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Downtown Atlanta remains a business and government district and is slowly developing into nightlife destination with the opening of several upscale hotels and trendy restaurants. Downtown is also home to Atlanta's professional sports, including Atlanta Hawks basketball and Thrashers hockey, which can both be experienced at the Philips Arena. The Georgia Dome, home of the Falcon's football, and Centennial Olympic Park are also located downtown and are well-known destinations that were built for the 1996 Olympic Games. The downtown skyline is dominated by major hotels and office buildings including the headquarters of The Coca-Cola Co. and other international corporations. New additions to the downtown view include the W Atlanta Downtown Hotel and Residences at Allen Plaza and boutique hotel, the Palomar, which are both attracting a trendier crowd to downtown's streets. Business destination, The Peachtree Center, includes a mall with restaurants and shopping and The Georgia World Congress Center hosts a variety of trade shows and conventions each year. In the distance, the golden-domed building is the Georgia State Capital. In the past few years, downtown has reinvigorated itself as a tourist destination. From the opening of the Georgia Aquarium to the New World of Coca-Cola, throngs of visitors make their way through downtown to check these worthwhile destinations off their list. Don't forget to take a whirl through the CNN Center, home to the cable television's first 24-hour news network, or a trip through the subterranean shops and restaurants at Underground Atlanta, opened in 1989.
A mixture of business, arts and nature, Midtown has something for everybody. Boasting the regional headquarters of IBM and AT&T, Midtown's streets also play host to cultural attractions such as the Fabulous Fox Theatre, the High Museum of Art, and the Woodruff Arts Center. Don't be surprised by the number of rainbow flags flying outside establishments and homes near Piedmont Road and 10th Street, Midtown is also home to much of Atlanta's gay community. Along with its beautifully restored homes and mansions, Midtown also has some not-so-picturesque sections that are hangouts for the homeless and seedy characters. Known for its diversity, Midtown is the playground for Georgia Tech students, young professionals and families. The best place to people watch by far is Piedmont Park, an expansive green in the heart of Midtown. Boasting a dog park, picnic areas and several jogging and walking paths that become jam-packed during the fall and spring, Piedmont Park is also a popular venue for festivals and concerts. Recently hosting the likes of the Dave Mathews Band, The Allman Brothers Band and Paul McCartney, Piedmont Park is also the location of the well-known Dogwood Festival, marking the start of spring, and the finish line for the Peachtree Road Race, the largest 10k race in the United States.
Atlanta's Beverly Hills, Buckhead is also a business district and home to the Governor and many of Atlanta's wealthiest. While Buckhead's remaining hole-in-the-wall bars continue to attract a boisterous drinking crowd, many of the favored nightspots were recently demolished to make way for The Streets of Buckhead project-- and upscale shopping and leisure district being compared to the likes of Rodeo Drive. While The Streets of Buckhead is still under construction, Buckhead is already home to luxury shops, high-caliber restaurants and world-class hotels, including The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Hyatt and Intercontinental, which all sit blocks away from Phipps Plaza and Lenox Square, the city's most elegant malls. Some of the neighborhood's newcomers include the Terminus office building on the corner of Piedmont and Peachtree, The Mansion on Peachtree hotel and residence, luxury high-rise condominium The Sovereign and the St. Regis Hotel on West Paces Ferry. Outside central Buckhead, high-rise apartments and condos dominate, as do the old money mansions of Atlanta's elite.
Referred to by locals as "the Highlands," this quaint residential neighborhood centers on the intersection of Virginia and North Highland avenues. The walkability of the neighborhood has made it a popular place to reside, thus driving up rents and home prices. Today the neighborhood is made up of prosperous young professionals and families. Some of the landmarks surrounding the Highlands include the Jimmy Carter Center, Emory University in Druid Hills and Piedmont Park in Midtown. On Highland Avenue you can find a mixture of bars, restaurants as well as high-end boutiques, gifts shops and beauty salons. Stop by Belly General Store for a fresh-made bagel and cupcake or window shop the latest trends at Bill Hallman and Mitzi and Romano. At night this casual neighborhood comes alive with bar hoppers that include Emory students and middle-aged professionals. Grab a pint at the Dark Horse pub or spend the evening listening to live blues at Blind Willies. For a more laid-back evening, grab gelato at Paolo's or a glass of wine at La Tavola.
Little Five Points
Situated on the edge of Inman Park and Candler Park, Little Five Points is a funky combination of thrift shops, piercing parlors, casual bars and music venues. A haven for young rebels and the tattooed crowd, the neighborhood hosts an annual Halloween Parade and is home to the Vortex restaurant, known for its mediocre service, skull shaped-entrance and delicious burgers. Restored bungalows and historical post-Civil War era homes line the streets and areas surrounding Freedom Park along with run-down residences. Although this is not the neighborhood to scour for five-star cuisine, tasty bar food abounds. Stop into Bang-On to design your own T-shirt and roam the aisles of Junkman's Daughter for a wacky gift or bright pink wig.
East Atlanta
The latest addition to Atlanta's distinct neighborhoods, East Atlanta is still shedding the reputation of a run down part of town. While many new restaurants and shops have recently made the neighborhood home, the surrounding blocks of Flat Shoals and Glenwood Avenues continue to struggle through disrepair and decline. Some of the noteworthy spots to visit include JavaVino, serving wine and coffee, and budget-friendly Holy Taco. The Earl in East Atlanta Village is one of the neighborhood's most popular destinations for live music and late night eats. From music shops to boutiques to bookstores, the shopping options are varied.
Home to those who want to live outside the city, but not too far outside the city, the Vinings has become a popular residential area for city newcomers and suburban retirees. Situated on the northeast corner of the city, the Vinings has a classy selection of restaurants to choose from, including celebrated Canoe on the banks of the Chattahoochee River and the romantic Vinings Inn. While the majority of shoppers don't consider the Vinings a destination, several boutiques and well known clothing chains can be found in the Vinings Jubilee center, a quaint, walkable area developed to resemble a town square. Cumberland Mall at I-75 and Windy Hill Road recently underwent a complete renovation and is home to major restaurant chains, including The Cheesecake Factory, P.F. Chang's China Bistro and Ted's Montana Grill as well as retailer Costco.


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2013 Cadillac ATS First Test
Bavaria Bound: Can Cadillac Put Its Car Where Its Mouth Is?
Ever since its "Art and Science" rebirth, Cadillac has made it clear it's gunning for BMW. The CTS, and particularly the big-stick CTS-V, is the opening salvo. For too long, though, the CTS has been the only product in Cadillac's portfolio worthy of taking on the Germans, and it wasn't the undisputed victor. Now, with its all-new 2013 Cadillac ATS, the new Standard of the World finally appears ready to take on the Ultimate Driving Machines.
The ATS was presented as a true BMW 3 Series competitor, and was benchmarked against what Cadillac says is the best 3 Series ever, the E46. Them's fightin' words, right there. Since then, Cadillac's been running its mouth with Super Bowl commercials, Nurburgring test videos, and more. In the meantime, BMW has returned fire in a very reserved, German way, by introducing the new F30 3 Series, which easily trounced the competition in a recent MT comparison ("The More Things Change... ", May 2012).
The singular question, then, is whether Cadillac can back it up. Given Cadillac's boasting and GM's general long-standing but finally fading habit of overpromising and under-delivering, I was skeptical. That new 3 Series is damn good, and I should know -- I'm assigned to MT's long-term 328i. Has Cadillac really done it?
The answer is yes. The Cadillac ATS is shockingly good. In fact, here are the four things I don't like about the ATS: the instrument cluster is boring and uninspired; the shift paddles on the steering wheel are too far away from your fingertips; the back seat is too cramped; and the 2.5-liter base engine has no business being in a car aimed at dethroning the 3 Series. That's it. But does that make it better than the 3 Series?
The ATS certainly has its spec sheet right. Every external dimension, from wheelbase to track widths to length, width, and height, are within an inch or less of the 3 Series. The Cadillac offers both a 270-horsepower, 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder to match the 328's same-size 240-horsepower turbo-four, and a 321-horsepower, 3.6-liter V-6 to match the 335's 300-horsepower, 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six. The ATS offers everything from optional magnetic shocks to its CUE infotainment system and more to match BMW's adjustable shocks and iDrive and the rest. But does that mean anything on the road?
It does. I drove all three engine variants on beautiful and treacherous back roads north of Atlanta, and I was more than surprised. The ATS is smooth and composed on rough pavement and through turns. The ride is appropriately stiff for a car with sporting intentions, but never harsh or brittle. I was most surprised by the standard, non-adjustable suspension, because frankly, I couldn't feel much of a difference between how it and the optional Magnetic Ride Control suspension rode or handled.
And it does handle, fancy shocks or not. Cadillac claims the ATS weighs as much as 160 pounds less than the last 3 Series we tested, but it retains a solid, weighty feel on the road. It comes off planted and confident, ready to glide through corners with ease rather than attack them with unbridled fury. I can't recall how many times we've declared that the CTS "ain't your father's Caddy," but the moniker applies equally to the ATS. It's good enough to make you overconfident. Should that become the case, the ATS defaults to progressive understeer, unwilling to put its tail out unless you really do something wrong, like put a tire off the road into some nice, soft dirt.
On the road or the track, the ATS imparted a sense of balance -- the engine never overdrove the suspension or tires. Steering feel is very good for an electric unit and the car turns in quickly with a nice bit of weight to it. The Brembo brakes, standard on turbocharged and V-6 models, provide excellent, linear stopping power and resist fade very well. GM's six-speed auto has been tuned up for performance duty and offers upshifts so quick, most people would be hard-pressed to tell the difference between this torque converter auto and a dual-clutch unit. Downshifts, though still quite good, are where the torque converter loses time and a little composure. The six-speed manual, available only with the turbo four-cylinder engine, is a very nice box with short, crisp throws with a pleasant mechanical feel to them and an easy-to-modulate clutch.
While I drove all three variants on the road, I was only able to test the top-shelf V-6. Without a proper dragstrip on hand, I used the front straight at Road Atlanta where our trusty VBox recorded a 0-to-60 mph time of 5.7 seconds and a quarter-mile time of 14.1 seconds at 101.6 mph. That's actually a bit slower than Cadillac predicted. It said the V-6 should do a 5.4 to 60 and 14 flat in the quarter. Aside from the test location, unusual atmospheric conditions on the test day may have contributed to the poor result. We'll retest the car when one becomes available in California to verify the result. The BMW 335, by contrast, lays down a blistering 4.7-second 60-mph time, though its 300-horsepower rating is suspect, considering that's 426-horsepower Camaro SS 0-to-60 mph territory. I had far better luck in the braking test, where the ATS stopped in just 111 feet from 60 mph, just two feet longer than the 335. The ATS really shone on the skidpad, where it pulled 0.94 g average to the BMW's 0.90.
The V-6 emits a decent rasp as you lay into it. It's one of the better 60-degree V-6 sounds out there, considering how hard it is to make that type of engine sound good. The turbo-four, meanwhile, makes something of a soft growl that, again, is pleasing for a four-cylinder. Both engines doled out power in a nice, smooth pull to redline, though the V-6 didn't feel all that much faster on the road than the turbo-four. Cadillac says the turbocharged engine should lay down a 5.7-second 60 mph time and a 14.1-second quarter-mile. It expects this will be the volume-selling engine.
Then there's the 2.5-liter, naturally aspirated four-cylinder. It's not a bad engine - in fact, it's very smooth. It just doesn't belong in a Cadillac. Power delivery levels off about halfway through the throttle pedal's travel, and while it's adequate for getting around town, it's not particularly impressive (7.5 seconds to 60 mph and mid-15s in the quarter-mile, Cadillac says). The ATS doesn't need this engine. Not for sales, not for marketing, and not for CAFE. The 2.0-liter turbo gets the exact same fuel economy and costs just $600 more than the 2.5-liter while still undercutting the 328's base price by $1600. All the 2.5-liter does is let Cadillac say the ATS starts under $34,000, by all of $10. What's more, it's only available on the lowest trim levels and without the performance options or all-wheel drive. BMW doesn't offer a stripper model with a weak engine, and neither should Cadillac. It's an old habit Cadillac picked up from Chevrolet and it needs to stop if Cadillac wants to play with today's big boys of luxury. No one brags about having the cheapest, least-equipped luxury car on the block.
They may brag, though, about CUE. I hadn't tried the Cadillac User Experience prior to the ATS, and based on Jonny Lieberman's experience with the XTS, I was prepared to be disappointed. The Cadillac people tell me that despite the cars being launched only a few months apart, the ATS features a newer version of the CUE software, which the XTS will be getting retroactively. This ability to make fast, running changes is part of Cadillac's strategy to let you update CUE by simply going online and downloading the latest software to a USB thumb drive, then plugging it into the car, rather than going to the dealer. We'll see how that works out when it actually goes online, and how Cadillac's even more ambitious plan to someday make the car itself a Wi-Fi hotspot and let it download software updates wirelessly works out when that day comes.
In the meantime, CUE is very good. It's like having an iPad in your dash, and anyone comfortable with an iPhone or Droid will find it familiar. The controls are touch-sensitive and generally quick to react, especially on the screen. Controls on the faceplate, like the temperature, require a more deliberate poke to avoid picking up every accidental brush, but delays and missed commands can be frustrating. To avoid glitches, push and hold, or train yourself to slow down and wait half a tick for the slight vibration of the haptic feedback, signaling that your touch has been recognized. Also, you need to touch the black above the little metal accents, not the accents themselves, as that's where the sensor actually is.
On the screen, menus are easy to navigate and some common controls fade out when not in use, then pop back up when your hand gets near the screen. The fonts are large and easy to read; the graphics crisp and sharp. Transitions between big apps, like navigation to climate control, sometimes have a short delay, but not worse than I've experienced on my iPhone. The pinch/spread feature for zooming the map, though, is achingly slow compared to an iPhone, and the swipe-the-turn-by-turn-to-the-instrument-cluster feature is more trouble than it's worth. Use the intuitive steering wheel controls to bring it up in one of the three customizable panes in the screen below the needles. These are handy not only because you can see a lot of information at once, but you can enlarge one of the three panes by selecting it, making it easier to read. Or, just select the page in the sharp, full-color head-up display with the information you want. Not only has Cadillac finally upgraded its HUD as I've been begging it too, but it's actually outdone BMW by making it more adjustable and offering more information.
The ATS' interior is, in comparison to its gizmos, fairly reserved. The styling takes no great chances and the gauge cluster is pretty boring to look at, but the materials throughout are high-quality and well-assembled. The front seats offer a good compromise of comfort and sportiness, though I could do with more side bolstering. The vibrating Safety Alert Seat feature is a neat trick and much less irritating than the shrieking beeps other brands employ to remind you to watch your surroundings. The rear seat, while also comfortable, is something of a tight squeeze. At 5'9", I fit comfortably, but just barely and without a lot of legroom. The roof is low and the door opening is lower, making it feel claustrophobic and requiring some serious head-ducking to get in and out. Outward visibility is good in all directions except back due to the high trunk.
In all, then, the new Cadillac ATS is a very, very good car. But is it better than the 3 Series? The honest answer is...I don't know yet. Despite driving them less than 24 hours apart, I just can't say without driving them directly back-to-back. Both cars ride, drive, and handle exceptionally well, offer a deluge of technology and sport top-notch materials and build quality. To say that the ATS is as good as 3 Series is a grand compliment by itself, but determining which car is better will have to wait for the inevitable comparison test. It's gonna be a nail-biter.
VEHICLE LAYOUT | Front engine, RWD, 5-pass, 4-door sedan |
ENGINE | 3.6L/321-hp/275-lb-ft DOHC 24-valve V-6 |
TRANSMISSION | 6-speed automatic |
CURB WEIGHT | 3461 lb (mfr est) |
WHEELBASE | 109.3 in |
LENGTH x WIDTH x HEIGHT | 182.8 x 71.1 x 55.9 in |
0-60 MPH | 5.7 sec |
QUARTER MILE | 14.1 sec @ 101.6 mph |
BRAKING, 60-0 MPH | 111 ft |
LATERAL ACCELERATION | 0.94 g (avg) |
EPA CITY/HWY FUEL ECON | 19/28 mpg |
ENERGY CONS., CITY/HWY | 177/120 kW-hrs/100 miles (est) |
CO2 EMISSIONS | 0.87 lb/mile (est) |
Shiny Side Down: My Unfortunate Roll in the ATS
Yeah, it was me. I'm the guy who put a Cadillac ATS on its roof during the press preview. Here's how it happened:
The turn was a downhill S-turn, a sweeping left into a sweeping right. The speed limit on Georgia's Route 136 is 55 mph, and while I wasn't looking at the speedometer at the time of the accident, I hadn't been driving recklessly and stability control was on.
My mistake was misjudging the corner. It was un-posted and tighter than I thought and I didn't brake quite as much as I should have. As a result, I tracked wide at the exit and was left with a choice: tighten the line right before making a sharp right turn and risk upsetting the car that way, or let it run a little wide onto the shoulder and then attempt to gently drive back onto the road. I chose the second option.
With the pavement ending at the white line, driving onto the shoulder meant into the dirt, which was far softer than I thought (the tracks were several inches deep). The car immediately turned sideways, and while I counter-steered, the car was sliding at a 90-degree angle across the road. Thankfully, there was no oncoming traffic. We slid sideways onto the opposite shoulder. If we'd stopped three feet shorter, you probably wouldn't be reading this. I remember hoping to myself that the car wouldn't get stuck in the dirt and need to be pulled out.
As it happened, our momentum carried us just far enough for the nose of the car to go off the hill. Once it did, gravity took over and the rest of the car slowly followed. It was the least-violent or exciting rollover you'd ever seen. It slowly tipped onto its side, then onto the roof and slid a few feet down the hill before coming to rest against a tree. Aside from my ego, there was no injury at all to me or my passenger. Two Georgia State Troopers and a Dawson's County Sheriff's Deputy found my report credible enough to let me off with just a good shaming.
Why am I qualified, then, to write this review? Because the car was not responsible. I firmly believe that the exact same accident could have happened regardless of what vehicle I was driving. Experience behind the wheel of the ATS on the track and on the road, before and after the accident, showed it to be a confident, neutral handler not prone to wild oversteer. Misjudging the corner was my mistake and it ended poorly to say the least. I can't blame the car for that.

subset: commoncrawl


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Is it wrong to be so attached to a hunk of deteriorating wood that you just can't bring yourself to part with it?
Honestly...look at this thing.
Crumbling, broken, chippy blue paint all but gone.
Some time way back in my other life, I fell in love with this thing. I (surprisingly) can't remember where I got it, but it was likely in the throw away pile at a farm and ranch sale. It had alot more blue paint on it back then.
I can just see my ex-husband rolling his eyes : )
At my previous home it was a planter box in my backyard filled with pots of overflowing flowers from Spring through Fall, and pine branches in the Winter. I screwed two logs to the bottom to create a stand. After several years the bottom of the box deteriorated from moisture.
It's been in the basement in our current home for over two years now, because I didn't want to toss it and I didn't know what I wanted to do with it. Even after all these years I'm still smitten with it's rustic charm. Sigh.
A couple of weeks ago I decided to take it apart and see what I could salvage. Have I already mentioned how much I love the chippy blue paint?
Surely I could come up with some sort of a new life for some of the pieces, right?
For the two chunky end pieces I thought I'd try using them as some sort of display boards for now.
I like the look of the iron bird and cloche with the chippy blue surface. It has a certain shabby, farmhouse appeal, don't you think?
I smoothed down the flaking paint very carefully with some fine sandpaper, then put several coats of Mod Podge on all sides (the only sealer-type stuff I have right now).
Anyone else a sucker for a worn out chunk of wood?
Who knows what they'll become later, but for right now I'm happy with them just the way they are.
What about the other long pieces?
The one on the left is pretty rotted, but will I toss it? Nope. I'll come up with some way to use it outside until it turns to dust. : )
The one on the right? I think it's going to become my next mantel shelf! I'll show you as soon as I get it figured out. I like the idea of Spring decorating being about giving new life to something that's on it's last leg! I know many of you are onto that same theme- upcycling, re-purposing, re-inventing items for your homes this Spring.
With tomorrow being the first day of March, there will be no stopping the mental charge ahead toward the coming season.
But on this last afternoon in February I'm reminded that as much as we try to hope and wish our way out of our current season, the fact remains it is still Winter!
Time goes so very quickly, my friends! I don't want to regret not paying attention to the current season...the current day. By spending every minute mentally projected "out there" into a day that hasn't come yet, we rob ourselves of the ability to just be right where we are at the moment. To really be present with our loved ones, enjoying the simple pleasure of being together. It can be a struggle, I know!
This afternoon it is cold and gray and looking like it's about to snow. It's not Spring, it's Winter! The kids and I are going to enjoy a simple supper and snuggle in on the couch together to watch some episodes of Andy Griffith {classic t.v. shows are one of our greatest loves for family entertainment!}
Tomorrow will have it's own challenges and concerns, but tonight we're cozy and warm and together. And that's more than enough.
Farewell February 2013!
Sharing over at:
Be Inspired Friday at Common Ground
Feathered Nest Friday at French Country Cottage
Home Sweet Home at The Charm of Home
SNS at Funky Junk Interiors


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Each box contains (1) Cut Signature Card!
For the first time, Historic Autographs is instituting a BUYBACK program, wherein special BUYBACK cards will be inserted with select autographs detailing how to sell the card back to Historic Autographs (if the customer so desires) - thus setting a baseline for "values" on the open market (most BUYBACK cards will include rarities and notable Hall of Famers so that the person opening the box can benefit from pulling players such as Pat Malone, Everett Scott, Marv Gudat, Jack Quinn, Sam Agnew and Sam Zoldak as well as Babe Ruth, Jimmie Foxx, Roger Maris and others).
Look for the top 20 players from these Championship teams (with the noted exception of the 1918 Boston Red Sox which has the starting 8 and utility man by ABs, the top 4 pitchers by IP and manager Ed Barrow; Babe Ruth is included twice in this set as both a pitcher and hitter).
Each championship team set is registered on the PSA/DNA Set Registry so teams can be collected and cataloged individually.
All cards are numbered to 25 or less each two having at least (2) complete sets available.
There are no 1-of-1 cards so all players will be found multiple times within the specific series, so players on multiple championship teams are included multiple times within each series such as Mickey Cochrane, Carl Yastrzemski and Steve Carlton
All cards will be authenticated, numerically graded and encapsulated by PSA/DNA surrounded by a unique Historic Autographs artwork design!
The Championship Series contains (18) different heralded teams that won either the World Series or their league championship. Each team includesthe top (13) top position players (using At Bats), the top (6) pitchers (using Innings Pitched) and the manager at the end of the season. The exception is the 1918 Boston Red Sox which includes the top (10) hitters by At Bats, the top (4) pitchers by Innings Pitched and manager Ed Barrow.
Midwest Region champions:
- 1932 Chicago (key players include Kiki Cuyler, Pat Malone & Gabby Hartnett)
- 1935 Detroit (key players include Hank Greenberg, Mickey Cochrane & Goose Goslin)
- 1942 St Louis (key players include Stan Musial, Mort Cooper & Billy Southworth)
- 1948 Cleveland (key players include Joe Gordon, Walter Judnich & Sam Zoldak)
- 1959 Chicago (key players include Nellie Fox, Norm Cash & Luis Aparicio)
- 1967 St Louis (key players include Roger Maris, Curt Flood & Lou Brock)
- 1971 Pittsburgh (key players include Roberto Clemente, Willie Stargell & Bob Moose)
- 1975 Cincinnati (key players include Johnny Bench, Pete Rose & Sparky Anderson)


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Alongside record earnings figures, one of the big pieces of news to come out of Facebook's recent Q4 earnings call was the launch of Paper, a new publishing app from its creative labs division.
Paper itself is a fairly straightforward news-curation/publishing app, but its launch and recent comments from Mark Zuckerberg about further releases in the near future paint a fascinating picture of Facebook's possible future, one which may be quite different from the ubiquitous social platform we're all so familiar with.
Over the past few months there have been a number of articles pondering the 'Death of Facebook', and while the social giant is still incredibly important in any decent social strategy, there's no denying that apps like WhatsApp, SnapChat and Line are playing an increasingly important part in the social ecosystem.
So far, commentary on this has tended to be a little glib. Facebook isn't 'cool' anymore they say. No one wants to hang out with their parents online.
While there's some accuracy to this, the truth as always is more complicated.
So what's behind this shift by users, and what does Paper tell us about Facebook's plans for the future?
One of the interesting things about these fast-growth apps is that many of them are orientated around single functions.
Send a message.
Take a picture.
Instagram is an obvious example of this. Currently, my iPhone currently allows me all the functionality of Instagram. I can take a picture, add filters, edit, and share the results easily, yet whenever I want to do so I still end up using Instagram.
While I'm probably in a minority, I also use FourSquare to check in to locations, rather than Facebook.
For those of us who manage social channels, having access to everything in one place is a godsend. We all use Tweetdeck or Hootsuite to monitor multiple Twitter accounts, publishing systems like Socialbakers or Buddy Media are popular because they allow us to easily place content on multiple platforms.
Because of this, it's easy to become blinkered in our approach to user behaviour. Marketers are almost always the exception to the rule when it comes to usage.
While privacy (Who doesn't want the ability to post pictures of themselves asleep in a dumpster without parents or employers seeing them?) doubtless plays a large part in the rise of these apps, something that is often overlooked is the need for clearly delineated content.
Content: divide and conquer
Facebook, for all its good points, is a highly random collection of links, posts and emotional triggers.
If I look at my Facebook page I've got weddings, divorces, holidays, work gripes, bad jokes and of course, brand posts trying to compete among the clutter.
The same accusation could of course also be levelled at Twitter, but its speed creates a different user expectation.
Facebook is actually surprisingly good at surfacing relevant content, but it's also one of the few networks that actively 'hides' content from you, and re-jigs the order of posts depending on user actions.
Whereas with Twitter it is possible to scroll through older updates to locate a piece of content you've missed, on Facebook there is always the possibility that it will have vanished from your feed forever, and as Christopher Ratcliff pointed out previously Facebook's search has never been the sharpest tack on the block.
Separate content = engagement
This is where other apps come in.
Each enables the user to create a separate network. While there's some crossover between my Twitter and Instagram friends, my Facebook network is wildly different to any of my other social channels, and frankly I like it that way.
Consider the sheer number of group conversations, private messages and interactions going on at any moment on Facebook.
Facebook isn't just about posting public content; it's also an extremely versatile messaging platform.
In a recent interview with Bloomberg to commemorate the 10th anniversary of Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg mentioned that several of the company's upcoming apps may not require a Facebook login, meaning that users will regain a sense of control over their updates and messages that is currently missing from Facebook.
Paper also offers users the ability to separate content.
Currently, the Facebook news feed is a hodge-podge of random updates. Brands who complain about not reaching users need to understand that in the current environment, marketing is competing with very personal updates from close friends and family.
However beloved your brand is, it simply cannot compete with that level of interest, and given the impetus to have users 'Like' as many pages as possible, it's increasingly difficult for pages to deliver relevance.
With Paper, users are offered different news sections, meaning that if they want updates about sports they can get them instantly, separate from current affairs, or fashion.
This delineation is one of the driving factors behind other megaplatforms like Reddit, or Pinterest.
Pinterest boards allow users to follow a wide variety of topics, but keep the separate from each other. Similarly, Reddit continues to grow apace.
I know that I can check the frontpage for a variety of sources, but if I really want to talk about SEO or Lord of the Rings, there's a place for that and my discussion will not be interrupted by someone I knew in high school publishing 500 pictures of their new baby.
On balance this seems obvious. Publishers have always sectioned content off and continue to do so. Go to the BBC news site and take a look. World news, Local news, tech news, all separate, making them easier to find and more relevant.
Facebook has always struggled with this, so apps like Paper which appeal to interests with more separation, make more sense.
The future of Facebook
Taking steps to develop a new range of loosely connected apps casts a new light on Facebook's possible future fortunes.
The current hub approach is unwieldy and a continuing rush for Likes has reduced the strength and relevance of many connections.
While Paper is initially launching ad-free, much of the content being tested will come from approved partners (who you can bet will be paying heavily for the privilege), and ads may become part of the experience in the future.
What does this mean for marketers?
This move towards a wider app-based system does raise some obvious questions:
Do we need to be present across all of these apps?
How will we manage content across such a wide network?
The simple answer is that Facebook has already placed an impetus on deep, highly visual content, and Paper will be no different.
While Paper's subject headings (which include tech, pop culture and 'LOL') may lean towards the BuzzFeedy side of content, it appears that Facebook's longer-term strategy is to get back to its roots and focus on limited, engaged communities.
This means that these communities will have greater value for the brands that focus on them and may finally bring a more active purchase intent to Facebook.
With a starting block of 1.23bn users, this approach feels right, and while we may ultimately see the demise of Facebook as we currently know it, a focus on standalone apps indicates a bright future for the company.


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This Friday, Aug. 3, 2012 photo shows manufacturer exhibits on the floor of the Outdoor Retailer show in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Brian Skoloff)
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — The outdoor recreation industry is flexing its economic muscle — some $640 billion spent annually by Americans on gear, travel and services — to push for wilderness protection in Utah, threatening to pull a lucrative biannual trade show if the state doesn't change course on environmental issues.
The industry showed its resolve last week by giving Utah's governor an ultimatum: give up on a threat to take over federal land in the state or risk losing the outdoor gear show that draws thousands of visitors and injects more than $40 million yearly into the state economy.
Empty threat or not, the outdoor industry and related services represent a sizeable chunk of Utah's income — roughly $4 billion a year, or 5 percent of the state's gross product.
And it's not the first time the 4,000-member-strong Outdoor Industry Association has threatened to take its business elsewhere.
In 2003, the group threatened to pull the shows unless then-Gov. Mike Leavitt curbed an effort to seize control of dirt roads across national parks, national monuments and wilderness areas. Leavitt conceded and the shows stayed.
The group has had more cordial relationships with previous governors than with current Gov. Gary Herbert, who is a staunch supporter of mining, oil and gas development, said Tim Chambless, a political science professor at University of Utah.
The outdoor industry's latest threat has set the stage for a showdown of political will.
"There has been an ongoing tension between preservation and development," Chambless said.
Herbert is vowing to help keep the shows in Utah and work through the political differences.
But he complained his position on public lands has been misconstrued, noting the state wouldn't touch Utah's five national parks, several of its national monuments and 33 wilderness areas.
"I think they want to stay here," Herbert said. "And I want them to stay here."
At issue is legislation signed by Herbert in March that demands the federal government relinquish control of public lands in Utah by 2014, which sets up a potential legal battle over millions of acres in the state. The governor has been warned by his own attorneys that the push will likely be found unconstitutional.
Organizers of the Outdoor Retailer show, which wrapped up its summer expo Sunday, say if Herbert doesn't change course, they're looking at moving to Denver or Las Vegas, though none of those locations have the outdoor amenities that Salt Lake City has as the group seeks space to expand.
"We are in discussions with them. It's a piece of business we're certainly interested in," Visit Denver spokesman Richard Grant said.
Las Vegas also is eager to lure the show to town.
"We are always happy to meet with groups that are considering moving their event," said Jeremy Handel, a spokesman for the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority.
Regardless of enticements, organizers concede Denver just can't provide enough convention space in one location. Las Vegas has plenty of room, but delegates say it lacks outdoor amenities found in Salt Lake City, like close proximity to several world-renowned ski areas and wilderness.
"I think we're staying or going to Vegas. Denver would be another good option if they expand their convention center — they're essentially the same size as Salt Lake," said Kenji Haroutunian, the Nielsen Expositions executive in charge of the shows, where manufacturers take orders from retailers around the world. "We need to be making this decision by the end of this year."
The summer and winter trade shows, which have been in Utah since 1996, can make or break some Salt Lake City businesses.
"For me, this is 20 times more business," said Pam O'Mara, who runs a coffee shop near the Salt Palace Convention Center where the events are held. "It's amazing when they're here."
Next door at Caffe Molise, owner Fred Moesinger said the trade shows add 10 percent to its annual revenue.
"It's a big chunk of our year. It would be a huge loss if they decide to go elsewhere," he said.
While Frank Hugelmeyer, the outdoor association's president and CEO, won't say how serious the group is about leaving, he insists Utah is failing to recognize the economic impacts of protecting public lands for recreation.
"They're stuck in the Eisenhower era," Hugelmeyer said.
Herbert and some Republican leaders contend the state can better manage federal lands in Utah, which amount to some 28 million acres or about 50 percent of the state. Opponents, however, say the move is not only unconstitutional but bad public policy. If implemented, they say, it could eliminate important protections for wildlife refuges, forests and other sensitive areas.
While the Utah law exempts national parks, military installations, Native American reservations and congressionally approved wilderness areas, it would lay claim to the 1.9-million-acre Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, which President Bill Clinton designated in 1996. Since then, state officials and residents of the rural area, which is dominated by red rock landscapes, have waged an endless battle with federal authorities over land use.
Outdoor recreation "is such a big business, and they haven't recognized the change," Hugelmeyer said of Utah's land policies. "The governor talks about balance. He's got a clear energy vision — what's his vision for outdoor recreation? His energy platform is expanding into recreation areas."


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Roger Moore's fifth James Bond appearance, in For Your Eyes Only, was heralded as a return to form after Moonraker. Though hugely successful, Moonraker was also the most outlandish of the Bond stories. The twelfth Bond film, For Your Eyes Only, found veteran screenwriter Richard Maibaum teaming with executive producer Michael G. Wilson to produce a more earthbound script that put the series' trademark wit, women, and song alongside the high-stakes adventure of a more brutal 007.
Bond must recover the ATAC missile launching system before it can be used to destroy Western nuclear subs. Principal Bond girl Melina Havelock (sultry Carole Bouquet) has her own agenda: vengeance for the slayings oher parents. The plot includes a bit more mystery than usual, with Bond sorting out which of two smugglers he should trust: Milos Columbo (a charming Topol) or Aristotle Kristatos (Julian Glover, who would later appear in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade for Bond fans Steven Spielberg and George Lucas). The story combines elements from two short stories from Ian Fleming's collection For Your Eyes Only: the title story and "Risico" (a bit is also cribbed from the novel Live or Let Die).
Sealing the deal of a darker Bond, Moore reluctantly agreed to film a sequence in which Bond unnecessarily (and spectacularly) kills a gunman. Around that defining scene is the usual Bondian fun, including gripping underwater and rock-climbing sequences, a ski sequence, and a cracking car chase, all with inordinately impressive stunt work. As a former editor, first-time director John Glen knows what's needed to create suspense; it's only a shame the film is saddled with a dreadfully dated score by Bill Conti (the catchy theme tune is sung by Sheena Easton).
The film ends with a climactic showdown at one of the series' most novel villainous lairs, an abandoned mountain monastery, but it's the opening scene that takes the cake, with Bond escaping a death trap and turning the tables on Blofeld (identified in every way but name, due to a copyright issue). The scene is both thrilling in its action and absurdly comical, an odd way to start the otherwise carefully balanced Bond outing. The coup de grace is Blofeld's desperate plea for mercy: "I'll buy you a delicatessen—in stainless steel!" Producer Albert R. "Cubby" Broccoli suggested the line, an old-timey reference to stainless-steel deli counter tops being prized Mafia currency.
Part of the new Blu-ray wave of Bond releases, For Your Eyes Only looks its best in the hi-def format, surrounded by the full suite of extras from the recent DVD Ultimate Edition (with two key featurettes kicked up to full HD!). The image is clear, natural, and detailed, looking exceptionally good for a film of its vintage (nearly thirty years old). As remastered in DTS-HD 5.1 Master Lossless Audio, the film's soundtrack has never sounded so good on home video, but Fox thoughtfully includes the original stereo track for purists.
As with all of the Bond titles, For Your Eyes Only comes with a staggering array of bonus features, including three commentaries. The audio commentary narrated by Bond historian David Naylor gathers comments (recorded separately) by director John Glen, actors Lynn-Holly Johnson and Topol, and publicity director Jerry Juroe. Topics covered include the creation of the opening sequence, the cast and crew, locations and the filming of action sequences, the gadgets, the film's tone, and the atmosphere on the set. Next up is a commentary, again narrated by Naylor, with executive producer Michael Wilson, skiing expert Willy Bogner, production designer Peter Lamont, 2nd unit director Arthur Wooster, camera operator Alec Mills, assistant Neil Lamont, stunt coordinators George Leech and Martin Grace, composer Bill Conti, and producer's widow Dana Broccoli. Similar topics are covered from the perspective of the participants. Then there's an entertaining screen-specific commentary with actor Roger Moore. There are some notable gaps in the track, but Moore offers some interesting observations, and who's complaining: c'mon, it's Bond!
Declassifed: MI6 Vault kicks off with Deleted Scenes and Expanded Angles, all introduced by Glen The deleted scenes are "Hockey 007 Style" (1:58) and "Joining Forces" (1:01). "Expanded Angles" offers "Death of Locque" (:44) as the original scene, the expanded angle, or a "multi-angle" screen showing both. "Bond in Greece" (5:56), narrated by Wilson, displays the Greek locations. "Bond in Cortina" (4:18) does the same for the Cortina locales. "Neptune's Journey" (3:33), also narrated by Wilson, focuses on the underwater photography.
007 Mission Control Interactive Guide comprises "007," "Women," "Allies," "Villains," "Mission Combat Manual," "Q Branch," and "Exotic Locations." Here, we get mostly just excerpted film clips, but of interest are the opening credits without text (2:45) and "Locations" (5:00), narrated by Maud Adams.
Mission Dossier offers "Inside For Your Eyes Only" (29:45 in HD), which includes some archival set footage and interviews with Glen, Moore, Wilson, Lamont, Wooster, Juroe, Dana Broccoli, Topol, Johnson, Grace, Bogner, stuntman Rick Sylvester, special effects engineer Chris Corbould, and special effects supervisor Derek Meddings. Next up are Animated Storyboards for "Snowmobile/Motorcycle Chase" (1:14) and "Retrieving the ATAC" (1:47). Here too is the "music video" for Sheena Easton's title song (basically the title sequence without credits again).
The Ministry of Propaganda section includes a Trailer, three TV Spots, and two Radio Spots. The Image Database includes about 160 shots in fifteen categories.
Review gear: |
Panasonic Viera TC-P55VT30 55" Plasma 1080p 3D HDTV
Oppo BDP-93 Universal Network 3D Blu-ray Disc Player
Denon AVR2112CI Integrated Network A/V Surround Receiver
Pioneer SP-BS41-LR Bookshelf Speaker (2)
Pioneer SP-C21 Center Speaker
Pioneer SW-8 Subwoofer


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The design of the BMW M4 Convertible.
As soon as you set eyes on the BMW M4 Convertible, design highlights such as the forward-sloping M kidney grille with double slats and M4 emblem, the wide rear or the bevelled M double tailpipe finishers make one thing clear: This is no ordinary convertible.
With its athletic contours and elongated silhouette, the BMW M4 Convertible demonstrates its concentrated power. And provides a taste of what the driver can expect: pure, unadulterated adrenalin.
As soon as you set eyes on the BMW M4 Convertible, design highlights such as the forward-sloping M kidney grille with double slats and M4 emblem, the wide rear or the bevelled M double tailpipe finishers make one thing clear: This is no ordinary convertible.
With its athletic contours and elongated silhouette, the BMW M4 Convertible demonstrates its concentrated power. And provides a taste of what the driver can expect: pure, unadulterated adrenalin.
This high-performance convertible is just longing for airflow. Imposing air inlets at the front indicate the enormous volume of air that cools the M drive train of the BMW M4 Convertible even in borderline situations. Another attention-grabber is the powerdome, which delineates the contours of the turbocharger engine and impressively showcases the concentrated power of the BMW M4 Convertible.
Thanks to the M gills, Air Curtain and Air Breather, together with the M exterior mirrors and sporty contours, the BMW M4 Convertible exudes the aura of a highly trained athlete right through to the deep-lying rear – where the four bevelled tailpipe finishers deliver a clear message: When the hard top is down and their unmistakeable sound reaches your ears directly, you know that the BMW M4 Convertible is ready to redefine open-air driving.
Discover the design and dynamics of the BMW M4 Convertible.
Discover the design and dynamics of the BMW M4 Convertible.
In the vehicle's interior, the redeveloped M seats with their shell shape and illuminated M logo await the driver and front passenger. They offer perfect side stability and a clever use of ergonomics enables a direct connection between driver and vehicle. All control elements in the cockpit are orientated around the driver and guarantee highly precise operation in split seconds. A round instrument display in a racing car look, M leather steering wheel and M gear shift lever finish off the package and leave no room for doubt. The BMW M4 Convertible was created to redefine barriers.
When the retractable hardtop opens automatically in approximately 20 seconds at vehicle speeds of up to 18 km/h, there is a palpable increase in adrenalin levels. This is followed by maximum driving fascination, with M typical high performance combined with the intensity that only a convertible can offer.
When closed, the hardtop integrates seamlessly into the coupé-like roof line of the BMW M4 Convertible. Its ingenious design is not only an optical highlight, but also provides increased safety and guarantees pleasant acoustics, even at high speeds.
The aerodynamically optimised M exterior mirrors have been symbols of the sporty and dynamic design of the M line for decades. Attached to the body by a double-bridge designed base, they underscore the beautiful aesthetics of the car and convey a sense of precision engineering, lending additional character, dynamics and aerodynamic details to the sides.
The additional translucent LED indicators are fitted into a long, narrow groove.
The M seat in the convertible offers varying levels of lateral support and numerous functions that can be adjusted electronically. The vehicle's sporty flair is emphasised via an illuminated "M" logo in the integrated headrest.
The width of the backrest on the sport seat, which is upholstered in high-quality fine-grain Merino leather, can be electronically adjusted to ensure an optimal seating position. The seat length and seat height, along with the inclination of the backrest and seat surface, can all be electronically regulated, whereas the thigh support can be adjusted manually.
The redeveloped and weight-optimised wheels of the BMW M4 Convertible are both an eye-catcher and a statement. Even the standard 18ʺ M light-alloy wheels with V-spoke in Ferric Grey make this clear. 19ʺ M light-alloy wheels Double-spoke style are optionally available in Ferric Grey or Black and allow you a glimpse of the powerful M Carbon Ceramic Brake System or M compound brakes with M logo.
Whichever variant you choose, you're guaranteed to have maximum tracking stability: the standard mixed tyres on the BMW M4 Convertible don't just improve the muscular appearance of its rear; they also optimise steerabilty and grip.
The expression of personality.
BMW Individual paint finishes
Exhilarating, even at a standstill: BMW Individual offers an extensive palette of highly exclusive paint finishes for the new BMW M4 Convertible. One example is the fascinating BMW Individual Tanzanite Blue metallic. Just like the precious mineral tanzanite itself, this unique BMW Individual paint finish shimmers between a luminous turquoise and a refined dark blue in the fall of light.
BMW Individual fine-grain Merino leather
Breathtaking exterior, opulent interior: A wide variety of exclusive BMW Individual fine-grain Merino leathers is available for the interior of the new BMW M4 Convertible. Consider, for instance, the Opal White, including the leather-covered instrument panel. Not only does this add visual finesse. The meticulous selection of raw materials and special tanning processes also mean that it pampers passengers with unparalleled comfort.
BMW Individual interior trims
For a brilliant first, and lasting, impression: The Piano Black interior trim, with its elegant, high-gloss surfaces, creates a particularly impressive contrast with the BMW Individual fine-grain leather in Opal White. The BMW Individual fine-wood interior trims Plane Auburn dark and the Ash Grain White, with their own exclusive feel and hand-crafted to perfection, are no less impressive.
Additional BMW Individual equipment
Easy on the eye: The addition of the leather-covered instrument panel from BMW Individual introduces an extra dimension of refinement to the interior.
Accents in colour you can see and feel: The contrast stitching from BMW Individual is the highest expression of elegance and impressively accentuates the full fine-grain Merino leather in Black. There are four colours to choose from: Sakhir Orange, Silverstone, Yellow and Blue.


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Pictures From The Cheyenne Frontier Days 2013 Challenge Rodeo
The Cheyenne Frontier Days Challenge Rodeo is a tradition all its own.In its 18th year, the Challenge Rodeo pairs special-needs children with the PRCA rodeo contestants in a modified rodeo performance.
The children are assisted in events which include 8 -second bull rides, barrel racing, steer roping using broomstick horses for travel and a solid push to wrestle the roughstock. Bull riders sit secure in the knowledge that they'll be gently see-sawed by the professional cowboys as families and friends cheer them on.
The participants are recognized individually with a certificate and a trophy. After the Challenge rodeo, the children are treated to lunch and a trip to the carnival by volunteers.


text: ©2023 Bombardier Recreational Products Inc. (BRP). All rights reserved. ®, ™ and the BRP logo are trademarks of BRP or its affiliates. In the U.S.A., products are distributed by BRP US Inc. Offers valid in U.S.A. only between August 21, 2023 to March 31, 2024. The conditions may vary depending on your location and this offer is subject to termination or change at any time without notice. This offer is not refundable, exchangeable or transferable (including from dealership to another), cannot be redeemed for cash, credit or other products of equivalent value and cannot be combined with any other offer or rebate. Null where prohibited by law. Until supplies last. Customers must pre-order an eligible model during the promotional period to qualify for the offer. Eligible units are all new and unused 2024 Can-Am 3-Wheel models. † Pre-order and get an additional year of coverage on all 2024 Can-Am 3-Wheel models: The buyer of an eligible Ryker model will receive 12 months of BRP Limited Warranty and 12 months of B.E.S.T. coverage. The buyer of an eligible Spyder model will receive 24 months of BRP Limited Warranty and 12 months of B.E.S.T. coverage. Florida residents receive 24 months of BRP Limited Warranty for eligible Ryker models and 36 months of BRP Limited Warranty for eligible Spyder models. Subject to the exclusions, limitations of liabilities and all other terms and conditions of BRP's standard limited warranty contract, including without limitation the exclusions of damages caused by abuse, abnormal use or neglect. B.E.S.T. service contract is subject to a $50 deductible on each repair. For complete details, please see the BRP limited warranty and the B.E.S.T. contract. Carefully read the operator's guide and safety instructions. Observe applicable laws and regulations. Always wear appropriate protective clothing, including a helmet. Riding and alcohol/drugs don't mix. Always ride responsibly and safely. See your authorized BRP dealer for details and visit can-am.brp.com.


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Picked up a few ornaments that I need to personalize
Picked up a few ornaments that I need to personalize
I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas
I'm actually starting to get stuff now......
Merry Christmas to all...
Argos have their Xmas pages in the Catalogue now, but I have to wait until October before I can buy from there
I just started Christmas shopping last weekend and picked up something my son (age 14 and terribly hard to shop for...) has been talking about since LAST Christmas and also got a different one for his dad too! They are Cell Phone Watches!!! And from what I understand, they are a cellphone, camera, mp3 player and lots of other cool stuff wrapped up in a handy watch! I did some research before I bought and turns out the only place I could even find them in America are from a company called 3gWatches.com. My husband's was only $99 and my sons was I think $120?? Pretty cheap if you ask me for all that they have loaded in them! I CANNOT WAIT to see their faces on Christmas day!!!!!!
I bought a gift today! Great bargain! I was in JC Penneys and noticed they had tops/blouses for sale: Buy one, get one for a $1! Well, I was looking at buying two for myself when a clerk came over and gave me a coupon for $10 off a purchase of $50 or more. So I decided to pick up a couple more shirts - one as a gift! So, at the register, my purchase totaled $128.00 before the promotions. Then I got the two shirts for a $1 each - saving $60. Then - the $10 off coupon. Bottom line, I paid $58for $128 in fall clothing! So basically, I got the $30 Christmas gift for free! Yay!!
I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas
I have already got my sister a jewellery holder but when it got here I noticed it looks horrible, so she's not having that. We already got our mum some gifts, most drawing boos, earrings and planning to get her a hamper.
'I will live in the Past, the Present, and the Future!' Scrooge repeated, as he scrambled out of bed. 'The Spirits of all Three shall strive within me. Oh, Jacob Marley! Heaven, and the Christmas Time be praised for this! I say it on my knees, old Jacob, on my knees!' (Charles Dickens A Christmas Carol)
I ordered a gift for one of our grandsons today. I hope I like it when it arrives and I hope he likes it, too, when it belongs to him.
That Christmas tree that my husband ordered is still on backorder. I'll be very disappointed if it doesn't arrive in time for Christmas.
"Hail him who saves you by his grace,
and crown him Lord of all."


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Greece Bans Voula Papachristou from 2012 Olympics over African Joke
Voula Papachristou was kicked off Greece's Olympic team on Wednesday for making a racist, derogatory comment on her Twitter account. She wrote: "With so many Africans in Greece, the West Nile mosquitoes will be getting home food!!!"
A harmless joke. Offense to Africans is in the eye of the beholder.
What was the joke? "With so many Africans in Greece, the West Nile mosquitoes will be getting home food!!!" she tweeted. Athletic officialdom was not amused.
What was racist about the comment, given that Papachristou, apparently a strong Greek patriot, did not express any negative opinions about Africans, is a mystery … at least to normal people. She did not traffic in what the left believes are standard racist tropes. She did not say that Africans are more violent or disposed to crime than Greeks. Nor did she claim they are less intelligent than the descendants of Homer, Plato and Aristotle. She told an off-color joke, as it were.
She is also guilty of supporting the Golden Dawn party, which, while admittedly sounding a little extreme, opposes immigration; in other words, they would keep Greece for the Greeks. Perhaps that, as Patrick Cleburne wrote, is the real crime. Vdare
What we at Human-Stupidity say is much more offensive. Prepare for Human-Stupidity being raided and shut down! Freedom of expression has long been abolished by speech codes and political correctness rules.
Voula Papachristou's other sin is promoting views of a party that is in Greek parliament. If a party is not outlawed, promoting it should not lead to expulsion from the Olympics! Political correctness destroys our democratic liberties and ideals.
Papachristou's Twitter account ((at)papaxristoutj) contained several retweets and links to sites and YouTube videos promoting the views of Golden Dawn, a formerly marginal extreme right party that entered the Greek Parliament in two recent elections – in May and June – by polling almost 7 percent of the vote. She has since erased those links and retweets from her account. 2
Political correctness
Political correctness starts lightly and is ever expanding overcriminalization. Hate speech laws were intended to punish incendiary speech promoting violence and genocide. It was illegal to say "Kill Africans". Then it extended to using derogatory terms like the N -word ("nigger"). If someone uses the N-word, it is understood that the offended have the right to escalate violently "retaliate". I do hope that I don't get arrested, or attacked by vigilantes, for typing this word once. Now we got as far as to get punished for privately making a joke?
But it was her attempt at a joke Sunday that got the most attention. Commenting on the widely reported appearance of Nile-virus-carrying mosquitoes in Athens, Papachristou wrote: "With so many Africans in Greece, the West Nile mosquitoes will be getting home food!!!". Her tweet prompted thousands of negative comments that snowballed Wednesday. 2
Vdare assails the fuzziness of hate crime definitions:
One cannot know what is racist and what isn't. The word has no precise definition. One day, it means burning crosses and terrorizing blacks. The next, it means calling President Obama a socialist. Or skinny. Or opposing his health-care plan. Yet because those who level charge control what it means, or doesn't mean, and can use it any way they wish, one is defenseless against it. It cannot be falsified. The very charge imposes the conviction of guilt. Vdare
Be aware that making it to the Olympics is a lifetime struggle of hours of daily training since infancy. So the ban is not a triviality, like not letting someone into a Club.
Of course, when there is real racism, but in favor of Blacks, then reaction to a Black Power salute is more positive.
Globally, it was understood as an act of solidarity with all those fighting for greater equality, justice and human rights. Margaret Lambert, a Jewish high jumper who was forced, for show, to try out for the 1936 German Olympic team, even though she knew she would never be allowed to compete, said how delighted it made her feel. "When I saw those two guys with their fists up on the victory stand, it made my heart jump. It was beautiful." Guardian
London 2012: Greek athlete's racism ban condemned by far-right party
"I believe it was exaggerated to expel Papachristou, especially after she apologised," tweeted Adonis Georgiadis, a conservative MP.
She should not have to excuse for sharing opinions of a far right party. Excusing for politically incorrect behavior will not achieve forgiveness, an James Watson found out. It might be more productive to courageously defend one's opinion.
The Greek Olympic Committee condemned the comment as "contrary to the values and ideals of the Olympic movement", though Papachristou's coach and the far-right Greek Golden Dawn party were among those to attack the punishment as excessive. 3
London 2012: Greek athlete 'very bitter and upset' over racism ban
• Voula Papachristou devastated by exclusion from team
• 'I am trying to stay calm otherwise I would lose control'
• Far-right Golden Dawn party attacked ban as excessive
Another naïve white momentarily forgets about the sacredness of blacks, and has her career ruined
I didn't know that anyone in a mainstream position who says anything in public under his own name that is in the slightest degree "iffy" about blacks is taking his livelihood and his future in his hands, but because, for a few moments, I was at a loss as to how to respond to it. What do you say about a society (Western society) in which you don't have to say anything actually negative, anything actually biased about a protected group, particularly blacks, to have your career and place in society destroyed, you just have to tell a garden variety joke? A society in which, even if you issue the most profound apology for your garden variety joke, as Papachristou did, that will not rehabilitate you? No. In liberal society, the society that worships not God but the nonwhite Other, there is no forgiveness.
And finally, an explanation. Before, I could never understand why a joke can be racist, if it does not say anything negative about Blacks
Her joke was not an act of discrimination against anyone, it was a joke. At worst it was in questionable taste. But if you mention blacks in any context which has the slightest negative implication (such as referencing the large number of Africans in Greece in any other way than to celebrate them, or to joke about African mosquitos eating African "food"), that is considered discriminatory, and once you have committed a discriminatory act, you are dead meat.
But really this is not about discrimination. it is about the fact that blacks are sacred objects, and you do not make jokes about sacred objects. But this truth, that in liberal society blacks are sacred objects, cannot be stated aloud because it would reveal too much about the liberal order, so instead it is said that we must "never discriminate between human beings and races."
That is the only explanation. Don't say anything about Blacks. Don't mention Blackness, except in pure praise. Otherwise you are racist.
Rule 10(r) While it is important for your physical survival to take blackness into account when encountering black individuals or finding yourself in a black neighborhood or at a beach or amusement park with many blacks, when it comes to your social survival you should pretend to be unconscious of blackness. If someone says, "There are a lot of blacks in the park today," the safest response is, "Really? I hadn't noticed." Being aware of race, in any context outside of fulsome praise, is tantamount to racism.


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The highest rents in the United States are in.... North Dakota
Lately, there has been a lot of heated debate arising out of the soaring rents seen in San Francisco, as Silicon Valley's professional class keeps advancing northward up the peninsula. And Manhattan's rents have long been jaw-droppingly outrageous. But now, a new city takes the top for the nation's most expensive living accommodations -- Williston, North Dakota.
Not too long ago, people were fleeing North Dakota in droves -- the state had actually seen a decline in population over the decades. Now, several years into an oil boom that has made it the second-highest oil-producing state after Texas, North Dakota's resources, infrastructure and housing stock are being stretched beyond capacity.
A survey of U.S. metropolitan areas by Apartment Guide finds Williston, North Dakota leading in rental rates to the tune of about $2,000 a month for a one-bedroom apartment and $4,500 a month for a three-bedroom place. Dickinson, a couple hundred miles away, is the fourth most-expensive area in the country.
As Courtney Craig writes in Apartment Guide, the town has doubled in size in just the last three to four years:
"Williston was a quiet, agricultural town of about 14,700 when the 2010 Census was taken, but now it produces more oil than any other site in the country, and its population has swelled to about 30,000 people. The oil boom has created many high-paying jobs in the area, and apartments can't be built fast enough to accommodate the influx of workers – many of whom make six figures per year. The apartments that are already there are in high demand, so they get snatched up immediately, and for a pretty penny."
Here are Apartment Guide's most expensive metropolitan areas in terms of entry-level monthly rent:
- Williston, ND: $2,394
- San Jose, CA metro: $1,881
- San Francisco, CA metro: $1,776
- Dickinson, ND: $1,733
- Key West, FL: $1,640
- Bridgeport, CT metro: $1,601
- Boston, MA metro: $1,537
- New York City, NY metro: $1,504
(Thumbnail Photo: U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration.)
This post was originally published on Smartplanet.com


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Hello Divine Ones,
It's good to be with you. We see that as we converse with you upon your capacity to create your experience through intentional use of your focus, some of you are starting to relate to your life with a increasing sense of curiosity.
Curiosity is a beneficial perspective to have toward anything – because it opens up your sense of possibility. Some of you are already starting to consider that you might be able to accomplish things you hadn't thought of before, and this is a really nice thought to think.
Allow yourself right now to consider that you could actually accomplish a state of thriving that you never before considered.
Just allow yourself to think that thought right now, "I might be capable of accomplishing a state of thriving and well-being, that I've never before considered possible."
Allow yourself to consider that everything about your embodiment is capable.
For example, your body is really smart and made for this experience. Remember that the cells of your body come about because there's an energy template that is your body. The energy of all that you are, and the energy of this planet, get projected into this energy pattern and it becomes what you know as your physical form. There's a pattern that gives rise to your physical body, and this pattern and your body are intelligent, coherent and perfect.
Energy from all that you are and from the planet is continually flowing into this energy pattern. That pattern manifests your physical form. That pattern isn't broken. There's nothing wrong with that pattern. That pattern is perfection. That pattern is perfection, and it is because of that pattern which cannot be broken, that your body is innately resilient.
So then, considering with this example of your physical form, why then isn't your body always in a feel good, great way? You might wonder that. It seems like an obvious question given what we've just shared. Well, the reason your body is not always optimized is because you are a powerful creator and sometimes, inadvertently or not, you're creating things that defer well-being, that manifest a different expression of your body. That in a sense, diminish the effective of your capacity to thrive. You can do this, because you create your experience, which means you can open up more thriving, or diminish your thriving, by how you use your focus.
Today we want to lay the groundwork by talking about the basics of how you create your reality. How your experience comes about.
For anybody's that new to this idea and as a reminder for anybody who's already working with this approach to your life, a lot of the ways that you learn best are by repetition. You're continually new in every present moment. Whatever you pay attention to is what's going on within you and so reminding yourself and repeating the things that empower you the most is really beneficial.
You'll notice in our conversations there is a certain amount of repetition and that is quite intentional. So we'll do some of that today as a way of ensuring that we're all on the same bandwidth, the same vibe in terms of mindset.
We'll continue to use the example of your physical well-being yet you can apply these principles to all of your life.
The easiest way to optimize your physical state is to do things that feel better and more harmonious and more peaceful to you. This includes thinking in ways that feel better as well as living in ways that feel better.
If you were to take to heart the perspective that we've shared before – that there is only now, you would see new possibilities are ever present for you. Creation happens in the present. Nothing about the past is playing out in the present unless you give it your attention. So realizing this power of the present moment, you would not only feel a sense of possibility, you might start to actually live more fully in the present.
Nothing is more powerful. Nothing is more powerful than embracing the idea that you create your own experience of life and that all your power lies only in the present.
Nothing can liberate you faster or easier from anything, from anything you dislike, anything you want to change, anything you find challenging. Nothing can make things better faster than realizing and embracing that you create your own experience and that all your power lies in the present and living that.
So now we want to summarize how you might live this because that's not just an idea that in and of itself makes your life different. The knowing of it doesn't change anything unless you do things differently based on this, so there are practical reliable ways to apply this perspective in your life and here they are.
Understand that your attention to anything includes that thing in your experience; it activates the energy of that in your energy field.
Your attention is inclusive. You cannot say, "No," to something if you're giving it your attention. You might think you're saying no but you're saying yes. So, your attention to anything includes it vibrationally in your energy field and anything that's resonant with what's in your energy field can come into your life.
Your attention is doing stuff all the time. What you're paying attention to is doing stuff all the time and you know what you're doing with your attention – which is what you're doing vibrationally – at any given moment by how you feel emotionally. You know this by how you feel emotionally. Your emotions are a reliable and accurate guidance system showing you moment to moment to moment what you are doing vibrationally.
Why does this matter? Because everything is energy and energy, pure potential energy, pure positive energy, unstructured energy moves into form in a very precise manner. It's brought into one of those patterns – like your body – through the structuring power of your attention, the power of consciousness.
So, consciousness in some distinct aspect of focus, like a human being, like a non-physical energy field like us, gives attention in a particular way and through that, structures energy. You might even think of it as begins to "inform," making into form, pure positive energy.
Consciousness structures energy. You could think of this structuring activity, as thought. You can't have an experience without having a thought about it, and it's the emanation of the thoughts you're having, which structure energy, which create.
Everything that you're emanating vibrationally that's being transmitted throughout all of Creation is based on whatever your point of view is in the present. Pure positive energy is brought into more structured focus by attention of consciousness, that which you think of as thought.
Everything that you experience in your own life, everything that comes into your personal experience of life, what we like to call your personal reality, is resonant with an active energy within your field. Meaning nothing that you haven't activated the essence of vibrationally can show up in your life. It just can't.
Nothing will ever happen to you that you don't have the active essence of in your energy field. The way to get things to stop happening isn't to say no to them because by paying attention to them, you include them. The way to get things to stop happening, and this is the hardest step for everyone in embodiment to make, is to learn to withdraw your attention from them and place your attention on something else.This is sometimes called pivoting.
Any time you have an emotion that is uncomfortable for you, that's guidance. That's not a trigger to worry or panic or get in a tizzy over, it's just guidance. Emotions indicate, show you what you're doing vibrationally. Uncomfortable emotions show that right now you're out of sync with what you really want. You're not in harmony with the things you've decided you care about, that you want your life to be like. So the vastness you are, which has embraced, become, expanded into, everything you've chosen, has a particular energy expressing the leading edge of you. When you have veered out of sync with who you really are, which is what we call the vastness of your eternal energy, you feel what you know as negative emotion; indications you're out of sync with who you truly are.
When you are paying attention to something in your life in a way that is different than the wholeness you are sees it, you don't feel good. You have emotions that indicate you've lost some of your alignment. So, you could pivot. You could remind yourself that you care about this guidance that you're receiving because everything happens vibrationally and it's good to know what you're doing vibrationally.
You could decide that you're going to appreciate the feelings, even the ones you don't like and then you're going to remind yourself what they mean. They mean, "I'm out of sync with something that matters to me," and then you could ask yourself a very important question: What do I want? Because clearly you're looking at something that is, in some way focused on what you don't want. That's why you have negative emotion.
So when you have that feeling and you recognize it as guidance, you can relate to it in a different way and this is how you reliably apply these things in your life. The tuning of this – of you – to who you truly are happens in the seemingly mundane moments of life, day to day to day, now, now, now, and again now by noticing how you feel emotionally.
When you're not feeling as good emotionally as you can, you know that there's guidance there for you and it's an amazing opportunity to refine what's active in your energy field, by paying attention to yourself.
When you have negative emotion, there's guidance there saying this is an opportunity to refine your energy, to come into a life experience that's more and more to your liking.
You'll know when you've successfully done it, when you've shifted, because you'll feel better immediately. Then, better feeling experiences will follow in your manifest unfolding. That's the sequence – things happen first energetically, so you'll notice improved feelings before the manifestations in your daily life improve.
So the way that you pivot when you find yourself noticing negative emotion, indications you're in less alignment, is you ask yourself: What do I want? What do I want?
Ailia's been playing lately with pivoting when she walks her dog. She walks for an hour, hour and a half every morning and she will find invariably at some point during the walk that Lily starts to pull on the leash in ways she finds too much. Then, often she gets very irritated. She'll have to remind herself: Well, what do I want? What do I want? Then she'll say, and this is the phrase she's been using which you might try, "I am looking forward to…."
So she'll say to herself, "I am looking forward to walking easily with Lily. I'm looking forward to having more parts of our walk where I can let her off the leash and I don't even have to hold onto her. I am looking forward to having more fun." And then she'll just go on if she feels like it with other things she's looking forward to.
She had an amazing experience this weekend with that because they walked very early in the heat and because it was very early, they walked really long, almost twice as long as normal and Lily started to really pull because she started to get hot before Ailia got hot. Ailia got irritated, and then she thought: Oh, this is my guidance system and it's showing me I am out of sync with who I am. What do I want?
Then she did what we just told you. She said, "I am looking forward to Lily being more content on our walks. I am looking forward to looking at Lily and seeing Lily happy and enjoying our walks. I am looking forward to Lily and I being in perfect sync on our walks. I am looking forward to feeling no concern about Lily in the heat and knowing that Lily's having a good time."
She went on like this for a little bit and within a block or two, on a street that they never walk on, she came to a house and next to the driveway of that house was the most amazing thing. There was a large ceramic pot, like those used for outdoor plants. This pot was underneath a tree, and amazingly, that pot had been turned into a drinking fountain! The spot it was in was shady and pretty, and there were flowers all around it. At the base of this beautiful drinking fountain was a metal water bowl for dogs! It was attached on a little chain for people to use to get water for their dogs. She couldn't believe it. So she rinsed it out a few times and filled it up and put it down for Lily and Lily had some cool water and played a bit in the shade, and there it was: she and Lily having a wonderful walk.
So this is how it works. Everything that comes into your personal experience of life, your personal reality is resonant with an active energy within your energy, meaning nothing you have not activated the essence of vibrationally can show up in your life.
Because Ailia had just had these thoughts about how she wanted her walk to go and while she was having them by thinking, "I am looking forward to…" she was not resistant at all. She was just feeling good thinking these thoughts and feeling how it will feel when those things show up, and how nice it will be and then she just continued on, and she didn't think about it very much. She didn't try very hard and then it showed up, like fast. She could have thought differently and our guess is she would have been walking on the other side of the street and not found this amazing little oasis. Think about that.
This is how it works for you. This is the power of your experience. You and only you can create your energy field, and you create your energy field by how you use your attention, and you know how you're using it because of the emotions you feel. You're infinitely powerful because you're infinitely free every moment to think how you want to think. No one can think for you. Only you.
Having a thriving life happens in the present. It happens with opening up to the possibility that your life might achieve a state of being that is far beyond anything you could ever ask for or imagine.
Ailia in her wildest dreams never thought to imagine a drinking fountain in a giant terra cotta pot around the corner. She would have never thought to imagine it and yet it was far better than what she was asking for, and it accomplished what she was asking for and it happened in a snap.
We just lay this out there for you to think about today because you and Ailia are the same. You're completely absolutely powerful, sovereign and free because you're infinitely capable to choose how you think and what you give your attention to and therein lies all of your power.
We are complete.
We are the Council of Radiant Light.
» Source – Channel: Ailia Mira


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Toys R Us is getting into the video streaming business.
On Thursday, the toy store company is launching toysrusmovies.com, a new digital service for users to stream and download movies and television shows geared toward children.
The movies are priced at $2.99 for a 24-hour rental and TV shows are $1.99 a pop. The prices are comparable to Apple's iTunes store.
With this move, Toys R Us is wading into a crowded arena of competitors that include Netflix (NFLX), Wal-Mart (WMT) Stores, Amazon (AMZN) and Apple (AAPL), all of which are growing their online video presence.
Toys R Us spokeswoman Katie Reczek said the site's family-friendly content will set its service apart from its competitors.
Toys R Us Movies will offer instant access to more than 4,000 titles. The site will also feature new movie releases on the same day the DVDs hit retail stores. TV shows will be available the day after they air. The site is equipped with customizable parental controls. The site will be powered by Rovi (ROVI)Corp, a digital entertainment technology company.
The store has plans to expand from online streaming into Blu-ray players, TVs and tablets in the future. It also plans to create apps for Apple and Google's (GOOG) Android devices.
Toys R Us, which has over 1,500 stores globally, has made several moves recently to gear up for the holiday shopping season. It announced a free layaway plan and ramped up holiday hiring by adding 45,000 seasonal workers.
The retailer also announced its own tablet for children, the "Tabeo," set to hit stores Oct. 21. A Toys R Us movies app is being developed for the device.
Related: Holiday sales projected to increase 4%
Competitors are also upping the game. Last month, Amazon reached a deal to expand the roster of movies and shows offered on its Amazon Prime Instant Video service. Wal-Mart (WMT) has also been growing its online collection and offers discounted prices on digital movies.
The heavy competition has weighed on Netflix, which has seen a 13% decline in its share price so far this year.
Toys R Us hopes to lure users by not requiring a subscription. It will let users pay per movie or download. Amazon Prime subscribers pay $79 a year and Netflix charges $7.99 a month for streamlining.


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Related links:
Hubble's auroral images of Jupiter
News story originally written on October 17, 1996
Scientists studying Jupiter's auroral regions are using images from Hubble's Wide Field and Planetary Camera 2 to map the planet's immense magnetic field and better understand the auroral phenomena.
Aurorae occur when charged particles (electrons, protons, and positive ions) are trapped in the magnetic field surrounding a planet. These charged particles are then accelerated along the magnetic field line towards the north and south poles. Along their path they collide with neutral particles in the planet's upper atmosphere. These collisions transfer energy, thus exciting the neutrals, which in turn release this extra energy in the form of light.
The new images show warped oval rings of aurora at the north and south poles. Also visible is an auroral footprint created by the sheet of electric current flowing between Jupiter and its volcanic moon Io. Detailed images like this are allowing scientists to watch small-scale, rapid changes in the auroral intensity and motion, and map changes in both magnetic poles and pinpoint the effects of emissions from Jupiter's moon Io.


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I was explaining to my son that HQ stood for "headquarters," when he surprised me by dividing the word into "head" and "quarters." I had never considered this word thusly before, but it's obvious to me now: the quarters for the head. But then as I explained that "quarters" was another word for a building or room, I realized how little it fits.
We discussed it over our lunch circle, and came up with some theories:
- It originally cost a quarter to rent a room.
- Military bases were divided into four parts, each of which contained some buildings for particular functions.
- Rented space was paid by the quarter (in the annual sense).
Doing some research, this is what we found:
An explanation of give no quarter says that quarter developed from a fourth part of something, progressing from sky and space, to compass directions, to cities and towns, and that "there was a parallel development on a domestic scale and a part of a house also became called a quarter" but it sheds no light on how that came to be. So it remains plausible that "quarters" might be related to dividing a house into four parts, similar to #2.
This discussion of quarter supports the idea that "quarters" comes from dividing a house into four parts, but also mentions "quarter days" which are days of the year "on which it is usually contracted that rents should be paid and houses or lands entered upon or quitted." This lends some plausibility to #3.
But then there is this blog article that states unequivocally and unsourced-ly that the origin is none of the above, but in fact derives from a French word which means "separate from."
How did "quarters" come to mean housing or accommodation?


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"The anti-inflammatory drug leflunomide is an agonist of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor", PLoS One, vol. 5, p. e13128, 2010.
"The anti-inflammatory drug leflunomide is an agonist of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor.", PLoS One, vol. 5, no. 10, 2010.
, "Developmental bisphenol A exposure impairs sperm function and reproduction in zebrafish.", Chemosphere, vol. 169, pp. 262-270, 2017.
, "Global gene expression analysis reveals pathway differences between teratogenic and non-teratogenic exposure concentrations of bisphenol A and 17β-estradiol in embryonic zebrafish.", Reprod Toxicol, vol. 38, pp. 89-101, 2013.
, "Neurodevelopmental low-dose bisphenol A exposure leads to early life-stage hyperactivity and learning deficits in adult zebrafish.", Toxicology, vol. 291, no. 1-3, pp. 83-92, 2012.
, "Persistent adult zebrafish behavioral deficits results from acute embryonic exposure to gold nanoparticles.", Comp Biochem Physiol C Toxicol Pharmacol, vol. 155, no. 2, pp. 269-74, 2012.
, "Potential anti-inflammatory properties of biologically synthesized nanoparticles of gold or silver", Nanotech, vol. 2, pp. 501–504, 2008.


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Mensa Workout
This quiz is provided for entertainment purposes only; it is not an IQ test. This score will not qualify you for Mensa. The questions on the "Mensa Workout" are biased towards people whose primary language is English. Mensa offers culture-fair testing throughout the world. Many of the questions on the "Mensa Workout" require you to have a graphical browser. The test is still enjoyable for those with text-only browsers, but your overall score may be considerably lower than it might be with a graphical browser.
You have half an hour to answer 30 questions. Answers to the questions and discussion of the answers are provided at the time you submit your answers. While there is a 30-minute time limit to take the test, the amount of time you actually take in no way affects your final score. This is due to the differences in transmission times on the internet, and server loads.
IMPORTANT: The questions in this quiz were devised by Dr Abbie Salny, and are copyright. Permission to use any of the questions may be granted for educational or other approved purposes by contacting Mensa International.


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Women take almost 50 percent more short-term sick leave than men
Women take almost 50% more short term sick leave than men, finds research published ahead of print in Occupational and Environmental Medicine. But they don't take more long term sick leave, the findings show.
The researchers assessed periods of sick leave among almost 7000 municipal workers in Helsinki, Finland, between 2002 and 2005.
The employees, who were all aged between 40 and 60, were also quizzed about their working lives and general health.
Physical health problems, physical work demands, and work fatigue were more commonly reported by women. And they were 46% more likely than men to call in sick for short periods of a few days (self certified sick leave).
They were also a third more likely to take short term sick leave, certifiied by a doctor.
But diagnosed illness explained only about a third of the difference in spells of self certified sick leave and about half of that certified by a doctor.
Women may be better at recognising problems and going to the doctor for treatment, suggest the authors.
The gender differences in sick leave gradually weakened for periods longer than two weeks. And when it came to periods of 60 days or more, there was little difference between men and women.
Source: British Medical Journal


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Four Peaks Brewing Company will be showcasing their beers throughout Cactus League stadiums this Spring beginning February 26th. "Response to Four Peaks beers by stadium concessionaires has quadrupled for 2014 over last year" according to Greg Ross, Four Peaks Marketing Director.
Stadiums include Salt River Fields, Peoria Sports Complex, Camelback Ranch, Scottsdale Stadium, Maryvale Stadium, Surprise Stadium and Tempe Diablo Stadium. Kilt Lifter, recent Silver Medalist at the Great American Beer Festival will be featured on multiple taps at every stadium. Other styles such as 8th Street Pale Ale, Sunbru, Peach Ale, Hefeweizen and Oatmeal Stout will be on tap throughout the stadiums as well. Salt River Fields, home of the Arizona Diamondbacks and Colorado Rockies, will also feature local craft beers from both states in in cans.
New for 2014 will be the introduction of Four Peaks Short Hop ISA. With a lower alcohol percentage less than 5%, it's a full flavored Session IPA. Ross adds, "Four Peaks is known for its balanced and seasonable beers. We don't feel higher alcohol content makes better beer. We want local baseball fans and those from all over the United States to be able to enjoy a couple beers while watching their favorite team and maintain control over an afternoon of fun."


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My Child
My Child
I may be well in a different world.
I wanted you to know
Of all the hopes
And all the prayers
that have ever left my lips.
But if the breath of time will allow
but one short message in a bottle,
you should know,
that of all the things I hope and pray
you should cherish the little candle
in your heart
and let it outshine all the darknesses.
This poem originally appeared in SEASONS OF THE MOON for Kislev 5759.
Written by Rabbi Yaakov Asher Sinclair.
General Editor: Rabbi Moshe Newman.
HTML Design: Michael B. Treblow
Copyright © 1998 Ohr Somayach International. Send comments to: firstname.lastname@example.com


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Doug Ose on DrugsFormer Republican Representative (CA-3) | |
VOTE HEMP is a non-profit organization dedicated to the acceptance of and free market for Industrial Hemp. Industrial Hemp is non-psychoactive low THC varieties of the cannabis sativa plant. Currently, it is illegal for U.S. farmers to grow Industrial Hemp because it is improperly classified as a "drug" under the Controlled Substances Act. Since changes in law require shifts in thinking and this requires education in the facts, our primary goal is the education of legislators and regulators, farmers and businesses, students and other concerned citizens.


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Club Excellence Wrap UpThursday, May. 16, 2013 |
Brian Krill is the USSA's newly hired Club Development Manager in its Sport Education Department. Krill has worked in education, competitive mountain athletics and the nonprofit sector throughout his career, having served as Dean of Athletic Education at the Crested Butte Academy, Interim Director of the Crested Butte Snowsports Foundation and pioneer of Peak Nonprofit Consulting, LLC. At the Club Excellence conference over the last few days it has become evident to all that the focus of the USSA and the future of our sports will rely on club development. Backed by the findings of the McKinsey study and the success evidenced by other NGBs such as USA Swimming, the USSA is rolling out lots of new resources to its member clubs. The objectives are clear, as Jon Nolting and I presented today.
This will be a two way street, not just a top down initiative. Best in the World has and will extend to every club, every parent, every volunteer, every coach and every athlete as we work to deliver education, certification and recognition to all at the club level. This is an exciting time to be part of the USSA team. Believe in U.S. because we believe in you! Special thanks to our guest presenters at the 2013 Club Excellence Conference: Jina Doyle and Marla Peters, American Specialty Insurance Your presentations and insights were extremely valuable for our USSA club leaders. To download all the slides of the presentations and resources delivered at the 2013 USSA Club Excellence Conference please go to //media.ussa.org/Public/Athletics/Education/Excellence2013/. |
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The No Child Left Inside Act is just a way for the enviromarxists to spread propaganda in the public schools.
by G Foley May 22, 2009
An Enviromarxist is a Marxist that uses the environment as a front for their attempt to destroy the socioeconomic status quo and implement a Marxist system. They do this to hide their true intentions and to gain support from affluent PC Liberals who want to appear as if they give a damn.
A primary example of Enviromarxism would be the opposition to the extension of the Keystone Pipeline from Alberta, CA to Texas, USA. President Obama has supported Enviromarxists in this endeavor. The Enviromarxist claims that the environmental damages that would be caused are too significant, when in fact any credible geologist says otherwise.
Another would be their opposition to fracking, which they claim causes earthquakes.
Another would be their opposition to fracking, which they claim causes earthquakes.
by Destroyer25 January 5, 2012


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Confirmed: 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee Diesel to Debut in Detroit
Brand CEO Confirms Model for First Major Show of 2013
Jeep brand president and CEO Mike Manley told WardsAuto that the long-awaited 50-state Jeep Grand Cherokee diesel will be shown at the 2013 Detroit Auto Show in January and will go on sale shortly thereafter as a 2014 model. Powered by a 3.0-liter V-6 sourced from Italy's VM Motori (the engine is already offered European models), the oil-burning 2014 Grand Cherokee will reportedly carry the 'EcoDiesel' badge and be fitted with a fluid catalyst system to comply with U.S. emissions standards.
Manley said that customers of Jeep's previously-sold diesel models, including the Liberty, are very happy with their vehicles, though they never sold in large numbers. The previous Grand Cherokee and Liberty CRD models were not offered in California and other states that adopted California emissions standards.
Although Manley did not explicitly say a diesel version of the Wrangler was coming, he did say that improving fuel economy without impacting capability on the brand's signature model was a big priority and that the generous torque offered by the diesel would make it a promising candidate for the Wrangler.
The other highly-anticipated Jeep debut scheduled for Detroit is the replacement for the Liberty midsize SUV. While many Jeep enthusiasts anticipate the new model could see the revival of the Cherokee nameplate in the U.S. (the Liberty is sold as the Cherokee in Europe), Manley only said "that is the speculation," saying the name will be revealed at its official debut.
Source: WardsAuto


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The last day of WebmasterWorld's Pubcon is literally a gathering in a pub. This is the genesis of how Pubcon was started, an informal gathering of members from WebmasterWorld. Through the efforts of Brett Tabke and the community, it has grown into one of the finest search marketing conferences with thousands of attendees, major corporate sponsors, top notch speakers and a spirit like no other event. There's a real sense of community and "co-opetition" amongst participants that makes it a great place to learn and network.
Here are my final favorite photos from Las Vegas Pubcon and a few with friends from iEntry afterwards.
Danny Sullivan and Melanie Mitchell
Search Engine Land on Mike's dome