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Designed to stretch with your foot, the Nike Air Huarache Women's Shoe has remained a sneaker staple since its 1991 debut, when it changed the face of running footwear forever. This Ultra version updates the original design with a lightweight construction for enhanced comfort.
Air Huarache Origins
Designed by Tinker Hatfield and released in 1991, the Nike Air Huarache shook up the running world. The lining of the shoe was created to act as an exoskeleton for the athlete, molding to the shape of the foot and ankle. The shoe was such a hit that it soon found its way to basketball courts and subsequently the streets, where it earned its status as an icon.
Regular Price: £164.27
Special Price £75.56
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Regular Price: £115.95
Special Price £69.57


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Spring is in the air, and like many of us, Microsoft is looking to slim down for summer. Despite its former reluctance to support thin-client computing, it looks like Microsoft has loosened up and clarified its licensing when it comes to thin clients. Microsoft says that it has made two significant changes to its client licenses to make thin-client computing with Windows desktop systems a supported configuration instead of the gray area it currently is.
First, they are going to permit streaming Vista directly to thin clients, allowing it to boot from the network instead of a local hard drive. Until this point, this was the sorely realm of *nix distributions (and Mac OS X). This is great news for administrators, since they can have a single image distributed to any number of clients in the field. Want to apply a patch or install an updated version of a program? Simply apply it to the master copy; the next time users connect, they will have the updated version as well. Of course, this solution requires some real bandwidth.
The other change is a new subscription license called Windows Vista Enterprise Centralized Desktops (VECD).VECD lets you host Vista as virtual machines on something like VMware or Virtual PC. Currently, in my environment we do something along these lines. VPN users connect to a farm of VMware ESX servers running multiple copies of Windows via RDP. Since they are just using RDP, we only need one port open on our firewall, which keeps home PC cooties off our network. Since it's to a PC that's actually a virtual machine on ESX it's simple to expand the number to meet increased demand.
Until now, this has been a gray area as far as licensing is concerned; with VECD it is now legitimate, although there is supposed to be a fee schedule based on the number of devices you are using it with. The cost will be different for full PCs and thin clients, but Microsoft's announcement does not go into much detail. I wonder if they will start penalizing early adopters that used earlier versions of Windows to set up something similar? Time will tell. Now if the company would remove its prohibitions against virtualizing Home Basic and Premium, all would be well.

subset: commoncrawl


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Sea and Human Security Training Programme
Seas, coasts, and the ocean are part of the human security complex. Myriad factors including social, political, environmental, and economic aspects of human security depend upon the sustainable and comprehensive governance and management of these areas.
Inaugurated in 2002-2003, the UNITAR Hiroshima Sea and Human Security Training Programme examines, from a comprehensive point of view, the concept of human security as it pertains to seas and the ocean. The training programme aims to facilitate peer exchange and knowledge development among key policy makers working in the field of marine and ocean affairs.
Learning Objectives
Each training programme has its own specific theme focus. Generally, after completing a training programme participants will be able to:
- Identify key challenges in specific fields
- Describe inter-relations between subject areas
- Explore responses and lessons learned from case studies
- Outline policy development and implementation strategies
- Design feasible action plans for policy implementation
- Construct targets in order to tackle identified problems
- Develop strategies taking into account the interrelations between subject areas
- Explain the necessity of a comprehensive approach to Ocean Security
The training programme is based on a blended-learning participatory approach and includes:
Interactive Lectures and Group Exercises
Interactive lectures are facilitated by key Resource Persons who examine the themes of the Workshop from a broad theoretical perspective down to case studies examining real world implementation. These presentations are augmented by small group exercises and frequent discussions from the floor, which
serve to contextualise the issues being examined.
After-Action Reviews
Representing a key component of the Workshop, after-action reviews takes place within groups at the start of each morning, discussing the main issues raised in the previous presentations, as well as the specific frames of reference as applied to these by participants.
Study Tours
Underscoring the theoretical introductions and analysis presented, study tours form an integral part of the training methodologies utilised by UNITAR. Participants are able to relate to what has been seen and discussed in the training programme with actual examples of policy development and implementation.
Training the Trainer
A focus is made throughout the training sessions to relate the learning being facilitated to the realities on the ground. In addition, each participant is empowered to recreate the training upon their return to their organisation in order to achieve a self-propagating legacy of skills development.
Project Completion Reports
6 - 7 December, 2012; Tianjin, China
The UNITAR Hiroshima Office co-sponsored the Second Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Blue Economy Forum.
Organised by the State Oceanic Administration of China, the Forum was co-sponsored also by:
- Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries, Indonesia;
- Global Ocean Forum (GOF);
- Partnerships in Environmental Management for the Seas of East Asia (PEMSEA);
- Conservation International Foundation (CI);
- International Ocean Institute (IOI)
The theme of the session was Mobilizing to Address the Rio+20 Challenge of Achieving Blue Economy in the Context of Sustainable Development: APEC Vision on Blue Economy for Post-Rio+20 Period. UNITAR presented upon the outcomes of the Sea and Human Series to date, and how these serve to strengthen the foundation towards a Blue Economy.
18–21 October 2011; Tokyo, Japan - Tsunami and the Natural Environment: Lessons Learned for Effective Planning – Project Completion Report
6–9 September 2010; Tokyo, Japan - Training Session on Sea and Human Security: "Governance Towards a Comprehensive Security for Seas and the Ocean" – Project Completion Report
27 September-2 October 2009; Hiroshima, Japan - Training Session on Sea and Human Security: "Governance Toward a Comprehensive Security for Seas and the Ocean: The Hiroshima Initiative" – Project Completion Report
28 September-3 October 2008; Hiroshima, Japan – Training Session on Sea and Human Security: "Towards a comprehensive security for seas and oceans: The Hiroshima Initiative" – Project Completion Report
14-19 October 2007; Hiroshima, Japan - Training Session on Sea and Human Security: "Towards a comprehensive security for seas and oceans: The Hiroshima Initiative" – Project Completion Report
1-6 October 2006; Hiroshima, Japan - Training Session on Marine Food Security – Project Completion Report
26-30 September 2005; Hiroshima, Japan - Training Session on Marine Food Security – Project Completion Report
5-9 July 2004; Hiroshima, Japan - Training Session on Sea and Human Security – Project Completion Report


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One On One Soccer
Tags: Sports Games / Football Games / Soccer Games
Publisher: Gamer.com.tw
Video Walkthrough
The object of the game is to get the ball in your opponent's goal, but don't let the computer do the same to you. Try to score as many goals as possible in the given time limit in two halves. You can choose either the male player who is wearing red or the female player who is wearing green to play the game. Use your mouse and choose the direction you want to kick the ball and then click to kick.
· Control Your Player / Kick The Ball = Use Mouse (left click button)
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As the title says, what would you recomend as a good starter species be it gecko, chameleon or lizard?
As xmas is approaching I am hoping my parents would get me a small reptile of sorts, I have some experience with reptiles already as we have a hermanns tortoise. So temps, heat lamps, thermostats etc I am already used to deaing with.
I have a large storage area along from my dest that I was going to convert as a vivarium with some DIY. Its measurements are approx 18x20x18 lxdxh, so its almost square but slightly larger going from front to back.
Things I know I can get my hands on here, just from memory in lfs, is; chinese water dragons, leopard geckos, regular green chameleons, iguanas. I know the water dragons and iguana grow too big but that's just to give an idea of the range of things we can get here.
Snakes are totally out of the question
Cheers folks!


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All reviews seem negative
The service was the worst ever. The people where rude and the food tasted like it was made a week ago it was cold. And just last week I got a raw burger!!
In ShortFounded in 1954, this ultracasual eatery (often with a drive-through) made its name with hamburgers cooked over flames and finished with the customer's choice of toppings. The...
From family friendly trips with kid friendly activities to local plumbers lawyers, spas, and contractors. Judy's Book has millions of listings and reviews for the best and not so great. Whether you're looking for a specific business or just trying to discover great places we make it easy. We're a family oriented site focusing on bringing trusted reviews and recommendations to moms and others. Green and Sustainable places are becoming more relevant to Judy's Book users, have a favorite place? Write a review and tell users why it's Green!


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Precision Castparts Corp.
A worldwide, diversified manufacturer of complex metal components and products
Careers At PCC
In our rapidly growing company opportunities for development and career advancement are never far away. If you are looking for challenge, to be rewarded for your results and you thrive in a demanding environment, PCC is an unparalleled place to build your career.
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If you have several years of professional experience and an established record of success in your career field, there are plenty of opportunities for you at PCC.
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Latest Healthy Kids News
SUNDAY, Aug. 5 (HealthDay News) -- Sleep loss is common among children with asthma who live in cities, and it is a major reason for missed school days, emergency room visits and lower levels of involvement in sports, according to new research.
This is especially true for Hispanic children, according to the study, which included the parents of nearly 150 children with asthma treated at the Bradley Hasbro Research Center at Brown Medical School in Providence, R.I.
"Children with asthma from urban backgrounds are at increased risk of disrupted sleep, which can greatly impact their daytime functioning," study lead author Lauren Daniel said in an American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology news release.
"It is important for parents and health care providers to routinely monitor sleep in children with asthma to minimize sleep disruptions and ensure proper asthma control," she added.
Asthma accounts for 10.5 million missed school days each year in the United States, according to the ACAAI.
Children with high levels of anxiety and general worries had trouble getting back to sleep after being awakened during the night by asthma symptoms. The study also found that parents said their quality of life was considerably lower when their child's asthma was not well controlled.
The findings were published in the July issue of the journal Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.
"Proper asthma care and management can minimize the risk of nighttime symptoms that disrupt sleep," Dr. Stanley Fineman, president of the ACAAI, said in the news release. "Allergists will help children and their parents develop a treatment plan that will reduce school absences and hospital visits, and increase productivity and overall quality of life."
Children with asthma who are under the care of an allergist may have 54 percent to 76 percent fewer emergency room visits, 60 percent to 89 percent fewer hospitalizations and miss 77 percent less time from school, according to the ACAAI.
-- Robert Preidt
Copyright © 2012 HealthDay. All rights reserved.


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Nedvědice, Hrad Pernštejn Back
The nearest pilgrim sites
Visit these sites, too!
The nearest Accommodation
Relax here
The nearest Places of interest
Visit us!
Touristic area South Moravia
South Moravia
Haven't found yet?
Never mind, see our next offer!
This site hasn't been reviewed yet, be the first one and share your experience.


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Amazon: Great company, WAY overvalued stockSeptember 6, 2012: 3:40 PM ET
The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Paul R. La Monica. Other than Time Warner, the parent of CNNMoney, and Abbott Laboratories, La Monica does not own positions in any individual stocks.
I love Amazon.com. Fantastic customer service. Prices are great. And as an avid reader who still likes physical copies of books (call me a Luddite if you must), the free shipping that comes with being an Amazon Prime member is a nice bonus.
I also think it's admirable how Amazon has made many acquisitions and has let those sties run independently. Audible.com, Diapers.com and Zappos are just a few notable Amazon subsidiaries that have continued to flourish despite being owned by a much larger entity.
But my appreciation for Amazon as a company does not extend to Amazon's stock. Shares of Amazon (AMZN) now trade for more than 100 times 2013 earnings estimates. The stock is up more than 40% this year. It seems that investors are getting too caught up in the enthusiasm about Amazon's Kindle business and its small but growing cloud services division.
Sure, the new Kindle Fire tablets that Amazon is announced today could wind up being hot sellers for the company -- although how hot is a subject of debate since Amazon, unlike Apple (AAPL), steadfastly refuses to release any data about how many devices it actually sells. But shouldn't investors be more concerned about competition from Apple, which is expected to release a cheaper, smaller iPad later this fall?
Related: With iPad Mini on the way, Kindle Fire 2 may not matter
And let's be honest. Amazon is still merely a retailer. It just happens to be one that is rooted in technology. We probably shouldn't be comparing it to the likes of mobile giants Apple and Google (GOOG) or cloud software leaders like Salesforce.com (CRM) in the first place. But for some good, clean fun, even Salesforce is "cheaper" than Amazon. It trades for only 75 times earnings estimates for its next fiscal year.
Of course, Amazon obviously deserves to trade at some sort of premium to other retailers, particularly ones that Amazon is seriously putting the squeeze on, such as Best Buy (BBY) and Barnes and Noble (BKS). Best Buy is valued at only 5 times fiscal 2013 earnings estimates while Barnes and Noble has no P/E because there is no E. The struggling book and Nook seller is expected to lose money this year and next.>
But what about other healthy, mass market retailers? Wal-Mart (WMT) and Target (TGT) both trade at earnings multiples in the mid-teens based on earnings estimates for their next fiscal year. Does Amazon really deserve a P/E that's more than 7 times higher than these two?
Yes, Amazon is expected to continue growing at a much faster pace than Wal-Mart and Target. Analysts are forecasting earnings growth of about 33% a year, on average, for the next few years, while Wal-Mart's profits are predicted to rise just 8% and Target's earnings are estimated to grow 12% annually. Still, if you use these numbers to calculate what's known as a price-to-earnings growth or PEG ratio, a measure often used to justify higher valuations for momentum stocks, Amazon continues to look very frothy.
Amazon's PEG comes out to about 3.1. Target and Wal-Mart trade at PEGs of 1.1 and 1.7, respectively. Amazon is similarly overvalued if you look at the three on a price-to-sales ratio. Using Amazon's current market value of $113 billion and sales forecasts of $80.5 billion for 2013, Amazon's price-to-sales ratio is 1.4. The market values for Wal-Mart and Target are each about half of their expected sales.
Related: Amazon's profit drops 96% despite jump in sales
I'd be more willing to accept the premise that Amazon should trade at a sky-high valuation if it was using its technological advantages to generate exorbitant profit margins. But it's not.
Amazon's net margins in the first half of 2012 were a puny 0.5% and operating margins were barely above 1%. To be fair, a lot of that is due to the company's strategy of investing heavily in new products and services. But Wal-Mart's net margins in the first six months of the year were 3.4%. Target's net margins were over 4%.
Don't get me wrong. I'm not suggesting that Amazon is a screaming short. What's more, the company has done a phenomenal job for nearly two decades. Jeff Bezos deserves a lot of credit for steering Amazon through the bursting of the dot-com bubble and two recessions. But that still doesn't mean Amazon deserves to trade at a triple-digit P/E.
Amazon may not be as much of a bubble as the stock was back in the late 1990s when an Internet analyst now more famous for being a journalist (he who shall not be named) famously slapped a $400 price target on the stock. But it might be getting close. Amazon has to prove to Wall Street soon that all its investments will one day lead to higher profit margins if it wants to remain this richly priced.


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Published by Shawn E. Tuma
Shawn Tuma is an attorney who is internationally recognized in cybersecurity, computer fraud and data privacy law, areas in which he has practiced for nearly two decades. He is a Partner at Spencer Fane, LLP where he regularly serves as outside cybersecurity and privacy counsel to a wide range of companies from small to midsized businesses to Fortune 100 enterprises. You can reach Shawn by telephone at 972.324.0317 or email him at email@example.com. View all posts by Shawn E. Tuma


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Drugs-of-abuse Cross-reactivity App
Access to drugs-of-abuse cross-reactivity data just got a lot easier
Urine drug tests often cross-react with other structurally related drugs and structurally unrelated compounds, which may lead to false-positive results. Our new drugs-of-abuse cross-reactivity app is the electronic version of our booklet. It helps laboratories to quickly check drug interactions and assess the potential for cross-reactivity and false-positive results.
The information contained in this cross-reactivity app is applicable to any drugs-of-abuse urine assays that use the Syva® Emit® II and Emit II Plus Drugs of Abuse Reagents. The data was compiled from the Instructions for Use (IFUs) for each Emit Drugs of Abuse assay as well as from additional cross-reactivity testing performed internally.
This app is now available for iOS devices. In addition to the standard cross-reactivity information, you will also find chemical structures, definitions, and more.


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The tech world is abuzz with anticipation of the live Apple event Tuesday morning, at which the tech giant is expected to unveil the latest model of the iPhone, as well as a second, cheaper model for the first time.
The excitement comes, however, amid a slew of leaks that have all but eliminated any sense of surprise as to what the updates will entail.
As late as Sunday night, an image of the new iPhone 5S's packaging, complete with a photo of the rebuilt home button, surfaced online. A thin silver line around the black button appeared to further confirm the near-certainty the new device would include a fingerprint scanner in the button.
Also expected are an upgrade to the phone's processor chip, with the A7 running significantly faster than the iPhone 5's A6, and improvements to the camera.
The new iPhone will get a significant facelift, adding a gold color option and shipping with the iOS 7, a redesigned software interface that developers have given positive reviews since it was released in beta earlier this summer.
The iPhone 5C, which is feature a plastic casing instead of metal but otherwise resemble the iPhone 5, will come in a range of colors in addition to its smaller sticker price.
Apple often (but not always) streams the event live to Macs and iOS devices, but generally doesn't make the information available until the day of the presentation. Watch this space for updates Tuesday, and in the meantime, flip through the slideshow, above, of the leaked images.


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I absolutely loved the Tide Pool collection by CI and couldn't find it anymore when I came across this collection which is equally as stunning as TP. The colors are amazing and the design of the collection is absolutely gorgeous. I will be ordering more because this collection will become scarce very quickly I'm sure. The colors are very soft but still offer the "WOW" factor. I've seen some layouts where people have actually added color with various mediums to bring the color up stronger and they were beautiful as well.
Such a beautiful paper. The colors are soft and muted. Brazzil Basics Whirlpool is a perfect compliment for this line of paper.
This is the most beautiful cardstock that I have. I should have ordered 10!
very pretty mermaid!!-the mermaid got me to buy this page.
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French advertising photographer Sacha Goldberger has a superheroe in his family: Frederika, his 91-year-old grandma. When she doesn't wear her blue cape and her red helmet to rescue her dog or to play with her Superman doll, 'Mamika' poses in costumes each more excentric than the last for her grandson who dedicated a book to her.
Chonqing, China
I've recently noticed several reports of the growing urban sprawl known as Chonqing, one of China's four municipalities. Although the area covers approximately 32,000 square miles (about the size of an average US state) it is still considered a single Chinese municipalty and is home to nearly 32 million people (about the population of the entire state of California). The Guardian reported on the region several years ago, and Wired Magazine recently posted a selection of images by Turkish photographer Ferit Kuyas of the so-called megalopolis.
The images here are the works of three photographers. Along with Kuyas are images from the notable London-based photographer Nadav Kander (who won a 2009 Prix Pictet for his photographs of China) and Beijing-based photographer Matthew Niederhauser.
Flickr *Cabaret Monday No. 3 – Matthias Werner
Faithful Flickr *Cabaret Submissions member matthiaswerner has been churning out some really great images lately. Werner's subdued color palette and eye for compositions of stark contrast has been really hitting the spot. For this week's *Cabaret Monday, we're creating a dedicated matthiaswerner post. Beautiful work.
Mathew Scott
Good solid work from California-based photographer Mathew Scott. His images range from portraits to architecture to landscapes, always with a consistent presence of a sort of lonely, distanced Americana.
Irving Penn @ National Portrait Gallery
The National Portrait Gallery in London presents the exhibition Irving Penn. P0rtraits until June 06, 2010. Among the famous faces on view are Truman Capote, Salvador Dali, Christian Dior, T.S. Eliot, Duke Ellington, Grace Kelly, Rudolf Nureyev, Al Pacino, Edith Piaf, Pablo Picasso and Harold Pinter.
Flickr *Cabaret Monday No. 2
This week's selection from our Flickr pool is a photo by Martina Giammaria. The picture is part of her project My Private Party. If you like her work, you can follow Martina's life through her personal photodiary.


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I saw the new iPhone 4 today.
I had updated my iPhone 3G to iOS4 over the weekend, but I found it to be seriously lacking. Apple in their usual wisdom blocked the features of background wallpapers and multitasking when it has already been proven to work sufficiently on an iPhone 3G.
Just like the omission of video, it just smacks of a push to upgrade to the newer phone. The deal breaker was that my Mobilepoint wifi was seriously screwed up, frustratingly not allowing me to log in to use the service.
I rolled it back to 3.1.3 and it's working as it should.
After work I saw the new iPhone in Bic Camera. It looks nice and makes the old phone look a bit dated. I'll give it that. The squared off and thin design has a nice, minimalistic German look to it. I had a good play of some of the new features.
I like the dual cameras, and the video it takes looks good. "Skype"-style video calling could be fun on this. Web pages too like they've said, look very clear and sharp. They say the mail app has been improved, but to me that's a non-issue on the old phone.
One MAJOR issue that has come up is that of dropped calls for left-handed people (yes, that's me).
That, and Softbank's great idea of locking their phones (yes, even after the contract expires), leaves me hesitating. I'm happy with my 3G for now. If it's not broke, well, not yet, no need for a fix, is there?
Monday, 28 June 2010
iPhone 4 and iOS4
I saw the new iPhone 4 today.
Posted by Jimmy In Japan at 11:59 pm 0 comments
Sunday, 27 June 2010
Tokyo Guitar Show 2010
I went to a fun party the previous night, so I didn't know how I'd be feeling to go to the Tokyo Guitar Show today. It was held in TFT Hall in Odaiba, a stone's throw from Big Sight. I missed out last year, so for something new I thought it'd be interesting to have a look.
As usual when I go to Odaiba I took the opportunity to walk across the Rainbow Bridge again. The weather has been horribly hot and humid. Today was no different but being overcast, it was (slightly) cooler than usual.
It cost 1,000 yen to get in. It was no where near as big as Yokohama's Music Fair, that I went to last, so I wasn't as impressed as that show. This was pretty much a buyer's market. They had quite a few interesting guitars on sale, and VERY expensive ones too. Lucky for me, my Greco arrived the same day, so I didn't have the insatiable desire to buy a guitar here.
In another room they had Fender, Boss and Roland music gear that you could discreetly try out with headphones. It was a bit of fun.
After looking at a few outlet shops once we left the show, we made our way back across the bridge. You can see Tokyo Tower lit up with blue lights in support of Japan's soccer team playing in the World Cup.
Go Japan!
Posted by Jimmy In Japan at 11:59 pm 0 comments
Greco Mirage
I've been good for a long while, trying REALLY hard not to buy another guitar.
It doesn't help when I live close to Ochanomizu, which is a guitar junkie's paradise. I was THIS close to buying (another) Gibson, the Buckethead signature no less. It looks and sounds great. I love a nice ebony fingerboard. The arcade kill switches are fun, but just one button would have been better I think.
I was a little saddened when I saw a Greco Mirage I tried a week earlier had already been bought. The Mirage has the same shape as the Ibanez Iceman. Not a copy, but from what I've read Greco shared the design with Ibanez. Ibanez had worldwide rights, while the Greco version was only sold in Japan.
While the latter day Icemans, both Ibanez and Greco were made in Korea, the late 70's models were made in Japan. With that being the case, those models in great condition are pretty hard to come by.
Two words.. Yahoo Auctions.
Ok, I was a little drunk on my cans of Chu-hi but after work on Wednesday, I put my winning bid on my very own 70's Greco Mirage. I was feeling extremely guilty, but pretty elated as well.
The guy was only in Saitama, but as usual too scared to allow me to pickup (and save a bit of money) on the 1,470 yen delivery, and 420 yen bank transfer.
I was surprised that the courier delivered on a Sunday, so at about 10:00 I got the knock on the door. The case was only covered in bubble-wrap. With the unusual shape, I'm glad that the guitar came with the original form-fitting hard case too.
Opening the case for the first time I knew straight away that I made the right (albeit, drunk) decision to make that bid. The guitar looked immaculate. No belt buckle rash, and very few other imperfections to speak of. The serial number began with "D78", "D" is the alphabetical month, April, and "78", is made in 1978. Very, very sweet.
The vintage look of the guitar reminded me strongly of my old Gibson L6-S. Acoustically the guitar was very resonant and plugging her in, she sounds very nice too. The fingerboard feels comfortable to move around on. Unlike that Gibson this feel great.
Speaking of the Gibson, on Yahoo Auctions I saw this..
This is a very old Ibanez OD-850 Overdrive stompbox that was thrown into the sale when I bought my very first electric guitar, that Gibson L6-S over 25 years ago. Through my crappy Roland amp back then it sounded horribly woolly and fuzzy. Through the high school PA system playing a cover of Cheap Trick's cover of "Don't Be Cruel" it was rockin'.
When I got rid of that Roland amp, I threw in that pedal as well. The guy on this auction wants 55,000 yen! I wish I knew back then, like my long gone L6-S of what worth it would be now.
Posted by Jimmy In Japan at 11:58 pm 0 comments
Sunday, 13 June 2010
Here Come The Drums!
Ikebe Gakki is one of the biggest musical instrument chains in Tokyo.
This Sunday in Akihabara they had a HUGE sale with some very enticing discounts on a lot of music gear. I don't need any more guitars, but it doesn't hurt to look, does it?
In their advertising material I noticed they were selling an older model Yamaha electric kit for 98,000 yen. I don't consider myself a drummer, but for that price I think that's as cheap as they'd ever get.
We left later that I expected and arrived there about 10:45. The crowd was quite large, but they had a workable ticket system to stop a mad rush. For the Drum Station we were number 50, but the more popular Revole guitar store we were a much further 270.
By the time of the 11:00 opening, you could see quite a sizeable crowd forming. I waited in the drum line while she waited a LONG way around the corner and across the bridge in the guitar line.
It didn't seem to take that long to make it into the drum store. I asked one of the staff about the kit, and he said it was already sold. I was a little disappointed, but he soon came back to me to say that it was actually still available.
The drums were an instore demo so I could easily see a little bit of wear on the pads, but it didn't look too bad at all. My main concern was how big and heavy it was, and I had to consider the logistics of A) being able to set it up in the apartment and B) shipping it back to Australia.
I had to make an after hours withdrawal at the bank, but in no time it was mine. Luckily they offered free delivery to the apartment.
The guitar line took about 3 hours to get in. Since we had a number to get back in line, we decided to go to Maccas for some free coffee to escape the heat, and relax for a long while.
Not surprisingly by the time we got inside all the good stuff had been snapped up. There was a 9,800 yen Squier "Hello Kitty" guitar still up for grabs, and more interestingly a Fender Am Deluxe Strat for 69,800 yen, but neither made me want them. I think I secretly didn't want to find myself buying yet another guitar.
The drums arrived on the Thursday, about the usual 11am. Lucky for me it was my day off, so I had all day to be at home to sign for it.
I almost died when I saw the boxes. Not one, not two, but three of them. The largest was SO big. They were all quite heavy too. All together they were about 50kg. "Holy Shipping expense Batman!"
I found a tight corner where I managed to set up just the kick, snare and hi-hat to test some sounds out. Unfortunately chopsticks were my only drumsticks at that time, but they did the job.
I dread the time when I have to pack and cart this to the Post Office. For the time being I'm going to have a bit of rhythm fun.
Posted by Jimmy In Japan at 11:21 pm 0 comments


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The iShares Silver ETF has been trading sideways for months, but yesterday it saw heavy traffic in upside options.
OptionMonster's tracking systems spotted unusual activity the August 26.50 calls, which traded more than 10,000 times, mostly for $0.84 to $0.89. Those expire at the end of today's session, so traders are obviously looking for a move in a hurry.


text: I just got back from doing some hikes at The Buffalo National River. The first night got down to 20* and the second night was about 24*. I had my 5oz Climashield XP Top and Under Quilts, as well as my windshield heat reflector. I believe that Jeff has talked about boiling water and pouring it into a Nalgene to use as a hot water bottle. I decided to try this the second night and WOW, THIS WORKS GREAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I usually have a problem getting my toes to warm up, but not with this. It instantly warmed up my quilts and was still warm 8 hours later that morning. I do not care if I have to carry another fuel canister just to have to do this, this is awesome, and I'm sure that you could extend the range of a bag/quilt by doing this. Just thought I would post this for all yall that are thinking of ways to stay warm, this is very easy and takes no time to do at all. I hope it helps yall out.


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Here at BuildBrighton we've been looking, for the last 8 months, for a suitable, affordable space for the group to move to. It has become clear to us that our current arrangement with The Skiff, although fantastic, is not enough to attract new members. Most potential new members do not see the benefit in paying a subscription for a meeting only one night a week, and are sometimes put off by the officey nature of the space and the lack of any decent machinery of equipment. It is a catch 22 situation, however, as without subscribers we cannot afford to make commitments to long term outgoings as our earnings are sporadic, making some money here and there through workshops and council grants etc.
We have long wanted to turn BuildBrighton into Briton's answer to Noisebridge or NYC Resistor. We have found two fantastic spaces that are beyond our current monthly earnings by different degrees. We also have 100 non-members on the hackspace mailing list and 250 non members following the BuildBrighton twitter account. How many of these potential members would convert into actual members if we had the right space? What is it that BuildBrighton would have to provide for them to make that conversion, and how much would they be willing to pay in order to get that? We have no desire to out price ourselves, and yet we need to charge an amount that can sustain the group financially.
In an attempt to find these things out, we have created a questionnaire and are asking people to fill it in to provide the answers that we need. If we have a good idea of how quickly and to what extent the group can grow, we can make decisions about how much risk we can take on with a new place. You can fill the questionnaire in here.
The two spaces that we are looking at are The Metalworks, approx 1000 sq ft in Central Brighton, next door to the new space that The Skiff are moving to shortly, allowing us to maintain our ties with those who supported us in our early days. The other is a 4000 sq ft workshop space at New England House, which is not only enormous, but filled with already created smaller spaces that could be converted into useful areas like dark rooms or craft rooms, or rented out to artists or commercial creative enterprises as studios or work spaces. Both spaces have enormous potential and we can see the group flourishing in such environments.
Please do fill in the questionnaire, comment or contact me if you wish to be involved in BuildBrighton, want to find out more about us or just want to offer us your support. Knowing that we are needed is a big reason why we do this.


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Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) police are beta testing clip-on video cameras that officials hope will increase transparency, accountability and ultimately protect officers from false complaints.
Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) police are beta testing clip-on video cameras that officials hope will increase transparency, accountability and ultimately protect officers from false complaints.
The test program has been running for the last couple of months. A camera — roughly the size of a mini-voice recorder — is worn on the front of a BART officer's uniform. The camera records both audio and video and is activated by the officer as he or she interacts with the public.
Are the cameras a direct response to the July 3 shooting of Charles Hill by BART police and the 2009 killing of Oscar Grant by a BART officer? Kenton Rainey, BART police chief, said "yes and no."
"Not just the shootings — it's all incidents involving police-citizen contacts," he explained. "There's a very heightened awareness and scrutiny."
That scrutiny has extended to BART's decision two months ago to shut off the wireless communication system used by passengers ahead of a planned protest of the two officer-involved shootings.
Rainey said that BART is already a camera-rich environment, although he said there were certain blind spots in that coverage. The clip-on officer cameras offer a nice assist, Rainey said, by bringing an increased level of transparency to situations.
The beta test currently involves five cameras manufactured by Vievu. Once an officer's shift is finished, anything he or she has recorded is downloaded into a secure, tamper-free storage system at the BART police station.
There isn't any real-time monitoring of the camera feed, however. The footage is only accessed on a case-by-case basis depending on the situation.
"If someone was arrested and there was evidentiary value, it would be downloaded [from the storage system] and booked into evidence with that case," Rainey said of the video footage. "If someone filed a complaint against an officer at a later date, we would be able to pull that video. That's the thinking where we're headed."
While the wearable camera system sounds like a no-brainer, there are some hurdles to overcome. According to Rainey, chief among those issues is having a back-end system with enough storage capacity to handle camera data from the entirety of BART's patrol officer force.
"It's huge if you talk about outfitting all your personnel and recording their interactions," Rainey said. "You have to have a way to retrieve it by officer, data and time. That's the $64,000 question right now."
Rainey added that BART Police's IT staff and Vievu are discussing how the storage and retrieval process works in connection with BART's network and are making sure that accessing the information isn't labor intensive.
Another question for BART is how long footage should be stored. Rainey said that if a person alleged that a BART patrol officer had abused him or her and the footage had been deleted or was inaccessible, it would be a "huge problem."
"We would lose the confidence of the public [and] that's why you beta test these things before you plop down a lot of money," Rainey said. "There's no 'do over'. It has to work."
The beta test period of Vievu's equipment is just about finished, but testing of cameras won't end there. Rainey revealed that BART would be looking into and potentially testing another vendor's camera system as well.
He said that ultimately, if BART police wanted to outfit all front-line personnel — patrol officers with the rank of sergeant or below — it would cost approximately $300,000 for all the cameras and the storage system. A federal grant would help supply the funding.
BART's police chief was clear, however, that he favors having a system that records events that transpire between BART police and citizens.
"It protects you from false complaints, especially if you know you're in a situation where someone is hostile and trying to cause conflict. You turn it on and it captures that interaction," Rainey said, about the clip-on video cameras. "If that complaint comes in, you can say, 'Don't take my word, here is what happened.'"
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Analysis: Does the Volcker Rule Go Far Enough?
After nearly three years of haggling between regulators and bankers, the so-called Volcker rule is on the cusp of becoming law. But even after years of debate, big questions remain about this rule. Neil Barofsky, the former special inspector general of the TARP program, joins MoneyBeat. Photo: Getty Images.
This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.
... and ... after nearly three years of haggling between regulators and bankers ... the so-called Volcker rule is on the cusp of becoming law the boat today I bought ... even after years of debate the questions remain about this will ... help us answer them were joined today by Neil Trotsky ... the former special inspector general of the TARP program ... and author of the book Bailout out which is on my bookshelf at home you haven't read it ... thanks coming to a terrible day New York the snowstorms I appreciate you being here if ... you look it this is Volcker rule ... on pretty complicated rule pretty convoluted rule ... as soon as I see sunlight is my first worry is that there are millions loopholes and thanks to find a way around it ... what do you make of this ... so there are lot of loopholes and all are alot awaits the banks make the way around it it's not as complicated as it looks it's what if the sixty pages are actual role of the nine hundred patrons freely and Laurie and I aam and in a lowly is while complicated and lots of avenues to to my greater on the rules ... it's a lot better than I think a lot of people thought it would be ... based on the first version based on some nearly press accounts was going up ... it's tough when hedging in and getting rid of the idea portfolio hedging led police on the London whale episode ... is certain to make significant gains ... from where the rule was where it currently is that ... you think that ... the goal of this rule says ... is I think so hard to just respond with the goal of this rule is ... easy ... to protect defenses to protect to protect citizens of course this role was this role really really keen to protect its really protecting the taxpayers and any ID here is that these large banks get so many subsidies ... by being big banks the good deposit insurance to get their money cheaper that ... they get implicit guarantees so we use cost of funny because everyone assumes that it fell down again ... and it's ... a fun fair that they get to trade on that money ... us because they have a reduced cost meeting with others like hedge funds ... and the incentive eyes and take with the dress that they blow up ... will the new it may bring it back to the bell at Wellesley I has reduced the numbers these banks they ... will come of fairness perspective and also from a taxpayer perspective do you think this rule goes for how to protect the taxpayer ... no on the diving video we have a problem with too big to fail banks people we do is to break them up and simplify their businesses ... we have instead is for the political compromise which is ... restricting some of the risk riskier assets ... and that might over time the team that goal ... good thing depending on how the regulator's enforce the rule of having tell ... you how much of a game of whack a mole it comes to ... yield eating down the various rifles that that pop up ... ah but as a sub yields my problem ... do you think that there was an intense lobbying effort behind this rule is a lot of talking a lot of paddling ... today the votes come ... do you think that haggling the lobbying and what what happens after today on now it's it's the you know everything with with red it's rare for me is that ... each ending is this a new beginning in awe because of their songs are so subjective ... matters that ... you know in the imbedded in the rule does reasonable standards there's no ... reason we correlated there's there's different standards that are going to be matters of interpretation ... aam and now the regulators and a half to see if we have the wheel to rigorously enforce this rule on to accomplish its goals it this is a never ending battle yet ... and this is I mean he always apply ... this rule is one part of Dodd Frank ... which remains ... and I think it was the top of a forty percent of the remains on Britain ... so ... how how close are we ... to a point where we think the banking sector is not a major risk ... to the economy ... on coarsely I think even after everything is simple is isn't ... set forth in Dodd Frank and in ... time it's it's all out there it's still going to be restore financial system because ... we still have a lot of the same broken incentives that when it's the last financial crisis ... so the scene perversions of capitalism that come with too big to fail ... it looks like they're not can it go far enough in again even though I think that this is a lot tougher than we thought a lot better than a lot of us thought I think that signals something in Washington a significant change potentially out there ... was so lucky to have capital levels that can be high enough to protect taxpayers aam most of the megabanks there's better ... bigger twenty five percent bigger than that we're going to last crisis ... but again I think this is one of racing's on it only makes us safer if not safe in art ... that's can we leave the thinking things ill things coming today it's happening ...


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Still riding high on the success of his rousing keynote speech, former President Bill Clinton dropped by "The Daily Show" Thursday, where he discussed his Democratic National Convention speech, diplomacy and the Clinton Global Initiative.
Host Jon Stewart started off the segment by talking about Clinton's well-received speech from the Democratic National Convention a few weeks ago.
"So, you give any good speeches lately?" Stewart quipped before commending Clinton's keynote address.
U.S. & World
Clinton, who campaigned against Obama during his wife, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's, bid for the 2008 Democratic nomination, said he poured over the speech for "weeks and weeks and weeks" to simplify the argument, and to get the facts right.
"I have a wife with a traveling job, so I'm home alone a lot," Clinton joked. "I have the time now to spend an hour or two a day trying to work this out."
As Clinton spoke of getting "the facts right," Stewart seized the opportunity to take a jab at GOP vice presidential running mate Paul Ryan over his convention speech.
"That you would utilize in your arguments facts," Stewart mocked. "And that you would attach numbers to them that were real. I thought it was a bold choice on your part."
Clinton also discussed the different projects pursued by the Clinton Global Initiative, which operates as a partnership between government, private industries and non-profit organizations.
"How do you get a group like this together in cooperation to move forward?" Stewart asked. "You're like the world's central schmoozer."
To see more of Clinton schmoozing, check out the clip below, courtesy of Comedy Central:
|The Daily Show with Jon Stewart
|Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
|Exclusive - Bill Clinton Extended Interview Pt. 2
|Daily Show Full Episodes
|Political Humor & Satire Blog
|The Daily Show on Facebook
|Daily Show Full Episodes
|Political Humor & Satire Blog
|The Daily Show on Facebook


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Total Tuition $4,400.00
School Information
16926 Saticoy Street
Van Nuys, California 91406
- 818-708-9232
* All data is provided by the school or compiled from IPEDS as of December 2018
LAAFA's Programs are designed to develop artists at any stage of their artistic careers. LAAFA's Extension Program is available for artists who are unable to commit to a full-time intensive curriculum. For those students who are interested in being immersed in a 3-year course of study, we offer BFA and Atelier Programs for both Fine Art and Entertainment Art. Our new Entertainment Art Program starts with building a foundation of traditional skills and concludes with digital entertainment related courses. This unique combination of classic and contemporary practices provides our students with a truly effective ability to enhance, facilitate, and authenticate digital and entertainment art. Our Fine Art Program also starts with a foundation of traditional skills, however, it concludes with independent-study orientated courses. This unique curriculum combines the capacity to effectively represent the visual world, with introspective and critical thinking practices, and produces singular, original, and provocative artists. Our graduates leave our school with the required skill sets needed to pursue an invigorating and lasting career in the contemporary art world.
* All data is provided by the school or compiled from IPEDS as of December 2018


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Ars Technica Microsoft contributor Peter Bright will be appearing on BBC over the weekend. Peter will be discussing Windows on ARM and how Microsoft's decision to port the OS to another CPU architecture hints at Microsoft's plans for the future.
Peter will be on BBC Click, the network's flagship technology program. If you're in the UK, you can hear the 15-minute version of BBC Click during BBC Breakfast, which runs from 6:00am to 10:00am BST Saturday. The full, 30-minute version of Click is on BBC News (Saturday at 11:30am and 10:30pm BST).
Be sure to tune in!
Update: The show is available to watch here.


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Children of the late Steve Irwin, Bindi and Bob Irwin attended the red carpet premier of Puss in Boots premiere at the Hoyts Entertainment Quarter in Sydney, Australia yesterday (November 27).
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the images shown on the site. I do not claim credit for any of the pictures unless otherwise noted. Images on this blog are copyrighted to their respectful owner. If an image appears on alisacelebkids that belongs to you, and you wish for it to be taken down, please E-mail me and I will promptly remove it.


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Mark R. Shinn, Ph.D.
Professor of School Psychology and Program Coordinator
Programs/Classes Taught:
EPS 540 Introduction to School Psychology (Year 1)
EPS 530 Educational Assessment for Problem Solving (Year 1)
EPS 563 Second Year School-Based Practicum (Year 2)
EPS 593 Legal and Professional Issues of School Psychology Practice (Year 2)
EPS 669 School Psychology Practice in Multi-Tier Systems of Support (Doctoral)
Areas of Expertise:
Functional Educational Assessment, Including Progress Monitoring and Screening Response to Intervention and Multi-Tier Systems of Support Problem-Solving Models Contemporary Practice of School Psychology
My career has been targeted toward the training of professional school psychologists who use evidence-based practices to make a difference with all students and their families. Prior to joining National Louis in 2003, I was a professor of School Psychology and Special Education at the University of Oregon. My graduates are school leaders who work in a variety of roles from school practitioners to school principals and administrators and university professors in more than 40 states. My particular area of expertise is assessment, especially progress monitoring and screening of basic skills through a set of practices called Curriculum-Based Measurement (CBM). I have contributed to the development of AIMSweb, that organizes CBM data in a multi-tier model from Pearson Assessment, VMath, a remedial mathematics program by Cambium-Voyager-Sopris, and Jamestown Reading Navigator (JRN), a reading intervention program by McGraw Hill. I began working as a school psychologist on special assignment for St. Paul, MN and Minneapolis, MN, among the first school districts to provide the type of services that evolved into an RTI model in the early 1980s. I've continued this work across the country and in Illinois as the Project Director for the Northern Region of IASPIRE, an USDE/OSEP and Illinois State Board of Education Personnel Preparation Grant for supporting implementation of RTI in a Multi-Tier Intervention model. I've edited 2 books on Curriculum-Based Measurement (CBM) and has published almost 100 journal articles and book chapters on evidence-based progress monitoring and screening. I've also co-edited three editions of Interventions for Achievement and Behavior Problems: Preventive and Remedial Approaches published by NASP. For 4 years, I was 1 of 6 members of the USDE/OSEP National Center for Student Progress Monitoring Technical Review panel for judging whether progress monitoring tests met professional standards. In 2003, I was awarded the American Psychological Association (APA) Division 16 (School Psychology) Jack Bardon Award for Distinguished Career Contributions and in 2013, I was honored with the University of Minnesota School Psychology Program Distinguished Alumni Award. In my career, I have received more than $4.2 million in research and personnel preparation grants as principle or co-principle investigator. I have consulted with school districts and state departments of education in more than 40 states on multi-tier services and Response to Intervention (RTI).
University of Minnesota Ph.D. 1981 Educational Psychology; Psychology in the Schools Training Program 1981 University of Minnesota Certificate Program Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) 1975-1976; Gustavus Adolphus College B.A. 1974 Psychology Major; Biology Minor 1974
Research and Interests:
Shinn, M.R. (Ed.), (1989). Curriculum-based measurement: Assessing special children. NY: Guilford Press. Stoner, G., Shinn, M.R., & Walker, H.M. (Eds.), (1991). Interventions for achievement and behavior problems. Silver Spring, MD: National Association of School Psychologists.
Shinn, M.R (Ed.), (1998). Advanced applications of Curriculum-Based Measurement. NY: Guilford Press.
Shinn, M.R., Walker, H.M., & Stoner, G., (Eds.), (2002). Interventions academic and behavior problems: Preventive and remedial approaches. Bethesda, MD: National Association of School Psychologists.
Shinn, M.R., & Walker, H.M., (Eds.), (2010). Interventions academic and behavior problems in a three-tier model, including Response-to-Intervention. Bethesda, MD: National Association of School Psychologists.
Recent Journal Articles and Publications
Shinn, M.R. (2008). Best practices in Curriculum-Based Measurement and its use in a Problem-Solving model. In A. Thomas and J. Grimes (Eds.), Best practices in school psychology V. (p. 243-262). Bethesda, MD: National Association of School Psychologists.
Shinn, M. R. (2008). RTI at the secondary level. In S. L. Fernley, S.D., Norlin, J. (Ed.), What do I do when...The answer book on RTI. Horsham, PA: LRP Publications.
Gresham, F., Reschly, D., & Shinn, M. R. (2010). RTI as a driving force in educational improvement: Historical legal, research, and practice perspectives. In M. R. Shinn & H. M. Walker (Eds.), Interventions for achievement and behavior problems in a three-tier model, including RTI (pp. 47-78). Bethesda, MD: National Association of School Psychologists.
Shinn, M. R. (2010). Building a scientifically based data system for progress monitoring and universal screening across three tiers including RTI using Curriculum-Based Measurement. In M. R. Shinn & H. M. Walker (Eds.), Interventions for achievement and behavior problems in a three-tier model, including RTI (pp. 259-292). Bethesda, MD: National Association of School Psychologists.
Walker, H. M., & Shinn, M. R. (2010). Systemic, evidence-based approaches for promoting positive student outcomes within an RTI framework: Moving from efficacy to effectiveness. In M. R. Shinn & H. M. Walker (Eds.), Interventions for achievement and behavior problems in a three-tier model, including RTI (pp. 1-26). Bethesda, MD: National Association of School Psychologists.
Shinn, M. R. (2012). Identifying and validating academic problems. In R. Brown-Chidsey (Ed.), Assessment for Intervention: A problem-solving approach (2nd ed.) (pp. 199-228). New York, NY: Guilford.
Shinn, M. R. (2012). Reflections on the Influence of CBM on Educational Practice and Policy ... and Its Progenitor. In K. L. M. C. Espin, S. Rose, Miya Miura Wayman (Ed.), Measure of success: The influence of Curriculum-Based Measurement on education (pp. 341-356). Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota Press. Shinn, M. R. (in press). Curriculum-Based Measurement. In B. J. Irby, G. Brown & R. Lara-Alecio (Eds.), Handbook of educational theories. Charlotte, NC: Information Age Publishing.
Shinn, M.R. (In press). Best practices in Curriculum-Based Measurement. In A. Thomas and P. Harrison (Eds.), Best practices in school psychology VI. Bethesda, MD: National Association of School Psychologists.
Shinn, M.R. (In press). Progress monitoring methods and tools for academic performance. In H.M. Walker and F.M. Gresham(Eds.), Handbook of evidence-based practices for emotional and behavior disorders: Applications in schools. New York, NY: Guilford.
Thurber, R.S., & Shinn, M.R. (2002). What is measured in mathematics tests? Construct validity of Curriculum-based mathematics measures. School Psychology Review, 31, 498-513.
Hamilton, C. & Shinn, M.R. (2003). Characteristics of word callers: An investigation of the accuracy of teachers' judgments of reading comprehension and oral reading skills. School Psychology Review, 32, 228-240.
Clarke, B. & Shinn, M.R. (2004). A preliminary investigation into the identification and development, of early mathematics Curriculum-Based Measurement, School Psychology Review, 33, 234-248.
Bamonto-Graney, S., & Shinn, M.R. (2005). Effects of Reading Curriculum-Based Measurement (R-CBM) Teacher Feedback in General Education Classrooms. School Psychology Review, 34, 184-201.
Shinn, M.R. (2007). Identifying students at risk, monitoring performance, and determining eligibility within RTI: Research on educational need and benefit from academic intervention. School Psychology Review, 36, 601-617.
Contact Information:
(cell) 847.275.7200


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dislosing a vunerability
Posted: Sat Aug 14, 2010 4:48 pm
About a week ago, I rang up a company because their web site had obviously been hacked. I went back yesterday and they had fixed it up. I noticed a few things like directory listing of obviously content that should not be publicly available and then I stumbled upon a hidden "admin logon page". Having just completed realistic 2 and having a user name I could not resist in trying the SQL injection hack. I'm in and it presented me with lots of nice tools to add and remove content to their site . I can't anonymously call this time because the technical detail is too high for the receptionist. Is the best bet to send them snail mail or should I just move on and forget about it? It is not an ecommerce site, but they would have enermies who would like to deface their website. It is not a political website - they just do necessary things that the public generally don't like.


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Things are changing in the ag biotech world and some things never change.
Ag biotech continues to grow — maybe faster outside the U.S. — Iran and China are becoming the most advanced countries in the commercialization of biotech rice, the world's most important food crop. The sad part of this is that the anti-biotech movement has stymied development of biotech rice in the U.S. China and Iran, where anti-biotech malcontents would find themselves in jail for doing what they do in the U.S. and other democracies, are leaving the U.S. behind the advancing biotechnology curve.
What never seems to change is the distorted view the American public is getting about biotech from the so-called unbiased mass media.
The International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-Biotech Applications (ISAAA) recently released its annual report on worldwide ag biotech. Here are some of the highlights:
-- Last year, global biotech crops passed the billionth acre mark by one of 8.5 million farmers who planted a biotech crop in one of 21 countries.
-- Farmers have increased biotech crop plantings by double-digit growth every year since biotech was commercialized in 1996. Global biotech crops increased more than fifty-fold in the first decade of commercialization.
-- Global area of approved biotech crops last year was 222 million, up 22 million from 2004.
-- Four additional countries grew biotech crops last year, including three EU nations. The EU is the poster child for the anti-biotech crowd. Now Spain, Germany, Portugal, France and the Czech Republic allow biotech crops.
-- Bt rice was grown commercially for the first time in 2005 in Iran on 4,000 hectares. Rice is grown by 250 million farmers and is the principal food for the world's 1.3 billion poorest people. Commercialization of biotech rice has enormous implications for the alleviation of poverty, hunger and malnutrition. China is expected to approve biotech rice in the near future.
-- In a different report, the Vietnam News Agency reports that scientists from the Cuu Long Delta Rice Research Institute (CLRRI) have been able to create a nutritious rice variety through genetic modification. The rice is insect resistant and it also is rich in Vitamins A and E, iron, zinc, and oryzanol. Some evidence suggests that gamma oryzanol increases testosterone levels, stimulates the release of endorphins (pain-relieving substances made in the body), and promotes the growth of lean muscle tissue. This biotech rice will be planted in remote and disadvantaged areas of the country to raise the quality of nutrition in local communities.
-- The ISAAA also reports the U.S., followed by Argentina, Brazil, Canada and China, remains the leader in total acreage with 55 percent of the total biotech area.
-- Ninety percent of the biotech-beneficiary farmers were resource-poor farmers from developing countries.
Admittedly, the industry-supported ISAAA issued a pure PR piece touting its own growth. AP biotechnology writer Paul Elias dutifully reported many of the ISAAA facts in a widely distributed article. However, there were obvious biases in the article under the guise of objective reporting.
For example, in the second paragraph of the report, the writer cites "anti-biotech activists and other observers" as complaining that the biotech industry "isn't helping alleviate world hunger as it has long promised." The reporter offered his criticism of genetically engineered crops by saying none were "nutritionally enhanced" and biotech crops grown last were for "animal feed."
I sure would like to know who those anti-biotech activists were because I would like to remind them that they are the ones on the front row with their scare tactics to stop development and commercialization of nutritionally enhanced biotech crops. Herbicide-resistant wheat, vitamin A rich Golden Rice, herbicide resistant vegetables, biotech sugar beets and countless other crops are on the shelf because companies and food suppliers are fearful of marketplace backlashes generated by the radical, lying biotech movement. The reporter neglected to mention these facts.
What do these biotech activists (and Mr. Elias) believe is done with biotech corn and soybeans if not at least some of it is consumed by hungry people.
The reporter says biotech crops are used for "animal feed." Obviously, Mr. Elias has not been around many farms or ranches. The reporter must think farmers and ranchers keep animals as pets and not for meat and milk and other insignificant products like leather.
Apparently one of his sources for the non-attributed facts in the article was the Center for Science in the Public Interest. He quotes Greg Jaffe, biotech director of the non-profit public interest group who complained that the biotech movement is driven by 10-year old technology and he would like to see "others in the food chain aside from farmers benefit."
Of course the article contains the potshots at Monsanto and other biotech corporations and points out that the ISAAA group is partially funded by the Rockefeller Foundation.
What he fails to point out is that guess who else is funded by the Rockefeller Foundation ($280,000) as well as the Rockefeller Family Fund ($250,000). You guessed it, the "non-profit" group called the Center for Science in the Public Interest. The Rockefellers must have enough money to burn on both sides of an issue.
These facts were not in the article nor was there an explanation of who is this group whose name implies it is looking out for your best interest and my best interest.
There is a group called the ConsumerFreedom.com network, "committed to providing detailed and up-to-date information about the funding source of radical anti-consumer organizations and activists." This is done by analyzing IRS documents to create a database about the so-called activists groups.
According to this group, the Center for Science in the Public Interest spends about $16 million a year protecting you and me. How? Here is what Consumer Freedom says it does.
"The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) is the undisputed leader among America's 'food police.' CSPI was founded in 1971 by current executive director Michael Jacobson, and two of his co-workers at Ralph Nader's Center for the Study of Responsive Law. Since then, CSPI's joyless eating club has issued hundreds of high-profile — and highly questionable — reports condemning soft drinks, fat substitutes, irradiated meat, biotech food crops, french fries, and just about anything that tastes good.
"CSPI fancies itself a 'watchdog' group but behaves more like an attack dog, savaging restaurants, disparaging adults' food choices, and discouraging even moderate alcohol consumption. It famously dubbed fettuccine Alfredo a 'heart attack on a plate.' Its nutrition nags encourage the public to 'just say no' to fried mozzarella as though it were an illegal drug.
"The Center for Science in the Public Interest repeatedly attacks groups for accepting industry funding to conduct research. But CSPI itself took $50,000 from the Helena Rubenstein Foundation to fund an attack campaign against the fat substitute Olestra.
"CSPI's 'Integrity in Science' project is ostensibly concerned with the potential conflict of interest that researchers might have when their funding comes from industry. But many of CSPI's own campaigns — including those heavily reliant on junk science — are equally susceptible to conflict of interest charges. In addition to its $65,000 incentive to bash the fat substitute Olestra, in 2001, the reliably anti-alcohol Robert Wood Johnson Foundation gave CSPI's campaign against social drinkers $749,999."
American consumers often do not get the full picture about this biotech issue from the mass media. Hopefully this is a little clearer picture.


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MATHEW WAGNER - Monday, March 3, 2014
Geoff Cameron and Stoke City earned a big win over Arsenal, while Brad Guzan's Aston Villa scored four unanswered goal to pick up a victory.
Stoke City 1 - 0 FC Arsenal
Geoff Cameron and Stoke City recorded another win over one of the Premier League's top teams when Arsenal came to town on Saturday.
The American defender started and went the distance at right back for Stoke.
Not much of note happened in the first half, as both teams wasted chances. Things didn't change much in the second half, with even Cameron getting in on the action. After Arsenal failed to clear a corner, Cameron picked up the ball and let a 10-yard shot fly, but his attempt went well wide of the goal.
Just when the match seemed headed for a scoreless draw, the Gunners handed the Potters a goal in the 76th minute, as Jonathan Walters tried to flick the over Laurent Koscienly, who committed a handball foul in the box. Walters stepped and converted the penalty.
Although Arsenal pressed forward to find an equalizer in the final 15 minutes, Stoke held on for the three points, which moved the Potters into 12th place and six points above the relegation zone. Stoke travels to Norwich next Saturday for its next match.
FC Fulham 1 - 3 FC Chelsea
Clint Dempsey returned to Fulham's starting lineup for his last match in a Fulham uniform, but it wasn't enough, as Chelsea's Andre Schürrle scored a hat-trick to lead the Blues to victory.
Dempsey played the full 90 minutes for the Cottagers.
The American had an opportunity early to give Fulham the lead in the third minute, but his headed attempt from a Pajtim Kasami cross went wide, even though Dempsey was just seven yards away from the goal. That turned out to be the best chance for either team in the first half.
In the second half, Chelsea played like it was the team that was leading the Premier, and Schürrle went off, scoring three goals in a 17-minute span. The first came in the 52nd minute when Eden Hazard looped a long pass from deep in the Chelsea half that put Schürrle alone on net, and the German slotted it home.
Then, in the 65th minute, Hazard passed a through ball to Schürrle, who scored from seven yards out, and the German winger completed the hat-trick in the 68th minute, once again put alone on net from a through ball - this time by Fernando Torres.
Fulham did get a consolation goal in the 74th minute off a corner. Darren Bent managed to get at the end of it near the far post and centered it to John Heitinga, who stretched out his left leg and taped the ball in from three yards out.
The loss keeps Fulham in the basement of the Premier League, four points away from safety. The Cottagers return to action next Saturday in a relegation showdown with Cardiff City.
FC Everton 1 - 0 West Ham United
Tim Howard and Everton scored a late goal in order to earn three points at home versus West Ham on Saturday.
Howard went the full 90 minutes in net and was rarely called upon in the match, with West Ham mustering just one shot on net - an Andy Carroll effort in the 55th minute.
Everton enjoyed a majority of the possession throughout, especially in the early going, but the Toffees couldn't find a past West Ham goalkeeper Adrián, even striking the post on a Steven Pienaar shot in the opening minute of the second half in one of their best chances of the match.
Finally, in the 81st minute, Romelu Lukaku broke the scoreless tie in favor Everton. Leighton Baines centered the ball from the left side of the 18-yard box, and the Belgian forward beat three West Ham defenders to ball and side-footed it home.
With the win, Everton moved into sixth place, five points behind Tottenham in fifth. The Toffees' next match is at Arsenal in a FA Cup quarterfinal-round matchup next Saturday.
Aston Villa 4 - 1 Norwich City
Brad Guzan and Aston Villa scored four unanswered goals in the first half and cruised to just their fifth home win of the season against Norwich City on Sunday.
The American goalkeeper minded his usual spot between the sticks for the Villans.
Norwich City couldn't have started off the match any better, taking the lead in the third minute. The Canaries' Wes Hoolahan receoved Gary Hooper's cross at the penalty spot and put it to Guzan's right.
That was the highpoint for Norwich, however, as Aston Villa scored four unanswered goals in a 15-minute span in response. Christian Benteke scored the first one in the 25th minute, taking a Ron Vlaar pass in the middle of the box off his chest and while facing away from the net, launching the ball into the left side of the net.
Two minutes later, Benteke struck again, this time with a header. The Belgian forward beat his marker to an Ashley Westwood corner headed home inside the six-yard box.
Villa hit the Canaries on the counter attack in the 37th minute to double its lead. Fullback Leandro Bacuna received the ball on the right wing, took a dribble inside before curling a shot inside the left post.
To finish off the eventful first half, the Villans put the match out of reach in the 41st minute. Fabian Delp had the ball on the left wing and sent in a cross. Norwich captain Sebastien Bassong ended up on the end of it, but he put the ball in his own net for an own goal.
It seemed as though all the offensive fireworks were spent in the first half, and Aston villa saw out an uneventful second half. With the win, the Villans moved into 11th place, and they will have a two-week break, playing Chelsea next on March 15.
Bolton Wanderers 4 - 0 Blackburn Rovers
Tim Ream and Bolton won their second-consecutive match by thrashing Blackburn in their derby match on Saturday.
Ream started and went the distance for Wanderers, who moved nine points clear of the relegation zone with the win.
Halfway through the first half, midfielder Mohammed Kamara opened the scoring for Bolton, heading Neil Dann's cross inside the left post in the 23rd minute.
The Trotters added another one right before halftime, as Dann's shot was blocked and landed at the feet of Joe Mason. Mason placed his shot inside the left post for the goal.
Right out of halftime, Bolton put the match to bed. Jay Spearing launched a 22-yard shot in the 47th minute that ricocheted off the bottom half of the crossbar and crossed the line.
The Trotters' Andre Moritz added insult to injury in the 90th minute, driving a low shot fly from 23 yards out that Blackburn goalkeeper Paul Robinson managed to get his hands on but couldn't stop on its way into the back of the net.
Bolton next faces Leeds United next Saturday in Championship action.
Ipswich Town 1 - 0 Birmingham City
Jonathan Spector, Will Packwood and Birmingham City's slow start to 2014 continued with a loss at Ipswich Town on Saturday.
Both Spector and Packwood played the full 90 minutes in the losing effort, with Spector recording a yellow card.
Birmingham had the better chances early and held Ipswich to practically nothing in the first half hour, yet it was the Tractor Boys who took the lead in the 38th minute. Following a clearance, Frank Nouble sent in a cross at the far post that met Daryl Murphy, who had a wide-open look on net.
In the second half, chances for both teams were few and far between, and the match ended in a win for the home team.
With the loss, the Blues dropped into 17th place, nine points above the relegation zone, and they return to action next Saturday when they host Queens Park Rangers.
Nottingham Forest 1 - 4 Wigan Athletic
Eric Lichaj's return from an injury was cut short as Nottingham Forest allowed three goals in the final 25 minutes to lose to Wigan on Saturday.
Lichaj started in defense for the Reds but left right before halftime with what appeared to be an upper leg injury. When the American defender left, Forrest trailed Wigan by one thanks to a lucky shot that fell to Martyn Waghorn, who scored with a shot in the box.
In the second half, the Reds found an equalizer in the form of Jamie Paterson's 54th minute goal. Paterson blasted a shot from 12 yards out that deflected off a Wigan defender into the roof of the net.
The Latics responded, however, by scoring three unanswered goals to finish off the match. The first came in the 66th minute when Waghorn volleyed a failed clearance, and Emmerson Boyce managed to redirect the shot with his head at the edge of the six-yard box.
Wigan added another five minutes later, this time when a Latic teammate blocked James McClean's shot from distance. The ball bounced to an unmarked James McArthur, who let a shot fly from the edge of the 18-yard box to give his team a two-goal advantage.
Right before injury time, Jordi Gomez scored a wonder goal from 30 yards out that swerved into the top left corner of the net.
Despite the loss, Nottingham Forest still holds onto fifth place in the Championship, and the Reds return to action next Saturday against Barnsley.
FC Reading 1 -1 Yeovil Town
In a bizarre match that saw one team go to eight men, Duane Holmes and Yeovil Town managed to hold Danny Williams and Reading to a tie on Saturday.
The on-loan Holmes went 73 minutes for the Glovers, while Williams played the full 90 for the Royals.
Reading almost took the lead seven minutes into the match, but Yeovil's Shane Duffy intercepted a cross headed for Adam Le Fondre, who could have had an easy tap in.
After making a big defensive stop, Duffy put his team ahead against the run of play 13 minutes later, taking advantage of a mistake by Reading goalkeeper Alex McCarthy. McCarthy misjudged Luke Ayling's long free kick, coming nowhere near the ball, and Duffy headed it into an empty net.
The Glovers took that lead into halftime, but Reading flew out the gates in the second half, earning six corners in the first 10 minutes. The pressure got to Yeovil Town, as they proceeded to have three players receive red cards in the final 25 minutes.
It all started in the 66th minute, when Bryon Webster saw a straight red card for a foul in the box against Royston Drenthe. Yeovil Town goalkeeper Marek Stech blocked Le Fondre's penalty attempt to hold the slim lead.
In the 69th minute, the Royals got their equalizer on an own goal. Le Fondre picked up a failed clearance on the left and fired a cross-shot that Stech couldn't control. Yeovil's Tom Lawrence attempted to clear the rebound, but the ball bounce off Stech and went across the line.
The Glovers went down to nine men in the 71st minute when Joe Rails took out Garath McCleary, and during a one-minute span, Kieffer Moore recorded two yellow cards and left the match in the 88th minute. Despite all the pressure and the seven minutes of stoppage time, the Glovers held on for the tie.
The tie moved Yeovil Town out of the bottom spot in the Championship standings, two points out of safety, and they host Sheffield Wednesday next Saturday.
The result didn't help Reading, as the Royals dropped out of a promotion-playoff spot and now sit one point behind Wigan, which has a match in hand. Reading will travel to Brighton next Saturday.
Sheffield Wednesday 1 - 0 FC Middlesbrough
Oguchi Onyewu and Sheffield Wednesday needed a late goal to beat 10-man Middlesbrough on Saturday.
Onyewu, who making his return to the U.S. men's national team this week, started and went the distance for the Owls.
Middlesbrough seemed to take the lead in the 12th minute, as the ball looked close to have crossed the line when a Jacob Butterfield shot clanged off the left and then right posts before Chris Kirkland corralled in the ball. The linesman ruled the ball didn't cross the line, however. Boro had another chance later in the half, but Kei Kamara fired a one-timer straight at Kirkland for the save.
In the second half, Wednesday had a couple of chances, including a Sam Hutchinson strike from distance that Middlesboro goalkeeper Tomas Mejias needed to push over the crossbar.
The best chance came in the 87th minute, when Leon Best got the ball after a melee in the box and let a shot fly. Boro's Dean Whitehead was the only man between best and the net, and Whitehead used his hand to block the shot off the goal-line, giving the Owls a penalty. Atdhe Nuhiu stepped up and converted it.
The goal gave Sheffield Wednesday the win, which puts the Owls in 15th place. They return to action next Saturday at Yeovil Town.
Jozy Altidore didn't dress in Sunderland's 3-1 loss to Manchester City in the Capital One Cup final on Sunday.
Brad Friedel was on the bench for Tottenham in their 1-0 win over Cardiff.
Brek Shea played the final 35 minutes for Barnsley, which Huddersfield Town routed in the Championship on Saturday, 5-0.
Zak Whitbread was an unused substitute in Derby County's 2-0 loss to Burnley on Saturday.


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Infant dies five months after beating
Father in custody for Oct. 4 beating of then-4-month-old
The Milwaukee County Medical Examiner's Office has ruled that the death of a 9-month-old boy is a homicide.
According to the medical examiner's report, the boy suffered traumatic neurological injuries at the hands of his father, David Allen, on Oct. 4, 2012.
The report states the child was in hospice care since Nov. 19 and died Thursday.
Allen is facing three felony charges related to his son's death.
According to the criminal complaint, Allen twice shook the child on Oct. 4 while in the basement of the home in which they were staying. He told police that he lost his grip and the child fell head first onto the concrete floor.
He also told police that he gave the child a "big hug" and told officers he heard a noise that he believed were the child's ribs breaking.
Allen said he did not tell his girlfriend about either incident.
The medical examiner's report states the mother was in the shower at the time of the incident and unaware of the child's injuries.
She and Allen brought the baby to St. Francis Hospital on Oct. 6 after the child appeared lethargic and would not take a bottle. He was then taken to Children's Hospital because of the severity of his injuries.
Medical records indicate the child had seven rib fractures, several brain injuries and a broken wrist.
The child had been discharged to palliative and hospice care and had been breathing on his own.
He began developing issues on April 5 and died Thursday.
Allen could face more than 90 years in prison if convicted on all three counts.


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Eric Church and the two other co-writers of his recent No. 1 single, "Springsteen," carried away armloads of awards Monday (July 30) from a party given them by Church's record label, EMI Nashville, and BMI, the performance rights organization.
The party was held at Marathon Music Works, a new performance and production venue housed in a refurbished red-brick-walled factory near downtown Nashville.
Being celebrated were the two-week tenure of "Springsteen" at No. 1 on Billboard's country songs chart and the platinum certification of Chief, Church's current album. "Springsteen" has also been proclaimed platinum for having generated a million downloads.
Occupied by interviews, Church entered the party about 45 minutes after it started, wearing his trademark gray ski cap and sunglasses and mingling with a large crowd that included his "Springsteen" co-writers, Jeff Hyde and Ryan Tyndell.
Meanwhile, the partygoers amused themselves by catching up on industry gossip and quaffing the free Jack and Cokes and beer.
BMI's Jody Williams, who served as master of ceremonies, called the song being honored "the most compelling single of the year" and predicted that more industry awards will follow.
"Springsteen" recounts the romantic effects of a Bruce Springsteen concert on a teenage couple and how the memory of that long-ago event remains vivid.
Williams noted that Church's own concerts have sold nearly half-a-million tickets this year. "Who knows what's next for Eric Church?" Williams mused. "His career has a depth like no other in this format."
Of Hyde he said, "Jeff is one of the best musicians I've ever heard." Besides writing songs, Hyde plays banjo, acoustic guitar and mandolin in Church's band. Earlier in his career, he wrote for a publishing company Williams headed.
(Hyde later recalled that his first encounter with Williams did not get off to a great start. "I said, 'Jody, can I play you some songs?' And he said, 'Who are you?'")
Once Williams had summarized Hyde's achievements, he presented him the "Stay Humble" award, a framed certificate that Williams explained is also known as the "White Bread, Bologna and Water" award.
Hyde and Tyndell are both from Texas, and "Springsteen" is their first No. 1 song. In honor of that fact, BMI gave each of them an acoustic guitar.
Various officials at EMI deluged Church with awards, including a platinum album, a box of specially made cigars, sunglasses, brass knuckles, a full-size whiskey barrel, a bottle of Jack Daniel's whiskey with a custom-made platinum label and a snifter of whiskey, which Church sipped as the celebration rolled on.
"There are moments in your life," said Church, "when you sort of pause and say to yourself, 'Is this my life?'" In selecting people to work with, he said, the main trait he looks for is "passion." Of his own music, he asserted, "It's not anything that's fabricated."


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At the Schreyer Institute for Teaching Excellence, we're always interested in innovative teaching practices. When we heard about Jennifer Crissman Ishler's "Diversity Circles" activity, we wanted to learn more. Below is a description of the activity and its pedagogical benefits. Jennifer Crissman Ishler is a senior instructor in human development and family studies.
In all of the courses taught by Jennifer Crissman Ishler, students experience an activity called "Diversity Circles." She's been using the activity for 14 years, in classes ranging from 20 to 150 students, and it's consistently mentioned positively in her SRTEs and other course feedback.
The rationale behind the activity is that it helps students deal more successfully with the diversity they will encounter in their classes, their residence halls, and their future careers. Crissman Ishler urges her students to listen and learn when exposed to diversity and to try to avoid making assumptions. While the activity seems like a natural for the counselor-education and human-development courses she teaches, she believes it can be useful in other courses as well, since students in any discipline will encounter diversity throughout their lives.
The activity goes something like this: Each student privately draws a circle, places his or her name inside, and then draws lines connecting to four smaller circles.
In each of the smaller circles, the students write down a trait that expresses who they are as a multicultural being–traits such as gender, religion, sexual orientation, ethnicity, and so on. Crissman Ishler then asks the students to think about one of the circles they felt happy to be part of, as well as one circle where they've experienced awkwardness such as being singled out in a negative way by others. They share their feelings in small groups and, if they wish, with the larger class. Students play "break the stereotype" by stating "I am a _____________, but not a _________________." In the first blank, the students state a multicultural identity they embrace, while in the second blank they state a stereotype that doesn't fit them in relation to that identity.
Often the sharing time includes nervous laughter. Crissman Ishler helps the students process the experience, asking them: "Why are we laughing? What's awkward about this?" During the processing of the experience, students think about how language like "That's so gay" or "That's so retarded" can wound others–often without the speaker even knowing it, since many elements of identity are invisible.
The in-class processing of the activity is crucial. At the beginning, Crissman Ishler tells the students: "I'm going to put you on the spot today. It's about you–your interpersonal reflection. I'm asking you to share, to take risks." The point is to have fun, and also to learn. But she also sets ground rules so that the students can feel safe in their sharing: While there will be a variety of opinions, they must be expressed politely–and students are reminded that the information their classmates share is to remain confidential.
"I continue to use it because I think it's got great value," Crissman Ishler says. "It's something simple they can all relate to. With the right processing, it can lead to an aha! moment. It's the one thing that always stays in my curriculum."
If you'd like more information about the activity and how it might be adapted to your own teaching, please contact Jennifer Crissman Ishler at firstname.lastname@example.com.


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