text:
Taper Tantrum: Markets Recoil, Advisors Scramble on Fed News

Whether it’s stocks, bonds, emerging markets or ETFs, investors want financial advisors to tell them how to protect their portfolios

Nervous investors — and their financial advisors — watched closely on Monday for signs of where the markets are headed now that the Federal Reserve has spoken and U.S. government bond yields have headed to their highest levels in almost two years.

On Monday, Treasuries extended their selloff, with the benchmark 10-year note yield reaching as high as 2.667% by midafternoon, and stocks dropped across the board.

Economists, meanwhile, are trying to figure out just where the Fed is headed — for example, Bank of America-Merrill Lynch’s Global Economics Research team said Thursday that it didn’t expect the Fed to begin tapering the pace of its quantitative easing program until early 2014. But by Friday, the team changed its mind and released a new Fed call: “We now expect the Fed to announce tapering in December with the first rate hike to begin in summer 2015.”

(Find out how to manage the turmoil: Register for AdvisorOne’s premiere advisorcentric Virtual ETF Summit, which starts July 23, and features Rick Ferri, Ron Delegge, Skip Schweiss.)

Advisors Fielding Client Calls

What has all this tapering talk and market madness done to financial advisors? It has left them fielding frantic requests from clients to tell them why the markets are gyrating wildly and what they’re doing to protect their portfolios.

“I never heard of the word ‘taper’ when I was studying economics in graduate school,” wrote Benjamin Hein, president and chief investment officer with PRS Investment Advisory, in a June 14 bond market update for the firm’s clients. “However, ‘tapering’ has become a buzzword of late with speculation regarding when and how the U.S. Federal Reserve will start reducing its purchases of fixed income securities, thus leading to potentially higher interest rates.”

Hein’s advice to fixed income investors is to take a second look at their portfolios and review with their financial advisors “whether some tweaking might be in order.” He believes that investors who have been piling into fixed-income funds over the past year will get a big wake-up call with their June statements, and he says the best way to play bonds these days is with diversified fixed-income portfolios that aren’t composed solely of high-quality securities.

“Of course, there is no guarantee that a diversified fixed-income portfolio will outperform a U.S. Treasury portfolio in a given month, but we believe that, particularly in today's low-interest rate environment, it is prudent to have exposure to a wide range of fixed-income and income-producing investments along with alternative investments to complement a pure fixed-income portfolio,” Hein writes.

In a comment describing “Why Bonds Still Make Sense,” New York-based independent investment advisory Gerstein Fisher reminds investors that the purpose of bonds in an investment portfolio is not to generate high returns — “the past 30 years notwithstanding” — but to dampen total portfolio volatility by balancing out riskier holdings such as equities.

“If you fear a rise in interest rates, one way to reduce your exposure to this risk would be to shorten the maturity or duration of your bond holdings from 10 years to five years or less,” Gerstein Fisher recommends, pointing out that shorter-duration bonds are less volatile. Alternatively, some investors may want to hold more cash, the firm says.

As for the stock market, Nuveen Asset Management chief equity strategist Bob Doll writes that U.S. equities declined last week as the S&P 500 ended down 2.09% and suffered its first back-to-back one-day declines of more than 1% since last November.

However, in his weekly investment comment, “The Fed Unintentionally Lays an Egg,” a bullish Doll asserts that a decrease in the Fed’s quantitative easing is not an economic hurdle.

“A diminished QE3 program should be expected, given slower growth of the federal budget deficit and the decrease in issuance of Treasury debt,” he writes. “Many have focused on the end of the great monetary experiment rather than the Fed’s message about its policy being data dependent. Potential outcomes may be either: 1) the economy will stabilize and allow investors to gain confidence in corporate earnings, or 2) soft and choppy data will persist, and QE will be extended.”

Investors Also Cautious on Equities, ETFs

While Doll remains bullish over a cyclical horizon, current conditions leave him cautious in the near term.

“The equity market has benefited from decent economic growth, moderating tail risk, depressed interest rates and low bond volatility,” he writes. “We maintain our positive views on equities cyclically, as bond yields remain well below nominal GDP growth, and profit growth should continue to be moderately positive. We expect overvalued, defensive sectors and bond proxies to bear the brunt of the position squaring. Conversely, we believe cyclical sectors are undervalued and earnings expectations are acceptable.”

Alec Young, global equity strategist with S&P Capital IQ, is not so bullish on the emerging markets.

Young’s international investment outlook on Monday notes that EM equities are nearing bear market territory, down 16.3% from their January 3 highs and 13.9% year to date, with widespread damage in emerging Asia, Latin America and emerging Europe, the Middle East and Africa suffering declines as high as 20%.

“We believe fears of receding central bank monetary policy accommodation are clearly the primary driver as EM volatility really accelerated right after Fed Chairman Bernanke’s May 22 press conference when QE tapering talk first started,” Young writes. “While we acknowledge that oversold EM assets are overdue for a counter-trend bounce, we believe the open-ended nature of the Fed tapering overhang will continue to limit rallies and fuel continued EM underperformance over the coming months.”

Many exchange traded funds also have taken a beating – though some ETFs still offer a safe haven.

ETFtrends.com web editor John Spence reported on Monday in “Treasury ETFs Continue Sell-Off as 10-Year Yield Climbs Above 2.6%” that the iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond Fund (NYSEArca: TLT) traded lower again Monday after last week’s 5% sell-off when yields on the 10-year note broke through 2.6% for the first time since 2011.

“TLT and other Treasury bond ETFs have fallen sharply since the Federal Reserve said it could start pulling back on monetary stimulus if the economy improves,” Spence wrote.

Meanwhile, ETFtrends.com editor and owner Tom Lydon made an argument in favor of dividend ETFs in the face of market volatility.

“Treasury yields have spiked recently but solid dividend ETFs are still paying out more, which brings the focus back to dividend-yielding stocks, Lydon wrote in “Why Dividend ETFs Can Still Work,” published on Sunday. “Investors should look for dividend exchange traded funds that have potential for growth and the possibility to raise dividend payouts.”

Steve Doster, a certified financial planner with Doster Financial Planning in San Diego, said that he was hustling to get a client report done for a meeting on Monday afternoon because his clients are concerned about interest rates rising and their bond funds going down.

His job right now is to calm client fears.

“I'm a believer of the passive investment philosophy, so I continue to remind clients about the long-term horizon,” Doster wrote in an email. “And rising rates are a good thing for their long-term retirement plan even if there may be some short-term losses in their bond allocations.”

For direct insights on the role of ETFs in client portfolios from multiple experts—including Rick Ferri, Ron Delegge, Skip Schweiss and more—we invite you to register for AdvisorOne’s premiere advisorcentric Virtual ETF Summit, which starts July 23 (and get multiple hours of CFP Board CE).

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Current Events & World News

A group to discuss current events, politics, news.
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  • Sydni Moser

    USB - Satan's Data Connection

    Evangelical Christians in Brazil have apparently banned the use of USB connections after claiming the technology is the mark of Satan-worshippers (Hat tip: Fernando Frias). Apparently the revelation came after the evangelists noticed that the USB symbol resembles a trident. Presumably they're not great fans of Britain's ballistic missiles either.

    Here's the story, though be aware that aside from being repeated on a bunch of Brazilian websites, I've yet to find much to back it up, so if this turns up on Snopes don't blame me.

    English (Translation):

    The evangelical cult "Paz do Senhor Amado" ("Peace Beloved of the Lord") in the interior of Brazil forbids its followers to use any USB technology by contending that it uses a symbol that makes apology to the devil.

    According to its founder, the "Apostle" Welder Saldanha says that this is just a symbol of Satan, is always present in all Christian homes.

    "The symbol of that name (he even likes to pronounce) is a trident, which is used to torture souls go to hell. Use only a symbol of those shows that all users of this technology pífia are actually worshipers of Satan" - explains the" Apostle".

    Measures were taken so that all the USB connections of his followers were exchanged for common connections and even the Bluetooth (sic), which according to Saldanha Welder is permitted, for "Blue was the color of the eyes of our savior Jesus Christ".
  • Sydni Moser

    Muslim pilgrims perform the walk around the Kaaba (Tawaf) at the Grand Mosque in the Saudi holy city of Mecca
  • Sydni Moser

    Jon Stewart's Harshest John McCain Critique Yet

    Tonight, Jon Stewart spent a few minutes discussing, in detail, just how ridiculous and archaic—not to mention ever-evolving—John McCain's stance on "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" is, marking Stewart's harshest critique yet of McCain's increasingly indefensible views.

  • Sydni Moser

    Crusade against Muslims costs pastor his flock
    Wednesday, November 17, 2010

    New York: Pastor Terry Jones, the Florida pastor who threatened to burn copies of the Koran on 9/11 this year to protest against the proposed mosque near Ground Zero, has said that he has lost his followers because of his crusade against Muslims.

    The members of Pastor Terry Jones ''Dove World Outreach Center in Gainesville, Florida, abandoned the congregation,” he said near Ground Zero on Tuesday.

    The New York Daily News quoted Jones as saying that his people left because "they are not interested in the truth" about radical Muslims' intentions to take over the United States.

    "People come to church and want to hear, ‘God loves you, you''re a good person’. That''s true. God does love you. But there''s more we need to tell people, and they don't want to hear it," he added.

    Jones said he has kept busy despite losing his followers. He was in Manhattan announcing his latest project, an organisation called Stand Up America, which aims to "teach about the dangers of radical Islam," the paper said.

    Jones, who also is launching a televangelism program with a California network, was earlier condemned by US diplomats, including President Barack Obama for his plans to burn Korans on the 9/11 anniversary.

    He was also advised by the senior US leader in Afghanistan, General David Petaeus, that the stunt would put American soldiers lives at greater risk and provide propaganda for the Taliban. Eventually the plan was cancelled.

    He still has no plans to burn the book, he said on Tuesday, but does hope to launch International Judge Mohammed Day soon.
  • Sydni Moser

    Left Wing Americans?

    "I am very disturbed by the behavior of left wing Americans. I know a lot about them because I am one."

    WATCH the Video HERE:
  • Sydni Moser

    Sarah Palin Says We Need To Stand With Our North Korean Allies
    Posted in Liberaland by Alan
    November 24, 2010

    Sarah Palin is asked by Glenn Beck on his radio show what we should do about the current North Korea crisis:

    “Well, North Korea, this is stemming from I think, a greater problem when we’re all, you know, sittin’ around askin’, ‘Oh, no, what are we gonna do,’ and we’re not having a lotta faith that the White House is gonna come out with a strong enough policy to sanction what it is North Korea is gonna do, so this speaks to a bigger picture that certainly scares me in terms of our national security policy, but obviously some stand with our North Korean allies we’re bound to by freedom; we’re also bound by prudence to stand with our South Korean allies. And to my North Korea, well, we’re not gonna reward bad behavior and we’re not gonna walk away and we do need to press China to do more to improve pressure on North Korea.”

  • Sydni Moser

  • Sydni Moser

    Anderson Cooper's must-see birther interview 11/30/10
  • Sydni Moser

    “Reader, suppose you were an idiot. And suppose you were a member of Congress. But I repeat myself.” - Mark Twain
  • Sydni Moser

    Nashville billboards claim Jesus will return May 21, 2011

    There are 24 shopping days left till Christmas.

    And 171 days left until Jesus' second coming.

    That's the message on 40 billboards around Nashville, proclaiming May 21, 2011, as the date of the Rapture. Billboards are up in eight other U.S. cities, too.

    Fans of Family Radio Inc., a nationwide Christian network, paid for the billboards. Family Radio's founder, Harold Camping, predicted the May date for the Rapture.

    Their message is simple — "He Is Coming Again" — and their aim is to get unbelievers to turn around quickly. But critics say the billboards are a waste of time, one more failed attempt to predict the end of the world.

    The Rapture is going to be a great day for God's people but awful for everyone else, said Allison Warden, 29, who orchestrated Nashville's billboard campaign. She's a volunteer with, a website set up by followers of Family Radio. She and other fans designed the billboards, along with T-shirts, bumper stickers and postcards to get Camping's predictions out.

    Warden traveled from her home in Raleigh, N.C., to Nashville last week to check out the billboards, purchased through the end of the year. She wouldn't say how much they cost or name who paid for them.

    She is absolutely sure that Camping's prediction is right.

    She is absolutely sure that Camping's prediction is right.

    "It's a certainty," she said.

    But the Rev. Fred Fuller of Madison Campus Seventh-day Adventist Church disagrees. He says the Bible points to Jesus' return, but no one knows when.

    "The Bible says no one knows the day or the hour," he said. "I don't believe that date-setting or the scare tactic of an immediate date is a biblical approach."

    Predicting the second coming for Jesus dates to the first days of Christianity, when believers said he would return in their lifetimes. Since then there have been a series of failed predictions. One of the most famous, known as the Great Disappointment, happened in 1843, after William Miller and his followers sold their homes and waited out in a field for Jesus to come back.

    Continue Reading HERE:
  • Sydni Moser

  • Sydni Moser

  • Sydni Moser

    Rachel Maddow on Ronald Reagan's Failed Trickle-Down Voodoo Economics

    Rachel Maddow did an absolutely wonderful job dismantling the Republican talking points that Ronald Reagan's "Voodoo Economics" or "trickle-down economics" worked, pointing out how the Republicans who keep coming on the air claiming that tax cuts for the rich benefit the "job creators" are full of a bunch of bullpucky.

    WATCH the Video HERE:
  • Sydni Moser

    McCain Calls Ending the Bush Tax Cuts 'Class Warfare'

    John McCain claims that the Republicans have fought to have tax cuts targeted for small businesses, but apparently not if it means getting rid of the Bush tax cuts for the rich. And apparently the Democrats proposing this are waging "class warfare". He's right that there's class warfare going on right now. He just failed to mention that it's his side that's waging and winning it.

    WATCH the Video HERE:
  • Sydni Moser

    Nigeria to charge Dick Cheney in $180 million bribery case, issue Interpol arrest warrant

    The energy services company Dick Cheney ran prior to becoming Vice President of the United States was atop the tongue of liberals each time it was awarded a contract in Iraq.

    Now the company's name, Halliburton, is being spoken somewhere else: Nigeria.

    According to a story filed late Wednesday, Cheney will be indicted in a Nigerian bribery case as part of an investigation into an alleged $180 million bribery scandal.

    "Last week, Nigeria arrested at least 23 officials from companies including Halliburton, Saipem, Technip and a former subsidiary of Panalpina Welttransport Holding AG in connection with alleged illegal payments to Nigerian officials. Those detained were all freed on bail on Nov. 29," Bloomberg News' Elisha Bala-Gbogbo wrote.

    "Authorities in the West African nation are probing Halliburton, Saipem and Technip for the alleged payment of $180 million in bribes to win a $6 billion liquefied natural-gas contract," Bala-Gbogbo added. "Panalpina is being investigated for illegal payments it allegedly made to Nigerian customs officials on behalf of Royal Dutch Shell Plc."

    WATCH The Video and read more HERE:
  • Sydni Moser

    Bill Maher: Glenn Beck Is Like Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard (VIDEO)
    Posted: 12- 6-10
    Huffington Post

    "I think he's doing what some people before him have done like L. Ron Hubbard, who's a novelist and decided, you know what, it's a much easier gig to be a religious leader," Maher responded, adding, "I think Glenn Beck is [segueing] from what he was, mostly a political preacher, to a preacher preacher. It is an easier gig and you make more money, you know, Jim Baker kind of money."

    WATCH Video HERE:
  • Sydni Moser

    15 Mind-Blowing Facts About Wealth And Inequality In America

    The rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer. Cliché, sure, but it's more true than at any time since the Gilded Age.

    While politicians gloat about our "recovery," our poor are getting poorer, our average wages are still falling behind inflation, and social mobility is at an all-time low.

    But, yes, if you're in that top 1%, life in America is grand.

    Check Out the Graphs and Charts HERE
  • Cecilia

    Wasn't the guy who flew the plane into the IRS office building in Texas also supposed to have been an atheist?  If I recall, they tried to make a big deal about it but I don't think it ever got much traction.

  • Cecilia

    His political views seem to be a weird brew - some can be charaterized as "progressive" but he is clearly from the wingnut/Tea Party world.  It is just that he is from the "libertarian" wing of the Tea Party.  Those folks have "progressive" views on things like drugs and individual liberty and many of them are follower of Ayn Rand and, as such, not surprising that they'd be atheist.
  • Sydni Moser

    Need I say more?
  • Cecilia

    RE:  TPM article on Palin - the woman is just awful, she has no shame.  I remember after she was nominated I saw a bumper sticker that read:  "Sarah Palin, WTF??!!" and the more we know her it just gets worse and worse....
  • Cecilia

    Also, from TPM

    Clyburn: Palin Intellectually Unable To 'Understand What's Going On'

  • Cecilia

    Palin has accused journalists of "blood libel" against her -- even Jonah Goldberg called her out for it!!
  • kelltrill

    Moscow Suicide Bomber Kills at Least 31

    This broke my heart to read. I hate the thought that people are just going to shrug off these people as just another number. We've become so accustomed to bloody violence that we are rendered jaded and apathetic towards it.

  • Cecilia

    @Adriana - oh, yes, Bachman is certainly a head can anyone be so utterly ignorant (and, a complete liar on top of it) and be elected to Congress is a mystery.  How do the people in her district elect her?  It would be interesting to visit there - in an anthroplogical field trip sort of way, that is...
  • Cecilia

    Only the virtuous should vote!!  If this guy wasn't so scary he'd be funny (is he for real?  I think he is):

    But, really, this is what they are about - how is this any less scary than some, way far less likely, prospect of Islamists imposing sharia law in Oklahoma.  No, these guys are the ones we need to fear.

  • kelltrill

    Hey guys, there's talk that this is receiving minimal global coverage so I just thought I'd post it here.

    Madiba (Nelson Mandela) was admitted to hospital yesterday. They say it's routine but because of his age we're all worried.

    Please follow this SA news site for local updates.

    The media camped outside the hospital for the entire night and earlier yesterday Madiba's police had to forcefully remove them and up his security. There's also massive traffic jams near there because of concerned people.

  • Hope

    Middle East... Egypt..
    Protesters across Egypt defy curfew..

    Military deployed onto the streets of Cairo amid continued protests across the country.

    Thousands of protesters in the Egyptian cities of Cairo, Alexandria and Suez have defied a nighttime curfew and continued with demonstrations demanding an end to Hosni Mubarak's 30-year presidency.

    Military armoured vehicles rolled onto the streets of the capital on Friday night in a bid to quell the protests, but buildings have been set alight, and violent clashes continue after a day of unprecedented anger.

  • Hope

    The closure of Al Jazeera bureau in  Egypt today > FUNNY!

    Al Jazeera undeterred by Egypt curb

    Al Jazeera has expressed its “utter disappointment” with the blockage of its signal on Nilesat and sees this as a further attempt to block its reporting out of Egypt.

    The news network said on Sunday that the move was a reaction to the popularity of its wide coverage of the events in Egypt.

    On its bureau in Cairo being closed earlier by the Egyptian government, the network said it retained the right to take any available legal measures to reverse the move.
    “Regardless of the multiple attempts by the Egyptian authorities to deter and impede our reporting, Al Jazeera continues its comprehensive coverage of the landmark events unfolding in Egypt,” Wadah Khanfar, the news organisations's director general said.

  • Hope

                              The name of the gulf?!

    Persian Gulf or Arabian Gulf

                        Vote if you are interested

  • Hope

    Yes! they did it..Congratulations to Egypt.. I'm happy for them.
  • Pope Beanie

    It is the anti-jihadist hysterics’ crying wolf at every opportunity

    It's been 114 months since 9/11 when about 3k people were killed by Bin Laden, et al. I'll be off by some percentage, but about 3k people die every month in America from traffic accidents alone.

    That's over 300k Americans since 9/11. So why does 9/11 still rule the conservative rhetoric? As bigoted people's belief that Obama is Muslim illustrates, America is still in a paranoic, fear-mongering McCarthyism phase.

    We have been successfully terrorized. Now, we don't have to forget what happened, but let's reclaim our national agenda from extremists, and move forward. Don't let them blur our vision any more.

  • Gerald Scott

    Jo Johnson has called for Parliament to end prayer at the start of sessions of the House of Commons because Britain is no longer "an overwhelmingly Christian country".  WOW !!  To even attempt that in America would be your death knell.  Got to love the Brits.
  • Hope

    Joseph Farah >whenever this name is mentioned>I feel sorry for for the whole sad world...he is just another radical fundamentalist..

    On the other hand, James Zogby> whenever this name is mentioned,  I feel happy for the whole world...He is the one who deserve all respect..

  • Sydni Moser

    I was looking for the Current Events group and thought it was deleted.  Happy to find it under it's new name, which is a nice change.
  • Pope Beanie

    pose with conservative men on oxygen tanks who want nothing more in the world than to fuck her

    Hey, cool! Let's sound even more consumed by emotion than Rush or Beck!

  • Hope >AR-EN

    24 Rights Groups Urge US and EU to Confront Libyan Massacres

    NGOs demand Libya's suspension from UNHRC; UN Watch calls
    for urgent dispatch of medical supplies to hospitals

    GENEVA, February 20, 2010 - An international coalition of 24 rights groups urged world powers to convene the UN Security Council and the Human Rights Council to protect Libyan civilians from government killings, in a letter sent today to the U.S., the EU and UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. (See full text below)

    Signatories include the U.S.-based National Endowment for Democracy and Physicians for Human Rights, the Geneva-based UN Watch, and 21 other groups from Switzerland, India, Liberia, Italy, Nigeria, Germany, Sudan, Venezuela, Somalia, Thailand, and the United Kingdom.

    The letter asserts that the widespread atrocities committed by Libya against its own people are "particularly odious" actions that amount to war crimes, requiring member states to take action through the Security Council under the responsibility to protect doctrine.

    The appeal also calls for an emergency session of the Human Rights Council, in which Libya's membership on that body would be suspended, and an international inquiry team dispatched to he country.

    "The muted response of the US and the EU to the Libyan atrocities is not only a let-down to the many Libyans risking their lives for freedom, but a shirking of their obligations, as members of the Security Council and the Human Rights Council, to protect peace and human rights, and to prevent war crimes," said Hillel Neuer, executive director of UN Watch, and an international lawyer who represents Libyan torture victims.

    "Baroness Ashton's call today for Libyan forces to exercise 'restraint' is entirely inappropriate. We're dealing with the deliberate murder and massacre of hundreds of peaceful protesters. By signaling diplomatic caution in the face of a bloodbath -- instead of urgency and action -- the EU is failing the victims. It's time for basic human rights to come before oil," said Neuer.

    "The EU should also urge the UN and the International Committee of the Red Cross to send urgently-needed medical supplies into Libya, particularly for hospitals in Benghazi. Ashton should attempt to visit Libya after her trip to Cairo tomorrow." Exiled Libyans in Cairo and members of Egypt's Doctors Syndicate have sent urgent medical supplies to Libya, but the international community needs to step in, said Neuer.

    * * *

    Urgent Appeal to Stop Atrocities in Libya

    Sent by 23 NGOs to US President Obama, EU High Representative Catherine Ashton, and UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, 20 February 2011

    We, the undersigned non-governmental, human rights, and humanitarian organizations, urge you to mobilize the United Nations and the international community and take immediate action to halt the mass atrocities now being perpetrated by the Libyan government against its own people. The inexcusable silence cannot continue.

    As you know, in the past several days, Colonel Moammar Gadhafi’s forces are estimated to have deliberately killed hundreds of peaceful protesters and innocent bystanders across the country. In the city of Benghazi alone, one doctor reported seeing at least 200 dead bodies. Witnesses report that a mixture of special commandos, foreign mercenaries and regime loyalists have attacked demonstrators with knives, assault rifles and heavy-caliber weapons.

    Snipers are shooting peaceful protesters. Artillery and helicopter gunships have been

  • Pope Beanie

    Jeffs Restored As Head Of FLDS, Despite Legal Troubles

    A document filed with the Utah Department of Commerce names Jeffs as president and "corporation sole" of the FLDS faith. "Corporation sole" is a phrase often used to give corporate authority to an individual leader of a religious group. [...]

    [...]Jeffs says that he was "called and sustained as the President" of the FLDS Church. The faithful believe that their "president and prophet" is "called" to the position in a process that is divinely inspired. Other leaders and members then "sustain" that calling.

    Jeffs had officially surrendered control of the faith in 2007 after being convicted of being an accomplice to rape and sentenced to two consecutive terms of five years to life in prison.

    Rest of story here.
  • Pope Beanie

    Gaddafi says protesters are on hallucinogenic drugs

    (Reuters) - Muammar Gaddafi blamed a revolt against his rule on al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden on Thursday, and said the protesters were fueled by milk and Nescafe spiked with hallucinogenic drugs, in a rambling appeal for calm.
  • Hope

    [they put hallucinatory pills in their drinks, their milk, their coffee, their Nescafe.]>> that's because he's expert hallucinations :)
  • T A A

    well, it's hard to get youth away from the Xbox, you need politicians to be very sexy to achieve that, and Obama incarnated that. Myself I'm caught between youth and wrinkly. Some days I wish wrinklies didn't exist... think Logan's run. Wrinklies ruin the world :(
  • Hope

     it's all about money :)

    Treasury: $30 Billion In Libyan Assets Frozen

    The Treasury Department says that at least $30 billion in Libyan assets have been frozen since President Barack Obama imposed sanctions on Libya last week.

    David Cohen, Treasury's acting undersecretary for terrorism and financial intelligence, said that the $30 billion represented the largest amount ever frozen by a U.S. sanctions order. He said that there had been no evidence that Moammar Gadhafi or agents working on his behalf had tried to withdraw funds before the sanctions order went into effect.

    Cohen, speaking to reporters on a conference call Monday, refused to provide any details on how many U.S. financial institutions held the Libyan assets or how the money was divided between Gadhafi and his family and the country's sovereign wealth fund.

  • Pope Beanie

    He said that there had been no evidence that Moammar Gadhafi or agents working on his behalf had tried to withdraw funds before the sanctions order went into effect.

    Haha, those idiots. That is so cool!!

  • Hope

    2011-03-04 #Saudi Arabia Friday Protests

    The focus of Friday's protest is a Shiite prayer leader arrested last week, and cited below from Stratfor reportage.

    Ahsaa province demonstrations to protest the detention of Sheikh Tawfiq Al-Amer, a Shi'ite cleric arrested February 27 after calling for a constitutional monarchy during last Friday's sermon.

  • Tammy

    At least 13 people died and 140 were injured in clashes between Mus...

    Both Coptic Christians and Muslims were killed in the violence, which began during a protest by Copts against last week's burning of a church.

    Egypt's Sunni authority has urged Muslims to help rebuild the church, calling its destruction un-Islamic.

    The clashes come two months after a suicide bomber killed 23 people at a Coptic church in Alexandria.

    In January, an Egyptian man was sentenced to death for shooting dead six Copts and a Muslim policeman in Naga Hamady, southern Egypt.

    Tensions flare

    The violence erupted when Coptic protesters blocked a highway in the Egyptian capital, protesting against the burning of the church in the province of Hilwan.

    The rally angered Muslims who wanted to pass through. Witnesses said both sides threw stones, and the army fired into the air to disperse the crowds.

    The Grand Imam of al-Azhar issued a statement on Tuesday condemning the attack on the church in Atfih, Hilwan governorate, as "a distortion of Islam".

    Sheikh Ahmad al-Tayyib called on Muslim residents of the town to help start rebuilding the church and to refrain from sectarian violence, Egypt's official news agency, Mena, reported.

    Meanwhile, thousands of Coptic protesters continued their sit-in outside the state television building. They are calling for the rebuilding of the church, better protection for Christians, and a full investigation into last week's attack.

    Copts - who make up about 10% of Egypt's population - have often complained of harassment and discrimination, and argue that attacks on them go unpunished or result in light sentences.

    The government in the predominantly Muslim country denies discriminating against Copts.

  • T A A

    Another fantastic example of how knowledge knows no master, it equally serves "good" and "bad".
  • Pope Beanie

    I just ran into a very well written article that explains more about how the Fukushima reactors are designed to work, and fail if necessary. Even though well written, I had to be skeptical... but I later learned that it was written by an MIT physicist, and MIT has created a new (I think) website to host his article and news:

    I'm always skeptical of mainstream news, but this time it looks like they fooled me into believing that a nuclear meltdown/catastrophe is currently in underway.

    Now I could be wrong, but NOW I'm assuming that the MIT guys are right, and mainstream news is totally wrong and unnecessarily alarmist.

    This is actually quite interesting and spectacular. All those explosions, fire, and evacuations of populations and emergency plant personnel! It might all just be non-event, with very expensive mega-fireworks!

    I hope MIT is right.
  • T A A

    It's my impression from reading various sources that we're indeed not dealing with a catastrophic meltdown but a very slow one, like an annoying slow leak on a tire. I may of course be wrong. But very often the truth is somewhere in between. The risks of not acting due to "under" alarm are much greater than the reverse risk.
  • Pope Beanie

    I expected Obama to use the birther issue eventually and smartly, but I wonder if it's a bit premature right now. I want the whackos to win some primaries, so they can be cut down to size and lose in November. I would have held the birth certificate back a few more months, at least.

    I'm not trying to start a discussion. (Wish I had more time!) Maybe I'm just wishing others could contribute here. Say, speaking of current events and whipping up interest, I wonder if all those tornadoes are God's punishment because of Westboro Babtist Church? Sure, they're in Kansas, but that's close enough, right?

  • Pope Beanie

    Had another funny thought about where whackos belong. Perhaps Trump's announcement (that he supposedly can't release until end of his Apprentice show season) will be that he'll take Beck's place at FOX.

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Religion - The Cult of Death Pt.1: Christianity

Views: 148

Comment by Tim on May 23, 2011 at 4:35pm
Is it me or does Reverend Fruitcake bear a startling resemblance to South Park's Mr. Mackey?
Comment by David Paul Smith on May 23, 2011 at 5:15pm
What a load of sad people. You only pass this way once so enjoy your life.
Comment by Richard Raymond on July 18, 2011 at 7:48am
Religion = Absurdity + Idiocy

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Home > Duna

What does Duna mean?

Duna Pronunciation of Duna [duna] as a girls' name. The meaning of the name Duna is "dark, swarthy". Duna is a version of Duana (Irish, Gaelic).

Associated with: dark (black).

Duna has 3 variants: Duayna, Dwana and Dwayna.

1 more alternative form via Duana: Duane.

Creative forms:
(female) Dunai, Duni, ..

(male) Duan, Duno, ..

Middle name pairings:
Duna Avah (D.A.), ..

How popular is Duna?

Duna is a rare given name for females but a somewhat popular surname for both adults and children (#76700 out of 150436, Top 51%). (2000 U.S. Census)

Which version is better?

with its source form and related girl names. The only prominent related form of Duna (unlisted) rated in the Top 2000 is Duane. This form of Duna was favored in the 1930s (#1561). (2015 U.S. SSA Records)

Top 2000 baby names ranking of Duane in U.S.

Top 100 baby names ranking of Duna and related baby names outside U.S.

Similar Names

Duna is alike in pronunciation to Dagna, Danay, Danea, Danie, Dannah, Dannia, Danny, Dany, Dayna, Deenya, Dena, Denah, Deney, Denia, Denna, Deona, Dhanna, Diahna, Digna, Dina, Dinay, Diona, Dona, Donia and Donnay. Other suggested similar names are Agna, Aina, Aruna, Auina, Bena, Bina, Buna, Dada, Dama, Dane, Daya, Dea, Deja, Deka, Dene, Dita, Dola, Drea, Drina, Dumia, Dusa, Duwan, Elna, Ena, Erna, Etna, Euna, Fauna, Gunna, Hana, Jana, Jona, Kina, Lana, Lena, Lina, Luna, Mona, Muna, Nana, Nyna, Oona, Rona, Sana, Shuna, Tina, Vena, Vyna, Zana and Zyna. These names tend to be more commonly used than Duna.

See names
in meaning and etymology.


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Giant Robot Slippers with Sound

Invented at ThinkGeek

Do the robot!

  • Bootie-style slippers make your feet look and sound like a robot
  • One size fits lots of adult humans
  • ThinkGeek creation & exclusive

Out of stock

 ( no ETA available )

This product is not available for purchase at this time.

Do the robot!

When we were having these manufactured, we were sure to communicate that they needed to be three-laws compliant. The first prototype came with only two laws. It wasn't pretty, but we've totally fixed that wall and replaced the guy who sat in that cube. Well, more like mopped up. In other news, we're hiring! Moving on.

These bootie-style slippers make your feet look and sound like a robot. Vrrrrrr-clank. Vrrrrrr-clank. Folks are guaranteed to turn around when you enter the room. And if they don't? Stomp over to them and threaten to smash their city with your Giant Robot Slippers. Can't they recognize one of their new robot overlords? Silly humans.

These are one-size fits most adult humans. The interior space for your foot is 8" wide x 13" long. We intended them to fit up to a U.S. Men's size 12 (Ladies' 14), but they might even fit a bit bigger. How they work, the leg is made to hug your calf, so even if your foot is much smaller than a men's size 12, they should hang on. (Not kids. But adults. We put our tiniest Merchant Assistant into a pair, and she stomped around just fine. And sounded HUGE.) That also means that the circumference of your calf is likely to be the limiting factor. Measure 10" above the sole of your foot. If it's more than 15" around, these are probably not going to fit. If there's a spot lower on your leg that fits the parameters, you might be able to get away with scrunching them down. But we can't promise.

Wanna just hear what they sound like? Click here to listen to the audio file.

Product Specifications

  • Bootie-style slippers make your feet look and sound like you're a robot
  • A ThinkGeek creation and exclusive
  • One size fits lots of adult humans
  • Step-reactive vrrrrrr-clank noise
  • On/off switch on the sound box allows you to sneak around like a big-footed ninja when circumstances call for it
  • Bottom fabric coated with no-slip dots
  • Materials: 100% polyester
  • Care Instructions: Remove battery before washing. Surface wash in cold water only.
  • Imported
  • Batteries: 4 AA (not included) - 2 for each slipper. The slippers do not have bluetooth, both slippers need to have batteries in them in order for them to make noise.
  • Comfortably fits up to a U.S. Men's 12 (Ladies' 14)
  • Interior foot size 13" long x 8" wide
  • Maximum calf circumference 15" (10" above sole of foot)
  • As with all ThinkGeek robots, guaranteed to be 3-laws safe

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Tariq Harb and Brent Crawford with U of T Guitar Ensemble

Jan-Bartlema-ConcertinoTariq Harb and Brent Crawford with the University of Toronto Guitar Ensemble directed by Jeffrey McFadden perform Jan Bartlema‘s ‘Concertino’ at Walter Hall. Excellent playing by Harb & Crawford and some nice ensemble work overall with McFadden keeping the group balanced in sound despite the obvious issues involved with having so many guitars. Concertino for 2 guitars and guitar ensemble/orchestra. Via Bartlema‘s site: “This concertino was specially composed for the Zwolle guitarfestival 2006 in the Netherlands. The concertino has 2 solo parts for the advanced player and 4 ensemble parts for the intermediate player (with optional bass guitar).”

Video link & Source: http://youtu.be/1xxopKyh4ZU

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No. 18 – Chromatic Scale in Octaves

This is a video lesson for my new ebook: 20 Favorite Exercises for Classical Guitar – For beginner to intermediate classical guitarists (Includes: notation, TAB, fingerings, practice tips). Check out more free video lessons at the lesson archive. I’ll be releasing videos for all 20 exercises.

Thirds, Sixths, OctavesPracticing scales in chromatic octaves train your fingers for textures such as Bach’s lute suites and more. Octaves are also very useful in jazz or ensemble playing when you need a melodic line to sound strong and full. Do your best to not read this exercise but instead just think of the note names and the interval shapes. As with the previous exercise, play on your fingertips with curved fingers that clear the string below. Play as legato as possible.These have a potential to stretch the muscles so be careful and take breaks to let them recover. Other logical left-hand fingerings are acceptable, these ones are just a suggestion. You’ll get a workout regardless.

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Havana, CubaHavana, Cuba is a newly-available travel destination for Americans.Shutterstock

The world is a big and beautiful place that travelers wish to explore. Unfortunately, some countries are closed to visitors, especially American travelers. Today, the U.S. has issued serious travel warnings to places like Syria and Yemen, making it hard -- not to mention, dangerous -- for Americans to visit such destinations. On the bright side, there are a number of spots that Americans can now visit that they couldn’t five, 10, or 20 years ago. So if you're a travel enthusiast looking for a place that's still slightly untouched by American tourism, check out this list below.

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Past Events

Click on any event below to view more information on our past events.

  • Under the Dome

    Join us to learn key victories and challenges that impacted animal welfare laws in the last legislative session and the opportunities to strengthen animal protection laws on the horizon. In this presentation we will also share techniques for citizen advocacy and help you be a strong, unified voice for animals in your community!

    Saturday, April 23, 2016 at 11:00 AM
    Texas Unites Renaissance Hotel
    0 RSVPs
  • Getting Political for Animals

    Join us for a better understanding of the many issues that animals face in Texas, and you’ll learn that helping animals can begin right in your own home . . . your neighborhood . . . your community! Whether you're in the courtroom, aspire to be, or simply want to hone your understanding of how important laws are to the welfare of animals, this symposium is for you!

    Friday, April 22, 2016 at 08:00 AM · 4 rsvps
    Thompson Conference Center - University of Texas at Austin
    4 RSVPs
  • Bake Sale & Fundraiser

    Hey Central Texas - Join the Central Texas Chapter for an afternoon of family friendly + pet friendly fun at the Doghouse Drinkery & Dog Park in Leander. Tons of yummy vegan baked goods on offer, and all proceeds will go to the Texas Humane Legislation Network - a mainstream voice for animals at the Texas Legislature. Come help fight cruelty with beer and cupcakes!

    Saturday, April 16, 2016 at 02:00 PM · 1 rsvp
    1 RSVPs
  • Yappy Hour

    Hey Houston! Be sure to join us at dog friendly Little Woodrow's on April 7th for Yappy Hour! From 5:30PM-9PM proceeds will benefit the Texas Humane Legislation Network - a mainstream voice for the animals of Texas. Parking available at and near Little Woodrows (lot across the street at El Cantina) and on the street.

    Thursday, April 07, 2016 at 05:30 PM
    0 RSVPs
  • Sip and Shop

    Hey North Texas - Join us for light refreshments and loads of style while you shop and sip champagne! The Texas Humane Legislation Network has once again teamed up with J.McLaughlin in Fort Worth to bring you high fashion while fighting cruelty. 15% of all sales will go the Texas Humane Legislation Network - a mainstream voice for animals at the Texas Legislature. Don't miss your chance to see the new Spring 2016 collection and nosh on yummy treats while you support a great cause!

    Saturday, April 02, 2016 at 02:00 PM
    J.McLaughlin (Fort Worth, TX) in Fort Worth, TX
    0 RSVPs
  • Sip and Support at Community Beer Company

    Join us for an award winning craft beer tasting and tour and help THLN at the same time! A portion of the proceeds from this event will be donated to THLN's efforts to advocate for Texas animals. To purchase discounted tickets in advance use the promo code THLN. If you pay at the door, be sure to mention THLN.

    Tickets are $8 in advance and $10 at the door and include a tour and 3 beer tickets for those 21 and up.

    Enjoy live music, local artists, a food truck and a raffle
    Kids and dogs are welcome!

    Friday, March 18, 2016 at 06:00 PM
    0 RSVPs
  • Annual Advocacy Conference 2016

    Friday, March 18, 2016 at 06:00 PM · 21 rsvps
    21 RSVPs
  • Premiere of documentary film

    Please Join THLN for the premiere of "Of Dogs and Men", a documentary film on the subject of law enforcement encountering canines. "Of Dogs and Men" was produced by Ozymandias Entertainment, Inc. in association with the Animal Legal Defense Fund (ALDF).

    A panel discussion featuring the film makers and advocates - including Cindy Boling, Founder of Remembering Lily - A Reason for Change, and Shelby Bobosky, THLN Vice President, will follow the November 1st screening.

    The screening at the Rollins Studio Theater at the Long Center on November 1st will be the FIRST of two screenings for this film in Austin.

    * Tickets will go on sale 20 minutes before each screening.
    * Only one ticket per person.
    * Tickets must be paid for with CASH. Checks and credit cards will not be accepted.

    The later screening will take place at the Galaxy Highland on Monday, November 2nd.

    Sunday, November 01, 2015 at 03:00 PM
    0 RSVPs
  • 7th Annual Animal Advocacy Conference

    Come join us to celebrate THLN's 40 years of animal advocacy!

    We'll feature some inspiring animal welfare conference speakers and an amazing evening with the "Break the Chain" Gala!

    We will celebrate recent wins for the animals and kick off our initiative to 'break the chain' of inhumanly tethered dogs. You will hear from the experts on the animal issues facing us at a national and state level. Plus you'll meet some VERY SPECIAL GUESTS.

    Whether you are an animal rescuer, wildlife rehabber, animal control officer, animal law attorney, donor, volunteer, or you're new to animal advocacy, if you love animals, this event is for you!

    Friday, September 18, 2015 at 05:00 PM through September 20, 2015 · 3 rsvps
    3 RSVPs
  • THLN Public Meeting

    THLN's South Texas Chapter is hosting a Public Meeting and YOU are invited! Join THLN's VP and Legislative Co-Chair Shelby Bobosky & Interim Executive Director Stacy Kerby to discuss Texas animal welfare laws in the recent Legislative Session.

    Never been to a THLN meeting before? No worries. We’ll do a brief review of THLN's mission and history so you’ll know what we are all about. The meeting is free, open to the public and light refreshments will be provided.

    DATE: July 1, 2015
    TIME: 6:00 PM
    PLACE: Gulf Coast Humane Society Community Room
    ADDRESS: 3118 Cabaniss Rd, Corpus Christi, TX 78415
    COST: Free and open to the public

    Wednesday, July 01, 2015 at 06:00 PM
    Gulf Coast Humane Society in Corpus Christi, TX
    0 RSVPs


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A Special Valentine’s Treat With IT and the Hughes Brothers

IT starring the Hughes Brothers has a special Valentine’s Day Show lined up for you! Bring your Valentine for Romance & Fun on February 14th, 2017. This special show includes a renewal of vows for couples and a free memory portrait, plus even more! You can add a delicious dinner before the show complete with the romance of candlelight, flowers, and romantic music. During dinner you’ll even get to enjoy a classic romance movie.

Call 417-334-0076 for reservations, show starts at 8pm and the opitonal dinner & movie starts at 6:30 pm Feb 14, 2017.

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Pearl Izumi Bartlett Jacket - Men's - $79.95

The temperatures are dropping and it's looking more like fall every day. Pearl Izumi would like to remind you that, even though you aren't riding as much as you did this summer, you're still a cyclist, and you should look like one even after your summer jerseys have been put away. The Pearl Izumi Bartlett Jacket blends old-school denim shell construction with new-school bonded fleece so you can have the best of both worlds.There's more to the Bartlett than just retro good looks. Pearl Izumi provided the Bartlett with two hand-warmer pockets and a chest pocket for convenient storage. The full-length zipper draft-flap keeps chilly air from sneaking into this classic jacket weak spot, but leaves the zipper visible for a clean vintage look. The Pearl Izumi Bartlett Jacket comes in sizes S through XXL. It's available in Foothills Green or Black. - $79.95


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Sea Eagle Boats - $294.88

These tough boats are constructed using the thickest-gauge and the best-quality PVC material on the market. Deflated, they pack to the size of a small sleeping bag. The deep inside cockpit makes them very stable on the water. Each comes with one-way, screw-type valves; all-around rope lacing; molded oar locks; unbreakable molded oar clasps; air-pressure gauge; repair kit and instruction booklet. Available: The Sea Eagle 8 measures 9'7 x 4'6 . Weight: 33 pounds. Capacity: three adults (950 pounds). Five air chambers, 33 mil hull thickness. 3-hp capacity. The Sea Eagle 9 measures 11' x 4'8 . Weight: 40 pounds. Capacity: five adults (1,200 pounds). Five air chambers, 38 mil hull thickness. 4-hp capacity. Type: Inflatable Boat. - $294.88


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Supergroup featuring members of Animal Collective, Dirty Projectors and Dan Deacon with new album
Avey Tare's Slasher Flicks
Raleigh Moncrief
Wednesday Aug 27, 2014

Doors: 8:00 PM
Show: 9:00 PM

21 and over

Mississippi Studios

3939 N. Mississippi Ave.
Portland, OR
less info

Online Sales Have Ended. Tickets May Be Available At The Door


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Colburn Orchestra 2017

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Colburn Orchestra Concert dates

You are intended to attend Colburn Orchestra event as it comes close to your home. And of course, the event is appearing in Los Angeles. Visit our website and get top Colburn Orchestra tickets at low prices unavailable within other websites. Cheap Colburn Orchestra tickets are our specialty, so profit of the chance!

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Walt Disney Concert Hall
Los Angeles , CA
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Ticketsreview.com is offering Cheap Colburn Orchestra ticketss for years now, and up till the right moment, we have succeeded to draw legions of clientele from a lot of places such as from Los Angeles and from nationwide. Booking Colburn Orchestra concert tickets 2017 tickets is not always easy as the number of concert attendees that are seeking these tickets is huge taking in consideration in Los Angeles and from around the nation. This site makes it easy for you to go to Cheap Colburn Orchestra tickets performances and supports you reserve best seats for all concert performances appearing in Los Angeles or any area nationwide.

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Day and Night - First Words Book

RRP $20.00
From tummy time to toddler's first words, this little book grows with your child. Sturdy accordion pages fold out to feature first words and bold graphics. A great companion of daity routines from morning to night.
Hardcover accordion book with fold out pages and rounded corners. Includes day activities on one side and night activities (bedtime routine) on the other.

Made from recycled paper printed and vegetable inks.

Conforms to CPSIA, ASTM, and EU standards.

Recommended ages newborn to 3.

Petit Collage is exclusively distributed by Tiger Tribe in Australia.

SKU PC2030
Brand Petit Collage
Shipping Weight 0.0005kg
Shipping Width 0.002m
Shipping Height 0.016m
Shipping Length 0.016m
Shipping Cubic 0.000001m3
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Time Out São Paulo

Lawless: review

Lawless: review

Opens 21 Sep 2012

Director John Hillcoat

Cast Tom Hardy, Shia LaBeouf, Guy Pearce, Jessica Chastain

Virginia, 1931: a time of good men, bad cops, pretty girls and a world turned sour as dodgy moonshine by poverty and prohibition. Cinema has been in this glorified world many times before, of course, and John Hillcoat and Nick Cave, working together for the first time since 2005’s The Proposition, don’t much surprise with the thrust of their bone-cracking tale of the bootlegging Bondurant brothers: Jack (Shia LaBeouf), Forrest (Tom Hardy) and Howard (Jason Clarke).

In a rural backwater the boys run up against various obstacles: a mean cop on assignment from Chicago, Charley Rakes (Guy Pearce); an Al Capone type from the big smoke, Floyd Banner (Gary Oldman); and two beautiful women whose backgrounds stand in the way of love (Mia Wasikowska and Jessica Chastain).

Lawless ('Os Infratores') is not a nuanced tale: the Bondurants begin as honest, if extremely violent, folk and finish up that way. LaBeouf’s Jack is youthful and out-going, while Hardy’s Forrest is dour and mumdbling, and their essential decency is never called into question. Even the small-town cops seem apologetic whenever they have to put an awkward question or two to the brothers. Locally the boys have a reputation for being invincible, such is their ability to bounce back from adversity – it’s an idea that gives the film one of its very few moments of humour.

Hillcoat and Cave’s decision to be very liberal with the bloodletting and throat-cutting – knuckledusters in faces, testicles in jars – doesn’t stop their film from feeling a bit too pretty (in the same way that Wasikowska and Chastain are perhaps too glossily beautiful for Jack and Forrest’s respective love interests).

Where Lawless has more to offer is Benoît Delhomme’s photography – there are great pastoral shots – and a relaxed direction by Hillcoat that gives time to endearing performances and a strong sense of time and place. LaBeouf offers the charisma of a green newbie in the same way that Hardy offers the anti-charisma of a guy who’s been round the block too many times to remember. However, the actors are fetishised by Hillcoat, and Pearce, especially, is allowed the space to become a cartoon villain.

There’s little in Lawless – a more mainstream experience than The Proposition – to upset a romantic vision of the Bondurants’ lives and experiences. That’s surely because Cave’s script is based on a 2008 novel, The Wettest County in the World, by Matt Bondurant, the grandson of one of the brothers.

Hillcoat and Cave tell this tale from a perspective of blind fondness, like elderly relatives romanticising their ancestors around the fireplace. It makes for an oddly comfy experience considering the death and hurt at the film’s core.

By Dave Calhoun

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7c2b Details will provide measure of Berke's initiatives | Times Free Press

Details will provide measure of Berke's initiatives

Details will provide measure of Berke's initiatives

April 23rd, 2014 in Opinion Free Press

Chattanooga Mayor Andy Berke delivers the State of the City address Monday at the Chattanoogan.

Chattanooga Mayor Andy Berke delivers the State of...

Photo by John Rawlston /Times Free Press.

Who can argue with promoting entrepreneurship and technological innovation, assisting small businesses, ending homelessness of veterans and giving new parents skills to help them with their children?

Surely, every Chattanoogan can be on board with those four second-year priorities set by Mayor Andy Berke in his first State of the City address on Monday at The Chattanoogan.

How they're accomplished, though, produces more questions than the mayor could answer in his speech. But city residents deserve the details and assurances the efforts are not duplicative and expensive.

One of Berke's initiatives is for The Enterprise Center (TEC), a not-for-profit corporation of which the city is a partner, to nurture "our budding entrepreneurial ecosystem" and support "our technology industry."

It was announced in March that TEC, which was created in 2002 to house the city's economic development initiatives, would shift its mission to growing the city's economy and addressing issues such as access to technology for all citizens. A new president and board members were to be named, and its stakeholders -- which include Berke -- will review its bylaws, strategic plan and projects.

As part of that new mission and structure, Berke explained in his State of the City talk that the TEC would establish an innovation district, "pulling together advanced technology, entrepreneurs, existing industries and higher education into one location." The location, he said, has not been selected yet, and just what entities will be pulled together probably will not be clear until the new TEC team is announced and the review is done.

The TEC, according to Berke spokeswoman Lacie Stone, receives $160,000 in annual city funding and for budget year 2014-2015 is not likely to be funded "less than the budgeted amount in previous years."

No business sector has been hurt as much by the Great Recession and President Barack Obama's regulation-heavy, health care-mandating administration than small businesses. If the mayor's Growing Small Business initiative helps small businesses expand, the city will be the beneficiary in a variety of ways.

The initiative, Berke said in his address, will provide incentives to businesses of 100 employees or fewer who make a "substantial" workforce expansion of "good-paying, middle-class jobs." Stone said Tuesday "substantial" meant five or more employees.

It would be wonderful for all small companies to expand their employees by a minimum of 5 percent, but that's no easy feat in a stubborn economy. So the devil is in the details about what the incentives will be and how many businesses can qualify.

Nothing is sadder than a veteran who served the United States in war having to live on the streets. For that matter, it's a shame anyone has to live on the streets.

Berke's goal is to end chronic veteran homelessness -- helping approximately 40 people, he told Times Free Press reporter Louie Brogdon -- by December 2016. On Tuesday, he signed an executive order creating the Mayor's Task Force to End Chronic Homelessness. He suggested in his speech that business, community and government leaders, and veterans, will be involved. The executive order also indicates "organizations currently committed to addressing the issues with the homelessness of veterans" will be among the resources.

Whether the task force will examine the plight of other homeless Chattanoogans and whether homeless veterans will leap ahead of those Chattanoogans in the battle for resources is unknown.

Finally, Berke suggested a "baby college," an initiative pioneered by Jeffrey Canada of The Harlem Children's Zone, "to tutor expectant parents about how to keep their newborn healthy and happy."

What new parent couldn't use some advice on what to do, especially in that critical first year? Stone said the city's Department of Youth and Family Development, in implementing the initiative, will "certainly partner with an existing organization (or organizations) to deliver these services."

The Harlem Children's Zone website defines its baby college as "a series of workshops for parents of children ages 0-3." Locally, the United Way of Greater Chattanooga already offers learning checkups for any child under 5, so parents can be sure their child's learning skills are developing properly, as well as an entire program area, Project Ready for School, which works to ensure every child enters school with the skills necessary to be successful.

We hope the mayor's baby college will not overlap, but perhaps combine with, the important work already being done locally.

We salute Berke's energy, ideas and willingness to try new things. We want them to succeed, but we believe Chattanoogans also want to be sure they're done in a pragmatic and economically sound way. We look forward to seeing the details unfold.


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84f9 Lady Mocs top Tech in six, 8-0 | Times Free Press

Lady Mocs top Tech in six, 8-0

Lady Mocs top Tech in six, 8-0

April 11th, 2012 by Jim Tanner in Sports - College

UTC second baseman Ninjja Suetsuga bare-hands a ground ball to make a double play in the fourth inning against Tennessee Tech Tuesday at Frost Stadium.

Photo by Doug Strickland /Times Free Press.

Still playing without one of its cornerstones on the infield didn't hurt the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga softball team Tuesday night in an 8-0 win over Tennessee Tech at Jim Frost Stadium.

The Lady Mocs (24-13) won in six innings after jumping to a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. Shortstop Jessica Traxler hit a bases-loaded double with two outs to set the tone early.

"I didn't want to leave three runners on base, so I was just seeing the ball and hitting it," Traxler said. "It was an inside pitch and I hit it to the right side. Usually most of the big hits I get are to the right side, so I was lucky that they all scored."

UTC took advantage of four Tech errors to add a single run in the fourth inning and four in the sixth, ending the game.

Coach Frank Reed was pleased with the Lady Mocs' performance in a midweek nonconference contest while they are wrapping up the semester in the classroom and preparing for final exams.

"Our goals were to have solid pitching, put the ball in play, play solid defense without errors and let the chips fall where they may," he said. "I thought we accomplished that today."

Senior Michelle Fuzzard (10-6) pitched the first four innings and Taylor Deason took over for the last two for her third save. Each allowed two hits.

Freshman center fielder Cheyenne Willis led the Lady Mocs on offense, going 3-for-4 with an RBI and two runs, and left fielder Layne Rainey had two hits. Willis had been struggling with her power swing lately, but she has had success slapping the ball off the infield.

"Regular swinging is where I'm not as comfortable right now, so slapping is what's been getting me on base," she said. "But slowly but surely I'm getting back into hitting."

The Lady Mocs were without junior second baseman Sara Poteat, who injured her Achilles' tendon in a collision with a baserunner last weekend. Poteat sat out Tuesday's game and is likely to miss this weekend's home Southern Conference series against Western Carolina.

Junior NInjja Suetsugu, a natural shortstop, took Poteat's spot at second base and was solid on defense with three putouts. The transfer from Miami Dade Community College also had a hit and scored a run.

"We need her to play like I've seen her play in junior college," Reed said. "She came off of a national championship team, and she had some home runs and some big hits on that team. ... So we need her to take advantage of these starts even though second base is not her position."

Tuesday's game was also the final one in Chattanooga for two local players on the Tennessee Tech roster. Former Ooltewah standout Holly Thomas didn't play Tuesday, but designated player Samantha Everett from Baylor had a hit to wrap up her local playing career on a positive note.

"It's kind of bittersweet because this is home and you always want to come out and win when you are at home," she said. "But I've had a lot of good experiences here, so any time being here is a pleasure.

"I can at least walk off and say I did something. My field play wasn't too good, but I at least got a hit and it was a pretty good smack, so that's not too bad."


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a345 5-at-10: College football madness, Manning has no Luck in Indy and who won the weekend | Times Free Press

5-at-10: College football madness, Manning has no Luck in Indy and who won the weekend

5-at-10: College football madness, Manning has no Luck in Indy and who won the weekend

October 21st, 2013 by Jay Greeson in Sports - College

Robin Thicke, left, and Miley Cyrus perform "Blurred Lines" at the 2013 MTV Video Music Awards at the Barclays Center in the Brooklyn borough of New York.

Robin Thicke, left, and Miley Cyrus perform "Blurred...

Photo by Associated Press /Times Free Press.

What an awesome weekend. Outstanding even.

Let's get to work before we have to get to work. Work. Or as Miley Cyrus would say, let's get to twerk before we go to twerk.

Are we to a point that we can sub in the word twerk in like the Smurfs do with 'smurf' in just about any situation?

From the "Talks too much" studio, grab a brew, don't cost nothin.

College football rewind

Wow. Is there much more to say?

Wow. There were so many monster moments from Saturday. Can we rank which team had the best day?

Here's our ballot:

1) Auburn rolls into College Station and lands a 45-41 shocker over Johnny Football and the Aggies. This one tops our list because it was on the road against a high-quality opponent - which also happened to beat the living stuffing out of Auburn last year - that catapulted Auburn to 11th in the BCS standings. (Side note: StuckinKent's computer poll has had Auburn in the low teens for a few weeks now. Well played indeed Stuck's computer.) The win - coupled with LSU's stunning loss at Ole Miss - means Auburn joins Alabama and Missouri as the only teams with complete control of their SEC fate.

2) Tennessee ends a five-season streak against ranked foes - against the Ol' Ball Coach, no less. There's a fair argument to be made that for what it meant in the moment and the degree of difficulty, that Marquez North's one-handed, fourth-quarter catch in double coverage was the best catch in Tennessee football history.

3) Central Florida does the nation a favor by folding the House of Cards on Friday night. Hey George O'Leary, it may be time to polish up that resume. What? What did we say? Too soon? C'mon.

4) Missouri is for real, beating Florida and taking a two-game lead in the SEC East, which had the Gators, the Gamecocks and the Georgia Bulldogs each lose a conference game on the same Saturday since 2004. The Tigers were one of five in-conference SEC upsets. The Tigers were +3; Vandy was +7.5 and beat UGA straight-up; Tennessee was +7 and beat USC; Ole Miss was +10 and beat LSU on a last-second field goal; Auburn was +14 and won at Texas A&M. According to RJ Bell, if you had wagered $100 bucks on a parlay on those five to win straight-up it would have paid more than $63,000.

5) Florida State, which grabbed the No. 2 spot in the initial BCS standings with an overwhelming, anyone-else-got-any-questions 51-17 win at Clemson. Jameis Winston meet the world; world meet Jameis Winston.

BCS rankings

Even though their Saturday was very impressive, Alabama likely enjoyed Sunday more. (Side note of the two of the Fab 4-plus-1 picks that hit, Alabama was one everyone should have been heavy on, considering in the days leading up to the game, Arkansas coach Bret Bielema mentioned Alabama freshman Altee Tenpenny, saying he told the Arkansas native running back he would be fourth-string at Alabama. There's pulling Superman's cape, there's poking a sleeping bear with a stick and there's calling out Nick Saban before a game about something involving recruiting. We're surprised it was only 52-0. #karma.)

What we're not surprised by is that Alabama is atop the BCS standings that were released Sunday.

Alabama Crimson Tide logo

Alabama Crimson Tide logo

Alabama's the best team in the country. No. 2 Florida State may have the best player in prodigy QB Jameis Winston, who was masterful in the Seminoles' showdown beatdown at Clemson. No. 3 Oregon may have the best offense. No. 4 Ohio State certainly has the easiest schedule. No. 5 Missouri may be the biggest surprise, but...

Alabama is the best team. Period.

Think of it this way, despite all of the complaining and bemoaning about this area needing to step forward and that group has underperformed, if you take a 49-42 road trip win over then-No. 6 Texas A&M, the Tide have pummeled everyone and every thing in their path.

Their closest game in their other six wins is 25 points and their average margin of victory overall is 31. In fact, other than Johnny Football's circus act in College Station, Alabama has allowed all of two TDs - a 77-yard by Virginia Tech and a 30-yard pass by Kentucky - in 24 quarters.

Yep, the BCS may face controversy about which team deserves to be No. 2, but there is no debate about which team should be No. 1.

Welcome back, now take this

The Indy fans showed much love for Peyton Manning in his return Sunday night to face the Colts. In a fitting and understated tribute before the game, Manning took his helmet off and placed his hand over his heart as he mouthed "Thank You" several times during the long standing ovation.

Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning smiles following an NFL football game against the Philadelphia Eagles.

Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning smiles following an...

Photo by Associated Press /Times Free Press.

It was good times. Everything after that though was great times for the current Colts, who rallied around the moment and All-Pro quarterback in waiting Andrew Luck and delivered a complete and thorough 39-33 win that was not as close as the score would indicate.

It's difficult to know whether all the background noise distracted Manning, who continued his aerial high-wire act with 386 yards and three more TDs in the lose. It was amazingly easy to see that the Colts were motivated by the moment, however. Indy was the better team in each phase, including discipline, winning the turnover battle 3-to-1 and committing half as many penalties.

If you don't want to answer the college football questions below, here's one for you:

What's your Rushmore of Most Untocuhable/tradable athletes in all of sports? Andrew Luck is definitely there. LeBron is there because there's not enough out there to warrant moving King James. Kershaw maybe? Aaron Rodger? Kevin Durant?

Discuss with the athlete who you think GM X would say, "You want to trade for (blank)? Bwah-Ha-Ha-Ha-Ha." Click.

This and that

- We had a lot of fun on the radio with the Camel 'Hump Day' Geico commercial. Now, the Dallas Mavericks and Dirk Nowitzki are having some fun too. From JMC in the Dallas office, here's the clip.

- We said good-bye to two underrated football coaches this weekend as former Houston Oilers coach Bum Phillips and Former Washington coach Don James died. Phillips was an all-time quote machine - a country Les Miles is a fair press conference comparison - and one of the founding architects of the 3-4 defense. James' coaching tree is sneaky impressive considering two of the hottest coaches in college football - Nick Saban and Missouri's Gary Pinkel are among his disciples.

UTC Mocs player Davis Tull poses for a portrait at Finley Stadium.

UTC Mocs player Davis Tull poses for a...

Photo by Doug Strickland /Times Free Press.

- Nice win for the Mocs and kudos to Davis Tull for setting the school sacks mark. UTC did not allow a TD in the 20-9 win over Elon and is now 5-2 overall and 3-1 in the Southern Conference. Of course, as JMC also noted over the weekend, the Mocs bring a three-game winning streak into a home game this week. That's the good news. The bad news: The 2 p.m. kickoff is going to be affected by the 3:30 Alabama-Tennessee game.

- Also of note, Mr. Keon Williams went over the 100-yard mark again for the Mocs. Trying to think who said he would have a breakout season.... Hmmmm.... Through seven games, Williams is averaging 98 yards a game and 6.0 yards a carry and has 10 total TDs (nine rushing, one receiving).

- Tough loss for the Titans on Sunday, but that had as much to do with the opponent, a very good San Francisco bunch. Fine win for the Falcons on Sunday, but without Julio Jones that had as much to do with the opponent, a very blah Tampa Bay bunch.

- Jamie McMurray won at Talladega, which normally means you go fast turn left and avoid trouble. There was a noticeable absence of the big wreck that has become commonplace at the superspeedways. And with the absence of the unaccountable, it should remain as no-surprise that five-time Jimmie Johnson now has the points lead with four races left.

Today's question

This one is pretty straight forward:

Who had the biggest win this weekend and why?

You can make an argument that it's any number of SEC teams. You could make the argument that it's Florida State. Heck, the Colts have a beef too.


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Palestinian assailants on Monday hurled rocks at an Israeli vehicle traveling on the 443 highway near the West Bank settlement of Beit Horon.

No one was injured in the incident, but damage was dealt to the vehicle.

The IDF and security services are on alert ahead of the week-long Passover holiday, and Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon ordered the restriction of entry into Israel for Palestinians from Sunday night through Tuesday night.

Palestinians will only be allowed to travel into Israel for humanitarian, medical or other exceptional reasons, per the discretion of the Civil Administration, the Israeli body that governs the West Bank.

The Israeli diplomatic service and Jewish community centers and synagogues abroad are on high alert over Passover as well, and will be vigilant for security threats.

Asher Zeiger contributed to this report.


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The Savage Heart of Palermo by Daniel Kenyon

The Savage Heart of Palermo is a fast paced crime thriller, with dark humour and an upbeat love story. It tells the tale of Joe Kelly, a young Irish-Italian-American, who flees from the States to Palermo, the traditional heartland of the Mafia.

Joe’s mother was Sicilian, but she was killed in a botched mugging when he was very young. Coming to Sicily is a way for him to feel close to her and discover a little about who she was.

He is escaping from a troubled past in a poor crime ridden district of Chicago. He has stolen a considerable amount of money from an extremely dangerous pusher and is wanted for questioning by the police in relation to a burglary that he did not commit.

Coming down from drugs and desperate to turn his life around completely, he donates half of this money to charity and uses the rest to set up his new life on what he thinks will be a Mediterranean paradise.

Soon enough, he discovers that Palermo is no easier than the place he ran away from. After almost two decades of relative quiet the Mafia is once again ready to rear its ugly head in Palermo. This new breed of Cosa Nostra is not entirely like the cool calculated one we all remember from the Godfather.

Due to competition from Palermo’s immigrant gangs it has been forced to adapt. In order to make its presence felt it has adopted a more gung-ho approach to violence. Joe realizes that he has arrived right in the middle of a new Mafia war, in which two rival crime families fight bitterly for supremacy.

He witnesses a young man shot dead in a public place in front of his girlfriend. But without a stay-permit and wanted for questioning by the police in America he is forced to bite his tongue and remain hidden in the shadows.

Joe knows that he has relatives on his mother’s side that live near Palermo. He arranges to meet them for the first time and an attraction is immediately sparked between himself and his second cousin, the young, intelligent, and beautiful Rossella.

He makes friends with Moses, a charismatic African man, who talks him into investing in his small-time hash business. It all starts off harmlessly enough but soon things get out of hand and Joe finds himself involved in things much worse than anything he had run away from.

On top of that, he is falling in love with a woman that he thinks he can’t have; Rossella is related to him and she has a boyfriend. Rossella’s boyfriend, Francesco Fortunato, is a womanising bully who treats her very badly.

All this is against the backdrop of a beautiful historic city full of contrasts. Palermo has a wild and savage heart. It is also a city subject to change. The influx of immigrants from Bangladesh, Africa, and eastern Europe creates a cultural melting pot that adds an entirely new dimension to a capital steeped in traditional Sicilian culture. This book addresses some of the very real racial issues that Italy faces today.

The Savage Heart of Palermo is a journey that explores a person’s desire and struggle to change. It explores the phenomenon of conscience and the real meaning between right and wrong. For Joe, it is a journey of self discovery in which he learns again to feel love and to treasure and protect that which is important in life and to reject that which is detrimental.

The characters, places and events in this book will stay with the reader for a long time.

My double vision is to create awareness through my book, which is fiction based on a lot of fact. I want to help create a better, more cosmopolitan Palermo and tackle some of the real issues that immigrants face here, whilst creating a stronger economy by encouraging people not to pay protection money to the Mafia.

Proceeds go to Addiopizzo (an anti-mafia racketeering organisation) and Santa Chiara Immigration centre in Palermo who help non residents with many things, including asylum, bureaucracy and even free Italian lessons.

 Daniel Kenyon

You can buy “The Savage Heart of Palermo”  Kindle Edition in Amazon

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Chicago’s offensive line, a supposedly ragtag bunch, has quietly become the bedrock of the Bears’ best offense in nine seasons.

Chicago’s offensive line, a supposedly ragtag bunch, has quietly become the bedrock of the Bears’ best offense in nine seasons.

“Besides quarterback, they received the most criticism of any position on the offense,” tight end Desmond Clark said. “But the guys on the offensive line have a whole lot of pride. They are not going to sit and let you talk bad about them and not do something about it.

“When pride kicks in, you’ve got to step up. No one likes having their manhood questioned. That’s how they looked at it. They stepped up and started making plays and showing everybody how good they are.”

A year after Chicago finished dead last in the NFL with its lowest rushing average in 37 years (3.1 yards per carry), the Bears carry their highest offensive ranking since 1999 at 14th with an average of 335.6 yards. The Bears (4-3) still struggle to run at times (averaging 3.6 yards), but the line ranks a solid 16th in sacks allowed, helping quarterback Kyle Orton have a breakout season.

And they are doing it without No. 1 draft pick Chris Williams, their one offseason line addition.

“They are doing a great job,” said Orton, whose 1,669 yards put him on pace for only the Bears’ fifth 3,000-yard passing season in 45 years. “Everybody thought Chris would step right in coming out of the draft, but we’ve really had guys step up and play well. They are doing a great job pass-protection-wise.”

Center Olin Kreutz, right guard Roberto Garza and right tackle John Tait have been their dependable veteran selves. The big surprises have been left tackle John St. Clair and left guard Josh Beekman.

St. Clair is a nine-year veteran who had started only nine games the previous three years. And he was supposed to be a guard before Williams hurt his back.

Beekman started training camp as a third-stringer and then moved to backup center before becoming a starting guard by injury default.

St. Clair and Beekman were supposed to be overmatched on the left side. They haven’t been. The entire line has looked solid, especially pass blocking, week after week.

“We tried not to listen to what everybody had to say and focus on ourselves,” St. Clair said. “That’s what we did in training camp when we were getting all the scrutiny.

“We believe in each other. We’re a bunch of humble guys who just want to work hard and win. That’s what’s carried us this far.”

That attitude makes them better as a group than they could ever be individually.

“We’re just playing as a unit,” St. Clair said. “All the guys are playing together, knowing where all the guys are supposed to be, knowing where the back is supposed to be, knowing where the quarterback drop is.

“It’s a collective unit. It’s not one particular guy. Everyone is on the same page. We work together.”

The linemen are proud, but not quite satisfied. They want to run better.

“If we can’t run the ball, at least we pass it well and are putting up big points,” St. Clair said. “That’s the key.”

Yes it is. The Bears are tied for second in the NFL in scoring at 28.0 points a game. No one expected that from a team with six new starters on offense, including Orton, who had spent most of the previous two years as the third-string quarterback. But the line has let Orton and the offense shine.

“The offensive line has done great,” said rookie running back Matt Forte, who has run for 515 yards. “They are playing ball like they are supposed to: Protect the quarterback and open up running lanes. That’s their job, and they have been doing it.”

Matt Trowbridge can be reached at 815-987-1383 or


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Central Islip

A dying New York man who recently had his sex abuse conviction thrown out can be released on $100,000 bail, a federal judge said Friday.

Thomas Green has cancer and likely only has weeks to live, said his attorney, Ronald Kuby. Green, 66, can't wait for a prosecutor to decide within 90 days whether to retry him on sodomy and sexual abuse charges involving young children, Kuby said.

Last month, U.S. District Judge Arthur Spatt vacated Green's 2008 conviction. He found inaccuracies with the dates on evidence corroborating the testimony of some of the girls' accusations. Suffolk County prosecutors are appealing that ruling before deciding whether to retry Green.

More Information

Kuby has argued that will all be academic because Green has cancer throughout his body.

His client is currently in a Long Island hospital and would be unable to leave even if he wanted to, Kuby said. Prosecutors earlier this week balked at allowing Green to post bail, but on Friday Assistant District Attorney Carla Lato said they were dropping their objections.

Spatt ordered that Green wear an electronic monitoring bracelet. If he is released from the hospital, he must remain at his Selden home unless he is visiting his attorney, physicians or attending religious services, Spatt said.


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Next, it may be time to see if there's more Olympic love in Los Angeles.

After the USOC and Boston cut ties on Monday, CEO Scott Blackmun said the federation still wants to try to host the 2024 Games. The USOC has until Sept. 15 to officially name its candidate. Several Olympic leaders have quietly been pushing Los Angeles — the city that invented the modern-day template for the Olympics when it played host in 1984 — as the best possible substitute.

Approval ratings that couldn't sneak out of the 40s were the first sign of trouble for Boston, and it became clear the bid was doomed in the 72-hour period before the USOC board met with bid leaders Monday and they jointly decided to pull the plug.

On Friday, Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker stuck to his previous position: That he'd need a full report from a consulting group before he would throw his weight behind the bid. On Monday morning, Mayor Marty Walsh slapped together a news conference to announce he wouldn't be pressured into signing the host city contract that essentially sticks the city and state with the burden of any cost overruns.

No governor. No mayor. No bid.

"Boston 2024 has expressed confidence that, with more time, they could generate the public support necessary to win the bid and deliver a great Games," Blackmun said. "They also recognize, however, that we are out of time if the USOC is going to be able to consider a bid from another city."

The Boston bid started souring within days of its beginning in January, beset by poor communication and an active opposition group that kept public support low. At his news conference, Walsh said the opposition to the Olympics amounted to about "10 people on Twitter." He miscalculated, and the Internet struck back. The hashtag #10peopleonTwitter started trending.

The chairs of No Boston Olympics planned a celebration at a Boston pub.

"We need to move forward as a city, and today's decision allows us to do that on our own terms, not the terms of the USOC or the IOC," they said in a statement. "We're better off for having passed on Boston 2024."

Boston 2024 chairman Steve Pagliuca said the move was made "in order to give the Olympic movement in the United States the best chance to bring the Games back to our country in 2024."

The United States hasn't hosted a Summer Olympics since the Atlanta Games in 1996, or any Olympics since the Salt Lake City Winter Games in 2002. Bids for 2012 (New York) and 2016 (Chicago) both ended in fourth-place embarrassments.

The USOC spent nearly two years on a mostly secret domestic selection process for 2024 that began with letters to almost three dozen cities gauging interest in hosting the Games. The thought was that the long gap between Olympics, combined with the USOC's vastly improved relationship with international leaders, would make this America's race to lose. Instead, the federation ran into trouble before getting to the starting line.

There's still time to save face if chairman Larry Probst and Blackmun make quick phone calls to leaders in Los Angeles, including Mayor Eric Garcetti and agent/power broker Casey Wasserman.

Garcetti released a statement saying he'd had no contact with the USOC, but was willing to talk.

Los Angeles, a finalist in the domestic bid process along with San Francisco and Washington, has already hosted the 1932 and 1984 Olympics.


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Fitness Guru Wet T-Shirt Bikini Babe

10/27/2011 12:10 AM PDT
Jennifer Nicole Lee bikini
Fitness guru and author Jennifer Nicole Lee showed off all her rock hard work by frolicking in a wet t-shirt on Miami Beach on Tuesday.

The 36-year-old became known for launching her fitness career after dropping 70 lbs. a few years ago.

Who knew being such a big loser could be so hot!


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Saturday, Feb 25, 2017
One of America's Great Newspapers ~ Toledo, Ohio

Jack Lessenberry

Editing change in dog-kill story strayed over the line

The Blade
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Reader Abby Flahie wrote, “I think I can recognize opinion when I hear it. Sometimes — often — I think, The Blade puts forth their opinion via the choice of news that it covers.”

Does your ombudsman think she is right about that?

Up to a point, yes. All newspapers make decisions about what to cover, based on what their editors think important. But choosing what to cover is neither necessarily bad nor unfair. Newspapers have distinct personalities, audiences, and agendas.

A fatal car accident in Maumee would get considerable coverage in The Blade — but little or no coverage in, say, Baltimore. The Wall Street Journal emphasizes financial news more than most other daily newspapers. The New York Times does national and foreign news. Other papers stress other things.

Ms. Flahie went on to say specifically what she meant: “I can’t imagine any other major city’s newspaper that would give so much news space to dogs. Usually those are straight news stories … [but] this week the coverage crossed the line.”

By crossed the line, she meant mixing opinion with news. The story in question ran April 28 under the headline, “More food guarders killed than saved,” and was about policies concerning which dogs are killed by Lucas County Canine Care & Control.

The paragraph she most objected to said this: “With the restrictions that Ms. [Julie] Lyle has placed on the pilot program, which was recommended by Mrs. [Carol] Contrada, it would seem Ms. Lyle has accepted that many of the dogs in her care must be killed. At every turn she has a reason why she must kill dogs at the county shelter, but her usual fall-back position is “public safety.”

Abby Flahie complained “this reads like a lot of opinion.”

Your ombudsman agrees. That was subjective language, which made it look like the reporter was sarcastically passing judgment on Ms. Lyle. As it turns out, this was not the reporter’s fault but was the result of an editing error. A better way to do this could have been to have asked Ms. Lyle whether she was resigned to such a high percentage of failure and why she felt so many dogs had to die.

Then, she could have been quoted directly.

Your ombudsman offers no opinion as to whether The Blade gives too much coverage to dog-related issues. That isn’t my call.

But I do think any story, whether about dogs, gun control, or opera, needs to follow the basic rules of fair and impartial reporting, and the language here strayed over the line.

■ Columns are ethically different from news stories. While columnists are allowed to express her or his opinion, they still have to be fair. Toledoan Christine Holliday objected to Keith Burris’ April 27 column about former Mayor Jack Ford possibly running for the Ohio Senate. “My problem is with one of the paragraphs that explains one of Ford’s motives for considering a run,” she said.

The paragraph began, “Second, he is concerned with the Republican Party’s attempt to suppress the black vote. He would like to be a voice of angry vigilance on this issue.

Ms. Holliday was unhappy because Mr. Burris “does not say that Ford’s opinion is that the Republican Party is attempting to suppress the black vote. Rather, he writes as if it is a fact.”

Again, your ombudsman has to say that this reader has a point. In my opinion, the columnist ought to have written something like “Mayor Ford believes that the Ohio Republican Party has been trying to suppress the black vote,” rather than imply this is settled fact.

■ Don Gozdowski asks, “I was wondering what stance the ‘media’ take on staging pictures?” He questioned a photo in the April 27 paper that showed two brothers changing a tire on a car, in a story by Taylor Dungjen looking back at gang-related issues.

Because there is no grease visible, the reader argued that the man “is either the cleanest mechanic on the planet, or the picture was staged … is there any policy concerning this?” he asked.

That’s an easy question to answer; ethically, staging pictures of anything like a news event is totally unethical — and against The Blade’s policies. Dave Murray, The Blade’s managing editor, said, “The Blade did not ask Aaron Belton and his brother, Chris, to pose for photos. They were actually working on Chris’s vehicle” when the reporter and photographer went to interview them.

“The Blade is not in the practice of posing photos, other than when we are taking team photos in sports,” Mr. Murray said.

Journalism — both words and images — is supposed to be the most accurate possible representation of reality. Seven years ago, an award-winning photographer with the paper was discovered to have altered some images and staged others.

That ended his Blade career.

■ Toledoan Steve Dartt poses an interesting question: “Why does The Blade, among other media outlets, refer to President Obama as an ‘African-American’ when in fact he is of mixed race?

The answer is that Barack Obama has long identified himself as black, or African-American. During his first campaign for president in 2008, he was asked about this. “I’m not sure I decided it,” he said.

“I think, you know, if you look African-American in this society, you are treated as an African-American.” As a general rule, The Blade lets people decide  how they wish to be identified.

■ From time to time, readers ask me to “make” The Blade cover something. Bob Moyers, for example, recently asked me to have the newspaper write about his “Be Healthy Plan for Happy People.”

I have no authority to direct any kind of coverage. I do tell editors if I hear about something that might be a story — but in most cases, readers will be better off and get a faster response if they contact the city desk of The Blade themselves.

Anyone who has a concern about fairness or accuracy in this newspaper is invited to write me, c/o The Blade; 541 N. Superior St., Toledo, 43660, or at my Detroit office: 555 Manoogian Hall, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48202; call me at 1-888-746-8610; or email me at I cannot promise to address every question in the newspaper, but I do promise that everyone who contacts me with a serious question will get a personal reply. Reminder, however: If you don’t leave me an e-mail address or a phone number, I have no way to get in touch with you.

Jack Lessenberry is the head of the journalism faculty at Wayne State University in Detroit and a former national editor of The Blade.

Contact him at:

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