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The Credit Union Advantage
New residents Atlanta GA Moving to Atlanta GA Relocating to Atlanta GA New Resident Guide Georgia Atlanta Magazine Living in Atlanta

| April-May 2015

The Credit Union Advantage

Banking’s Best-Kept Secret

By Tony Jenkins and Melanie Gibbs

When you’re looking for a financial institution in your new city,

a credit union may not be the first thing that comes to mind. But it may be time to give credit unions a closer look. Not only do they offer products and services comparable to those provided by traditional banks, they can also offer very competitive rates and fees. And they’re becoming increasingly mainstream. There are more than 150 credit unions in the state of Georgia, with more than 1.8 million members.

“They’re the best kept secret in banking,” says Dan Berger, president of the National Association of Federal Credit Unions.

What Is A Credit Union?

Credit unions are not-for-profit, cooperative financial entities owned by their members. Federal credit unions are chartered and supervised by the National Credit Union Administration, which administers the National Credit Union Share Insurance Fund (NCUSIF). Backed by the full faith and credit of the United States government, the NCUSIF insures the member accounts in all federal credit unions and most state-chartered credit unions.

“Credit unions have been a reliable, consistent source of credit in both good and bad economic cycles for more than 100 years,” says Matthew Shepherd, executive vice president and chief operations officer of Delta Community Credit Union. “Credit unions offer the same basic products as banks, including savings, checking, credit cards, auto loans and home loans.”
A common misperception is that you must work for a certain employer in order to join a credit union. Although corporate credit unions do exist, not all credit unions require employment with a particular company.

Associated Credit Union, for example, has an “open policy” that invites anyone to join, says Tom Maiellaro, vice president of marketing. “Virtually any person in Georgia could find a credit union they can join,” he says.

At CDC Federal Credit Union, you can apply for membership if you live, work, go to school or church, or volunteer in parts of DeKalb, Fulton, or Gwinnett counties. You can also apply if you are a past or present employee of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or its affiliates or subsidiaries, among other criteria.

Delta Community Credit Union serves the entire metro Atlanta area, including residents of 11 metro counties. LGE Community Credit Union is open to residents of Cobb, Cherokee, Fulton and Paulding counties and more than 350 partner groups and family members.

Need help figuring out which credit unions for which you qualify? Websites like and can help identify which credit unions may be right for you. After entering a little information (such as your address and an organization you belong to, like a church, school or employer), you can see a list of credit unions you may be eligible to join.

Why Consider A Credit Union?

So why should consumers moving to the Atlanta area consider credit unions over banks? For one thing, they offer benefits that can come in handy for new residents.

“When someone moves into town, one of the first things they’re going to need is a good checking account,” says Maiellaro. “Maybe they’ll live in an apartment temporarily while shopping for a home. They will find extremely favorable rates at credit unions. At virtually every credit union, if they’ll shop around and compare, they’ll find higher interest rates and lower service charges compared to what a bank would offer.”

At Associated Credit Union, he continues, “the loan process is all done in-house, so you’ll work with the same loan officer throughout the entire home-buying process, which is a huge relief. Mortgages are confusing. It helps to have someone guide you every step of the way.”

Another advantage is that membership is relatively easy and doesn’t require a significant commitment. Many credit unions simply require consumers to make a small deposit when they join. “For example, Delta Community asks consumers to deposit five dollars into a savings account,” says Shepherd. “The five dollars is not a fee, and continues to belong to the member.”

What’s more, credit unions know that staying in step with the times is an important factor when it comes to gaining and retaining members. “Most credit unions offer a large selection of products and services, including mobile banking and online services,” says Berger.

Credit unions also tend to offer distinctive service. “The fundamental difference between credit unions and banks is our cooperative, not-for-profit structure,” says Shepherd. “Credit unions are owned by their customers, not stockholders. We pride ourselves on providing consumers more personalized service and objective advice based on their long-term financial goals. We also offer better pricing and fewer fees in general.”

“We’re constantly looking for ways to help our members achieve financial success,” says Maiellaro. “For instance, our Rate Reward Auto Loan helps members who may not have the best credit reduce their interest rate by 1 percent APR (annual percentage rate) for every 12 months of on-time payments, up to 36 months. It helps improve credit while saving our members money.”

In addition, Berger points out, credit unions help promote the building of wealth, so many offer classes on subjects to help members reach their financial goals.

“In choosing a banking partner,” Shepherd says, “we encourage consumers to look at the provider’s financial stability as well as the total value of their services. Credit unions typically score high marks in both areas. We actually reinvest the earnings we generate into our membership through competitive pricing, better service and other conveniences our members deem important.”

“Credit unions are owned by their customers, not stockholders. We pride ourselves on providing consumers more personalized service and objective advice based on their long-term financial goals.”

For More Information

Associated Credit Union

Delta Community Credit Union

LGE Community Credit Union

National Credit Union Administration

National Association of Federal Credit Unions

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Fort Dix, NJ Profile: Facts, Map & Data

Fort Dix Local Links & Resources:
Hotels | Resources | ALL Fort Dix Content

Also See: Fort Dix, NJ ZIP Codes & ZIP Code Maps | Local Area Photos

Fort Dix, New Jersey - Basic Facts

The Fort Dix Census Designated Place had a population of 7,620 as of July 1, 2016. Fort Dix ranks in the lower quartile for Population Density and the upper quartile for Diversity Index when compared to the other cities, towns and Census Designated Places (CDPs) in New Jersey. See peer rankings below.

The primary coordinate point for Fort Dix is located at latitude 40.0056 and longitude -74.6111 in Burlington County. The formal boundaries for the Fort Dix Census Designated Place (see map below) encompass a land area of 10.26 sq. miles and a water area of 0.13 sq. miles. Burlington County is in the Eastern time zone (GMT -5). The elevation is 141 feet.

The Fort Dix Census Designated Place (GNIS ID: 2389104) has a M2 Census Class Code which indicates a military or other defense installation entirely within a census designated place. It also has a Functional Status Code of "S" which identifies a statistical entity.

The Fort Dix Census Designated Place is located within Township of New Hanover, a minor civil division (MCD) of Burlington County.

Beneath the boundary map are tables with Fort Dix population, income and housing data, five-year growth projections and peer comparisons for key demographic data. The estimates are for July 1, 2016.

Neighborhood Data

Address Based Hyperlocal Data Input an address and get data & demographics for the pertinent census block group (CBG), a searchable map and a customized directory. The CBG is the smallest geographical unit used by the Census Bureau for reporting certain data.

Fort Dix Census Designated Place, NJ Boundary Map

Also See: BIG Map | Driving Directions | NJ Congressional Districts
Boundary Maps: Township of New Hanover | Burlington County | New Jersey Counties

Search the map for:

Fort Dix, NJ Data & Demographics (As of July 1, 2016)

Total Population 7,620
Population in Households 2,456
Population in Familes 2,152
Population in Group Qrtrs 5,164
Population Density1 743
Diversity Index2 77

Total Households 783
Average Household Size 3.14
Family Households 587
Average Family Size 4

Total Housing Units 902 (100%)
Owner Occupied HU 5 ( 0.6%)
Renter Occupied HU 778 (86.3%)
Vacant Housing Units 119 (13.2%)
Median Home Value $0
Average Home Value $0

Median Household Income $49,202
Average Household Income $58,376
Per Capita Income $18,584
  (Compound Annual Growth Rates)

2010-2015 2015-2020
Population -0.2% 0.04%
Households -0.02% 0.1%
Families -0.08% 0.07%
Median Household Income   -0.68%
Per Capita Income   0.33%
1) Population Density = Total Population per square mile.
2) The Diversity Index is a scale of 0 to 100 that represents the likelyhood that two persons, chosen at random from the same area, belong to different race or ethnic groups. If an area's entire population belongs to one race AND one ethnic group, then the area has zero diversity. An area's diversity index increases to 100 when the population is evenly divided into two or more race/ethnic groups.
Based on Census 2010 counts, the Diversity Index for the United States was 60.6 and it is expected to increase to 64.8 by July 1, 2018.

Fort Dix, NJ - Peer Comparisons by Rank and Percentile

The table below compares Fort Dix to the other 545 incorporated cities, towns and CDPs in New Jersey by rank and percentile using July 1, 2016 data. The location Ranked # 1 has the highest value. A location that ranks higher than 75% of its peers would be in the 75th percentile of the peer group.

Variable Description Rank Percentile
Total Population # 192 65th
Population Density1 # 454 17th
Diversity Index2 # 53 90th
Median Household Income # 478 12th
Per Capita Income # 529 3rd

Additional comparisons and rankings can be made with a VERY EASY TO USE New Jersey Census Data Comparison Tool.

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Wednesday, 3 August 2011

Win an Organics Babies Mum and Baby Gift Set worth £30

The lovely people at Green People have given me a fantastic Organics Babies Mum and Baby Gift Set to giveaway for New Mummy's Tips 2nd Birthday , lucky you!

This perfect starter kit of organic goodies for beautiful, soft skin is a lovely gift for new mums!

The Mum & Baby Gift box contains:

Nappy Cream Baby Balm 40ml
Mum & Baby Moisturiser 150ml
Chamomile Baby Wash & Shampoo 150ml
Baby Salve 30ml

Green People is a forward-thinking company which specialises in organic body care products. With an extensive range of natural products – shampoos, face creams, sun lotions and body washes to name just a few – it is one of the biggest names in organic beauty in the UK.

However, it started from very simple roots: the seeking of a mother to help her young daughter.
Back in 1994, 2-year-old Sandra was suffering from eczema and severe allergies and just couldn’t stop scratching herself. With much determination, her mother, Charlotte Vøhtz, decided to get to the bottom of the problem.

She discovered that many of Sandra’s skin allergies were being triggered by chemical-based household and personal care products. When these were removed – and with the help of a herbal cleansing tonic and a balanced Omega 3 & 6 intake – Sandra’s skin began to clear up.
Charlotte says: “From that moment, I realised that we all are children of the chemical age and that man-made chemicals found everywhere, combined with changing dietary habits, profoundly affect us all.”

She was so impressed by the difference that her natural methods and home-made natural skin care products had made that she thought she should share her discoveries with others. This was the start of Green People.

To enter all you have to do is fill in the form below and tell me what product from the Organics Babies range you would like to try the most.

Closing Date: 23rd August

Good Luck

*One entry per household.
*Open to residents of the UK only.
*No cash alternative only.

  1. Wonderful range for babies! So much to choose from!

Let me know if this was useful

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Jinkee keeps birthday celebration simple

Posted at Jan 13 2011 11:58 AM | Updated as of Jan 13 2011 10:02 PM

MANILA, Philippines – Jinkee Pacquiao, wife of Filipino boxing superstar and lawmaker Manny Pacquiao, celebrated her 32nd birthday over a simple gathering in General Santos City recently.

Jinkee kept the celebration free of the grandiose preparations, only inviting family members and house helpers.

In the private event, Jinkee's daughters, Queenie and Princess, showcased a dance number for their mother.

The helpers then sent their greetings to Jinkee, throwing praises at the mother of 4.

"Mabait kasi siya. At saka matulungin," Yaya Remy, one of the helpers, said.

'Best birthday ever'

This might as well be the best birthday for Jinkee, who claimed is delighted just with the presence of her children.

"Tutal, isang araw lang naman ang selebrasyon. Happy lang ako sa greetings nila, okay na," she said.

She added she is already contended with spending the holidays together with her family in Japan and Australia.

"Masasabi ko, isang pinakamasayang bakasyon na kaming lahat magkasama," she said.

For this year, Jinkee said she will keep her housewife duties on track by looking out for her children, and supporting Manny in his endeavors as Sarangani congressman. – Report from Dyan Castillejo, ABS-CBN News


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PNoy meets US commander amid China row

By Willard Cheng, ABS-CBN News

Posted at Jul 16 2012 02:31 PM | Updated as of Jul 17 2012 01:40 AM

PNoy shakes hand of Samuel J. Locklear III, Commander of the United States Pacific Command

MANILA, Philippines – President Benigno Aquino III met with the commander of the United States Pacific Command, Samuel J. Locklear III, who is in Manila for a three-day visit.
This is Locklear's first visit in Manila since assuming command of the US military forces in the Asia Pacific region in March.
Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning Office (PCDSPO) Secretary Ricky Carandang said Locklear reaffirmed the longstanding partnership of the United States and the Philippines.
Locklear also reiterated the United States' commitment to help its treaty ally, the Philippines, to boost its military capacity or establish a "minimum credible defense posture."
Carandang said the West Philippine Sea was discussed only "in broad strokes."
Among those present in the meeting were Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario, Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa, Jr, Communications Secretary Ricky Carandang, and US Ambassador to the Philippines Harry K. Thomas.

According to the US Embassy, Locklear is here for discussions with senior Philippine government officials on maritime and regional security issues, as well as developments in the defense alliance between the Philippines and the United States.

He is also scheduled to meet with Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin and Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff Gen. Jessie Dellosa.
The US Pacific Command has an area of responsibility that encompasses the Asia Pacific region, with the mission to protect the interests of the United States and its allies, promote regional security, and deter aggression in the Asia-Pacific.


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Weidman boasts: I can finish Silva

Posted at Jul 18 2012 05:20 PM | Updated as of Jul 19 2012 04:10 PM

MANILA, Philippines – Middleweight contender Chris Weidman promises a victory for himself if given the title shot against reigning Ultimate Fighting Championship titlist Anderson Silva.

Weidman is coming off a stunning upset against “Filipino Wrecking Machine” Mark Muñoz during their recent fight in UFC on Fuel TV.

He believes he now deserves to challenge Silva.

Weidman said that when he gets the chance, he’ll finish Silva just like what he did to his other opponents.

"Every single time I've had a full training camp, I've finished the fight,” Weidman said in MMA Fighting.

The 6-foot-2 wrestler said that stylistically, he poses problems for a stand-up guy like Silva, which is why he is confident with his chances against the Brazilian MMA superstar.

“I'm not in here to just to be able to share the cage with Anderson Silva. That's not my goal at all, I'd be far from content with that. I'm going in there to beat Anderson Silva. And to finish Anderson Silva,” said Weidman.


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Page last updated at 15:50 GMT, Monday, 15 September 2008 16:50 UK

Zimbabwe rivals in historic pact

African leaders shake hands following the signing

Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe has signed a historic power-sharing deal with his long-time rival, opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai.

The two smiled and shook hands at the ceremony in the capital, Harare, which was attended by African dignitaries.

Mr Tsvangirai said the agreement provided the best hope for Zimbabwe and called on President Mugabe to work together to implement the deal.

Mr Mugabe said he was committed to national unity and would do "his best".

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Mr Mugabe, Mr Tsvangirai and Arthur Mutambara - leader of a breakaway faction of Mr Tsvangirai's Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) - signed the agreement in front of some 3,000 invited guests in Harare's International Conference Centre.

The signatories were introduced in the terms used in the agreement - Mr Mugabe as president and Mr Tsvangirai as prime minister.

To rapturous applause, the leaders shook hands after exchanging signed copies.

Mr Mugabe accused the former colonial power - the UK - of meddling in his country's affairs by calling for a "regime change" and by imposing sanctions.

I've signed this agreement because I believe it represents the best opportunity for us to build a peaceful and prosperous democratic Zimbabwe
Morgan Tsvangirai

The deal calls on the UK to pay compensation to the white farmers who have lost their land under President Mugabe's controversial land reform process.

But he received loud jeers when he said opposition parties in Zimbabwe and other African nations used any means, "including violence", in order to achieve power.

He said there were "lots of things" in the deal that neither leader liked but that they would work together to "find our way".

"As long as salient principles are recognised, there will be room for more agreement," Mr Mugabe said.

In his speech, Mr Tsvangirai said the agreement was a "product of painful compromises" and that it did not provide "an instant cure" to the fortunes of Zimbabwe.

"I've signed this agreement because I believe it represents the best opportunity for us to build a peaceful and prosperous democratic Zimbabwe," he said.

Robert Mugabe:
Chairs cabinet
Chairs National Security Council (ministers + security chiefs)
Zanu-PF has 15 ministers
Morgan Tsvangirai:
Prime minister
Chairs council of ministers
Runs the country day-to-day
Member of National Security Council
MDC has 16 ministers - 3 from smaller faction
Other agreements:
Both men needed to dissolve parliament
End violence, abusive language
Free political activity
Press freedom
Carry out land audit, UK urged to compensate white farmers
Demand end to international sanctions, calls for regime change
State bodies must be non-partisan

His hope for the future was stronger than the grief felt for "the needless suffering of the past years", he said.

In a gesture of reconciliation, Mr Tsvangirai quoted a speech on reconciliation made by Mr Mugabe in 1980, saying "it is time to turn our swords into ploughshares".

The MDC leader said his first priority was to stop Zimbabwe's devastating food shortages and open the country to aid from the international community and its African neighbours.

"This unity government will let businesses flourish so our people can work and provide for their families with pride," he said.

The new Deputy Prime Minister, Mr Mutambara, said the compromise agreement was a victory for Zimbabwe.

The ceremony was somewhat marred, however, by clashes between MDC and Zanu-PF supporters outside the conference centre, who threw stones at each other and trampled part of the perimeter fence.

The BBC's George Alagiah in Harare says that the mood among ordinary Zimbabweans is one of relief rather than outright jubilation. People just want to get on with their lives.

'Highly polarised'

The full details and content of the deal have not been confirmed but it proposes a 50-50 division of power, with Mr Mugabe remaining head of state and head of the cabinet.

Morgan Tsvangirai will head a council of ministers, which will be responsible for the day-to-day managing of the country's affairs.

The MDC and its breakaway faction are expected to have 16 ministers, while President Mugabe's Zanu-PF party will have 15.

Let's just say the deal is a step in the right direction
GS, Harare

The BBC's Adam Mynott says the eyes of Zimbabwe's neighbours, Africa and the whole world will be fixed now on seeing whether this deal does result in a genuine sharing of executive authority.

Negotiations started at the end of July, with a breakthrough coming late on Thursday after negotiations mediated by South African President Thabo Mbeki.

Speaking after the accord was signed on Monday, Mr Mbeki warned that the make-up unity government had yet to be finalised.

"Some discussions have already started about the constitution of this inclusive government, [but] they have not yet concluded," he said. "I am confident that they will do so as soon as possible."

While welcoming the deal as a "great day" for both Africa and the world, African Union chairman Jakaya Kikwete also noted that doubts remained over how long it would last.

"Will it hold or will it not? That is the question," he said.

Some MDC members have called the power-sharing deal a climb-down, although others have said it is the best available.

'A new page'

The deal opens the way for international donors to help to revive Zimbabwe's economy, where inflation is at more than 11,000,000%.

The International Monetary Fund, which suspended financial and technical assistance in 2006, said it stood ready for talks with the new government about its policies to stabilise the economy, improve social conditions, and reduce poverty.

EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana said a decision on lifting sanctions on Zimbabwean officials had been postponed until October.

MDC supporter in Harare
Some MDC supporters are celebrating - others remain wary

Mr Solana said the EU needed to study the details of the agreement but that he expected it to open "a new page" for Zimbabwe.

The US government expressed cautious optimism about the deal, but stressed that it was "anxious" to see the full details.

"Our number one priority is that you have a legitimate government in Zimbabwe that represents the will of the people," said White House spokesman Gordon Johndroe.

The UK Foreign Secretary, David Miliband, said it would want to see the administration make significant progress before it considered lifting sanctions.

Mr Mugabe, in power since independence from Britain in 1980, won a controversial presidential run-off election in June.

He ran unopposed after Mr Tsvangirai withdrew, claiming the MDC was the target of state-sponsored violence.

In the first round of the presidential election in March, Mr Tsvangirai gained more votes than Mr Mugabe but official results say he did not pass the 50% threshold for outright victory.

Infographic showing power-sharing deal

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Page last updated at 17:43 GMT, Saturday, 14 November 2009

Slovenia signs Russian gas deal

Slovenian Economy Minister Matej Lahovnik (left) and Russian Energy Minister Sergei Shmatko during the signing ceremony
South Stream is expected to deliver 30bn cubic metres of gas a year from Russia

Slovenia has signed a deal with Russia for a massive gas pipeline from Russia to Europe to run through its territory.

The South Stream accord was signed by the Slovenian and Russian cabinet ministers in Moscow.

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said Moscow now had deals with all the key European partners in the project.

South Stream - which is scheduled to be completed by 2015 - is in competition with a European Union-backed pipeline - Nabucco.

Bulgaria, Serbia, Hungary and Greece have alrady agreed to take part in South Stream, which will deliver gas from Central Asia and Russia to Central Europe and Italy through the Balkans.

The EU imports a quarter of its natural gas from Russia, mostly via Ukraine.

But disputes between Kiev and Moscow have disrupted supplies to Europe in recent years.

Map showing Nabucco and South Stream pipeline routes

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20 Jan 09 |  Europe
Russia looks to re-route EU gas
02 Jan 09 |  Europe
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20 Jan 09 |  Europe
Balkan boost for Russian gas plan
18 Jan 08 |  Europe

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BBC Sport world-cup-2010

Will England go for a major overhaul or minor surgery after a dismal World Cup campaign?
Mothballing of youth development report illustrates problems facing England
Champions Italy need a win to qualify for the last 16
Dan Walker on an emotional visit to a South African orphanage
Can Sebastian Abreu take centre stage in World Cup semi-final?
Covering sport has changed forever, says James Pearce
Page last updated at 12:53 GMT, Friday, 21 May 2010 13:53 UK

World Cup 2010: Serbia cut Chelsea pair from squad

Watch Serbia's World Cup qualifying highlights

Chelsea duo Slobodan Rajkovic and Nemanja Matic have been dropped by Serbia coach Radomir Antic as he trimmed his World Cup squad to 24.

Miralem Sulejmani, Jagos Vukovic, Nemanja Tomic and Dejan Lekic were also deemed surplus to requirements.

Star striker Nikola Zigic was retained and says he does not feel any extra pressure after being tipped by Antic to be one of the stars in South Africa.

"The coach's words are not a burden," said the giant Valencia forward.

"It's good that Antic praised me and I will try to justify his confidence.

"I always give my best for Serbia and it will always be that way."

Defenders Nemanja Vidic of Manchester United and Chelsea's Branislav Ivanovic are familiar faces in the squad.

Striker Milan Jovanovic who is set to join Liverpool is included, alongside Inter Milan star Dejan Stankovic.

The only new blood is goalkeeper Andjelko Djuricic who has been brought in to challenge established number one Vladimir Stojkovic of Wigan Athletic.

Wolves midfielder Nenad Milijas, who was a regular in Serbia's successful qualifying campaign, was also named in the preliminary squad.

Manchester United's Zoran Tosic has been rewarded for his good form since joining Cologne on loan in January, the 23-year old has scored five goals in 12 Bundesliga games.

But Serbia must do without Sevilla defender Ivica Dragutinovic and Genoa midfielder Bosko Jankovic, both players are injured and out of the World Cup.

Serbia take on Ghana, Germany and Australia in Group D at the finals, with their first match coming on Sunday 13 June against Ghana in Pretoria.

Serbia's revised provisional World Cup squad:

Goalkeepers: Vladimir Stojkovic (Wigan), Zeljko Brkic (Vojvodina Novi Sad), Bojan Isailovic (Cukaricki Belgrade), Andjelko Djuricic (Leiria).

Defenders: Branislav Ivanovic (Chelsea), Antonio Rukavina (Munich 1860), Nemanja Vidic (Manchester United), Neven Subotic (Borussia Dortmund), Aleksandar Lukovic (Udinese), Ivan Obradovic (Saragossa), Aleksandar Kolarov (Lazio).

Midfielders: Dejan Stankovic (Inter Milan), Nenad Milijas (Wolverhampton), Miloss Krasic (CSKA Moscow), Milan Jovanovic (Standard Liege), Milos Ninkovic (Dynamo Kiev), Zdravko Kuzmanovic (Stuttgart), Zoran Tosic (Cologne), Gojko Kacar (Hertha Berlin), Radosav Petrovic (Partizan Belgrade).

Forwards: Nikola Zigic (Valencia), Marko Pantelic (Ajax), Danko Lazovic (Zenith), Dragan Mrdja (Vojvodina).

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March of Dimes statement on newborn screening report

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y., SEPT. 22, 2004 -- The March of Dimes today issued the following statement on the report on newborn screening prepared for the Maternal and Child Health Bureau of the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration by the American College of Medical Genetics (ACMG):

The March of Dimes supports comprehensive newborn screening for all babies in this country, regardless of their place of birth. Our policy is to support screening for specific conditions when there is a documented benefit to the child and there is a reliable test that enables early detection from newborn blood spots or other means. We support parents' rights to be fully informed about their baby's screening results, and we support expansion of health care provider education about newborn screening. March of Dimes state chapters and their partners work closely with governors, state legislators, and health departments to improve state newborn screening programs.

The March of Dimes strongly commends the ACMG report for advancing the field of newborn screening, defining a uniform panel for newborn screening, and providing a policy framework for the states. We support the recommendations in this report and we urge the Secretary of Health and Human Services to accept them as a national standard for newborn screening.

Based on the findings of this report, the March of Dimes will expand our policy on newborn screening as follows:

We will urge every state to screen every baby for at least the 30 disorders listed in the ACMG report. These 30 disorders meet our inclusion criteria, and include all of the nine metabolic tests plus hearing screening contained in our previous policy. We will revise our periodic evaluation of states' performance on newborn screening to include at least these 30.

We will urge states to provide test results for an additional 25 "reportable" conditions named in the ACMG report for which there are reliable t

Contact: Michele Kling
March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation

Page: 1 2

Related biology news :

1. Folic acid vitamin use by women reaches all-time high, March of Dimes survey finds
2. Only 21 states offer newborn screening tests recommended by March of Dimes
3. March of Dimes awards $250,000 prize to pioneering scientist
4. Nanotechnology highlights from the ACS national meeting in Anaheim, Calif., March 28-April 1
5. Media advisory: Sea of Cortez expedition to launch March 26
6. Other highlights of the March 17 issue of JNCI
7. JCI table of contents, 15 March 2004
8. USGS March science picks
9. Other highlights in the March 3 issue of JNCI
10. JCI table of contents, March 1 2004
11. 2nd Annual CDB Symposium: Developmental Remodeling (March 29 - 31, 2004; Kobe, Japan)

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Monday, February 06, 2006

BK Whopperettes Super Bowl ad

Burger King's ad during Super Bowl XL featured the 'Whopperettes.' It was essentially a 1-minute musical production featuring dancing hamburger ingredients. Unfortunately, the new-ish Burger King 'King' character, whom I consider pretty darn creepy, was in the ad, too. You can watch the BK Whopperettes ad here.

1 comment:

larkohio said...

I watched the commercial for several seconds wondering, "what the heck are they selling?" Turned out it was hamburgers! What a world we live in!


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Ukrainian Tycoons' Shifting Loyalties

KIEV, Ukraine -- Most people associate oligarchs with Russia’s post-Soviet history, when ruthless men bought state assets on the cheap, built business empires, and made fortunes.

Rinat Akhmetov's net worth is $12.6 billion.

But Russia isn’t the only nation whose economy is dominated by oligarchs.

In neighboring Ukraine, about a dozen businessmen have a combined wealth that comes to more than a fifth of the country’s gross domestic product, according to the Kiev weekly Korrespondent.

The Ukrainian oligarchs have until recently supported President Viktor Yanukovych.

Rinat Akhmetov, who became the country’s wealthiest man by acquiring state assets in the steel, coal, and power sectors, helped finance Yanukovych’s 2010 presidential campaign, according to Yuriy Yakymenko, an analyst at the Kiev-based Razumkov Centre.

Now, as Ukraine is rocked by protests against Yanukovych’s sudden decision to abandon a pending trade agreement with the European Union and opt instead for closer ties with Russia, the president’s support from the nation’s richest executives is slipping away.

After boosting their fortunes under Yanukovych, oligarchs face credit ratings downgrades in the worsening economy and the possible loss of access to Western markets.

“Once it becomes clear that Yanukovych has become a liability rather than an asset, the business elite will switch allegiance very quickly,” says Jan Techau, the director of Carnegie Europe.

“They are thinking about their long-term financial interests.”

Some of the oligarchs are showing sympathy for the protests.

A newspaper owned by steel pipe billionaire Viktor Pinchuk gave outside journalists a makeshift office from which to cover the protesters’ efforts to topple Yanukovych.

Akhmetov’s Ukraina television channel has given airtime to opposition leaders.

Pinchuk visited the epicenter of the protests in Kiev’s Independence Square on Dec. 7, later praising the demonstrators for showing the “strength” of Ukrainian civil society.

Petro Poroshenko, ex-economy minister and the head of Roshen Confectionery, Ukraine’s largest chocolate maker, addressed protesters in the square, demanding that Yanukovych sign the treaty with the EU immediately.

With the signing of the EU treaty looking like a done deal, Ukraine’s oligarchs had been counting on improving their profits with better access to the world’s largest trade bloc, which bought €14.6 billion ($20 billion) of Ukrainian goods last year.

EU rules “will boost the rule of law and make the business environment more predictable” for Ukrainian business, says Ariel Cohen, a senior research fellow for Russian and Eurasian studies at the Heritage Foundation.

“For people who have acquired assets worth billions, this is about a provision of safety for them and their families.”

The prospect of a deal with the EU is fading fast.

On Dec. 17 in Moscow, Yanukovych signed several agreements with Russian President Vladimir Putin that will cut the cost of Russian gas sold to Ukraine by a third—a major concession by the Russians.

The Kremlin is also lending $15 billion, on easy terms, to cash-strapped Ukraine.

The Russian government badly wants to keep Ukraine within its sphere of influence.

Spokesmen for the Ukrainian government and the country’s oligarchs would not comment for this story.

Protesters in Kiev say they believe Yanukovych also made a secret pact with Russia to join the Customs Union, a free-trade zone that consists of Russia, Belarus, and Kazakhstan.

If Ukraine joined the union, it would strengthen Russia’s political clout in the region.

In a customs union, Russian oligarchs might also find it easier to stage takeover raids on their Ukrainian counterparts’ assets.

The other risk for the oligarchs is that Yanukovych may lose patience and crack down on the protesters.

That would signal that Ukraine is adopting the model of next-door Belarus and its authoritarian leader, Aleksandr Lukashenko, says Timothy Ash, the London-based chief economist for emerging markets at Standard Bank.

Lukashenko operates a tightly controlled state, rigs elections, and locks up his opponents.

The EU has imposed a visa ban and an asset freeze on Lukashenko and top Belarusian officials, accusing them of political repression.

In the event of a severe crackdown in Ukraine, “the oligarchs would probably be nervous over the imposition of Western sanctions, given many of their assets are in Western capitals,” says Ash.

He adds that a harsh suppression of dissent would further concentrate power around Yanukovych and his entourage.

Protesters have gathered several times outside Akhmetov’s London home, a penthouse at One Hyde Park that cost about £137 million ($225 million).

They urged him to cut all ties to Yanukovych, reported the Ukrainian news wire Unian.

Like the other oligarchs, with the exception of the outspoken Poroshenko, Akhmetov has not made a clean break with the president.

On Dec. 13 he urged a compromise and issued a statement about the demonstrations and police assaults on the protesters:

“The fact that peaceful people took to the streets for peaceful demonstrations means that Ukraine is a free democratic country. Ukraine will not turn off this road. This is very good. But the fact that people suffered is unacceptable.”

Now the oligarchs have to reassess their strategy in light of Russia’s generosity with Yanukovych and the protesters’ vow to keep going.

“If the oligarchs are turning away from Yanukovych, it’s because they did the math and found their business model fits better with the EU than with Russia,” says Carnegie Europe’s Techau.

Yet he adds, “The entire domestic scene in Ukraine is now in flux.”

Source: BusinessWeek


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Marijuana War Smolders On U.S. Public Lands

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Networks of backcountry fire and logging roads, rich soil, abundant sun, and reliable water sources provide drug traffickers easy access and ideal growing conditions on the relatively secluded Forest Service lands in the state.

Since 1997, the agency has eradicated seven million pounds (three million kilograms) of marijuana grown in California national forests, according to Dan Bauer, a Forest Service senior special agent based in Washington, D.C., and the agency's national program coordinator for counter-drug operations.

In 2001, Forest Service agents uprooted 495,000 plants worth an estimated U.S. $1.8 billion from national forests in the state. Last year, over 420,000 plants worth $1.5 billion were seized.

"If we're lucky, that's probably a third of what's being grown out there," Jerry Moore, the Forest Service's top law enforcement officer in California, said of last year's haul.

This year, drug cartels appear to have grown another bumper crop, investigators say. While final counts have yet to be tallied, Mark, the Forest Service's regional drug investigator, estimates close to 400,000 marijuana plants were seized on national forest lands in California in the 2003 season.

Uphill Battle

In the Western U.S., marijuana cultivation represents one of the most serious law enforcement issues the Forest Service has faced in its 98-year history.

The battle comes at a time when many officers say staff and resources for the agency's law enforcement arm are stretched thin, competing with fire fighting and resource management initiatives within the broader, 34,700-employee agency for public attention and funds.

Across the U.S., there are roughly 640 law enforcement officers and special agents that police the country's 191.6 million acres (77.5 million hectares) of national forests.

Special agents investigate serious crimes, including arson, fire, timber theft, and drug production. Officers actively assist those cases while tackling daily patrol duties that range from campground disturbances to backcountry rescues and forest resource uses.

In California, 130 officers and agents patrol nearly 25 million acres (10 million hectares) of backcountry spread among 18 national forests, an area equal to nearly one-fifth of the entire state.

"We're fighting a huge fight with just a small amount of people," said Denese Stokes, a 29-year Forest Service employee and the sole special agent for drug investigations on four national forests covering 3.5 million acres (5,470 square miles) in southern California.

Together with Ken Harp, a patrol captain in San Bernardino National Forest, Stokes paused from a months-long surveillance of suspected drug cartel operatives earlier this summer to drive a visiting reporter through the mountains of San Bernardino National Forest southeast of Los Angeles, past rugged canyons and ridges both said were thick with illegal marijuana crops.

Stokes said 25,000 to 50,000 marijuana plants are rooted out of the rugged backcountry each year. The fact highlights a key dilemma facing the Forest Service: While officers and agents often know areas actively cultivated by growers, identifying specific garden sites requires expensive aerial reconnaissance. And hiking into the backcountry to raid and remove cannabis plantations during the hot summer months is arduous and time consuming—not to mention dangerous.

"We have eight people in this [state] that are dedicated to drug enforcement," said Harp. "This one cartel has 60 or 80." Harp, a 33-year Forest Service veteran, oversees patrol operations for the 700,000-acre (280,000-hectare) forest that receives six million visitors annually with a staff of five.

Stokes concedes that the frustration level can be overwhelming. "Everybody wants to get the job done," she said. "Everybody is working, giving 200 percent, and it's like we're just running into brick walls. We just don't have the manpower."

Deadly Season

Cannabis and profits reaped from national forests are not the only concern for law enforcement.

Growers have increasingly armed themselves with high-caliber assault rifles, shotguns, and other firearms. During the June raid on the Shasta-Trinity National Forest garden, for example, agents seized AK-15 and SKS assault rifles with military-style, double-stacked ammo clips.

"There's not a type of gun that we haven't found," said Mark.

Law enforcement officers and agents say hikers, hunters, and other backcountry users have been chased away at gunpoint after stumbling into marijuana gardens.

Tensions mount in late September and early October when the peak marijuana harvest season coincides with hunting season. In early October, two deer hunters pressing into the backcountry of the Los Padres National Forest outside Ojai reported shots fired at them by marijuana farmers.

Law enforcement officers who raid marijuana gardens face even greater risks.

"Growers used to drop their guns and run," said Brian Adams, an officer on the Sequoia National Forest roughly 120 miles (190 kilometers) north of Los Angeles. "Now some are starting to stand their ground."

In September, the trend took a fatal turn over the span of one deadly week when law enforcement officers shot and killed four marijuana growers of Mexican citizenship in two separate incidents in Shasta and Butte counties. The growers leveled assault rifles as authorities raided gardens growing adjacent to national forest lands. Investigators say the plots were run by Mexican drug trafficking organizations.

During the same month, Roberta Wright, an officer on the Los Padres National Forest, was among a multi-agency law enforcement team that was fired upon with a shotgun while raiding a garden in the Los Padres National Forest in San Luis Obispo County.

The violence has yet to approach the levels once seen during the early 1980s when booby traps, warning shots, and shootouts among mostly white, independent growers and law enforcement officers were not uncommon. But Forest Service officers and agents say they find the high-power firearms and escalating violence disturbing.

Moore, the top Forest Service law enforcement officer in California, said it's only a matter of time before a law enforcement officer gets seriously injured or killed. "Every year the stakes keep going up," he said.

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Obama cancels trip to Asia amid government shutdown as Republicans seek Obamacare fix in debt-ceiling fight

U.S. President Barack Obama speaks on the government shutdown and the budget and debt ceiling debates in Congress during an Oct. 3 visit to M. Luis Construction, a construction company, in Rockville, Maryland on the third day of the government shutdown. Obama has canceled his upcoming trip to the APEC summit in Bali due to the US government shutdown, the White House confirmed on October 4, 2013.

Three days into a government shutdown, President Barack Obama pointedly blamed House Speaker John Boehner on Thursday for keeping federal agencies closed, while the bitter budget dispute moved closer to a more critical showdown over the nation’s line of credit. The president cancelled a trip to Asia to remain in the capital as the Treasury warned of calamitous results if Congress fails to raise the debt limit.

Answering Obama, Boehner complained that the president was “steamrolling ahead” with the implementation of the nation’s new health care law. As the government operated sporadically, the stock market sank to its lowest level in nearly a month.

The longer the Tea Party shuts down the U.S. government, the happier the Democrats grow

Democrats in the U.S. are following an age-old dictum in their confrontation with Republicans in Congress, carefully staying out of the way of an enemy they believe is in the process of defeating itself.

As the deadline for a government shutdown came and went, and the chances for compromise dwindled, Republican leaders criticized Democrats for refusing to “negotiate” over their differences. They even staged a hokey photo op in which GOP leaders gathered around a conference table, with the seats for Democrats left conspicuously empty.

“Here we are, willing to talk, but with no one to talk to” said Republican House leader John Boehner, or words to that effect. The hope, though it was a longshot, was to portray Democrats, rather than the conservative Tea Party faction of the Republican party, as the intransigents holding the country to hostage.

Read more from Kelly McParland

The shutdown was clearly leaving its mark. The National Transportation Safety Board wasn’t sending investigators to Tennessee to probe a deadly church bus crash that killed eight people and sent 14 others to the hospital. The Labor Department said it wouldn’t release the highly anticipated September jobs report on Friday because the government remains shuttered.

Late Thursday, the White House announced that Obama was abandoning an already abbreviated trip to Indonesia and Brunei next week in the face of the shutdown. White House spokesman Jay Carney said Secretary of State John Kerry would travel instead.

Earlier, outside the Capitol, shots rang out at midafternoon bringing an already tense Congress under lockdown, a nerve-wracking moment in a city still recovering from a Sept. 16 mass shooting at the Navy Yard. Authorities and witnesses said a woman tried to ram her car through a White House barricade then led police on a chase that ended in gunfire and her death outside the Capitol more than 1 mile away.

Despite the heated political rhetoric, some signs of a possible way out of the shutdown emerged. But the state of play remained in flux.

Two House Republicans said Boehner told them he would allow a House vote on restarting the entire government — but only if conservative Republican lesgislators assured him they would not attack it for failing to contain curbs on the health care law. So far they have been unwilling to give that commitment. The two spoke on condition of anonymity to reveal details of private discussions.

The shutdown and the approaching debt ceiling were merging into one confrontation, raising the stakes for the president and Congress as well as for the economy.

Obama and his Treasury Department said that failure to raise the nation’s borrowing limit, expected to hit its $16.7 trillion cap in mid-October, could precipitate an economic nosedive worse than the Great Recession. A default could cause the nation’s credit markets to freeze, the value of the dollar to plummet and U.S. interest rates to skyrocket, according to the Treasury report.

Obama catalogued a litany of troubles that could be caused by the failure to raise the debt ceiling, from delayed Social Security and disability checks to worldwide economic repercussions. “If we screw up, everybody gets screwed up,” he said.

The speaker’s office reiterated Boehner’s past assertion that he would not let the United States default on its debt. “But if we’re going to raise the debt limit, we need to deal with the drivers of our debt and deficits,” his spokesman, Michael Steel, said. “That’s why we need a bill with cuts and reforms to get our economy moving again.”

Conservatives have insisted that either reopening the government or increasing the debt ceiling must be accompanied by a measure that either delays or defunds the nation’s new health care law. Absent those concessions, Republicans want cuts in spending, savings in major benefit programs and an overhaul of the tax system.

Obama, for his part, firmly restated his opposition to a negotiation.

“You don’t get to demand some ransom in exchange for keeping the government running,” he said tartly. “You don’t get to demand ransom in exchange for keeping the economy running.”

Looking to deflect the Democratic finger-pointing on the shutdown, the Republican-controlled House pushed a pair of bills through the House on Thursday restoring money to veterans’ programs and to pay National Guard and Reserve members. House leaders also have scheduled a vote on legislation backed by some of the chamber’s top Democrats to give federal workers furloughed in the ongoing partial shutdown their missed pay when the government reopens.

That vote could come as early as Friday or over the weekend.

He doesn’t have the courage to stand up to that small band of anarchists

Senate Democrats made clear they will not agree to reopening the government on a piecemeal basis. “You can’t fall for that legislative blackmail or it will get worse and worse and worse,” said Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York.

Speaking at a construction company in Washington’s Maryland suburbs Thursday, Obama cast Boehner as a captive of a tight group of conservative Republicans who want to extract concessions in exchange for passing a short-term spending bill that would restart the partially shuttered government.

“The only thing preventing people from going back to work and basic research starting back up and farmers and small business owners getting their loans, the only thing that is preventing all that from happening right now, today, in the next five minutes is that Speaker John Boehner won’t even let the bill get a yes or no vote because he doesn’t want to anger the extremists in his party,” Obama said.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., was even more pointed in singling Boehner out.

“We can’t perform the most basic functions of government because he doesn’t have the courage to stand up to that small band of anarchists,” he said.

Moderate Republicans have said they think they could provide enough votes to join with minority Democrats and push a bill through the House reopening the government with no restrictions on the health care law. But under pressure from House GOP leaders, they failed to join Democratic efforts on Wednesday aimed at forcing the chamber to consider such legislation.

Rep. Tom Cole, R-Okla., who is close to Boehner, said he doesn’t think the speaker is ready to push any measure that would fail to win the backing of most of his 232 House Republicans. But some Democratic votes eventually will be needed in the 435-seat chamber, Cole said, because some hard-core conservative Republicans are unlikely to vote to end the shutdown or raise the debt ceiling without major concessions from Obama.

“You can’t ask those Republicans to just put their political life on the line for nothing,” he said. “They’ve got to be able to go home and say ’These are the things that I was able to do.”’

Even the Senate chaplain got drawn into the rising intensity of the partisan battle, opening Thursday’s session with an unusually pointed prayer.

“Deliver us from the hypocrisy of attempting to sound reasonable while being unreasonable,” said Dr. Barry Black. “Remove the burdens of those who are the collateral damage of this government shutdown.”

And in a bit of sardonic understatement, Obama’s motorcade passed workers outside an office building holding up a sign that simply asked, “Rough week?”

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October 18, 2013

Stanford scientists making good use of those vacation photos you posted online

Scientists use social media – vacation photos from Flickr – to study how people use natural areas for tourism and recreation.

By Elizabeth Rauer

Scientists are using vacation photos from crowd-sourced social media to study how and when people use natural areas for tourism and recreation. (Photo: Liz Rauer)

Scientists affiliated with the Natural Capital Project at Stanford University have found a way to use photo-sharing site Flickr to measure where and when people are using natural areas for recreation and tourism. This information can help measure the benefits and value that these areas provide to society.

Tourism is big industry, contributing $6 billion a year to the world economy, and it's expected to grow to $10 billion over the next 10 years. While a great deal is known about how man-made tourist destinations, such as Disneyland, contribute to local economies, it has been hard to figure out the contribution of natural areas such as parks and beaches.

Tapping into the big data collected by social media sites, researchers at the Natural Capital Project utilized information from 1.4 million geo-tagged images in Flickr, and the user profiles associated with them, to see where people were going and where they were coming from. Comparing this information to data from on-site surveys at 836 recreational sites around the world, they found that the information from Flickr can serve as a reliable indicator of how many people visit a tourist attraction each year and when they are visiting. Their research was published Oct. 17 in Scientific Reports.

This is the first study to ground truth the use of social media data to predict these visitation rates.

The research shows how "information from crowd-sourced social media is revolutionizing the way we study people and understand their choices," said lead author Spencer Wood.

"No one has been able to crack the problem of figuring out visitation rates and values for tourism and recreation without on-site studies until now," said Anne Guerry, lead scientist at the Natural Capital Project. Until now, researchers had to rely on local surveys and head counts to get this type of visitation information. Using social media to get ideas of where people are visiting, and where they are coming from, is faster, less expensive and better for looking at changes over time and space.

This new approach provides the chance to clarify what attracts people to natural areas, and to determine if changes in ecosystems lead to changes in visitation rates. It also holds the promise of better natural area management because land-use planners, park managers and government officials can use the information on visitation rates to better manage their lands for the people who use them.

Elizabeth Rauer is communications manager for the Natural Capital Project.

Spencer Wood, Natural Capital Project, Stanford University, Seattle, WA: (503) 732-0232,

Anne Guerry, Natural Capital Project, Stanford University, Seattle, WA: (206) 713-4163,

Elizabeth Rauer, Communications Manager, Natural Capital Project: (650) 724-3108,

Bjorn Carey, Stanford News Service: (650) 725-1944,

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Sam Norris 22nd Dec 2015 - 10:17

Andy Holding - Clonmel Preview: 22nd December

The last Irish action before Christmas comes courtesy of Clonmel with a reduced five race card to send us in to the festive period.

It could be another good day for superstar trainer Willie Mullins who has several well fancied horses on the card.

Andy Holding joins Sam Norris to offer up his opinions on the racing as he provides a selection in each contest.

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5 killed by mortar attack in Syria

English.news.cn   2013-12-22 07:50:46

DAMASCUS, Dec. 21 (Xinhua) -- Five people were killed Saturday by a mortar attack launched by rebels in a district of the Syrian northern city of Aleppo, the state-run TV reported.

The mortar landed in the al-Hamadanyeh district in Aleppo, the report said, adding that women and children were among those killed.

Meanwhile, mainstream media outlets said the army eliminated many "terrorists" Saturday, some of them Turkish and Afghani nationals, in a number of suburbs of the capital Damascus, namely Adra, Douma, Harasta, Jobar, Daraya, and Zabadni.

In the southern province of Daraa, the state media said eight " terrorists" were killed by the Syrian troops.

The Syrian troops have been fighting what they call "terrorists " for almost three years. The international community is preparing for holding the Geneva II peace conference designed to bring representatives of the government and the opposition together to work out a political solution to the protracted impasse.

Mortar attack in Syria's Aleppo kills 11 people

DAMASCUS, Nov. 25 (Xinhua) -- At least 11 people were killed on Monday in a mortar attack that struck Syria's northern city of Aleppo, the state-run SANA news agency reported.

The attack targeted the al-Jamilieh neighborhood, said SANA, adding that 20 others were wounded.  Full story

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When Roger West first launched the progressive political blog "News From The Other Side" in May 2010, he could hardly have predicted the impact that his venture would have on the media and political debate. As the New Media emerged as a counterbalance to established media sources, Roger wrote his copious blogs about national politics, the tea party movement, mid-term elections, and the failings of the radical right to the vanguard of the New Media movement. Roger West's efforts as a leading blogger have tremendous reach. NFTOS has led the effort to bring accountability to mainstream media sources such as FOX NEWS,CNN and Andy Breitbart's "Big Journalism. Roger's breadth of experience, engaging style, and cultivation of loyal readership - over 92 million visitors - give him unique insight into the past, present, and future of the New Media and political rhetoric that exists in our society today. What we are against: Radical Right Wing Agendas Incompetent Establishment Public Coruption Corporate Malfeasence We are for: Global and Econmoic Security Social and Economic Justice Media Accountability Healthy Communities

Thursday, November 12, 2015

Linwood Lambert was not under arrest. Nevertheless, in an encounter resembling another high-profile incident where a woman in police custody was repeatedly tased by police and then died, Lambert died under suspicious circumstances after he was repeatedly hit by police stun guns.

Two years ago, three police officers discovered Lambert in a Virginia motel, where he was behaving delusionally, most likely due to the fact that he’d been using cocaine. They handcuffed him and put him in a squad car, apparently intending to bring him to a hospital to receive medical care. But Lambert never made it inside the hospital — or, at least, he never made it inside alive.

Video obtained by MSNBC’s Ari Melber shows Lambert kicking out the police car’s window and then running from the car to the emergency room door. The officers chase him to the hospital entrance, where they begin discharging their stun guns on him. At one point, while Lambert is lying on the ground, an officer is overheard telling him “every time you get up, I’m going to pop you.” Then they shackle Lambert’s legs, and lead him back into the police car, where they tase him again. While he is in the car, an officer tells the bound man that he will be tased another time unless he sits up.

In total, Melber reports, three officers discharged they tasers 20 times in about a half-an-hour of their encounter with Lambert.

After police shackled Lambert at the hospital door they arrested him and drove to the jail. By the time they arrived, however, Lambert was unconscious. The officers checked his pulse, attempted CPR and called for an ambulance, which took him back to the same hospital where he was tased. By the time he made it inside the hospital, his heart rate had already flatlined.

Lambert’s official autopsy show that the cause of death was “cocaine intoxication,” although the same autopsy shows that he had “less than 0.01 mg/L” of the drug in his blood, a low (if not impossible) level for an overdose. All three of the officers involved in this incident have since been promoted.

Lambert’s sister, Gwendolyn Smalls, has filed a $25 million suit against the police. The video became public after a court order required police to provide it to Smalls.

Roger West


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Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Things that are not the same

The European life expectancy numbers. Hm.

How can I put this delicately?

I imagine Americans don't get sunburn as often as Europeans.

I still can't believe the topics liberals (oops, I meant "progressives") will hammer away at relentlessly - setting themselves up for this kind of thing! Well, keep on trucking, guys.

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Tuesday, December 04, 2007

Rewriting history on Iran -- again

With the release of the National Intelligence Estimate on Iran (link to PDF of the report), it's fascinating to see the reactions, from GW Bush to the commentators.

Lionel Beehner, in Huffington Post, has a fascinating history: Bush Still Bending the Truth about Iran. Here's something I didn't know:
After the U.S.-led war in Afghanistan toppled the Taliban government, American and Iranian diplomats met together in Bonn, with a handful of representatives from other UN members, to form a new government and constitution for Kabul. "None was more [helpful] than the Iranians," said James Dobbins, the American special envoy to Afghanistan at the time...
...contrary to President Bush's claim, the White House rebuffed Iran's advances pre-Ahmadinejad to let bygones be bygones and, like Libya, start a new relationship based on cooperation rather than conflict. The question is: Why? And did Bush's "axis of evil" speech and subsequent rebuff of Iranian hand maybe hasten the election of a hardliner like Ahmadinejad? We may never know.

In The Guardian's Comment is free, Julian Borger comments, Happy Christmas, Dick!
"Merry Christmas Dick Cheney!" That is the unspoken subtitle to the new US National Intelligence Estimate on Iran. In seven pages selected for publication, America's spies have stopped the hawks' push for military action against Iran in its tracks.
...It is also worth noting that although the NIE is a slap in the face of Washington's war party, it is conceivably quite welcome to George Bush. The president has been extensively briefed by his generals on the devastating backlash Iran could unleash on US forces and interests in the event of a military strike, but he had painted himself in a corner...

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8th Contemporary Iroquois Art Biennial Opening

By on

The Fenimore Art Museum in Cooperstown, New York will host the 8th Contemporary Iroquois Art Biennial: 4 Artists Under 30 – opening Saturday, August 27. The exhibition will feature the work of four young women from the Haudenosaunee, or Iroquois, Confederacy: Lauren Jimerson (Seneca); Awenheeyoh Powless (Onondaga); Leah Shenandoah (Oneida); and Natasha Smoke Santiago (Mohawk). The exhibition was organized by guest curator G. Peter Jemison and will be on view through December 31, 2011.

These four young women are influenced by their heritage as Haudenosaunee but have also sought unique ways to express their individual vision – incorporating music, three dimensional objects, castings, as well as traditional methods to bring their work to life.

Awenheeyoh Powless, a recent graduate of the Rochester Institute of Technology, has incorporated Iroquois music and traditional dance steps to create paintings with her feet on un-stretched canvas – using foot movements to apply the acrylic colors.

Leah Shenandoah, another recent graduate of RIT, has focused on three dimensional objects that are across between sculpture and painting. The objects are made of stretched fabric on a wire frame to which paint has been applied as a stain. They are exhibited hung from the gallery’s ceiling in a grouping.

Lauren Jimerson, currently in her final year at RIT, uses pastel on paper to create portraiture.

Natasha Smoke Santiago, a self-taught artist who has been actively exhibiting her art since she was a teenager, casts the bellies of pregnant women and then forms the casts into sculptural objects incorporating traditional Haudenosaunee craft techniques. The bellies are turned into pottery or elaborate baskets with materials resembling splints.

Image: Pastel on paper by Haudenosaunee artist Lauren Jimerson.

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Leinart Gets Yet Another Opportunity…

matt leinart douche

The Buffalo Bills have signed infamous former “golden boy”  Matt Leinart to the roster, in order to provide depth behind rookie E.J. Manuel and second tier QB Kevin Kolb. After a standout career as a USC Trojan, Leinart has managed to play for four different squads; as his NFL career has been a huge disappointment, especially after becoming the 10th overall pick in the 2006 NFL draft. Long story short: Matty boy has become the poster boy for NFL bust.

In six seasons Leinart, has compiled a 57.1 completion percentage, while accounting for 15 TDs to 21 Interceptions in 33 games played.

Now 30, Leinart appeared in two games with Oakland last season, completing 16-of-33 throws for 115 yards and an interception. Leinart lacks mobility and starting-caliber arm strength, and is no more than insurance as E.J. Manuel (knee scope) and Kevin Kolb (concussion) nurse injuries. The Bills are still holding out hope Manuel will be able to start in Week 1 against the Patriots.


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Monday, 24 November 2014

OECD Young Professionals Programme 2015: Looking for Candidates involved in International Work

Deadline: 25 November 2014
The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) is designed to bring entry-level professionals with diverse backgrounds into the Organisation. A number of stimulating and challenging assignments are available for the Young Professionals who will join the OECD in 2015.
Candidates who are interested in the objectives of the OECD in promoting international policy co-operation, understand the issues involved in international work, and who possess the analytical and drafting skills which enable them to contribute to policy-related studies.
Candidates must have the nationality of an OECD member country and born after 1 January 1980.
The ideal candidate has:
  • An advanced academic degree in a subject of relevance to the OECD’s work
  • Strong quantitative and analytical skills demonstrated by academic achievement
  • Knowledge of country policies and institutions and an understanding of political and reform processes
  • An excellent written and oral command of one of the two official languages of the OECD (English and French) and working knowledge of, or willingness to learn, the other. Knowledge of other languages would be an asset
  • Good alignment with OECD Core Competencies: level 3 indicators
  • Additionally, candidates with Master’s degree(s) should have a minimum of two years’ full time professional experience in related fields.
An excellent command, with proven drafting ability, of at least one of the two OECD official languages (English and French). Proficiency in additional languages can be an advantage.
The Young Professionals work with experienced and enthusiastic people, representative of a rich diversity of cultures, languages and professichateau_dans_le_cielonal backgrounds.
They collaborate with many of the more than 60 000 senior national policy makers who participate in the OECD’s technical and policy meetings each year.
Under the supervision of experienced professionals, YPs research and analyse current policy issues.
The OECD uses this research to prepare policy documents, committee reports, intergovernmental discussion and publications. YPs contribute to the monitoring, analysis, forecasting and reporting of economic and social developments.
For more information, visit this link.

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Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Evening Peak ...

Well, here it is - a little peak into the living room this evening. I'm working to get everything else complete and ready for one heck of a Tablescape Thursday post ... wish me luck.

The actual color of the pillows and throw. Remind me to check out the settings on my camera.


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Thursday, December 29, 2005

The Universal Benefits of Volunteering

Maybe it's just me but reading this book is like being hit over the head. It has tons and tons of lists and policies and the like, but it assumes an alternate reality. This alternate reality involves people who want to volunteer and therefore make themselves spreadsheets of the kinds of experiences they would like to encounter in the process of volunteering. It involves boards of directors who sit down and methodically merge volunteering into the organization's strategic plan.

Now, to be fair, the book is very good at providing example documents to use in beginning a program. These would be good for someone running homeless shelters or other outreach-intensive organizations. Or as part of research on volunteering. But even this poses a problem since they're just thrown at you without any context, visual or otherwise. I am serious, the book would be useful in those instances, so go out and get it if that applies. However, if you're an ASAE/trade-association type, this one is not worth the trouble.

By Walter P. Pidgeon, Jr.
ISBN# 0471185051


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Tuesday, December 24, 2013

Merry Christmas!

Taking a short break from cooking up a storm for Christmas, to wish you all happy holidays!

Whatever you celebrate, I hope it's a magical day filled with love and laughter.

Tuesday, December 17, 2013

Blog tour: LIFE, A.D.

Today I'd like to welcome fellow Month9Books author Michelle E. Reed to my blog, as part of her blog tour run by Chapter by Chapter.

Title: Life, A.D.
Author: Michelle E. Reed
Genre: Young Adult/Speculative Fiction
Publisher: Month9Books
ISBN: 9780988340916
Publication Date: December 10, 2013
Formats: eBook and print

In Life, A.D. you have two choices: join the program or face the consequences.
Seventeen-year-old Dez Donnelly crashes headlong into fate on the side of a rural highway, her life ending in a violent collision of steel and screaming brakes. The train that delivers her newly departed soul to the crossroads of the afterlife won’t be carrying her to the sweet hereafter until she accepts her abrupt end and learns to let go of the life she’ll never finish.
Her new reality is conduct manuals, propaganda, and unrelenting staff, all part of a system to ease her transition from life to death, while helping her earn her way out of limbo. Atman City, beautiful and enticing, is an ever-present temptation that is strictly off limits to underage souls. The promise of adventure proves too strong, and beneath the city’s sheen of ethereal majesty, Dez discovers a world teeming with danger.
Welcome to Life, A.D. where being dead doesn’t mean you’re safe, and the only thing harder than getting out of limbo is getting through it.

Michelle E. Reed was born in a small Midwestern town, to which she has returned to raise her own family. Her imagination and love of literature were fueled by a childhood of late nights, hidden under the covers and reading by flashlight. She is a passionate adoption advocate who lives in Wisconsin with her husband, son, and their yellow lab, Sully.
 Connect:  Website | Twitter |  Facebook | Goodreads

Link to Goodreads:
Purchase Links:

Giveaway Information:
·        -  Three (3) ebook copies of Life, A.D. by Michelle E. Reed (International)
·         - One (1) signed paperback copy of Life, A.D. by Michelle E. Reed (US only)

Saturday, December 14, 2013

Blog tour guest: DEAD JED

Today I'd like to welcome fellow Month9Books author Scott Craven to my blog.

Here's the lowdown on Scott's Middle Grade novel DEAD JED.

Publication date: December 1, 2013
Publisher: Month9Books, LLC.
ISBN-13: 978-0-9883409-0-9
ISBN eBook: 978-0-939765-56-7
Author: Scott Craven

Dead Jed is Shaun of the Dead meets Diary of a Wimpy Kid. Jed's not your typical junior high geek. He is, to use the politically-correct term, cardiovascularly-challenged. And while his parents have attempted to shield him from the implications of being 'different' for as long as they could (Jed was 8 and at a friend's sister's birthday party when he blew his lips off onto the cake in front of everyone, finally prompting the “Big Talk” from his parents and an emergency SuperGlue repair by his dad), 7th grade at Pine Hollow Middle School as a target of Robbie the supreme school bully and his pack of moronic toadies is rapidly becoming unbearable.

From being stuffed in a filled trash can as “dead meat” and into a trophy case as the bully's “prize,” to literally having his hand pulled off in the boys' room (Jed's always losing body parts. Luckily, a good stapler and some duct tape and he's back in the action) and a cigarette put in it and try to frame him for the recent reports of smoking in the school, Jed's had enough and is ready to plan his revenge. Besides, it's awesome what you can do when you're already dead!

Proud graduate of Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, have one son who will turn 18 in March 2013, now a features writer for The Arizona Republic.

Link to Goodreads:

Purchase Links:

Giveaway Information:
·        Three (3 ebook copies of Dead Jed by Scott Craven (International)
·        One (1) signed paperback copy of Dead Jed by Scott Craven (US only)

Sunday, December 08, 2013

Newsletter sign-up for giveaways

If you haven't signed up for my newsletter and want to do so, please email me at:

nicola (at) nicolamarsh (dot) com

I'm running some fab newsletter exclusive giveaways this week so join in the fun!
(I send out 2-4 a year.)

Monday, December 02, 2013

Release day for BEFORE

Official release day for BEFORE and I'm thrilled that my debut new adult novel is out in the world.

Check out the release day fanfare with Inkslinger PR here.

And enter the rafflecopter giveaway!

$0.99 for a short introductory period only.

Sunday, December 01, 2013

Swept away by romance

The official release day for my New Adult debut, BEFORE, is Dec 2nd.
So far, early reviews have been fabulous, including this one at SWEPT AWAY BY ROMANCE  today.

I'm always interested to hear when a reader really connects with my work to the point she cries.
I'm betting it's the same spot in the book I cried. First while writing, then later editing.

Can't wait to hear what more readers think about this book!


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Tuesday, July 21, 2015

The Religious mentality

In a recent youtube talk I received Mr Snake oil (as I have previously alluded to him) is seen openly boasting of his low vocabulary (standing at a proud 8oo words). He mentions that 50,000 are available, but 'you don't need them'.Look up  Mr S,see the planes gracing the sky,or at the skyscrapers or perhaps at the internet that you so abuse to promulgate your anti intellectual anti man philosophy.Do you think any of those things were created by men with a mere 8oo word vocabulary?If you want to see people with the latter just go down to skid row,you will find them aplenty there.

Further on in the video he claims that wealthy people are merely compensating for their failures and that he spurned the advances of a millionaire who was seeking validation from him.Mr S proudly resisted bestowing on the hapless millionaire this dubious favour.I would suggest that the man in question is indeed suffering profound self esteem deficit if he is seeking validation from such a profoundly immoral evil man who trashes the achievements of mankind like some atavistic  primitive yahoo whilst benefiting from them on a daily basis.Wonder if there is a recognised medical condition called self awareness deficit?

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26 November 2011

Life is Good

I've spent much of this week making Christmas cards for my family and friends. I have a few still to go but I also managed to make a few more tags for my BFF's Christmas present. I made half-a-dozen of these layered flower tags. How could I not - especially after they were proclaimed her most favourite tags ever! My fate was kind of sealed after that :-) Lucky for me they're fun to make and take no time at all to put together. And there's no need for different sized circle punches; I just draw them free-hand and cut them out with scissors. The wobblier the better!

Stamp - Tim Holtz
Ink - Versa Mark
Paper - assorted
Card - Bazzill
Embellishments - Pebbles Inc. masking tape stickers, ribbon, punched leaves, button
Other - hole punch, sewing needle, embroidery thread

21 November 2011

Cottage Christmas

I have a quick Christmas project to share - as seen in last month's Cardmaking, Stamping and Papercraft magazine. It's a set of tags I designed around these beautiful Imaginisce die-cuts. I spied them in my LLS and knew I had to have them. I thought they'd suit a shabby chic theme - buttons, lace, rhinestones and inked timber stars. I had some bells and other odds and ends lying around so I used them too :-) Sometimes it's hard to know when to stop LOL.

Ink - Versa Magic sea breeze
Paper - Imaginisce
Card - Bazzill
Embellishments - Imaginisce die-cut numbers, Kaisercraft rhinestones, ribbon, timber stars, gold bell, buttons, silk holly leaf
Other - sewing needle, embroidery thread, hole punch

11 November 2011

My little sister is a bridesmaid in a wedding tomorrow and she requested a card to give to the bride and groom. She also specified the colour sheme - purple, green and gold - which was a fun challenge. I decided to go for a more modern look and feel with this card. But... I couldn't help making a few concessions to my first love - vintage.

Stamp - Stamp-It
Ink - Brilliance galaxy gold
Paper - GCD Studios, Making Memories, gold shimmer
Card - Bazzill
Embellishments - Cristina Re pearl brads, Cristina Re white diamond brads, Kaisercraft rhineastones, Collections altered book word, gold satin ribbon, lace

04 November 2011

Once again I have a back log of tags to share. I guess that's to be expected when you make 50+ for a Christmas present! I'm especially happy with this design. I have a bit of a thing for bunting at the moment. Seriously, I find myself sticking triangles to every card I make. That's after I painstakingly draw and cut them out One. At. A.Time. Somebody stop me!

Paper - Kaisercraft, assorted off-cuts
Embellishments - Making Memories alphabet stickers, buttons, ribbon
Other - sewing needle, embroidery thread, hole punch


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Monday, March 21, 2011

How YOU Can Help

Some of you may remember that I have friends from Tohoku. One of my friend informed me that Miyagi Prefecture, which may have been hit hardest, organized their "alumni meeting" to decide what they can do. Their decision was to create an account so that they can "avoid all administrative costs and every cent would be sent directly to the account the Miyagi Prefecture Government."

If you would be kind to participate in this initiative, please send your donation to:

100 Overlook Terrace Apt#816
New York, NY 10040
Attn: Ryo Abe

* Please make your check payable to “The Japanese American Association of NY, Inc.”

(The Japanese Association of NY, Inc. is a tax exempt organization. It is classified under Internal Revenue Codes as 501(c) (3). If you need a receipt for your donation, please indicate upon payment. The receipt will be sent from The Japanese American Association of NY, Inc. after 4/20.)

* If you have any questions or need any other information, please feel free to contact at:

You can view the coverage of the Miyagi Alumni Meeting, along with my friend, courtesy of FCI, Inc. (The video is in Japanese)

Of course, you can also make donation through the American Red Cross, which will provide relief for other heavily affected Prefectures such as Iwaté and Ibaraki.

Lastly, my friend Mr. Urbansaké announced that there is a donation program in place designed to specifically aid Japanese Saké Brewers.

Again, no amount of help is too small - thank you for your support!

Japan Earthquake

On March 11, 2011, unprecedented tragedy struck the Tohoku (Northeast) region of Japan. At a staggering magnitude measuring 9.0 Richter Scale, the "The Great East Japan Earthquake" and tsunami struck with vengeance as never seen before in Japanese history, leaving trail of destruction that is beyond this world.

Imagine a wall of sea so tall that it left boats stranded on top of buildings; a force so strong that it easily displaced houses hundred of yards, if they didn't shatter like pile of match sticks upon impact; a scope of the damage large enough to wipe out entire communities and towns off the map.

Despite the advanced earthquake warning system and years of evacuation drills, over 20,000 people are reported to be missing or dead.

Compounding the matter, the survivors are struggling with winterly weather with minimal or no housing, electricity, food, drinks, and medicine - all the things we assume to be readily available in this day and age.

While they try to survive in as disciplined, orderly, and honorable manner as possible, it is clear that they can't do it alone.

Whether it's cash or volunteer work (here or abroad), there are no such things as wasted resources when it comes to humanitarian efforts of this magnitude.

No amount or effort is insignificant.

Please help.

Thursday, August 05, 2010

12/04/10: Going Home

To work off the calories from the night before, I took a walk to Ueno Park. With luggage. And, by "work off the calories," I mean, to catch the Skyliner to Narita Airport.

At the airport, I had my last meal in Japan. Walking around the food court, I chose Italian restaurant, as I haven't had Italian in about 12 hours. There, I ordered Japanese-style pasta with spicy Mentaiko fish roe sauce.

Up in the air...

It's a good thing Japanese airport isn't too picky on bringing in food, as I was able to bring in juicy pork cutlet sandwich.

Of course, I had to have saké. Little on the brawny side, but a saké nontheless.

Not surprisingly, my time in Japan went by far too quickly. With tons of new memories made, 13 hours are not enough to relive them all.

12/03/09: Day 13 in Japan (Last Full Day)

As noted on the title, today was my last full day in Japan. What to do? Start with a hearty lunch, of course. This is Japanese-style hamburgers with demi-glace sauce. (The burger is hidden underneath the fried egg.)

Afterwards, I asked my friend to take me to a driving range for some exercise, to work off some calories I am about to consume.

After the range, we went to Isetan department store and their saké section to pick up souvenirs. Wise choice, as they had rare sakés including Jokigen Yamahai Junmai Ginjo and Yuki No Bosha "Hiden" Yamahai Junmai Ginjo.

The main point of today is to enjoy as much food in Japan as possible. First stop was made at an izakaya "Nonbei", at 6:00 pm.

Our poison of choice included Shimé Hari Tsuru, Nanbu Bijin Tokubetsu Junmai, and Kokuryu Junmai Ginjo...

...with orders of bottarga and...

...chicken kara-agé.

It's not uncommon for the Japanese to go to izakaya for a happy hour, followed by dinner. Thus, next stop was Italian restaurant "Corsica."

Small but authentic, we started with beef carpaccio...

...sauteed spinach...

...veal marsala...

...and spaghetti Bolognese. Yes, we ordered a lot, but portions are smaller than they appear, and there were three of us. At least, that's what I kept telling myself.

It is also not unusual for the Japanese to go to "Niji-Kai" afterparty after dinner. We went to a different izakaya, not too far from Nonbei.

As my friend knows the manager, we were able to bring in our own bottle. The choice was the spectacular Shichida Junmai Ginjo that I received on my visit to Tenzan Brewery.

To accomodate, we ordered some pasta...

...and dumplings as we apparently didn't fulfil our carbohydrates intake for the day.

My partners in crime!

Monday, February 15, 2010

12/02/09: Day 13 in Japan, Part II - The Autumn Leaves

After Mampukuji, we headed to Kamakura to visit Kayagiya, where they serve the best unagi (grilled eel).

Made in the traditional eastern Japan style, Kayagiya's eel is steamed prior to grilling, resulting in a fluffy texture.

We spent the afternoon walking around the temples of Kamakura and Kita-Kamakura ("North Kamakura") to view autumn foliage. This is a gingko tree at Hachimangu, a temple established by Yoritomo of the Minamoto Clan, whom you may recall from my last post.

Japanese maple back lit by sun in Hachimangu.

More Japanese maple at Hachimangu.

Red Japanese maple providing contrast to the blue sky at Engakuji in Kita-Kamakura.

Japanese maple trees surrounding the pond in Engakuji.

From the other side, looking towards the pond. Lighting creates a much different ambiance.

Simply amazing...

12/02/09: Day 13 in Japan, Part I - Koshigoé

I started the day by retracing the route from few days ago, except that my destination was not Enoshima but the town next door, Koshigoé. That fact did not prevent me from taking a glance of Enoshima, however.

The road along Shonan Beach is picturesque, reminds me of a driving course one might see in video games.

The stretch between Enoshima and Koshigoé is where the Enoden runs steet-level, amidst cars.

In Koshigoé, I visited Mampukuji, a temple where tragic hero Yoshitsuné of Minamoto Clan held fort while trying to reconcile with his older brother and Shogun, Yoritomo.

Memorial for Yoshitsuné. Highly talented strategist, Yoshitsuné had a tense relationship with his older brother Yoritomo. It has been said that rather than different bloodlines, Yoshitsune's seemingly aloofness towards politics led to this friction.

This is "Benkei's Juggling Stone." Benkei was a fiercely royal follower of Yoshitsuné, legendary for his last stand. More on that later.

On his way to Kamakura to deliver captured enemy general, Munemori of Taira Clan, Yoshitsuné and his charges were ordered to wait at Koshigoé, essentially forbidden from entering the capital. During his stay at Mampukuji, Yoshitsuné wrote "Koshigoé-jo," an emotionally charged letter to Yoritomo that was meant to reconcile their differences.

This picture on the shoji sliding door shows Yoshitsuné waiting longingly at the temple, hoping that the letter will thaw the relationship. However, Yoritomo saw the emotional appeal as further sign that Yoshitsuné didn't understand that the new government needed reason and logic to rule, further widening the gap between the two.

Eventually, Yoshitsuné was seen as expendable figure in the new government, and his persecution was seen as a necessary step to unite the Kamakura Shogunate. Along the way, he bid tearful farewell to his wife Shizuka.

Eventually, Yoshitsuné escaped to northern prefecture of Iwaté, but his allies eventually turned on him. Badly outnumbered with nowhere left to go, Yoshitsuné decided to do the honorable thing. As his last duty, his loyal follower Benkei gave his life holding off the enemy while Yoshitsuné took his own life. The legend has it that Benkei died on his feet, determined not to let his master down.

Inside the temple was the armor. Was not sure if it was the actual armor of Yoshitsuné, but the crest on the chest is of the Minamoto Clan.

Last fascinating item were decorations on the shoji sliding doors. These designs were carved out in wood and laquered in a traditional method called "Kamakura-bori" (literally, "Kamakura carvings.")

Visiting shops in Kamakura, one can find many examples of Kamakura-bori souvenirs including chopsticks, rice bowls, plates, trays, sandals, hand mirrors, and saké servers, among others.

12/01/09: Day 12 in Japan - Visiting the Headquarters

The day started off as usual...

I spent the morning going for a walk. As my hotel for the night was in Ueno, I headed to there to drop off my luggage. Near the train station is Ueno Park, where there is a statue of none other than Saigo Takamori.

After Ueno, I went to check out the day time scene of the famed night spot of Ginza. With lot of brand name brand stores and absence of neon lights, Ginza resembled Fifth Avenue rather than Times Square during the day.

After walking from Ginza back to Shimbashi, it was time for lunch. I came across this small shop specializing in hand-made Sanuki udon.

I ordered lunch set that also included small plate of curry rice. The noodles were thick, chewy, firm, and excellent.

I had an afternoon appointment to visit the headquarters of my employer. To get there, I took Yurikamomé train that meandered between city buildings before heading out to the harbor.

Here it is, the Fuji TV Headquarters. It's slightly larger than the NY office. Just slightly...

Fuji TV is located on a man-made island located in the Tokyo Harbor. Looking towards the mainland, there is a familar sight of the Statue of Liberty for the reasons unknown to me to this day...

Before going inside, I wanted to see the tourist areas. To do so, I took the encased escalator up to the welcome area.

Inside the escalator.

The symbol of the building, main observatory, can be seen through the glass enclosure.

At the welcome area, I met Fuji TV mascot. Yes, it does look like a blue relative of Snoopy.

Looking up inside the welcome area.

Due to the private nature of the business, I was unable to take pictures in most areas of the tour. One place I could take picture was inside the observatory, which is open to public. This is what the ceiling looks like. The observatory is occasionally used for on-air purpose, so you can see the lighting track in place.

View of the Tokyo Harbor from the observatory.

Following my visit, I had dinner with the members of the International Department at an izakaya back on the main land. Due to the nature of the dinner, I refrained from taking pictures...