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Friday, June 29, 2012

Apartment renters want good bike parking

Photo: Washington Post Express
Riding ’Hoods: Apartment buildings find ways to appeal to those who ride on two wheels recently appeared in Washington Post Express:
In a crowded marketplace, apartment buildings in the D.C. area can stand out by offering bike amenities that complement the region’s improved bike lanes and trails and rapidly increasing ridership. The District — recently named the fourth-most-bike-friendly U.S. city by Bicycling Magazine, up nine spots in just one year — and Arlington County are both leading the way. Nearby areas including Fairfax County are learning from those examples and developing plans to become more bike friendly, too.
I'm quoted as agreeing with the statement that in the suburbs "You often have to drive your car somewhere to bike." While bike conditions aren't great in burbs, there are many bike-freindly streets and trails near where most people live. The first and last miles of many trips can be the worst because we don't have a connected network. Riding from home often does require riding on roads with no bike facilities, but unless the road is a major arterial, skilled cyclists can navigate most of these streets without too many problems.

I guess the main point is that it should be easier for everyone from 8 to 80 to be able ride from home to our destinations. That's the goal of the County Bicycle Master Plan. It will take political will to make it happen.

The transformation of Tysons from a car-dominated place to a more bike- and pedestrian-friendly place is mentioned in the article. There are major battles currently being fought to ensure that the excellent Tysons Plan is implemented. It won't be easy but with the transformation Tysons will be a better community, better able to compete with surrounding jurisdictions like Arlington and Alexandria.

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Thursday, June 28, 2012

FABB Happy Hour

Douglas addresses the crowd
Thanks to Ann and Douglas for organizing a very successful FABB Happy Hour at Coyote Grill in Fairfax City. We had a great crowd that include several folks from the Fairfax City area, a BikeArlington Forum group who rode in from Arlington, and several FABB regulars.

The seating on the patio worked out well although we could have used fewer chairs and a little more standing room. It was a good opportunity to meet some new area cyclists and find out about some bike local routes. We'll get a chance to check out some of those routes on Saturday at the FABB Social Ride.

Kerie and I rode from Reston. It took about an hour. Our route included the W&OD Trail to Vienna where we took some neighborhood streets to the end of Tapawingo Rd where a short trail connects to the Nottoway Park trail to Vaden Dr. We crossed over I-66, gloating just a little when we saw that traffic standing still in the westbound lanes.

The Arlington crew
We took a right on Saintsbury Dr, crossed Blake Lane to Five Oaks Rd to the end where there's another short connecting trail to Plantation Parkway which leads to Fairfax Blvd/50/29. Traffic was backed up so we took the wide sidewalk to the strip mall where we took a left at the light at University Dr and headed into Fairfax City and Coyote Grill.

We'll definitely be holding more Happy Hours in the future. Thanks to everyone who came and thanks again to Ann and Douglas for doing a great job organizing the event.

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Bicycling cuts in new Transportation Bill

From a joint statement on the new transportation bill by America Bikes and the Safe Routes to School National Partnership:
The America Bikes coalition — representing the nation’s leading bicycling and walking groups — and the Safe Routes to School National Partnership oppose the new transportation bill, which would nationally cut funding for biking and walking projects by 60 to 70 percent.

We are deeply concerned that bicycling and walking programs suffer large and disproportionate cuts in funding in the new bill. Programs that save lives and dollars are eliminated.

The full extent of cuts to biking and walking funding will be determined at the state level and may be even deeper. We will continue to work in states and local communities to support safe, accessible streets.

The new transportation bill is a bad bill for biking and walking. This bill:

Cuts available biking and walking funds by 60 to 70 percent. Biking and walking programs are combined into a single program, Transportation Alternatives, with drastically reduced funding.

Eliminates dedicated Safe Routes to School funding. The bill eliminates dedicated funding for the massively popular and cost-effective Safe Routes to School program, which helps make walking and biking to school safer for millions of American schoolchildren.

Weakens local control. The new transportation bill allows states to opt-out of half of the funds potentially available for small-scale biking and walking projects. Whereas the bi-partisan Senate bill allowed local governments and planning entities to compete for 1% of transportation funds, the new bill allows states to opt-out of the local grant program completely.

Makes biking and walking compete with new, expensive eligibilities. Eligibilities such as road uses and environmental mitigation have been added to Transportation Alternatives, making it harder for local communities to compete for funding for local biking and walking projects.

This two-year bill represents a major step backwards in transportation policy for transportation choices and healthy physical activity. Despite this temporary setback in national policy, bicycling and walking will continue to grow and gain support, and Americans will continue to demand safer, more accessible streets and communities. Going forward, biking and walking will return to a central place in America’s transportation policies and programs.
DC.Streetsblog writes about the new Transportation Bill.

America Bikes posted an Analysis of the new Transportation Bill—Map-21.

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Wednesday, June 27, 2012

FABB represented at Velo-City Conference

Velo-City Global 2012 "is the world’s premier international cycling planning conference. The four day event offers delegates from around the world a chance to share best practices for creating and sustaining cycling-friendly cities, where bicycles are valued as part of daily transport and recreation."

FABB's Fionnuala Quinn's paper entitled "How to Speak to Engineers: Creating a Guide for Bike Advocates" was selected by the conference organizers. The talk is based in part on her work producing the Guide for Reviewing Public Road Design and Bicycling Accommodations for Virginia Bicycling Advocates. Her talk was scheduled to be given yesterday, and we hope it went well. Once we have a copy of we'll post it here.

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Transportation Bill Update

Rails-to-Trails Conservancy recently sent out an update on the discussions underway in Congress on the Transportation Bill which runs out June 30:
U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) and Representative John Mica (R-Fla.) have been negotiating over the past week. Transportation Enhancements (TE) has been a top point of contention, with the House demanding that states be able to shift the money to roads and bridges instead of dedicating it to trails, bicycling, walking and other TE eligibilities. From our perspective, this is the central debate point in the conference. The relative silence regarding Safe Routes to School and the Recreational Trails Program also concerns us. Our assumption, based on previous House positioning, is that the former is endangered and the latter is safe.

Persistent rumors in Washington and Rep. Mica’s district office staff both indicate that the House has prevailed, to our detriment, on the issue of dedicating TE funds despite the fact that the House was not able to pass their bill that reflected this view (H.R. 7). Unsubstantiated intelligence suggests that the mechanisms to achieve this undermining of the integrity of TE may be to make it very easy for state DOTs to opt out of the program completely, transfer more money away from TE, and include expensive new eligibilities that are out of step with its purpose. Some of these same tactics were used in the Senate committee bill to maim TE, but the current negotiations may go even further.

Current talk of “roadside enhancements” also raises suspicions that current TE eligibilities that occur outside of the right-of-way of highways would not be eligible. H.R. 7 took this approach, eliminating rail-trails, railroad depots, historic preservation and other important TE categories.
Cyclists will likely be asked to contact their Congressional representatives to oppose cuts to the Transportation Enhancements program. Stay tuned.

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Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Comments due on draft bicycle route network maps

Draft bicycle network map
The Fairfax Bicycle Master Plan is in the final stages of development. The plan Bicycle Advisory Committee met on June 13 to discuss some of the proposed recommendations and review the draft bicycle route network maps. The final plan should be available the end of July.

Cyclists can review and comment on the draft route maps until June 30. There are four map quadrants covering the county. The pdf files for each quadrant can be downloaded from the project website. To send comments use the bicycle plan contact form.

We're summarizing our notes on the current status of the plan and will include them in the next version of the FABB newsletter due July 1.

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Sunday, June 24, 2012

FABB Social Ride in Fairfax City

FABB Social Ride in Fairfax City

When: Saturday June 30, 9:00 a.m.

Where: Oasis BikeWorks in Old Town Fairfax, 10376 Main Street, Fairfax 22030

What: Anywhere you need to go in Fairfax City, a bike trail or bike-friendly street is not too far away. Fairfax Advocates for Better Bicycling is sponsoring a social ride for WABA members to share ideas about transportation cycling while enjoying a leisurely ride through Fairfax’s parks and neighborhoods. We will navigate a gently rolling 11-mile loop, returning to our starting point in time for lunch at one of the eclectic restaurants that make Old Town Fairfax a favorite bicycling destination.

There is no cost for the ride (lunch is on your own tab). WABA Members only (for insurance reasons). Helmets required. Free Registration on Eventbrite.

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FABB Happy Hour Thursday

FABB is holding a Happy Hour at Coyote Grill in Fairfax City on Thursday, June 28 starting at 5:30 p.m. Coyote Grill is located on 10266 Main Street. It's a block away from Oasis Bike Works and the City of Fairfax Regional Library. Stop by and meet some of the FABB folks. We'll have some surprise treats to hand out as well.

We usually have little social time during our regular meetings so this is a good chance to get to know each other better. It's also a chance for fellow cyclists who don't attend FABB meetings to join the discussion. The event is open to everyone. Hope to see you there. See also info on the FABB Events page.

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Saturday, June 23, 2012

Comments on funding of Tysons transportation projects

The Tysons Committee of the Fairfax Co Planning Commission is finalizing their work on the Tysons Plan changes. The plan was approved by the Board of Supervisors in early 2011. During that time the Board asked the Planning Commission to address several issues related to the redevelopment of Tysons, which included 1. Financing of infrastructure, and 2. Providing interim commuter parking at the Metrorail stations.

The Committee prepared a response to the Board in the form of a Strawman Document. The document includes a table showing the cost of various transportation projects. The Committee will mark up the Strawman at their meeting on Tues, June 26 based on comments received from a public hearing held on June 21. We testified at the public hearing and sent the following written comments:
Dear Tysons Committee members,

I wanted to clarify and expand on my comments at the Tysons Strawman public hearing held last night, June 21.

1. Table 7, Tysons Neighborhood Spot Improvements, Bicycle and Pedestrian Access Improvements, $77M - I am concerned that Bicycle and Pedestrian Access Improvements are combined with the Neighborhood Spot/Intersection improvements. I have seen the list of 19 recommended improvements but have not seen cost estimates for those improvements. I suspect they are significant. I suggest breaking out the bicycle, pedestrian, and spot improvements so that the estimated cost for each item is known. It is my fear that the cost of the intersection improvements will consume the vast majority of the $77M allocation, leaving little for bike/ped. When you consider that 10% of all trips in the DC metro area are taken by bike and walking, and that the total amount spent on all of the other transportation improvements is estimated to exceed $2B, the small amount left from the $77M will not be equitable. 10% of $2B is $200M. A fair share for ped/bike facilities is justified.

I  served as a member of the Tysons Task Force. We conducted a number of public outreach meetings over the 5 years. We asked participants at public meetings in the summer of 2007, which included task force members, representatives from property owners and business owners, residents, and others, to decide how they would allocate $100 of transportation funding. This was the aggregate result: Street network: $30, Pedestrian (and bike) amenities $20, More transit within: $20, More transit into: $18, Widening major routes: $12. It's clear that what is reflected in Table 7 contains a much different allocation of resources. I think it's worthwhile to consider what the public said they wanted when you make the final decisions about how transportation funding in Tysons should be allocated.

2. Tysons Corner Consolidated Transportation Impact Analyses (CTIAs), Line 463 - Last night when I referenced a presentation on CTIAs, it was from a Board of Supervisors Transportation Committee CTIA presentation on May 8, 2012. Slide 14 shows no bike facilities on Chain Bridge Rd or Dolley Madison. While I do not think every street needs dedicated bike facilities, the larger roads that provide key connections into Tysons such as Chain Bridge and Dolley Madison, need bike facilities. During the Bicycle Master Plan meeting in McLean earlier this year one of the most frequent comments from participants was the desire for safe, convenient bike routes to the Metro stations and covered, secure bike parking.

3. Tysons Corner connections to the Dulles Toll Road, Line 263 - I am concerned about the financial and environmental impact of these connections, especially the Boone Blvd ramp from the Toll Road that will greatly impact Old Courthouse Spring Branch stream valley park and the old Ashgrove Lane ped/bike connection to Tysons. I think the existing Route 7 exit ramp could be modified to add a connection to Ashgrove Lane by providing a cut through for exiting traffic just after the toll booth, behind the Sheraton. See an arial image of this location. I don't feel that a costly, high speed exit is needed if the goal is to disperse traffic exiting the Toll Road to the new grid of streets.

4. Interim parking - I feel strongly that providing interim parking goes against the spirit of the Tysons Plan. It is also contrary to basic transit-oriented development principles. We need to plan for good access to the future stations using transit, pedestrian, and bicycle connections, not interim parking.

I also agree with a comment made earlier in the meeting that a dedicated bus lane should be included in the Route 7 widening from the Toll Road to Reston Parkway.

I agree with the other aspects of the Strawman document and will continue to advocate for more funding for transit, pedestrian, and bicycle projects in Tysons when I testify before the Commonwealth Transportation Board as I have done in the past.

Editorial comments:

Line 311, change Flan to Plan
Line 372, insert "to" between "able provide."

Bruce Wright

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Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Young people are driving less

One of the arguments we use for creating safer, more convenient bicycle facilities is to give residents more options. We've been saying that young people are driving less and using transit, bikes, and other options. This article in Good magazine, Young People are Driving Less-And Not Just Because They're Broke, is a good summary of some of the reasons for this trend.

I didn't get my driver's license until I was in college. I spent my high school years in England and used public transportation almost exclusively.  I hadn't yet discovered the benefits of bicycling. I took the bus to school and when I needed to stay late, I took public transit home. We traveled by train throughout Europe. In London we walked and rode public transit. It was the natural, convenient way to get around because the infrastructure was there. I didn't miss driving; I didn't even think about it most of the time. It was only upon returning to the U.S. that I needed a car, especially after trying to rely on public transit for a while and constantly being late to work and appointments. It took a couple of more years living here before I discovered that traveling by bicycle was probably the best option.

Many of today's youth seem to have come to the realization that there are options to getting around other than by car. It's probably not so much the case in Fairfax because we don't have good bike facilities or convenient public transportation unless you're commuting to work in DC during rush hour. Yesterday I attended an all day training session at the Annandale NoVa campus. There are bike lanes on Wakefield Chapel Road which lead to the campus, but I saw only one bike besides mine parked in the grill racks in front. There was an ocean of parking available. From the south, getting to the bike lanes is a challenge and from the north, the only entrance is via Route 236 with no side path or bike lanes.

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Sunday, June 17, 2012

Fabulous Tour de Fat

FABB had a full contingent of volunteers at Tour de Fat yesterday. We greeted cyclists at the ID/Wristband station located across from the crazy bike pit where cyclists tried to ride laps on trick bikes. We not only had a great time but we also raised some money for FABB.

Four of us met in Vienna at 7am and rode about 25 miles to Yards Park for the morning shift that began at 9am. We parked at bike valet provided by the folks at MORE. All volunteers received free t-shirts and two tokens for New Belgium Brewery beverages. New Belgium, makers of Fat Tire Ale, sponsored the event which raised funds for WABA, MORE, and FABB.

It was a fantastic celebration of all things bike that started with a short bike parade of costumed riders on every kind of bike imaginable. Check out our video of the start of the parade:

After the parade cyclists returned to the main Tour de Fat area at Yards Park not far from Yards Stadium where the Nats were playing the Yankees at 1pm. There were activities happening throughout the park including the tire toss, Le Tigre performances, the bike pit, life-size Jenga, and performances by acts including Mucca Pazza, Ian Cooke, and Yo-Yo People.

There was also a craft area, displays by various bike-shops and organizations, food stations (although by the looks of the long line there needed to be another hot dog vendor), and of course several flavors of New Belgium beers.

Here's a short video of some of the action at the bike pit. It gives you a good feel for what the event was like, with lots of laughter heard in the background.

Did we say we had a great time? Let's hope Tour de Fat returns to the DC area next year. Congratulations to WABA and especially to Nelle, WABA's events person, for doing such a great job organizing the event. And thanks to the great folks from New Belgium Brewery for helping promote biking and supporting bike advocacy in the DC area.

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Tuesday, June 12, 2012

What Are Those Bike Symbols in the Road?

Sharrow graphic from BikeArlington
Shared Lane Markings, usually called sharrows, are starting to appear on roads in Fairfax County. They consist of two chevrons pointing forward with a bicycle symbol below. Sharrows are used to indicate to cyclists where they should ride in the road. They are placed away from parked cars so cyclists will avoid the dreaded "door zone."

Sharrows also let motorists know to expect bicyclists in the road. Some motorists are not aware that bicyclists have the same rights and responsibilities to use the road as do motorists. Where there are no on-road bicycle facilities, bicyclists and motorists must share the road. If the road is too narrow to share, less than 14 feet, then cyclists should ride in such a way that motorists are not tempted to share the lane with them and pass dangerously close. In these cases, sharrows are placed closer to the middle of the lane.

Another bike-related sign is appearing in Fairfax. The Bicycles May Use Full Lane sign sends the same message as the sharrow, that bicyclists belong on the road and on narrow roads they have the right to full use of the lane. These signs were recently installed on Beulah Road on a route between the W&OD Trail to/from Tysons. They also appear on a short stretch of Idylwood Road on a route between the W&OD Trail and the Pimmit Hills area.

We can all share the road. Most cyclists avoid busy commuter routes but sometimes those are the only roads for reaching their destinations. While motorists may be slowed briefly behind a cyclist, the delay is usually minor in the whole scheme of things. Until there are safe, direct bike facilities for cyclists in the county, sharing the road is the only other option.

BikeArlington has developed an excellent graphic of safety and courtesy tips for all road users. It shows various road markings and what they mean. The above sharrow graphic was extracted from that publication.

This article was cross-posted on Reston Patch.

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Monday, June 11, 2012

Centreville High School bike program

Centreville HS bike program kids
Christina Saindon is a physical education teacher at Centreville High School. A few years ago her school received a $5,000 grant from the Virginia Department of Education to buy bicycles for use in PE classes. I met Christina at the Bike Safety Education meeting that was part of the Bicycle Master Plan process. I was intrigued by her bike program and she agreed to answer some questions. She also sent these photos.

What grades can participate?
I teach 9th grade although I will take some students from other classes in 10th grade on occasion.

How many students participate?
We have 35 students per class and I teach 4 sections each year. Although if I can get a full class set of bikes for next year I want to try to teach twice that amount.

Are students required to participate or is the class an elective?
It is required for my students. However, they and their parents sign an agreement to participate. If a student really doesn’t want to ride I have them help in some other way.

How many bikes do you have?
We have about 22 bikes. Although I am looking to acquire more and sometimes students bring their own in from home.

Do you provide helmets?
Absolutely! We require all students to wear them at all times. Students also have the option to use their own.

Learning hand signals
What curriculum do you use?
I use the Bike Safety Curriculum from Oregon. It’s a few years old and geared towards middle school students, so I am looking for newer material. This is only my second year teaching biking.

What's the name of the teacher who taught you to teach the class?
Misty Boyd, Physical Education Department Chair at TC Williams (She is a BikeSmart instructor).

Do you ride off school grounds?
The first few days we practice drills on campus. Then we ride around Braddock Park and eventually Braddock and Union Mill Road trails.

Have you ever heard of the prohibition against bike riding in FCPS schools?
No I haven’t. Special Education students bike all the time. So far I have had no injuries of any sort. Many schools throughout the United States teach biking. As long as they are taught the proper guidelines and take it seriously – it’s very safe. I can see the concern however with going out on the road with such a large group.

Do you think that students who go through your class are better drivers when they get their license?
I doubt they are better drivers. However, it does give them an advantage going into driver’s ed classes. It also helps them respect bicyclists on the road better.

Thanks to Christina for agreeing to answer my questions about the program. I hope she's able to get a full contingent of bikes for next year.

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Bicycle Master Plan draft route network online

The draft bicycle route network being proposed by the Fairfax County Bicycle Master Plan team is now online and available for review. We encourage everyone who are familiar with the needs of cyclists in Fairfax to check out the areas you know and see what you think about the proposed routes.

Over the past year the planning team has gathered information from cyclists around the county. They've used information from the Bicycle Route Map, mostly determining how to fix the Less Preferred routes. They traveled throughout the county documenting bike conditions and determining what facilities are needed.

The bicycle plan advisory committee will meet on Wednesday to discuss the network and the policy and program recommendations. We've only seen a rough outline of the policy and program recommendations. Even though this is the last planned advisory committee meeting, we expect the dialog between the committee and the planning team to continue through June and July.

Public comments are being accepted through June. You can send comments through the project website or to FABB at

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FABB Happy Hour at Coyote Grill June 28

Mark your calendars for the first FABB Happy Hour on Thursday, June 28 starting at 5:30 p.m. Coyote Grill is located in Fairfax City on 10266 Main Street. It's a block away from Oasis Bike Works and the City of Fairfax Regional Library. Stop by and meet some of the FABB folks. We usually have little social time during our regular meetings so this is a good chance to get to know each other better. The event is open to everyone. Hope to see you there. See also info on the FABB Events page.

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Sunday, June 10, 2012

Tour de Fat comes to DC!

Tour de Fat is coming to Yards Park Saturday, June 16th. If you've never experienced Tour de Fat it's hard to explain the event. It's a bike extravaganza sponsored by New Belgium Brewing, makers of Fat Tire Ale.

The event is a full day of fun bike activities starting with a bike parade, costumes preferred. The event will be held at The Yards Park on the banks of the Anacostia River two blocks from Navy Yard Metro station and Nationals Park.

The goal of Tour de Fat is to celebrate bicycling and to raise money for local advocacy groups including FABB. For more information check out the Tour de Fat Facebook page. Better yet, see WABA's complete guide to DC's 1st Annual Tour de Fat. From the guide:
COST: FREE with $5 suggested donation
9:00am – Parade Registration
9:00am – Free Bike Valet
10:00am – Bike Parade - Costumes preferred
11:00am – Main Stage
12:00pm – Slide Show
12:00pm – Slow Ride
1:30pm – Bike Trade
3:30pm – De Finale!
Several FABB members are taking advantage of the bike valet and riding to the event, where we'll be volunteering at the ID/Wristband station. Why not join the fun.

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Saturday, June 9, 2012

Bicycling stamps now available

I like the title of the news release about the new bicycle stamps: Postal Service's Bicycling Stamps Promote Healthy Lifestyle: Cycling Reduces Obesity, Heart Disease; Improves Muscle Tone, Strength
One of the nation’s most popular outdoor activities gets its stamp of approval today from the U.S. Postal Service with the issuance of the Bicycling Forever stamps. The four stamps feature a young child just learning to ride with training wheels, a commuter pedaling to work, a road racer intent on the finish line and an airborne BMX rider.

Recent surveys indicate that Americans enjoy billions of bike rides a year. Bicycling organizations around the country report increased participation in local biking activities, and nearly half of all Americans say they would like more bicycling resources, such as trails and bike lanes, in their communities. ￼￼

Bicycling also is an efficient and affordable means of transportation. These days, increasing numbers of people ride their bikes to and from work or use them to run neighborhood errands. Many travel organizations offer cycling tours, from leisurely half-day jaunts to weeks-long excursions. No matter how long the ride, choosing to bike rather than drive cuts down on traffic congestion, fuel consumption and vehicle emissions, which benefits the environment and helps improve air quality.
It's good to see bicycling represented on stamps that will be widely circulated. However, the "commuter pedaling to work" sure looks like a long-distance touring cyclist. You don't see many commuters with touring road bikes with front and rear panniers. I would say about 75% of the cyclists I see have hybrid bikes, including most commuters.

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Friday, June 8, 2012

Bike events this weekend

Two major bike events are happening this weekend in our neighboring counties:
Le Cirque du Cyclisme is a three day event "Celebrating vintage lightweight racing and touring bicycles and the artisans and craft persons carrying on the traditions. The event is held at the Best Western hotel in Leesburg. It includes daily rides, presentations and workshops, a swap meet, and bicycle show.

Air Force Cycling Classic - Events include the Clarendon Cup races for amateurs and professionals on Saturday, the Crystal Ride and Crystal Cup on Sunday.

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Thursday, June 7, 2012

South County public meeting summary

Annandale meeting participants
The final Bicycle Master Plan public meeting was held last night (Wed.) in Annandale. About 40 cyclists learned about the proposed bicycle network and other recommendations. Most people had attended other bike plan meetings.

During the meeting Cindy Engelhart, VDOT NoVA District bike coordinator, noted that that due to new legislation (see 15.2-2223, item B.4.), any changes to the county Transportation Plan must be approved by VDOT. This would delay approval of the plan since VDOT has 90 days to submit comments. The current goal is to have the bicycle plan approved by the end of this year.

An audience member asked about the possibility of a bond referendum to fund bike improvements. The answer was that some projects are being funded by the 2007 transportation bond and another transportation bond is planned. However, we think a bike-specific bond would be feasible. Why not ask residents if they would support a bike projects through a bond?

Results of the earlier survey were discussed. In a report of the Tuesday meeting we mentioned the top reason that people say keeps them from biking. The graph on the left shows the top six reasons. It was pointed out that the top 3 reasons, gaps in the bike network, barriers to travel, and continuous facilities don't exist for local trips, all relate to gaps in the system.

The top initiatives chosen by the meeting attendees were:
1. Form a countywide bicycle advisory committee.
2. Begin a trail maintenance program.
3. Focus attention on the VDOT resurfacing program.
4. Strengthen the existing bike program.
5. Launch a law enforcement initiative.
I think the most controversial recommendation is the treatment of what are referred to as "Big Roads." These are the major arterials such as Routes 1, 7, 50, 236, Braddock Road, etc. These are also the roads that create major barriers for most bicyclists. Most bike-friendly neighborhood streets don't connect to destinations. They feed into the big roads which have very few connected bike facilities. The off-road connections usually have many conflict points. Well-designed cycletracks are a good solution but are costly to implement and usually require additional right of way.

The recommendation for these roads is a table of possible treatments based on surrounding land use. Our concern is that unless the county holds to a strict policy of requiring the most appropriate facility, some developers may only implement the most low-cost solution. It could also be difficult to have a continuous, consistent design if there are options. There will likely be much discussion of this recommendation at the BAC meeting next week.

The next step in the process is for the Bicycle Plan Bicycle Advisory Committee to discuss the recommendations at our June 13 meeting. While the committee has previously seen most of the route network, the public meetings were the first chance to learn about the policy recommendations and the top initiatives. We'll need to discuss them at length, review the public meeting feedback, and develop a consensus.

Update: See the Fairfax City Patch article on the meeting, Cyclists Make Suggestions to Bike Master Plan.

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VDOT criteria for placement of Sharrows and Bicycles May Use Full Lane signs

In an earlier post we noted that Shared Lane Markings (Sharrows) and Bicycles May Use Full Lane (BMUFL) signs are appearing in Fairfax. We discussed one narrow, busy section of Idylwood Road where cyclist harassment is frequent. We pondered whether using sharrows and the BMUFL signs could be used on some sections of road. We posed our question to Randy Dittberner, VDOT Traffic Engineer. We received a very informative response and wanted to pass it on:
As we were developing our initial list of sites to consider for implementation, we focused on a few factors:

- BMUFL signs and sharrows provide similar guidance to drivers, with a few distinctions. For example, we believe that sharrows may be preferred adjacent to parked cars to better advise cyclists to stay out of the door zone.

- Both devices cost about the same to install, but they have different life expectancy. Signs will last for at least a decade, but sharrows will be constantly pummeled by traffic since they’re often directly in vehicles’ wheel paths. As such, we are concerned that sharrows may need to be refreshed frequently, which obligates us to ongoing maintenance. We are closely monitoring the sharrows on Westmoreland to see how they hold up under traffic.

- It is our initial hope that in most cases, we can achieve a significant benefit with either the sign or the marking, without installing both. This strategy will allow us to address (at least) twice as many sites for the same cost. Certainly there may be critical sites where both devices are needed and add value, and we will definitely consider doing so.

With this in mind, we elected to focus our initial deployment of sharrows on locations where there is a gap in or terminus of an existing marked bike lane. In these areas we have already made a commitment to maintaining pavement marking expressly aimed at cyclists, and the sharrow acts to extend the markings through the gap or beyond the terminus. We focused our initial deployment of BMUFL signs on locations without marked bike lanes.

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Wednesday, June 6, 2012

Cyclists Learn About the Fairfax Bicycle Master Plan

Fairfax Bike Coordinator Charlie Strunk
discusses the bike plan
The results of nearly two years of work on the Fairfax Bicycle Master Plan were presented last night at the Reston Regional Library. Fairfax County unveiled the proposed bicycle route network along with program and policy recommendations for making Fairfax a better place to bike.

The goal of the plan is to increase bicycle use for transportation, especially for non-commute trips, which are about 75 percent of all trips. All residents, from 8-80 (or 8-90 as Joe Stowers suggested last night), should have a safe network of trails and on-road bike facilities that connect cyclists with major destinations.

According to a survey conducted as part of this process, the major reason people don't take short trips by bicycle is because of gaps in the network of trails and bike lanes. I'll state the obvious. When people can safely bike to local destinations they are much more likely to travel by bike.

Over the past year the bicycle plan team held eight public meetings around the county to hear from cyclists about where bicycle facilities are needed in their area. (See a summary of comments from the area meetings). In additional they held focus groups on topics such as the connection between bicycling and health, law enforcement, bicycle safety education, school transportation, and the economic impacts of bicycling.

Some of the highlights of the plan in Reston include creating safe, convenient bike connections to the Wiehle Ave and Reston Parkway Metro stations, bike lanes in the Reston Town Center area, and extending the Lawyers Road bike lanes in both the east and west directions.

Participants at the meeting last night ranked a list of 18 suggested bicycle initiatives. Among the top choices were: Strengthen the current Bicycle Program with additional funding and staff; Create an organization to encourage more people to travel by bike similar to BikeArlington; Provide new funding for working with VDOT to create bike lanes and paved shoulders; and Create a Countywide Bicycle Advisory Committee.

The plan will be completed in July. Comments can be made until June 30. After completion of the plan, workshops explaining the recommendations will be held with the Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors, with the goal of holding public hearings and final approval of the plan the end of this year. Then begins the real work; implementing the plan and finally making Fairfax a better place to bike.

The group I chair, Fairfax Advocates for Better Bicycling (FABB), advocated for the plan and members have been working with the county and consultant, attending all of the public meetings, and representing cyclists on the Bicycle Plan Advisory Committee. We'll continue that work to ensure the plan is implemented and does not sit on a shelf and gather dust. To learn more about FABB visit

This article is cross-posted on Reston Patch.

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Tuesday, June 5, 2012

Important meetings today

Bicycle Master Plan Meeting - North county - Learn about the proposed bicycle master plan recommendations at a public meeting at the Reston Regional Library starting at 6:30 p.m. This is one of two public meetings that will give cyclists an opportunity to learn about the plan and provide valuable feedback before the plan is finalized. The South county meeting is tomorrow in Annandale.

For more information on the project see the Bicycle Master Plan website.

Route 1 Public Hearing - On the proposed widening of Route 1. The meeting starts at 6pm at Hayfield Secondary School, 7630 Telegraph Road, Alexandria, VA 22315. According to Allen Muchnick of Virginia Bicycling Federation: "This segment of US Route 1 is a desired alignment for four long-distance bicycle routes: US Bike Route 1, the Adventure Cycling Association's Atlantic Coast Route, the East Coast Greenway, and the Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail."

"Therefore, first-rate accommodations for ALL types of bicyclists--including experienced, long-distance roadway cyclists--are critically needed in this project. While a 10-foot sidepath and 14-foot curb lanes are both currently proposed for this project, the proposed on-road bicycling space adjacent to 50+ MPH traffic is inadequate."

"Please submit a written comment asking for 15-foot curb lanes, each ideally striped as an 11-foot travel lane beside a 4-foot wide bike lane (to the left of a 2-foot wide concrete gutter)." Written comments should be sent to by June 29, 2012.

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Monday, June 4, 2012

Bicycles May Use Full Lane signs and Sharrows

Bicycle May Use Full Lane sign on Beulah Rd
Tonight we rode to the Transforming Tysons Open House to check out the latest information on bicycle projects in Tysons. The meeting was held at Westbriar Elementary School off Old Courthouse Road on the outskirts of Tysons. The route we used from Reston included the W&OD Trail to Clarks Crossing Road to Beulah Road. This section of Beulah is about 1/4 mile but it's a narrow, busy commuter route and there is just a very narrow paved shoulder.

The road now has a sign that tells motorists that Bicycles May Use Full Lane. The biggest problem encountered on this stretch is harassment by motorists. Now they know that we belong on the road and I'm hoping they show a bit more patience. This is a busy bike commuter route leading into Tysons and the signs are a welcome addition.

From Beulah Rd we continued to Trap Road, Gelding Lane, Bois Ave, Montmorency Dr to a trail that connects to Palm Springs Dr to Hidgon Dr to Pine Valley Dr. These are all quiet neighborhoods streets and it was a very pleasant ride in the cool 70 degree weather.

Getting ready for sharrows on Old Courthouse Rd
We arrived early so we could check out another location nearby where signage is needed. Old Courthouse Rd has bike lanes for a short stretch that end at the Vienna line. Where they are needed most is further east where the road narrows and is uphill, in front of Freedom Hill Park. We've mentioned the need for sharrows (shared lane markings) on this section in the past. They were included in a list of candidates for either sharrows or Bicycles May Use Full Lane signs.

As you can see from the photo on the left looking east toward Freedom Hill Park, VDOT has marked the spot where sharrows will soon be installed. There are plans to add paved shoulders to the road in the near future.

We've also heard there are Bicycles May Use Full Lane signs on Idylwood Rd, another road we've suggested needs the signage. We've already heard that someone has requested that sharrows also be used. The traffic and cyclist harassment is so bad on that section that we agree that both the Bicycles May Use Full Land and sharrows are needed.

Good things are happening in Fairfax. New bike lanes on Gallows Road into Tysons, and sharrows and Bicycles May Use Full Lane signs appearing in several places around the county. With the completion of the bike plan, this might be the start of a new chapter for bicyclists in Fairfax.

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Sunday, June 3, 2012

New bike lanes on Gallows Road

Bike lanes on Gallows Road north of the W&OD Trail
There are now bike lanes on Gallows Road from the W&OD trail into Tysons. The project has been in the planning stages for many years and is now mostly complete. Bike lanes now extend from just north of the I-66 bridge at the Dunn Loring Metro station to Tysons near Madrillon Road.

It was disappointing to see that the bike lanes end before Old Courthouse Road. Ideally they should be extended beyond Route 7 into the heart of Tysons but that wasn't part of the project. However, we had understood that the lanes would reach Old Courthouse Road so we'll check with the county to find out if there are plans in the near future to extend the lanes.

The speed limit on Gallows is 35 mph but motorists appeared to be driving much faster when we were there this morning. The bike lanes appear to be 4 feet wide not including the gutter pan. We'd prefer they were 5 feet wide given the high speeds on the road. One huge advantage of the bike lanes is that during rush hour, when traffic is backed up, cyclists can easily pass stopped traffic in the bike lanes.

Bike lanes end before Old Courthouse Rd in the distance
This is a big step forward for the county. The bike lanes are a visible sign to motorists that cyclists belong on the road. Thanks to the county for finding the funding for the project and to VDOT for adding to the bike lanes in Fairfax. We look forward to the appearance of more bike lanes, especially in the Tysons area as it redevelops with the arrival of Metro.

In fact, the lanes on Old Courthouse Road are very wide and there is a wide center turn lane. It would be very easy and relatively inexpensive to restripe the road to add bike lanes, at least from Gallows Rd to Route 123.

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Saturday, June 2, 2012

Pohick Stream Valley Trail ribbon-cutting ceremony

FABB members Alan Young and Kerie Hitt on the left
begin the ride to the bridge.
Several FABB members attended the official opening of the Pohick Stream Valley Trail that connects the Burke VRE station with Burke Lake Road and the Burke Village Shopping Center. It also connects several Park Authority and Burke Centre Conservancy trails. It will provide access to and from the VRE station for many residents in the area.

 A group of cyclists rode from the VRE station to the new bridge at Burke Lake Road where a group was gathered to hear speakers including Fairfax Co Board Chairman Sharon Bulova and Braddock District Supervisor John Cook. The speakers pointed out the importance of providing residents with opportunities to get out of their cars for making short trips by bike.

Chairman Bulova, Supervisor Cook, and others
cut the ribbon.
One of the stream crossings along the trail is a fair weather crossing. Even though the weather was fair, the heavy rains yesterday meant that streams in the area were very high; so high that the fair weather crossing was impassable. As a result the bike convoy detoured along narrow asphalt trails leading into the surrounding neighborhoods.
We crossed one very slick wooden bridge and a couple of riders took a spill.

Not so fair weather crossing.
The project was the result of cooperation between Fairfax Co DOT, Fairfax Co Park Authority, and Burke Centre Conservancy. The Park Authority has a good reputation for building trail bridges quickly and at a reasonable cost. A similar cooperative project was responsible for the Wolftrap Rd bridge that is now used heavily but the community including kids riding to Kilmer Middle School. Congratulations to everyone who helped make the trail a reality.

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Friday, June 1, 2012

Saturday June 2 is National Trails Day

There are a couple of ways to celebrate National Trails Day in Fairfax on Saturday:
  • The Tour de Fairfax is a 10-mile loop ride in Fairfax City. Meet at Van Dyck Park upper pavilion. No RSVP needed. The ride starts at 10 a.m.
  • Pohick Stream Valley Trail Ribbon-Cutting—Join a ride from the Burke VRE station to the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Pohick Stream Valley Trail. The group will meet at 9:30 a.m. and will depart the station at 9:40 a.m. and arrive at the bridge in time for brief ribbon cutting ceremonies slated for 10 a.m. The bridge is located at the end of Burke Road, adjacent to the Burke Village II Shopping Center, 9570 Burke Road, Burke, VA. The ride is approximately 1.5 miles. For more information, call the Park Authority Public Information Office at 703-324-8662.

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Christopher M France (Chris), Psy.D.
 Title: Associate College Lecturer
 Dept: Psychology
 Office: CB 160
 Phone: 216-687-9386,  216-687-9386
 Address: 2121 Euclid Ave. CB 160, Cleveland, OH 44115

Courses Taught

Faculty Only:
Update Profile

Research Keywords:
Depression, schizophrenia, eating disorders, cultural narratives of mental disorders
Psy.D., Clinical Psychology, Wright State University, 1998
B.A., Psychology, Wright State University, 1993
Brief Bio:
Dr. France completed a predoctoral internship in professional psychology at the Hamilton Center, Inc. in Indiana, and his postdoctoral training at the Community Counseling Center in Ashtabula, Ohio. Dr. France is a licensed psychologist with experience in assessing and treating a wide range of mental disorders in children, adolescents, and adults.
Research Interests:
Dr. France is interested in schizophrenia, depression, eating disorders, and other mental disorders. He is also interested in training issues. Specifically, Dr. France is interested in personal and cultural conceptions of mental disorders, primarily schizophrenia and depression, and their treatment. At present, he is currently involved in research related to eating disorders.
Teaching Areas:
Dr. France teaches undergraduate courses in Introduction to Psychology, Childhood Development, Adolescent Psychology, Lifespan Development, Abnormal Psychology, Introduction to Clinical Psychology, and Psychology Laboratory. He also teaches graduate courses including Intellectual Assessment and Practical Clinical Psychology.


text:
Fairfield Ledger

Neighbors Growing Together | Jul 29, 2015

Henry County safety committee hopes to win special award

By MEGAN COOPER | Apr 21, 2014

MT. PLEASANT (GTNS) – The safety committee in Henry County is working on ways to make the county safer in order to obtain the Best Practices Award.

According to IT/Tech Coordinator (and safety committee member) Derek Wellington, oil storage in the secondary road department’s maintenance shed has gotten the county dinged on safety standards in the past.

“The oil storage is one of the reasons we haven’t gotten the Best Practices Award. We are trying to do what we can so we can receive the award,” said Wellington during the Henry County Board of Supervisors meeting Thursday. “The maintenance shop isn’t a true containment facility and it creates a safety issue because of the oil that is on the floor was caused by some of the leaking containers.”

Wellington proposed a solution to the board, an oil containment system, during the meeting, which would cost the county about $8,000. The board approved the system.

“Jake [Henry County Engineer] requested that we [the safety committee] authorize the purchase of a new oil containment system,” explained Wellington. “It would improve the storage and use of the oil in the maintenance shop.”

The containment system would need the following materials and would be purchased from FS-Agriland:

• 9 – 70 gallon totes at $275 a tote, which would cost $2,475.

• Two – 120 gallon totes at $317 a tote, which would cost $634.

• Four – 36-inch metal stands plus drip tray at $288.75 a stand, which would cost $1,155.

• 11 – brass valves at $77 each, which would cost $847.

• One – miscellaneous fittings, which would cost $200.

• Two – containment stands, (constructed by Steffensmeier Welding) estimated cost would be $1,000.

• One – transfer oil pump and hose, which would cost $750.

• The total cost of the oil containment system would be $7,061.

Additional items requested for the system are storage pallets for the warehouse, which would consist of an eight-drum pallet and a four drum-pallet. They will still store full 55-gallon drums of oil kept for the road department’s inventory. The cost is as follows:

• Eight drum pallet – $580.

• Four drum pallet – $299.

• Total of $879.

“I like the idea,” said board Chairman Marc Lindeen. “With the system, the guys won’t have to lift the drums anymore, they won’t have sore backs anymore.”

According to Henry County Auditor Shelly Barber the money for the oil containment system can come from the community betterment fund, which is local option sales tax money, because the secondary road department serves the rural areas.

In other board news, Lindeen discussed with the board upcoming trainings that local emergency personnel will be undertaking soon.

“At my emergency management meeting we were told two trainings are coming up. One consists of a car wreck, and Dave’s Towing will be helping with that one,” Lindeen said.

A car will actually be trapped under a semi and they will also use battery powered cars to train the personnel,” said Lindeen. “Another training will be of a train derailment and a gentleman from Chicago will be coming down to do the training. It’s exciting and these are new trainings we haven’t seen before.”

The Henry County Board of Supervisors will meet again in regular session on Tuesday, April 22, at 9 a.m. in the board room at the courthouse.

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John Kendall

18,748pages on
this wiki
John Kendall
Officer Kendall Esc
raceHuman, Caucasian
affiliationVault 101 security
roleSecurity Officer
locationVault 101
familyMary Kendall - Wife
Christine Kendall - Daughter
Monica Kendall - Daughter
appearancesFallout 3
karmaEvil (in Growing Up Fast and Escape!)
Neutral (in Trouble on the Homefront)
base SPECIAL6 ST, 3 PE, 6 EN, 3 CH, 3 IN, 7 AG, 4 LK
1 ST, 4 PE, 6 EN, 3 CH, 3 IN, 5 AG, 4 LK (Escape!)
voice actorJeff Baker
base id0009b171 (Growing Up Fast)
0006490f (Escape!)
00027055 (Trouble on the Homefront)
ref id0009b177 (Growing Up Fast)
00064912 (Escape!)
0002d4c2 (Trouble on the Homefront)
dialogue fileCG02Vault101Security02.txt (Growing Up Fast)
CG04Vault101Security02.txt (Escape!)
Vault101Security02.txt (Trouble on the Homefront)

Just keep your hands where I can see them.

Officer John Kendall is a security officer in Vault 101 in 2277.

John Kendall is friendly, yet tough and no-nonsense. While he's not actively sinister, he'll follow orders without putting much thought into it. Introspection is not a trait he commonly displays. He loves being a cop and whether what he's doing is right does not worry him; he is the law.[1]

During the Lone Wanderer's tenth birthday party on July 13, 2268, Officer Kendall can be overheard talking with the Overseer in the stairway to the Upper Level. Officer Kendall is assigned by the Overseer to give the party just a few more minutes and then make sure everyone gets back to work.

He is the husband of Mary Kendall and the father of Christine and Monica.

Interactions with the player characterEdit

Interactions overviewEdit

General Services Quests
Essential: noIcon cross
Enslavable: noIcon cross
Companion: noIcon cross
Bounty: yesIcon check
Merchant: noIcon cross
Repairman: noIcon cross
Doctor: noIcon cross
Rents bed/room: noIcon cross
Starts quests: noIcon cross
Involved in quests: yesIcon check
  • He will only drop a finger previous to Trouble on the Homefront
  • QuestsEdit

    • Escape!: The Lone Wanderer encounters Kendall just outside his or her room, where the officer is being attacked by several radroaches. The player can wait and hope the radroaches kill him, attempt to save him from the radroaches, or kill him. He is the first person that can be killed in the game. He will become hostile after the radroaches are dead.
    • Trouble on the Homefront: Officer Kendall will be present if he didn't die during Escape!. When interacted with, he blames the Lone Wanderer and James for the Vault's problems.

    Apparel Weapon Other items On death
    Vault 101 security armor Police baton - -

    • As a 10 year old, before completing the quest Growing Up Fast, you can pickpocket Kendall for 2 stimpaks.
    • If you evade Officer Kendall instead of killing him, he will always appear at the closest level entrance anywhere in Vault 101 whenever you load a saved game from the main menu.

    Officer Kendall appears only in Fallout 3.

    1. Fallout 3 Official Game Guide
    Kendall family

    Other Wikia wikis

    Random Wiki


text:
Goofy Pumpkin-Carving Template

Add a little Disney magic to your Halloween with this Goofy pumpkin carving template! Just don’t blame us when your pumpkin gets involved in shenanigans!

Player: 2+
What You'll Need
Pumpkin carving kit
Regular paper
Toothpicks (optional)
Water-based marker (optional)
How To Play
  • 1

    Attach the printable to your pumpkin with tape. You may have to fold or trim the edges of the paper to form it around the pumpkin.

  • 2

    Use a push pin or tack to poke holes through the pattern and into the pumpkin to outline the black areas of your design. Tip: you can also use tape to tape the pattern to the pumpkin.

  • 3

    Remove the pattern from your pumpkin.

  • 4

    Cut along the tack holes to carve out the black areas.

  • 5

    Show it off to all of your friends!

Additional Information
Cutting should be done by an adult.
Tagged as: , , , ,


text:
• Wednesday 29 July 2015

How to wear your British supermodel on your sleeve

Hurry and decide if you want to sport Cara Delevingne or Jourdan Dunn as T-shirts depicting the British models finally go on sale.

BY Olivia Lidbury | 26 February 2013

Cara Delevingne

Cara Delevingne Photo: REX

Unless you've been living under a rock that's free of fashion minerals, you won't have escaped the fact that home-grown models Cara Delevingne and Jourdan Dunn have been providing a lot of light relief as they enjoy a season as two of the most in-demand catwalk models of the moment.

Endless Instagram and Twitpics of the two causing mischief behind the scenes aside, Cara Delevingne expressed her sisterly love for Dunn by wearing a T-shirt with the Londoner's face and words 'No 1 Dunn' illustrated by Simeon Farrar when she exited the Burberry show. Meanwhile sitting on the front row at Burberry, singing sensation Rita Ora (whom Cara calls 'wifey') accessorised her navy suit with a T-shirt featuring Simeon's drawing of the bushy-browed 20-year-old and the slogan 'Queen Delevingne'.

Rita Ora wearing the 'Queen Delevingne' T-shirt at the London Fashion Wee Burberry show. Photo: Getty

And so, an appreciation-of-supermodel-by-T-shirt was born, but said tops couldn't be purchased by us mere mortals, until now.

READ: Jourdan Dunn - the model interview

Due to popular demand - and a staggering 45,000 likes on Instagram of Cara sharing a photo of her Queen Delevingne top - Farrar has produced a run of the model-centric tees at the fashion week-friendly price of £30 on Black Score . After the catwalk shows end on March 6, they'll be inflated to £40.

The tricky bit is deciding: Cara or Jourdan?

The tops are on sale on BlackScore.com

More from I SPIED »
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Archive for the ‘Latin America’ Category

The Indoctrinator Carnival of Latin America and the Caribbean

Monday, July 27th, 2015

Today’s Carnival is dedicated to cartoonist Luciano Cunha, creator of The Indoctrinator.

Pathetic: Now Argentina accuses Falkland Islands fishermen of stealing their FISHA SENIOR Falkland Islands diplomat has hit back at claims by an Argentine minister that the wealth of the remote archipelago derives from “stolen” fish.

PRO’s Macri says government seeking to ‘demonize’ him

Bolivia Frees 47 of 51 Arrested after Violent Protests

Brazilian politics
The power behind the throne
A junior partner in government is running the country

It is the person, not the party, that is abandoning the coalition, the PMDB was quick to declare. Still, Mr [Eduardo] Cunha’s exit is a worry for the president. Last week came news that police are investigating her predecessor and political mentor, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, for possible influence-peddling on behalf of construction firms. He denies the allegation. That is a further blow to the battered PT. Ms Rousseff needs the PMDB more than ever if she is to survive until the end of her term in 2018. Increasingly, it is running the show.

An oil scandal is shaking Brazil’s democracy to its core

New plant species ‘discovered on Facebook’
Experts identified a plant pictured on Facebook as a new species, since named as “drosera magnifica“, or magnificent sundew, according journal research paper
. Someone tell Pope Francis.

Chile charges over burning students
A Chilean judge charges seven former soldiers over the burning of two students during a 1986 protest against Gen Augusto Pinochet’s government.

Colombians Outraged by Gang Rape of Bus Driver

Costa Rica: Examples of How to be Like Greece (h/t JC)

Evidence Mounts That Oswaldo Payá Was Assassinated by the Castros
Human Rights Foundation Documents Cuban Agents at Work on Tragic Day
; Victims of Communism organization follows up on Ted Cruz’s address change proposal

Inside the offices of Granma, Cuba’s government newspaper

There’s a sucker born every minute: Cuba Hoping To Kickstart Offshore Oil & Gas Industry

Springtime for America’s EnemiesDangerous and short-sighted U.S. diplomacy has empowered no one except state sponsors of terrorism and fascistic regimes.

Rafael Correa recibe la asesoría de la chavista Eva Golinger
La «novia de Venezuela», como la llamó Chávez, se ha ocupado en «desacreditar» a quienes critican al presidente de Ecuador

Fired for Daring to Prosecute Extortion in Rural Guatemala
Georgetown University’s False Heroine: Part III

A Glimpse Of An Everyday Struggle Among Haiti’s Health Care Workers

Pennies on the dollar: Jamaica to retire $3B in oil debt to Venezuela

Jamaica has forged a deal to retire $3 billion in oil debts to Venezuela thanks to bond sales.

In a Friday statement, Jamaica said it has issued roughly $2 billion in bonds on the international capital market that will pay down the debt it accumulated through Petrocaribe, a Venezuelan program that provides fuel to countries at market prices but under generous credit terms.

Officials say a negotiated settlement with Caracas will dismiss about $3 billion in long-term debt in exchange for $1.5 billion. It was not immediately clear Friday if Jamaica’s deal will retire all of its Petrocaribe debt.
. . .
Jamaica’s Petrocaribe settlement is similar to one the Dominican Republic negotiated with Venezuela earlier this year. That Caribbean country dismissed $4 billion in Petrocaribe debt in exchange for $2 billion.

Mexican judge jails three Joaquin Guzman prison guards

Filmmaker Ridley Scott to bring life of “El Chapo” to the big screen
British director purchases rights to Don Winslow’s bestseller ‘The Cartel’

Is there a rift between Mexico’s president and first lady?
Rumors fly after videos capture allegedly awkward moments between Enrique Peña Nieto and his wife, Angélica Rivera

Panama, Costa Rica join forces, demand corruption investigation of CONCACAF Gold Cup

US asks Paraguay to extradite Fifa official Nicolas Leoz

Police burn down illegal gold mine town in Peru
Action against La Pampa is latest blow in war against illegal mining that is destroying rainforest and spreading mercury poisoning

First pictures of last-uncontacted Amazon tribe
Mashco Piro tribe have lived in the jungle in Peru for at least 600 years, but have never before been approached

Puerto Rico debt crisis: austerity for residents, but tax breaks for hedge funds
The Caribbean territory has courted some of Wall Street’s richest citizens, selling its debt and offering inducements while local people face high taxes and cuts

Uruguay says more Syrian refugees welcome

Mega-Gangs the New Plague in Venezuela
Organized Crime Takes Root in Neglected Slums

Venezuela Bars Foreign Lawmakers’ Visit to Jailed Opposition Leader

Memo To Venezuela: The Soviets Nationalized Food Distribution And Guess What? It Didn’t Work

Mother of all battles in scarcity-hit Venezuela: having a baby

The last available health ministry figures for infant mortality under 1 show an increase of 2.35 percent from January to October last year compared with the same period of 2013.

The week’s posts and podcast:
Madrid’s City Hall and the man on the Moon: Tales from a socialist mindset

Puerto Rico: The bets are on

Argentina: #Nisman’s killer washed his hands in the sink

Venezuela: A lesson we can’t forget

Brazil: Meet The Indoctrinator

Mexico: El Chapo’s buddies tunneled out, too UPDATED

Planned Parenthood and the evil of our times

Argentina: Judge in Cristina’s hotel case, “If I turn up suicided, look for the killer”

LatAm currencies slide

Colombia: Today’s infographic

Cuba: “Mojito diplomacy”

Cuban embassy now open in DC

LatAm currencies slide

Tuesday, July 21st, 2015

The WSJ reports,
Latin American Currencies Hurt by Commodities’ Drop, U.S. Fed ExpectationsMexico’s peso at new low against dollar, though nation may benefit from weakness

While the economic factors vary from country to country, most are suffering from lower global growth, loss of export revenue from falling commodities prices, and a rising dollar that is making emerging-market yields less attractive to portfolio investors anticipating that the U.S. Federal Reserve will start raising interest rates soon.

Latin American countries never seem to get out of the extractive economic model set under the Spanish and Portuguese empires; add to that the end of quantitative easing and of zero interest rates in the U.S., and the prospect is glum.

Mexico’s recent public auction of shallow-water exploration blocks in the Gulf of Mexico failed to attract international bidders:

The private sector often has a better understanding of subsea prospects than the public sector, but Mexico’s wariness about fully ceding control may have prevented the government from understanding the true value of the blocks. “They are still having trouble letting go of the old mindset of full control, rather than letting the market decide,” says one industry executive. One of the two blocks awarded to the winning consortium (comprising Mexico Sierra Oil and Gas, Dallas-based Talos Energy and London-based Premier Oil) was more hotly contested than the government expected; four groups offered well above the government-mandated minimum.

Because of historical sensitivities, Mexico awarded rare profit-sharing contracts between the state and private firms, rather than fully confer ownership of oil reserves to the private sector. It also required a level of corporate guarantee to cover spillages that went beyond international norms. Its potential ability to rescind contracts has alarmed some oil companies, too, lest their wells be expropriated without compensation in the future.

Once you factor in those risks vs current oil prices, the real story here is simpler: the financial arithmetic facing a potential investor has been totally upended by the collapse of oil prices.

And let’s not forget the batshit-crazy approach to debt.

The new perfect Latin American idiot UPDATED

Sunday, July 12th, 2015

Fourteen years ago, the Guide to the Perfect Latin American Idiot burst into the scene defining what made so many countries failures, namely,

The “Idiot” species, we suggested, bore responsibility for Latin America’s underdevelopment. Its beliefs — revolution, economic nationalism, hatred of the United States, faith in the government as an agent of social justice, a passion for strongman rule over the rule of law — derived, in our opinion, from an inferiority complex.

Things evolve, and by 2009, the idiots were

back in force in the form of populist heads of state who are reenacting the failed policies of the past, opinion leaders from around the world who are lending new credence to them, and supporters who are giving new life to ideas that seemed extinct.

Now we have a clerical version, in the form of that air conditioning-hater, the The Peronist Pope who is fond of straw men, as we read that In Fiery Speeches, Francis Excoriates Global Capitalism

His speeches can blend biblical fury with apocalyptic doom. Pope Francis does not just criticize the excesses of global capitalism. He compares them to the “dung of the devil.” He does not simply argue that systemic “greed for money” is a bad thing. He calls it a “subtle dictatorship” that “condemns and enslaves men and women.”

Having returned to his native Latin America, Francis has renewed his left-leaning critiques on the inequalities of capitalism, describing it as an underlying cause of global injustice, and a prime cause of climate change. Francis escalated that line last week when he made a historic apology for the crimes of the Roman Catholic Church during the period of Spanish colonialism — even as he called for a global movement against a “new colonialism” rooted in an inequitable economic order.

The fact remains that capitalism works,

Cato economist Michael Tanner estimates that in the last 20 years, capitalism has lifted more than a billion people out of poverty and halved the number of those living in developing countries on less than $1.25 a day.

With such results, failing to see capitalism in its unfettered form as a viable solution to poverty borders on the immoral.

Over at the Vatican, The return of Benedict XVI
The Pope Emeritus has not vanished into monastic silence. He’s still offering comfort for those who prefer his vision to that of Pope Francis
, while

Why I’m Disregarding Laudato Si and You Should Too (lengthy but worth the read).

[In case you wonder, here’s the original speech in Spanish,
TEXTO: Discurso del Papa el encuentro con los movimientos populares en Bolivia]

On The Incompatibility Of Christianity With Socialism And Communism

Christian charity and free market entrepreneurship are not only compatible, but necessary to truly aid the poor.

Christian charity strives for the moral betterment of man, and the advancement of our neighbor out of love. For believers, these are works of religion, which many men and women of good will willingly and freely undertake. Forcing people “to do good” is the death of the virtue of charity, as charity must always be freely exercised.

But a second factor is equally needed to alleviate poverty: entrepreneurs and the free-market system. These offer the possibility of a greater and more lasting solution to the problem of poverty. Creating jobs and industry is a great good, and to diminish the possibilities for entrepreneurs and the private sector and claim the façade of virtue in doing so, is pure folly. Entrepreneurs and the business class do more in the United States for the Church and for vital issues to society, than anywhere else in the world.

I don’t expect Fr. Marcel to be invited to the Vatican any time soon.

As if things weren’t bad enough, Pope Francis invited California Governor Jerry Brown to lend his expertise on global warming and climate change to a summit at the Vatican later in the month. But he banned Philippe de Larminat, an actual scientist, from the April 28 summit.

Linked to by Babalu. Thank you!

Tonight’s podcast

Wednesday, July 8th, 2015

Live at 8PM Eastern, and archived for your convenience, in Silvio Canto’s talking about US-Latin America stories with Jerry Brewer

Also, don’t miss my post on Business at the BBC: Firing Clarkson will cost them BIG

The visiting pope Carnival of Latin America and the Caribbean

Monday, July 6th, 2015

Pope Francis is touring Ecuador, Bolivia – where the witches are protesting – and Paraguay, extolling the Bolivarian revolution’s idea of a “great motherland.”

What a guy.

Bolivia’s Adepcoca (Asociación Departamental de Productores de la Hoja de Coca i.e., Coca Leaf Growers’ Departamental Association) have prepared 20,000 bags of coca leaves to gift the people lining up from the airport to La Paz, giving new meaning to the term goodie bag.

You really can’t make up this stuff.

Live sex show at Buenos Aires university sparks scandal
School authorities investigating why ‘post-porn’ exhibition was held in an open public lobby

La oposición argentina se examina en Buenos Aires y Córdoba
La derecha y el peronismo opositor aspiran a vencer en la capital argentina y en la segunda provincia más poblada del país

Report: Argentinean Government Robs over 90% of Farmer Profits
Soybeans Garner Attention as Workaround for High Tariffs, Export Restrictions

Tensions Rise In Bolivia As Indigenous Witches Prepare For The Pope’s Visit

Dilma in the back seat of a driverless car. Lovely metaphor for today’s Brazil.

Calling Capt. Louis Renault, US ‘routinely spied’ on Brazil
Wikileaks says it has evidence that the United States has routinely spied on senior Brazilian government officials since 2011 or earlier.

Brazil Says Diplomatic Spat with U.S. is Over

Brazilian Evangelicals set up a ‘sin free’ version of Facebook
A group of Evangelical Christians in Brazil created Facegloria as their own, sin-free, version of Facebook

British musician faces five years in Chilean jail after admitting dealing drugs
Alexander Harrild, who was educated at exclusive Dulwich College, is being held in one of Santiago’s most notorious prisons with rapists and murderers

Chile secured the first major trophy in their history on home soil courtesy of a penalty shootout win over Argentina in the Copa America final

Time to call the FARC’s bluff
Colombia’s peace process risks drifting to collapse

The president, whose hobbies include poker, now faces a choice. Call the FARC’s bluff by laying on the table a take-it-or-leave-it offer on justice—or risk the talks collapsing anyway in the cycle of retaliation. Burdened by disappointments in other areas, Mr Santos has staked his presidency on a peace agreement. But objectively it is the FARC’s negotiators who need it more. Return to war in Colombia, and sooner or later they will be killed.

FARC & ELN commit crime together or coordinating, regardless of how the Govt may want to treat them:”

Why Colombia’s first euthanasia was stopped with 15 minutes to go
Doubting doctors have now approved procedure for cancer patient they canceled last week

Costa Rica becomes 33rd country to launch pro-Israel caucus
The 20 Parliamentarians signed a foundation document reaffirming Israel as a Jewish state with Jerusalem as its capital.

No, Mr. President, Castroite Cuba Is Not What Change Looks Like

How Global Threats Have Crowded Obama’s Diplomacy AgendaPresident has sought to focus on Iran, Cuba, climate and trade, but Islamic State, China and Russia have muscled in

Optimist: US-Cuba Relations, A Race to the Bottom. But, in the End, Truth and Freedom Always Triumph

5 Questions Obama Must Answer About the Potential US Embassy in Cuba

Despite Obama, Business as Usual for Cuban Tyrants

Mensaje de la Sociedad Interamericana de Prensa a Su Santidad

Ecuador’s Libertarian Movement Rolls Out a Rescue Plan
Protesters Want Dialogue with Correa to Solve the Crisis

Ecuador under threat of “soft coup” by opposition, says Correa
Officials fear that spike in anti-government marches may mar pope’s visit on Sunday

Maduro Denounces Guyana “Aggression” against Venezuela

80% Of Central American Women, Girls Are Raped Crossing Into The U.S.

Mexican Police Recover Nearly 10,000 Stolen U.S. Visas

Mexico wants to tame disruptive teachers union

EXCLUSIVE: Illegal Who Confessed to Murdering Wife with Hammer Deported Four Times

Five Sentenced In $25M Medicare Fraud Involving Nicaragua, D.R.

Go.Away.Trump. Trump Fallout Continues: Panama Pulls Out of Miss Universe Pageant

Paraguay hero’s uncle dies while watching victory against Brazil
Derlis Gonzalez’s uncle suffered a heart attack

Peru drug mule’s transfer to Scottish prison ‘approved’
Melissa Reid could be back in the UK within weeks after reports Peru has agreed to move her to Scotland

It is not in Gov. García Padilla’s interest to improve the economy – you can bank on that. Treasurer Admits Puerto Rico Can Pay Debts, Doesn’t Want To
“Shameful” Myth Diverts Attention from Need for Frugality

Puerto Rico’s Financial Crisis Is U.S.’ Crisis, Too

The Beeb starts to catch on, Puerto Rico: The Greece of the Caribbean?

How a pie factory in South America is taking on the world
Fray Bentos – the town in Uruguay famous for its pies – could be named a World Heritage Site alongside the Forth Bridge, Sicilian churches and Genghis Khan’s birthplace at the end of this year’s Unesco meeting

Venezuela faces national beer drought
Striking workers linked to the Maduro government have forced the closure of breweries at Polar, the country’s largest producer and a beloved household name

Cuba and FARC, and their Sinister Presence in Venezuela

Tanta Pasión Por El Socialismo Y Para Ellos Solo Vales 15$ Al Mes

One year on, El Universal is fully “hegemonized”

The week’s posts and podcast
Happy Independence Day

On Independence Day, let’s thank Caesar

Ecuador: Sing along with Rafael

Venezuela: Corker in Caracas

Today’s “WTH moment” courtesy of the NYT

Repeat, it is not in Gov. García Padilla’s interest to improve the economy – you can bank on that. Puerto Rico: A few thoughts on the economic crisis

What amnesty means to legal immigrants

Up next: The King’s Spanish

Puerto Rico: Countdown to the Greecespot

Brazil: Dilma wants U.S. investment

Argentina: Buenos Aires closes Sunderland

Venezuela’s moola from the mullah: Iran’s new $500million credit line

Puerto Rico: the Greece of the Caribbean UPDATED

Podcast: “Che” & Walmart, US-Cuba embassies, Puerto Rico & US-Latin America issues

The unsubsidized Carnival of Latin America and the Caribbean

Monday, June 29th, 2015

The week’s headlines in a sentence: While the Supreme Court ruled on Obamacare subsidies and gay marriage, the deadline for the Iran negotiations looms and terrorists are blowing up people and pipelines all over the place.

Contraband Economy Booming on the Argentina-Bolivia Border
High Inflation, Tariffs Fuel Thriving Black Market

The location of the judge is rather interesting: Argentine judge orders seizure of Falklands drillers’ assets

Lilian Herraez, a federal judge in Tierra del Fuego, ordered the seizure of $156 million in bank accounts, boats and other property, the government said on Saturday.

Pope sends video-message to Ecuador, Bolivia and Paraguay. The guy can’t stay away from socialist throwaway terminology:

“I want to be a witness of this joy of the Gospel and bring to you the tenderness and caress of God, our Father, especially to your children most in need, to the elderly, the sick, the imprisoned, the poor, to those who are victims of this throwaway culture,” he said.

Brazil to Narrow Inflation Target Range
Brazil will narrow the inflation target range for its central bank starting in 2017, but the center point of the range will remain unchanged at 4.5%. The tolerance band will be cut to a range of 3% to 6%

Working Within the System to Disrupt Brazilian PoliticsRoberto Mangabeira Unger, a Harvard philosopher born in Brazil and raised in Manhattan, has settled into a career as an appointed public figure charged with fostering long-term thinking about Brazil.

Chile’s Bachelet Hits New Low Approval Rating

Colombian army killed civilians to fake battlefield success, rights group saysA new report on “false-positive” killings looks into one of the darkest episodes of the country’s civil war.

FARC rebels kill four and rupture Colombian pipeline

Cardinal SinsA Castro cleric brings disgrace.

Cuban artist pushes boundary between art and politics, and pays a price
What Tania Bruguera’s ordeal in Cuba says about the state of artistic expression “within the Revolution.”

Top Intelligence-Defense Lawmakers Introduce Cuban Military Transparency Act

Double surprise! Cruz and Rubio are “non-whites”!

State Dept: No Change in Iran, Cuba Human Rights, Despite Obama Overtures

Galápagos Residents Decry Fiscal Milking of World Heritage SiteIsland Representative Resigns, Parts Ways with Correa over “Unconstitutional” Law

Guyana Assures Exxon Amid Venezuela Row
Guyana’s president has sought to reassure Exxon Mobil that a territory dispute with Venezuela won’t interfere with the company’s recent oil discovery off the coast of Guyana, one that Caracas claims as its own.

A Haitian border town struggles with new rules in the Dominican RepublicThe Dominican’s new rules have Haitians nervously heading back to a homeland with fewer jobs.

Thousands march in Honduras to demand resignation of president

Thousands of angry, torch-bearing Hondurans marched on Friday to call for the resignation of President Juan Hernandez and demand an independent probe into one of the worst corruption scandals in the country’s history.

PM: Jamaica’s Economic, Industrial Climate In ‘Delicate Situation’

Interesting premise, but premature, Move over, China: Latin America may welcome India. The operative word is may.

Mexican President Undergoes Gallbladder Surgery
Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto underwent surgery to have his gallbladder removed and was recovering satisfactorily at a military hospital, officials said.

Nicaragua’s Bizarre Plan to Bury the Panama CanalThe country’s Sandinista government has cut a deal with a reclusive Chinese businessman willing to spend $50 billion on a larger-than-life transport waterway. There are a few unanswered questions, starting with whether Nicaraguans really want it and how much priceless habitat would be wrecked. Traveling the proposed route by motorcycle, boat, and boots, the author hunts for answers.

Odebrecht Wins Contract to Renovate Panamanian City of Colon

Manuel Noriega apologises over military rule of PanamaJailed former dictator gives first interview since 1996 and asks for forgiveness over brutal reign – ‘I want to to close the cycle of the military era’

Peru’s support for Bolivian sea access claim creates tensions with Chile
Chilean President Bachelet cancels next week’s meeting with Peruvian leader Humala

The perfect Summer portrait, A Sleeper Awakened With Color
Frederic Leighton’s “Flaming June” is on loan to the Frick Collection in New York for the next three months.

‘Gourmet cannabis': Take a peek inside a Uruguay marijuana club , if you must. To paraphrase Dean Wormer, “fat, stoned and stupid is no way to go through life, son.”

MUD, the Sausage Fest

Gay marriage, at long last (but not here)

The week’s posts and podcast:
Colombia: FARC blows up oil pipeline

Bloody Friday: France, Tunisia, Kuwait terror attacks UPDATED
Morgenthau on the Iran-terror connection

Ecuador: Demonstrations against Correa

SCOTUS upholds Obamacare subsidies

Venezuela’s deadly colectivos

The other flag controversy: US Embassy in London flies the rainbow flag

Today’s WTH moment: Venezuelan vet arrested for smuggling heroin in puppies UPDATED

Mexico: EL GRAN HERMANO del cartel TE VIGILA

Venezuela: Next stop on the Obama administration’s “normalizing” with dictators?

Podcast: The flag controversy plus US-Latin America stories of the week

The globally warmed encyclical Carnival of Latin America and the Caribbean

Monday, June 22nd, 2015

Oblivious to current scientific data, pope Francis I, under the advice of German climate activist Hans Joachim Schellnhuber, threw the Catholic Church into the global warming morass and a tailspin of pessimism, thereby making headlines across the world. Francis also banned skeptic Philipe de Larminat.
(I hope to throw in enough metaphors to make it to Taranto one of these days.)

Argentine Presidential Race Comes into FocusArgentine Interior Minister Florencio Randazzo bowed out of the race for the ruling party’s 2015 presidential nomination, leaving Buenos Aires provincial Gov. Daniel Scioli as the only candidate

Facebook Signs Agreement with Bolivian Telecom to Promote Free Internet

Chilean grandma carried mummified foetus for 50 years92-year-old Chilean grandmother has been bearing large mummified foetus for at least 50 years in what is a rare condition known as lithopedion, doctors have discovered

[Video show the FARC using schools to train minors and store explosives in Putumayo]

Colombia’s Farc blows up oil pipeline in Catatumbo

Obama Admits Cuba Sponsors Terrorism, But…

By Carlos Eire: A Father’s Day Tribute

Stella McCartney’s Anti-Cruelty Fashion Line Celebrates Marxist Killers Fidel Castro & Che Guevara

The DR makes deportation plans but Dominican Deadline Passes Without Mass Expulsion of Haitian Migrants

No skin off Correa’s back: Julian Assange’s three-year stay in Ecuadorean embassy has cost taxpayer £11.1mThree years ago the WikiLeaks founder fled bail and sought asylum in Ecuador – resulting in millions being spent on policing the embassy

Lone protester ends Guatemala marchA lone protester in Guatemala receives a hero’s welcome after covering more than 200 km (125 miles) in a protest against corruption.

Mexico beer centre attack leaves 10 dead

Why is a Chinese Tycoon Building a $50 Billion Canal in Nicaragua That No One Wants?

Remaking world trade?

Panama Ready to Help Normalize Relations Between OAS, Cuba

Peru Inflation Churns as Consumer Confidence Falls

5 Indicted for Bid-Rigging in Puerto Rico School Bus Auction

[US court orders seizure of Puerto Rico’s Department of Health accounts]

Brazilian senators forced out of Venezuela after failed solidarity missionVenezuelan opposition prisoners Leopoldo Lopez, Daniel Ceballos and Antonio Ledezma were due to be visited by a delegation from Brazil – until their path was blocked, and their bus was attacked

Swiss embassy warns Venezuela’s golf players its balls could killMembers of the exclusive Caracas Country Club have reacted with anger to a sign posted by the Swiss embassy warning that stray balls could be in breach of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations

Tonight’s podcast

Wednesday, June 17th, 2015

live at 8PM Eastern,

Elections in Mexico plus a look at other US-Latin America stories in Silvio Canto’s podcast with Allan Wall, columnist and contributor to Mexidata.

Archived for your listening convenience.

The Mexican Nazi cheerleaders Carnival of Latin America and the Caribbean

Monday, June 15th, 2015

LatinAmerOf all the odd news I’ve read in the past decade or so, the Mexican Nazi cheerleaders take the cake for crassness and ignorance (and I’m being kind), but they’re an example of the abysmal lack of history education in our hemisphere.

More contradictions: Nisman’s laptop not accessed after his death

Argentina president attacks ‘ill-mannered’ Cameron over FalklandsCristina Kirchner condemns David Cameron after PM tells Argentine foreign minister to stop ‘threatening’ residents on South Atlantic islands

Bolivia Urges OAS to Approve Declaration of Indigenous Rights after 18 Years

Brazil $800m money laundering network broken up

CentAm aid cut back

Chilean Teachers Vote to Continue Unlimited Strike

Colombia Farc rebel attack leave 500,000 without powerColombia’s Farc rebels have shot dead three police officers and cut off power to almost half a million people, the military has said.

U.S. Senators Introduce Bill to End Cuba EmbargoThe Cuba Trade Act of 2015 would give private firms, including financial institutions, the right to conduct business with the Communist-ruled island.

Next Phase of the US-Cuba Faustian Bargain Goes Unchecked by Congress

Cuba’s Web Entrepreneurs Search for U.S. Clients, and Reliable Wi-FiAs the United States opens up to Cuba, a little-advertised circle of software developers, web designers and translators are selling their skills long-distance.

Ecuador Gets OPEC’s Support in Dispute with Chevron

Guatemalan Supreme Court Rules Pérez Molina Must Face the MusicJudiciary Greenlights Congressional Probe, Removal of Immunity

Guatemalans Demand Resignation of President Accused of Corruption

Economic war (a real one)

Time to dissolve the UN: UN peacekeepers ‘barter goods for sex’UN peacekeepers regularly barter goods for sex with people in the countries the world body is meant to be helping, a draft UN report says.

Wave of Protests Spreads to Scandal-Weary Honduras and Guatemala

Despite doctor’s advice … J’CAN WOMEN RUSHING ‘VIRGIN SOAP’

Mexico’s mid-term electionsPunishing bad behaviourThe mainstream political parties suffered setbacks. That is no reason for the government to retreat from reform

Panama Canal Expansion Surges Forward into New LocksDouble-Capacity “New Panamax” Ships to Pass from April 2016

Fifa crisis: Paraguay ends immunity for ConmebolParaguay is ending the diplomatic immunity of the headquarters for South America’s Conmebol football association, the latest fallout from the corruption scandal engulfing Fifa.

Visa-Free: Peruvians, Colombians Can Pack Their Bags for the EUOld World Opens Up to 90-Day Visits

Puerto Rico’s economy matters in the 2016 presidential race

Presidential pardonVoters overlooked Desi Bouterse’s dodgy past, hoping for a better future

Venezuela: Running on Fumes?

De genocidas y huelgas de hambre

Spain Brings Pain to Venezuela’s Leftists

The week’s posts:
Mexico: Springtime for Hitler

Cuba: Marielito blood on Fidel’s hands

Mexico: House Votes to Remove Country-of-Origin Labels on Meat Sold in U.S.

Ecuador: Hotlanta PR doesn’t come cheap

Cars: Private enterprise vs. government-owned

Venezuela: And now for the Iranian cars

2 en español: Lucio Gutierrez, Emili Blasco en el show de Bayly

Cuba: “For both sides”?

There was an election in Mexico

Rubio Vice

Argentina: Cristina visits Francis, for the fifth time

Puerto Rico: Flaming June at the Frick

Today at Drudge

The week’s books:

The dollarized Carnival of Latin America and the Caribbean

Monday, June 8th, 2015

The latest trend: Peoples of Latin America are increasingly favoring the U.S. dollar in monetary transactions.

In other news, a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) helicopter was shot down or forced to initiate an emergency landing in Laredo, Texas due to receiving gunfire from the Mexican side of the border.

Alberto Nisman’s computer ‘accessed more than 60 times after his death’Mystery surrounding death of Argentine prosecutor deepens as judicial sources say his computer was accessed after his death and detectives accused of contaminating crime scene

One More Unsolved Mystery in Argentina

U.S. Judge Orders Argentina to Pay $5.4 Billion to Other Bondholders

Bolivia Hands Over Fugitive Businessman to Peru Authorities

Bolivia’s government on Friday handed over fugitive businessman Martin Belaunde Lossio, who was captured the day before in Bolivia’s Amazon region after escaping house arrest last weekend.

Belaunde, a former adviser to Peruvian President Ollanta Humala, is wanted in his homeland on corruption charges.

Debts of Brazil Companies Probed in Petrobras Scandal up 1,424%

Brazil court convicts two firefighters in nightclub fireA court convicts two of eight firefighters in connection with 2013 nightclub fire that killed more than 200 people in southern Brazil

Lt Col Moises da Silva Fuchs and Cpt Alex da Rocha Camillo were found guilty at a military court of making a false declaration in the licence for Kiss nightclub in the university town of Santa Maria in Rio Grande do Sul.

Fuchs was also convicted of misconduct for not sanctioning an officer, who also managed a company responsible for renovations at the club.

Six other firefighters were cleared over inspection failures before the fire after a two-day hearing.

Bachelet’s Popularity in the Toilet after Corruption CrisisPresident’s Support Halves in Just One Year to 26 Percent

11-year-old daughter of high-ranking official in Colombia abducted and held for ransom

Colombia Re-Arrests Suspected Rapist of Journalist Bedoya

How Libertarianism Can End Bogotá’s Traffic ChaosShared-Spaced Designs Can Lift the Burden of Unnecessary State Controls

Human rights group: Political repression in Cuba almost doubles in May

Dictatorship and the Nature of the Vatican

In an online world, Cuba remains a stand-in-line society
Waiting in long lines for just about everything is an inescapable fact of life on the island.

Dominican Republic Inches Closer to Consecutive Presidential ReelectionDanilo Medina Clears Another Hurdle toward 2016 Bid

Ecuador’s Pope Francis Propaganda Reaches Critical MassCorrea Splits with Bishops over Papal Visit Branding

Another Guatemalan Minister Calls It Quits as Protests SpreadMounting Money Trail Goes Right to the Top

Rios Montt Defense Lawyer Slain in Guatemala

Thousands rally in Honduras calling for president to quit

Building Jamaica from Burma through IndiaLachu Ramchandani started with nothing, now opens up possibilities for many

Crime in Latin AmericaQuickie kidnappingsAs abductions get faster, the poor are being targeted along with the rich

Video of Mexican Prison Riot Highlights a Crisis as Elections NearThe footage of a deadly melee illustrated the difficulty the government has in controlling inmates in its overcrowded and violent prison system.

Mexico’s Midterm Elections Likely to Reflect President’s WoesSunday’s vote is shaping up as a referendum on President Enrique Peña Nieto, whose early popularity has been undercut by a resurgence in gang violence and corruption scandals.

Peru Two land roles as hairdressers in Peruvian jail in bid to get early parole

Broke And Barred From Bankruptcy, Puerto Rico Seeks Outside Cash

Thank God this was not a trend when I lived there, Dead man standing: Macabre wakes of Puerto Rico prop up the dead

Former Guantanamo Bay detainee weds Muslim convert in UruguayAdel bin Muhammad El Ouerghi, a 50-year-old Tunisian, married Roma Blanco, a 24-year-old Uruguayan; Omar Abdelhadi Faraj’s wedding was postponed to next week.

Venezuelan President Maduro Cancels Visit With Pope FrancisMaduro, criticized on human rights record, says he is ill and cannot travel

Good luck with that: Pope asked to intercede in Venezuelan hunger strike
Pope and President Maduro are due to meet in Rome on Sunday amid concerns that jailed opposition figures beginning to develop serious health problems as a result of their fast
. As you can see above, Maduro’s not going.

Venezuela: Not Hyperinflating — Yet

The week’s posts and podcast:
Uruguay: De facto dollarization

Nicaragua: The canal, a pretext for expropriation?

An exquisitely civilizing moment: Sinatra and Jobim

Cuba: Outside the Tourist Bubble

Argentina: Who went into #Nisman’s laptop?

Venezuela: Maradona for FIFA president!

Why do we talk about Jenner?

En español: Lo que sabía #Nisman: la conexión iraní

Colombia: Today’s Capt. Louis Renault moment

Ecuador: Hasta la vista, dollars!

Argentina: Crime scene video from #Nisman apartment


text:
Full Contact Fighter Database

Thursday, Mar 21, 2013

Georges St. Pierre on RFA 7′s Brandon Thatch: “He’s Going To Win By Knockout”

St. Pierre and Thatch (right) (photo via Resurrection Fighting Alliance)

By Resurrection Fighting Alliance (via press release)

LAS VEGAS, NV – Fresh off defending his UFC title last Saturday, UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre took a few moments this morning to speak with RFA officials about Brandon Thatch, his close friend and training partner. Thatch is a highly touted welterweight prospect and Colorado native, who is headlining the RFA 7 main event tomorrow night at the 1stBank Center in Denver.

St-Pierre offered a strong prediction on Thatch’s fight vs. Mike Rhodes at RFA 7.

“He’s going to win by knockout. He’s going to surprise a lot of people tomorrow night,” said St-Pierre.

St-Pierre also talked about his decision to bring Thatch into his famed Tri-Star training camp, which is a move he made back when his team was forming the strategy to defeat then number one welterweight contender Carlos Condit.

“I first saw Brandon Thatch before my fight with Condit,” said St-Pierre. “I was impressed. I brought him into my training camp, because I needed a guy who had a similar style. Plus he can switch left-to-right and was one of the best strikers I could work with. He returned to Montreal and helped me prepare for Nick Diaz and it was good, because we worked really well together. Brandon and I are close friends now and I love training with him. He brought a lot to my camp and I hope I have brought the same to him as well for his fight tomorrow night.”

While Thatch was helping “GSP” prepare for Diaz, the RFA star was working on some strategies of his own, taking full advantage of St-Pierre’s superior wrestling, ground game, and game planning.

“Brandon was working a lot on his ground and wrestling in this camp,” said St-Pierre. “He got so much better. He’s a fast learner. Sometimes he was taking me down.”

RFA President Ed Soares has made it clear that the goal of the RFA is to serve as a developmental organization for fighters who want to move up to the UFC.

When asked if he thinks Thatch has what it takes to fight in the Octagon, St-Pierre did not hesitate in his answer: “I believe Brandon Thatch could be in the UFC right now and I’m pretty sure he’s going to prove it to everyone in his fight tomorrow night.”

RFA 7 takes place tomorrow, Friday, March 22 from the 1stBank Center in Broomfield, Colorado.

RFA 7 – Thatch vs. Rhodes will be televised live nationwide and in high-definition on AXS TV starting at 10:00 p.m. ET / 8:00 p.m. MT (DirecTV channel 340 and Dish Network channel 362).

posted by FCF Staff @ 4:03 pm
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