas or pray in school.
"As President, I'll end Obama's war on religion, and I'll fight against liberal attacks on our religious heritage.
Top GOP strategist Steve Schmidt — who ran both John McCain's 2008 prez campaign and CA Guv Arnold Schwarzenegger's 2006 re-elect — called the ad "despicable," a "disgrace" and Perry's use of them "an absurdity."
"He failed a fundamental character test with that ad," Schmidt said Friday on MSNBC.
And Schmidt's a Republican. Ouch.
The online reaction hasn't been much prettier. While the ad was the most-watched video in the nation this week, it also generated a intense amount of YouTube loathing. How much? Perry's ad is in generating more hate than some of Justin Bieber's most-hated opuses, according to Talking Points Memo.
Several parody videos have popped up (included some that are NSFW), and you know more will be on the way. And it has been pointed out that the jacket Perry is wearing is remarkably similar to the one the late Heath Ledger wore in "Brokeback Mountain."
Stephen Colbert's satirical beat-down was even tougher:
"Thanks to the gays, our children can't openly celebrate the birth of our savior in school. And yet, these gays in the military can openly celebrate their favorite holiday: being away from their family, risking their lives in Afghanistan."
From The Report….:


text:
Nelson Mandela will never be forgotten.
The prominent political leader, whose life-long work to end apartheid in his native South Africa and subsequent election as the country's first black president made him an icon and furthermore, a global symbol of peace and social change, died Thursday, the government of South Africa confirmed. He was 95.
According to reports, Mandela died from complications due a recurring lung infection. He had been hospitalized since June 8.
U.S. & World
And as with many cases lately, the world began to mourn the loss of such a peaceful soul on social media.
Olivia Wilde: "Oh Mandela, rest in peaceful freedom."
Anderson Cooper: "Mandela is gone. There is no one else like him."
Marlee Matlin: "So sad to read of the passing of the symbol of global resistance to racism. RIP Nelson Mandela."
Piers Morgan: "BREAKING NEWS: Nelson Mandela has died, aged 95. One of the great men of history. RIP."
Patti Stanger: "May the peace minister #NelsonMandela RIP as I'm sure the angels are dancing with joy tonight to get to hang with such a great man! Namaste."
DL Hughley: "RIP Nelson Mandela u changed the Whole world with your dignity and Strength!!! #TeamDl"
Tyra Banks: "@NelsonMandela, 95 powerful years on this earth yet freedom for INFINITY because of you. You are an angel that will live forever."
PHOTOS: Hollywood gets political
Damian McGinty: "Nelson Mandela. Legend of all legends. Deserves his rest."
Alyssa Milano: "'There is nothing like returning to a place that remains unchanged to find the ways in which you yourself have altered.' ~Nelson Mandela"
Nancy Pelosi: "May the life of Nelson Mandela long stand as the ultimate tribute to the triumph of hope."
Michael Moore: "Thank you, Nelson Mandela. Freedom."
Ethan Zohn: "'Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.' - Nelson Mandela #Madiba"
Josh Groban: "We have lost one of humanity's greatest treasures. RIP Madiba. I will never forget the lessons learned from him or his vision that lives on."
Donald Faison: "RIP Nelson Mandela."
Ann Curry: "Nelson Mandela has died. Respect."
Forest Whittaker issued the following statement: "I walk on the strength of his ideals and I am inspired by his courage and convictions to always believe in the light that exists in all of us. His legacy will live onward in the spirit of every human being who believes that all deserve the right to live a life where food and shelter exist, where freedom belongs to everyone, and all are given the opportunity to fully pursue their hopes and dreams. We are blessed that he lived among us!"
Bill and Camille Cosby issued the following statement: " We are and will be eternally grateful to Mr. Mandela for surrounding us with his graciousness, care and respect after we lost our son, Ennis. Moreover, it was an honor to sit alongside him on the bed of his former prison cell; as he triumphantly spoke about his survival and the courage of his supporters."
Beyonce posted two images on Instagram, one captioned: Thank you for all you have sacrificed to improve the lives of other human beings. Rest in peace.❤
Ryan Phillippe: "What an amazing life lead by Madiba. A light &inspiration to the world...The privilege of spending a small amount of private time w/ Mr. Mandela as he held my baby daughter, is a highlight of my life...It was like being in the presence of a diety. He truly emanated warmth and humanity. Imperfect, like us all, but w/ a strength few possess...Mandela was bouncing Ava, then two yrs old, on his knee &called her, "future leader". I couldn't believe it in that moment. I still can't."
Mike Tyson: "I'm hearing about Nelson Mandela's death while on African soil in Oran, Algeria. Sending prayers to Mandela's family."
Christy Turlington on Instagram: RIP Madiba
Cory Booker: "Humanity has lost one of our greatest. RIP Nelson Mandela. Thank you for teaching us a deeper meaning of love, leadership &sacrifice."
Russell Simmons: "Nelson Mandela was an angel walking on this earth. You were one the greatest teachers this world has ever known. We love you and we miss you"
John Cusack: "Rest in Peace Nelson #Mandela -- a true champion of #HumanRights." Peace - justice - love"
Larry King: "Sad to hear about the passing of Nelson Mandela - he was the greatest figure of the 21st century - a fascinating man"
Al Roker: "A giant of a man, Nelson Mandela, dead at the age of 95. His legacy and his spirit will live forever...Nelson Mandela proved one person can make a difference. God bless him"
What a life, what a journey, what a man. Thank you for passing this way! God bless your resting soul! pic.twitter.com/oeQDDeRO6u — Tyler Perry (@tylerperry) December 5, 2013


text:
Material Type
Call Number
Item Available
|Nonfiction DVD
On Order
Master documentarian Ken Burns turns his focus to American legend Jackie Robinson in this four-hour PBS biography about the groundbreaking baseball player and civil rights icon. The exhaustive documentary utilizes revealing interviews with Robinson's family as well as rare photographs and film footage to flesh out the story of one of the most interesting and important men of the 20th century. Through his inimitable style, Burns sets out to show why Robinson was so much more than simply the man who broke baseball's color barrier. Narrated by Keith David, with Jamie Foxx reading Robinson's words. Extras include a conversation with the filmmakers. ~ Jennifer Lackman, Rovi
Reviews 1
School Library Journal Review
Gr 6 Up-With its in-depth look at the ups and downs of Robinson's life and career, this wonderful resource lends context to his significant accomplishments. He won acclaim for shattering baseball's "color line" in 1947, but as this exemplary documentary makes clear, he fought racism throughout his life. An impressive range of commentators share their perspectives, from President Obama to teammates, sports writers, and historians. The Great Depression and World War II shaped Robinson's early life, with racism an ever-present threat: 21 African Americans were lynched in his home state, Georgia, in 1919, the year he was born. When Robinson's mother moved her five children to California, they joined six million African Americans who fled the South during the Great Migration. After attending UCLA and enjoying a brief military career and one season in the Negro leagues, Robinson was scouted and signed to the Brooklyn Dodgers. Though he opened doors for other black ballplayers, like him they faced segregated restaurants and hotels and hostile teammates and fans. Later, Robinson worked for the NAACP and lent support to the civil rights movement. His support of Republican candidates drew criticism; many fans began to feel that Robinson was out of step with the times. Wife Rachel observes that Robinson remained fiercely independent and unafraid to speak out up to his untimely death in 1972. There's an obvious tie-in here for history or social studies lessons, and the DVD will appeal to a wide range of upper-level students. VERDICT This is a wonderful option for sports fans who may be reluctant readers or resistant to more traditional approaches to history and social studies. This excellent film should find a home in most public library collections.-Marilyn Taniguchi, Beverly Hills Public Library, CA © Copyright 2016. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.


text:
The Lifespan of Money
How long a banknote lasts is dependent on how the public handles it. There are regional as well as cultural differences here. Whether people mostly carry their money in a wallet or keep it loose in their pockets has a major impact, for example. Overall handling throughout the cash cycle, ATM dispensing, frequent sorting by automated systems, and being passed from hand to hand multiple times a day all also leave tracks on a banknote's surface.
It is not only where it is kept and how it is handled that plays a decisive role in determining the lifespan of a banknote. Environmental influences also have a considerable impact on banknote "fitness." This means that in subtropical climates, there are different demands on banknote material and resilience than in the cooler north. Banknote quality can be optimized for the needs of a given country by tailoring the combination of substrate, printing methods, and finishing technology. This is essential not only for the population, but also for the machines that count the notes and test for authenticity.
The actual lifespan of a banknote and the point when it must ultimately be replaced can be determined by laboratory tests. A circulation algorithm developed by G+D Currency Technology simulates the wear and tear on banknotes in circulation and is therefore a reliable tool for this purpose.
The Life of a Banknote
500,000,000,000 banknotes around the world
There are currently around 357 billion banknotes in circulation. Their average circulation lifespan ranges from under 12 months to several years. About 150 billion banknotes are printed every year to replace the worn notes taken out of circulation. What is more, statistics show that the number of notes in circulation continues to increase by around 3 percent each year.
From cradle to grave
Before a banknote enters circulation, it passes through numerous production steps and security tests. After production of the banknote substrate and integration of security elements into the paper, printing and inspection takes place, followed by cutting and packing of the finished notes.
Today, banknotes are high-tech products with numerous different security features distributed over well-defined security levels. These levels are associated with user groups. Some are designed for the general public, overt and easy to recognize, while others can only be read by sensors on sorting machines. The overall durability of a banknote is therefore limited not only by its optical appearance to the human user but, above all, due to altered signals in automated authentication. Notes that no longer meet the quality criteria for reliable processing must also be exchanged.
Best before
All these factors influencing the length of time a banknote stays in circulation are considered by central banks when establishing specifications for new banknotes. If a banknote no longer meets the required quality standards, it must be taken out of circulation by the central banks and replaced with a new banknote. Secure destruction at the end of the note's lifecycle is also very important, in order to ensure that it cannot be put back into circulation.
Quality and Demand
External and internal qualities
The higher the value of the banknote, the longer it can stay in circulation. A banknote must meet various quality criteria to continue circulating. Above all, visual and tactile features play a role for the public. Aspects of banknote automation also count, as these are required by banknote processing systems in order to assess and process notes.
Demands on automated processes
In contrast to coins, paper money reacts strongly to external influences. Friction, moisture, and contact with liquids or even chemicals put a strain on banknotes in the same way as extreme climatic conditions. In an increasingly automated business world, it is mainly machines that place demands on the quality of a banknote. It is now standard practice for processes such as counting and sorting of notes to be carried out by machines.
Machine readability
While the public ensures the authenticity of their money by means of optically variable, tactile, and interactive features, automatic banknote verification remains essential to detect counterfeits quickly and securely and remove them from circulation. Hidden features based on magnets or UV light, which can only be checked by specific sensors, ensure clear differentiation between authentic and counterfeit banknotes. To enable reliable checking, a particular signal intensity is required from these machine-readable features, i.e. a certain mechanical quality, for the banknotes to remain in circulation.
A Journey through Time
Simulated circulation looks to the future
G+D Currency Technology has developed a test to simulate circulation, so that central banks know when they need new banknotes and can exchange old ones at the right time. Using this process, G+D Currency Technology can simulate the wear and tear that would arise over many years of use by humans and machines within a very short time. The process is modular and can simulate the intensity of handling and the duration of circulation based on the selected settings.
Here, Jürgen Zerbes, Director of Product Marketing in the Banknote Solutions Division at G+D Currency Technology explains how the simulation works.
Mr. Zerbes, can you give us more details about the testing process?
The banknotes are subjected to extreme conditions and undergo very thorough testing. This means that they age at an accelerated pace. After six hours of testing, the banknote shows the same amount of stress as if it had been in circulation for two years under high strain. The banknote material is of course much more stable than ordinary paper, and is therefore more robust. This robustness is highly relevant in everyday life.
Can you explain the advantages of an accelerated circulation simulation for banknotes as opposed to a field trial?
This intensive testing enables us to preview a banknote's behavior in circulation. So central banks know whether their future banknotes will meet their expectations and actually achieve the intended service lifetime. Individual, wear-resistant variants can be objectively compared using this type of test. Field trials with banknotes are a highly sensitive issue, as they involve public participation and are therefore much more complex to conduct and control. Banknotes have to be distributed in large quantities, and strict monitoring of the various set-ups substantially increases the effort involved. It takes several years until the final results are obtained in such an experiment. Defects in a test note may also compromise the field trial.
Meeting the demand for banknotes requires reliable and cost-efficient planning in advance, to allow sufficient time between order and delivery. Quantity requirements for actual circulation and strategic stock levels are determined based on average "banknote consumption". Especially for new currencies or banknote series, the quality of the notes and their sustainability in circulation can be tested beforehand using our simulation.
What does the banknote look like after the test and what exactly can you deduce from this?
During the simulation, the banknote is soiled, crumpled, scratched, etc. It undergoes typical everyday situations, like being dropped into dirt or soil and stuffed into a pocket, and this is then evident from its appearance. The tests can be adapted according to the substrate used in the banknote and adjusted to the requirements of the central bank. Typical notes in various stages of degradation are taken from circulation in the relevant country and used to make adjustments in the final stage after simulation.
How do you assess whether a banknote is fit or unfit?
Each central bank sets the relevant quality standards for its banknotes independently, and is therefore ultimately responsible for deciding when its money must be exchanged or renewed. Needless to say, however, the degree of automation of a cash cycle is also a decisive factor here. The more frequently banknotes are counted automatically in a cash center and further processed, the more rapidly damaged notes can be taken out of circulation.
Giesecke+Devrient Currency Technology GmbH
+49 89 4119-0


text:
We do not rent or sell your email address to third parties. See our Privacy Policy for details. You can unsubscribe at any time.
You'll receive email newsletters at the following address:
The antioxidant Rhodiola rosea improved attention span and concentration, and lowered stress and fatigue, in a new study.
Researchers in the Department of Psychology at Uppsala University in Uppsala, Sweden aimed to study the efficacy of Rhodiola rosea in the treatment of individuals suffering from stress-related fatigue. They took 60 men and women between the ages of 20 and 55 who matched diagnostic criteria for stress-related fatigue syndrome or "burnout," which is physical, emotional and mental exhaustion from work and lifestyle factors.
Participants took 144 mg of the antioxidant Rhodiola rosea four times per day or a placebo for 28 days. On the first and last day, researchers used standard tests to measure the effects of the extract on quality of life, symptoms of fatigue, depression, attention span, and took saliva samples to check cortisol levels upon awakening. Cortisol is a stress-related hormone.
At the end of the study, compared to placebo, the Rhodiola rosea group experienced significant improvements in fatigue and burnout, mental health, depression and attention span. Before and after treatment, the Rhodiola rosea group had much less cortisol in the saliva on awakening from sleep.
Researchers concluded that multiple daily doses of Rhodiola rosea has an anti-fatigue effect that increases mental performance, particularly the ability to concentrate, and decreases cortisol response to awakening stress in those with fatigue syndrome burnout.
Planta Medica; 2009, Vol. 75, No. 2, 105-12.
† Compare price is the price compared to the manufacturer's suggested retail price or estimated selling price of the same or similar item at full-price stores. See Pricing Policy for details.
Information provided on this site is solely for informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Read more©2000-2020 Nutrition Express. All rights reserved.


text:
The Truth Will Set You Free .....
December 18, 2011
Members of the House of Representatives are being told that no holiday greetings, including "Merry Christmas," can be sent out in official mail.
According to the Washington Examiner, members who submit official mailings for review by the congressional franking commission that reviews all congressional mail to determine if it can be "franked," or paid for with tax dollars, are being told that no holiday greetings, including "Merry Christmas," can be sent.
"I called the commission to ask for clarification and was told no 'Merry Christmas.' Also told cannot say 'Happy New Year' but can say 'have a happy new year' – referencing the time period of a new year, but not the holiday," a Hill staffer who requested anonymity told the paper.
Another Hill staffer said that "we were given that advice after submitting" a draft mailing.
Members of Congress send millions of dollars worth of mail to constituents every year, but there are official rules that govern what can and cannot be said in those mailings. Members are barred, for example, from saying anything that might be construed as advocating their re-election.
But saying "Merry Christmas" is also not permitted, according to a Dec. 12 memo from the "Franking Commission Staff" concerning "Holiday Messaging." The memo explains:
Members are unable at the current time to use official resources to record holiday greetings, post on social media/website, or send to constituents in franked mail or e-communications.
Expenses related to the purchase or distribution of greetings, including holiday celebrations, condolences, and congratulations for personal distinctions (wedding anniversaries, birthdays, etc.), are not reimbursable."
Franking Manual:
4(a). Example of Nonfrankable Items
-Birthday, anniversary, wedding, birth, retirement or condolence messages and holiday greetings are prohibited."
You may make reference to the season as a whole using language along the lines of 'Have a safe and happy holiday season.' It may only be incidental to the piece rather than the primary purpose of the communication."
A franking commission spokesman told the Washington Examiner that members of Congress indeed cannot wish constituents "Merry Christmas" in any official mailing.
"Currently, incidental use of the phrase Happy Holidays is permissible, but Merry Christmas is not," said Salley Wood.
The paper notes that senators can say things congressmen can't because the Senate franking regulations say this:
"Senators may not use the frank to mail holiday cards. However, senators may use officially related funds to mail holiday cards to constituents. Holiday cards to friends should be sent with personal funds, not using Senate facilities."
Views: 106


text:
Related Resource
Drinking WaterBooklet
Water is one of those things that people usually take for granted—until it is either gone or unsuitable to drink. In 2007, residents in the southeastern United States were forced to take notice of water when extreme drought swept across the region. With no rain clouds on the horizon for months on end, lawns were shriveling and long-standing reservoirs were being sucked dry. Restaurants began using paper plates to avoid having to wash dishes. In Athens, Georgia, fans at the University of Georgia's homecoming football game were asked not to flush the toilets: stadium attendants were even hired to moderate flushing in a desperate effort to save water. It was the southeast's most extreme drought on record.
Water is a limited resource, the demands for which are fast increasing. Populations in some U.S. cities, like Las Vegas, Nevada, and Phoenix, Arizona, for instance, are expanding at a rate of thousands per month. The result is that water managers must struggle to keep taps flowing without compromising water supplies for future generations.
In the United States, a virtual army of people—utility workers, scientists and engineers, government officials, and many others—work around the clock to provide safe and clean drinking water to America's homes and businesses. Their efforts affect many aspects of society, from the health of individuals and ecosystems to the health of the nation's economy.
Droughts bring increased media attention to water issues, but extreme conditions are only a small part of the problems water managers encounter in their work. Even the modern water systems of developed nations face such challenges as chemical contamination, waterborne diseases, supply shortages, and deteriorating, outdated infrastructures.
This booklet provides an introduction to drinking water issues. It draws from a body of independent, peer-reviewed expert consensus reports from the National Research Council to provide an overview of public water supply and demand, water management and conservation, options for the government and the private sector, and the economic and ecological aspects of drinking water. The booklet focuses primarily on issues in the United States; references to international water issues are generally used for comparison purposes or to illustrate certain issues in greater depth.


text:
A state commission has decided to recommend that a stretch of the northern San Diego County coast known as Trestles be listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The State Historic Preservation Commission voted unanimously Friday to approve a request by the Orange County-based Surfrider Foundation. The Navy and Marine Corps opposed the move.
The Los Angeles Times reports ( https://lat.ms/XuLv2m ) the surfers hope that giving Trestles the special designation will protect it from any development that might disrupt the site as a famous surf break.
A portion of Trestles is owned by the Department of Defense. Another stretch has been used by the Marines for amphibious assault training since World War II.
The Times says Camp Pendleton officials are concerned that listing the area as historic could limit access to the beach.
Information from: Los Angeles Times, https://www.latimes.com


text:
The very popular 'Reggae Talks' at the University of the West Indies, Mona continue on Thursday, April 11 at 7:00 p.m. in the Neville Hall lecture theatre (N1). First it was Jah9, then Protoje, then No-Maddz. This week's speaker is the Swiss reggae artist Cali P who now lives in Jamaica.
In an exclusive interview with Gleaner writer Jordaine Delahaye, Cali P, whose legal name is Pierre Nanon, said, "I started writing lyrics and singing in Switzerland when I was 14. There were positives and negatives living there. Looking on it as a whole, I had a lot of moments where I really didn't want to be there because I felt unwelcome. Not being white there makes people treat you like a foreigner at all times, and that can get really annoying".
Born to a Swiss mother and a Guadeloupian father who is a Rastaman, Cali P knew where to turn to escape the alienation he felt in the land of his birth. He feels much more at home in his adopted country. The title of his talk, which will focus on his artistic development, is "musicCALI-sPeaKING".


text:
The Woodbury Chorus and Orchestra, under the direction of Erik Peregrine, will present "American Impressions" on Oct. 29, at the Somerset High School. This will be the second Woodbury Orchestra and Chorus presentation in Somerset.
This concert of familiar orchestral and choral music will include Copeland's Variation on a Shaken Melody from Appalachian Spring, What Wondrous Love Is This, Wade in the Water, The Promise of Living from Copeland's Tender Land, Gershwin's Summertime, Shenandoah, and selections from Dvorak's American Suite.
This concert will be performed at 4 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 29, at Somerset High School, 645 Sunrise Drive, to benefit the Somerset Community Food Pantry. The concert is free and no tickets are required. A freewill offering will be taken, with 100 percent of the proceeds to benefit the food shelf.
As the Woodbury Chorus and Orchestra enters its 32nd year, they note that in the last 26 years, their audiences have given over $500,000 for the food shelves, enough to provide over 2.5 million meals. The chorus and orchestra receive no compensation for this concert.


text:
Defeating the Conventional Wisdom About Apple Once AgainDecember 18th, 2012
It's an almost morbid concept, but, within days of the death of Steve Jobs, Apple critics appeared to be writing obituaries for the company. Jobs was the product guy. Tim Cook is the operations guy. How could Cook possibly perform creative miracles after the roster of products of which Jobs approved are used up? Of course, that's based on the assumption that nobody works for Apple, I suppose, and it's a sure thing Sir Jonathan Ive isn't just sitting there counting his millions.
Apple's mapping misstep became front and center as an example of the sort of screw up that wouldn't have occurred under Jobs' watch. Except that Antennagate occurred when Jobs was at the helm, and whom do you think signed off on all those online missteps, culminating in MobileMe and iCloud? And do you recall what Jobs said in response to a complaint about poor reception on the iPhone 4 because of the so-called Death Grip? He dismissed it with the suggestion that customers hold the phone differently. Besides, Maps didn't just appear overnight. Jobs was around when Apple decided to ditch Google and do it their way.
In contrast, Cook has clearly worked hard to clean up Apple's image. When Mapgate threatened to hurt Apple's holiday sales, Cook issued what can only be interpreted as a sincere apology, and even suggested that customers use other mapping apps until Maps could be fixed. That clearly includes Google Maps for iOS, which was posted in the App Store last week. To Apple, it doesn't matter so much as long as you buy their products. Besides, while loads of people downloaded Google Maps, I suspect a large portion of iOS users aren't tuned in to the fineries of navigation software, and won't bother.
Google claims that there were over 10 million downloads of Google Maps for iOS within the first 48 hours of its release. In contrast, within three days after iOS 6 was released in September, over 100 million devices had been upgraded. The ongoing success of Google Maps will probably be clear in a few weeks once the pent-up demand from early adopters has been satisfied.
In recent weeks, Apple's stock has nose-dived big time. Some suggest Apple deserves a reality check, and the bears have taken over on Wall Street. Profit margins will be challenged this quarter and perhaps through 2013 as the competition becomes fiercer than ever. Tablet market share will decline against the competition and, besides, the iPad mini is cannibalizing lots of sales from the more profitable full-sized iPad.
Perhaps not, as there's a published report indicating that 47% of iPad mini sales are to new customers. The report is based on a survey from Morgan Stanley and AlphaWise, in which 1,000 U.S. consumers were contacted. According to industry analyst Katy Huberty, yes sales of the regular iPad are being cannibalized to a degree, but concerns are said to be overblown.
Besides, if the iPad mini attracts customers who might have not purchased an iPad if Apple never released a smaller model, that's a win, right? An expanded market means that Apple will be better able to fend off the growing number of competitors.
What about the introduction of the iPhone 5 in China? When analysts didn't see reports of loads of people waiting on lines to buy one, they assumed sales were poor, not realizing that Apple set up a reservations system so someone could place an order without waiting and hoping one would be available at a retailer. The first weekend, some two million were sold, according to Apple. Nothing shabby about that.
All right, the stock price stabilized on Monday, though I never make predictions about Wall Street. All it takes is one alleged financial analyst to talk down a stock, and suddenly all hell breaks loose. But you wonder how many are banking on falling stocks to actually turn that into big profits? Buy low, sell high, and sell short, or sell in any way you can to inflate your capital gains. Or maybe, in fear of higher capital gains taxes in the U.S. next year, many holders of key stocks are going to get their profits now to keep the tax bills low.
While I understand Apple can't expect to remain at the top of the tech industry forever, the current concerns appear to be highly exaggerated. With the revelation that iPhone handset sales in China were quite good, that maybe the iPad mini isn't stealing loads of sales from the iPad, and that demand, in general, for Apple gear is high, I have to wonder why so many people are suddenly down on the company. I suppose part of it is that old cliché about the bigger they are and such, that Apple is destined for a hard fall any time now. Might as well dump the stock before it all comes crashing down, or maybe it's all about the Mayan calendar, but I wonder if you realize that there are actually a number of Mayan calendars that do not indicate an end-of-the-world scenario. Sorry to be a party-pooper.
I suppose it's also a good time to consider what Apple might have in store for you in 2013. The overwrought speculation that an Apple branded smart TV is inevitable doesn't mean such a product is really in the pipeline. Sure, I suppose prototypes have been built, but Apple builds lots of prototypes, and few translate into a finished product. Let's not forget what Tim Cook said on the subject, that Apple expects to only do a few things well, and thus shouldn't be expected to enter many markets. If there is an Apple smart TV in our future, it's going to have to be something really special. Maybe the Apple TV box will be it, either an enhanced version of the one you can currently buy, or something altogether new. Or maybe it'll remain a hobby for the foreseeable future.
And don't forget something else Tim Cook said in those recent interviews, that Apple wants to build products you never thought you'd need, but you can't live without once you buy one.
Print This Article


text:
Tinhorn Creek Vineyards at fifteen years
Photo: Robert Shaunessy (l), Sandra Oldfield, Kenn Oldfield (r)
This is Tinhorn Creek Vineyards fifteenth anniversary. In several ways it has been a momentous anniversary.
To begin with, this year's releases from the winery – the whites in the spring and the reds this fall – have been among the best ever from Tinhorn Creek.
The releases also included the first new varietal from the winery since its launch: a fine Syrah has joined its portfolio.
As well, the winery committed itself this summer to becoming one of Canada's first (possibly the first) winery to be carbon neutral. That involves capping the carbon emissions from winery operations and then beginning to reduce its production of greenhouse gases.
The first steps down that road are such common sense measures as replacing overhead sprinklers with drip irrigation; that reduces the winery's energy consumption, to say nothing of conserving water resources. In addition, the vineyard tractors have been switched to using biodiesel fuel.
There is a delicious irony that Tinhorn Creek, of all wineries, should be leading the pack toward carbon neutral. The winery's major owner, Robert Shaunessy, is an Alberta oil executive. He is obviously one oilman who is on side with the struggle to contain global warming.
In the immediate term, what matters to consumers is that of Tinhorn Creek's wines are strong – and reasonably priced. Even the reserve wines, called Oldfield Series, are much less aggressively priced that most reserve wines from the Okanagan.
Oldfield refers to winemaker Sandra Oldfield and husband Kenn, whose focus is on the vineyards.
Currently, the most expensive table wine in the portfolio is the debut Syrah, the Oldfield Series Syrah 2006 ($35). Only 340 cases were released in October. This wine is a blend of Syrah grown at Tinhorn Creek's Diamondback Vineyard on Black Sage Road; and Syrah grown across the valley at the winery. The wine spent 18 months in French oak barrels and another year in bottle before being released. This is a dark-hued and full-bodied red, as one would expect, a powerhouse with concentrated fruit. The complex flavours of this generous wine include plums, black cherry, liquorice and pepper. The finish lingers. 90
Tinhorn Creek Oldfield Series Merlot 2006 ($28), with 1,551 cases released, has been tweaked for this vintage with the addition of 6% Cabernet Franc and 1% Syrah. The wine also spent 18 months in barrel (French and American) and one year in bottle before release. It is ready to drink now but can also be cellared at least five more years.
This is a rich and well-balanced wine with spicy berry aromas and with flavours of blackberry, cherry and plum. I saved half a bottle for next day and found that the core of sweet fruit flavours had become even more generous and appealing. 90-92.
Tinhorn Creek Merlot 2007 ($19) should be widely available because the winery released 10,442 cases. For obscure reasons, I found myself tasting and re-tasting this wine over five days and I swear that it was better on each succeeding day. It is a sturdy red, tasting of black currants, cherries, vanilla and dark chocolate. The tannins were a touch bitter on the first day but they softened right out, as one would expect. Do yourself and the wine a favour by decanting it. My score started at 87 on the first day and climbed to 90 by the fifth.
Tinhorn Creek Cabernet Franc 2007 ($18). On first impression, this is a rustic, earthy and spicy example of Cabernet Franc, with concentrated fruit and flavours of plums and currants – and the expected zesty lift of this varietal. This is another one to decant and let the fruit emerge. My point score improved over three days of tasting to settle at 88. The winery released 6,444 cases.
Tinhorn Creek Pinot Noir 2007 ($19). If my tasting memory is accurate, this is Tinhorn Creek's best Pinot Noirs, more full-bodied that some of that rather light examples in previous vintages. The aromas are somewhat jammy but also a touch herbal. On the palate, it is a veritable berry cup of strawberries, raspberries and plums. The winery released 3,650 cases. 87
This fall's release also include the winery's Kerner Late Harvest 2008 ($13 for a half bottle). That sample has been set aside for a sweet wine tasting. Previous examples have been appealing, as is this price.


text:
See why Japan's first lady thinks she was on a UFO and take a look at our list of must-reads that will have you chatting at the lunch counter, over IM or wherever it is that people actually talk these days...
- The new first lady of Japan claims she had a close encounter with aliens. Miyuki Hatoyama says she boarded a UFO and went to Venus, according to a book she penned last year. "While my body was asleep, I think my soul rode on a triangular-shaped UFO and went to Venus," she wrote. "It was a very beautiful place and it was really green."
- Madonna travels with a private jet's worth of gym equipment, according to a report. On her recent trip to Israel, the Material Mom took over 11 suites and 25 rooms at a Tel Aviv hotel. The King Solomon Ballroom, typically a place reserved for weddings and bar mitzvahs, was turned into her gym so she could train for a six-day, 151-mile race next year.
- A gutted frog made its way into a can of Diet Pepsi and caught one Florida man by surprise when he took a large gulp of the soda and began gagging, or so the man says. The man's wife said something like "pink linguini" came out followed by "dark stuff" as he was grilling in his backyard. The Food and Drug Administration determined the foreign matter was a frog or a toad, but Pepsi said there's no way it was in one of their cans.
- Teens who experiment with drugs and sex are more mature than their peers. Those considered "at-risk" have more mature brains than their classmates, according to a new study. The brain's wiring is more developed in reckless teens, which could help to explain why youngsters who engage in risky behavior feel more adult and thus more likely to test limits.


text:
May 22, 2010 at 6pm to June 22, 2012 at 8pm – GRACE EXHIBITION SPACE & GALLERY Art Sync is a creative collaboration between artists from two different countries as well as a comprehensive study of the efforts and means used during this unique collaborate process. It is an exper… Organized by NuNu Hung | Type: art, exhibition, opening, reception, may, 22
April 13, 2009 to March 30, 2013 – Blurb on line http://www.blurb.com/books/508534 Miniscapes" book launch. Book covers a 15 year period of works portraying over 40 original illustrations approximately 10" x 14". They are essentially mixed media: m… Organized by Susan Shulman | Type: book, launch
December 29, 2009 at 6pm to December 1, 2011 at 7pm – http://mariam74.ning.com Visit STILartLITLE Visit STILartLITLE: SOCIAL NETWORK MEETING POINT for: Painters, Sculptors, Ceramics, Mosaics, Engraver and Arts like Organized by MARIA MARCU | Type: invitation
January 2, 2011 at 6pm to December 1, 2011 at 12pm – Show Artis Mercado will be featuring works through almost an entire year on the on The Show the Blog show ,blog section of the BAP Site. At the end of the showing he will give a lucky 0r (unlucky few… Organized by Perla | Type: http://www.brooklynartproject.com/profiles/blog/list
February 6, 2011 at 6pm to December 6, 2011 at 9pm – Atelier degli Artisti Comunicato stampa mostra Atelier degli Artisti Via dell'Arco di San Callisto, 40 (Trastevere) Roma presenta la mostra: Espressioni Diseguali dal 14 al 24 Ottobre 2010 Inaugurazione giovedì 14 otto… Organized by Atelier degli Artisti, Espressioni D'Arte e Associazione A.C.C.A | Type: paint, exhibition
February 17, 2011 at 12pm to May 2, 2012 at 6pm – TNC Gallery Organized by Peter J. Ketchum | Type: painters x 10, art, exhibit, 12-6, daily
March 24, 2011 at 6pm to February 10, 2012 at 7pm – Brooklyn NY cyberspace "War on Perfection" is my fight with our perfect world built by commercial photography and false journalism. I am independent artist, curator and journalists. working as an Art Director for Polish Da… Organized by Mieczyslaw Mietko Rudek | Type: contest
May 15, 2011 at 3pm to June 10, 2012 at 3pm – Diana H. Jones Center "URBANITY: INTERPRETATIONS OF THE URBAN LANDSCAPE" ~ Artist Talk: July 10, 2010. 1-2pm, Seating starts 12:30pm, open to public, free of charge, hablamos Espanol. ~ Weekly Hours: 5/15 - 7/10/10. Mon… Organized by Daryl-Ann Saunders | Type: art, exhibit, artist, talk
September 21, 2011 to December 31, 2012 – Odessa Ballet 2012 Ballet Announced the deadline to participate in art project, Ballet 2012 Ballet. All interested artists may apply for, and scenic art project. Your enrollment, you can send up to 30 Dece… Organized by Alik Vetrof | Type: deadline, art, project
September 22, 2011 to December 12, 2011 – QUETZALCOATL GALLERY DEADLINE TO RECEIVE ART: October 31, 2011 OPENING: November 11 - 6 PM - 9 PM EXHIBITION: November 11 - December 10, 2011; Monday - Friday, 2PM - 10PM WEBSITE: http://abadseattle.blogspot.com/ SEATTL… Organized by Kathleen McHugh | Type: art, call/, exhibition
October 4, 2011 at 6pm to November 30, 2011 at 7pm – Light Space & Time Online Art Exhibition Light Space & Time Online Art Gallery is pleased to announce that its October 2011 art exhibition is now posted on their website and is ready to view online. The theme for last month's art compet… Organized by John R. Math | Type: online, art, exhibition
October 6, 2011 at 10pm to November 19, 2011 at 2pm – Madrid- Spain Museo Tiflológico de la ONCE Desde 6/10/2011 Hasta 19/11/2011 C/ La Coruña, 18 28020 Madrid Entrada gratuitaJosé Manuel Solares, nace en Madrid en 1965. Artista autodidacta, con experiencia durante v… Organized by José Manuel Solares | Type: exposición
October 7, 2011 at 1:30pm to November 25, 2011 at 6:30pm – 110 CHURCH | gallery Consider the connection/disconnection between memory and discarded artifacts of communication. If old letters, photographs, or videos are connected to past events in our lives — what happens when the… Organized by heavy bubble | Type: exhibition
October 12, 2011 at 6pm to November 12, 2011 at 7pm – Brooklyn Heights Cinema Lauren Jonik/ShootLikeAGirlPhotography is pleased to announce that sixteen images based on the theme of shadows and reflections are currently on display for the next month at the Brooklyn Heights Cin… Organized by Lauren | Type: exhibit
October 15, 2011 at 7pm to November 6, 2011 at 7pm – Pandemic Gallery Pandemic Gallery Presents: Wrona "Pretty Horrible" A demonic solo exhibition Opening Sat. Oct. 15th Opening Reception 7 - 11pm If you have been walking around the streets of Manhattan in the last 1… Organized by Pandemic Gallery | Type: art, show
October 20, 2011 at 6pm to November 20, 2011 at 7pm – RHV Fine Art Liz Jaff creates installations and objects which reflect her personal impression of space and memory. She explores the structural attributes and aesthetic qualities intrinsic to paper that she cuts a… Organized by Robert Henry Contemporary | Type: exhibition, reception:, 10/20/11, 6-8pm
October 25, 2011 to November 19, 2011 – Brenda May Gallery Exhibition of Marc Standing's current paintings at Brenda May Gallery, Sydney, Australia. Organized by Marc Standing | Type: exhibition
November 3, 2011 to December 31, 2011 – Light Space & Time Online Art Exhibition Light Space & Time Online Art Gallery is pleased to announce that its November 2011 art exhibition is now posted on their website and is ready to view online. The theme for last month's art compe… Organized by John R. Math | Type: online, art, exhibition
November 3, 2011 at 6pm to January 13, 2012 at 6pm – Umbrage Gallery "Grace Before Dying" tells the emotional story of an extraordinary breakthrough in humanity that has helped to transform one of the most dangerous maximum security prisons in the United States, the L… Organized by Umbrage Gallery | Type: opening, reception
November 3, 2011 at 7pm to November 6, 2011 at 3pm – Nuyorican Poets Cafe Judith Sloan's Yo Miss! Teaching Inside the Cultural Divide Thursday, Friday, Saturday, November 3, 4, 5, at 7 PM and Sunday November 6 at 3 PM Nuyorican Poets Café 236 Eas… Organized by Nia | Type: performance
November 4, 2011 at 6pm to November 6, 2011 at 7pm – Art 101 Kathleen Vance: 'Outgrowth of Nature' October 13 - November 6th The exhibition is in three parts and includes Vance's amazingly intricate drawings; part of the Traveling Landscape series; and a… Organized by Kathleen Vance | Type: art, exhibition
November 5, 2011 at 7am to December 10, 2011 at 11pm – 1727 E Levee Street, Dallas TX Coming November 5th through December 10th, 2011 The International Biennale Artist Exhibition showcases a community of well-established artists, whose artwork serves to express cultural diversity, whi… Organized by ashok kumar | Type: international, biennale, artist, exhibition, 05th, nov., to, 10th, dec, 2011
November 6, 2011 from 12pm to 6pm – Neumann Leathers Building - 5th Floor I am going to be participating in the Hoboken Artists Studio Tour this year! I have even wrangled in some members of my art collective, Union Square Artists. So expect to see some new art and sewin… Organized by Amy Bauer | Type: art, tour


text:
Apple has created or supported more than 500,000 jobs. Phishing attacks cost the economy $234 billion a year. And giving social and mobile CRM tools to salespeople makes them 26.4 percent more productive. All these preposterous numbers are floating around the Web these days, peddled by PR people who count on easy hooks to sell their products, burnish their clients' images, or advance an agenda.
Apple's attempt at statistical flimflammery is the most offensive because it's a transparent attempt to change the public conversation about Apple from the question of atrocious labor practices in the Chinese factories that make iPhones and iPads to job creation. (Of course, yesterday's announcement of "the new iPad" will help in the diversion as well.)
[ Get the first word on what the day's key technology news means with InfoWorld's Tech Watch blog. | And get a digest of the key tech news stories each day in our Technology News Wrap-up newsletter. ]
The misuse of statistics and the preparation of allegedly scientific surveys designed to fool is spread across the Web by the axis of fakery: tech companies, PR agencies, and gullible (or feckless) journalists. Taking a cue from our friends at NPR's "Car Talk," I'll periodically call "Bogus!" on the most egregious examples of statistical and survey fakery by tech companies and their agents. I encourage you to spot them and forward them to Tech's Bottom Line for the ridicule they deserve.
Bogus security tales and phish stories
One of the most persistent offenders is the security industry, particularly the companies that sell antimalware products to consumers. Not a week passes without at least one, and usually more, attempts by PR folks to sell me on a story about a terrible new security threat.
Case in point, the subject line of an email sent to me this week: "233.4 million phish/day costs $230B/year." The email came from a PR person representing Agari, which sells -- you guessed it -- email security products, including antiphishing tools.
I won't mention her name -- I don't pick on individuals unless they're CEOs -- but when I pushed the PR person to provide substantiation, she said, "Cisco did a study a while ago, but we can't find the link." She also mentioned another unavailable study, by IID and Wachovia, that purports to show each successful phishing episode knocks nearly $2,000 off the brand equity of companies that are hit and costs IT departments $780 to clean up after each attack. A few minutes later, she backed off a bit, saying in another email that the annual cost of phishing is just $98 billion. So which is it?
Apple's bogus labor study
Here's what Apple posted on its website last week: "Throughout our history, Apple has created entirely new products -- and entirely new industries -- by focusing on innovation. As a result, we've created or supported more than 500,000 jobs for U.S. workers: from the engineer who helped invent the iPad to the delivery person who brings it to your door."
Breaking down those stats, Apple says it is responsible for 304,000 current jobs across a wide array of industries, including engineering, manufacturing, and transportation, as well as another 210,000 in the "app economy."


text:
After all, we think a 14 year old should be in control of her body enough to decide on her own to have an abortion, so why isn't she old enough to consent to sex?
I'm thinking about this because of a case that's in the news today:
Kaitlyn Hunt, or "Kate," has just refused a plea deal in a case that has focused the nation on discriminatory prosecutions and ways in which LGBT people are treated differently by some prosecutors. Kate Hunt, a high school senior who began a consensual relationship with a classmate three years her junior, when she was 17, was arrested when she turned 18 after her girlfriend's parents demanded her arrest and expulsion from school.
The Florida prosecutor, Brian Workman, offered her a deal vastly different from those generally offered to teens in her situation engaged in opposite-sex consensual relationships. Instead of offering her a misdemeanor charge Hunt is being charged with two felonies. Her plea deal would include her being forced to register as a sex offender for the rest of her life, no possibility of her case being overturned or records sealed, and forced to serve two years' house arrest.
"Hunt will appear in court June 20, and could face 15 years in prison if convicted... (source)
I'm curious what your thoughts are on the question in the subject line as well as on this case.
Views: 4466
Jerry Falwell was gay for purple Teletubbies
Who isn't? Tinky Winky had a handbag and got the sack I believe for being too nelly.
Hi Greg
re: " .... man with a big stick"
Thats just an expression meaning someone that scares them. Not unlike having to face a tribal elder kind of thing.
I dont believe in hitting children - ever. I smacked my son a couple of times when he was little and I had never felt more ridiculous in my life. I thought "look at how big I am and how small he is" and it just felt so wrong that it never happened again. I dont believe in hitting or smacking or threatening or yelling or over-using the word no with children ...
"Its not a bad idea though to scare the bejeezuz out of some bitch by a man wielding a big dick."
You are funny
weird more like
Personally, I think 14 is old enough. Then again, at 14, your hormones pretty much rule your life, so you aren't exactly in a position to make a reasonable decision about sex.
I don't recall EVER being in a position to make a reasonable decision about sex.
Bwahahah.. Lordy, ain't that the truth?
"Analogies from animals are always risky."
Yes but this is how we know what we know - we experiment with monkeys - we traumatize them and raise them in extremely neglectful environments. Then we make those poor monkeys have a baby and see if it knows what to do. It doesnt know what to do and it neglects it.
"Birds allow the stronger offspring to harass and even kill the weaker siblings, who frequently are shouldered out of the nest. The mother bird turns a blind eye,"
The mother bird turns a blind eye and that harassed baby bird dies. Never to become an adult - ever. Mother bird doesnt keep that baby bird alive so the other sibligs can torture it every day.
"We want children who need us to protect them so we create children who need us to protect them."
No - Children need to be protected - so we need to protect them.
No - Children need to be protected - so we need to protect them.
Of course, but at a rate which can rapidly decrease depending on our expectations of them.Naturally, we can't expect a four year old to be much help hunting rhino, but other cultures show us that children can be useful contributors far sooner than we do. We expect our kids to take on adult responsibilities somewhere in the 18-25 age range. Elsewhere, kids have been productive citizens starting from age 8 or 10 on.
I'm with the birds on this one.
Not strong enough to survive childhood? Then you'll probably make a pretty shitty adult.
..............and this is why I'm not having children.
This all reminds me of Johnny Cash's song "A boy named Sue".


text:
(CNN) -- In Syria, not all rebels carry guns, some carry cameras.
Charif Kiwan heads up Abounaddara, a collective of Syrian filmmakers who are hoping to affect change in how the Syrian conflict is portrayed, both by President Bashar al-Assad and the media at large.
Abounaddara's members -- all volunteer, all anonymous -- create short films, generally two to five minutes long, in which they give a voice to ordinary citizens. They try to capture the day-to-day lives of Syrians, whether they live inside the country, in a nearby refugee camp, or further abroad in exile. After editing, the films are posted to video-sharing site Vimeo every Friday.
"The idea is to make films that allow the universal viewer to feel something without knowing anything about Syria," says Kiwan.
The film's subjects can be anybody -- a soldier with the Free Syrian Army, a widowed shopkeeper or a young woman arguing her right not to wear a veil. They, too, are anonymous; their names are never revealed, nor are their locations.
"We try to make the viewer ask himself questions. We want to make him reconsider the representation of this conflict," says Kiwan.
"There are anonymous men and women who are fighting for their freedom, no matter if they are Christian or Muslim, soldiers or loyalists. We just focus on the shared humanity and deep humanity that is in everyone."
Who shapes the narrative?
Kiwan believes that President al-Assad has been very savvy when it comes to managing his image and that of the war. A prime example is how the Syrian leader has depicted all rebels as "terrorists".
"Assad is saying, 'I am a good guy. I may be a dictator, but I am a gentleman fighting against Islamists. You may not like me, but support me, because we have the same enemy.' He's succeeding in making the world believe that's the case," he says.
Since the conflict started over three years ago, Assad has set up an Instagram account that depicts him as the benevolent dictator -- kissing babies and waving to cheering crowds. He has also allegedly sought to control the information that leaves his country through internet blackouts, while the Syrian Electronic Army has tried to manage public opinion by hacking the websites and social media accounts of major news organizations, including The New York Times and Associated Press, and infiltrating them with pro-Assad missives.
"We don't face the same dangers as journalists or citizen reporters, and we're not fighting with weapons, but the regime views everyone who carries a camera as an enemy, so it's still very, very dangerous," says Kirwan.
"In Syria, the image can kill. It's really true."
Kiwan equates Abounaddara with snipers, training their sights on the regime.
"When we started in 2010, in order to film anything in Syria, you had to ask permission from the censors," he says. "Our idea was that if we used the internet, and didn't chose political subjects openly, the censor wouldn't see anything."
Making it difficult to care
Abounaddara doesn't rely on violence to get the message across. For Kiwan, a stronger message is one that doesn't involve bloodshed.
"The mainstream media relies on images of people who have been wounded or killed, but then we as a people are associated with misery. It's voyeurism," says Kiwan.
"You make people more accepting of the destruction. They viewer thinks, 'OK, they are dying, but they are not like me.' We believe that the only way to protect people is to show their image with dignity. Once you see them that way, you can feel their humanity, and you cannot accept the situation as easily."
Getting noticed
Abounaddara is starting to garner some attention of its own. "Of God and Dogs," a film in which a soldier in the Free Syrian Army confesses to killing an innocent man, won the Short Film Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival. A selection of shorts were also screened in London as part of the Human Rights Watch film festival.
"It's important for us that we get recognized as film makers by our colleagues around the world, because this protects us from political tutelage," says Kiwan.