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Questions and answers regarding the Blueprint to safeguard Europe's Water Resources15 November 2012
What is the Blueprint? What is its goal?
The Blueprint is a new EU strategy on the use of water resources. It sets the agenda for EU action for the years to come.
The objective is to make water use sustainable in the EU. This means ensuring good quality water for human needs, economic activities and the environment. Water demand and supply need to be balanced, in line with the needs of people and the natural ecosystems we depend on.
Why do we need a new water strategy now?
The main piece of legislation controlling Europe's waters, the Water Framework Directive, was adopted in 2000. It sets a central goal of attaining good status for Europe's waters by 2015. But as the deadline approaches, the water environment in the EU is under great pressure from economic activities, urban and demographic developments, and climate change. Many studies, including reports from the European Environment Agency1 show that unless additional action is taken, it will not be possible to achieve good status by 2015. This will make it more difficult and expensive to provide adequate water quality in sufficient quantity for human use and for activities like agriculture, the agro-food-drink industry, energy production, the manufacturing sector, and so on. More action is therefore needed.
What is the biggest problem: water quantity or water quality?
Water quality and quantity are two sides of the same coin. Good water status not only requires that pollution is controlled (quality) but also that the ecological water flow (quantity) is guaranteed for ecosystems to continue to deliver their services.
Under the Water Framework Directive, Member States had to report on the status of their river basins by 2010, and on plans to rectify any shortcomings. The Commission's assessment of these plans shows that good ecological status will be reached in 53% of EU water bodies by the 2015 target date. The main pressures on aquatic ecosystems are hydromorphological changes, pollution, and excessive water abstraction. Water scarcity is spreading in Europe and extreme events like droughts and floods are increasing. This means that Europe now has problems with both water quantity and quality.
Isn't the existing legislation enough to address water problem? Is the Commission proposing new legislation?
The Commission has conducted a series of assessments to check the adequacy of current legislation and its implementation.
A 'Fitness Check' of freshwater policy, looked at the relevance, coherence, effectiveness and efficiency of water policy. A major evaluation of the implementation of the Water Framework Directive was also carried out, assessing Member States' River Basin Management Plans (RBMPs) throughout the Union. A gap analysis of the Commission's 2007 policy on Water Scarcity and Drought was also done, together with an assessment of how vulnerable water resources are to climate change and other man-made pressures such as urbanisation and land use.
The results show no need for a fundamental overhaul of the current policy framework, as the legislative framework is largely complete and fit for purpose. But better implementation and closer integration with other related policies are clearly required. A few gaps have been identified but the Blueprint does not propose new legislation at this stage. These will be addressed in subsequent proposals.
- What are the key recommendations in the Blueprint?
The Blueprint highlights the need for Member States to improve implementation of the Water Framework Directive and reduce pressure from agriculture, energy production and navigation, for instance by using green infrastructure such as wetlands, floodplains and buffer strips along water courses. This would also reduce the EU's vulnerability to floods and droughts. Under the CAP, the Cohesion and the Structural Funds, there is scope to fund the take-up of green infrastructure. The Commission proposes the development of guidance on water related green infrastructure to support its take up.
The Blueprint stresses the need to tackle over-allocation of water, and respect the needs of nature by safeguarding the ecological flow. The Commission will work to develop guidance on this concept and ways to calculate it. The Commission and the EEA have also developed water accounts that will give water managers a more realistic picture of water availability.
Despite the progress achieved under legislation on nitrates, waste water treatment, industrial emissions, priority substances and plant protection products, full implementation of this legislation is still required, so the Commission will continue enforcement action in these areas. EU financial support is also available to complement Member State and private-sector long-term investment in these areas.
The Blueprint emphasises the role water efficiency can play in reducing scarcity and water stress. Water pricing based on volumetric metering is a powerful tool to increase water efficiency and although pricing is a legal requirement under the WFD, its full potential is not yet realised. The Commission will continue to enforce requirements while working to improve the methodology for an adequate cost-recovery that includes environmental costs. In addition, the Commission proposes to develop a common methodology for water efficiency targets, which, where relevant, should be integrated into RBMPs.
In agriculture, the Commission's proposal on CAP pillar II (rural development) envisages support for improving irrigation efficiency, if a reduction in water use is implemented. For buildings, the Commission proposes to include water-related products in the Eco-design Working Plan, a cost-efficient solution that could have major co-benefits for energy reduction.
The Commission will also consider developing a regulatory instrument setting EU-wide standards for water re-use to improve the take up of this alternative water supply. This would help alleviate water scarcity and reduce vulnerability.
- The Blueprint refers to a need to integrate a concern for water into other policy areas. How could this work in practice?
A range of cross-cutting instruments will support the implementation of the measures planned in the Blueprint. The Innovation Partnerships on Water and on Agricultural Productivity and Sustainability will support the testing and dissemination of innovative solutions by helping to match innovation supply with demand. The hydro-economic model developed by the Commission Joint Research Centre will help water managers assess the cost-effectiveness of the measures included in their RBMPs. Developing the Water Information System for Europe (WISE) and making it more interoperable will make it easier for decision makers to access essential information. A peer-review system will be available to facilitate mutual learning in the development of the River Basin Management Plans. If the Commission's current CAP proposal is agreed, the addition of specific requirements under the Water Framework Directive to the cross-compliance mechanism will provide strong incentives to respect those requirements. Lastly, the Commission could make country-specific recommendations for Member States as part of the European Semester process, to identify economic and water environment win-win actions.
- The Blueprint proposes a number of new voluntary tools. Why should these succeed where legislation has failed?
The Blueprint is a strategic document that pulls together both existing tools and planned initiatives. The proposed guidance documents and technical tools are intended to fill knowledge and capacity gaps in the Member States, and while they should improve the quality of water management and the implementation of legislation, they will not replace legal obligations.
Making state-of-the-art tools available at an EU level should create economies of scale, facilitating large-scale knowledge sharing. This being said, the Blueprint emphasises that the Commission will continue to enforce current legal obligations, and will make available incentives to foster compliance under EU funds while cross-compliance and other conditionalities to access such funds should apply.
New regulation is only envisaged in limited areas, where gaps have been shown to exist. Additional legislative proposals may appear in the future if deemed appropriate, regarding metering, green infrastructure and water efficiency targets, for example.
- Has the Commission considered the monitoring and reporting burden?
Yes. This is why the Blueprint contains proposals to harmonise reporting requirements under water-related directives, while improving the reporting on water statistics.
- Does the Commission want to set water pricing at EU level?
No – prices are set by Member States. But EU Member States are obliged (by the Water Framework Directive) to put in place systems that ensure that pricing policies give an incentive to use water more efficiently. Pricing may of course take into account social, environmental and economic effects of cost recovery.
- Does the Commission want to impose metering everywhere? Including in all households?
There is no such requirement under EU law. It is however difficult to respect the Water Framework Directive requirements for permits for water abstractions and for water pricing that encourage efficiency if water use is not metered.
- Will the European Parliament and Council formally endorse the Blueprint?
The Blueprint actually is a package composed of several elements:
- a) The "Blueprint" Communication (accompanied by its impact assessment)
- b) A Communication on the Review of the EU policy on Water Scarcity and Droughts (accompanied by an in depth assessment in a Commission Staff Working Document)
- c) A Commission Report to the Council and European Parliament on the implementation of the Water Framework Directive (accompanied by a European overview of the assessment of Member States' River Basin Management Plans (RBMPs) + 28 individual assessments for each Member State's set of RBMPs and Norway).
The Cyprus Presidency of the EU is planning the adoption of Council Conclusions in December and the Parliament might want to develop a resolution.
- How will the Commission ensure the implementation and follow up of the Blueprint?
Much of the implementation and monitoring of the Blueprint proposals will be carried out through the Water Framework Directive Common Implementation Strategy. This is an open and participatory process involving the Member States and all stakeholders that wish to be involved. The Commission will develop and regularly update a scoreboard to check progress on implementation. The Water Framework Directive must be reviewed and possibly revised by 2019. When preparing this review, the Commission will take stock of the implementation of all aspects of the Blueprint and, if necessary, propose amendments to the Directive to facilitate the achievement of its objectives. Such amendments could transform some of the non-binding proposals contained in the Blueprint into legally binding requirements, should the voluntary approach prove insufficient.
- What is the time horizon of the Blueprint?
The Blueprint is closely related to the EU 2020 Strategy, and the Resource Efficiency Roadmap. The Blueprint will be the water milestone on that Roadmap. The analysis underpinning the Blueprint covers a longer time span, up to 2050.
- What is the link between the Blueprint and the EU 2020 Strategy?
Protecting Europe's water resources contributes to all 3 dimensions of the Europe 2020 strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth.
Developing efficient water management goes hand in hand with fostering innovation and knowledge (smart growth) in water-related fields, increasing EU competitiveness. Water supply and management sectors already represent 32 % of EU eco-industries value added and EU companies hold more than 25 % of the world market share in water management2. This competitive advantage can be strengthened by the objective of further improving EU water status, as an incentive to develop innovative water solutions.
Working towards ensuring availability of good quality water for all users contributes to the sustainable growth of the EU, promoting a more resource efficient, greener and more competitive economy. Indeed, efficient water management not only generates economic benefits (in terms of productivity gains for water-using companies and innovation potentials for water management companies) but also contributes to decreasing health impacts and preserving ecosystem services, hence saving tremendous costs for private and public entities.
Finally, efficient water management can help bring about inclusive growth, fostering a high-employment economy while delivering economic, social and territorial cohesion. In terms of employment, waste water treatment and water supply sectors represent up to 34 % of EU eco-industry employment3 and are a growing potential sector around the EU. Improving the status of EU waters is also socially inclusive – access for all users to good quality waters at a fair price (reflecting the amount consumed and the environmental impact) would jointly deliver social, economic and environmental benefits.
- How has the Commission ensured the involvement of stakeholders in the preparation of the Blueprint?
The Commission consulted widely. The stakeholder consultation took place since the early stages through the Common Implementation Strategy. A stakeholder conference (the 3rd EU Water Conference) took place at the end of May 2012 to discuss draft policy options and two 12-weeks public consultations took place in the first part of 2012.
See also IP/12/1216
- Footnotes
- 1 : EEA 2010 State of the Environment Report (SOER), Water, key messages.
- 2 : http://ec.europa.eu/environment/enveco/industry_employment/pdf/facts_and_figures.pdf
- 3 : Which themselves employ around 3.4 million people, ie around 1.5% of all Europeans in employment, more than in car manufacturing, chemicals or textiles .


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Have a Small Bathroom? Pedestal Sink Inspirations
Pedestal sinks not only save space in a small bathroom, but they can also add visual interest. Pedestal sinks originated in the early 1900s, but remain a timeless, classic style, offered in many different sizes, shapes, and materials to work within a variety of bathroom spaces. Here are some of our personal favorites.
Pedestal sinks work well in guest bathrooms, children's bathrooms, and small bathrooms. They are rather inexpensive and a nice selection can be found at Home Depot or Lowe's. We searched through past house tours and other online resources to find a round up of inspirational bathrooms incorporating pedestal sinks.
First Row:
- Emily and Meeko's House Tour Bathroom
- Luke's Rich and Modern Bath
- Dual Pedestal Sinks: Decor Pad
- Neutrals Bathroom: Coastal Living
- American Standard Repertoire Pedestal Sink: Plumber Surplus
Second Row:
- Bathroom with White Hexagon Marble Tiles: Decor Pad
- Traditional Bathroom: Coastal Living
- Bathroom with Yellow Wallpaper: House and Home
- Classic Bathroom: How Stuff Works
Other Inspiring Bathrooms:
(Images: Decor Pad, Plumber Surplus, Coastal Living, House and Home, How Stuff Works)

subset: commoncrawl


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Couple more to add in here today...When a DVD that you previously bought gets re-released in a much better suped up version. A number of DVD movies have been upgrading to the Superbit format with DTS sound (with even sharper picture and sound), plus some nice extras excluded from the prior version. Especially crappy when they don't even throw a rebate in the new one (just $5 or so) for owners of the previous version. I suppose many of the Star Wars collecting completists here can relate to this, since it happens ALL the time in our hobby... When your air conditioning in your car goes out, and your stuck on the L.A. freeways (more like parking lots) in 105-110 degree heat for a good hour or two. Now that really sucks... >:(
Baggy Sweatered Hooter Patrons
All I have to say is, you look drunk as all hell.
Quote from: OCB on May 30, 2003, 09:21 PM Baggy Sweatered Hooter Patrons now witness me in this disgustingly unattractive MALE PIG moment...
Yeah, I have one....................................................Mods from other sites sending nasty emails..... Hey Dale ??.... ..LOL
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Romney wins
To the editor: In the presidential debate Wednesday night President Obama looked tired and almost dispirited. No wonder. For the past 4 years he's been trying to improve the economy with few successes. In fact, by many measurements, the economy and jobs market is worst. More disturbing was that President Obama had no plans for the next four years except "investing" in education, technology, etc. Money that is "invested" in these projects must be paid back by this generation through tax increases, or future generations must pay it back plus interest.
Gov. Romney was articulate, energized, and presidential. While showing respect for President Obama, Gov. Romney did not shy away from pointing out inaccuracies or exaggerations made by the Obama campaign of his proposals. Gov. Romney showed a depth of knowledge that is unusual in a challenger.
When President Obama asked Gov. Romney for specifics of what he would do if he repealed certain policies he had time to highlight what he would do with two. First, he has no plans to scrap all of the provisions of Dodd-Frank. He identified areas that should be eliminated and others that need further definition to implement. Regarding Obamacare, Gov. Romney identified those provisions he would retain, while pointing out the dangers of implementing the non-elected board that will come between you and your doctor in defining the appropriate treatment options for which they will pay. As governor of Massachusetts, Mitt Romney was able to work with a largely democratic legislature in passing balanced budgets and significant legislation. He presented an overall strategy for governing the state, and worked weekly and personally with representatives of both parties. That's what we desperately need in Washington DC. Negative ads by the campaigns and PAC's distort the records and policies of candidates. This is especially true in the case of the attacks on Gov. Romney.
For those uncommitted voters, or those wavering in their support of President Obama, please take a new look at Gov. Mitt Romney. He deserves our vote. He will be the leader we're looking for to restore our economy and make the American Dream possible for all Americans.
Janet Brown
Did Obama serve?
To the editor: Tom Chase, we thank you for your service to the Country.
You fault Mr. Romney for not serving in our volunteer armed forces.
Perhaps I missed something. What branch did Mr. Obama serve in?
John Johnstone
To the editor: The first Presidential debate not only revealed clear differences in the candidates' proposed programs and policies, but also stark differences in personality and attitude towards their fellow Americans. Perhaps most surprising was former Massachusetts Governor Romney's stance. He was aggressive and borderline rude, interrupting the moderator numerous times. He came off as a man who is used to getting what he wants, and will try to bulldoze his way to victory.
Romney's aggression won't work, because the specifics of his proposal are alarming. Most Americans know how dangerous it would be to gut Medicare, leaving everyone under age 55 vulnerable. Also, millions of Americans who are benefitting from expanded healthcare coverage are not happy with his opposition to the Affordable Care Act. Romney would reverse ObamaCare's positive benefits such as guaranteed preventative care, coverage of preexisting conditions, and extended coverage for children.
By contrast, at the debate, President Obama conveyed empathy for those of us who are worried about health care, retirement, and our children's future. He understands the perspective of the typical, ordinary American due to his personal experience. Moreover, he cares about the safety net, knowing that most of us will eventually rely on guaranteed healthcare services.
I don't resent Romney for being rich. I do take offense, however, at his assumption that people under age 55 don't care about what will be waiting for them when we retire. I am also disturbed by his dismissal of the landmark healthcare act, a bipartisan measure that was eventually upheld by the Supreme Court. Romney is out of touch with the average American, and I won't buy into his gamble with my future.
Julia Rodriguez
To the editor: Following the first Presidential Debate, political pundits noted that Mitt Romney performed at the top of his game. He was well rehearsed and aggressive, but were his assertions true? Fact-checkers say many were not.
Romney claimed that President Obama had doubled the deficit. This simply is not true. When President Obama took office, the Congressional Budget Office had already projected a deficit for FY 2009 of $1.2 trillion. (It ended up being $1.4 trillion.) For FY 2012, the deficit is expected to be $1.1 trillion — below the level in the year he took office. Thus the deficit has actually declined significantly — during the worst of times.
President Obama claimed that Romney has proposed a $5 trillion tax cut. Romney repeatedly denied this. However, fact-checkers say it is true that Romney has proposed cutting all marginal tax rates by 20 percent — which would cut tax revenue by $5 trillion. To make up that revenue, Mr. Romney has said he wants to clear out deductions and loopholes from the tax code, but he has not yet specified how he would do this. If he does have a plan, what is he waiting for?
Romney claimed that "ObamaCare" would result in "a federal takeover of health care." Actually, the Affordable Care Act builds on the foundation of private health insurance, providing subsidies for millions of low- and moderate-income people so they can purchase private insurance. Thirty million Americans are expected to gain health coverage, many through the expansion of Medicaid. The federal government would also subsidize the purchase of private insurance for millions of people with incomes up to four times the poverty level (up to $92,200 for a family of four). Private insurers would thus have many new customers. This is hardly "a government takeover."
Romney's frequently attacked President Obama for a cut $716 billion from Medicare, suggesting that the Medicare reductions would come from current beneficiaries. Fact-checkers have repeatedly debunked this claim, but Romney continues this one-liner. Romney neglected mentioning that his running-mate, Paul Ryan, included the identical savings in his budget plan.
Romney needs to stop misleading the American people.
Beth Olshansky
In response
To the editor: This in reply to representative candidate Stanley
Mister Stanley: Again, In case you missed my positions, which are embedded in fact (see joepitre.com for relevant links), I suggest you study the issues and focus on the facts of the Democrat (which is part of Ex-Rep Burke's documented record at the NH General Court website) 2010-2011 ($11.5 billion) budget as compared to the 2008-2009 ($9.3 billion) budget. There was an increase of 24% in spending and Governor Lynch campaigned on a 70 million dollar surplus, which in fact, revealed a $691 million to $1 billion deficit. (See Dem Rep Rosenwald recent comments) New Hampshire had the highest corporate tax rate in the country under the Democrat watch.(Now 46th) New Hampshire has the highest property tax rate as measured by percentage of income.
There was no downshifting by the NH House to cities and towns. There was a vote by the New Hampshire Retirement Board to increase rate of contributions due to overestimated revenue from the retirement trust. In Governor Lynch's proposed budget, he had downshifted cost of nearly $200 million. We saved his bacon on that note!
I believe in a hand up, not a hand out.
Your Democrat policies have crippled the economy (record foreclosure rate in Strafford County). The number of working folk in New Hampshire is significantly less and we have no measure of the underemployed.
Mr. Stanley and Ex-Rep Burke; Education is the cornerstone of our society. Why do we never see you at School Board meetings or voting at School District meetings? As a member of the School Board for over 5 years, and never missed a meeting. My 98% attendance record at the NH House reflects a similar dedication.
We received a mandate in 2010 to reduce taxes (delivered) reduce the size of government (delivered). It takes a while to repay a Democrat spending spree.
On Nov. 6 vote Pitre and Luciani to continue to reduce spending and not panic and increase taxes. I thank the voters for their great support.
Ballot Constitutional Questions: Yes to prohibit income tax and yes to restore 73-a Amendment to Constitution
State Rep. Joe Pitre
Strafford D3
About jobs
To the editor: Jobs, Jobs, Jobs everyone agrees on this. We want more jobs for Rochester to continue the recovery from the Great Recession. But what is the issue today in Rochester and the state that has one of the lowest unemployment rates in the country.
"We know that while the unemployment rate has improved, it is still higher than the historical average. But it is not clear whether unemployment is high because workers lack the necessary skills, or because many employers are reluctant to hire in a still weakened economy because of low demand." (New England Partnership Report, May 2012.)
Within the frame work that our state has had a net out- migration over the last four years why do we not have fuller employment? A. Our industries are currently running at full employment because of maximum use of technology which means high productivity and fewer workers. B. On the other hand, many high tech jobs are unfilled do so do to lack of qualified employees. (The highest rate of unemployment is in low skilled worker pool.) C. We have limited demand for the unskilled worker especially in construction- No demand for new housing or plants. Government infrastructure employment is drying up due the drying up of stimulus funding. (Remember in a six months the big Spaulding turnpike project will end.)
The Rochester Development Office working with the Democratic governor and $4.5 million dollar federal loan brought in Saffran USA which will employ 400 workers over the objective of Rochester Republicans. The NH-DRED commissioner said "we commend the city of Rochester in bring in this quality Company…." This would not have happened if you did not pay in with your tax dollars. At the same time, the new Republican state budget cut the tobacco tax with no resulting increase in tobacco sales- money for job training. Republicans cut job training programs by giving the UNH system it biggest budget cut in history at the very time UNH is struggling to complete the new Paul Business School addition, a major component in training highly skilled workers. $70 million dollars is unavailable to fund our state government today because of the decisions made by Gov. Benson in 2004.
Remember the theory, "you got to spend money to make money"? The Republicans praise themselves on the biggest state budget cut in recent memory but the revenue projections have not come through to help build jobs.
David P. Miller
N.H. House Candidate
Wards 2-3, Rochester
About Cataldo
To the editor: As a distinguished member of the New Hampshire House, Sam Cataldo, worked hard for his constituents and the residents of the state fighting to protect and enhance the New Hampshire Advantage of — low taxes, low spending and less regulation. Through his legislative efforts a number of the liberal job-killing taxes were repealed and the budget was balanced without any gimmicks. This is why I believe that you should join me in supporting his candidacy to be the next State Senator representing District 6 that includes the city of Rochester and the towns of Farmington, New Durham, Alton, Barnstead and Gilmanton.
I know first hand Sam's integrity, independence and fierce desire to protect our fundamental rights including our second amendment rights. Sam believes in protecting our environment, promoting renewable energy resources, and attending to the needs of our senior citizens. These are all values that I am sure you as the voters in District 6 would also share with Sam.
Please vote on Tuesday, Nov. 6, and when you do please cast a vote for Sam Cataldo to be the next State Senator for District 16.
David Boutin
State Senator District 16
Differing views
To the editor: In response to Foster's Editorial "What Carol Shea-Porter is not…":
Congressman Guinta and Congresswoman Shea-Porter have differing views on government and government's role in supporting veterans.
Guinta believes in a smaller government that indirectly supports veterans. Guinta voted for the VOW to Hire Heroes Act that gives tax incentives to businesses that hire unemployed veterans, and he has hosted a veterans job fair. Veterans job fairs are indeed useful; I organized one coinciding with New Hampshire's "Welcome Home" End of the Iraq War Parade. While I or a mayor can host job fairs, only Congress can pass the $1 billion Veterans Job Corps Act that Republicans defeated because of their small government ideology. Likewise, in pursuit of smaller government, Guinta voted for the 2012 Ryan Budget, which cuts discretionary veterans programs by $11 billion.
Shea-Porter believes government should directly support veterans. Shea-Porter cosponsored the Post-9/11 GI Bill, allowing recent veterans like myself to pursue our post-military dreams. She's responsible for prohibiting toxic military burn pits and forcing the VA to recognize that they may lead to the Agent Orange or Gulf War Syndrome of my generation. Furthermore, Shea-Porter supports the Veterans Jobs Corps Act.
I subscribe to the view of a government that supports veterans directly with jobs, educational and health benefits, over an ideological one that relies on business to support veterans while cutting veterans programs. Guinta should return to Manchester and continue to host job fairs, and Shea-Porter should return to Washington so government can once again directly support veterans.
Josh Denton
Former Captain and Iraqi Combat Advisor
There are limits
To the editor: A number of us in the community are incredulous as to why the topic of voter identification remains contentious. The League of Women Voters and The American Civil Liberties Union believe it is an unnecessary inconvenience to provide proof of residency, going so far as to suggest it is an attempt to marginalize certain groups of voters. They see it as a concern without merit, because voting fraud has not proven itself to exist within New Hampshire. Simply providing your "word of honor" at the voting booths should be adequate. In the recent New Hampshire primary, a friend conveyed to me that he was standing in line to vote and overheard two UNH students behind him talking. They had just come from voting in Durham and were now going to vote in Dover, as well. I respectfully ask The League of Women Voters and the ACLU to suggest a method to avoid this scenario from occurring in the future, as apparently honor, like patience, has its limits.
Randal Heller
Bad to worse
To the editor: Recent events in the Middle East have highlighted the significant differences between President Obama and his rival for office, Governor Romney. The President, working together with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, has a proven record in foreign policy. He ended the war in Iraq, bringing troops home as he promised, and is working diligently to bring the Afghanistan war to a close. Both of these wars are messy and confusing — also both inherited from the previous administration — and the President has managed to wind down the conflicts, has stood up for important American values abroad, and diplomatically attended to fragile relations with other countries.
On the other hand, Governor Romney goes from bad to worse when he tries his hand at diplomacy. Let's begin with the fact that Romney has no foreign policy experience whatsoever, having only served in state- level office for one term. Moreover, in campaigning Romney has betrayed his ignorance about world affairs and has proved himself an awkward, even ham-fisted representative of our nation. First, he insulted the British on a trip to London. Next, he evoked flashbacks of the cold war by asserting that Russia is our biggest threat. Then, adding insult to injury, he tried to exploit the tragic murder of the U.S. Ambassador in Libya, in an absurd attempt to make the President appear unpatriotic.
In this rapidly changing, volatile world, we need the strong, steady, and thoughtful intelligence of President Obama.
Julia Rodriguez
Letters to the Editor - Oct. 5, 2012
Romney wins


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For eight days, some of the biggest names in sports will be in Omaha with one purpose in mind – to qualify for the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. The Omaha Sports Commission and Qwest Center Omaha will host the biggest names in swimming such as Michael Phelps, Natalie Coughlin and Amanda Beard as they vy for a spot on the U.S. Olympic team that will travel to Bejing, China for the 2008 Olympics.
The 2008 Olympic Swim trials will be held from June 29 to July 6 at the Qwest Center in Omaha, Nebraska. At the Games, swimming will be in evenings of first nine days. Attendees at the 2008 USA Swimming Olympic Trials can interact with, take photos of and get autographs from swimming legends, as well as participate in swimming-related activities. In addition to appearences from swimmers who make the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team, fans and visitors will cross paths with Olympic champions such as Mark Spitz, Matt Biondi, Pablo Morales, Donna de Varona, Jenny Thompson, Mary T. Meagher, Debbie Meyer, John Naber and Mel Stewart.


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Troy's Small & Subtle Kitchen
Troy's kitchen is one of those kitchens you see and think "I can do that!" and you absolutely can. His kitchen is so attainable yet so stylish at the same time. It looks effortless.
Even though Troy hired an interior designer to masterfully transform his space — it doesn't look over done in any way. The kitchen is rather small, so they were very careful to incorporate storage solutions that were not only smart but sophisticated too.
The stacked laundry was placed in the small space next to the kitchen and an open air shelving unit was placed right next to the stove. Spice racks and decorative boxes help to keep the necessities organized while still being stylish.
• See the full tour: Troy's 700 Square Foot Crowd Pleaser at Apartment Therapy
Related: Kay's Curated Kitchen
(Images: Bethany Nauert)


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You can see why a state might require minors to have a parent's OK before they receive medical care. But Maryland law has made life especially difficult for homeless teenagers who have no adults watching out for them.
It's the sort of problem that drives Lisa Stambolis crazy. As director of pediatric and adolescent health at Health Care for the Homeless in Baltimore, she organized people — including homeless teens — to press for change. It worked. A new law offering more leeway for minors' medical treatment goes into effect Oct. 1.
In July, Stambolis was honored for her efforts and named a White House "Champion of Change," one of 13 selected for their efforts on behalf of homeless youth.
Stambolis, 50, earned a nurse practitioner degree in 1993 from the University of Maryland, Baltimore. She's worked for the nonprofit Health Care for the Homeless in two stretches — for four years fresh out of graduate school and again for the past two years — and in between worked for Baltimore's health department, assigned to a city high school.
Stambolis, who has two children, lives in Baltimore's Lauraville neighborhood with her partner, Lania D'Agostino. She chatted with The Baltimore Sun recently about her work, her award and the rough economy's effect on the homeless — and in making people homeless.
The name offers a pretty good clue, but what does Health Care for the Homeless do?
We provide integrated health services to individuals and families who are experiencing homelessness. And how we do that is by direct service, is by community engagement and by advocacy. … Some of those direct services are, of course, medical care — primary medical care to infants, children, teens and adults.
How were you named a Champion of Change?
I'll give you a little context. … Two years ago, [Health Care for the Homeless] built this brand-new building at 421 Fallsway and they tapped me to be the director of pediatric and adolescent health, which essentially meant starting the first on-site clinic for homeless children and teens.
It's a huge culture shift. Children, teens and families are way different than individuals on their own. … I said, "This is great, you guys, we're open, but we're not going to be able to see our teens because they can't consent to their own medical treatment under the age of 18." … I can do a health assessment, right, and see a 17-year-old, but if he has asthma or she has an ear infection, I can't treat it.
So [we] went about introducing a law that the governor signed into law this year so minors under the age of 18 living without their parents can consent to their own medical treatment.
These kids who came to testify, their stories were really compelling. One boy was like, "My mother was a prostitute and now she's gone," and he doesn't know his father. Another boy, his parents died. … These are just kind of typical, you know?
You must be counting down the days until Oct. 1.
I am — it's a big deal.
What was the White House event like?
That gave us the opportunity as leaders in the field of homeless youth to network with each other. … It was very energizing.
What's a typical day like, if there is such a thing? A typical week?
We're going out to shelters, in the street, wherever children and youth are, meeting them where they are, and having the ability to bring them to our health center.
People may say: "Well, why do you need that? They have medical assistance — why can't they just get to their clinic?" Well, there are a lot of barriers. Shelters have set rules. Your kids are in camp, your kids are in school, so you have to wait [until they return]. Some clinics are like, "You're 15 minutes late — we're not seeing you."
The way we work, we just have an open schedule. We give appointment times; we laugh about it — we call them "suggested times." People come when they come.
What convinced you that you needed to go back to Health Care for the Homeless?
It's funny, I wasn't really looking. I still had some ties and I ran into someone who worked there, and they told me: "Hey, we're opening this clinic. We might be looking for somebody part-time." So I gave a call, and that was that. I said, "Wow, that sounds really exciting."
How have things changed for the population you serve since the housing bust and recession?
Oh my God, it's horrible. Let me tell you what we're seeing. There's not nearly enough emergency beds for families and children. … We're meeting whole families sleeping on bus stops.
We're also seeing a whole lot more single fathers with their children who have nowhere to go because there's nothing for them.
Why? All the family shelters are for women with children?
Mm-hmm. It gets a little bit worse, too. [At] all the family shelters for women … 14-, 15-year-old boys are not allowed. … You can see the problems in congregate living, with little girls — I don't have to spell that out.
What do you like best about the work you do?
Getting to meet people where they are and bringing health care to where they are. Giving people a little glimmer of hope, you know? Sometimes, I'm not going to fix their problem, but I can bear witness to their life, and that can mean volumes, just having someone witness what you're going through.
That can be stressful, can't it?
I try to do a lot of things for my own self-care.
I spent three and a half years getting my master's degree in acupuncture. … The whole Eastern philosophy, it's not compartmentalized like Western medicine. That's really allowed me to do the personal work, I think. To feel really motivated and energized. So I have a little part-time acupuncture practice on Monday evenings. I see three or four clients, and it's great. It's like a little treatment for me. I also do meditation and go to Buddhist temple. All those things really help.
What's the most frustrating or challenging part of the job?
When it comes to patient care and the systems are letting people down, that's really frustrating to me. When a child needs a service and they fall through the cracks, and it's because two systems are fighting with each other, that frustrates me. So in my work, I get to do things like help fix those problems … one at a time.
See more business leaders interviewed by The Baltimore Sun


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Blogo, the blog writing app that I've written about before (here and here) is coming to IOS.
Personally, I can't wait, as I find that the best time for writing is not when I'm at my Mac.
Of course, because I've got Blogo linked to my Evernote account, I can update existing drafts directly in Evernote, but having the full feature set available on my iPad will provide a much better (and consistent) experience for me.


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A dust storm on Mars and a minor wobble in the spacecraft's trajectory have given scientists something to think about, but leaders of NASA's Curiosity mission said Thursday that they are on track for a Sunday landing — the delivery of the largest and most ambitious machine ever sent to another planet.
"Things are almost too quiet," Pete Theisinger, the mission's project manager, said Thursday at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in La Canada Flintridge as Curiosity barreled toward Mars at 7,987 mph. "I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop."
Curiosity, a roving lab that will scour Mars for the ingredients of life, is scheduled to land Sunday in an ancient geological feature known as the Gale Crater. It is a complex operation. At 1,982 pounds, Curiosity is five times heavier than previous Mars rovers. Its landing requires a dizzying sequence of pyrotechnics and on-the-fly adjustment, all done automatically because Mars is 154 million miles distant, too far for the swift communication needed to guide the landing from Earth.
At a briefing Thursday, scientists said satellites had discovered a dust storm swirling south of Gale Crater. Earlier this week, the storm was more than 600 miles from Curiosity's landing site but large enough that it could kick up a pesky cloud of dust.
In theory, that could affect the accuracy of Curiosity's landing mechanism, but scientists said the craft had been engineered to guard against nasty weather and that storms like this are common and typically dissipate in a day or two. To pose a real threat, Theisinger said, "it would have to be the great-grandmother of all dust storms."
Scientists also determined in recent weeks that Curiosity was on course to hit the Martian atmosphere about 13 miles east of the optimal "entry point." Last weekend, they conducted a routine trajectory correction — a "burn," in pop-science parlance. The operation was a success, but imperfect. The spacecraft's new trajectory will send it into the Martian atmosphere at a point roughly 3,000 feet from where scientists had planned after the correction.
However, Curiosity's landing target is an ellipse of land 12 miles wide, allowing for considerable wiggle room. What's more, the craft has been equipped with a self-correcting navigation system called "guided entry" — thrusters that can correct miles' worth of error in trajectory.
Adam Steltzner, a leader of the JPL team overseeing the spacecraft's landing, said an error of just 3,000 feet could easily be "flown out" — absorbed by the sophisticated navigation system. Scientists have two other opportunities for corrective "burns," but said it was unlikely they would use them.
"We are doing everything we can to make sure that we are going to the right place," said Tomas Martin-Mur, the mission's navigation team chief. "I am confident that we will get there and get there safely."
Also Thursday, scientists revealed that Curiosity already has delivered results, even before it lands.
Curiosity's instruments are expected to yield a new understanding of Mars' history and environment. The mission's impact doesn't end there, however. Curiosity is also expected to pave the way for future Mars missions, including the first human exploration. President Obama has set a goal of sending an astronaut to Mars by the 2030s.
That would be no small matter. Rather than the three days it took to reach the moon, an astronaut would endure a nine-month trip there and then another one to get home. Scientists are still trying to understand how they might guard against radiation astronauts would encounter. It's a critical issue. Carrying a proper radiation shield would be both vital and burdensome.
Curiosity was equipped with a device, known as RAD, to measure radiation once the craft arrives. Mars, because of its thin atmosphere and weak magnetic field, lacks the ability to repel or absorb radiation, a trait that could have affected the planet's ability to foster life.
About a year ago, scientists realized they could turn RAD on early, that they didn't need to wait for Curiosity to get to Mars. The instrument was turned on 10 days after launch and was active for most of the spacecraft's 81/2-month journey to Mars. It has already sent home a significant amount of data.
RAD measured radiation encountered by Curiosity along the way, outside the craft and inside, where an astronaut would be housed during a human-exploration "cruise."
Although scientists are still digesting the data, early indications are that radiation outside the spacecraft carrying Curiosity was perhaps 100 times higher than inside the craft. Still, levels inside might have been a full fifth of the amount of radiation that NASA allows its astronauts to face over the course of their career — "not a full, lifetime dose, but not insignificant," said Don Hassler, RAD's principal investigator. A better understanding of deep-space radiation could help determine everything from spacecraft construction to when a human-exploration mission might launch to limit an astronaut's exposure.
©2012 Los Angeles Times
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Dispute Threatens China-India Relations
As soon as Chinese Premier Li Keqiang visited India for his first official visit, attention turned to a territorial dispute. The WSJ's Joanna Sugden talks about why the dispute could get in the away of ambitious bilateral trade targets.
This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.
... the the ... has landed in the on its first overseas officials is that I'm Deborah con joining me now is reporter Jill an aside did from New Delhi ... a K at john that ... make it sound as many inept in India at a time where ... um it's a bit of an awkward time given the fact that time that and ... India have been engaged in a dispute over a villa dock regions that does not ... have any time ... chance and overshadowing why he's really in India ... I think as he contends and ... in you is taking that and they did is that of any any weight he found the steam train times and ... an increasing by one to take the team T nations that actually ... and then go again and she said it is that it ... would get when oh when did that with the men compete against ... I'm any discussions that says ... this recently and it just the eyes ... luckily she is friends with Santa again and I don't standing ... just eat the team and ... T nations ... so will this is can actually be raise an official meetings going on ... between the two sites ... sch yes and sand that yesterday when the teen pregnancies McIntyre that I did to upset was the fast and she has raised by ... Annie is ... coming to an end ... and saying he said that she wanted to ensure that those pieces to increase on the Boudette ... before they could need for a drink I've that and replace it I think of banks such as trains and Jack ... and the Chinese economy as an apparent he ... SATC he agreed that this was an Annie she Danny DTP results ... ok and I'm really says it in the two countries added ... what is their ambition in terms of train pending when you when you often speak of a China and India other than the Saints that sentence as ... you know the right to rising giants in this in this region ... aam ... and maybe that's not such anywhere with it India and did a lot of that this domestic problems and and political wrangling that's been going on but ... are they adding competitors and Afghan going forward how how do Both sides really see the relationship involving ... MDGs were planted changes and taken a deacon in us financially and done to sixty seven BC and ... it was in the seventeen PM region and the condition between the two nations is teach and the two hundredth in yen and a dentist ... and China to change and speed bike twenty fifteen and ... that that's a Canon EPHE treaty and ... a face would reduce heat since ... that result that said the union to saying now and and ... that that is as huge token for Indiana as an active trade in diamonds it read at the two countries and if India's chase and an ensuite China ten cents and fourteen ... TD known as ands and they jumped fourteen per cent ... dusty and ... Sarah and ... then complaining that the Chinese market is not contingent on Cisco's in telecoms ... and was at that and it's ... India's biggest increase in its case China it's now I've taken the U S and ... I European countries ... and how how is the premier Italy's Visit being received at ... in India that what what whereas local media saying I'm about the significance of this trip ... you ... well built and the main the main thing has seen ... Annie and focus on the board and just eat and why this why it went on to say no more lying in a piece stands that's the case he did take place on the board because it's sent ... Tuesday to stocks and this went a three week series of semi impact that ... the man made you think that the church as AusAID and the Eagle she loves to back streets and ... at that ... issues that the breach ... I'm ... the test is up I'm planning protests but sad as the now and ... peace ... and calm down on on pace to say we haven't seen any at anything like what happened last year when ... I ... say this to protest is and secondly it seems ... as ... good ... and the president says that last answer that except ... okay thanks Fran that's John and training us from our New Delhi bureau ... for more on that star a pink added Avista dot com under for time ...


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Write a News Story
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Amelia Earhart
By: Brandon L.
Virginia, Age 13
Today, 1937, Amelia Earhat went missing. We do not know if Amelia was shot down by the Japanese. Maybe she was a spy for the U.S. government. Some people think she was a spy and held prisoner. When we found out she was gone missingm we wanted to search the island and try to find Amelia. The Japanese though that was an excuse to find their new military weapons. Is she gone or is she not? Stay tuned for the next story!
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All the news that's fit to assimilate[ Home | Blogs | Events | Robots | Humans | Projects | Podcasts | About | Account ]
For those of you getting started with ROS, I have written up a do-it-yourself tutorial for tracking a colored object using a web cam and AX-12 pan and tilt servos. You can find it here:
ROS by Example: Visual Object Tracking
In this short article on using SLAM with ROS, I have posted a couple of videos showing Pi Robot mapping out part of an apartment using a Hokuyo laser scanner and the gmapping package. See
For the past several months, I have been learning the basics of ROS from Willow Garage. At the same time, I have been testing Mike Ferguson's "Poor Man's Lidar" or PML as an alternative to a more expensive laser range finder. The results are encouraging--at least for obstacle avoidance and simple navigation tasks. You can see the report at:
I recently converted most of the C# code for my Pi Robot project to Python. At the same time, I am changing the programming architecture to use message passing among nodes. To get started, I wrote up a little introduction to the topic at:
I finally had a chance to write up the math behind the Pi Robot arm tracking video. Keep in mind that I am only using the two shoulder joints in each arm--the elbow and wrist servos are fixed--so the inverse kinematics is fairly straightforward. Later on I'll have to deal with the other joints...
Here is the link to the write-up:
Here is a followup video to my previous blog entry. In this video, a number of independent behavioral threads are running to enable the robot to track and grasp the green balloon. Whenever the balloon is grasped, the robot turns its attention to the red balloon. When the green balloon is released, tracking turns again to it and the red balloon is ignored. I use RoboRealm to do the green/red tracking. There is a sonar sensor on the inside of the left hand that tells the robot when something is ready to be grasped. It can also do this using vision alone along with some trigonometry, but the result is more reliable when using the sensor.
2012 Top 10 Robot Christmas Gift Ideas
DARPA Robotics Challenge Kick Off
2012 ASABE Robot Contest Photos
Interview with David L. Heiserman
David Anderson on Subsumption Robots
Review: Apocalyptic AI by Robert M. Geraci
Raspberry Pi Interview with Eben Upton
2012 VEX Robotics World Championship
Giant Dallas Robot Cited as Best Public Art
There's More Than One Way to Skin a Robot
Day of the Androids at Hanson Robotics


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Joanna Morin & Robert Lake
Joanna Morin and Robert Lake were wed on August 4, 2012 at the Moriah Methodist Church in Moriah, N.Y. surrounded by family and friends. The group traveled to the VFW in Mineville for a festive reception in recognition of the special occasion.
Wedding Bands
The Ceremony
The wedding invitations were created by the bride and maid of honor. The ceremony was at the Moriah Methodist Church in Moriah, N.Y. The vows were officiated by Pastor Ken Parker, and the music was performed by Janice Oaksford, grandmother of groom and organist for the Methodist Church. Decorations were presented in an Adirondack theme.
Robert Lake
The Reception
The reception was held at the VFW in Mineville, N.Y. Music was provided by a DJ service out of Peru. Decorations were made by the bride and the maid of honor, and a wedding cake was prepared by Lori McKee.
Wedding Party of Joanna Morin & Robert Lake
The Look
The bride and her bridesmaids wore gowns by Alfred Angelo from the Fashion Corner in Port Henry. Hair was prepared by Lisa, a family member. Jewelry for the bride, bridesmaid, maid of honor and mother were made by Annie Destito, a local blown-glass jeweler in Mineville. The groom and groomsmen wore tuxedos from the Fashion Corner. The wedding bands were from Perrywinkle's.
The Details
The day was captured on film by Brandy Lacey, a friend of the bride. The flowers and bouquets were handmade by the bride and maid of honor. The flower girl's and ring bearer's attire was from the Fashion Corner.
The Honeymoon
The couple spent the wedding night at Family Fun Cabins in Port Henry, courtesy of Sam and Lorettea Gangi. Their honeymoon was at a family camp on Sacandaga Lake.


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Wentworth Miller Pens Project for Carey Mulligan
Prison Break star Wentworth Miller is going behind the camera, penning a project for An Education actress Carey Mulligan called Stoker.
LA Times reports the flick is about "an eccentric teenager whose enigmatic and estranged uncle returns to the family after the death of the girl's father."
Fox Searchlight is hoping Jodie Foster will join the cast and Ridley and Tony Scott's Scott Free Productions will produce.
Carey also stars in the upcoming Fox Searchlight production, Never Let Me Go, opposite Keira Knightley.
Sounds interesting!!!!!


text: ""Home" is a companion piece to "Gilead," an account of the same time (the summer of 1956), in the same place (Gilead, Iowa), with the same cast of characters as the earlier novel. Each book is strengthened and deepened by a reading of the other . . . The two books, different in their form and approach as well as in the details they reveal and the stories they ultimately tell, are an enactment of humanity's broader dance of ever-attempted, ever-failing communication--through a glass darkly. This is not, of itself, a novel endeavor for the novel (Edith Wharton once wrote, with lyrical concise wit, 'I had the story, bit by bit, from various people, and, as generally happens in such cases, each time it was a different story'); rather it is the gravitas and patience with which Robinson, whose 1998 book of essays "The Death of Adam" revealed her rigorous Christian spiritual inquiry, has, in these two novels, channeled that rigor in fictional form; the result is two works of art of impressively unfashionable seriousness and engagement . . . Robinson, throughout "Home," is tackling almost the opposite of what she undertook in "Gilead": rather than granting a direct and illuminated voice to a single, thoughtful soul, she stands back--writing in the third person, albeit in a third person that privileges Glory's point of view--and allows her characters to perform their small daily rituals, to have their conversations, to live through their misunderstandings, each in his or her particular isolation. Crucially, she allows at least very distinct experiences--that of the devout, to which John Ames, Robert Boughton, and even Glory could be said to belong; and Jack's secular universe--to interact with one another, each with its own language and its own jurisprudence . . . What is remarkable about "Home"--and why it is, to this reader, an even stronger accomplishment than its companion volume; not in spite of its longueurs and its repetitiveness but because of them--is that it is both a spiritual and a mundane accounting."--Claire Messud, "The New York Review of Books """Home" is a book full of doubleness and paradox, at once serene and volcanic, ruthless and forgiving. It is an anguished pastoral, a tableau of decency and compassion that is also an angry and devastating indictment of moral cowardice and unrepentant, unacknowledged sin. It would be inaccurate to say that the novel represents yet another breathless expose of religious hypocrisy, or a further excavati


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Lost in the Flood
Why no mention of race or class in TV's Katrina coverage?
By Jack Shafer - Slate.com
I can't say I saw everything that the TV newscasters pumped out about Katrina, but I viewed enough repeated segments to say with 90 percent confidence that broadcasters covering the New Orleans end of the disaster demurred from mentioning two topics that must have occurred to every sentient viewer: race and class.
Nearly every rescued person, temporary resident of the Superdome, looter, or loiterer on the high ground of the freeway I saw on TV was African-American. And from the look of it, they weren't wealthy residents of the Garden District. This storm appears to have hurt blacks more directly than whites, but the broadcasters scarcely mentioned that fact.
Now, don't get me wrong. Just because 67 percent of New Orleans residents are black, I don't expect CNN to rename the storm "Hurricane" Carter in honor of the black boxer. Just because Katrina's next stop after destroying coastal Mississippi was counties that are 25 percent to 86 percent African-American (according to this U.S. Census map), and 27.9 percent of New Orleans residents are below the poverty line, I don't expect the Rev. Jesse Jackson to call the news channels to give a comment. But in the their frenzy to beat freshness into the endless loops of disaster footage that have been running all day, broadcasters might have mentioned that nearly all the visible people left behind in New Orleans are of the black persuasion, and mostly poor.
To be sure, some reporters sidled up to the race and class issue. I heard them ask the storm's New Orleans victims why they hadn't left town when the evacuation call came. Many said they were broke—"I live from paycheck to paycheck," explained one woman. Others said they didn't own a car with which to escape and that they hadn't understood the importance of evacuation.
But I don't recall any reporter exploring the class issue directly by getting a paycheck-to-paycheck victim to explain that he couldn't risk leaving because if he lost his furniture and appliances, his pots and pans, his bedding and clothes, to Katrina or looters, he'd have no way to replace them. No insurance, no stable, large extended family that could lend him cash to get back on his feet, no middle-class job to return to after the storm.
What accounts for the broadcasters' timidity? I saw only a couple of black faces anchoring or co-anchoring but didn't see any black faces reporting from New Orleans. So, it's safe to assume that the reluctance to talk about race on the air was a mostly white thing. That would tend to imply that white people don't enjoy discussing the subject. But they do, as long as they get to call another white person racist.
My guess is that Caucasian broadcasters refrain from extemporizing about race on the air mostly because they fear having an Al Campanis moment. Campanis, you may recall, was the Los Angeles Dodgers vice president who brought his career to an end when he appeared on Nightline in 1987 and explained to Ted Koppel that blacks might not have "some of the necessities" it takes to manage a major league team or run it as a general manager for the same reason black people aren't "good swimmers." They lack "buoyancy," he said.
Not to excuse Campanis, but as racists go he was an underachiever. While playing in the minor leagues, he threw down his mitt and challenged another player who was bullying Jackie Robinson. As Dodger GM, he aggressively signed black and Latino players, treated them well, and earned their admiration. Although his Nightline statement was transparently racist, in the furor that followed, nobody could cite another racist remark he had ever made. His racism, which surely blocked blacks from potential front-office Dodger careers, was the racism of overwhelming ignorance—a trait he shared (shares?) with many other baseball executives.
This sort of latent racism (or something more potent) may lurk in the hearts of many white people who end up on TV, as it does in the hearts of many who watch. Or, even if they're completely clean of racism's taint, anchors and reporters fear that they'll suffer a career-stopping Campanis moment by blurting something poorly thought out or something that gets misconstrued. Better, most think, to avoid discussing race at all unless someone with impeccable race credentials appears to supervise—and indemnify—everybody from potentially damaging charges of racism.
Race remains largely untouchable for TV because broadcasters sense that they can't make an error without destroying careers. That's a true pity. If the subject were a little less taboo, one of last night's anchors could have asked a reporter, "Can you explain to our viewers, who by now have surely noticed, why 99 percent of the New Orleans evacuees we're seeing are African-American? I suppose our viewers have noticed, too, that the provocative looting footage we're airing and re-airing seems to depict mostly African-Americans."
If the reporter on the ground couldn't answer the questions, a researcher could have Nexised the New Orleans Times-Picayune five-parter from 2002, "Washing Away," which reported that the city's 100,000 residents without private transportation were likely to be stranded by a big storm. In other words, what's happening is what was expected to happen: The poor didn't get out in time.
To the question of looting, an informed reporter or anchor might have pointed out that anybody—even one of the 500 Nordic blondes working in broadcast news—would loot food from a shuttered shop if they found themselves trapped by a flood and had no idea when help would come. However sympathetic I might be to people liberating necessities during a disaster in order to survive, I can't muster the same tolerance for those caught on camera helping themselves in a leisurely fashion to dry goods at Wal-Mart. Those people weren't looting as much as they were shopping for good stuff to steal. MSNBC's anchor Rita Cosby, who blurted an outraged if inarticulate harrumph when she aired the Wal-Mart heist footage, deserves more respect than the broadcasters who gave the tape the sort of nonjudgmental commentary they might deliver if they were watching the perps vacuum the carpets at home.
When disaster strikes, Americans—especially journalists—like to pretend that no matter who gets hit, no matter what race, color, creed, or socioeconomic level they hail from, we're all in it together. This spirit informs the 1997 disaster flick Volcano, in which a "can't we all just get along" moment arrives at the film's end: Volcanic ash covers every face in the big crowd scene, and everybody realizes that we're all members of one united race.
But we aren't one united race, we aren't one united class, and Katrina didn't hit all folks equally. By failing to acknowledge upfront that black New Orleanians—and perhaps black Mississippians—suffered more from Katrina than whites, the TV talkers may escape potential accusations that they're racist. But by ignoring race and class, they boot the journalistic opportunity to bring attention to the disenfranchisement of a whole definable segment of the population. What I wouldn't pay to hear a Fox anchor ask, "Say, Bob, why are these African-Americans so poor to begin with?"


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WASHINGTON, Oct. 12, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Medical evidence contradicts the "war on women" claims made by those who defend the HHS "preventive services" mandate. This evidence is presented in an amicus brief filed today by Women Speak for Themselves ("WSFT," a program of the Chiaroscuro Institute) with the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia in the case of Wheaton College and Belmont Abbey College v. Sebelius. The brief details not only the federal government's failure to build a medical case for the mandate, but also its failure to acknowledge the serious side effects and risk factors for women associated with it.
"We started WSFT with two messages," said WSFT co-founder Kim Daniels. "First, women, just like men, care about religious freedom. Second, the 'preventive services' mandate does not advance women's freedom or equality. This brief showcases some of the most prominent empirical data supporting our second message."
"WSFT has no interest in changing the law regarding the legal availability of contraception. Rather, we want to show how HHS has failed to make a medical case for its current mandate," said WSFT co-founder Helen Alvare.
"A federal judge has recognized that our brief outlining the serious increased health risks ignored by the government offers a 'unique perspective and analysis,'" said Dorinda Bordlee, attorney for WSFT. "The law requires the Government to prove that its burden on the College's religious objections furthers a compelling interest. The WSFT brief makes the simple point that the HHS Mandate does not prevent what it claims to prevent and may well in many instances increase the risk of disease rather than decreasing it."
WSFT intends to file this amicus brief in other federal court cases challenging the HHS mandate across the nation. The Bioethics Defense Fund and Life Legal Defense Foundation are serving as counsel for WSFT.
Women Speak For Themselves is an alliance of women in defense of religious freedom and a more thoughtful and complete vision of women's freedom. More than 36,000 women have signed our open letter to President Obama, Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, and Congress. For more information please visit: http://womenspeakforthemselves.com/
SOURCE Women Speak For Themselves


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TARDISbound: Navigating the Universes of Doctor Who
Piers D. Britton
Language: English
Pages: 272
Format: PDF / Kindle (mobi) / ePub
Doctor Who has always thrived on multiplicty, unpredictability and transformation, its worlds and characters kaleidoscopic and shifting - and its complexity has exponentially increased over the last twenty years. With its triumphant return to TV in 2005, Doctor Who existed in four different fictional forms, across three different media, with five actors simultaneously playing the eponymous hero. TARDISbound is the first book to deal both with the TV series and with the "audio adventures," original novels, and short story anthologies produced since the 1990s, engaging with the common elements of these different texts and with distinctive features of each.
TARDISbound places Doctor Who under a variety of lenses, from examining the leading characteristics of these Doctor Who texts, to issues of class, ethnicity and gender in relation to the Doctor(s), other TARDIS crew-members, and the non-human/inhuman beings they encounter. TARDISbound also addresses major questions about the aesthetics and ethical implications of Doctor Who.
Rated 5 – based on votes of


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YouTuber Secretly Records His Emotional Coming Out To Mom
Grab your tissues!
YouTuber, Ryan, came out to his mom in October and secretly recorded the entire exchange with his laptop.
Check out how his mother responds to the emotionally charged news.
Explaining his decision to record and share his coming out, Ryan says:
I made this video because when I was contemplating coming out for the last year, I found other similar videos of people coming out to family members on a hidden camera really helpful. I noticed that there weren't very many of these videos, so I wanted to create my own to help other people in the same way that I found these videos helpful.
If you've created a similar one, I guarantee you I've seen it, so thank you so much for helping me. My mom reacted in an amazing way, and I really hope that all of you have a similar experience.
What do you think of Ryan's decision to share his big moment with the world? And what are your thoughts on his mother's response?
(H/T: The Gaily Grind)


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I am getting back into digital sketching and the market seems to have lot more options these days, I am on PC side here.
Which sketch software are you personally using? Is AD SketchBook Pro still king? I am not sure I want to go on subscription, although $30/year is peanuts I guess.
I could stick to PS for sketching but was curious to hear you views.
Thanks for your time.
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Doors of Opportunity
Upon arriving in Antioch, they called the church together and reported everything God had done through them and how he had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles, too.
The first-century believers in the church of Philadelphia lived under Roman rule. The Romans had established what was known as Pax Romana, which effectively was a forced peace. There was an absence of war, and Rome adopted many of the Greeks' ideas and philosophies and religious beliefs. People were experimenting with these things, and there was a sense of searching among so many.The Romans also had established Greek as the official language of the empire. They built an excellent road system as well. So with this common language and access to most of the world, the church went out to spread the gospel message. It was perfect in its timing.Now let's think about our day. In many ways, modern technology has created a global village. Television, the Internet, and mass communication has made the world a much smaller place. I recently read that 70 to 80 percent of the world's population now has a smartphone. We can communicate in ways we never could before. In a sense, we have a common cultural language.Sometimes in our lives we think only of how much we can get from our study of God's Word and how much we can be blessed in church. That is fine. But remember that we are blessed to be a blessing. If we are only hoarding what God has given us and are not giving out, then we are missing the point.As one person put it, "Unless a man's faith saves him out of selfishness into service, it will certainly never save him out of Hell into Heaven."There are doors that have opened in our lives today. Watch for them. That person who was closed to the gospel last year might be open to it this year. Pray for those doors of opportunity.


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A wine steward suspected of a bicoastal string of brazen art thefts was headed for a New York court Friday to face charges after serving time in California for snatching a Picasso pencil sketch, a person briefed on the investigation said.
Just finished with a 138-day sentence for grabbing the $275,000 Picasso off a San Francisco art gallery wall, Mark Lugo was due to be arraigned Friday on grand larceny and other charges stemming from art heists at two Manhattan hotels, the person said, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss the matter ahead of the arraignment.
It's unclear whether Lugo has a New York lawyer. His San Francisco attorney, Douglas Horngrad, has called him "more like someone who was in the midst of a psychiatric episode" than a calculating art thief.
Lugo, 31, has been publicly identified as a suspect in several New York heists since shortly after his July arrest in San Francisco, where police identified him as the man who walked into the Weinstein Gallery, lifted the 1965 Picasso drawing "Tete de Femme" ("Head of a Woman") off the wall, strolled down the street with the sketch under his arm and hopped into a taxi. Police tracked Lugo to a friend's Napa County apartment, where the Picasso was found unframed and prepared for shipping.
Investigators then found a $430,000 trove of stolen art and high-priced wine in his apartment in Hoboken, N.J., where the purloined pieces were carefully and prominently displayed, authorities said.
In New York, the charges against Lugo include lifting a $350,000 drawing by the Cubist painter Fernand Leger from a lobby gallery at Manhattan's Carlyle Hotel, according to the person briefed on the investigation. The drawing, called "Composition with Mechanical Elements," dates to 1917 and disappeared on June 28.
Lugo also is being charged with stealing a group of five works by the South Korea-born artist Mie Yim, known for her disconcerting images of toy bears and other toy-like creatures, from the Chambers Hotel on June 14, the person said. The hotel had bought the Yim works, together called "Pastel on Board," for $1,800 apiece, the person said.
The San Francisco district attorney's office had said Lugo also was suspected of several other New York art heists. It wasn't immediately clear whether the New York probe was continuing.
The sometime sommelier and kitchen server at upscale Manhattan restaurants also is charged in New Jersey with taking $6,000 worth of wine — in the form of three bottles of Chateau Petrus Pomerol — in April from Gary's Wine and Marketplace in Wayne.
Lugo pleaded guilty in October to grand theft for the San Francisco heist. He finished his sentence Nov. 21 but was being held until he could be transferred to New York.
Copyright Associated Press / NBC New York


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Trial and Advocacy Program
The School offers a rich program of lawyering skills competitions to the curricula. Both first-year and upper-class students are encouraged to refine their lawyering techniques through our various lawyer advocacy competitions. Some of the competitions earn academic credit, and all of the competitions provide excellent training in valuable lawyering skills and professional values. The trial and appellate skills competitions are administered by the Trial and Advocacy Program, and client counseling, negotiation, mediation, and other alternative dispute resolution (ADR) competitions are administered by the ADR Program.


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House Tour Hotties
This year, we have been making a conscious effort to show you not only cool interiors in our House Tours, but also the cool people who inhabit them. And when we share portraits, we've noticed that the comments are not always restricted to the architecture and paint colors. Here are 15 of your favorite pretty faces behind the pretty spaces from 2011.
• 1 John's Memory-Filled Miracle Mile Home
• 2 Caitlin and Levi's Youthful Loft with His and Hers Offices
• 3 Michael & Benjamin's Modern Contemporary Apartment
• 4 Laura's Mid-Century Melrose Place
• 5 Samer's 1930's Streamline Moderne Apartment
• 6 Daniel's Hollywood Boulevard Loft with a View
• 7 Samantha & Lindsey's Bright Beach Cottage
• 8 Alan's Colorful, Daring & Dramatic East Austin Home
• 9 Corina's Hollywood Glamour on a Budget
• 10 Oniela's Cheerful & Sunny Studio
• 11 Nick & RJ's Eclectic Glam Studio City Home
• 12 Carly & Jason's Cozy, Charismatic & Glamorous Home
• 13 Emily Schuman's Modern Rustic Home
• 14 Christopher & Natalie's Touch of Hollywood Regency Loft
• 15 Bradley's Mini Historic Echo Park Home
Images: See linked posts for full image credits


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Is it possible to be a fat vegetarian?
Cows are Vegetarian.. Look how big they get..
If a vegetarian feeds his cats on a vegetarian diet, is this an animal cruelty?
Cats are carnivores; vets never recommend vegetarian diets for cats. Vegetarian diets for cats exist, but they put the animal at risk for heart problems due to lack of taurine, and other conditions...
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Semi-vegetarian, flexitarian, pesco-vegetarian, pollo-vegetarians?
they're desperate for a title.i know that a lot of people are in a situation where it's difficult to give up all meat (for example: kids who say their parents make them eat fish) but they shouldn't...
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Have dinner in non-vegetarian restaurant but eat vegetarian/vegan food only?
of course? a homie gots to eat. If I were to not eat at a place because they also serve meat, people would think im a crazy extremist. I don't have the time to always make my food and there is very...
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If I become a vegetarian will I loose weight (Also information about being a vegetarian)?
Some people lose weight on a vegetarian diet, and others don't. It's about the choices you make for a healthy lifestyle, combined with whether your body likes a vegetarian lifestyle.Many vegetarian...
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By Ben Armbruster on May 22nd, 2009 at 7:00 pm
Liz Cheney Reveals That Fear Of Prosecution Motivates Dad's Media Blitz Defending Torture
Since President Obama released Bush-era Office of Legal Counsel memos detailing the authorization of the Bush administration's torture program, Vice President Cheney has taken to the public airwaves on numerous occasions, not only attacking Obama's security policies but vigorously defending what he perceives (wrongly) as the efficacy of torture. "I'm convinced, absolutely convinced, that we saved thousands, perhaps hundreds of thousands, of lives," Cheney said recently on CBS.
In response, many in the media have asked why Cheney — someone who had avoided the media at all costs during his eight years as vice president — would be airing his opinions in such a forceful and public way. Indeed, Cheney himself has answered this question, claiming he is speaking out because he believes that torture and other Bush administration anti-terror policies — many of which Obama is abandoning — were "exactly the right thing to do" and that "there isn't anybody there on the other side to tell the truth."
In turn, media figures have answered the question in much the same way. "I think he genuinely believes we are threatened now more because of what Obama is doing," MSNBC's Pat Buchanan has said. CNN's David Gergen said, "I think Dick Cheney almost has a Churchillian view of this, and that is somebody has got to stand up and be the voice in the wilderness." But while the narrative of Cheney's motives focuses mainly on the righteous, it has all but ignored the selfish — that Cheney is trying to muddle the public debate with the goal of reducing public support for a criminal inquiry into the torture regime that he authorized.
Last night on CNN, however, Cheney's daughter Liz revealed that fear of prosecution is indeed a motivating factor in the former vice president's current media campaign:
L. CHENEY: I don't think he planned to be doing this, you know, when they left office in January. But I think, as it became clear that President Obama was not only going to be stopping some of these policies, that he was going to be doing things like releasing the — the techniques themselves, so that the terrorists could now train to them, that he was suggesting that perhaps we would even be prosecuting former members of the Bush administration.
Watch it:
Does Liz Cheney also fear that her dad will be prosecuted for his role in the Bush administration's torture program? Perhaps so. As Steve Benen has noted, "Liz Cheney has been all over the television news" as well, with "12 appearances, in nine and a half days, spanning four networks."
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CLARKSVILLE, Tenn.-The Lipscomb Bisons men's golf team, paced by a final round 69 from Ryan Terry, finished second Tuesday in the F&M Bank APSU Intercollegiate.
It marks the third time in a row this fall that the Bisons have finished in the top three as a team. They finished three over par for the three rounds at The Links at Novadell in Hopkinsville, Ky. Host Austin Peay won the tournament with a four-under par finish.
"We are pleased," coach Will Brewer said. "We had three very consistent rounds. We are just trying to continue to build confidence and continue to believe.
"We are not satisfied though. We are still improvements we can make and we are committed to making those. There will be a lot of redundant practice, but it will pay off if we continue to do that."
There were 14 teams in the field, including a number of Ohio Valley Conference teams.
"I was pleased with everyone on the team," Brewer said. "You can always ask what if. We missed by seven shots and I am sure we could have made up seven shots as a team over 54 holes.
"I would say this is the strongest field we have played in this fall. I think Austin Peay is ranked in the top 100. We beat a bunch of teams that should help us move up in the rankings."
Terry shot a combined 211 for the tournament including back-to-back rounds of 71 on Monday. He finished tied for fifth.
"Ryan had a really good tournament," Brewer said. "I am proud of him."
Blanton Farmer and Alex Cox tied for 17th with combined scores of 220. Farmer shot 72, 70 and 78 while Cox fired a 75, 72 and 73.
"Blanton didn't have his best day today," Brewer said. "But that may be the only round all fall that he hasn't played well. That happens from time-to-time.
"Alex came back strong today. I was real pleased with what he did." Dustin started poorly and came back fairly well."
Rounding out the scoring for the Bisons were Dustin Wilder tied for 47th with a 228 (71, 82, 75) and Nathan Mueting tied for 57th with a 230 (82, 76, 72).
"Dustin started poorly and came back fairly well," Brewer said. "This was Nathan's first tournament as part of the team. He played well in the final round."
The Bisons will close out the fall season, their first under Brewer's direction, Nov. 5-6 at the Hatter Classic hosted by Stetson in DeLand, Fla.
Written by Mark McGee, Senior Publisher/Director of Media Relations.


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As America's nutrition leader, Zonya Foco is a master of inspiration, motivation and visual humor providing hard-facts information and simple solutions that help everyday people improve health, create balance and maximize energy. She is the only Registered Dietitian (RD) and Certified Health and Fitness Instructor (CHFI) in the country to have earned the prestigious Certified Speaking Professional (CSP) designation. In addition to hosting the weekly series "Zonya's Health Bites" and two-hour special "DIET FREE with Zonya" on national public television, she is the author of Lickety-Split Meals and Lickety-Split Diabetic Meals cookbooks, co-author of the DIET FREE novel, Water with Lemon and author of the DIET FREE Video Seminar Lifestyle Program. Zonya has also been a guest presenter for "Oprah & Bob's Best Life Challenge" and has partnered with Health Alliance Plan (HAP) of Michigan since 2004 to develop and present its award-winning Weight Wise member programs.
Zonya Foco | Courtesy of Zonya Foco


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RS has some nice big high res shots
Anyway, are these expected for Christmas, like so many other change over cards? Or will actually come out in Januaury?
Quote from: Dressel Rebel on September 25, 2006, 04:41 PMRS has some nice big high res shots. . .which are the same exact shots the other sites have.
I suppose I need the new Mace. Although if the one in the Windu Squadron battle pack doesn't suck too bad, maybe I can pass on the SA.
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"Because I completed my progress report, my professors now know my name. They told me that it shows to them that I care about my education" - MESA CreatorInteraction with faculty is necessary for student success: it helps you to build an important relationship with your professors that will help you to be more successful in your classes. Remember, it is your professors who give you a final grade in your classes, they can write letters of recommendation for you, and they can be your mentors!
The MESA Program requires student progress reports every 4 weeks.
Each progress report has 2 sides. The front side is completed by your professors, where they rate your progress (Above Average, Average, Below Average), indicate if tutoring is needed, and provide any comments. The back side is completed by each MESA Creator, where you check off the Foundation for Learning resources that you use to improve your learning, and evaluate your effort as a Creator or Victim during the reporting period.4-week Report (PDF)8-week Report (PDF)12-week Report (PDF)
Learn more about the "Benefits of Progress Reports" in the following video, featuring MESA Creator Rogelio Estrada!Do you build relationships with your professors? Do you keep track of your progress in classes?
Did you know? Many students don't speak with their professors and do not know their true progress in classes! Don't let this happen to you.
The MESA "culture of success" provides MESA Creators with many powerful tools for success. However, all MESA Creators must accept responsibility to learn the use of the tools and take action to use them. A list of 14 resources and tools in the MESA Foundation for Learning is included in each progress report. Based on student progress reports, here are the most important "resources and tools":
MESA Law #3 challenges MESA Creators to "work smarter, not harder"! Be aware of these lessons learned, and use this knowledge to increase your success. That's what MESA Creators do!
MESA Program - for current students
MESA Legacy - for transfer students


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I'm so happy for you!! And you are right, Lisa & June are wonderful people!
That picture is sooo funny, all I can see are dog eyes!
GreddyGirl wrote::highfive:
Way to go, we've all got alot to be proud of. We've come along way since the first class! Can't wait to continue training!
Your post made me tear up Glad to have helped!
E T A: Im going to try and make it to the bowl a thon on Saturday. Ive got to try and book off some of the day at work!
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Moyers & Company "The Resurrection of Ralph Reed" While Romney, Ryan, Christie, and Rubio get the lion's share of attention during the Republican Convention this week, three one-time college Republicans who are now the party's real power-brokers -- Karl Rove, Ralph Reed, and Grover Norquist -- are busy doing what they do best: leveraging their political, religious, and financial resources to back pro-corporate, anti-government objectives at the core of the conservative agenda. The true surprise at the Tampa convention is Ralph Reed's resurrection. When the former head of the Christian Coalition was discovered to have raked in millions of dollars from the super lobbyist -- and eventually convicted felon -- Jack Abramoff, Reed wound up in political purgatory. D
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Need to Know "Habitat Havoc" JEFF GREENFIELD ANCHORS. Anchor Jeff Greenfield looks ahead to next week's Democratic national convention in Charlotte. He reports from Ohio on the Democrats' efforts there to win the white working class vote -- a group considered key to carrying the state and winning the election. D


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Call Of Duty: Black Ops [Video Game Trailer]
Release Date: Nov 9, 2010
Platforms: PC, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, TBA
Courtesy of Andrew
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Bring a Blanket! 10 Dishes for a Picnic Lunch
The weather on Friday and over the weekend looks to be sunny and warm — anyone in the mood for a picnic?! We're definitely planning on pulling out our old picnic blanket and heading to the nearest patch of green for a lazy afternoon. And of course, we'll need some lunch to sustain all that relaxing!
Picnic-Worthy Recipes from The Kitchn:
• Farmer's Lunch Sandwich
• Cold Peanut Sesame Noodles
• Golden Beet and Barley Salad with Rainbow Chard
• Smoky Deviled Eggs with Greek Yogurt
• Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies
And from around the webs:
• Sweet Tea Fried Chicken from The Splendid Table
• Chickpea Salad with Lemon and Parmesan from Orangette
• Coleslaw with Caraway and Raisins from Real Simple
• Rye Walnut Rolls from Epicurious
• Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies from Martha Stewart
What are your favorite picnic dishes?
Related: Escapes: A Drink in the Park
(Image: Flickr member langalex licensed under Creative Commons. For other photo credits, follow the recipe links)


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Known as the voice behind the heavy metal band Disturbed for the better part of 16 years, vocalist David Draiman says he can't wait to showcase his new band, Device, at Club LA April 16.
"It's really all on my shoulders, so there is a tremendous responsibility and a tremendous pressure," he said. "The magnifying glass is now on me, whether I like it or not. I won't lie to you, I'm nervous as hell."
Ahead of the show, Draiman spoke to The Log about his new band, what it's like having a new record and his passion for music. When Device hits the stage next week, it will only be the band�s second live concert.
Formed in 2012, Device is the vision of Draiman on vocals, former Filter guitarist Geno Lenardo, Evanescence drummer Will Hunt and Dope guitarist Virus. At the core of it, Draiman said his new band has a much heavier infusion of "electronica" than fans of Disturbed would be accustomed to.
"There are many more ambient and etheral turns that are taken musically," he said. "I definitely go to different finalities and vocal approaches."
"It's different, but it's still my voice," Draiman said with a chuckle.
Device's debut album was released Tuesday and includes a roll call of some of rocks heavy hitters, such as M. Shadows from Avenged Sevenfold, Lzzy Hale from Halestorm and Glenn Hughes from Deep Purple and Black Sabbath. Draiman and Hale team up for a cover of Ozzy Osbourne and Lita Ford�s "Close My Eyes Forever."
Despite his new band, Draiman told The Log there are still pieces of Disturbed in Device, especially on the single "Vilify," which was pushed to radio first.
"It has that aggressive, rapid-fire sort of cadence that I'm very comfortable in delivering, and has been a signature of my style even before Disturbed," he said. "We wanted to ease people into it, and we wanted to give them something that's a little familiar, but with a bit of new freshness."
As for the April 16 show, Draiman said concertgoers can expect a show that blows them away, and leaves them wanting more.
"It's intensity, power, projection and deliverance," he said. "These shows are going to be very action-packed and powerful; these songs do that and this material does that."
"They are going to be taken on a musical journey and I'm going to pull them kicking and screaming," he added.
Having been in the music industry for two decades, Draiman said he still has the same passion and fire that burns inside of him that he had when he formed his first band while in high school.
He said there is absolutely no replacement for music and what "has to be the most intoxicating sensation in all of creation," adding that the song "Haze" is all about "my favorite addiction" � playing live.
"There is nothing that I've tasted in this life � and I've had the opportunity to taste many vices and many pleasures � that compares to that feeling," Draiman told The Log. "I'm insatiable when it comes to that."
Tickets to the April 16 Device show at Club LA are available at www.rockdestin.com for $22.50. Club LA is located at 34876 Emerald Coast Parkway, next to Hurricane Lanes, and can be reached at 850-654-5251. Opening acts for the Tuesday night show are Nonpoint and Gemini Syndrome.
With the show just days away, Draiman said he is looking forward to coming to Destin to show Disturbed fans and new fans what Device is all about.
"Who really has the chance to live this experience twice," he said. "To be a new band again, to grow again and to build something over again, and to have that buzz and excitement. To be the band that everybody's curious about, that's a delicious feeling and I'm relishing it."