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Wednesday, December 14, 2005
Panda Bars
Name: Panda Bars: Licorice, Raspberry & Strawberry
I bought these at a natural food store. I think the reason people interested in they kinds of food they eat like these is that they have no refined sugar in them. The ingredients list is pretty short (with some variation based on the flavor): molasses, wheat
flour, licorice extract, natural flavor (aniseed oil). Pretty simple. The interesting part is that these are Finnish. Just like the Lemon Lakritsi only without the racially insensitive packaging. Who could be offended by Panda bears? Actually, I've passed over these bars for years because I had them confused with Australian licorice I bought in bulk. I mean really, who expects a Panda on a product from Finland of all places? (Okay and I guess it wouldn't belong on an Australian product either, that should have a Koala or Kangaroo on it.)
The bars are rather simple. A bit thick rope of not quite soft candy.
Licorice: Nice and glossy/dark on the outside. It has a good smokey, woodsy smell that gives off a lot of anise scent. The bit itself is pretty soft and the molasses flavors are pretty evident. Molasses has always been a good base for spicy flavors and licorice is a natural to combine with it as it offsets the very sweet aftertaste true licorice has.
Raspberry: Fragrant without being too perfumy this raspberry bar doesn't really have much berry flavor to me. The chew isn't as molassesy, not as woodsy tasting. It's tart and of course has a nice robust chew but the flavor doesn't really match the texture and I wanted more berry in there.
Strawberry: Sweet smelling with an immediate tart bite to it, it definitely feels more like a berry bar. No woodsy hints from the molasses here either.
The licorice bar has to be my new favorite. Easy to bite, mellow and with a strong pop of flavor. It's a bit pricey for licorice and I'll probably stick with licorice pastels now and in the future, but if I'm in the store and need a little sweet fix, this might do the trick.
Rating - 8 out of 10
POSTED BY Cybele AT 1:51 pm All Natural • Candy • Review • Panda • Licorice Candy • 8-Tasty • Finland •
Next entry: Hachez Chocolates
Previous entry: Manischewitz Frolic Bears
Meticulously photographed and documented reviews of candy from around the world. And the occasional other sweet adventures. Open your mouth, expand your mind.


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Jenyphur needed a new logo design and created a contest on 99designs.
A winner was selected from 94 designs submitted by 33 freelance designers.
This logo will be worn by approx 300 kids for our newly formed Arizona Heat ice hockey team. We need YOUR help in creating a cool logo.
AZ Heat Hockey
We want to stay with a simple A or AZ very similar to:
Atlanta Flames Logo
This is what we have now for a TEMPORARY logo
We had someone do it and we aren't that thrilled with it..to me it looks like an A riding a mustache with a lobster claw. But you can get the idea of what we are going after.
Here are the jersey samples with the temporary logo:
- A or AZ as the main component
- Would like to incorporate flames, fire or heat in some way
- Would be nice to incorporate hockey sticks or something to show that it's a hockey team, but it's not necessary if it doesn't work
- Colors are: Purple #4f2170, Dark Red: #C72538 and a touch of gold: #FFCE12
- Must be bold and simple
- Must be original design and not infringe on any copyright or trademark designs.
Find out how a design contest works or learn more about our logo design services.

subset: commoncrawl


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Puretexanchili.com is a 3 years old domain, situated in United States of America. The domain is linked to the IP address 126.96.36.199 which is provided by the hosting company PacketExchange, Inc.
Registration details show that it was registered on 07 Jan 2016 through tucows domains inc. and will expire on 07 Jan 2017.
The site returns a status code of 200. The site is being served through Apache.
Domain Name: PURETEXANCHILI.COM Registrar: TUCOWS DOMAINS INC. Sponsoring Registrar IANA ID: 69 Whois Server: whois.tucows.com Referral URL: Name Server: NS1.SYSTEMDNS.COM Name Server: NS2.SYSTEMDNS.COM Name Server: NS3.SYSTEMDNS.COM Status: clientTransferProhibited Status: clientUpdateProhibited Updated Date: 07-jan-2016 Creation Date: 07-jan-2016 Expiration Date: 07-jan-2017


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What standards exist for developing and purchasing accessible telecommunications products?
"Section 255 of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended by the Telecommunications Act of 1996, require[s] manufacturers of telecommunications equipment and providers of telecommunications services to ensure that such equipment and services are accessible to and usable by persons with disabilities, if readily achievable. These amendments ensure that people with disabilities will have access to a broad range of products and services such as telephones, cell phones, pagers, call-waiting, and operator services that were often inaccessible to many users with disabilities" (source: U.S. Department of Justice in A Guide to Disability Rights Laws). Additional information about these requirements is available on the FCC Disabilities Issues home page.
Other pertinent legislation is Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended in 1998. Section 508 requires accessibility of electronic and information technology (E&IT) that is developed, maintained, procured, or used by the federal government. The Access Board developed standards in response to Section 508, which were published into the Federal Register in December 2000. The Access Board standards specifically define accessibility for several categories of E&IT, including telecommunications products. Full detail on these standards, including explanations and examples, is available in the Telecommunication Products section of the Access Board's Guide to the Standards.
Section 255 and Section 508 standards are similar and thus promote cooperation between those who develop and those who purchase telecommunications products.


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Associate Professor at the School of Journalism, Ryerson University: Paul joined the School of Journalism in 2005 after more than 30 years in daily journalism. He was chair of the school until 2010. At The Globe and Mail he was Latin America correspondent, world affairs columnist and foreign editor, among other positions. He was a commentator in English and Spanish for Radio Canada International, and in 2000 received the Maria Moors Cabot prize from Columbia University for his reporting on the Americas. He is a member of Canadian Journalists for Free Expression. At Ryerson he teaches reporting, feature writing and the history of news.
Canadian journalist of Arab descent who has covered the Middle East since 1992. In April 2010, he left Al Jazeera's English-language website, where he worked as a senior editor since 2004. In September 2010, he joined the American University of Cairo as an associate professor of practice at the Journalism and Mass Communication department.
was until recently editor-in-chief and publisher of Canada China News (CCN) newspaper, winner of the 2006 Best Ethnic Media in Canada award. She is also past vice-president of and currently advisor to the Federation of Ottawa Chinese Community Organizations (FOCCO), the largest Chinese community organization representing 39 Chinese groups in Ottawa. Renren Bai was given the Business Award in 2012 by Immigrant Women Services Ottawa.
April Lindgren is an associate professor at Ryerson University's School of Journalism, and director of the Ryerson Journalism Research Centre. Before joining the School of Journalism faculty in 2007, Professor Lindgren worked for more than 25 years as a political correspondent and editorial writer in Ottawa and Toronto.
Her research, funded by both SSHRC and CERIS-The Ontario Metropolis Centre, explores the role of ethnic media and local news in cities. Professor Lindgren was the 2005-2006 St. Clair Balfour Journalism fellow at the University of Toronto. She has degrees from Carleton University and the Graduate School of International Studies in Geneva, Switzerland.
Professor of Politics and International Studies at Bishop's University, where he has been since 2003 after his move from Norway. He is educated at the University of Oslo and Queen's University of Belfast (Ph.D. University of Oslo, 2002). His research and teaching interests lie in the fields of Comparative Politics and Comparative Public Policy, with a focus on European and Scandinavian Politics (often with links to Canadian politics). His most recent research project examines the international relevance of the Canadian immigration and integration policy model in the reform debate and process in Denmark, Norway and Sweden during the 2000s (funded through a SSHRC Insight Development Grant in 2012). His latest book tells the story of how Jean Monnet's ('Father of the European Union') encounters with Canada and Canadians between 1907 and 1914 played a vital role, both as inspiration and as enduring reference point, in his project of uniting Europe: Ugland, T. (2011): Jean Monnet and Canada: Early Travels and the Idea of European Unity. Toronto: University of Toronto Press.
Jagdeesh Mann is the Executive Editor of The Asian Pacific, South Asian, and Filipino Post weeklies. He won a Jack Webster Award for Best Community Reporting in 2003 and was part of the team that won a 2nd Webster for the same category in 2008. You can reach him via twitter (@jagdeeshmann) or by email at firstname.lastname@example.com.
Gail currently serves as a Board member and Secretary for the Canadian Immigration Historical Society. Formerly, she was a writer/editor for the Immigration and Refugee Board and Citizenship and Immigration Canada, producing documentation on human and civil rights, culture, religion, and political issues in the countries of origin of Convention refugee claimants. She has lived in Kuala Lumpur, Bonn, Berlin, Moscow, Barbados and Prague as a foreign service spouse.
Amira Elghawaby obtained a degree in Journalism and Law from Carleton University in 2001. Since then, she has worked as both a full-time and freelance journalist and editor, writing and producing stories for a variety of media including the Globe and Mail, the Toronto Star, CBC-Radio, Rabble and the Middle East Times. Along with reporting and producing general news stories, Amira frequently produces radio segments and programming that offer insights into the issues facing diverse communities across Canada.
In addition to History, Amira will help improve our multimedia content.
Connect with her: @AmiraElghawaby / email@example.com
is a Toronto-based print and online journalist with a newcomer's keen interest in all things Canadian. An active member of the New Canadian Media Professionals association, he has more than 20 years of experience with leading mainstream international news organizations. He was with Al Jazeera for nine years till 2012 and played a pivotal role in the launch and evolution of its award-winning English language website. He also helped launch TechMail, a technology newspaper, and Eduquity Career Technologies, a web-enabled education and career assessment company.
Connect with him: @ranjit17 / email@example.com
A native of Toronto's Scarborough community, Priya is an experienced journalist and editor with a passion for mentoring young people and thinking critically about matters of social justice. She is the co-founder and editor-in-chief of Urbanology Magazine, a part-time instructor at the Humber College J-School and coordinator of Scarborough's Say Word youth journalism program. Aside from in a regular column, "Research Watch", on New Canadian Media, her writing has appeared in The Toronto Star, Post City Magazines, Today's Bride, The Scarborough Mirror, Canadian Immigrant, and more. In spring 2015, she looks forward to launching her personal website, www.SincerelyPriya.com.
Connect with her: @SincerelyPriya / email@example.com
Brian, a resident of Calgary for over 20 years, has contributed to a variety of media outlets - Fairchild Media Group, CBC Radio Calgary, OMNI Television as a journalist, sports writer, columnist, community liaison and independent producer. He has covered major events such as the Queen's visit, the Calgary Stampede Centennial, elections of all three levels of governments etc. Brian has co-produced special news series for OMNI Television on the Future of Ethnic Media, the Calgary Chinatown Centennial and a weekly show Culture Avenue.
Connect with him: @wongwaichung
Vicky Tobianah is an experienced writer, editor, and content strategist. She has a Bachelor of Arts, Honours from McGill University in Political Science and English Literature. She is passionate about the future of digital media.
Connect with her on Twitter @vicktob or check out her work at www.vickytobianah.com
Catherine Murray is a Professor in the School of Communication at Simon Fraser University. She has researched and written on BC ethnic media, self-regulation, and the politics of cultural diversity in Canada. Dr. Murray has also served as a peer juror on the Canadian Broadcast Standards Council and chaired the Ombudspanel for the CBC during the 2004 Federal election. She is currently researching cultural work and cultural policy in Canada, with a special focus on cultural production.
-- Canada's economic development minister Navdeep Bains at a Public Policy Forum economic summit


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Four decades after recording his emblematic song "Peace Train," Yusuf Islam (also known as Cat Stevens) released "My People," a free download available on www.yusuf.ae and digital platforms worldwide.
The just-released single 'My People' also includes a unique chorus quilted together from the hundreds of voices sent in from across the globe by fans who participated through an open invitation on the artist's Facebook page.
Stevens, who initially stopped performing after his conversion to Islam in the late 1970s, in recent years has taken to the stage once more performing new songs inspired by his faith along with his greatest hits from the 1960s-70s. He's touring Europe this summer, and a video for 'My People' will soon be released.
Though Yusuf Islam has found himself occasionally embroiled in controversy over the years stemming from comments he's made in regards to his faith, he has always clearly defined himself as a man of peace.
Immediately following the 9/11 attacks almost ten years ago, he stated: "I wish to express my heartfelt horror at the indiscriminate terrorist attacks committed against innocent people of the United States yesterday. While it is still not clear who carried out the attack, it must be stated that no right-thinking follower of Islam could possibly condone such an action. The Qur'an equates the murder of one innocent person with the murder of the whole of humanity. We pray for the families of all those who lost their lives in this unthinkable act of violence as well as all those injured; I hope to reflect the feelings of all Muslims and people around the world whose sympathies go out to the victims of this sorrowful moment."
In a recent conversation I had with him, Yusuf discussed his newest creative effort, and also reflected on his career and faith. Good natured, funny and self-effacing, he's fully comfortable once more with the "Cat Stevens" career that continues to touch millions of people around the world.
Here is the piece I wrote about it.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G0KbtPoVHD4
- Related Topics
- Interviews


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A smooth countdown culminates in an on-time liftoff as the Space Shuttle Columbia climbs skyward atop a column of flame. The launch from Pad 39B occurred at 3:18:00 P.M. EST, February 22, 1996. Aboard for Mission STS-75 is an international crew headed by Mission Commander Andrew M. Allen; Scott J. "Doc" Horowitz is pilot; Franklin R. Chang-Diaz is payload commander. Serving as mission specialists are Jeffrey A. Hoffman, Maurizio Cheli and Claude Nicollier. Cheli, from Italy, and Nicollier, from Switzerland, both represent the European Space Agency (ESA). Assigned as payload specialist is Italian Umberto Guidoni, who represents the Italian Space Agency (ASI). During a mission scheduled to last nearly 14 days the flightg crew will be working with two primary parylods: the U.S./Italian Tethered Satellite System (TSS-1R), which is being re-flown, and the U.S. Microgravity Payload (USMP-3), making its third spaceflight. Mission STS-75 marks the second Shuttle flight of 1996 and the 75th Shuttle launch overall. (Photo Release Date: 2/22/1996 )
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If a recognizable person appears in this photograph, use for commercial purposes may infringe a right of privacy or publicity. It may not be used to state or imply the endorsement by NASA of a commercial product. These photographs are available for preview and download in electronic digital form ONLY. They may not be ordered from NASA in photograph form. (See NASA Copyright Notice)


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Dejan Dusan Popovic
Born: March 1, 1897
Surcin, Yugoslavia
Dejan was one of nine children born to well-to-do Serbian Orthodox parents in a town in the Croatian part of Yugoslavia. In 1916 he was drafted into the Austro-Hungarian army, but he deserted and joined the Serbian army. Dejan graduated from medical school in 1923 and opened a practice in Belgrade. In 1926 he married a wealthy Serb woman from Jasenovac. The couple had no children.
1933-39: Dejan had a successful obstetrics-gynecology practice in Belgrade. He and his wife were prosperous and had an active social life. Dejan traveled frequently, often to Paris and Switzerland. He loved trout fishing and his favorite streams were in the rugged highlands of Bosnia. When war broke out in Europe in September 1939, Yugoslavia declared itself neutral.
1940-42: Ten days after Yugoslavia's pro-German leaders were overthrown by Serbian army officers, German planes bombed Belgrade. On April 6, 1941, Germany invaded Yugoslavia. Dejan fled to the remote Bosnian region of Govza, familiar to him from his fishing trips. He sought safety with the Muslim inhabitants, but was turned over to a unit of the thirteenth Waffen SS "Handschar" Division composed predominantly of Muslim Yugoslavs. Dejan's legs and hands were broken, his eyes gouged, and he was skinned alive.
On August 2, 1943, Dejan, barely alive, was hanged in Govza by Muslim soldiers from the SS "Handschar" division. Dejan was 46 years old.


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Meet the Regulars: Kenie (and C)
Kenie and Catherine Richards, who began their love affair at Irving Farm.
We recently learned of an Irving Farm love story from Kenie Richards, who is a regular at our 79th Street cafe and soon relocating to Seattle. We're sad to see her go but we firmly believe, "Once a regular, always a regular." Next time you visit one of our cafes, take a moment to look around and consider that couple chatting in the corner, or those ladies out front standing and crying over their bikes. Something extraordinary could be taking place. Good things happen over coffee...
Occupation: Director, Content Marketing at Teach For America
Hometown: New Port Richey, FL
Other places you think you could live: Seattle—at least I hope I can live there. We're moving on September 8!
Name of spouse: Catherine Richards —I like to call her C.
Names/breed of "kids": We have two handsome men in our life—our sons, Sir Estherhouse and Kevin Bacon. (Both Boston Terriers. Both dapper in bow ties.)
Favorite/standard drink at Irving Farm: My go-to drink is a simple cup of black coffee—but a drink I like to treat myself to once in a while is a soy latte, either iced or hot (depending on the season).
Item you have to resist (or treat yourself to) at Irving Farm: Biscuits!
Do you brew at home? If so, what device/method do you use? I'm typically a French Press girl, but I'm considering a Kalita Wave Dripper for Sunday mornings. There's something fun about pour-overs (or maybe that's just pop coffee culture getting to me).
Favorite non-coffee beverage: Seltzer. (Fun fact: C's vows included the line, "I promise to always bring you coffee in the morning and seltzer in the evening.")
What did you do on your first date? We met at Irving Farm on 79th Street for coffee after work—a dinner date would have been too much too soon, but coffee was just right. We hit it off almost immediately, even though I asked C if she was into zombies after she told me that she was wrapping up her PhD in Epidemiology at the time. Her answer was a quick "No," followed by an awkward silence, in which I was convinced I had blown it.
Tell us your engagement story: C and I are both really into bikes. Because of this, I really wanted to somehow include a bike ride in the proposal, but I also needed to get C to Irving Farm in a way that wasn't obvious. (We had already asked permission from both sets of our parents to marry each other, so she knew it was coming.) I arranged a dinner with some friends on the UWS, and of course we biked there. On the way home, I steered us past Irving Farm on 79th, then slowed way down. I let C pass me and then called to her saying I had a flat tire. She rode up, looked at me and then at my tires, and realized there wasn't a flat after all. Once she looked up and saw where we were, she blurted out, "Holy shit, this is happening right now isn't it!?" I answered yes, started to cry, and pulled out a list of 33 reasons why we were perfect for each other from my pocket. (I had given her a similar list to explain why I loved her earlier in our relationship, and 33 is C's favorite number.) After we got through the list, I pulled the ring out of my other pocket and asked her if she'd marry me. She said yes and we stood there taking pictures, crying, kissing, and hugging—all while standing over our bikes and wearing helmets. A stranger on the street had seen the whole thing and congratulated us, and it was easily the happiest moment of my life up until the day we got married.
Wedding date/location: We got married on May 24, 2014, at a friend's weekend house in New Paltz, NY. When we first saw the house we couldn't believe the view—fields, mountains, and the tower at Mohonk. We fell in love with it and the town of New Paltz, and began spending most weekends there through the winter and spring. Our friends rarely used the house anymore, and we traded house and yard work for weekends upstate.
Tell us about the food: The food was really important to us—we wanted fresh, local food, but also variety and comfort offerings so that everyone had something good to eat no matter their preferences or palate. We ended up with the perfect caterers (Main Course based in New Paltz) who gave us a harvest table full of Hudson Valley cheeses, fruits and veggies, delicious hors d'oeuvres, and stations of food for the main dinner—comfort foods kicked up a notch (grilled cheeses and sliders made in front of you, truffle mac and cheese) and a taco station with fish, chicken, and tofu (also prepared and grilled in front of you). That was all rounded out with a salad table featuring fresh green salads, but also quinoa, beans, etc. For dessert, we did have a wedding cake and cookies, but also invited everyone around a bonfire where we all made s'mores. It was perfect. To this day, our guests tell us it was the best food they'd ever eaten at a wedding. Mission accomplished!
Photo by Prisca Edwards
Side note: Our wedding favors were bags of coffee—displayed next to a sign that read "Good things happen over coffee". We also took inspiration from the Irving Farm brand for our wedding colors—we went with white and black for most everything, tossing in a pale yellow and purple (our favorite colors) here and there. I'm detail-oriented like crazy, so I really wanted the coffee that started it all front and center, even if C and I were the only two that knew the significance!
Favorite memory from the honeymoon: We spent two weeks in the Pacific Northwest for our honeymoon with a last stop in Seattle. I had never been there but was pretty blown away by the city almost immediately. It's gorgeous! On our second day there, Catherine actually interviewed for a job, and when she came back a few hours later I knew the look on her face said that it went well and that she was excited. I asked her, "Are we moving to Seattle?" and she smiled and I knew.
Personality traits necessary for marriage: Courage and patience. There is a James Baldwin quote that comes to mind—"Love takes off masks that we fear we cannot live without and know we cannot live within." So, you've got to be willing to go all in, or you'll never be happy. And the patience part is all about being completely willing to give up selfish habits, and to realize that not everything is on your timing any longer. It's about staying calm in tough situations even if they lay outside of your comfort zone.
Personal heroes when it comes to successful/inspiring relationships: Edie and Thea come to mind—their story and persistence is inspiring.
Life philosophy in one sentence: Can I borrow a Steve Martin Quote? "Be so good they can't ignore you." I don't borrow this in an arrogant way—rather, I keep it close as a reminder to keep at it (whatever it is), to be persistent, to always keep going. You can't give up too easily or be swayed by the inevitable roadblocks in life. A line I might add—if you are that good, and you do gain attention, you've got to do something good with that attention. Invest it in making a difference.
Love philosophy in one sentence: Be brave. I say this here because that's what it takes, I think. You've got to be brave to be your best for that other person, you've got to be brave to keep trying new things together, and you have to be brave every day to love them fully even when it scares you.
Thanks, Kenie! Best of luck to you and Catherine in Seattle; we'll miss you!


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The death of John Updike at the age of 76 represents an irreplaceable loss to American letters. Indeed, Updike was an old fashioned man of letters. An accomplished novelist, gifted short story writer, occasional poet and superb critic, his death leaves a void in American literature.
His gifts may have emerged most vividly in his short stories. He certainly wrote quite a few great ones. His stories about the Maples (first collected in 1980 in Too Far to Go), for example, represent only a small part of his work in the form, but they can stand as representative of his accomplishment. In those stories he explored marriage and divorce with a kind of depth and intimacy that one would have thought impossible in a short story.
Updike also wrote enough stories to fill three small volumes about Henry Bech, his fictional Jewish alter ego. Despite the fact that it was Updike's gift with the language for which he was usually either praised or damned, in the Bech stories Updike wrote in a comic or satiric mode that displayed several other facets of his genius.
When Bech wins the Nobel Prize for Literature in the story "Bech and the Bounty of Sweden," Updike posits the headline reporting the news in the New York Daily News: "BECH? WHODAT???" The thought was at the same time self-deprecating and self-aggrandiizing. Updike was foremost among those who deserved the Nobel Prize for Literature in the past 25 years and failed to receive it.
In "Bech in Czech," Bech is sent to Czechoslovakia on a cultural exchange program through the United States government in 1986, while the country is still Communist. Bech attends a party of dissident writers, one of whom had been jailed. Bech reflects:
Jail! One of the guests at the party had spent nearly ten years in prison. He was dapper, like the cafe habitues in George Grosz drawings, with a scarred, small face and shining black eyes. He spoke so softly Bech could hardly hear him, though he bent his ear close. The man's hands twisted under Bech's eyes, as if in the throes of torture. Bech noticed that the fingers had in fact bent, broken. How would he, the American author asked himself, stand up to having his fingernails pulled? He could think of nothing he had ever written that he would not eagerly recant.
That paragraph, buried in the middle of the story, was the product of a deeply humane sensibility. I can't think of another man of letters who could have written it in the course of a story devoted to the ghosts of recent history.
When Updike's stories through 1975 were collected a few years ago, Cynthia Ozick reviewed the book in "'The Early Stories': Prodigious Updike." In her conclusion Ozick called on an earlier Bech story to pay tribute to Updike in terms that were both familiar and warranted:
Updike is assuredly rich in language (its dazzle is tempered by colloquial rushes of dialogue), and if his fictive world is poor in the sorrows of history, if the only conflagrations his characters must witness are picnic fires, it is no wonder, and mainly a pleasure, that he turns to the elaborations of imagery. Henry Bech, Updike's alter ego in "The Bulgarian Poetess," remarks to an enchanting woman fettered by Communism — the closest this collection comes to a tyrannical age — "It is a matter of earnest regret for me that you and I must live on opposite sides of the world." In light of the imperial craft of Updike's ambitious 20's and 30's, it must be, rather, a matter of felicitous relief. The America of these early stories may be the mostly untrammeled land we remember; but language in all its fecundity is Updike's native country, and he is its patriot.
UPDATE: The novelist Thomas Mallon adds a personal note and observes that "[t]he Rabbit books, taken together, are the great American novel of the second half of the twentieth century."
JOHN adds: With some trepidation, a political angle: the Associated Press begins its commemoration of Updike's career with this sentence:
John Updike, the Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist, prolific man of letters and erudite chronicler of sex, divorce and other adventures in the postwar prime of the American empire, died Tuesday at age 76.
"American empire"? Huh? They're talking about the 1950s and 1960s, I guess; what the heck was the "empire"? Updike was, for the most part, the least political of writers, so this can only be the random irruption of political opinion by the AP's literature reporter, Hillel Italie. Another small sign of the irreversible decline of the Associated Press, in my view.
To comment on this post, go here.


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The Rate: Euro 99,00 per person.
You will share the boat with a maximum of 12 guests. Special rates for families and groups. We welcome individuals, couples, families and groups - everyone! Drinks and towels ARE included in the rate. There is ample shade cover at the rear and plenty of room for taking sun at the front of our private boat.
Please Note: There are separate admission fees to enter the Emerald Grotto on the Amalfi Coast and the Blue Grotto in Capri. Why? The Emerald Grotto and Blue Grotto are Government-run entities and all visitors must pay at each entrance for the row-boat services. The entrance fees for the Emerald Grotto is Euro 5.00 and includes row-boat tour. For the Blue Grotto it is Euro 10.50 and includes row-boat tour. Entrance to the grottos are of course optional and always subject to favourable weather conditions. However, all of the other grottos we visit, including the White and Green Grottos of Capri and Pandora's Grotto in Maiori, we do so with our own boat and they're FREE!
How do you visit the two grottos? For the EMERALD GROTTO, you will disembark our boat onto a pier, enter the cave by foot and hop aboard a small row boat for the grotto mini-tour. For the BLUE GROTTO, you will disembark our boat directly onto a row boat, which will be rowed inside of the grotto.
* You can also charter a private yacht for a full day excursion (8-9 hours at your disposal) and you can decide where to stop and how much time you would like to spend at the sea-side villages. Our qualified crew members will suggest the most enticing points where we may drop the anchor, so you can enjoy an unforgettable swim followed by time spent soaking up the beauty that surrounds you while sipping your favorite drink.
|Map Legend
|Amalfi Coast to Capri Boat Tours
|18 miles


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After six years of litigation, a Palm Beach County judge ruled in favor of the insurance company, saying it did not have pay Judy Rodrigo for damages, New Times Broward Palm Beach reports.
In 2008, an elderly woman died of natural causes in an apartment above Rodrigo's home. No one knew she had died, so the corpse began to decompose until it ruptured and spilled its bodily juices into Rodrigo's home.
In her lawsuit, Rodrigo attempted to get State Farm to pay for the damages through her personal property damage coverage. The insurance company denied her request, arguing her policy didn't cover exploding corpses.
The judge sided with State Farm, disagreeing with Rodrigo's choice of language in her argument, according to court documents.
"The plain meaning of the term 'explosion' does not include a decomposing body's cells explosively expanding, causing leakage of bodily fluids," the judge said. "In short, although novel in her attempt to do so, the insured could not establish that the decomposing body was tantamount to an explosion."


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Two stories I meant to highlight earlier, but they're still good to read:
— Searching for fund-raising ideas? GoodSearch is just a click away, from The Compass in the Diocese of Green Bay, Wis., describes an Internet search engine that donates part of its profits to non-profit organizations, including several participating parishes and schools in the Green Bay Diocese.
— Catholics take Eucharist to Redmond streets, from the Catholic Sentinel, which serves the Archdiocese of Portland, Ore., and the Diocese of Baker, Ore., describes a eucharistic procession in a small Oregon town where there are not many Catholics and how the townspeople reacted.


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USDA's and the U.S. Department of Justice's first-ever joint public workshop on competition and regulatory issues in the agriculture industry appears to have struck a nerve.
The workshop, which some dismissed in advance as a "dog and pony" show, attracted nearly 800 participants, many of them farmers who came from as far away as Alabama and Washington state for a chance to speak.
It also drew a fair number of public relations types and other staff members for some of the entities that could have reason to be concerned if the Obama administration decides to broaden its antitrust activities into the seed and meat processing industries.
Attorney General Eric Holder, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and other Department of Justice and USDA officials who attended the workshop, which was held at a community college in Ankeny, Iowa, were noncommittal about future actions by the DOJ's Antitrust Division, which is headed by Assistant Attorney General Christine Varney.
"You know I don't want to link investigations that we undertake to the workshop, but just becoming more knowledgeable about how an industry works can lead to action," Varney told reporters attending a press briefing held at the workshop.
She noted the Antitrust Division recently filed a lawsuit in Milwaukee, Wis., challenging Dean Foods' April 2009 acquisition of Foremost Farms USA's consumer Products Division. The attorney generals from Illinois, Michigan and Wisconsin joined in the filing of the lawsuit, which was aimed at preventing "undue consolidation" in dairy processing.
"I think you'll see more developments like these in the future," she said. "You know mergers come to us. We don't organize the mergers. They come in and understanding the entire dynamic and economic underpinning up and down the marketplace helps us to more fully analyze the merger."
"You should not assume that because we are having these workshops that we are not doing anything," said Holder, responding to a question from a reporter about when the Justice Department would take specific action on complaints about concentration.
"This Department of Agriculture, this Department of Justice, we have been aggressive. One of the ways these workshops will help us is to refine what we're doing, to calibrate our efforts and help us identify what we need to target. What you should not take from these meetings is that we are simply sitting on our hands. We are acting right now."
Farmers and ranchers have expressed concerned over the level of competition within the industries that supply seed and biotechnology traits and process the livestock raised on their farms and ranches. Speakers noted that four companies now process 80 percent of the beef consumed in the United States.
Two of the companies that provide a major portion of the corn and soybean seed planted in the U.S. – Monsanto and Pioneer – are now involved in a lawsuit over the use of "stacked" traits in Pioneer's soybeans that already contain the Roundup Ready gene.
Although Monsanto was referenced in several discussions during the day-long workshop, not everyone was ready to condemn the company for its gradual rise to dominance in the seed industry. (Roundup Ready corn is now planted on nearly 80 percent of the acres in the U.S.)
Ray Gaesser, a corn and soybean farmer from Corning, Iowa, and a vice president of the American Soybean Association, noted that without the new seed traits provided by Monsanto, U.S. farmers would not be as competitive in world markets as they are today.
"While supporting innovation, ASA also supports competition in all sectors of U.S. agriculture in order to enhance efficiency and reduce costs to soybean producers," Gaesser said. "As we have examined issues around seed industry innovation and competition, there is uncertainty in the marketplace surrounding the process to ensure that foreign registrations for biotech traits are maintained once they go off-patent and become generic and on other issues."
Other speakers said the concentration among buyers and processors of beef, pork and poultry are responsible for a portion of the downturn in those sectors.
"I'm here to tell you our current price discovery system for finished cattle and hogs is absolutely broken," said Jim Foster, a hog producer from Montgomery city, Mo. "At least 90 percent of all market ready hogs are on the packer's doorsteps with little competitive bidding."
Vilsack and Holder said the degree of collaboration between the Departments of Justice and Agriculture in putting on the series of workshops – four more are scheduled later this year – is unprecedented.
"It's been more than a century since the Sherman Antitrust Act became law, and nearly 90 years since the Packers and Stockyards Act entered the books," said Holder. "In that time, not once have our nation's Departments of Justice and Agriculture come together for a public discussion on competition and regulatory issues in your industry."
Vilsack said the outcome of the hearings is closely tied to the fate of rural America.
"In my travels across the country, I hear a consistent theme: producers are worried whether there is a future for them or their children in agriculture, and a viable market is an important factor in what that future looks like," said Vilsack. "These issues are difficult and complex, which is why this workshop today is so important and long overdue."
email: email@example.com


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7 Consulting necesitaba un nuevo diseño de logotipo y lanzó un concurso de diseño en 99designs.
Un ganador ha sido elegido entre 216 diseños de 41 diseñadores freelance.
Rent My Estate
Rent My Estate is a web based property management service used to help every day and professional property investors rent out there own residential property.
This will be a state of the art program that is extremely intuitive towards the users every want and need throughout the whole process of renting out there own home.
• Include '.com.au' in the logo
• Simplicity: The service focuses on ease of use. need to be able to recognize the logo from the second you see it
• Pictorial mark displayed to the left of the text
• Obvious - Must be able to recognize the logo (pictorial mark) from a distance and know what we represent
Target Market:
Younger property Investors and everyday people, aged between 25 – 45. The logo would still need to appeal to 46-55 year olds to some extent.
2 concepts we have come up with that we would like you to do.
Concept 1: (see file 'concept 1 sketch.jpg' below)
* A standard picture of a simple house, no windows just a door (prefer a white door)
* Make it look modern with a web 2.0 look (effects, shades etc)
* Think Apple computers logo (simple, professional)
Concept 2 (see file 'concept 2 sketch.jpg' below)
* Looks like a standard picture of simple house but if someone looks at it upside down it looks like a laptop.
* Again not much detail in the picture of the house.
Be creative with the text ' rent my estate' make it unique and not a standard font. However it must be simple (not fancy), clear and professional.
Descubre cómo funciona un concurso de diseño u obtén más información sobre nuestros servicios de diseño de logo.


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SEOUL — It is a Saturday night and one of the unlikeliest hot spots in the city is packed. More than 100 people are sprawled at tables, sipping, talking, munching. Young women are dressed as if at a nightclub. Some have been here for hours.
A concert? A dinner party? Nope. This, believe it or not, is Dunkin' Donuts — one that is unlike almost any other in the world.
This scene, in a city long synonymous with tea houses, is a glimpse of a coffee gold rush, one in which the Canton-based coffee and doughnut company has patiently and methodically set out to transform the food and social culture in the Far East.
It is working well enough that South Korea is now home to more than 900 Dunkin' Donuts, nearly as many as there are in the chain's home state, making it the company's largest international market. Starbucks is not far behind. Both companies consider South Korea a warm-up for an even bigger play: China.
If Americans consider themselves connoisseurs of coffee, with a caffeine fix seemingly available on every corner, a journey across Seoul shows that South Korea has more than caught up. One of the world's biggest retail markets is now perhaps its most competitive coffee turf.
At least 100 academies across the country train baristas — and the unemployed can get the government to subsidize their training. Coffee shops offer valet parking, and some will even deliver cups of coffee to nearby homes.
Behind much of this Asian coffee boom, and uniquely positioned to benefit from it, is the company known stateside for the slogan "America runs on Dunkin'."
"It's more than just coffee's a big deal, or people are into coffee. It is a phenomenon. . . . It's a freaking phenomenon," said Stan Frankenthaler, Dunkin's executive chef and vice president of production innovation. "It's more intense than New York by far — the competitiveness, the saturation. You think you're going to see a lot of coffee shops on one block, and there's four times more than you even think. It's incredible."
Not your average Dunkin'
Every day, the drums bang, the cymbals clang, and a stream of men in traditional Korean outfits carrying swords and wearing helmets march outside Deoksugung Palace — where King Gojong, a noted coffee addict, first brought the brew to prominence in South Korea in the 1890s.
This elaborate ceremony takes place in front of a landmark more familiar to American eyes — the pink and orange neon sign of a Dunkin' Donuts.
Inside, it's quickly clear this is no Massachusetts Dunkin'.
Two girls share a salad (Yes, Dunkin' Donuts here has salads) and a ham, egg, and cheese English muffin.
Here, people are allowed to fetch their own doughnuts from the shelves (it encourages them to take more, Dunkin' says). The cups are paper, not Styrofoam, and the most popular drink is an Americano (a shot of espresso and hot water).
Glazed doughnuts are for sale, of course, but so are local black rice doughnuts, jalapeno sausage pie doughnuts, and a glutinous rice stick (all with the number of calories written beside them). A concoction called a bubble tea latte is offered, along with "The New York Pie Doughnut," a variation on the Cronut, a croissant-doughnut creation pioneered at a New York bakery.
Adapting to Korean culture has meant turning Dunkin's busiest hours upside-down. In the afternoons and evenings, the stores have the feel of a lively dinner party, chatter and laughter emanating from the little round tables. But many outlets are mostly empty in the mornings. Dunkin' is trying to change that by promoting its breakfast menu and a new smartphone app that acts as an alarm clock, giving customers a three-hour countdown clock that, in animation form, explodes if they don't cash in a coupon.
In contrast to the small, squat stores often found in Massachusetts, some Dunkin's here rise as tall as four stories, designed as places to linger. Drive-thrus are unheard of.
For Joon-Ho Hahn, 25, the night was young as he sipped an Americano and his friend nursed a mango coolata.
Next stop? Starbucks.
Shaking up the marketplace
It is a Saturday night at a local outlet of the Seattle-based chain, and all three floors are filled with customers. A trio of girls plays cards, another woman sits in the corner and reads a book. American pop songs and acoustic hits play softly in the background.
Seo Jihye, a 24-year-old student at a nearby women's university, sits with her boyfriend as they share a latte.
"In Korea, younger people don't have their own houses; we live together with family," she said. "So we usually don't go to each other houses. When we want to have conversations, we go to coffee shops."
This Starbucks was the first to open in South Korea, in 1999, and it immediately shook up the marketplace. Koreans had a taste for coffee — during the Korean War in the 1950s, US soldiers brought packets of instant coffee and shared them with Koreans — but there were few Western-style coffeehouses. Teahouses dominated the culture, and they were often dark, smoke-filled, and sometimes involved prostitution.
Starbucks offered a brightly lit experience, some cultural cachet, and expensive coffee.
"At Starbucks, Koreans jumped on the bandwagon," said Daniel Schwekendiek, an economics professor at Sungkyunkwan University in Seoul who is writing a book on Korean consumption culture. "It was considered a place to be. It's a status symbol. Students spend $5 or $6 for lunch. And $5 or $6 for coffee.''
Dunkin' had officially opened five years earlier but was more focused on selling doughnuts than promoting its coffee.
Not long after Starbucks emerged, Dunkin' recalibrated its strategy, launching a three-year advertising campaign emphasizing "two hands," one holding a doughnut, the other holding coffee.
By 2009, Dunkin' had built a coffee roasting plant in South Korea — its first, and only, outside the United States — and boasted that its beans were so fresh that they'd be in your cup within days of roasting.
Then, two years ago, Dunkin' installed aroma machines that sprayed the scent of coffee inside city buses whenever the company's jingle played on the bus radio. "Dunkin's coffee is waiting for you right at your stop," the ad said.
"Since 2010 the coffee boom of shops has just exploded even more beyond our wildest dreams," said Sara Larcombe, senior director of international marketing. "Dunkin', by being in the market early, helped build that appetite and awareness of how coffee would be used in everyday life in the Korean market."
Dunkin' Donuts had its products placed on Korean dramas, the soap operas that are popular throughout Asia. In one show, "The King 2 Hearts," a South Korean prince takes his girlfriend — a North Korean special forces agent — to eat heart-shaped Dunkin' Donuts on a date.
Even in the annals of a half century of American fast food companies pushing overseas growth, the Dunkin' presence is notable: There are three times more Dunkin' Donuts outlets in South Korea than there are McDonald's.
While the international operation has been growing in recent years, it is still a small slice of the overall business: In 2013, revenues for Dunkin' Donuts in the United States were $521.2 million, while $18.3 million came from international markets. Nearly 40 percent of all international sales came from South Korea stores.
Dunkin' also has about a third more stores than Starbucks in South Korea. As in the United States, the two brands project a distinctly different ethos.
"We're a fun place," Larcombe said. "People are hanging out with us. Starbucks is older, more professional, and a little more white collar than us."
SK Lee, the chief executive of Starbucks Korea, had little interest in comparing the brands.
"We basically focus on ourselves rather than competition," he said, as he sipped a cherry blossom latte.
At the end of the interview, he excused himself. He was off to go open Starbucks' 625th store.
Coffee a competitive game
Although growing fast, Starbucks and Dunkin' Donuts are just a small slice of the coffee market here. And, in this crowded corner of the economy, it can be hard to stand out.
Inside the Hello Kitty cafe, everything is pink. Order a latte, and it will have cat whiskers made into the milk with chocolate powder. Walk a few blocks in one direction and there's a dog cafe, where the point is to play with dogs while sipping coffee.
Walk in another direction and there's the Thanks Nature Café, where two live sheep roam around as the owner brushes their wool and patrons feed them . . . while drinking coffee.
"Fifty percent want to see the sheep," said Lee Kwamgho, who runs the Thanks Nature Café. "Others want to buy food and drink." One of the oddest venues is Dr. Fish, a coffee shop that offers a "fish pedicure" — stick your feet in a tub of water and tiny fish come and eat away the dead skin — while you wait for your coffee.
This — fish, and live animals — is what Dunkin' and Starbucks are competing against.
At least five South Korea-based companies have opened more than 400 stores each. So many outlets are opening, in fact, that the government is starting to crack down on expansion of coffee franchises. There is talk of limiting both the number of total stores, and how close they can be to competitors to protect small businesses. As a result, Dunkin' is only planning to open about 20 stores this year.
The competition has also spawned a vibrant speciality coffee industry, with high-end equipment, $10 cups of coffee, and brews made in any one of 12 different ways.
One cafe offers a drink called Ltd. Edition #9 that combines orange juice, ice cream, and a shot of espresso that a barista whips for nearly 10 minutes over an open flame. It costs about $20. Roast Magazine, a US-based trade publication is now translated into Korean.
South Koreans have also sought to become certified experts, earning an international designation that measures a range of coffee skills. Over the past several years, South Korea has produced almost 1,300 Q graders. The United States, in second, has a little over 300.
"In Korea we have a custom," said Hoon Song, who runs a coffee academy and a coffee shop. "We copy success."
'Opportunity to explode'
While much of the focus has been on South Korea, a country of 50 million, the coffee industry is now turning its attention to a bigger prize: nearby China, a country of 1.4 billion.
Starbucks is expanding rapidly and expects China to be its biggest international market by the end of the year, with more than 1,000 stores. Dunkin' Donuts has a much smaller footprint in China with about 50 stores.
In an effort to increase buzz around the brand, the company has for past two years paid NBA star LeBron James to market its product in China, encouraging customers to take photos of themselves with cardboard cutouts of James.
Dunkin' also recently signed an agreement to develop 100 new stores over the next five years in Shanghai and nearby provinces.
"We clearly believe Korea is the most competitive coffee market in the world," said Bill Mitchell, who oversees Dunkin's operations in China, Japan, and South Korea. "But we see the lessons in being able to adapt that into China. We believe that's our next opportunity to explode."
China is also starting to grow more coffee in its southern regions, and it's starting to import far more coffee — nearly 1.4 million bags in 2012, almost double the amount from 2010.
Some of the barista academies that have sprouted in South Korea are now opening branches in China.
"After five years, it will become like Korea," said Steven Kil, who just opened a coffee school in Shanghai. "It's time to open there. There's a big market, I think. It's time to start getting into the Chinese market."Matt Viser can be reached at email@example.com.


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Litter of Puppies Found After Momma Dog and Pups Where Separated for 5 Days [PHOTOS/VIDEO]
Photo by Natalie Leach
PUPPIES FOUND! I can't believe it worked! I picked a stray momma dog up on Saturday. She was hanging out looking for food at Hot Tails Crawfish located on Hwy 71 at DuJack's Liquor Store--five miles out of town with no homes in sight. She was destined to be ran over if I left here there. She kept weaving between the cars, looking as if she was lost. She was painfully skinny.
I took her to the vet on Tuesday hoping she was still pregnant. She wasn't. She ALREADY had puppies and they were out there somewhere. On the advice of Dr. Stacey Swain Hendershott I took the momma dog back to where I found her and let her lead me to the puppies.
I crawled through the thicket with her leading me on a six foot leash. Literally on my hands and knees crawling in the dirt, mud and briars. It was pretty scary. Snakes were probably my biggest worry. I got hung up in thorny trees and bushes several times. My hair got tangled up in the bushes, as you can tell by some of the photos.
We went through two barbed-wire fences, the dog made it through much easier than I did. We crossed a creek, climbed over railroad tracks, trekked through a cow pasture, dropped and rolled under a gate and finally made it to a road that led to a farm house with two roosters in the yard. There was also a dog in the yard. I made it through the snake land only to worry about being bit by a dog or attacked by a rooster.
A two year old boy answered the door. His mom came out after about three or four minutes and she led me where the puppies were--on the front porch. Sweet as can be five little babies. They were so happy to see their momma. The puppies are approximately 3 to 4 weeks old. There are four girls and one boy. I walked back to my truck via the road and I was a mile and a half from where I started!
The dog I had seen in the yard turns out to be the babies' daddy. I now have momma, five adorable babies and daddy too. I have already spent $185 on momma vetting. The puppies are being checked out and daddy will be neutered tomorrow. If you would like to donate to the care and vetting of this family of dogs, or if you would like to foster the momma and babies or the daddy, please let me know by emailing me at firstname.lastname@example.com.
A friend of mine had a great idea: Foster for a week! If we all trade out it won't be too much on any one person. I work so many hours during the week now -- please let me know if you can foster for a week or during the week and I can do the weekends. I will send food.
I run Muttley Crew Rescue which is actually a dog rescue for German shepherds. All of these dogs will be spayed and neutered prior to be adopted to new homes. If you are interested in adopting one of these dogs, or any of the other dogs listed on my website, please click here to submit an application.


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Which Jeep Is Right For You?Posted in Project Vehicles on March 1, 2012
The staff of Jp magazine is not picky. We run through Jeeps like Kirstie Alley through a Hostess factory…or a congressman through hot nannies…or a…well, choose your simile. Currently we have dozens of Jeeps parked in our collective driveways and garages, ranging from the earliest flatfenders to the latest JKs. We realize, however, that not everyone has the bank account of Hazel's sugar momma, Trasborg's complete lack of self control regarding anything with a seven-slot grille, or Stover's wheeler-dealer savvy. In short, unlike the Jp staff, we realize most of you can't try to own 'em all. So, in an effort to narrow down the selection process, we are going put all of our expertise to work to help you pick your next Jeep project. That's right! Just answer the questions below to determine which Jeep is right for you.
On the trail you are the guy who:
A) Is the trail leader. Everyone is looking to me to lead the way.
B) Goes with the flow. If someone breaks we can get out of the vehicle and find something to do to keep us occupied while it is getting repaired.
C) Is by myself. If I wanted to be social, I'd go to the Elk's Lodge.
D) Ends up carrying everyone else's tools and spare parts.
E) Asks if this is the hardest part on the first obstacle and keeps reiterating that the guide book states this trail is only rated a "two."
How important is aftermarket support to you?
A) The Field of Dreams philosophy: "If they build it, I will buy."
B) I like to look at catalogs and see what is available, but the Jeep isn't on the top of the priority list.
C) More concerned about NOS than gee-gaws, and I'm not talking about nitrous oxide, you mouth-breathers!
D) I am used to building all of my own parts anyway.
E) I already got the rubber floor mat option. What other products could I need?
When it comes to interior room, your philosophy is:
A) Less space means less sheetmetal to dent.
B) Between the kids and the dog, the more room the better.
C) If I want interior room, I'll drive my Lincoln.
D) Interior room isn't as important as the ability to haul stuff like firewood and junkyard parts.
E) I like a lot of interior space, but not if it means the Jeep is so big that it's hard to park.
How would you describe your mechanical abilities?
A) I carry all of the tools that I need to fix any part on my Jeep.
B) I can do the basics. I always do preventative maintenance on my Jeep so hopefully I don't have to fix it on the trail.
C) I can fix everything on my Jeep with a Leatherman and a matchbook cover.
D) I don't like to brag, but I can hold my own. I've never been in a situation on the trail that I could not get out of.
E) I think that my Jeep came with a tool kit, but I don't actually know where it is located.
Your modification budget:
A) Is hidden from my wife.
B) Only comes around during Christmas and tax returns.
C) My Jeep goes everywhere I need it to. It doesn't need modifications.
D) Do new valve cover gaskets count as a modification?
E) Is limited to a bike rack or antenna ball.
How important is simplicity in a vehicle to you?
A) Simple is good, but if there is something better out there that happens to be more complicated, I still want it.
B) I guess it is important, but it isn't at the top of my list with comfort and reliability.
C) Simplicity is the most important. I don't want to have to turn on a computer to fix my Jeep!
D) Simple is good, but overbuilt is even better.
E) I am a huge fan of simplicity; it totally improves your feng shui.
The tires on your Jeep:
A) Are the biggest, most aggressive my axles can handle.
B) Are 285/75R16. They fit on the stock rims and are narrow enough they don't get in to the control arms when I turn.
C) The only tire in the world should be the 7.00-16 NDT.
D) Are some 35-inch take-offs that I got from a friend who was upgrading.
E) Are whatever it came with when I bought it. How am I supposed to know?
Now it is time to tally up your score and determine which Jeep is right for you. Give yourself five points for every A answer; four points for every B, three points for every C, two points for every D, and one point for every E.
If you scored 30 or higher…
The only "real" Jeep to you is one that has a windshield that folds down. You realize that your car payment is only going to be about half of what you spend on your Jeep every month. You plan to spend quality time in the garage with your friends outfitting your Wrangler.
If you scored 22-29…
There are likely kids screaming in the background as you read this. Sippy cups and car seats are an everyday part of your life…and sippy cups have a way of disappearing from open-topped Jeeps. You need the four-door utility of a Cherokee or Grand Cherokee.
If you scored 15-22…
You appreciate Jeep's rich heritage and strongly agree with Enzo Ferrari's statement that "Jeep is America's only real sports car." You will be happiest behind the 20-inch steering wheel of an early military flatfender.
If you scored 10-15…
You are a practical person who isn't swayed by the latest fads. In fact, you would rather thumb your nose at trends and are proud of your individuality and common sense. You belong on the bench seat of a J truck.
If you scored under 10…
It is likely you are reading this copy of Jp at your brother's house, or perhaps the dentist's office. Your idea of the great outdoors is going to Eddie Bauer and you really want a Subaru Forester, but you don't want to drive the same car as your friends. You belong in a Patriot or Compass.


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Home News
Minya Copts stage "protest fast" against church-building restrictions
Others | 27 October 2009
Coptic Church officials in the town of Maghagha in the Middle Egyptian province of Minya began a three-day fast on Monday in hopes of drawing attention to longstanding grievances with "certain state .. More
Gamal Mubarak: nepotism "unknown to private sector"
Others | 27 October 2009
Gamal Mubarak, head of the ruling National Democratic Party's influential Policies Secretariat, admitted on Sunday to the existence of nepotism within the government. .. More
Assiut Muslims charged with damaging church building
Others | 26 October 2009
ASSIUT -- State prosecutors on Sunday ordered the detention of 30 Muslim residents of the city of Dayrout in the southern Assiut province on charges of damaging the façade of a Coptic diocese building. 37 others are also expected to be brought up on the same charge... More
Transport minister to stay on despite train crash
Others | 26 October 2009
Trains bound for Upper Egypt are running again as usual after being halted for 12 hours on Sunday when two trains collided in Ayyat station south of Cairo, killing 18 passengers and injuring 36... More
More than 30 killed, 50 injured in Ayyat train crash
Others | 25 October 2009
Train 152 from Giza to Fayyoum never made it beyond the villages of Kafr Ammar and Rejja in Ayyat. Around 6:00 PM yesterday, the train struck a water buffalo. Five minutes later it was rear-ended by .. More
Tagammu party expels el-Hariri
Others | 25 October 2009
The general secretariat of the Tagammu Party voted yesterday to expel party leader Abul Ezz el-Hariri. The decision was approved with a majority of 50 members, with eight others voting against the resolution, and two members abstaining. .. More
Food poisoning strikes Assuit wedding
Others | 24 October 2009
ABOUT 75 wedding guests, including 30 children, were hospitalised yesterday for apparent food poisoning, a police officer in the Upper Egyptian governorate of Assuit said yesterday... More
Systematic torture occurring in Egypt
Others | 24 October 2009
Torture in Egypt has reached an intolerable level and is systematically being used on all levels of Egyptian society including women, children, elderly men and youth, regardless of .. More
Egyptians' monthly endless nightmare
Others | 24 October 2009
Each month, Egyptians have to bear the burden of soaring phone, water, electricity and trash-collecting bills, while their salaries remain unchanged. There's one word to sum up this situation - it's a nightmare,'' says Hoda Abdul-Hameed, a Cairo .. More
Pope Shenouda rejects normalization with Israel
Others | 21 October 2009
Leader of Egypt's Coptic Church Pope Shenouda III on Monday stressed his rejection of normalized relations with Israel. "I reject any normalization with Israel in light of the continued occupation imposed on the Palestinians," he said... More
NDP official quashes succession rumours
Others | 21 October 2009
THE ruling National Democratic Party (NDP)will not change any of its leaders in its annual congress later this month,Safwat el-Sherif,the secretary-general of the party, said yesterday.He added that the .. More
Pope Shenouda: "I support Gamal Mubarak"
Others | 20 October 2009
ALEXANDRIA -- Leader of Egypt's Coptic Church Pope Shenouda III said the church "still had problems" with the governors of certain provinces. "It depends on the character of the governor and his willingness to solve problems outside of a bureaucratic context," Shenouda said, calling for more cooperation between state officials and the church... More
Brotherhood denies leader has quit
Others | 20 October 2009
The deputy leader of Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood denied reports yesterday that Supreme Guide Mohamed Mahdi Akef has quit in a row with conservatives in the leading opposition group.. More
'We won't give in to the radicals'
Others | 19 October 2009
Liberal thinkers and writers are queueing up to protest against hesba (a religious principle, which legally empowers the ordinary Muslim to go to court if he suspects that a person, whether Muslim .. More
Costly healthcare infuriates rights groups
Others | 18 October 2009
A DECISION by the Medical Insurance Authority to raise healthcare fees for subscribers iscausing discontent in the corri- dors of local human rights organisations and prodding their officials into .. More
NGO appeals for releasing jailed blogger
Others | 17 October 2009
A NON- GOVERNMENTAL organisation has appealed to President Hosni Mubarak to order the Ministry of the Interior to release Egyptian blogger after spending three quarters of his sentence term... More
Tolerance before democracy, says ex-British official
Others | 17 October 2009
The price of democracy is much of our tolerance, which 'comes first'. This was the main concept of a lecture delivered by Lord David Owen, a former British foreign secretary in Cairo this week... More
Mubarak in Croatia for first time
Others | 17 October 2009
Ground-breaking talks: President Hosni Mubarak (R) sharing a joke with Slovenian Prime Minister Borut Pahor before their meeting in Ljubljana yesterday. Mubarak wrapped up yesterday an official two-.. More
Egypt denies torture claims
Others | 14 October 2009
EGYPT yesterday denied allega- tions that the death of a Palestinian man at an Egyptian hospital was due to torture."The death of Sami Abu Zuhri was due to a sharp drop in blood pressure," said an .. More
Mubarak starts Euro tour today
Others | 13 October 2009
Talks with Russia: President Hosni Mubarak (R) during his meeting with the Chief of the Russian Intelligence Service (C) in Cairo yesterday. .. More
Egyptian woman protest ban on austere veil
Others | 13 October 2009
CAIRO, Egypt (CNN) -- There's more to wearing the "niqab" -- the austere, all-covering veil favored by ultra-religious Muslim women --than meets the eye... More


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Need help? Please let us know!! We offer personal service through our experienced & knowledgeable employees.
You get friendly & honest product advice about vintage and new gear and everything in-between.
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Sports CMS Templates
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4:30 pm
Cyberchase "A Whale of a Tale" With special guest star Al Roker. A trip to R-Fair City nearly turns into a monster mash when Hacker abducts Glowla, a beautiful cyberlady who generates pure energy. Hacker is able to snatch Glowla by reprogramming her trick whale, Snout. D
5:00 pm
Fetch! With Ruff Ruffman "Just Toying with Ruff" Harsha and Sammy become radio reporters and do a news piece on Brian Freeze while Noel and DJ invent a new Ruff Ruffman toy. D
5:30 pm
Nightly Business Report Tonight on Nightly Business Report - another big swing in the market. NBR will look beyond the volatility to help you invest for the long term. And who wins and who loses with interest rates at record low levels?. D
5:56 pm
NewsHour Promo NULL
6:00 pm
PBS NewsHour NULL
7:00 pm
Nature "The Mystery of Eels" Though much of the natural world is discovered and understood, a few mysteries remain. Consider the eel - snakelike and slimy, with a row of jagged teeth. Yet aside from these fearsome qualities, we know little about this creature from the sea.G
8:00 pm
NOVA "Australia's First 4 Billion Years: Life Explodes" Half a billion years ago, Australia was still part of the super-continent Gondwana. While the oceans were teeming from the ongoing explosion of weird and wonderful animals, the world above the waves remained an almost lifeless wasteland. All that changed in the Silurian period when the conquest of the land began. Part 2 of 4G
9:00 pm
Guts with Michael Mosley Using the latest in medical imagery and a tiny state-of-the-art camera "pill" that he swallows at the start of the film, host Michael Mosley takes viewers on a remarkable journey through his own internal system. At each stage he talks to medical experts and explains the amazing functions that happen without our conscious effort.G
10:00 pm
Battlefield Medicine From the trauma wards of Camp Bastion field hospital in Afghanistan, to cutting-edge medical research labs, Michael Mosley follows the medical pioneers behind procedures that have seen the survival rate among injured servicemen and women rise to 90 percent. Designed for the war zone, these developments are already making waves in emergency rooms, from spray-on skin cells to heal burns, to innovative surgical techniques like rebuilding damaged hands from scratch. Part 1 of 2G
11:00 pm
Charlie Rose NULL


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This Positive Life: Marcia Finds Permanent Self-Love in a Temporary World
February 14, 2013
Marcia Dorsey had done everything expected of her growing up. She received a good education, got a good job, never drank or did drugs; and she stayed in one monogamous relationship for many years. After being diagnosed with HIV, she first asked herself, "Why me?" But then, after educating herself about the disease, she began to say, "Well, why not me?"
Part of a large family that goes back 14 generations in Howard County, Md., Marcia had to deal with disclosing her HIV status to her family -- including her mother, to whom she did not disclose for 10 years. Through the help of a local community organization, Acadiana Cares, and writing poetry, Marcia was able to deal with the loss of her very lucrative job and begin to live and be healthy again. In this truly moving, inspiring This Positive Life interview, Marcia reminds us that HIV has no look, and that it can enter your bedroom no matter what neighborhood you live in.
Tell me where you're living now, and where you're from.
Thank you for inviting me. I've got a lot to say. I want to be impactful with my statements. I want to be clear and concise. And I really want people, women, to understand what it's like to be HIV positive, what my life used to be like, and what it's currently like. So, just ask away.
Right now, I live in Lafayette, Louisiana, by way of Baltimore, Maryland. I like to tell everybody that I'm an original Dorsey from Howard County and Dorsey, Maryland, because we are 14 generations deep there. So I'm very proud of that.
I grew up, middle class family: father, mother both educators. I'm the second oldest, born during Hurricane Hazel. I was seven months, by two days, preemie. So I've always had that "hurry up and get there" type of attitude about things.
When were you diagnosed with HIV?
Well, it was on September 19, 1996. I had been dating -- in a live-in relationship, actually -- for about three years with a guy that I absolutely loved and adored. He got sick, mysteriously, one day. And I was working and put him on my health insurance.
So I think the biggest, the brightest thing about this whole scenario is that he and I wound up with the same doctors. So when he got sick and went to the hospital, and it was on a Friday; he had checked himself out of the hospital. So I said to my doctor, "Well, where did he go?"
He said, "Well, he checked himself out before the labs came back." Well, hell, I didn't know what he was talking about. So I said, "Oh, OK."
He said, "Marcia, did you hear me?"
I said, "Yes."
He said, "He checked himself out of the hospital before the labs came back."
I said, "OK, that sounds pretty stupid," and I started laughing.
He said, "Marcia, are you listening to me?"
So I said, "Yeah. You said he checked himself out before the labs came back. And you know, what can I do about that? Nothing." That was a Friday.
Sunday, I cooked my favorite Sunday meal: fried chicken wings; mashed potatoes and gravy; French-cut string beans. And I was washing the dishes, and I accidentally dropped a plate, and broke it. But when the plate hit the floor, I hit the floor. My knees went into all of the glass; and then I spread out on the floor on my knees, and started crying.
Because it had finally dawned on me what the doctor was telling me.
So the next day, I went and got an HIV test. About a week had passed and I was sitting in the office. And the doctor says to me, "Marcia, have a seat." Well, I knew I was in trouble because my doctor, who was crying, had told me to take a seat ... and I was already sitting down.
So then he says to me; he says, "Well, I have some bad news for you." So I said, "What's that?"
He says, "Well, the test came back positive." And I'm thinking to myself, "Well, that's great!" You understand? Because I was 41 years old. I was never promiscuous. Didn't smoke; didn't drink; didn't do any drugs. I had a monogamous relationship. So when he told me it was positive, I just figured that the coast was clear.
You thought positive meant good, basically?
Yes, absolutely. So I got to watching him, and he was in tears. And I said, "Well, Doctor, what's wrong?"
He said, "You don't understand, do you?" I said, "No."
He says, "You're HIV positive."
So I started to cry, and as one tear started driveling down my face, I was saying to him, "Well, how long do I have to live." He told me, "About 17 years."
So the tear dried up. I sat back in the chair. And then I just smiled at him. I said, "Well, hell, I could get hit by a bus in 17 years; die of natural causes." So I really don't know if I took it serious or not.
So they put me on AZT, and then, eventually, my friend died. When he died, everything died with him: the HIV died, the medicine died. Everything died. And then I took a position that required me to travel all the time. Because I really wasn't sure if this was something I needed to tell my family or not. And then, if I was dying, I didn't want to be dying in front of their faces. So I started traveling all over the country. I was a network technician. I made $150,000 a year; lived the life that I wanted to live; had no children; never been married; you know, more money than I could ever spend.
And then 9/11 came. I got stranded in Lafayette, Louisiana. My company went out of business, and forgot I was there. And the only reason why I found out they went out of business was because I had this extra money in my account, and I didn't want to get in trouble so I called them. The phone number was disconnected. The Web page was taken down. There was nobody for me to call.
But in between time, I had got me this little dog. And I promised him I was going to take care of him. So no matter how sick I got, I had to get up out of my bed at least twice a day to take him for a walk. And I couldn't even walk myself, OK? But I walked the dog -- which is amazing to me.
I finally had to come to terms with something. One morning I got up, and I sat at my computer, and I started writing poetry. By the time I finished, it was called HIV and Me in Prose and Poetry. One of the poems was "Risk: Realizing I Should Have Known." I wrote another one called "I Had to Die to Learn to Live." Which is true, simply because my old life -- the parties on Capitol Hill; going to New York; going to Texas; Niemann Marcus was just one of the ... one of the major things I ever wanted to do in life was to shop at a real Texas Niemann Marcus. I got to do everything that I wanted to do.
So the first person I told about it in my family was my youngest brother, because he and I were very close.
At this point, how long had it been since you'd been diagnosed?
Three years. And I guess the news was so devastating for him that he told his wife. But his wife was a control freak and, one day on the Internet, she sprang it on me that she knew. So I wrote her back. And my response to her in the e-mail was, "In order for me to care about what you think, I first have to care about you. And since I do not, it does not." So I just didn't care.
And at that point, I had, like, an epiphany. And then I realized that everybody I meet in this world is temporary. This is a temporary world, and the only person I had to carry with me everywhere I go was me. I couldn't leave me behind. I had to carry me everywhere. So I had to learn to love me, and accept what was going on with me. But it still was a trial.
But I was having a crisis about three years ago. And I had been already; I'd been 10 years with HIV. Three o'clock one morning, I just couldn't figure out why I couldn't tell my mother.
So at this point it had been 10 years, and you still hadn't told your mother?
I hadn't told my mother, no. And I didn't know why I didn't want to tell my mother -- or, I didn't tell my mother. But at three o'clock one morning, I couldn't ... You know, I was getting evicted. I didn't have any money; didn't have any finances; didn't have anything. I was on ... you know, Social Security hadn't come through yet. And my $150,000-a-year job was gone.
And you had lost it in 2001, around 9/11. So between 2001 and 2006, you had not worked, or found anything?
Not really. Because I got sick in 2002, and had quit my job. So, God bless me, with a hurricane -- now, mind, I told you I was born during Hurricane Hazel -- well, it was another hurricane that came through Louisiana that brought me to Acadiana Cares.
Was this Katrina?
No, it was 2000 ... it was one before that. It was in 2002, in October. We were signing up for emergency food stamps. And I didn't have a job anymore. I had just quit, because I just couldn't do it no more. And the lady asked me why I wasn't out working. And, you know, she was a Social Services lady. I told her, "Because I've got HIV."
Well, she gave me the number to our CBO, which is the community-based organization, Acadiana Cares. And the number she gave me turned to be a sex hotline. So I looked it up the best I could, in the phonebook; because I was new to Louisiana. I didn't know anybody. Had no family. Really had no friends. I'm dying and don't know who to confide in. And so I tried to find it as best I could.
So there was a knock came, knocking on my door. And it was a gentleman named Alton from Acadiana Cares. Acadiana Cares, back in 2002, took me on as a client, paid my rent and all my utilities, from December 2002 to April 2003. They provided me with food, transportation to get to my doctors' appointments. They made the Medical Center take me on as a patient. And they saved my life. From April of 2003 to October of 2003, they continued to pay my rent. I have nothing but love for them. They saved my life. That's why I'm here today.
Because every time they need someone to go out and advocate for people living with HIV and AIDS, I go. I go, because I can never give back to them what they gave me. They gave me back my life. They gave me back my dignity. They helped me feel like a woman again. They let me know that they cared, and that I mattered. They taught me not to be afraid. They taught me to take care of me, to love me, to look out for me. And they helped me learn to live.
Also, because having HIV and AIDS doesn't define who I am. It doesn't make me me. It's not my soul. It's not my heart. It's not the love that I care for people. It's just a disease that I didn't stand in line for -- it wasn't my turn -- that I got from a man that I loved with all my heart, who simply didn't know how to love me back. It happens. And God makes us soldiers in the fight.
Not all of us are brave enough to stand up. Not all of us are strong enough to speak out. Many of us hide in shame, as black American women, because we fear ridicule, and shame, and dishonor, and everything that the world thinks we should -- when it's not our fault. It's nobody's fault. It happens. So? It happens.
Your partner at the time, who it sounds like is the person that you acquired HIV from ...
It was.
More From This Resource Center
Newly Diagnosed? Words of Encouragement from HIV-Positive Women
What Every HIV-Positive Woman Should Know About GYN Care and Prevention
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Press Release
Anchorage Personal Care Attendants Convicted for Fraudulently Billing Medicaid
March 26, 2013
March 21, 2013, Forty-four year-old Samphoun Tes and Fifty-one year-old Penina Tes, both of Anchorage, were sentenced by the Anchorage District on a single count each of committing Medical Assistance Fraud. Samphoun and Penina Tes were both ordered to pay a $1,500.00 fine, 180 days of suspended jail, and 40 hours of community work service. They were placed on probation for a period of five years. The court also ordered that Samphoun and Penina Tes pay the State of Alaska restitution in the amount of $8,365.00. Samphoun and Penina Tes are both ineligible to work for or bill Medicaid for providing personal care assistance services in the future as a result of this conviction.
The case against Samphoun and Penina Tes was based upon an anonymous report that Samphoun Tes bragged that he was being paid by Medicaid to provide care for his parent who resided in Cambodia. Personal care attendants are individuals (often times family members) that Medicaid pays to provide home-based care services to Medicaid recipients, allowing the recipient to stay in their home as opposed to a nursing home setting. The Alaska Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (MFCU), in conjunction with Immigration and Custom Enforcement (ICE), verified that Samphoun Tes billed Medicaid on two different occasions in 2007 and 2008 for providing personal care attendant services while the Medicaid recipient was out of the country. Penina Tes signed the timesheets as the Medicaid recipient's legal representative attesting that the personal care attendant services were in fact provided.
The Alaska MFCU is part of the Attorney General's Office. The MFCU is responsible for investigating and prosecuting Medicaid fraud and abuse, neglect or financial exploitations of patients in any facility that accepts Medicaid funds. The indictment and information adding misdemeanor counts for each of these cases can be found on the MFCU website.
CONTACT: Assistant Attorney General Andrew Peterson at 907-269-6292. For more information about the Samphoun and Penina Tes case or other cases handled by the Alaska MFCU, go to http://www.law.alaska.gov/department/criminal/mfcu.html.
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