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Just when you thought there was nothing more that could be squeezed into a pocket-sized multitool, Gerber comes along with the Steady, and proves our imagination to be pathetically limited. What does this many-bladed wonder bring to the transforming tool party? A camera tripod.
Gerber's Steady Tool is aimed at real everyday use, with a slew of practical, non-specialized tools. There's a pair of needle-nose pliers, flat and serrated blades, a bottle opener (essential), screwdrivers, wire cutters and of course a tripod and cellphone/camera mount.
The body of the tool forms one leg, while the other two stick out like a sea lion's flippers. You can either screw a standard thread into the bottom of a camera or tripod-compatible phone cases, or you can use the suction cup to stick the sleek, smooth glass back of your iPhone 4 to the 5.8-ounce tool.
The Steady will cost you $64. Not cheap, but you do get Gerber quality, plus everything you need to conduct a booze-filled picnic.
[Via Uncrate]


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Sofia Coppola knows a little something about having a famous father.
As the daughter of the acclaimed filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola, the director tells PopcornBiz she was able to add a few personal embellishments to her latest film "Somewhere," which follows a famous Hollywood actor (Stephen Dorff) confronting the emptiness of his fast-lane lifestyle when forced to spend time watching over his young daughter (Elle Fanning) when his ex suddenly checks out.
Coppola reveals that the existential, contemplative film does touch on some autobiographical elements of her experiences with her own father, particularly when the daughter gains unique entree into a jet-set world usually closed to children. "That character isn't based on him, but of course I put the kind of tender father/daughter moments that are significant to me."
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The day's top national and international news.
In one scene, 11-year-old Cleo studies her dad's technique at the craps table while on a promotional trip to Italy. "When I was writing that part of the story I tried to think of memories and I remember it as exciting as a kid getting to go with my dad occasionally to places that kids don't usually go," says Coppola. "So I thought that I'd try to put some of that into the story and connect it to something real. I remember my dad stayed at casinos when he would write scripts and I remember going visit and him explaining craps to me. It was fun because kids don't get to do that."
For Dorff's character Johnny Marco – who has decadent temptations constantly thrown his way – Coppola also drew inspiration from the many observations and anecdotes she'd gathered growing up in and around show biz.
"I based it on people I've seen and stories that I've heard, and it's a very extreme lifestyle," she says. "I tried to imagine what that was like – and I relate to it in some ways, but I don't really feel like him because my life is so different than his. His is pretty out of balance. I think it's up to the person, but I can imagine that if you became famous quickly and had a lot of life switches and girls throwing themselves at you all the time and people offering all kinds of things, I could see how someone might go out of balance for a little bit."
"I think it's about points in your life when you have to look at yourself and decide what kind of person you're going to be, which I feel that everyone has to look at sometimes," she explains. "Also, I'd just had my first daughter and so I was thinking about how having a kid changes your priorities and perspective. I wanted to put some of that in the story, so I think it's also about a father/daughter relationship."
With her father executive producing "Somewhere," the director admits it can test her nerves to show him one of her films.
"In one way he's always very supportive, so it's not a scary environment, but of course I hope that my parents like what I make, like any kid," she explains. "I don't generally have a thing about, like, 'I'll only show final cut,' but on this one I wanted to show him when it was all put together. He was really touched by it and said to me that it was a movie only I could make – and that we should make movies that only we could make."

subset: commoncrawl


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'A Streetcar Named Desire' to Arrive at Augustana Feb. 24
Augustana's theatre season continues with performances of Tennessee Williams' acclaimed play, A Streetcar Named Desire, directed by Dan Workman.
Performances will be held at Augustana's Edith Mortenson Center Theatre at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 24 - 26 and at 7:30 p.m. March 3 - 5.
Widely considered a landmark play, Streetcar deals with the culture clash between two iconic characters: Blanche DuBois, a fading relic of the Old South, and Stanley Kowalski, a rising member of the industrial, urban working class.
Having lost her teaching job and the family plantation home, Blanche sets off for New Orleans to stay with her sister, Stella, who is married to the brutish Stanley Kowalski. While she tries hard to hang on to her poise and culture, Blanche's destructive tendencies – think delusions of grandeur and alcoholism – push their way to the surface.
After Stanley exposes Blanche's faults to her would-be suitor, Blanche finds herself caught between fantasy and reality as she tries to manage the industrial culture of the city while fending off Stanley.
Streetcar won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1948, and has been described as "eye-opening," "powerful" and "unlike any other."
The cast includes Keanna Casanova, Sioux Falls, S.D., '12; Matt Cook, Adrian, Minn., '11; Leah Hilsabeck, Milford, Iowa, '11; Mo Hurley, Sioux Falls, S.D., '14; Jared Mitchell, Welch, Minn., '12; Megan McDonald, Sioux Falls, S.D., '12; Bryan Okerlund, Sauk Centre, Minn., '12; Casey Ring, St. Paul, Minn., '12; Martha Stai, Inwood, Iowa, '11; Kayla Straub, Ashland, Mo., '11; Josh Thies, Sioux Falls, S.D., '13; and Zack Truelson, Sioux Falls, S.D., '14. The design team also features many students: Katharine Demke, Bismarck, N.D., '11; Justin Duffield, Rapid City, S.D., '11; Caleb Ruppert, Marshall, Minn., '12; and Josh Thies, Sioux Falls, S.D., '13.
Tickets are available at www.augietickets.com or by calling 605.274.5320. Tickets are $12 for adults, $8 for senior citizens and students, and are free with an Augustana ID.
Kelly Sprecher
Director of Communications & Media Relations


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Mon-Fri 9am - 7pm
Sat 9am - 6pm
Sunday open for large catering only
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Welcome to Rom's Italian Market Sturbridge, MA
Rom's Italian Market is located right on Main St. in Sturbridge, MA. Offering delicious Italian food for dine-in or take-out, we also provide catering for all types of functions with the freshest prepared foods. All offerings are created with quality ingredients and
cooked on the premises daily. Chef/Owner David Roscioli has been cooking original Rom's meatballs, sauce and homemade specialties for over
30 years. Our menu includes many Italian favorites, but if you have something else in mind, just phone or visit. We are happy to work with you
to put together a perfect menu for your special occasion!


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SW-MOTECH metal bracket for Quick-Lock tankbags. Garmin GPS holders that are compatible with RAM-B-238 balls, as well as the TomTom Rider, can be mounted directly to this metal bracket. Can also be used with SW-MOTECH Navi bag pouch in extra large, large, medium, and small to hold many other small electronics.
Fits the following Quick-Lock Tankbags:
The following RAM-Mounts can be directly attached to this bracket without any additional hardware:
- RAM-HOL-GA5U for Garmin E-Trex
- RAM-HOL-GA6U for Garmin GPS 76
- RAM-HOL-GA7U for Garmin GPS 176
- RAM-HOL-GA9U for Garmin 2600 & 2700 series GPS
- RAM-HOL-GA12U for Garmin GPSMAP 60C
- RAM-HOL-GA15U for Garmin Quest
- RAM-HOL-GA2U for Garmin II & III series GPS
Any other RAM-B-238-compatible adapter can also be directly attached to this SW-MOTECH metal bracket.
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Lawmaker: Don't sell e-cigarettes to minors
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – The number of minors using electronic cigarettes doubled in Florida from 2011 to 2012, according to the state Department of Health. Now lawmakers want to make the sales of the devices to minors go up in smoke.
Jim Hampton's store in Tallahassee is one of thousands of outlets in the state that sell e-cigarettes.
Hampton proudly sells the device that he said has helped dozens of customers quit tobacco by still allowing them to inhale nicotine.
With just a few clicks, an e-cigarette can dispense flavored nicotine vapors. It's something state Sen. Lizbeth Benacquisto wants to make sure isn't sold to minors, just like a traditional cigarette.
"Well, the trend is that youth are using them in larger numbers, and as a mom, I want to do all I can to protect kids from getting addicted to nicotine at such a young age," Benacquisto said.
There has yet to be federal regulation on the e-cigarettes because they don't contain tobacco. Minors can purchase the cartridges and flavored nicotine juices as they please.
Hampton decided not to sell to minors at his store, but he believes they're better for kids than real tobacco.
"If my child was under 18 and smoked cigarettes, I would certainly purchase them for him," Hampton said.
While Hampton supports the bill and regulating the marketplace, his main worry is opening the door to banning e-cigarettes in public.
Benacquisto didn't go so far as to rule it out.
"If another senator wants to file another bill at another time, that's their prerogative," she said. "But my desire and the desire of this bill is to keep them from being purchased by minors."
The bill has passed its first three committees unanimously. The next stop is the Senate appropriations committee.
If passed, the bill would make selling to minors a second-degree misdemeanor and would be bumped up to a first-degree misdemeanor if there are multiple violations in the same year.
Copyright 2014 by News4Jax.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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British and Irish ex-patriate residents in Greece often forget just how large is Crete. In fact, the Island of Crete covers a total area of 8,336 square kilometres or 6.3% of the total territory of Greece.
Below is a photographic guide to the Megalonissos "Big Island" of Crete taken from Space during a NASA Space Shuttle Mission. The Semi Circular Island with a tiny speck in its centre is the Volcanic Island of Santorini (centre to the right in the photograph).
The highest peak on Crete is Mt Psiloritis (Ψηλορειτης) or Mt Pachnes, even Mt Idi - after its location in the mountain range called Oros Idi (Idi Mountains). It stands at 2456 metres or 8057 feet high in the Rethymnon prefecture (nomos). According to legend this is the birthplace of the Greek God Zeus, hence the reason the Greeks call Psiloritis the Mountain of the Gods. Actually there are five "peaks" within a few metres of each other. Psiloritis edges out Mount Pachnes at 2452 meters.
Mt Psilorotis is locally named as Timios Stavros (Holy Cross). Hence: Sainte-Croix" in French, or Heiliges Kreuz" in German.
From the picture below, you can see that there is snowfall but it varies from year to year. There are one or two cabins for skiers in the western part of Crete (yes there are several short run pistes) on the higher slopes at high altitude. Check out the culture of the people and the customs and other useful information of the Mt Psiloritis region at a dedicated website.
Crete is generally classified as a "Mediterranean Climate" with hot dry summers and cool wet winters. It is also a mountainous island including several high plateaus with a strip of low lying coastline. The island therefore has several micro-climates. The north coast receives northerly breezes, generally bringing cooler air, while the south coast is a more protected coastline from the prevailing winds. The south coast generally, the Island of Gavdos (regarded as Europe's most southerly island) and especially the plain at which Moires is at the centre, is regarded as having a North African climate - noticeably hotter and drier. The south coast resorts such as Matala and the areas around Plakias, Paleohora and all the way to Ierepetra and Vai are the hottest in summer, with soaring temperatures in the region of 40C+. Lassithi Plateau is cooler and pleasant at the height of summer, and cool enough to grow deciduous fruits such as apples and pears, and above the olive growing line.
If you like activities on the beach, Crete has 1,046 kilometres of Coast Line, much of which is suitable for swimming, sunbathing, scuba diving, sailing, and just having fun in general.
Also the majority of the beaches on Crete have been awarded the International Blue Flag status for their high quality health standard and cleanliness. Mind you, clean beaches are always a controversial issue, here is a conversation in our forum to illustrate from several years ago.
You may ask: "What is a Blue Flag Beach Award?" The answers can be found in our dedicated blue flag beach page along with the ranked beaches named in 2011 for those Class 1 beaches spread out over the island of Crete in all four of its prefectures, namely: Chania, Rethymnon, Herakion and Lassithi. Crete has the most beaches in Greece. Lasithi has the most beaches in Crete.
Crete is famous for its sunshine and blue sky, but the annual amount of sunshine per year varies from the North side to the South Side of this 260+ kilometres long island. The average in the North can be anything up to 2700 hours while the Southern Coast can bask in the sun for up to 3000 hours per annum.
Contrary to popular belief (particularly among tourists) Crete does not have wall to wall sunshine 365 days a year, Crete does have a winter, granted it's not as long as the Winters in the UK, nor anywhere near as harsh but it's Winter alright. In summer (May to September) temperatures are a daily average of 29°C and in winter they can be down as low as 14°C.
The average rainfall is around 9.27cm most of this seems to fall between December and April. Both Spring and Autumn are brief. Curiously the seasons are shifting. Novembers can be dry with clear days making them feel warm for the time of the year. March and April can be unpredictable. During that period, Crete can sometimes feel like it is experiencing four seasons in a day.
The Population of Crete is around 650,000 at last count (2005) This figure relates to permanent residents, and equates to around 5% of the total population of Greece. The figure in Summer is considerably higher with foreign workers arriving for the Holiday Season
Crete is a very popular travel and holiday destination. Of the two million visitors, half are from the British Isles. Most years Crete welcomes more than 22% of all international arrivals in Greece. More detailed and useful statistics and general reading on Crete can be found at Wikipedia.


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Soliciting the help of a wedding planner is the perfect way to ensure the day is stress-free and everything goes off without a hitch. To guarantee you are hiring a reputable wedding planner, read their past customer reviews and book an in-person consultation to discuss requirements, expectations and your budget. There's so many out there ready to make your dream wedding a reality!Wedding Planners Essex
Wedding Planners Insights
There are 8 Essex Wedding Planner suppliers from which to choose. Overall, they have an average rating of 5.0 out of 5. Couples usually enquire with 6 vendors in this category and book 10 months out from their wedding date, typically after a Wedding Venue and before a Wedding Dress. Engagement Venue suppliers range between $3,000 and $7,000, averaging at $5,000. Given UK weddings typically cost £471,795, this means UK couples spend % of their wedding budget on Wedding Planner.
1 suppliers match your filters. Clear
Our aim is to make your party or event memorable at realistic prices, giving value for money.
No suppliers match your filters. Please try a different search


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The Alpina 3 is based on the Delta 3, but weighs in at an incredible 1kg less! It is a fully optimised high-performance lightweight wing with a powerful feel in active air.
The MULTITOOL. Meets. Every. Demand. Have you always wanted to fly a paraglider that fulfills your every need? ARAK is your first choice! Our third model in the intermediate class cuts through traditional categories and combines everything you want from a paraglider. The ARAK stands for easy handling, rich performance and, above all: lots of fun. These features make the ARAK a true all-rounder and the perfect companion for your next adventure!
Ascent VarioThe following items are included with the purchase of Ascent vario:
- Wall and car charger
- USB cable
- Semi hard storage case
- Riser strap
- Lanyard
Baofeng 2m Radio
- Professional-Quality
- User-Friendly design
- Features
- Long Communication range
- Noise reduction circuit
- Battery SAVE.CTCSS.DCS
- Scrambler
- High Capability li-ion
- FM radio
- Long standby time
Conterra Radio Chest HarnessOriginally designed for ski patrol and mountain rescue use, this one size fits all radio harness will instantly adjust to hold any radio snugly to your chest without the use of multiple straps or buckles found on lesser quality harnesses.
The Crispi Airborne GTX
This boot has set the standard in paragliding and hang gliding protective footwear for over 30 years. The Vibram sole, detachable ankle support and light weight make it the ideal boot for hiking and flying.
- Sorry, size 44 not available at the moment!
The new beginner's wing Cruiser4 - Less weigth and considerably enhanced gliding performance in comparison with the previous model. The Cruiser beginner's series has been popular for years and now has been revised for the third time in order to let it start into the new season with improved features. Now also available as Cruiser4 Motor!
WingMan HD
- Capture 1080p HD Video & Digital Stills
- Action Camera Weighs Only 3 oz (85.1 g)
- Waterproof Case Up to 98.4' (30 m) Deep
- Color 1.5" LCD for Recording & Playback
- Shoot Close-Ups with the 3x Digital Zoom
- Wide-Angle View Up to 150deg
- Helmet & Bar Mounts to Shoot Hands-Free
- Includes 8GB MicroSD Card & All Cables
- Comes with Wall Charger & Car Charger
- Universal Mounting System & Wrist Strap
Deluxe Hook KnifeThis knife is amazing. It has a wide opening near the blade to allow not just lines but entire risers or webbing to be cut. The handle is balanced nicely in your hand. The cutting blade is a simple straight raiser that can be replaced if ever used, just to make sure you have the sharpest blades. Hook knifes are a great idea if your towing over water, a tandem pilot or concerned about landing under a reserve in a less than opitimal environment.
A new intermediate instrument designed for Cross-Country flying. The GPS SD has all the XC flying features of the NAV SD and LIVE SD, except those specific of competition flying.
GPS SD PlusA new intermediate instrument designed for Cross-Country flying with all of the functions of live tracking.The GPS SD Plus has all the XC flying features of the NAV SD and LIVE SD, except those specific of competition flying.
Flymaster HEART-GAdds a new twist to your flight.
Is our top of the range flight instrument and successor of the LIVE - well known for its use in PWCA and REDBULL X-ALPS.
Is the newest Flymaster flight instrument specially built for competition pilots.
The Flymaster PocketMade from durable materials, the pocket, offers protection to your instrument from wear and tear. It specifically caters to Flymaster's connectors and security line with correctly positioned openings.
The new FLYMASTER VARIO SDis the ideal instrument for Leisure flights, with the high sensitivity ULTRASENSE variometer. The Flymaster VARIO SD won't miss a thermal in leisure and cross-country flights, ensuring the best value for money on the market.


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June 25, 2018
What's in a Condo? The In-Between Style of Home That Might Be the Right Fit for You
Posted in Buying by John Trupin
Condominium homes are a great, low-maintenance choice for a primary residence, second home, or investment property. This alternative to the traditional single-family home has unique issues to consider before buying, as well as unique benefits. Here's some background information to help you decide whether purchasing a condo is a good match for you.
Read More >
June 11, 2018
A Beginner's Guide to Securing a Mortgage Loan
Posted in Buying by John Trupin
Entering into debt is a concept I grew up diametrically opposed to. I was raised, like many with frugal family members, to understand that anything you couldn't pay for on the spot was something you couldn't afford. But as we age we learn the pathway to financial growth requires a commitment beyond what many of us can deliver up front. Building and stabilizing wealth is, for many families...
Read More >
May 21, 2018
How to Get Started in Real Estate Investing
Posted in Buying by John Trupin
Investing in real estate is one of the world's most venerable pathways to building wealth. When properly managed, income from renting or real estate investment trusts can provide you with the financial security to plan out the rest of your life. The conclusion is easy to envision, but knowing where to begin can be overwhelming, particularly for anyone who has never previously owned a home.
Read More >
April 25, 2018
10 Key Qualities to Look for When Selecting an Agent
Posted in Buying by John Trupin
Buying a home is one of the most significant financial and emotional purchases of a person's life. That's why it is so important to find an agent that can not only help you navigate the home search process but one who can also answer your questions and represent your needs from start to finish.
Read More >
April 04, 2018
5 Deal Breakers that can blindside home buyers
Posted in Buying by Kenady Swan
Purchasing a home can be a complex endeavor for even the most well-prepared home buyer. You've diligently saved for your down payment, followed the market, researched agents and now you are ready to make an offer on your dream home. Don't let these 5 "Deal Breakers" come between you and your new home.
Read More >
March 26, 2018
How Tax Reform Affects Homeowners
Posted in Buying, Selling, and Market News by Sonja Riveland
New tax legislation was signed into law at the end of 2017, and it included some significant changes for homeowners. These changes took effect in 2018 and do not influence your 2017 taxes. Here's a brief overview of this year's tax changes and how they may affect you*.
Read More >
March 14, 2018
Homeowners Insurance: Protecting Your Home
Posted in Buying by Kenady Swan
In addition to providing shelter and comfort, our home is often our single greatest asset. And it's important that we protect that precious investment. Most homeowners realize the importance of homeowners insurance in safeguarding the value of a home. However, what they may not know is that about two-thirds of all homeowners are under-insured.
Read More >
March 07, 2018
Myths and Truths About Millennial Home Buyers
Posted in Buying and Living by Zacarias Dumas
In recent years there has been a lot written about millennial's and their impact on the housing market. Because of this there are also a lot of misconceptions about what this generation wants from a home. To start, it's important to know that there are more than 71 millennial's, which are defined as those aged 22-37.
Read More >
January 10, 2018
Empty Nesters: Remodel or Sell?
Posted in Buying, Selling, and Living by Sonja Riveland
Your kids have moved out and now you're living in a big house with way more space than you need. You have two choices – remodel your existing home or move. Here are some things to consider about each option.
Read More >
January 05, 2018
Matthew Gardner's 2018 Housing Forecast
Posted in Buying, Selling, and Market News by Matthew Gardner, Chief Economist, Windermere Real Estate
Windermere is fortunate to have Chief Economist Matthew Gardner on staff to provide valuable analysis of the economy and housing market. Matthew recently completed his national forecast which details his predictions for the 2018 housing market.
Read More >


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This scoop-back chair is a a little bit dated, like something you might find at an estate sale. But not in a bad way—in the right living room with the right decor, it has just the perfect amount of retro.
They come in solids and prints, for $80 and $100, respectively. The chairs are part of a line of housewares by Alyson Fox for West Elm, and more stuff in this style will arrive later this month. For now, the stylish seats are just enough to tide you over. [Design Sponge]


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This stretchy pullover that has splices of color with subtle texture on the sleeves and sides. Sport-Wick moisture-wicking technology easily handles moisture so you stay cool and dry.
Every order is custom printed and personalized to your needs direct from our production facility in Detroit, MI. Items are typically completed within 5 business days and then require additional shipping time to reach your location.


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TAIPEI, TAIWAN - An air defense zone declared by Beijing, or any effort to stop civilian ship traffic, would raise the risk of conflict in the disputed South China Sea after years of calm, because either move would inconvenience day-to-day operations, scholars who follow the region say.
Five other militarily weaker maritime claimants have watched without major protest as China tests bombers, holds naval drills and considers nuclear power stations in the 3.5 million-square-kilometer sea. Last week Chinese news media reported tests of the country's first domestically made seaplane, for possible use in the disputed waterway.
But other governments - Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam - would step up their protests if Beijing declared an air defense identification zone or began forcibly directing traffic of the numerous privately owned ships that transit the sea, said Alexander Huang, strategic studies professor at Tamkang University in Taiwan.
South China Sea Territorial Claims
"It would be a direct confrontation to the principle of freedom of navigation," he said. "So far, China's position is that 'I'm taking control in several spots in the South China Sea,' but China has never disrupted the freedom of navigation, military and civilian, so far."
Countries with competing claims now let one another use the open sea as long as vessels from one avoid islets held by the others. Commercial planes overfly the sea around the clock, and at least one-third of the world's marine shipping passes through it, along with 1.6 million fishing boats.
FILE - Cheng Yonghua, center, Chinese ambassador to Japan, is surrounded by the media as he speaks after meeting with Japan's Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs Akitaka Saiki at the Foreign Ministry in Tokyo, Nov. 25, 2013.
Air defense identification zone
Beijing has not declared an air defense identification zone (ADIZ) in the South China Sea, but the other countries worry because in 2013 it established a zone in the disputed East China Sea. China said that declaration empowered it to direct air traffic over the waterway claimed in part by Japan and Taiwan, but analysts say the zone has been unenforced.
"I think the move that people believe will be a game changer is an ADIZ for the South China Sea," said Yun Sun, East Asia Program senior associate at the Stimson Center think tank in Washington. "When ADIZ was first announced for the East China Sea, people have been chasing the Chinese to ask that question."
China may be holding off any South China Sea air defense zone until able to implement it, Sun said. Tension with the United States, which occasionally passes navy ships through the South China Sea to assert its freedom of navigation, might also motivate China to mothball any ADIZ plans, she added. The two powers are locked in a trade dispute.
The East China Sea zone is more of a "political and symbolic practice," Huang said.
Beijing calls about 90 percent of the South China Sea its own, citing historical records to back its claim. The sea that stretches from Taiwan to Singapore is prized for fisheries, shipping lanes, oil and gas.
FILE - Chinese dredging vessels are purportedly seen in the waters around Fiery Cross Reef in the disputed Spratly Islands in the South China Sea in this still image from video taken by a P-8A Poseidon surveillance aircraft provided by the United States Navy.
China has reclaimed land in the sea's Paracel and Spratly island chains and sent military units to some of those newly built artificial islands. Other claimants have said little in recent years as China has stepped up investment and economic aid to its neighbors. China and the Southeast Asian claimants are working this year on a code of conduct to head off maritime mishaps.
Ship traffic control
China has the radars and fleet to control movements of private vessels in the disputed sea, but any such restrictions would anger other countries by squelching income from fishing, shipping and undersea gas exploration, analysts believe. China has made no announcement of this type.
A spike in Chinese military vessels may upset people in the Philippines, for example, as the fishing-intensive country's president, Rodrigo Duterte, tries to work with China but faces public skepticism about Beijing's maritime expansion.
"They are trying to assure the public the government is doing something, and one of the areas of course is how the government approaches China," said Maria Ela Atienza, political science political science professor at the University of the Philippines Diliman. "People will react more when they see military ships in the disputed areas."
China will probably avoid making new military moves, such as sending an aircraft carrier fleet, to avoid "driving ASEAN into the arms of the United States," said Alan Chong, associate professor at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore. Brunei, Malaysia, Vietnam and the Philippines belong to ASEAN, which stands for Association of Southeast Asian Nations.
FILE - A sinking Vietnamese boat, left, which was rammed and sunk by Chinese vessels near disputed Paracels Islands, is seen near a Marine Guard ship, right, at Ly Son island of Vietnam's central Quang Ngai province May 29, 2014.
But non-Chinese fishing fleets could face trouble from their Chinese counterparts or from search-and-rescue boats with government backing, Chong said. Some scholars call these fleets, some backed by coast guard vessels, a "militia."
"Fishing fleets, humanitarian assistance vessels, these are the ones that are pushing China's claims," Chong said. "There is where the militarization is happening, except that it cannot be called militarization."


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| 2/6/2018 7:43 pm
Basic D Hatby Ric - verified purchaser
This is a great hat for if you just want to represent Detroit without having all the sports stuff. People see the D and know what it means so you don't need to spell it out. This one is adjustable so it fits and the color is a kind of vintage navy. I'd buy again if I was giving a gift to an out of towner or something.
Would you recommend this product to a friend? Yes
Age Range: 65 and up
Gender: Male


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There hasn't been much (intentionally) funny about the Oscars in the last few years.
Sure, Billy Crystal earned some laughs as a late-in-the game replacement last year for Eddie Murphy ("Just call me 'War Horse,'" he cracked). Even if Crystal didn't match his great late 1980s-early 1990s run, he certainly outdid recent hosts Hugh Jackman and disaster duo Anne Hathaway and James Franco in the humor department. And sure, last year's big winner, silent film homage "The Artist," was the closest thing to a comedy to win any major awards in years.
The bold selection of "Family Guy" and "Ted" creator Seth MacFarlane as host suggests a willingness to chance offending the old guard in search of irreverence and relevance. MacFarlane, who is using his "Family Guy" writers for the show, said last week he's aiming for "very much a classic Oscars with a much more current edge" – but he doesn't expected to be invited back next year.
Another encouraging signal came last week when the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences released a poster of Oscar playing dress-up in a salute to past Best Picture winners. A statuette decked out as Diane Keaton's fashionable title character in "Annie Hall" and one bound like Hannibal Lecter of "Silence of the Lambs" proved highlights.
Whether or not the Academy Awards producers produce laughs, Oscar is fair game for satire. Zach Galifianakis is back on Funny or Die doing the "Oscar edition" of his (NSFW) "Between Two Ferns" celebrity interview-driven parody of Barbara Walter's old pre-awards specials. He bickers with guests (when he asked Jennifer Lawrence about "The Hunger Games," she quipped, "Isn't that your life story?") and poses inane questions ("Do you look at a penny differently now?" he asked "Lincoln" star Sally Field). Hathaway, pretending to be drunk, sang, "Sucks to be You" to Galifianakis.
As we wait to see whether MacFarlane's star rises higher at the 85th annual awards, check out the Hathaway takeoff, which provides some Oscar-worthy chuckles:
Hester is founding director of the award-winning, multi-media NYCity News Service at the City University of New York Graduate School of Journalism. He is the former City Editor of the New York Daily News, where he started as a reporter in 1992. Follow him on Twitter.


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• Blog • 2091 Views
Here Bernadette McGrory Farrell of W.O. McGrory & Company continues her look at key business management issues for achieving success in today's uncertain business climate.
Over the almost 40 year life of our 2nd generation Accountancy Practice we have identified these ten pitfalls as common to almost every small business.
1. Cash Flow Problems 6. Overtrading
2. Lack of Capital 7. Costing and Pricing Issues
3. Annual Accounts 8. An Inability to Generate Sales
4. 'The Big Contract' 9. Practical Planning for Growth
5. Small Customer Base 10. Excessive Personal Drawings
In last month's article I looked at the importance of recognising what stage in its life-cycle your business is at and what its key requirements are, and how you can use your accountant to help provide you with the management information you need. Here I am going to look at Pitfall 1.
Pitfall 1 Cashflow Problems
First this month, I want to explode a popular myth. The myth is that a profitable business will always survive. Not so. Cash is king. Profit is no good if it is tied up in stocks, debtors, work-in-progress or equipment. Managing your cash flow is the single most important factor in surviving in business. This means having tight control over your debtors, over your stock, over your expenditure, and over your bank balance.
If making or providing your product or service is the engine of your business, then managing your working capital is making sure the engine of your business has oil in it. Firstly let's get rid of the jargon. Working capital simply means the amount of money that is invested in your stock, your debtors (money owed to you for sales), your creditors (money you owe for raw materials/consumables/taxation), and your bank balance. This is a circular relationship. If you are holding too much stock for too long, not collecting in the money owed to you fast enough, then the profit you think you are making in your business is no good to you.The other half of the working capital circle is paying your creditors and getting money into the bank. If this is not happening you could be profitable and still find your business in serious trouble.
The key tool for managing this is drawing up a Cash Flow. Your accountant will help you with this. Keep your cash flow document up to date and keep it live. This document 'does what it says on the tin', it is the best way of ensuring that cash flows through your business and doesn't get stuck in stocks or debtors. It forces you to plan and forsee how expenditure will occur and to recognise the difference between the cash that belongs to the business and the cash that is yours.
Use the resource that is your accountant to help you with this area. Your accountant will only be too happy to work with you to ensure you have the best information so you can keep your business on a straight path in these uncertain times.
Go to www.mcgrory.ie for more information.


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[...] single girl comic Graphic Therapy is kicking Cathy's ass and stealing Carrie's clutch. This week she dates a copier salesman with a penchant for Wonderbras, battles a psycho shrink who tries to [...]
emily, i luv this! man, what was my shrink's email address??!
no bad…
I love it! LOL. Really funny.
They say gangsta rap is dying. I tend to disagree, it's just changing forms and merging with new styles. What we're doing is a prime example. Check out Kryptik - V.I.P Ft. Crooked I, just google it, I don't wanna spam a link. if far
Major thanks for that publish.Really shopping forward to read through more. Amazing.


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After PBS aired a documentary on Tuesday, "The Retirement Gamble," some industry organizations were quick to respond to the claims made by the latest broadcast from the Frontline series.
The documentary covers topics like the shift from defined benefit plans to defined contribution plans, how fees affect account balances, and the benefits of index investing. Correspondent Martin Smith spoke to big-name commenters like Phyllis Borzi; Vanguard founder John Bogle; Helaine Olen, author of "Pound Foolish"; Jason Zweig, a columnist for The Wall Street Journal; Christine Marcks, president of Prudential Retirement; and Zvi Bodie, an economist at Boston University, as well as regular investors speaking about their experiences with retirement planning.
Brian Graff, executive director and CEO of The American Society of Pension Professionals & Actuaries, issued a statement on Wednesday saying the documentary "conveniently ignores" how difficult it is to make workers into savers.
The problem, Graff wrote, is that the documentary relied on data from a study published by Demos, a liberal think tank, in May that ASPPA "debunked" for overstating typical mutual fund fees in 401(k) plans. "What is more troubling, however, is Frontline's take that fees are by far the most important factor to be considered when choosing an investment, and the retirement industry offers participants little value. In other words, that the industry is nothing more than a commodity," Graff wrote.
For retirement plans to be successful, according to Graff, employers, advisors and participants all have to work together to make decisions regarding plan design, benefits and investment choices. The service that entails comes at a price, but Graff stressed that price should never be the only consideration in a plan. "If you were having trouble with the law, would you simply look for the cheapest lawyer? Certainly not. For something as important as retirement savings, you should not base your decision solely on cost either."
Graff acknowledged that the system was "not perfect": coverage needs to be expanded to more workers and there needs to be a greater focus on outcomes over all. However, for many workers, he said, a 401(k) plan was their introduction to investing, and total assets now exceed $4 trillion. "Nothing in the history of this country has promoted more savings by average Americans than the 401(k) plan. […] It is hard to imagine where we would be without our nation's private retirement system."
The National Association of Personal Financial Advisors also issued a statement on Wednesday in response to the documentary that was less critical of the line PBS took, calling it a "wake-up call for legislators and regulators to finally do something to protect American investors" and a "strong case for fee-only planning."
NAPFA praised the documentary for putting a "spotlight on how commissions, hidden fees and expenses can devastate the average consumer's retirement savings" and called for a fiduciary standard to protect investors. "While broker-dealers largely want to maintain the status quo, Americans are struggling to make ends meet and save for their futures," NAPFA said. "They deserve the protection of a fiduciary standard from every professional who touches their financial lives."
Read Online Sales Tax Bill Seen as Rife With Unintended Consequences on AdvisorOne.


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Want to read some good news? The roads are much, much safer than they used to be.
How much safer? According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 32,367 died in motor vehicle crashes in 2011 – the fewest since 1949, when far fewer Americans were driving far fewer miles. During the late 1960s through the early 1980s, around 50,000 died on the roads each year. More than 1,000 fewer passenger car occupants died in 2011 than in 2010.
In Arkansas, 549 people died as a result of auto accidents in 2011, compared to 571 in 2010.
The fatality rate per miles driven has plummeted. In 1949, seven people died for every one million vehicle miles traveled. In 2011, one died. The number of people injured – 2.22 million in 2011 – also has been decreasing, though 2011 saw a slight uptick in the number of injuries per miles traveled.
These statistics, of course, will offer little comfort to someone who has lost a loved one in an accident. When it's your family that's affected, the only number that matters is one. I've often wondered what would have happened if policymakers had known when cars were invented that they would someday kill 32,000 people – and that would be considered "good" news.
But the decrease is still significant. In 1972, 54,589 people were killed in auto accidents. Almost as many Americans died on the highways that year as died in the entire Vietnam War, which was still ongoing at the time. And car accidents disproportionally kill young people.
Why so fewer deaths? Cars are much safer now than they were in the 1970s. They're equipped with airbags and antilock brakes. They're designed to absorb more of the impact so the passengers absorb less – as anyone who has had their car "totaled" by what looked like a fender-bender can attest. The economy also has had an effect. After hovering around 40,000 annual deaths for about two decades, the number fell significantly during the Great Recession as people drove less.
But there also have been changes in society-wide attitudes and behaviors. To name two examples, it wasn't long ago that seat belts ended up stuffed somewhere within the cushions, and drunk driving was considered a tolerable offense. Not so now, thanks to changes in the law and to effective public relations campaigns. Alcohol-related fatalities fell by 2.5 percent to 9,878 in 2011, meaning 258 fewer lives were lost due to drunk drivers than the year before. NHTSA says seatbelt usage hit an all-time high, 86 percent, in 2012. My eight-year-old daughter will fuss at me if I so much as try to back out of the driveway before buckling up.
What will happen as the economy improves, assuming it does? The long-term trend in total fatalities has been downward, but it inched up in the late 1990s and early 2000s, when times were better.
On the other hand, deaths per miles traveled have been on an almost unbroken decline for 60 years and likely will continue. Cars will get safer and smarter. Collision avoidance systems, where the car senses the traffic around it and warns the driver of danger or even applies the brakes, will become more commonplace. Cars will eventually communicate with the road infrastructure. Eventually, they will drive themselves if we'll let them.
So the news is good and may get better. However, the highways are still a dangerous place where more than 32,000 people were killed in 2011.
Half were not wearing their seat belt, so be careful and buckle up. It's the law in Arkansas, and if the police don't see you, my daughter might.
Steve Brawner is an independent journalist in Arkansas. His blog — Independent Arkansas — is linked at arkansasnews.com. His e-mail address is firstname.lastname@example.com


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KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) A federal judge has tossed out a $40 million civil rights lawsuit that alleged police used excessive force against protesters in Ferguson after the 2014 police shooting death of Michael Brown.
U.S. District Judge Henry Autrey, in a 74-page ruling Friday in St. Louis, found that the nine plaintiffs "completely failed to present any credible evidence" proving crowd-control tactics by police in the days following Brown"s August 2014 death in the St. Louis suburb involved malice or bad faith.
Autrey also concluded that the protesters ignored "repeated warnings" to disperse and that the officers named as defendants were entitled to immunity from the lawsuit.
"The record is clear that at the time of the events detailed herein, the atmosphere surrounding the arrests was extremely intense and had turned violent," Autrey wrote. "Participants in what had turned from a peaceful assembly to unlawful assembly were advised to disperse," but they failed to heed warnings that they be arrested for failing to leave the area as police tried to quell the unrest.
The protesters on Monday filed a notice of their plans to appeal Autrey"s ruling to the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
The death of 18-year-old Brown, who was black and unarmed, by white Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson led to months of sometimes-violent Ferguson protests and became a catalyst for the Black Lives Matter movement, which rebukes police treatment of minorities.
A St. Louis County grand jury declined to indict Wilson, who later resigned. The U.S. Justice Department concluded that evidence backed Wilson"s claim that he shot Brown in self-defense after Brown tried to grab the officer"s gun during a struggle through the window of Wilson"s police vehicle, then came toward him threateningly after briefly running away.
In the days immediately after Brown"s death, local police in riot gear fired tear gas and rubber bullets at protesters who refused to disperse and, at times, broke into nearby stores.
Plaintiffs in the lawsuit included a clinical social worker who said she and her 17-year-old son were roughed up and arrested after not evacuating a McDonald"s quickly enough. Others were a 23-year-old man who said he was shot multiple times with rubber bullets and called racial slurs by police while walking through the protest zone to his mother"s home, and a man who said he was arrested for filming the disturbances.
This story has been corrected to reflect that the officers were named as defendants not plaintiffs.


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Foligno, Bobrovsky help Jackets dodge Bolts
Columbus, OH (SportsNetwork.com) - Nick Foligno scored with a between-the-legs move and Sergei Bobrovsky made 18 saves before leaving the game, leading the Columbus Blue Jackets to a 1-0 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday.
Foligno's seventh goal of the season came early in the second period, the only one Columbus needed with Bobrovsky and Curtis McElhinney combining to stop 26 shots in a shared shutout.
Bobrovsky needed to be helped off the ice after going down in a split making a glove save on J.T Brown with 15:47 left in the game and Blue Jackets coach Todd Richards said he would have an MRI on Wednesday.
Richards said he didn't know what the reigning Vezina Trophy winner's injury was, but said it was "obviously" a leg injury.
"When he comes out like that you're a bit nervous," said Richards. "I don't know if we'll have the answer tomorrow but in the next two days definitely we'll know."
Blue Jackets players said they would be comfortable playing in front of McElhinney if Bobrovsky is out for an extended period of time.
"The reaction was obviously you don't like to see Bob go down," said Foligno. "He made a great save right before that to keep us in the lead. But then you have Curtis come in and he's an outstanding goaltender and you know he's going to get the job done.
"We're hoping (Bobrovsky's) OK, but if he isn't, we're OK."
The Lightning have lost six of their last eight games overall and five in a row on the road. They are 4-5-1 since star center Steven Stamkos broke his leg.
"If you're not frustrated, something is wrong with you right now," said Martin St. Louis, who was robbed by McElhinney on a late chance.
St. Louis lamented a stale Lightning offense that has been shut out in two straight games. Tampa Bay was coming off a 3-0 loss at home to Pittsburgh on Friday.
"If it's not off the rush, we're done," he said. "We have to be able to sustain offensive pressure."
Foligno was alone in front of Ben Bishop after Ryan Johansen got the puck on a poke check and found his teammate in the slot, setting up the highlight-reel goal.
Moving from the goaltender's right to left with a defender closing in, Foligno drew his stick and the puck backward between his legs and flipped a forehand past Bishop's right pad for a 1-0 Blue Jackets lead 4:30 into the second period.
After Bobrovsky went out, McElhinney made a glove save on St. Louis with about 1 1/2 minutes left after the Blue Jackets gave the puck away in their zone.
Bobrovsky had 10 saves in the first period and six in the second. Bishop made 20 saves in the game.
Blue Jackets center Brandon Dubinsky played 17 1/2 minutes and registered one shot in his return after missing six games with an injured foot.
"I felt pretty good out there," said Dubinsky. "I felt like I was skating pretty good. It's going to take a few games, but overall I was happy with my legs."
Game Notes
Columbus coach Todd Richards improved to 34-0-0 when the Blue Jackets lead after two periods ... The Lightning return home for games against Ottawa on Thursday and Winnipeg on Saturday ... The Blue Jackets are at home against Minnesota on Friday.


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Not eight weeks after Chicago Bears QB Jay Cutler's manliness was called into question after a playoff injury against the eventual Super Bowl champions, tipster Jeff S. forwards this "gem" of a photo from his days at Vanderbilt. It was Halloween 2005 when tough-guy and BMOC quarterback and pal disguised themselves as a pair of those soft treats called Twinkies. Not that there's anything wrong with that, bros.
Jay Cutler Is Tougher Than The Toughest Tough Guy, Say Tough-Talking Defenders Of His Toughness [Deadspin]
Former Packer: "Jay Cutler's Tampon Fell Out On National TV" [Deadspin]


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"Game Plan," the latest installment in our "Keep Your Body Healthy" campaign, encourages young men and women to work with what nature has provided and not "cheat" by using steroids and exposing themselves to the negative side-effects associated with these drugs.
Television PSAs, 60-second spots
(Adobe Flash Player required.)
Learn more about Steroid Abuse.


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Hi all,
Am making a game in C++ with OpenGL (and OpenAL for sound & DevIL for image handling) for a Uni. assignment.
Everything had been fine so far, until I just tried to run my game in 'Release' mode as opposed to the usual 'Debug'. And *bham!*...the program crashed with an error before I even get to the main menu.
The error I receive is :
"Unhandled exception at 0x0377a110 in lesson1.exe: 0xC0000005: Access violation writing location 0x00000120."
If I choose to 'Continue', I keep getting the same error message.
By choosing 'Break', the program points me to the following line in a file called "msize.c" :
Here's part of the disassembly it points to :Code:#endif /* _WIN64 */ { --> retval = (size_t)HeapSize(_crtheap, 0, pblock); }
I don't understand what's going on at all, and since this is for a Uni. assignment, my lecturer has specified that the game should run as expected under both 'Debug' and 'Release' mode.Code:#endif /* CRTDLL */ else /* __active_heap == __SYSTEM_HEAP */ #endif /* _WIN64 */ { retval = (size_t)HeapSize(_crtheap, 0, pblock); 00413759 push ebx 0041375A push edi 0041375B push dword ptr [__crtheap (45748Ch)] 00413761 call dword ptr [__imp__HeapSize@12 (42C1A4h)] --> 00413767 mov esi,eax } return retval; 00413769 mov eax,esi } 0041376B call __SEH_epilog4 (411745h) 00413770 ret }
ANY advice/solutions are gladly welcome, because I'm rather desparate now after having spent over a day debugging and searching on the internet.
Thanks heaps in advance!


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Conservation and Environment in South Africa: Monthly Updates
Conservation in Southern Africa - Monthly Update November - December 2015
Lions (Panthera pardus) have been spotted several times on our property just before Christmas. We could not wish for a better gift. One female, a young male, 4 medium cubs and 2 beautiful golden male lions have been spotted chilling out around and eating a wildebeest.
And we also had the sighting of the year with 3 leopards: a mum and her two grown cubs eating an impala in a tree, relaxing and playing in a kopje. And also spotted hyenas (Crocuta crocuta), zebras (Equus quagga), giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis), eland (Tragelaphus oryx), impala (Aepycers melampus) and elephant (Loxodonta africana).
The end of the year has been lucky. Hopefully the next year will be as good as the last one! We hope that you enjoy this latest update and learn a lot of interesting facts about African wildlife and life in the bush. The bush is an everyday adventure, every day is different and we just can't get enough!
Wire removal
All the area was a long time ago cattle farms. It is not surprising to find often on the properties some old cattle fence. They have been forgotten for a long time but sadly they are still a barrier for the movement of the wildlife and can often become a deadly trap for animals. It is for all these reasons that they need to be removed. The last few months the volunteers have been busy removing one of these fences. So far 16km of wire that has been removed.
Activities can be fun too, young volunteers are keen to try to make the biggest roll of wire ever. It ends up with a roll of the size of the volunteer (see picture). Nothing is better than a challenge to motivate all the volunteers.
Water is flowing
This year the rain is poor, and the temporary waterholes are drying out fast. The permanent waterholes are playing an important role in this drought period. They will supply water to the wildlife allowing them to drink through the year. The last 2 months 2 waterholes have been equipped with solar pumps. The first projects, Leametsi waterhole, took us at more than 6 months. We need to create the waterhole: dig, make the concrete, dig the trench for the piping etc. (to know more about the first steps of the project read the newsletter from July-August 2015). For this time we were focusing on the installation of the solar pump.
We need first to install poles to carry the 2 solar panels; we also need to protect them from the elephant by installing pointy rocks around the installation. We also need to install the piping from the waterholes to the borehole (the borehole is a well where you pump the water) and install the pump. The 2 waterholes are working well and wildlife is already coming to enjoy a fresh drink.
Fun in the bush
The volunteers are funny and it is often that we have some bets going among them. The volunteers were in Monopoli addiction and start to play 1 against each other for a big prize. The first time the volunteers bet that the loser will need to chew elephant dung 10 times. No worries elephant dung are used in traditional medicine for is multi virtue, so no danger for the volunteer. The loser found it will be tastier with some barbecue sauce, so there we are looking him chewing slowly the nice meal, such a laugh. The second time the bet was to go dive in the waterhole in front of our hide and mud bath the body.
It was such a funny moment for all of us and again there is no danger, the waterhole is safe, only some terrapins come say hello to your toes. The bush can be really funny, thanks volunteers for making us laugh so much.
Conservation Manager
Sophie Juget


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It seems like much in life is beyond our control, but when it comes to your wallet, taking control is crucial for a solid future.
Experts say the first step is to improve your financial literacy - and this can be easier than you might think.
With April b
It seems like much in life is beyond our control, but when it comes to your wallet, taking control is crucial for a solid future.
Experts say the first step is to improve your financial literacy - and this can be easier than you might think.
With April being Financial Literacy Month, now is the perfect time to arm yourself with the knowledge to make better money decisions.
�"Many consumers go through life without a handle on how to manage money and credit," says Mike Kane, vice president of Consumer Credit Operations at Ally Financial. "While it may seem overwhelming, you don't need an MBA to manage personal finance. Many of the concepts are simple."
Kane offers suggestions to manage finances and save more:
- Buying or leasing a vehicle is a serious undertaking. There are many different ways to obtain a vehicle, and it's important to understand your options and pick the process that works best for your budget.
- Review your current car insurance coverage. If you have an older vehicle, comprehensive or collision coverage may not make sense. Consider increasing your deductible to help lower premiums. Simply inquiring about discounts from your current provider could also net you savings. Some insurers offer discounts for low-mileage driving, installation of car alarms or completion of defensive-driving courses.
- Check your credit report by obtaining a copy of your file from one of the credit reporting agencies. Credit scores range between 350 ( high risk) and 850 (a low risk) and generally, a consumer with a higher score will be offered lower interest rates since they have a history of timely payments and managing their debt well.�
- Set up an automatic transfer from your checking account into a savings account for the amount you want to save each month. If you have to spend time transferring money, you may find an excuse not to do it.
- Switch your finances to a direct bank without physical branches. They can offer competitive rates in online checking and savings accounts, CDs and IRAs and have perks that make banking easier. For example, Ally Bank an FDIC-insured subsidiary of Ally Financial, offers mobile banking with Ally eCheck Deposit and has 24/7 live customer service. They also have no ATM fees and reimburse other banks' ATM fees nationwide. More information can be found at www.Ally.com.
- Track spending for at least three consecutive months to trim unnecessary expenses you're your monthly budget.� On a quarterly basis, perform an expense audit. Evaluate your bills and expenses, finding anything you're spending money on that isn't giving you the value you'd like.
- Use free online tools to learn more about improving your financial education and ways to cut spending. Ally Wallet Wise, for example, offers a series of lessons that cover budgeting, banking and investing, credit and automotive finance.
During financial literacy month, commit time to learning more about saving money and managing your finances better.


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On Saturday, March 18, 2017, I will present Great Association Websites on behalf of the Washington, DC Chapter of the Community Associations Institute.
Please contact me if you are interested in attending. As soon as I have the final flyer, I will post it here.
The NOVA Housing Resource Guide is now live! The Virginia Housing and Supportive Services' Northern Virginia Regional Implementation Team (NoVA RIT) educates individuals, families and service providers about integrated, independent housing and housing resources.
Ursa Major Consulting created its Housing Resource Guide website. The Resource Guide incorporates a database on apartment complexes, housing resources and programs, and provides videos and webinars as part of a toolkit to help individuals move to independent housing. The site was created using Joomla! and associated components. New housing resources and programs can be submitted for approval by members of the public and administered by the NoVA RIT.
The Guide contains information about public and private organizations that provide housing and housing-related assistance for residents in Northern Virginia, including the Counties of Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun and Prince William, and the Cities of Alexandria, Falls Church, Manassas and Manassas Park. While the guide was produced for the benefit of residents with developmental disabilities, their families and support coordinators, many resources within the guide are available to the broader community based upon income or need.
The contents of the Guide are reviewed and updated by volunteers on a bi-annual basis. However, if you find inaccurate information listed for a program or organization, please contact us so that we can rectify the error as expeditiously as possible. We have provided the ability to submit program / resource information and information on additional housing resources.
This version of the Guide contains about 100 pages of information already and will continue to grow and be updated. There are basically three types of information included:
- Database entries on housing (primarily apartment complexes). To search it, select Find Housing Query.
- Database entries on programs and resources. To search it, select Find Resources / Programs.
- The Housing Assistance menu provides articles that may also be of assistance.
To search the database, go to Find Rental housing or Find Housing Resources on the main menu, and then look for the Find Housing or Find Resources Queries on the sidebar menu.
The Virginia Housing and Supportive Services' Northern Virginia Regional Implementation Team (NoVA RIT) educates individuals, families and service providers about integrated, independent housing and housing resources.
Ursa Major Consulting created its Housing Resource Guide website. The Resource Guide incorporates a database on apartment complexes, housing resources and programs, and provides videos and webinars as part of a toolkit to help individuals move to independent housing.
The site was created using Joomla! and associated components. New housing resources and programs can be submitted for approval by members of the public and administered by the NoVA RIT.
Simon Kloostra's book, Joomla! 3 SEO and Performance, is a very focused, short book that is chock full of useful tips and links to resources that Joomla! website developers and administrators may not be aware of. As a long-time Joomla! user and founding member of the Northern Virginia Joomla! Users Group, I find that this book fills a gap on my Joomla! bookshelf.
Simon Kloostra (see his site at joomlaseo.com) is clearly an authority on Joomla! and SEO, but he avoids unnecessary jargon, provides context, and explains SEO in a clear and pleasant style. As of the date of this review, the book is quite current, which is usually a challenge with books. It includes evaluations of and recommendations for dozens of resources to consider for your toolkit.
One frequent question in user group meetings is which commercial template provider is best. This book does get specific and list well-regarded template providers, and also delves into the SEO considerations of template design. This which gives the site developers something more to consider in making their template selection or development decisions.
Perhaps even more valuable is his coverage of ways to maximize Joomla! performance. We have all seen sites that are slower than they need to be; this book explains what to do about it and provides a clear explanation of caching options and ways to optimize both css and javascript files.
Even those with good backgrounds in SEO and Joomla! will find additional insights that will justify their investment in buying and reading this book.
My article, Self Service, Customer Service, and Community Service was featured in the May, 2015 issue of Quorum Magazine, the magazine of the Washington Metropolitan Chapter of the Community Associations Institute, which focused on Customer Service. (You have to be a WMCCAI member to log in and download the issue.)
When I was asked to write this article about customer service, with respect to board expectations of management and owners expectations of the board, I immediately realized that disconnects in expectations with regard to customer service lie at the root of many of the problems in the community association world. Who exactly is the customer, and who is supposed to be serving that customer? What expectations do these customers have?
I shared some true stories to illustrate the disconnects, and presented the relationships as they ideally should operate.
Achieving excellence in the Community Service model requires partnering. Ultimately, the vote of ONE person on a board may tip a critical board decision affecting all owners for years! The management companies operate within the terms of their contracts and their commitment to a perceived level of service. I challenge boards and management companies to provide a greater level of excellence, to:
- Improve the condition and value of the property over the longer term
- Raise the quality of live at the property, through education, communication, and better customer service
- Improve the financial soundness of the association for the long haul.
This requires breaking out of the box of business as usual, to include consideration of partnering and commitment of the board and management to shared goals, improved training, and improved communication across diverse groups. One of the reasons why our community has been successful is that its board cares. Let's discuss how to expect and achieve more!
My prior articles in Quorum include:
- June, 2014, A Wonderful State of Being, reviewing the 2013 Community Association of the Year winners
- July, 2011, Hard Work Rewarded, when we were recognized as 2010 Community Association of the Year winner
In addition, I was introduced in the January 2015 issue as a new member of the WMCCAI Board of Directors.
The Foundation for Community Association Research (FCAR) has contributed valuable research and analysis on community association issues and trends for 40 years.
The Foundation recently produced a video celebrating excellent work done by community association leaders. Dorothy Firsching, president of the board of directors of Talltree South, and Mindy Culver, vice president, appeared in the video. Watch it below!
Foundation - Board Service Video from Community Associations Institute on Vimeo.
Dorothy and Mindy were also featured in a promo for the Community Association Institute's new board member education course. See below!
The Board Leadership Development Workshop - Promo from Community Associations Institute on Vimeo.
Delta Consulting Group, an international consulting firm, needed a new website that featured its professionals.
Delta's experts provide consulting and expert witness services in delay, damage and defects analysis, forensic accounting, loss of productivity, and related services on multifaceted litigation and arbitration cases around the world.
Their professionals consult on project controls, construction audits, planning and scheduling, and budget analysis.
Ursa Major developed the website using Joomla 3, using Zoo for the directory of professionals. Their content is administered by an in-house staff, supported by Ursa Major as needed.
Hey, folks, Joomla! 3.4 has front-end module editing and "I am not a Robot" recaptcha!
These are two things among many that I know my customers will enjoy.
I will expound on it more when I have a few minutes! Just didn't want to tive the impression that I'm napping!
Just a little placeholder to let the world know that we are alive and kicking despite neglecting update of this website!
Working hard on a wide variety of efforts, including:
- Organizational study for Arlington County
- Work in support of the Housing and Supportive Services Consortium (HSS)
- Developed and delivered capture and proposal training for a national nonprofit agency
- Developed and delivered a website for Delta Consulting Group, will add it to my portfolio shortly
- Serving on the board of the Washington Metropolitan Chapter of the Community Associations Institute (WMCCAI)
- Continuing to serve as secretary of the Northern Virginia Joomla! Users Group, President of Talltree South and MapleTree Pool Associations
- Will have an article in Quorum Magazine and shortly, a video
- Supporting other web and proposal-related clients
- And much more. Helping others debug code and write stories!
The Virginia Housing and Supportive Services Consortium (HSS) is an inter-agency collaboration supporting planning for integrated community-based housing opportunities and supportive services for individuals with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities (ID/DD). The HSS Consortium includes:
- Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services (DBHDS)
- Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD)
- Virginia Department of Medical Assistance Services (DMAS), and
- Virginia Housing Development Authority (VHDA).
On January 7, 2015, the HSS Consortium convened a meeting with regional and state-wide stakeholders to initiate collaborative planning, incuding the regions of Northern Virginia, Hampton Roads, and the Richmond metropolitan area. Additional regional meetings are planned, leading up to a Summit anticipated in May 2015 to achieve and sustain rapid results and increased options for housing and services choice for people with ID/DD.
Ursa Major Consulting is pleased to be supporting the HSS Consortium. We worked witth Catoctin Consulting, Rapid Results Institute, and TAC, Inc. in this effort, and are now continuing with the development of the Housing Resource Guide (2017).


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Tagged: David Huff
6-24-09 PNC Park
Another hot and sunny day at PNC Park today.
I really wasn't looking forward to batting practice much today, after seeing yesterday's performance by the Indians. Their right handed hitters all take a predominantly opposite field approach when they are taking their cuts, meaning most of their hits are line drives to right or right center field.
I got on the board with ball #1 of the day from Steven Pearce. He hit a home run that was landing about a row and a half in front of me. I was able to get my glove on it, but didn't make the catch. The ball dribbled into the row directly in front of me, and I was able to quickly pick it up for my first ball of the day.
It helped that this was the scene for the first 30 minutes.
Season ticket holders only.
The sun was glaringly bright again today.
Game: 3 balls (2 hit, 1 thrown)
Season: 203 Balls (102 hit, 73 thrown, 28 device)
Games: 40 games (5 of which didn't have BP)
Average: 5.08 balls per game
Career: 369 balls
Attendance: 20,162


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RIAA Insists That Musicians Can't Make Money Without The RIAA
from the funny-how-that-works deptAh, the RIAA blog. It's a never-ending source of entertainment. In the past, they've tried (and failed) to address some of my arguments directly, but as someone noted, one of their recent posts again appears directed my way (not just me, but a few others as well). In it, the RIAA tries to suggest that alternative business models can't possibly work. Since many of the arguments the RIAA tries to debunk sound sorta like the arguments I make, it seemed worth responding -- especially given how badly out of context the RIAA takes them in an effort to convince itself that it's still necessary. Let's start with the title:
IS TOURING ALONE ENOUGH?First of all, there aren't that many folks who claim that touring alone is enough of a business model, and the rest of the post doesn't focus on "touring alone," but on a variety of alternative business models, which makes it a weird and entirely misleading title. In fact, a year ago, we explained why (just like the RIAA is pointing out) touring alone probably isn't enough to replace the revenues of the recording industry -- but that if you combined touring with other business models, it certainly could work quite well. But by using "touring" as the peg, the RIAA can debunk touring alone and pretend (falsely) that it's debunked the entire space of alternative (smarter) business models. Neat trick, but easy to see through.
Some industry observers like to suggest that efforts to address the theft of music online are somehow tantamount to efforts to maintain an "outdated business model" rather than to address forms of unfair competition based on illegal acts.Now, I am one such "industry observer" who has pointed out that the RIAA has made a Herculean, if ultimately self-defeating, effort to maintain its outdated business model. But that has nothing to do with "theft of music online." It has to do with the changing economics of creating, promoting and distributing new music. Some of that may involve some amount of copyright infringement, but the business model of the RIAA was outdated even in the absence of infringing uses -- and, of course, such infringement is not and never has been theft. Of course, the RIAA knows this, but this blog is a weak attempt at painting itself as a victim, after decades of denying musicians money that it actually owed them. So, the best they can do is pretend that these new technologies represent "theft." Weak.
The suggestion is there are ample alternative mechanisms for generating revenues from music -- money from touring, selling merchandise like t-shirts, licensing music for commercials.Yes. Indeed. But it's not a suggestion. There's a fair bit of evidence to support that. In fact, we've shown multiple studies from multiple sources and multiple locations all showing this is true. So, it would take quite a debunking from the RIAA to prove this wrong. But, of course, the RIAA doesn't do so. Because it can't.
Completely ignored are the pleas for enhanced copyright protection from artists and unionsA bit of a non sequitur, but not ignored at all. In fact, it's no surprise that artists and unions would want gov't-backed monopolies that mean they have to work less hard to obtain royalties. Who wouldn't want that? But a bunch of self-interested folks begging the gov't for protectionist policies is hardly evidence that copyright isn't being abused to prop up an outdated business model. If anything, it supports that view even more.
Instead the handful of established artists for whom Internet anarchy works as an effective marketing tool are cited.Wait. That's just a lie. For years, we pointed out unsung artists who were making this work -- artists like Maria Schneider, and in response folks like the RIAA told us that "sure, this model might work for no names who have nothing to lose by giving away their works, but it'll never work for the big artists, like those we represent." Yet, now that it is working for those artists too, the RIAA wants to pretend it only works for them? Nice try, guys. But, as we've demonstrated over and over and over again, with a large and growing list of artists (not just "a handful"), this model works for artists up and down the music food chain. The RIAA says it only works for "a handful of established artists" but doesn't explain the success stories of folks like Corey Smith, Motoboy, Matthew Ebel and others who were hardly "established" when they began using these methods for their own success.
No one has ever said that everyone can succeed with them. However, one thing we have seen is that pretty much every artist who has embraced these models and principles has done better than they did trying to go about things the old way. Those who were on big labels found that they made more money this way. Those who weren't on big labels also found they made more money this way. And, we're not saying this is anti-label. There are lots of smart music labels that are embracing these principles as well. Just not the ones who run the RIAA.
Even more importantly, the reality of the marketplace is ignored in favor of theory.There's only one party in this conversation ignoring "the reality of the marketplace... in favor of theory," and considering that we've posted numbers on most of the artists we've talked about, and the RIAA is best known for either not sharing or totally making up numbers, take a wild guess who's in reality and who's focused on "theory."
While touring and merchandise sales will work for some bands -- most notably big bands that "made it" in the 80's, 90's or earlier (and built on the back of touring support from music labels) -- it is exceedingly challenging for other bands to generate sufficient income just from touring, and touring support from the labels is rapidly disappearing.See what the RIAA did there? Now it goes back to pretending this is just about touring. Of course, it's not. Most of the models we discuss don't focus just on touring.
Check out this article in BBC News about UK rock band Doves. And of course, without brand/name recognition, merchandise sales are commercially irrelevant.That BBC article is quite one-sided, and basically says that the labels aren't providing tour support any more. And that proves what? It proves that the RIAA itself is screwing this up, by not supporting one part of the business that is making lots of money. I'm not sure what that proves other than that the RIAA is really bad at figuring out how to adapt to the changing world.
But, more to the point, the idea that bands can't tour without support from a major label is just silly. There are all sorts of new and more efficient ways for bands to find gigs and create tours. Sites like Eventful, SonicBids, Songkick and lots of others are making all sorts of useful tools around touring, that make it possible to do shows on a much more efficient and cost-effective basis. Yes, the big labels provided lots of money for tours in the past -- and they did so in a wasteful manner. But rather than become more efficient, now they're just hoarding their cash and blaming everyone else!
As for the lack of "brand/name recognition" making it impossible to sell merchandise, that's true. But the RIAA seems to be implicitly stating that the only way to get brand/name recognition is through a big RIAA label. Yet, the examples we've shown over and over again have focused on musicians figuring out how to connect directly with fans themselves. Without the need for massive marketing from the RIAA.
One last question: how is generating revenue from licensing of music to sell other products more socially useful than the sale of music itself?Ah, yes. The "socially useful" question. It sounds great, but is entirely meaningless. After all, how is generating revenue from smelly automobiles that break down more socially useful than selling horses and buggies? Or, perhaps a more apt comparison: how is having all your phone calls connected directly more socially useful than having operators manually connect each call? Social utility doesn't matter. Economics doesn't care about social utility, and in the long run, in every single case, people tend to discover that there is more social utility in embracing progress rather than denying it.
Cars became more socially useful than horses and buggies by making travel more efficient and faster -- even if it hurt those who relied on the old system (horse shoers and buggy whip makers, for example). Automated telephone switching created a much better phone system, and other advancements including the internet -- even if it meant a lot of operators lost their jobs. And generating revenue from alternative means by selling other products is more socially useful than the sale of music directly because it's more efficient. It allows for less expensive creation, promotion and distribution of music -- meaning it brings more music into the world, helps more people hear more music more quickly for less cost -- and, in doing so, opens up tons of more efficient and socially beneficial business models.
Besides, isn't it just a little ridiculous for the recording industry -- who has filled landfills with non-degradable plastic discs to start talking about how "socially useful" its business model is?
It seems to me that this is the worst of all worlds, one in which all artistry will not be rewarded -- and one in which only music that works well in selling diapers and cars will be commercially produced. Is this supposed to sustain the diversity of music that we want? Would we have Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen, Patti Smith, the Sex Pistols under this kind of system for compensating artists? Not remotely.Ah. and now the shift. Suddenly the RIAA is pretending that this is all about product placement and commercial licensing. Except, it's not. And, uh, last I checked, Bob Dylan was shilling for Victoria's Secret, so apparently, he's perfectly happy with such a system.
Exactly what kind of product licensing would have sustained the Smiths or Nirvana? Was there anything on Springsteen's first record that would have drawn the attention of advertising companies? In fact, we never would have had Elvis (either one)! This is an alternative universe in which I would not care to live.Now this is rich. This from an industry that kicked all sorts of fantastic bands to the curb, because their music "wasn't commercial enough" for the major labels... and now it's complaining about how music will be "too commercial" under this new system? Except, of course, that's not true. If you listen to the music from different artists who have embraced these models, you'll find all kinds of music -- and much of it isn't commercially driven at all. In fact, that's why fans like it so much, because it's not being programmed by some exec in New York, but directly between the musicians and their fans.
Sorry, RIAA, you are protecting an obsolete business model, no matter how much revisionist history you cite and how many out of context arguments you make. Of course, we're more than willing to help your members figure this stuff out. They can just give us a call. In fact, more than a few already have. This might explain why they're questioning the value of continuing to be members of the RIAA.
Filed Under: business models, music industry, musicians, touring
Companies: riaa


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A hairstyle is giving a hair a certain shape, for example, a short natural hairstyles.
Already on statues and drawings with images of people of the ancient stone age (Paleolithic), sometimes a rather complicated hairstyle is clearly expressed. As in antiquity, so now very few nations leave their hair to grow freely. Usually, they are given a variety of forms, cutting them on the whole head or into parts of it and sometimes creating entire structures from the hair. This is how the short natural hairstyles is created.
For example, the hairstyle of the natives in the Fiji Islands reaches 30 cm in height.
We and short natural hairstyles
The appearance of special hairstyles is associated with an increase in the dismemberment of human society (like clothing). The short natural hairstyles has become a sign of social distinction, for the tapering of which it is often combined with head ornaments (tiaras, crests, etc.). Frequent change of modes in the upper layers of bourgeois society, in an effort to stand out from the general population, is reflected in the short natural hairstyles.
We and short natural hairstyles today
Today, hair is laid in the hair with all sorts of devices: hair dryer, various combs, gels, varnishes, wax, etc. Hair is chemically curled, extended, dyed, and thus short natural hairstyles are created.


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Since the Deepwater Horizon rig explosion April 20, BP and the federal government have struggled to control the oil spill that has followed. The complex effort has involved several attempts to stem the flow of oil at the wellhead, amid uncertainty about how much oil, exactly, has been flowing into the Gulf of Mexico. Now in its third month, the Gulf oil spill seems likely to continue at least until August. Here is an accounting of some of the most important – and confusing – developments.
What's been done to stop the oil flow?
May 29 was a turning point in BP's efforts at the bottom of the Gulf. That was the day the so-called "top kill" effort – BP's only bid to stop, rather than contain, the flow of oil – failed. The result: The company essentially admitted defeat in its bid to turn off the spigot before August.
Now, the only way BP believes it can shut down the well permanently is to drill a relief well that intersects the leaking well. Then, BP plans to pump heavy drilling mud through the relief well into the leaking well to slow the flow of oil. It could then cement the leaking well near the source.
The primary relief well and a backup are scheduled to be finished at some point in August. The task of intersecting a well with a relief well, however, is difficult and could require several attempts, pushing back the actual shutdown date.
Until then, BP is trying to limit the damage by collecting oil at the source.
After two failed attempts to collect oil via a containment dome and then a siphon, BP tallied its first success with a containment cap in early June. In short, BP cut the riser pipe that once led from the blowout preventer to the surface – it had fallen to the seafloor like a crumpled garden hose – and replaced it with a cap.
The cap has been doing its job reasonably well, although a June 23 mishap meant that it had to be removed for a day. When it is working, it has captured about 15,000 barrels of oil a day (630,000 gallons), which have been processed on the surface by a ship called the Discoverer Enterprise.
On June 16, a second ship, the Q4000, linked to a valve on the side of the blowout preventer and began burning off about 10,000 barrels a day. A third ship with the capacity to burn 25,000 barrels of oil a day, the Helix Producer, was set to hook up to another valve on the blowout preventer by June 29. High seas forced a delay in that plan. Coast Guard Adm. Thad Allen, who is leading the federal response to the spill, said that the ship will proceed with its mission as soon as conditions permit.
The Helix Producer is expected to be involved in oil collection for the foreseeable future. The Q4000 is scheduled to be replaced by a ship with larger capacity – 25,000 barrels a day – in mid-July.
Still, the containment cap is essentially a stopgap measure. BP would like to replace it with a more robust cap, called the overshot tool.
The overshot tool promises several advantages: It could capture more oil, in part because it would be bolted directly to the blowout preventer, potentially providing a better seal. Also, it would have two, more-flexible risers that ships could connect to and disconnect from more easily in the event of a hurricane.
The danger is that the existing cap would need to be removed, allowing oil to flow freely until the new one is affixed. Moreover, the current system is the only one that has worked.
A decision on whether to stick with the containment cap or to shift to the overshot tool will be made in early July, said Adm. Allen.
What are the flow-rate estimates?
Four days after the Deepwater Horizon rig exploded, there was a mounting sense that the disaster was not finished. Some 1,000 barrels of oil a day could be leaking into the Gulf, news reports suggested.
Fifty-two days later, scientists hazarded a different guess as to how many barrels of oil were leaking into the Gulf daily: 35,000 to 60,000.
What happened? Put simply, BP had little incentive to revise early estimates – even when it became obvious that they were grossly incorrect – and, eventually, the government stopped trusting them.
The 1,000-barrels-per-day estimate actually survived for only a few days. The estimate that followed – 5,000 barrels a day – remained the official figure for nearly a month. It was based on evidence collected at the surface by the Coast Guard and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
But when underwater video of the gusher became available, it was immediately apparent to independent scientists that that number was fanciful in its understatement. The range they suggested: anywhere from 20,000 barrels a day to 100,000.
BP, for its part, didn't budge. "We're not going to take any extra efforts now to calculate flow there at this point. It's not relevant to the response effort, and it might even detract from the response effort," a BP spokesman told The New York Times.
The federal government, sensing BP's unwillingness to investigate a subject that could harm it both legally and in the arena of public opinion, convened a flow-rate panel on May 20.
Over time, the panel has refined its estimate as more data have become available. It began with a range of 12,000 to 19,000 barrels a day on May 27, then increased that to 20,000 to 40,000 barrels a day on June 11.
When BP fitted the containment cap, the panel could compare what it saw with the amount that BP was capturing, giving it a statistical base line. On June 15, the panel came out with the 35,000 to 60,000 estimate.
On June 18, Allen said he believed that 35,000 barrels was closer to the real number.
What has the government done?
Interior Secretary Ken Salazar neatly summed up the Obama administration's take on its own responsibilities in the Gulf oil spill when he said the government's job was to "keep the boot on the neck" of BP.
Incapable of taking over from BP at the wellhead and unwilling to displace the web of contractors leading the cleanup at BP's behest, the administration has taken on the role of foreman on the Gulf relief shift.
Sometimes it has forced BP's hand – as when it pushed BP to speed up containment efforts at the well. Sometimes, it has been ignored – as when BP refused to switch to a more effective and less toxic dispersant.
On June 16, President Obama forced BP's hand in a different way: The administration established a $20 billion escrow account – funded by BP – from which all damage claims are to be paid. The account will be managed by Kenneth Feinberg, who ran the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund.
The Obama administration has also made several broader decisions in the wake of the Deepwater Horizon blowout.
On May 11, Secretary Salazar announced a plan to reform the Minerals Management Service, the federal agency that has overseen the oil industry. Part of the problem was that MMS received royalties from the very oil companies it was charged with regulating. The Obama administration wants to split these functions – oversight and royalty collection – into two separate agencies.
On May 27, Mr. Obama announced a six-month moratorium on leases for deep-water drilling. Obama called this a necessary "pause" while his presidential commission considers what safety measures need to be introduced or strengthened.
On June 22, however, a federal judge struck down the moratorium, which Louisiana had said was costing its vital offshore oil industry as much as $330 million a month. The Obama administration will argue its appeal of the decision on July 8.
How are dispersants being used?
The use of chemical dispersants in oil spills is considered by many experts to be the lesser of two evils. But never before have dispersants been used on such a scale. As of Monday, 1.58 million gallons of a dispersant called Corexit had been used both on the surface and at the well.
This has made scientists even warier of the effects that dispersants might have on marine ecosystems. In particular, Corexit is less effective and more toxic than 12 other brands on the market, according to tests by the Environmental Protection Agency.
On May 20, the EPA told BP to scale back its use of dispersants at the surface, and it gave BP 72 hours to begin using a more effective and less toxic brand. BP has not complied.
Four Gulf fishermen have filed a lawsuit against BP, arguing that Corexit is four times more toxic than the oil itself.
What is the impact on wildlife?
The Gulf oil spill has long since surpassed the Exxon Valdez as the biggest nonland oil disaster in US history. Yet in terms of wildlife killed, the Gulf spill is dwarfed by the Exxon Valdez. As of June 29, 1,165 seabirds, 436 sea turtles, and 51 mammals had been found dead in the Gulf. By comparison, the Exxon Valdez left at least 35,000 seabirds and 1,000 otters dead.
The difference is that the Gulf oil spill is happening in the open ocean, 50 miles from the coast and a mile deep. The Exxon Valdez ran aground much nearer shore and in a far more confined area.
Some scientists worry that this means the greatest ecological impact of the Gulf oil spill is unseen, below the surface. Researchers have found tenuous plumes of diluted oil far from the well, and even low concentrations of oil or dispersant could be toxic for tiny animals crucial to the food chain, they say.


text: One of the areas where the App Store has definitely been a pleasant surprise for me is games tied to various movie and animated franchises. The iDevice has a good number of those in all genres, from Sherlock Holmes Mysteries in adventure to Spartacus: Blood and Sand (TMA Review) in fighting, from TRANSFORMERS G1: AWAKENING (TMA Review) in strategies to one of the best Action games of all time on the platform – Spider-Man: Total Mayhem. And now a recent, but successful Italian animated series – Huntik: Secrets & Seekers has just released a companion game – Titan Defence.