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NYPD Snoop Declares Zuccotti Park A "Soft Target" for Terrorists: Really?
The Occupy Wall Street encampment in Zuccotti Park was many things to many people. For some, it was the dawning of a new age, to others a throwback to an earlier one. Before the mini-society was destroyed by city authorities last week, some looked at it and saw petty crime, pathogens and pathos, while for others it offered a rare glimmer of hope for a future based on economic justice, mutual aid and greater equality.
What activists inside the park saw as the nucleus of a new society, the New York City Police Department saw as a prime target for terrorists, according to a plainclothes policeman. The white surveillance truck at the corner of Liberty Street and Broadway, the many security cameras aimed at the plaza and the massive police response --including dozens of NYPD vehicles -- he and his partner claimed, were not there to police protesters, but to thwart an attack on the park by armed militants.
Just hours before NYPD officers raided Zuccotti Park, rousted the occupiers and destroyed their encampment, I had a run-in with these plainclothesmen and listened as they spun their tale.
In the days since, reports of a terror plot to attack police and military targets in New York City surfaced. If these allegations, as well as those by the plainclothes officers, are actually true, they suggest the NYPD may have put protesters at increased risk of a terrorist attack.
Spy v. Spy
While reporting from the environs around Zuccotti Park, on the encampment's final day, I spotted two middle-aged gentlemen leaning on metal barricades in front of One Liberty Plaza, the massive office tower that looms over Zuccotti Park and is owned, like the park, by Brookfield Properties.
One sported close-cropped dark hair, wore a nondescript black and gray jacket, dark blue jeans and brown sneakers. The other was clad in a similar uniform: black jacket, lighter blue jeans, but his hair was a steel gray and very distinctive.
These men weren't there simply to take in the scene. They weren't day trippers or tourists. They didn't work in the office buildings around Liberty Plaza or close by on Wall Street. They were, experience told me, on the job.
I'm not sure who noticed who first, but we danced around each other, from the sidewalk on the perimeter of the park to the streets around the plaza for the better part of an hour -- monitoring each other's movements, stealing glances around corners, alternately pretending not to notice each other and looking away when caught, as if we were playing a juvenile game of spy v. spy.
Finally, they broke the rules. Holding up a personal digital assistant and taking a photo of me without pretense was, in my opinion, unsporting and I called them on it, waving to the gray-haired man as he snapped another shot.
The game was up so the duo, now loitering on Liberty Street, jaywalked over to the park side, moved aside the barricade and confronted me on the sidewalk.
At first, the gray haired photographer did all the talking. He was serious bordering on surly and wanted to know just what I was doing, so I explained I was reporting for AlterNet about the security response to the Occupy Wall Street protests.
Having been repeatedly hassled by officers while covering the policing of the park, I wasn't shocked by what came next. The talkative one wanted to see my NYPD press credentials and then asked if I was a protester from "inside the park."
"No, I'm a reporter," I told him and tried to set him straight that police press credentials don't have any bearing on whether or not someone is a reporter.
Now it was my turn to serve up some questions. Since they had never bothered to identify themselves as policemen, I asked: "What's your story…detective?" leaving him a conversational gap to fill in his name and correct me because the odds are, he wasn't. He declined on both counts. So I asked, "You're a detective, right?"
"I work for the NYPD," he replied.
Neither would offer up his name, but I took the opportunity to continue my questioning just the same.
Terror at OWS?
I turned and pointed toward an unmarked police vehicle parked across the street from where we were standing. The truck is white with no markings, save for an NYPD license plate. A 40-foot pole, with a single helix of heavy-gauge electrical cable coiled around it, topped by a video camera, rises from the back of the truck and all day long, that camera is pointed at Zuccotti Park.
Having previously seen officers with jackets bearing the initials TARU – meaning they belong to the Technical Assistance Response Unit, the officers who monitor and videotape protests – enter and exit the vehicle, I asked if it belonged to that unit. "TARU?" the talkative one asked, like he had never heard the term. I repeated it and he shook his head no.
It is NYPD surveillance, right?
It's not surveillance.
(Now, this was a direct contradiction to what police officer Anthony Torres had told me, on this very same block, just two weeks before, but I kept that information to myself.)
No? Then what kind of vehicle is it?
It's a white truck.
Yeah, but with a camera on top. If it's not for surveillance than what is it for?
It's for the safety of the people in the park.
How does a camera provide safety?
At that, the talkative one meandered through the barricades and into the street, ignoring my question and, I think, trying to get a better look at my notepad. At that, I turned to his partner, who turned out to be the "good cop" of the pair, and I repeated my question to him. He quickly turned talkative and shared his theories.
Think about it, how many people are in this park right now?
Several hundred, maybe more.
You don't think this could be a soft target for a terrorist attack?
Hold on, terrorists are going to target the park?
He explained that terrorists didn't care who they killed, so they might well try to wipe out Occupy Wall Street.
If that were true, I asked, why weren't there similar non-surveillance trucks at events of even higher population density all over the city? As he fumbled, I peppered him with follow-ups, prompting him to change the subject.
He soon went for a favorite bully tactic of New York's finest, admonishing me that I should really have departmental press credentials.
"No, no, no," I admonished right back, informing him, again, that those NYPD IDs simply allow some journalists to cross police lines to do crime reporting, but that I was on a public sidewalk, so I needed nothing of the sort.
Then, he took another tack. Hadn't I heard all the horror stories of crime in Zuccotti Park? I told him I had, but that such an argument hardly helped his case because any crimes there had taken place under the watchful eyes of the NYPD cameras, meaning their surveillance efforts were woefully ineffective in the role he was touting. He countered by saying the protesters in the park didn't want the help of the police because they had their own security.
But if you see a crime in progress you have to take action, right?
Well, they don't want us in there…That's the whole thing.
But, if you see a crime taking place can you just let it go? Don't you have to intervene?
Of course we do.
"Then what good is that camera?" I said, gesturing to the white non-surveillance truck. He went back to arguing that the camera was simply for the safety of those in the park due to the persistent terrorist threat, to which I responded with an incredulous look and a laugh. He said it was no joke and kept on pressing his point. The white truck, he continued contending, was absolutely vital to police efforts in keeping the park safe from terrorists.
"Really?" I asked, pointing out that a short distance from the truck was a NYPD command post with a camera on its roof, a permanent, stationary camera on a light post, and then there was the Sky Watch surveillance platform, with its five cameras, down the street. "Isn't it overkill?" I asked.
By this time, the gray-haired "bad cop" had rejoined us on the sidewalk and the two began moving away from me.
Apparently, they had had enough.
As a parting retort, the good cop offered up a variation on the Nuremburg defense. Listen, we don't give the orders, we just follow them, he said as they moved the barricades and began jaywalking back across Liberty Street.
"Who do these orders come down from?" I called out as they walked off.
"Commissioner Kelly," he responded.
"Kelly?" I asked again to make sure they had, indeed, blamed New York City's police commissioner.
"Yeah," said the "bad cop" and then they were gone.
(The NYPD failed to respond to AlterNet's request for further clarification on Kelly's role as the architect of the security response to the Occupy Wall Street protests.)
The next day when I arrived on the scene, the protest in Zuccotti Park had indeed been wiped out, not by terrorists, but by the NYPD. Empty, except for uniformed park security personnel and later police, the park was still under the watchful eye of the white surveillance van and surrounded by dozens of police vehicles as it had been for weeks.
By the afternoon, a man wearing an NYPD TARU jacket was standing on the roof of the white truck, wielding a handheld video camera while, all day long, men wearing similarly monogrammed jackets and shirts entered and exited the vehicle. Inside, sometimes as many as six members of the unit, surrounded by multiple monitors streaming footage, digital video recorders storing it away and even a somewhat archaic fax machine, monitored the scene.
Later in the day, I noticed the "good cop" standing in the middle of Liberty Street, talking with other "special" policemen – not the rank-and-file officers in riot helmets who stood guard over the locked-down park throughout the day. He was later joined by his gray-haired partner.
From behind the police cordon, I tried to get their attention so that I could follow up, but I could never quite get them to acknowledge me. Now, it seemed, they were far less concerned about my reporting and were in a much lighter mood than before the encampment was destroyed. In fact, I noted, they were joking around and laughing hard.
Cause for Alarm
Less than a week after the NYPD raid on Zuccotti Park, Commissioner Kelly would announce that, after tracking him for two years, the NYPD had arrested a Manhattan man who had reportedly sought to build homemade bombs in order to carry out terrorist attacks. At a Sunday night press conference, Kelly alleged that 27-year-old Jose Pimentel sought to attack police cars in New York City, as well as post offices and U.S. troops returning from the occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan. The NYPD failed to respond to AlterNet's questions about why it surrounded Zuccotti Park with a profligate number of police vehicles when these were, according to Kelly, known to be precisely the targets of a man who wished to become "a martyr in the name of jihad."
Whether Jose Pimentel's case turns out to be substantive or one of a number of generally inept terrorist plots – including those of the Liberty City Seven, the Fort Dix Six, the Detroit Ummah Conspiracy and the Newburgh Four – that are often fueled, in part, by law enforcement agencies remains to be seen.
Regardless, the latest alleged plot and recent NYPD statements concerning security camera surveillance raise serious questions about the actions of the department and its frequent resort to using the cover story of anti-terrorism to cloak unrelated spy tactics and others matter they would rather not discuss.
If the NYPD were more forthcoming and honest, perhaps their words and actions wouldn't suggest that the department, specifically Commissioner Ray Kelly, took steps to make protesters in Zuccotti Park more likely victims of terrorist violence.
Now that the encampment at Zuccotti Park is gone, it remains to be seen whether the surveillance effort to protect it from terrorists will endure.


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Prolific scribe Naomi Iizuka's latest, "Concerning Strange Devices From the Distant West," packs much food for thought into 95 intermission-less minutes: meditations on Japanese-U.S. culture clash, mutual attraction and stereotyping, the ambiguities of photography as art form and documentation, plus narrative mysteries spanning nearly 150 years. Like "36 Views," a prior Iizuka premiere at Berkeley Rep, "Devices" folds commentary about Western acquisitiveness and exoticization of the "mysterious East" into complicated intrigue, albeit this time in less arch fashion. Expertly directed by Les Waters, this is a delicate yet piquant evening likely to do some traveling of its own.
Among the elements that hastened Japan's modernization after its forced 1854 opening to Western trade was the imported art of photography. Not only did locals eventually embrace it (particularly once the royal family allowed their images disseminated), but so did foreigners eager for souvenir representations of the hitherto little-changing Nippon culture their presence was now eradicating.
Into this 19th-century world barges Mrs. Hewlett (Kate Eastwood Norris), arriving in a Yokohama red-light-district studio owned by fellow Yank Andrew Farsari (Bruce McKenzie). Babbling nervously, she claims to have wandered here by accident. But it soon becomes clear that's no more true than her feigned disinterest in the heavily tattooed, near-naked rickshaw driver (Johnny Wu) whose portrait is being taken.
Farsari — whose name is derived from a real-life expat lenser of the time — initially dismisses Mrs. Hewlett as just another "rich American lady, a well-intentioned do-gooder" interested only in superficially strange or tawdry aspects of Japanese culture. But the two begin to perceive one another as kindred souls drawn to a society that seems (at least in some ways) less hypocritical and repressed than their own.
When Mrs. Hewlett disappears, to the distress of her blustering industrialist husband (Danny Wolohan), who has no use for Japanese ways beyond the native mistress he's squirreled away, the questions begin. Has his wife come to harm, fled homeward or somehow vanished into the sensuous netherworlds of body art and geishas that, in different ways, transfix both her and Farsari?
Iizuka intercuts these scenes with modern ones in which jet-lagged, drunken U.S. art historian Dmitri (McKenzie) behaves inappropriately toward Kiku (a very funny Teresa Avia Lim), his translator in a bid to purchase antique photographs from dealer Hiro (Wu).
Mixing salaciousness with academic pretension, Dmitri demonstrates an "exotic" objectification of the East grown more sophisticated but scarcely more enlightened than it was a century-plus earlier.
But that initial appearance deceives; Kiku and Hiro, too, have hidden agendas. Hereditary connections to the 19th-century characters further complicate narrative twists that climax drolly, if almost too trickily, in an elaborate triple-cross.
"Concerning Strange Devices" isn't a mystery in the genre sense; its myriad dangling threads are meant to tease, not be solved. Similarly, Iizuka throws her philosophical, cultural and historical themes in the air for us to ponder as we will, rather than providing succinct lessons to be learned. It's a tribute to her deftness — as well as that of Waters' production and of the multicast thesps — that the play feels so deceptively light while encompassing so many dimensions, from historical errata to contempo satire.
Among the excellent design contributions, Mimi Lien's shrinks the Roda proscenium space while allowing for some hidden-compartment reveals. Alexander V. Nichols' lighting provides glaring, time-freezing photographic "flashes," while Leah Gelpe's video projections add texture.
Such elements could easily be pared down, however. Its complexities all on the page, "Devices" could work just as well for smaller theaters in a bare-bones physical presentation.

subset: commoncrawl


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How About a Little Rain?
Wednesday is going to be an umbrella day so be ready as you are heading out the door.
We're not looking for severe weather, but just a nice rain shower or two as we move into the middle of the week.
We're starting with partly cloudy skies this morning but throughout the early part of the day, clouds will increase and showers could begin for some folks but mid to late morning.
The chances of rain are only 40% and most of the energy from this upper level disturbance is in the southern part of Arkansas where the better chance of rain will actually be. Never-the-less, it's always good to have that umbrella handy- just in case.
Sunshine returns tomorrow and a better chance of showers or even thunderstorms moves in Friday night.
Laura Huckabee / Meteorologist


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Welcome to the Official Rehoboth Beach Bandstand Website
The Rehoboth Beach Bandstand is a music and entertainment venue located in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. The Rehoboth Beach Bandstand Summer Concert Series takes place every year from mid-June through Labor Day Weekend and has been providing FREE entertainment for Rehoboth Beach and its visitors since 1963! Each year, over 40 bands are selected to perform in an open-air concert venue just steps from the beach. The goal of the Rehoboth Beach Bandstand is to provide entertainment through music, movies, variety acts, and other local, regional, and national performances.


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O.A.R. at the Calvin Theater
Northampton, MA
Friday, Sept. 7th at 8pm
Hilltown Families and Iron Horse Entertainment Group have partnered up to offer a chance to win free tickets to see adult venues in the Pioneer Valley for a PARENTS' NIGHT OUT! You pay for the sitter, we'll pay for the tickets!
This month we are pleased to offer a chance to win a pairs of tickets to see O.A.R. at the Calvin Theater in Northampton, MA at 8pm on Friday, September 7th, 2012. Opening act, Barefoot Truth.
Win tickets and take your spouse, partner or good friend for a night out. Deadline to enter to win is Tuesday, 9/4/12 @ 7pm (EST). More details below.
O.A.R.s Wind-up Records debut album, King, marks a new beginning for the band, while also paying homage to their past. It is the seventh studio effort in a career that began with their high school recording, The Wanderer. Bringing back the title character from their first album, O.A.R. takes the listener on a journey to discover that what the Wanderer, and the band members themselves, had been searching for all along, was there from the beginning. As the closing song on the new disc states, a return Back to One. – www.ofarevolution.com
Your chance to win a pairs of tickets to see O.A.R. at the Calvin Theater in Northampton, MA at 8pm on Friday, September 7th, 2012, with opening act, Barefoot Truth, is as easy as 1-2-3 (4)! To win simply:
- INSPIRE OUR READERS BY SHARING HOW YOU LIKE TO SPEND AN EVENING OUT AWAY FROM THE KIDS when there's nothing happening at the Calvin (one entry per household) and be sure to tell us your
- FULL NAME (first/last) and where you
- LIVE (TOWN/STATE) must include your town to be eligible.
- ACCURATE EMAIL (we never share your email address).
- We'll randomly draw a winner and will share the results below.
IT'S THAT SIMPLE! — Deadline is Tuesday, 9/4/12 @ 7pm (EST).
If you don't win you should still go. Tickets are available at the Northampton Box office, online at IHEG.com, or by calling 413-586-8686.


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Gisele Bündchen reportedly told Globo.com via the Boston Herald that Benjamin is on a schedule that includes breastfeeding in the morning and afternoon, promptly followed by a bowel movement. Which makes it easy for her to put him on the toilet and eliminate the use of a diaper. Of the process she said, "Give it about five minutes, and bang," admitting with a laugh that she realizes the process is actually, "more complicated." Gisele's sister Patricia isn't as keen on the subject, adding, "Everytime she calls me to see it, I say, 'Do not want to see it." Benjamin father is Gisele's husband NFL star Tom Brady. Tom is also a parent 2 1/2-year-old John who's mom is Actress Bridget Moynahan.
Gisele Bündchen potty trains Benjamin!
Posted by Alisa on Saturday, June 26, 2010 / Labels: Gisele Bundchen and Tom Brady / Comments: (0)
A pregnant Alicia Keys preformed on ABC's Good Morning America in New York City yesterday (June 25). Alica Keys is expecting the baby with Music producer Swizz Beatz the pair are also engaged.
Posted by Alisa / Labels: Gisele Bundchen and Tom Brady / Comments: (0)
Supermodel Gisele Bundchen and her husband fotball pro Tom Brady christening their 6-month-old son Benjamin in Santa Monica, Calif. on Tuesday (June 22). Tom is also a father to son John Edward Thomas with ex girlfriend Bridget Moynahan.
Model Gabriel Aubry and ex boyfriend of Actress Halle Berry and their two-year-old Nahla enjoyed a day out at the park in Beverly Hills, California yesterday (June 25).


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Speaking after claiming his third major title at Royal Liverpool, McIlroy said he would consider playing practice rounds with Knox, who was his marker in the third round earlier this year and beat him by one shot.
And Knox told Press Association Sport on Tuesday that he could save McIlroy a handful of shots which might make all the difference to his bid to join Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods in winning all four major titles.
"We corresponded on that after the Masters and hopefully that will work out," Knox said. "I'm not sure he needs a lot of my help, he's the number two player in the world, but I am happy to be able to help in any way I can.
"We have left it open-ended, the ball is in his court, but I have his address and I will drop him a note of congratulation on winning the Open."
Rounds of 71 and 77 at Augusta National in April meant McIlroy made the cut on the mark of four over par and, as the odd man out of the 51 players left in the field, had to play with a marker on Saturday.
Two-time former Georgia amateur champion Knox had that enviable role and although McIlroy shot 71 with three birdies in the last four holes, Knox - who holds the course record of 61 from the members' tees - beat him by a single shot despite a bogey on the 18th.
Speaking after lifting the Claret Jug on Sunday, McIlroy said: "I'll be going into Augusta next year pretty confident.... if I can just figure out the greens a little bit more. What really helped me last year was playing with Jeff Knox in the third round. He's the best I've ever seen on Augusta's greens.
"I might have to take a couple of trips up before it starts next year and have a couple of practice rounds with him."
Knox told Press Association Sport: "He had some mighty nice things to say about me and I found him such a likeable guy who was relaxed and confident about his game but at the same time able to make me feel comfortable. We hit it off and enjoyed each other's company.
"I watched some of the Open and was so happy for him to get that third major. He is so deserving in my mind. I think the future of golf is in good hands with young guys like Rory, Jordan Spieth and Rickie Fowler."
McIlroy joked in April that he hoped Knox would three-putt the 18th so they could finish level, but Knox added: "I've often thought about three-putting, but not then!
"I think in general there are a couple of greens out there you have to be careful with, or know they break a different way than it might appear. I know that place pretty well and If I can just help him (save) half a shot a day that could be the difference. I would love to help him win a green jacket."
Knox has played with a number of other high-profile players down the years, including Spanish pair Sergio Garcia and Miguel Angel Jimenez and two-time winner Bubba Watson when he was defending champion in 2013.
If an odd number of players makes the cut next year he will be called upon again, but said: "I hope it's not with Rory. I hope he's in the last group."
McIlroy was unable to show off the Claret Jug to Northern Ireland's political leaders on Tuesday, admitting it needed a good clean after a big night out celebrating.
The famous trophy was nowhere to be seen as the 25-year-old had an informal chat with Northern Ireland's First Minister Peter Robinson and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness at Stormont Castle in Belfast.
"I am sorry I don't have the Claret Jug, it's not going everywhere with me," he said. "It actually needs a bit of a clean after last night. It's an amazing trophy and something that I am obviously very proud of and hopefully there are many more to come."


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Teampedia:Site support
From Teampedia
Revision as of 03:40, 27 September 2011 by Smarbin (Talk | contribs) (Reverted edit of Aiai00125, changed back to last version by Smarbin)
There are plenty of ways to support Teampedia:
- Add your activities (see: How to Add a Page)
- Donate your time as an editor - spend time helping to improve the activities already on the site. At the top of any page, click "Edit." It is that easy!
- Upload your photos of teams having fun (see: Special:Upload - requires registration)
- If you are handy with html, css, php or mediawiki admin stuff, and want to get involved, please email: firstname.lastname@example.com
- Send questions, comments, suggestions, links, activities, etc. - any and all feedback welcome: firstname.lastname@example.com
- Post a link to Teampedia on your website or blog, with code like this:
<a href="http://www.teampedia.net"> Teampedia Icebreakers, Team Building Activities and Group-Dynamic Games </a>
- Email your friends or colleagues:
Hey - Check out this great site with free icebreakers, team building activities, and group-dynamic games: Teampedia - http://www.teampedia.net
- If you find this website useful, and would like to help offset hosting and development costs: send a tip via PayPal(accepts all major credit cards).


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This week, the overall grades of three pharmaceutical stocks are lower, according to the Portfolio Grader database. Each of these rates a "D" ("sell") or "F" overall ("strong sell").
VIVUS, Inc. (VVUS) is on the decline this week, earning a D ("sell") after receiving a C ("hold") last week. VIVUS is a biopharmaceutical company engaged in the development and commercialization of therapeutic products for large underserved markets. For Portfolio Grader's specific subcategory of Equity, VVUS also gets an F. As of Dec. 20, 2013, 30.3% of outstanding VIVUS, Inc. shares were held short. For more information, get Portfolio Grader's complete analysis of VVUS stock.
This is a rough week for Cempra, Inc. (CEMP). The company's rating falls to D from the previous week's C. Cempra manufactures and markets pharmaceutical products. The stock gets F's in Equity and Cash Flow. For a full analysis of CEMP stock, visit Portfolio Grader.
Corcept Therapeutics Incorporated. (CORT) ratings are on the decline this week as the company earns an F ("strong sell"). Last week, it received a D ("sell"). Corcept Therapeutics engages in the discovery, development, and commercialization of drugs for the treatment of severe metabolic and psychiatric disorders. The stock gets F's in Equity and Cash Flow. To get an in-depth look at CORT, get Portfolio Grader's complete analysis of CORT stock.
Louis Navellier's proprietary Portfolio Grader stock ranking system assesses roughly 5,000 companies every week based on a number of fundamental and quantitative measures. Stocks are given a letter grade based on their results — with A being "strong buy," and F being "strong sell." Explore the tool here.


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In typical governmental/bureaucratic fashion, we find yet another idiot policy that was implemented – it has no apparent effect – and the answer is to keep on doing what doesn't work:
Policies that rid Maine high schools of sugary drinks seem to have had little impact on teenagers' overall intake of sugar-laden beverages, according to a new study.
The study compared four high schools that eliminated soda and other sugar-sweetened drinks from cafeterias and vending machines with three schools that did not take such measures.
Researchers found that over one school year, students in both groups of schools cut down on their average daily intake of sugary drinks — but there was no evidence that the school soda bans led to greater reductions.
Seems like teenagers know how to get sodas and if they aren't present in school they still will be able to satisfy their thirst as they wish. Pretty straightforward application of logical thinking supported by research findings.
And the answer from the school 'administrators'?
Lead researcher Dr. Janet E. Whatley Blum said she would not conclude that such school policies are "ineffective" based on these findings.
Students' consumption of sweet drinks did go down, she told Reuters Health; the study just failed to find a statistically significant difference between schools that cut back on sweetened beverages and those that did not.
Boiled down to its essence, this answer means "we didn't find what we wanted, but that doesn't prove anything. We are still sure we are right".
And some hugely interesting afterhtought seems to have come to the nanny-state researcher:
On average, the study found, students at both groups of schools curbed their intake of sugary beverages to a similar degree over the school year.
According to Blum, keeping such drinks out of teenagers' reach during school hours may not be enough.
"School appears to be just one source of sugar-sweetened beverages for youth," she said, "and it may be that an educational component…is needed to have an effect on consumption from sources other than school."
Do you actually mean parents might have an influence on their children's consumption of beverages? Knock me over with a feather.
But don't look to find any soda dispensers in those Maine schools – ever again. Nanny has spoken and even if they have to do this study over again 1000 times, they will eventually get the results that prove what they want.


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Designer Fights to Reopen Store After Sandy
After Superstorm Sandy flooded Joann Thompson's interior design business, the designer faced hundreds of thousands of dollars of soaked furniture and a ruined showroom. Now, she works to overcome the losses to reopen her store.
This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.
I ... new new warning came in here I just ... couldn't believe you even believe it has to which I mean I mean it looked like somebody came in and ... destroyed everything on her pants ... and imagine that the whole store all the way to listen to you ... and another well one thing with online radio and why is it a lot of insurance Dell's go ahead What inshore ... you ... I ... Ch ... she ... for designers who are usually busy around where were and are very well with the business aam before Sandy head ... going along at by every designer was busy ... we were fine ... my has their eye on him on the beach and we stayed and I knew the storm ... I'm very nervous so I said to him ... aam ... we have to get here I think the Fillmore comparable we went to the store ... an interesting thing about that they think ... I can imagine if I had been here ... when this happens ... at first I thought we're going have to clear stamp completely ... new just thinking ... we're going to be able to bring this back ... Imogen have ... enough money to bring it back and went back and forth because it seemed to be ... so overwhelming ... so overwhelming at first ... but ... got news that very quickly ... my wife has been ... interior design in the store ... Sony and that factored into a really ... big time ... everybody was really upset me getting not knowing for a comeback but I think after we've been here a month in everybody's work together and ... and every priest feeling better about that ...


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It is a standard axiom of quantum mechanics that the Hamiltonian H must be Hermitian because Hermiticity guarantees that the energy spectrum is real and that time evolution is unitary. In this talk we examine an alternative formulation of quantum mechanics in which the conventional requirement of Hermiticity is replaced by the more general and physical condition of space- time reflection (PT) symmetry. We show that if the PT symmetry of H is unbroken, Then the spectrum of H is real. Examples of PT-symmetric non-Hermitian Hamiltonians are $H=p^2+ix^3$ and $H=p^2-x^4$. Amazingly, the energy levels of these Hamiltonians are all real and positive despite the ``wrong'' sign in the $x^4$ potential! We show that such PT-symmetric Hamiltonians specify physically acceptable quantum-mechanical theories in which the norms of states are positive and time evolution is unitary. To do so we demonstrate that a Hamiltonian that has an unbroken PT symmetry also possesses a new physical symmetry that we call C. Using C, we construct an inner product whose associated norm is positive definite. The result is a new class of consistent complex quantum theories. In effect, we have extended and generalized quantum mechanics into the complex domain. We then discuss PT-symmetric quantum field theories. PT-symmetric scalar field-theoretic Hamiltonians corresponding to the above quantum-mechanical Hamiltonains have interaction terms $ig\phi^3$ and $-g\phi^4$. The latter Theory is interesting because (1) it is asymptotically free and (2) the expectation value of $\phi$ is nonzero. (Thus, such a theory might be useful in describing the Higgs sector.) PT symmetry resolves the long-standing problem of ghosts in the Lee model. When the renormalized coupling constant in this model increases past a critical value, the Hamiltonian ceases to be Hermitian and a negative-norm ghost state appears. At this transition the Hamiltonian becomes PT-symmetric, and the ghost is a physical particle. PT-symmetric QED and the PT-symmetric massive Thirring model will also be discussed. Finally, we mention recent papers which suggest that PT-symmetry may provide insight into cosmological problems.


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by Ryan Grim
Alan Simpson believes that Social Security is "like a milk cow with 310 million tits," according to an email he sent to the executive director of National Older Women's League Tuesday morning. Simpson co-chairs the deficit commission, which is considering various proposals to cut Social Security benefits.
Alan Simpson, former Republican Senator from Wyoming and Co-Chair of Obama's deficit commission which is considering various proposals to cut Social Security benefits.
His email is peppered with exclamation points and condescension. At one point he urged Carson to read a certain graph, "which I hope you are able to discern if you are any good at reading graphs."
Simpson concludes by implying that leading a major organization dedicated to the interests of middle-aged and elderly women is not "honest work."
"If you have some better suggestions about how to stabilize Social Security instead of just babbling into the vapors, let me know," he writes. "And yes, I've made some plenty smart cracks about people on Social Security who milk it to the last degree. You know 'em too. It's the same with any system in America. We've reached a point now where it's like a milk cow with 310 million tits! Call when you get honest work!"
It's unclear from Simpson's email if he means Social Security is the milk cow or if he's referring to America in general. A Simpson assistant responded to a HuffPost email saying that Simpson was traveling and unable to comment immediately.
Simpson's tirade continues a pattern of erratic behavior that threatens to undermine the commission's work. In June, he unleashed a stream of error-riddled invective on a Social Security advocate wielding a camera outside a closed-door commission meeting, leading Paul Krugman to conclude (happily) that Simpson was killing the commission.
OWL is now calling on the former Republican Senator from Wyoming to resign.
Watch Simpson berate a Social Security advocate:


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Stocks are finishing the day mostly lower on Wall Street after signs emerged that Americans are spending at a slower pace and that China's economy may be in worse shape than previously thought.
American shoppers slowed their spending in June, resulting in tepid sales for many retailers. Target's stock fell 1 percent after reporting that its sales rose less than analysts were expecting, while discount store operator Fred's Inc. fell 4.5 percent.
The Dow Jones industrial average closed down 47 points at 12,897 on Thursday.
The Standard & Poor's 500 fell six points to 1,368. The Nasdaq composite was a fraction higher at 2,976.
Falling stocks narrowly outpaced rising ones on the New York Stock Exchange. Volume was thinner than average at 2.9 billion shares.


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Catahoula Kurgo
Reviewed By Gary P (SANTA PAULA, CA) Reviewed for a 2014 Jeep Cherokee —6/21/2014 8:08 PM
My dog Charlie loves the Kurgo Hammock. She's a great dog and loves to travel with her "Dad." Just got a new Jeep and wanted to protect the interior, as we're headed out on a six state trip next week. Photo below. I'll also post the photo on Charlie's website at CharlieTheCatahoula .com


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As a single mother I subscribed to this and two other baby magazines for helpful information and this by far was the most informative, entertaining, and well laid out magazine. I enjoy every part of it and look forward to receiving it in the mail every month.
I love this magazine! The first time i saw it i thought it would be like and baby book but i was so wrong. Yes is if informitive but also very entertaining. There are many storys and it iss garrentee to find somthing you or your children you relate to! latly i have been looking for articals on how media impacts my children when www.ratingfisher.com was recommended to me. overall this magazine is both funny and informitive with a great and helpfull staff. thanks again Parents!
We first found this magazine at our obstetrician's office when we were expecting our first child. We fell in love with the magazine, and have subscribed for almost three years now. Our subscription is paid up for the next six years. That's how much we love it!
The articles are great, although I've actually used BabyCenter.com more for researching specific issues. With them, you can get newsletters that are appropriate for the ages of your children. That's impossible with a printed magazine. Still, they do a great job of covering stuff for kids of all ages in each issue.
What sells this magazine for me, though, is the stories that people write in about the funny things their kids do and say. There are two different sections with this, and it's absolutely hilarious!
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What's the next twist in the razor-wire case?
Interviews and photos by Jen Fariello
Dave Taylor: "It's a question of property rights over public rights. The best course of action would be diplomacy."
Linda Perry: "I think it's wrong to block the trail, but I respect the owner's right to private property. I'm a member of the Rivanna Trails Foundation."
Brendan Mathews: "What is the razor-wire case? I'll catch up on that after the semester."


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The NBA is warning players to stop the flop.
If not, it could cost them.
The league will penalize the floppers this season, fining players for repeated violations of an act a league official said Wednesday has "no place in our game."
Those exaggerated falls to the floor may fool the referees and fans during the game, but officials at league headquarters plan to take a look for themselves afterward.
Players will get a warning the first time, then be fined $5,000 for a second violation. The fines increase to $10,000 for a third offense, $15,000 for a fourth and $30,000 the fifth time. Six or more could lead to a suspension.
"Flops have no place in our game —they either fool referees into calling undeserved fouls or fool fans into thinking the referees missed a foul call," vice president of basketball operations Stu Jackson said in a statement. "Accordingly, both the Board of Governors and the competition committee felt strongly that any player who the league determines, following video review, to have committed a flop should — after a warning — be given an automatic penalty."
Players cautioned that it would be difficult to completely eliminate flopping, but welcomed the attempt to try.
"It's good. Guys can't be flopping and get away with anymore," Oklahoma City guard James Harden said. "It was bound to happen at some point. Obviously, the league got fed up with it and they put it in. I'm happy they did."
The NBA said flopping will be defined as "any physical act that appears to have been intended to cause the referees to call a foul on another player."
"The primary factor in determining whether a player committed a flop is whether his physical reaction to contact with another player is inconsistent with what would reasonably be expected given the force or direction of the contact," the league said.
Commissioner David Stern has long sought to end flopping, believing it tricks the referees. But the league determined it would be too difficult for refs to make the call on the floor, preferring instead to leave it to league office reviews. Jackson's department already reviews flagrant foul penalties to determine if they should be upgraded or downgraded.
"I'm all on board for it," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. "I think it needs to be addressed. I think the steps they're taking right now, I think will benefit the game. I do. It remains to be seen if it truly has an impact. But I think it's a step in the right direction.
"It's not good for the game; nobody likes the flop. A majority of coaches don't like the flop, particularly if you're trying to build a solid defense."
Rasheed Wallace raged against it for years, picking up quite of a few of his 308 technical fouls for arguing that he was called for a foul because a player flopped. After ending a two-year retirement to join the New York Knicks, he said certain unnamed players were going to be in trouble and agreed penalties needed to be enforced.
"Hey, you all thought I was crazy for saying it over the last so-and-so years. I ain't even gonna get into it, but yes," he said. "They needed to bend on that."
The blame for the rise in flopping is often aimed at the international players who came to the NBA after growing up watching soccer, where falling down in hopes of drawing a foul is part of the game. Denver's Danilo Gallinari, an Italian, believes that's unfair.
"I don't know why everybody just talks about European flopping," he said. "I don't know where this thing comes from. We flop as much as other players all around the world flop. I don't know why everybody keeps saying that Europeans are soft or Europeans flops. I don't know."
Cleveland's Anderson Varejao is a renowned flopper, once one of the targets of Wallace's wrath. But he said he's a changed man now.
"I'm not flopping anymore," he said Monday with a smile. "I used to flop a little bit."
The league said it will announce a separate set of flopping penalties for the playoffs at a later date.
NBA sets flopping penalties; players may be fined
The NBA is warning players to stop the flop.


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Aspirin reduces esophageal-cancer risk in people with most-aggressive form of Barrett's esophagus
Researchers at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center have found that people with the most-aggressive form of Barrett's esophagus, a precancerous condition that can lead to esophageal cancer, may benefit the most from preventive therapy with aspirin, ibuprofen and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or NSAIDs. The researchers also identified a cluster of four known cancer biomarkers, or genetic abnormalities, in people with Barrett's that significantly increases their risk of developing esophageal cancer.
These findings, by lead authors Patricia C. Galipeau and Xiaohong Li, senior author Brian J. Reid, M.D., Ph.D., and colleagues in the Hutchinson Center-based Seattle Barrett's Esophagus Program, will be published in the Feb. 27 issue of PLoS Medicine, a freely available online journal. Researchers from Virginia Mason Medical Center, Harvard Medical School and The Wistar Institute collaborated on the study, which was funded by the National Institutes of Health and the Hutchinson Center.
The researchers found that those with three or more of the cancer biomarkers upon enrollment in the study who also used aspirin or other NSAIDs had a 30 percent risk of esophageal cancer after 10 years, while those with the same biomarkers who did not use NSAIDs had a 79 percent risk of developing cancer within a decade of joining the study.
"This is the first prospective, longitudinal study in patients with Barrett's esophagus – or any other pre-malignant condition, for that matter – to link somatic genetic biomarkers for cancer-risk prediction with candidate interventions such as NSAIDs to prevent cancer," said Galipeau, a research technician in Reid's laboratory, which is based in the Hutchinson Center's Human Biology Division.
The researchers also found that Barrett's patients whose esophageal tissue had no such genetic abnormalities, or biomarkers, upon joining the study had a 12 percent risk of developing esophageal cancer after 10 years, whereas those with three or more of the abnormalities at baseline had a nearly 80 percent risk of developing such cancer within a decade.
"Several studies have suggested that individual genetic abnormalities may identify Barrett's patients who are at increased risk of progression toward esophageal cancer, but this is the first study to evaluate the combined contribution of genetic abnormalities for esophageal cancer-risk prediction," said Reid, director of the Seattle Barrett's Esophagus Program.
The study followed 243 people with Barrett's esophagus for 10 years (189 male, 54 female, mean age 62 upon joining the study). The participants were interviewed about their medical history, diet and medication use and were closely monitored for signs of disease progression through regular endoscopies and tissue biopsies.
Their Barrett's-related esophageal tissue was evaluated at the initial study visit for a variety of known cancer biomarkers, but the genetic abnormalities that were most strongly predictive of progression toward cancer were:
Loss of heterozygosity (LOH) at 9p and 17p – loss on the short arms of chromosomes 17 and 9. Such chromosomal abnormalities inactivate tumor-suppressor genes that are critical for controlling cell growth.
DNA content abnormalities (aneuploidy and tetraploidy) – the accumulation of cells with grossly abnormal amounts of DNA, which indicates substantial genetic damage and heralds advanced progression toward cancer.
Ultimately, the researchers hope, these biomarkers one day could be used in a clinical setting to identify which Barrett's patients are most likely to develop esophageal cancer and therefore benefit from aggressive cancer surveillance via endoscopy and chemoprevention with aspirin and other NSAIDs. Galipeau and colleagues are in the process of developing such a standardized, biomarker-based screening test. The test would evaluate DNA from esophageal-tissue biopsies, but significantly fewer tissue samples would need to be collected as compared to current endoscopic-surveillance methods.
"Once such a test is available, it could be a major factor in guiding the development of clinical trials to identify high-risk patients and definitively determine the value of NSAIDs in preventing the progression of Barrett's esophagus toward cancer," Reid said.
It is hypothesized that aspirin and other NSAIDs may fight cancer by reducing chronic inflammation, which is a driving force behind the development of many cancers and other diseases. Specifically, NSAIDs have been shown to inhibit the production of the cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) enzyme. Disruption of this pathway slows the growth of abnormal cells and facilitates the normal process of programmed cell death, or apoptosis, both of which can thwart cancer development. NSAIDs are also believed to decrease proliferation of cells and decrease the growth of blood vessels that supply blood to tumors, Reid said.
The annual incidence of esophageal cancer among Barrett's esophagus patients is about 1 percent – most patients never get the cancer. However, the outlook is grim if the cancer is not diagnosed early, with an overall survival rate of only 13.7 percent. For this reason, Barrett's patients must undergo frequent endoscopic surveillance.
"Many Barrett's patients are subjected to overdiagnosis of risk and overtreatment," Reid said. "These findings ultimately may help us identify high-risk patients who truly require frequent surveillance and low-risk patients who need no or less-frequent surveillance. For example, low-risk patients with no biomarker abnormalities at baseline had a zero percent cumulative risk of developing esophageal cancer for nearly eight years," he said. "These findings also may help us determine which Barrett's patients may benefit most from a very cost-effective, noninvasive therapy in the form of aspirin or NSAIDs."
Currently, the recommended endoscopic screening frequency for Barrett's esophagus ranges from once every three to six months to once every two to three years, depending on the amount of affected tissue and the degree of dysplasia, or cellular abnormality, detected upon examining a tissue sample under a microscope. While cellular dysplasia is the most common method for determining the severity, or grade, of Barrett's, several recent studies have found that the technique is not truly predictive of cancer risk. Longitudinal studies of high-risk Barrett's patients (as determined by degree of cellular dysplasia) have found cancer-incidence rates ranging from 8 percent to 59 percent. "Clearly we need a new, more consistent and reliable way to predict risk that doesn't rely on the subjective interpretation of a pathologist," said Reid, also a professor of gastroenterology and medicine and an adjunct professor of genome sciences at the University of Washington School of Medicine.
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It's probably too easy to equate Detroit's current producers with J Dilla—the man whose distinguished sound inspired a new generation of boom-bap composers. Surely, the Motor City isn't confined to one aesthetic, but its underground Hip Hop takes subtle cues from the iconic producer's nuanced techniques of music creation. It's in the way Karriem Riggins programs his drums, and how Black Milk employs dense, cinematic fog to his beats.
Producer/emcee Kendall Tucker, known artistically as 14KT, blends electro-funk and R&B into his own self-described mixture of "Michigan-raw-Boombap-Electro-Future-Wave-Soul," as he recently told URB. And while Tucker is lesser known than the aforementioned beatmakers, he's quite formidable in his own right. As one-seventh of Michigan's Athletic Mic League, Tucker long established himself in the Detroit region before releasing his debut album, The Golden Hour, in 2008. A year later, Tucker paid direct homage to Dilla with Nowalataz, an instrumental album of short vignettes he started in 2006 after Dilla's untimely passing. Along the way, he's participated in beat battles in Austin, Texas and Chicago, and recorded with Houston pioneer Bun B.
On his mostly instrumental new album, Nickel & Dimed, Tucker breezes through Southern crunk and West Coast funk, pulling random vocal clips, disparate samples and cosmic synths to establish his own galloping soundtrack. Songs like "Right So," "Go There" and "Crystal Figurines" borrow directly from Dilla's affinity for hard-hitting drums. The first two examples evoke Welcome 2 Detroit's best work; the latter calls The Shining and Ruff Draft to mind.
Tucker also has a flair for the obscure. On "Go There," he chops children's song "Old McDonald Had A Farm" beyond recognition, the reconfigured sample a nice, comedic compliment to the track's stomping percussion and rolling piano keys. "Packin' Heat" repurposes Erykah Badu's "Soldier" with tribal drums and deep synthesizers, turning it into a broad electro-funk groove. But like any instrumental project, it's challenging to keep listeners interested the entire time. For the most part, Tucker uses quick transitions and vintage audio to maintain an energetic pace. We hear the gun-toting preacher who had to pull his firearm on a group of hooligans, the gang shooting in Detroit over who made the best Kool-Aid, and a young Larenz Tate in The Inkwell asking about female genitalia. These elements add gravity and humor to Tucker's lively compilation.
However, Nickel & Dimed drags a bit toward the back end. Instead of concluding the album after "Slo Swerve," Tucker adds six more songs to the mix, repurposing tracks from the album's first half with guest verses from Black Milk ("Crown"), MED ("W.C.E.F."), Blu ("PAID") and others. The features are respectable, but they seem out of place. Nickel & Dimed had already made its point by the time the remixes roll around. Still, the misstep doesn't take much away from the overall album. Tucker further establishes himself as one of Hip Hop's best producers, although you may not know it yet. Dilla would approve.
Article by :Marcus J Moore
Source: Hip Hop DX


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Movement Disorders
The Movement Disorders Center at The University of North Carolina Hospitals is a subspecialty program of the UNC Department of Neurology and a designated Parkinson's Foundation Center of Excellence. The UNC Movement Disorders Center is a multidisciplinary specialty group dedicated to providing individualized, compassionate and comprehensive care to our patients. We offer the latest diagnostic and state of the art treatment options for Parkinson's disease and atypical parkinsonian syndromes (progressive supranuclear palsy, multiple system atrophy, cortical basal degeneration), as well as focal and generalized dystonia, tremor, myoclonus, tic disorders, restless legs syndrome, blepharospasm and hemifacial spasm.
In addition, we are committed to conducting both outstanding clinical and basic science research in Parkinson's disease and other movement disorders, and then translating our research into advances in treatment in order to improve the lives of our patients and their families.
Our team provides valuable resources for patients, families and caregivers and the center's members serve the community of North Carolina by providing outreach education and advisory services to lay organizations.
What are movement disorders?
Movement disorders are neurological conditions that affect the speed, fluency, quality and ease of movement. The disorders are associated with changes in the brain cells that help us move. These changes can cause involuntary or excessive movements, called hyperkinesias. Other changes in brain cell function can cause a lack of automatic and purposeful movements, not related to weakness or spasticity, called hypokinesia. Movement disorders include the following conditions:
- Parkinson's disease
- Parkinsonian syndromes (progressive supranuclear palsy, multiple system atrophy, cortical basal degeneration)
- Tremor
- Dystonia
- Huntington's disease
- Ataxia
- Myoclonus
- Restless legs syndrome
- Tics
- Tourette's syndrome
- Wilson disease
The UNC Team
The Movement Disorders Center at UNC incorporates a dynamic team of movement disorder neurologists including Dr. Nina Browner, Dr. Richard Murrow, Dr. Daniel Roque and Dr. Miriam Sklerov, and a neurosurgeon, Dr. Eldad Hadar, who specializes in stereotactic and functional neurosurgery.
The Movement Disorders Center collaborates with Dr. Bradley Vaughn and Dr. Daniel Kaufer also in the UNC Neurology department. Dr. Vaughn directs the evaluation and treatment of movement disorder related sleep disturbances, such as restless leg syndrome, and Dr. Kaufer focuses on evaluation and treatment of cognitive disturbances within the overlap area of parkinsonian disorders and dementias such as Alzheimer's disease.
Our Services
The Movement Disorders Center at UNC is proud to offer:
- A state-of-the-art program for deep brain stimulation (DBS) therapy;
- A monthly botulinum toxin clinic specializing in the treatment of such movement disorders as cervical dystonia (spasmodic torticollis), blepharospasm, hemifacial spasm, cranial dystonia, focal limb dystonia, writer's cramp, and drooling;
- Genetic consultations for patients with movement disorders and their families;
- Neuropsychological evaluation for patients with movement disorders;
- Bimonthly comprehensive movement disorders team meetings when we discuss individual treatment care plan for our patients;
- Monthly comprehensive interdisciplinary clinic for patients with Parkinson's disease.
The UNC Department of Neurology Outpatient Clinic is located at 194 Finley Golf Course Road in Chapel Hill and is readily accessible to persons with physical challenges.
We hope you find this website helpful in your health and medical care decisions. Please contact our administrative office with any questions or to request an appointment.
Movement Disorders Center
Phone: (919) 966-5549
Fax: (919) 966-2922
This website is to help patients, physicians and students in finding more information regarding our center and movement disorders. The data provided on this website is only for informational use and is not an alternative to medical examination nor is this site intended to provide medical advice. If you are in search of medical advice, we strongly suggest you contact your physician to develop a personalized care plan.


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This stereo zoom scope provides incredibly sharp, clear stereo images with a wider magnification range and larger stage platform. It is versatile enough for educational, industrial, or medical use in agriculture, geology, archaeology or biology fields. The trinocular version offers the third eyetube for camera attachments (sold separately).
- 3D system is infinitely variable
- Large 30mm diameter high eyepoint 10X wide field eyepieces with rubber eyeguards for more comfort during extended use
- Binocular observation tubes inclined 45 degrees
- Head rotatable 360 degrees
- Interpupillary distance adjustable 54mm to 75mm
- Horizontal zoom controls at each side of head
- 0.7X to 4.5X objectives for total magnification 7X to 45X
- Field of view range from 32.8mm to 5.1mm diameter
- 30mm to 165mm super long working distance accommodates larger specimens
- Two 15W variable intensity Halogen lamps (top & bottom)
- Adjustable angle top illuminator (vented for longer bulb life)
- Large working observation stage 8″ x 9½"
- 95mm Frosted glass stage plate
- Focusing knob tension control adjusts for operator comfort
- Dust cover and instruction manual
- Overall size: 9″ x 11″ x 20½" H.
- Third (top) eyepiece not included
- Allows use of camera (sold separately)
- CE Certified
Five Year Warranty: The manufacturer warrants each instrument to be free from defects in material and workmanship under normal use (one year for electrical components). It does not cover damage resulting from abuse or misuse, repairs, or alterations performed by other than authorized repair technicians, or damage occurring in transit.


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Iwata "very sorry" about day-one Wii U update
Nintendo president Satoru Iwata isn't happy about the Wii U's enormous day-one patch, but is pretty confident in the Nintendo Network's offering once you have it installed.
The patch weighs in at 5GB and took some users several hours to download and install at launch in the US, but is required for the vast majority of the console's online services. Early adopters were not pleased, and neither is Iwata, it seems.
"Personally I think that users should be able to use all the functions of a console video game machine as soon as they open the box," he told IGN via email.
"So I feel very sorry for the fact that purchasers of Wii U have to experience a network update which takes such a long time, and that there are the services which were not available at the hardware's launch."
That said, he thinks the Nintendo Network will be worth it, even if the unique features have been difficult to message.
"It is challenging to communicate attractions which are hard to understand unless you actually touch and experience them yourself. This is especially so with Wii U because it has unprecedented entertainment potential," Iwata said.
On top of that, the Nintendo Network is quite different from existing offerings.
"We have not thought that offering the same features that already exist within other online communities would be the best proposal for very experienced game players," Iwata said.
"Nintendo has paid a great deal of attention to the dynamic of people playing video games together in the same room. With Wii U, we thought about expanding this concept into separate rooms which are connected online. Miiverse is a network community dedicated to video games that represents a very unique game-dedicated social graph that has never existed before."
The Wii U arrives in Australia and Europe on November 30 – not long to wait, friends.


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This App Helps You Find Business Travelers Near You
Here on Biz
If you travel a lot for business, making friends while you're on the road isn't easy. Mobile app Here on Biz attempts to make your traveling experience a little less lonely by helping you discover other professionals who might be traveling for work in the same city.
The app works not unlike other location-based apps, such as Highlight that connects with Facebook to surface people near you. Here on Biz connects with LinkedIn and shows nearby professionals who are also using the app. This week the app updated to version 2.0, bringing with it a new look and some new features.
A "Nearby" page within Here on Biz lets you know when professionals are near you. People are categorized by locals or visitors, so you can see at a glance if someone is traveling or at home — the idea being that if you're traveling for work, you might find another professional near you doing the same and have an impromptu networking session. Tapping on a person's profile picture takes you to his or her profile page.
Your profile provides a basic introduction to you, such as your hometown and where you're traveling, as well as information like whether you are checked in to an event.
Here on Biz can be an especially useful networking tool during events. The app lets you check in to different events -– for instance a conference –- and immediately see others who are also checked in to the same event. You can also opt to share your event check-in on your LinkedIn activity feed.
Events you've checked in to stay on your profile and can be useful later, even when you're traveling somewhere new. For instance, two people who attended a conference in San Francisco in June might re-connect in New York three months later at a different event. Without Here on Biz, the two may have never made the connection.
LinkedIn groups are imported into the app and help you find members of the same group while you're out and about. You can also join additional groups within Here on Biz.
A "My Network" page works as a way for you to keep track of where contacts are and who in your network might be traveling, as well as where they're located.
Within the app, you can chat with connections you've made. Chats are double opt-in, so first you have to be connected with the other user, eliminating the possibility of receiving messages from a stranger.
Here on Biz version 2.0 is available now from the App Store.
How do you feel about using an app to connect with other professionals while traveling? Tell us in the comments.
Thumbnail image courtesy of iStockphoto, michaeljung
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Editor's note: Nina dos Santos is a news anchor and correspondent based in London. She is the host of CNN International's new business show, The Business View, which airs weekdays at 12pm CET. Follow her on Twitter and tell us, using the hashtag #cnnbusinessview, can soft diplomacy work?
London (CNN) -- While Ukraine's fight for freedom gets bloodier by the day and Russia faces the West's cold shoulder, in the elegant surroundings of London's Somerset House, one oligarch is using art to get his message across.
"This work is called 'Widows,' for one simple reason," says Andrei Filatov as he points towards a picture of five elderly ladies looking forlorn. "Because instead of an icon [on the wall] there is Karl Marx."
And in cottages where the father of socialism has taken the Holy Mother's place, he explains, "this tells us the women depicted have probably lost their husbands in the war."
For almost half a century the widows' empty eyes have stared out over Moscow's Tretyakov Gallery, caught behind the iron curtain as a new, "cold" war came and went.
But now, thanks to the 42-year-old's passion for paintings, they have been given a new perspective, on display for the first time in London alongside 39 other canvasses by Viktor Popkov, in a special exhibition dedicated to the Soviet-era artist.
The exhibition includes pieces from Filatov's own collection, and brings together works from museums across Russia's biggest cities, recording a post-Stalin age when heroic peasants and propaganda had begun to give way to themes of industrial optimism and the bloom of youth.
"I was born in the Soviet Union and I loved that country," says Filatov.
"So it seems right to showcase the good things that it created because there wasn't the opportunity to do so before. As a period, it was somewhat misunderstood."
With an estimated $1 billion fortune this Forbes rich list stalwart has clearly done well out of his country's break with communism.
Yet he is nostalgic about the past and, having amassed a sizeable collection of Soviet masterpieces, Filatov hopes to one day found his own museum in London and promote a "better understanding" of his home nation.
"I want to show the creative work of the Russian people, so that there is more love for Russia," he says. "That is why I want to build a museum here."
Filatov isn't new to the world of soft diplomacy.
As President of the Russian Chess Federation, he has overseen international tournaments at the Louvre in Paris and personally funded the restoration of the tomb of the Russian chess legend Alexander Alekhine in the same city.
Cultural exchanges, he says, can be key ways of keeping the dialogue going.
"For people to understand each other better they must communicate ... through the exchange of culture, through exhibitions, through theaters, through music and ballet.
"I hope this exhibition will improve the understanding and relations between different peoples and countries. That is its meaning."
For Filatov, just like many Ukrainian-born Russians, the concept of "home" is more complicated than it first seems.
Born in Kryvyi Rih in Ukraine, the co-owner of the ports and roads firm N-Trans describes himself as Russian but still has relatives in Ukraine.
And like many practical business people with a sizeable stake in this complex region, Filatov leaves the artwork to make the bold political statements, saying only he considers sanctions imposed by the EU and the U.S., "a big mistake."
According to Filatov, "the sooner there is an understanding by the European countries and the U.S., the faster there will be logical, sensible and constructive relations."
Putting on a large Russian art show in London at a time of heightened animosity towards his country is an ambitious project. Even talking about art, at a time of deadly skirmishes in Ukraine, may seem flippant but Filatov does have another motive for wanting to host the show: to cater for the British capital's sizeable Russian expat population.
"Walking around here I discovered there is not one large collection of Russian art," he says.
"Russian culture is not presented here yet hundreds of thousands of people from Russia live here. Russian children go to school here and they are losing their connection to their own culture."
"Viktor Popkov: The Genius of The Russian Soul" was organized last year as part of 2014's somewhat overshadowed UK-Russia Year well before Ukraine's crisis pitted the countries against each other.
WATCH MORE: Billionaire declares victory in Ukraine
EXPLORE: Ukraine favors Europe


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This year's Statistics of Income hard copy publication is a small part of what has been published in past years. The balance, however is available on the Internet at:
This volume duplicates a copy of the publication Web page to give the reader an idea of what is available after the data description. Although economy was the main reason for publishing the report on the Web, there are advantages: previous years data is close at hand and need not be found, with some work it can be loaded into other applications, and corrections or updates or afterthoughts can be added easily.
In past years we have published a separate volume entitled FAMILY BASED STATISTICS OF INCOME. (See below for an explanation.) Since the volume is now smaller and also for reasons of economy, the two volumes now appear as one.
Utah Statistics of Income series summarizes and analyzes tax return data available from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) through the federal‑state exchange program.
Two different data tapes are available from the IRS. The first, called the master file, contains very basic information from the 1040 form, such as federal taxes, adjusted gross income (AGI), deductions and the number of exemptions claimed. The second source contains most of the individual tax form lines, such as detail on deductions and sources of income. The detailed source is not updated to reflect amendments and is not as thoroughly edited for errors as the first source. Thus, the data are not 100 percent correct, but in most cases are reliable for general orders of magnitude and averages. Since the two sources are not at the same phase in processing when the state tapes are made, totals from the two sources are generally not identical, although usually very close. Either differences in IRS processing speed or the timeliness of taxpayers in filing returns will cause discrepancies. This may result in slight differences on some tables in items such as AGI, deductions, or the number of taxpayers.
The IRS's tax data always contain information from prior‑year returns that are filed late. We generally include prior‑year returns since their omission would result in a serious under-reporting of the various income and tax magnitudes. In a sense, 2001 prior‑year (2000) data is a proxy for returns for 2001 that will be filed late. Prior‑year returns are included as a separate "county" in the county tables and are not included in either the city or ZIP Code data, since we believe the inclusion of the data at the state level is reliable, but that its allocation to lower level geographic units is questionable.
In addition to state, county, city, and ZIP Code data on adjusted gross income, federal taxes, exemptions, and returns by income level, this volume reports statewide data on itemized deductions, adjustments to income, sources of income, and other important magnitudes from federal tax schedules C through F , as well as for various credits and tax payments.
The data on a Utahn's income is AGI, which is not the same concept as either the census definition or personal income. AGI includes capital gains, which most definitions of income do not cover, and only captures a portion of social security income and pension income. In addition, a list of adjustments, such as IRA and Keogh plans, self employed health insurance, moving expenses, alimony paid, etc. are subtracted to arrive at AGI. AGI also excludes the imputed income included in personal income measures.
We are subject to the way taxpayers fill out their forms as far as addresses are concerned. If they use a wrong ZIP Code, we are forced to live with it. Probably the most important error of this type is in the "city" taxpayers claim. Some residents of the smaller communities, for example, may list Salt Lake City as a city rather than Sandy, or Murray, for example. This also happens for residents of unincorporated areas. Some taxpayers will also use their professional address or post office box rather than their actual residence.
To understand what is included in federal taxes, please consult the attached form 1040. This figure is what is reported on the total tax line, but self-employment taxes are not included, while alternative minimum taxes are included as well as some other small items. Credits have been subtracted, except the earned income tax, which is considered a payment by the IRS.
In addition, average values are only averages for taxpayers using a particular form or line.
This report represents an ongoing effort at the Utah State Tax Commission's Economic and Statistical Unit to calculate family-based data from individual returns. Since the raw data is based on tax returns and tax definitions of income, and since the aggregation is not perfect, this data should not be expected to conform to other sources of family or household data. This report groups returns into larger units, such as households or families. It groups returns that show the same last name, ZIP Code, and first part of the address into a unit, generally a family. This method adds minors with their parents, if they use the same name and address. It also groups a married couple living with the husband's parents (same last name). However, it would not group a married couple living with the wife's parents (different last names).


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Nautilus Women's Steel Toe ESD Athletic Work Shoes
- Nautilus Women's Steel Toe ESD Athletic Work Shoes
- Item #: 0501N7
Product Details
Nautilus keeps your feet safe and comfortable at the same time with these steel toe ESD athletic safety shoes. Made from comfortable nylon and leather upper with an ergonomically designed steel safety toe cap that provides a wide area for your toes to stay comfortable through long work days. The rubber outsole is highly durable and it is slip- and oil-resistant and the bumper toe guards against abrasion, helping to lengthen the life of your work shoes. These shoes are great for the outdoors or on the job site, comfort combined with great safety features make these shoes perfect for working in hazardous areas.
Style(s): 1376
- Nylon and leather upper
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- Highly durable slip- and oil-resistant outsole
- No Exposed Metal to meet Scratch Resistant Workplace Requirements
- Bumper Toe to guard against abrasion
- Meets or Exceeds ASTM 2413-05 Impact/Compression and SD Ratings


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It's amazing how little some people value digital privacy. In a recent study, given the choice between one digital service with strong privacy and one 65 cents cheaper without such promises, consumers opted for the cheaper option.
The finding is right here. Admittedly, these are lab tests, but that's fine. The test was based on a one-off transaction for cinema tickets. One method of purchase was secure; the other demanded extra personal details that would be freely distributed. When both services cost the same, consumers took the secure route. When the less secure method offered a 65c discount, the majority of consumers took that option.
People: your data is worth more than that. [ENISA via Threat Post]
Image: Photo remixed from Anton Prado/Shutterstock


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A personal message from Kiel about COVID-19
A personal message from Kiel about COVID-19
There is nothing more important to us than the health and well-being of our team members and our customers.
Our online store and customer service department are open, and we will continue to fulfill and ship all orders in a safe and responsible manner. In addition, our retail flagship location in Newport is now open. We're following the recommendations of global health agencies to ensure our factory and fulfillment center stays healthy. Social distancing is being strictly enforced by: having all nonessential team members work from home, limiting and staggering the hours for those working at our factory and store, and by making certain each workspace is routinely sanitized and at least ten feet from any neighboring station.
We're blessed to have such an engaging community of followers and supporters. That's why we're working harder than ever to bring you fresh takes on classic New England styles and exciting content for you to enjoy while at home. We look forward to overcoming this challenging situation and returning to our way of life, stronger and more united. Now more than ever, we only succeed together.
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text: An underground Latino crew who moved from being strictly producers to make some action on the other side of the mixing board as well, the Beatnuts first hooked up in the late '80s, with Junkyard Ju-Ju (aka JuJu, born Jerry Tineo) and Psycho Les (born Lester Fernandez) being joined by Fashion (aka Kool Fashion, born Berntony Smalls). After working with the Jungle Brothers, the trio connected with Monie Love on a production job for "Pups Lickin Bone" from her 1990 debut album, Down to Earth. They also worked on remixes for Cypress Hill, Naughty by Nature, da Lench Mob, and Prime Minister Pete Nice, earning their own contract with Combat Records for the 1993 mini-LP Intoxicated Demons. The album's release was held up when Kool Fashion was arrested and jailed for six months on a drug conviction, but the Beatnuts released a self-titled album the following year, on Violator/Relativity. After a hiatus verging on three years, Fashion became a Muslim and left the Beatnuts, releasing his debut solo album, God Connections, with production help from his old bandmates. JuJu and Psycho Les finally returned to release the Beatnuts' third album, Stone Crazy, in 1997. Musical Massacre followed two years later. Take It or Squeeze It, issued in spring 2001, captured the Beatnuts' danceable funk as well as collaborations with Method Man and Fat Man Scoop. The next year, The Originators brought back Al Tariq (that is, Kool Fashion) and delivered another round of bionic beats. ~ John Bush


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Tags: 2013, BRANDI GLANVILLE, MAGAZINES, OK! Magazine
Tags: 2013, BRANDI GLANVILLE, MAGAZINES, OK! Magazine
Tags: 2013, EvEnTs, SoberBook Magazine/Website
Andy Dick's Relapse: It's Not Because of Dancing with the Stars, Says Jennifer Gimenez — Exclusive
But contrary to what's being reported, Andy didn't fall off the wagon over his loss on Dancing with the Stars. His good friend, Jennifer Gimenez, spoke exclusively with Wetpaint Entertainment to set the record straight.
"He didn't relapse because of Dancing With the Stars," Jennifer confirms. "He relapsed because he suffers from the disease of alcoholism."
She adds that only Andy can decide when he's had enough…and when he'll be ready for treatment. Says Jennifer: "When he's ready to get to help, he knows we're all here for him." She adds: "I love him very much."
We wish Andy the best and hope he gets the treatment he needs.
Tags: 2013, Andy Dick, In The News, Wet Paint Articles
Jennifer Gimenez of Celebrity Rehab Talks to OK! About Cory Monteith's Tragic Passing
OK! News: Watch an old interview between Lea Michele and Cory on set of Glee.
OKMagazine.com turned to Jennifer Gimenez, a rehab technician who appeared on Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew and the spin-off Sober House. She herself battled addiction, so she was kind enough to answer some of our lingering questions about addiction.
OK!: How did you feel when you found out about Cory?
Jennifer Gimenez: I was so saddened and shocked, confused and baffled. It shows that the disease doesn't discriminate, it doesn't care who you are—how much fame, fortune, and power you have—at the end of the day, it just wants everyone dead. It stops at nothing.
OK!: Why do you think people were so shocked about this celebrity death?
JG: Because there's a certain stigma on alcoholics and drug addicts, that they need to be a train wreck. He had a promising future on a hit show, had a beautiful girlfriend, and was genuinely a good person. That was the shock. I just hope, because he had millions of fans, that young people can say, maybe I have a problem, and want to get help.
Photos: See pics of Cory during happier times.
OK!: Then the autopsy report says that heroin was involved. Is it possible for a person to be using heroin and still be working? It seems like an all-consuming drug.
JG: Yes. Absolutely. We call them functioning addicts and alcoholics—they can use a little heroin, or drink, be high on set, and still function. Maybe not to the best of their ability, but they can still function.
Splash News
OK!: Do you think he was using trips up to Vancouver possibly to binge? What is the pathology there?
JG: It could be. Obviously he was new to sobriety. If you are new to treatment, and then you go back to your house and you're alone, or back to, I call it, the scene of the crime, he knows who can be enablers. Alcoholics and addicts do that, once they know they can get away with certain things with certain people. We're liars, cheats, and manipulators until we get better.
OK!: What's the best role for a loved one, in this scenario?
JG: Know you can't change it, you're not the cause of it, and you can't cure it. There's a support system out there. You can't save people who don't want it. As much as I would love to save people in my life, you can't save people who don't want the help.
OK! News: Lea Michele releases a new statement following the autopsy report.
OK!: Why are celebrities so susceptible to addiction?
JG: I think that there's a lot of pressure. Hollywood doesn't take you down, it's the pressure you put on yourself in Hollywood that takes you down. They're always in character, and they always seem like they're happy—they have this responsibility to be this certain type of person. They can't figure out who they really are.
OK!: Thanks so much for talking today and giving your perspective.
JG: I know that feeling. I've had a lot of people die. The answer is, it's a disease. It's a gene, it's hereditary. It will stop at nothing to rob you and the loved ones around you. It will kill you, in the end. My heart breaks for him, and for his family and friends, and fans.
Jennifer has started SoberBook.com, a wonderful new site where addicts can anonymously share their stories.
Tags: 2013, Death Of Glee Star, In The News, OK! Magazine, SoberBook Magazine/Website
Cory Montieth's Drug Overdose: Celeb Addiction Specialist Reacts
Wetpaint Entertainment spoke exclusively with Jennifer to hear her reaction to the news. "My heart goes out to my family, his friends, and his fans. I hope that his death doesn't go in vain. His story is so profound because not only is he an amazing human being […] but he had such an amazing future."
"This disease has no discrimination," Jennifer says. "It doesn't care who you are. It will stop at nothing to kill you."
Cory worked hard to break his cycle of addiction. He made the decision to go to rehab twice and seemed committed to his recovery. As recently as April, Jennifer praised Cory for making the brave decision to open up about his struggles, saying that choice could "help others tremendously."
More than anything, Jennifer hopes that Cory's battle will inspire others to seek help if they need it. "He was a role model. He was an idol to so many people," she says. Though Cory lost his battle with drugs, she hopes that the Glee star's openness about his struggle with give others the courage.
Jennifer works as an addiction counselor, and she's using her new project, SoberBook.com, as a way to help people open up and seek help. Anyone who has ever struggled with drugs, alcohol, or any other type of an addiction can post their story anonymously, offering hope and support to others who may be going through the same thing.
By choosing to go to rehab, Cory showed he was committed to getting help, and Jennifer hopes others can be inspired by his determination. "He was definitely fighting the good fight. The hard fight. It was such a tragedy that in this case […] the disease won."
Tags: 2013, Death Of Glee Star, In The News, SoberBook Magazine/Website, Wet Paint Article


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Deputies, Police end search for suspect in stolen SUV
Suspect on the loose in Siloam Springs
West Siloam Springs police and Benton County deputies have ended the search for a man who led them on a high-speed police chase overnight Wednesday into Thursday morning.
They said the man left Cherokee Casino and sped off in a stolen car when police tried to pull him over.
Police said they found the car, which was stolen from a Fayetteville car lot, in a landfill off Elm Road in Siloam Springs.
Springdale police and detectives are on the scene investigating the abandoned SUV.
The Assistant Chief for West Siloam Springs Randy Jackson said Springdale police are present because they may have information about the suspect who is believed to live in or around Springdale.
He abandoned the car and ran away on foot, police said.
The have not released the name of the suspect.
The K-9 unit was called off by deputies.


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7 DECEMBER 2009 | Copenhagen – As the climate talks kick off in Copenhagen, key football nations are teaming up for the planet for the biggest sport event of 2010.
Argentina, Brazil, Cameroon, Chile, Cote d'Ivoire, England, Greece, Italy, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Serbia, USA, Uruguay and host country South Africa are among the squads determined to score green goals for the environment in 2010.
Tackling transport is central to greening the World Cup, as emissions generated by the teams' and spectators' international travel to South Africa will make up more than 67 per cent of the event's total greenhouse gas emissions.
The news was announced in Copenhagen on the first day of the UN climate talks, during a press conference with representatives of the seventeen World Cup teams alongside Achim Steiner, UN Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director of the UN Environment Programme.
Achim Steiner said: "Today footballing nations representing millions if not billions of fans are standing up and being counted as environmental ambassadors for one of the greatest spectator events in the calendar. Every one of the teams is determined to make a sporting impact in South Africa while reducing their impact on the global environment. I hope the remaining nations participating in South Africa will want to come on-side for the climate in order to score their own green goals in 2010".
The news comes as UNEP and the Global Environment Facility (GEF) announced further support towards greening the World Cup with a one million dollar funding package.
With GEF funding, UNEP is supporting the Green Goal 2010 Programme, which aims to ensure that the World Cup has a long-term sustainable impact on the country and the region.
The project will help six of the host cities reduce their energy consumption by installing solar-powered and energy-efficient street lamps, traffic lights and billboards in Pretoria, Johannesburg, Cape Town, Polokwane, Rustenburg and Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Municipality.
The GEF is also supporting a responsible tourism initiative through the Green Passport, which will be distributed widely to visitors during the World Cup to provide people with tips on how to travel sustainably.
Monique Barbut, GEF CEO and Chairperson, said: "The GEF is committed to acting locally for global impact. This project aims to leave an environmental legacy in South Africa long after the last whistle blows. We look forward to working with our partners to help deliver new and innovative ways to mitigate and compensate emissions generated by mass events."
The GEF funding will complement existing green initiatives by the South Africa 2010 organizers including investments in public transport, rainwater harvesting, recycling and tree planting drives at the Host Cities across South Africa.
In Cape Town, which has set a target of 50 per cent of fans travelling to the 2010 stadiums by public transport, the World Cup has catalyzed significant investment by the city in public transport and non-motorized transport facilities. The city's brand-new integrated rapid transit system will be operational by June 2010, and new pedestrian and bicycle lanes are being built around the city.
Other initiatives by South African organizers include multi-bin systems for recycling in catering areas at World Cup venues, the cleanup of waste hot spots in Mangaung, education programmes on soccer and the environment for 40 schools in Cape Town, and the planting of 200,000 trees around Johannesburg.
Notes to Editors
The Green Goal initiative was first kicked off during the last World Cup in 2006 in Germany through a partnership between UNEP, the organizers of the 2006 World Cup and the German Federal Government. The pioneering initiative aims to make the World Cup more environmentally-sustainable in the areas of water, waste, energy and mobility.
UNEP's Sport and Environment Programme aims to promote the links between sport and the environment. It builds on the UNEP Governing Council's long-term strategy on sport and the environment, adopted in 2003. The strategy also seeks to strengthen partnerships with sports organizations and federations such as FIFA and the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
The Global Environment Facility (GEF) unites 182 countries in partnership with international institutions, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and the private sector to address global environmental issues while supporting national sustainable development initiatives. Today the GEF is the largest funder of projects to improve the global environment. An independent financial organization, the GEF provides grants for projects related to biodiversity, climate change, international waters, land degradation, the ozone layer, and persistent organic pollutants. Since 1991, GEF has achieved a strong track record with developing countries and countries with economies in transition, providing $8.6 billion in grants and leveraging $36.1 billion in co-financing for more than 2,400 projects in over 165 countries.
For more information please contact:
- Nick Nuttall, UNEP Spokesperson/Head of Media, on cell: +41 795965737 or e-mail: email@example.com
- Theodore Oben, Chief, UNEP Outreach on cell: +254 724 255 247 or e-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com
- Maureen Shields Lorenzetti, GEF Media Relations, Washington D.C. on cell: +1 202-473-8131 or email: email@example.com