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Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) does so many things right. It introduces several new characters, developing each just enough without pulling focus from the relentlessly paced story, crams in more action than you could throw a Batarang at, and all in all, delivers a unique and extremely fun movie. The film ignores the usual formulas and tropes and instead shows off how different comic book movies (especially ones centred around a character like Harley Quinn) can be.
In the past few years, DC has gone from critically panned movies like Batman vs. Superman and (to a slightly lesser extent) Suicide Squad to triumphs like Wonder Woman, Shazam! and the Oscar-winning Joker. Thanks to the success of films that focus less on an interconnected universe, or in the Joker’s case ones that are completely separate, this is likely how DC will shift their attention going forward, but that certainly wasn’t always the case.
After only one film with 2013’s Man of Steel 2016 saw the release of two team-up films, Batman vs. Superman and Suicide Squad. Between the two movies a new Batman, Wonder Woman and Joker were introduced alongside the live-action movie debut for many iconic DC characters like Harley Quinn, Deadshot, and Amanda Waller.
Although both Batman vs. Superman and Suicide Squad were met with huge criticisms, there were some standouts in both films. Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) is the product of DC hoping to capitalise on one of Suicide Squad’s most successful elements, Margot Robbie’s portrayal of Harley Quinn.
And although the simpler choice would have been to do a movie just about Harley, and there is no denying she is the star of the movie, Birds of Prey has so much more to it. Ultimately the film is several heroic origin stories and a Deadpool-esque R-rated action film, put through through the lens of a break-up movie, and a story of self-reinvention.
The storyline revolves around Harley, fresh from her latest break-up with the Joker, intent on showing the world the new and improved Harley Quinn. She, unfortunately, doesn’t foresee how many people would want to kill her now that she isn’t under the Joker’s protection. Black Canary, Renee Montoya, Huntress, and Cassandra Cain find their way into Harley’s lives as they all become embroiled in Black Mask’s latest plot to take control of Gotham’s underworld.
As one of the best parts of 2016’s Suicide Squad Margot Robbie reasserts her ownership of the live-action Harley Quinn. This time she is crazier, more loveable, and clearly having more fun than ever.
Rosie Perez plays Renee Montoya, a Detective who like Harley Quinn originated in Batman the Animated Series. Perez brings a sense of gravitas to the tired Detective who’s faced everything Gotham can throw at her and is ready to give up.
June Smollett-Bell’s Dinah Lance/Black Canary is one of the movie’s standouts and adds a new spin to Black Canary’s origins and her reasons for hiding her powers. Ella Jay Basco’s Cassandra Cain plays a very different version of the character than comics fans are used to (completely removing her murderous backstory), but one that works well for the movie, and as an actor, she more than holds her own with her adult co-stars.
Mary Elizabeth Winstead plays Helena Bertinelli/Huntress as a hilarious socially awkward vendetta fuelled assassin, that rounds out the group perfectly.
For the movie’s villains, Chris Messina plays a twisted new version of Victor Zsasz, now the right-hand man to Back Mask, but still just as unsettling and creepy as he should be, but Birds of Prey’s main villain is one of DC’s best yet.
Ewan McGregor’s Roman Sionis/Black Mask showcases everything the vain split-personality wannabe criminal overlord should be. McGregor switches from unsettling and intimidating to fun and whimsical in the blink of an eye.
Black Mash proves to be the perfect enemy for Harley, and a great reason for the Birds of Prey to team up, with each of them, having their own reason for wanting Black Mask dead.
On top of some great characters and performances, one of Birds of Prey’s biggest strengths is the sheer amount of fun it puts on screen. Almost every action sequence is filled with colour, over the top violence, and great music.
Similarly, the intimate scenes are littered with fourth wall breaks and jokes, and everything about Birds of Prey feels fresh and fun as a result. There is a real sense throughout that the actors are having a lot of fun embodying the DC characters on-screen, and that translates to the audience, particularly in the case of Harley Quinn and Roman Sionis.
The sense of R-rated fun is what really pushes Birds of Prey into the top tier of DC movies, moving away from a consistent style for the overall universe as we saw in the early iterations of the DCEU, and instead leaning into something partway between Deadpool and Shazam! – ultimately letting a movie’s tone and direction be dictated by its lead characters.
Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) cements Margot Robbie’s hold on the character, whilst introducing several fan-favourite DC heroes and villains. It showcases non-stop action and builds out DC’s universe extremely well. And does all of this with some great use of licensed music (contrasting heavily with Suicide Squad’s throwing cool music at scenes in the hopes it makes them better), all within a run time of around thirty minutes less than your average superhero movie. Birds of Prey is unique, fun. and interesting and despite a lacklustre opening box office follows in the style of movies like Deadpool, in showcasing how different superhero movies can (and should be).

domain: entertainment


Upgrade Intake Manifold + Fuel Rail+80mm Throttle Body For: Toyota 93-98 Supra 2JZGTE Toyota Aristo JZS147 Japan-only Toyota Aristo V300 JZS161 Japan-only Toyota Supra RZ/Turbo JZA80 Description: handle 1000HP and 40PSI 20% more air flow to allow for significant top-end power gains. It can improve horsepower by 10% Perfect for larger top feed injectors as this rail used a larger bore over than stock rail. Fit both 10.5MM and 11.0MM sized top feed injectors. 7/16 Enlarged bore for maximun fuel flow exceleration. 80MM THROTTLE BODY: Need be welded on the intake manifold. (Not adding the adapter, it can fit directly) Doesn’t come with TPS. Larger than stock throttle body, increase more airflow. Include: 1 Intake manifold 1 Fuel rail 1 Throttle Body. Upgrade Intake Manifold + Fuel Rail+ Universal 80mm Throttle Body. Toyota 93-98 Supra 2JZGTE Engine. Toyota Aristo JZS147 (Japan-only). Toyota Aristo V300 JZS161 (Japan-only). Toyota Supra RZ/Turbo JZA80. Handle 1000HP and 40PSI. Good for huge horsepower. 20% more air flow to allow for significant top-end power gains. It can improve horsepower by 10%. Perfect for larger top feed injectors as this rail used a larger bore over than stock rail. 80MM THROTTLE BODY: NOT BOLT ON TYPE. Need be welded on the intake manifold. 1 x Intake manifold. 1 x Fuel rail. 1 x Throttle Body. Your Full and Correct Address, Postcode(Make sure address is correct and we sent the goods only by the eaby address). Our logistics department cannot deliver your orders during weekends / holidays / office closed hours or at special timing. Import Duty & Other Charges. It will surely help us in better serviceability and would also assist us in improving our business standards. We assure you of resolving it in the best possible way. China Beijing time (GMT+8.0). Monday to Friday only(excluding Holidays). This item is in the category “Vehicle Parts & Accessories\Car Parts & Accessories\Air & Fuel Delivery\Intake Manifolds”. The seller is “hisinauto2016″ and is located in this country: CN. This item can be shipped worldwide.


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Grammy nominations set for
The Recording Academy will announce nominations for its Grammy Awards at 11:30 a.m. The Hudson Valley, home to dozens of music industry professionals, has shared in the nominations in past years and regularly ... via Poughkeepsie Journal
Join the discussion below, or Read more at Poughkeepsie Journal.
#1 Dec 18, 2007
Steely Dan should win the: Musicians that are the most shafted by the music industry award.
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domain: artistic


Dales for individual housing construction
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Plot 7 acres for residential construction s.Malyutyanka, Kiev Svyatoshinsky district, Kiev region, 4 km to the railway st.Boyarka
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text:
Making butter in a jar is a great way to make homemade butter on a small scale. We’ll walk you through everything you need to know about making butter from scratch and guide you step by step to making your very own butter.
Making Butter In A Jar Tutorial
Making butter in a jar is a great project if you have extra cream, it’s a great one to work on with kids. Growing up mom would give us a canning jar filled with cream and we would sit on the porch and shake it while she read Little House On The Praire to us. It was always such a wonderful time and to this day I love making butter in a jar.
Can You Make Butter Out Of Milk?
No, you can not make butter out of milk, butter is made out of cream that’s been skimmed off of the milk.
Can You Make Butter In A Plastic Jar?
Yes, you can absolutely use a plastic container to make homemade butter, this is a great option if you want to get children involved in the process of making butter from scratch.
Can You Make Butter In A Ziplock Bag
Yes, you can use a Ziplock bag to make homemade butter, just as you would a plastic container or glass jar.
Is Homemade Butter Healthier Than Store-Bought Butter?
Is homemade butter better for you than what you can buy at the store? The answer is going to depend on the butter you are buying at the store and where you are sourcing your cream from. When we aren’t making homemade butter from farm-fresh cream, we buy organic or grass-fed butter at the store. Store-bought butter is often overly salted which can be bad if you have high blood pressure.
Is Homemade Butter Worth Making?
If you have the time and a source for cream, making butter in a jar is absolutely worth it!
Is It Cheaper To Make Butter At Home?
Making butter in a jar is cheaper if you can find a good source for cream.
What You Need To Make Homemade Butter
Making butter in a jar is a really easy process, that being said you are going to need a few things:
- Whole cream or heavy cream preferably straight from a farm store-bought cream has fillers that make it thicker.
- A clean quart canning jar & lid
- Ice and cold water
- Plastic wrap
- Something to use as a mold (you can use a small bowl or buy a mold specially made for butter)
- Fine Ground Sea Salt (Optional)
Making Butter In A Jar Tutorial
Making Butter In A Jar Step 7: Spoon the butter into the mold and smooth. Slip into the refrigerator until hardened. Remove it from the mold and wrap it tightly in parchment paper or more plastic wrap. Or you can skip the wrapping and go for a pretty butter dish, but storing it in the refrigerator will make it last longer.
Can You Churn Butter To Long?
Yes, over churning your butter when making butter in a jar is possible. Doing this can cause you to lose the yellow color of your butter.
How Do You Make Homemade Butter Last Longer
If you want to store your homemade butter for later or at the very least make it last a little longer there are a couple of ways that you can prolong the shelf life of it. When making butter in a jar it’s very important to do the rinse step. This will help your butter last longer without going bad. You can also freeze your butter but you’ll lose the flavor in your butter when you do this. You can also try canning your homemade butter.
Before you go, check these out!

domain: food


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Profile: Anne Schuchat
Wearing her crisp uniform, Dr. Anne Schuchat presents a quiet, unadorned image in her office at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta one cool spring morning. Director of immunization and respiratory diseases for CDC, she is also the assistant surgeon general for the United States Public Health Service.
Career stature aside, this 5-foot-4, 52-year-old Jewish woman with salt-and-pepper hair and green eyes seems anything but intimidating. In fact, colleagues describe her as kind, calm and humble. Which is not to be confused with meek: Dr. Schuchat confidently steps into the limelight when need be. That is ironic for someone who grew up thinking she wanted to become a small-town doctor.
“I thought caring for one person at a time would be a very gratifying career,” she reflects at her mini-conference table. “It was relatively late in my training when I learned about public health and the ability to focus on large populations and communities.”
Early in her public health career, Dr. Schuchat worked in the field as a disease detective.
Public health is a great field to be part of and something that can really handle all kinds of specialties,” she declares. “We need everybody in public health. It is one of those fields where people tend to be upbeat, positive, focused on fixing things. It has ended up being a really rewarding career for me.”
Dr. Schuchat’s supervisor, Dr. Rima Khabbaz, CDC’s deputy director for infectious diseases, calls her a great leader. During the 2009 H1N1 pandemic, Dr. Khabbaz says, “She was the face of public health at CDC. She was on the screen in all of our living rooms, reassuring people. She was calm and credible.”
Dr. Schuchat will have an influence on the screen again—this time the silver screen. In Contagion, an action-thriller due out soon, Kate Winslet plays a disease detective battling a global outbreak of a deadly viral illness. While researching her role last winter, the Oscar-winning actor interviewed Dr. Schuchat.
Dr. Schuchat found the idea that one of the film’s characters might be modeled after her “pretty hilarious.” Yet, she believes Winslet’s character, Dr. Erin Mears, is a composite of medical and scientific professionals.
And Dr. Schuchat dismissed any notions of glamour—literally—about her work to Winslet, explaining that she wears no makeup on an outbreak investigation.
The actor, who said she would leave off the mascara, probed for more details on what kind of clothes Dr. Schuchat wears in the field and even how her hair would look.
“I love it!” she exclaimed to the star. “I can’t wait to tell my mom that Kate Winslet is asking me questions about my hair.”
The actor took photos of Dr. Schuchat’s comfortable, sensible shoes, among other things she saw. Winslet enjoyed learning that the real-life disease detective carries an old backpack and promised to fish one up from beneath her daughter’s bed.
The fourth of five children, Dr. Schuchat grew up in a Jewish family in Washington, D.C., that celebrated traditional religious holidays and probably traces its ancestry to shohets, ritual slaughterers. After graduating from Dartmouth Medical School, she did her residency in internal medicine at New York University’s Veterans Affairs hospital and then traveled the world as an epidemic intelligence service officer. Officers are on the public health frontlines, conducting epidemiologic investigations, research and surveillance nationally and internationally.
Dr. Schuchat joined CDC in 1988, working first in the Meningitis and Special Pathogens Branch of the Division of Bacterial and Mycotic Diseases. Her fieldwork has taken her from Costa Rica, where she investigated an outbreak of listeriosis, a bacterial infection, to Gambia, where she helped with pneumonia vaccine studies.
Dr. Khabbaz acknowledges Dr. Schuchat to be one of the agency’s stars. “She cares about her staff,” she says. “She cares about the impact of what we do, the public health mission of CDC. She cares about being a great role model for women.”
Another co-worker, Sheila Marlow, says Dr. Schuchat is the kind of person who will meet strangers at a dinner party and agree to speak with their daughters about careers in public health. She understands the importance of being accessible. “One conversation with one young girl can mean this young girl going off and doing amazing things,” Marlow says. “I think Anne recognizes that.”
Likewise, Dr. Schuchat frequently appears as the keynote speaker at conferences across the United States.
Her down-to-earth persona gibes with a reputation for being particularly kind and intelligent as well as a strong leader. Dr. Schuchat oversees a staff of 800 researchers and scientists, yet she still finds time to maintain her clinical skills by working once a month in the infectious disease clinic of a Veterans Affairs hospital in Atlanta through the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps. (Dr. Schuchat is a rear admiral in the Commissioned Corps, comprising some 6,600 uniformed health officers who serve around the world to protect and advance the health and safety of Americans.)
Now—unlike years ago—she sees patients with HIV/ AIDS doing well. Dr. Schuchat remembers that as a young resident at the New York hospital, that wasn’t the case.
“AIDS was a major problem at that time,” she recalls. “Patients were at the end stages of their lives. One-third of the hospitalized patients in wards were there because of AIDS. It was early in the history of the infectious disease, which was a big part of my medical training.
“This year is the 30th year of recognition of the disease,” she continues. “I think that becoming a doctor is an emotional as well as a physical effort. You’re up all night, see people in dramatic presentations of illness, and certainly AIDS is such a dramatic illness. The personal stories were really hard. It was a privilege learning to be a doctor in those years.”
She believes time and experience have helped turn HIV into a chronic disease that can be managed—“the way we manage diabetes or cardiovascular disease.”
The infectious disease expert has a broad global perspective. On a severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) assignment in 2003, she headed the Beijing epidemiology team for the World Health Organization’s China Office. Later she served as a visiting professor for the Beijing Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
While presenting a cool-as-a-cucumber face to the public during epidemics, Dr. Schuchat admits to anxiety behind the scenes. “Responding to a problem like SARS,” she comments, “where it’s tragic—a loss of life and strain on the health system—there is a certain amount of stress to try to help as effectively as possible.”
The physician, who now realizes she was not cut out for small-town life, enjoys being part of a bigger effort. With her entry into the epidemic intelligence service postgraduate training program at CDC more than 23 years ago, she stepped over a threshold into the public health community. She became part of a team that saves lives and improves health worldwide.
From her beginnings as a young disease detective, Dr. Schuchat had risen to acting deputy director for science and program for CDC when, in 2009, the H1N1 flu emerged as a health threat. She calls it an incredible privilege to have served as CDC’s voice at Congressional hearings. And, as often as twice a week, she stood before the nation’s media and explained the latest developments. Experts say Dr. Schuchat’s scientific knowledge and communication skills helped clarify the government’s response to H1N1.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution praised her performance: “Schuchat has remained a stable voice as the swine flu story has changed and changed again. She has remained steady amid the hardball questions, news of further outbreaks, and criticism of her agency for delays in providing vaccine.”
Looking back on that high-profile period, Dr. Schuchat recalls that “when I was on TV a lot, people recognized me. When I’m in uniform, on a plane or in Washington, people ask me about it, and it’s a good opportunity to talk about what we do at CDC.”
But in general, she quips, “I do not have Kate Winslet’s problem” of being recognized.
Dr. Schuchat often walks to work—either to the agency’s headquarters near Emory University or another campus some three miles away. Reading is another relaxing pastime. Recent favorites include Cutting for Stone (Vintage) by Abraham Verghese and Away: A Novel (Random House) by Amy Bloom, a novel about a Jewish immigrant whose husband and parents were killed in a Russian pogrom but whose daughter might still be alive in Siberia.
Dr. Schuchat takes her own advice about leading a healthy lifestyle: She eats a lot of vegetables and limited amounts of red meat, exercises regularly and maintains a strong social support network.
Married for 19 years, Dr. Schuchat doesn’t have children but says she enjoys a close relationship with her parents, siblings and their families. “My husband and my family are important ways of remembering what matters,” she says.
Ever the health professional, she adds, “My family and I love all those traditional [Jewish] foods, but we try to respect the fact that we have a predisposition to cholesterol problems and heart disease.”
Ronda Robinson, a freelance writer based in Atlanta, is the author of Beyond Politics: Inspirational People of Israel (Mazo Publishers).

domain: medical


text:
Hey guys! Guess what? The United States of America just bought Louisiana! That means that the majority of the land we will be traveling and exploring belongs to our country! #allthatgreen#winforamerica
Found this in the WSJ this morning. The article went on to say "A sweeping redesign of US currency will swap a former president who owned slaves with an abolitionist who freed them." Still making HERstory! Love it.

domain: geography


Q: My application for Social Security disability benefits was denied and I need to appeal. Do I need to hire a lawyer?
A: Many people handle their own Social Security appeals, but you may choose to have someone help you with your appeal or to represent you. Your representative may be a lawyer or other qualified person familiar with you and the Social Security program. Social Security will work with your representative or with you. If you want more information about having a representative, visit Social Security online at www.socialsecurity.gov/pubs/10075.html and read Your Right To Representation (SSA Publication No. 05-10075), or call the toll-free number,1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778), to request a copy.
Q: I moved to a new address after applying for a new Social Security card. I didn't receive the card before moving. What do I do now?
A: Notify the post office of your change of address, and in some cases the post office may forward your card to your new address. However, if you do not receive your card within a few weeks, contact your Social Security field office to get a replacement card. To learn more, visit our Social Security Number and Card page at www.socialsecurity.gov/ssnumber/, or call us at the toll-free number, 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778).
This column was prepared by the Social Security Administration. For fast answers to specific Social Security questions, contact Social Security toll-free at (800) 772-1213.
© 2017. All Rights Reserved. Contact Us


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After the dueling convention speeches Ann Romney and Michelle Obama, we can never really know which woman loves her husband more, or who more deeply prizes motherhood and PTA meetings and changing diapers and all that woman stuff. But we can rank them by other woman stuff: whose dress was more fierce?
Designer: Tracy Reese
What's so great about that designer: She's a pioneer. Reese is, according to The New York Times, "a successful self-made businesswoman who happens to be African-American, which on Seventh Avenue is a rare breakthrough."
Price: Between $395 and $450, based on similar designs.
Plusses: The dress showed off Obama's toned arms, which highlights Obama's physical fitness cause (even if her pushup technique is somewhat lacking). The fabric looked cool -- "From a distance, the dress had a shimmering effect, like wet paint in a blast of unreadable pastels, but in close-ups, viewers could practically study the pattern of the gold brocade," the Times' Eric Wilson says. She looked young and modern, especially with her flippy hair. She wore moderately-priced J. Crew pumps like a regular career gal.
Minuses: The nails were too much (see detail below). Maybe the pattern was distracting.
Accolades: "As usual, she nailed it with her outfit," Fashionista said. "By most accounts, Mrs. Obama came up the winner, in a beautifully fitted dress that seemed a savvy choice in the era of high-definition televisions," the Times said. "Obama’s frock reflected her boardroom background without the boss-lady overtones. It was a contemporary style but not a self-consciously fashionable one," The Daily Beast said.
Designer: Oscar de La Renta
What's so great about that designer: He's a first lady tradition. De la Renta has dressed every first lady since Nancy Reagan -- except Michelle Obama. (He said mean things about Obama and then took them back.)
Price: $1,990 from the pre-fall collection.
Plusses: Unlike many classic de la Renta first lady outfits, this wasn't a buttoned-up skirt suit that just kind of smells like old lady perfume when you look at it. (Laura Bush and Hillary Clinton both wore those sometimes.) The dress was soft and floaty. Her lipstick and manicure matched. Romney also had flippy hair -- in fact, they had nearly the same haircut. Romney picked the dress against the advice of her husband's aides. "The funniest thing of all is that [campaign senior adviser] Stuart Stevens, who wears his shirts inside out, is advising me on what dress I should wear," she said. "Frankly, I didn’t realize that Stuart had to weigh in on this — or my husband. It was going to be like my wedding night; I wasn’t going to let him know what I was going to wear. But now they have opinions."
Minuses: There was maybe too much contrast between the bright blue background behind Romney and her bright red dress. Plus, nothing says "I'm feeling my age" like three-quarter sleeves. She did not hold back on the gold bling (see detail below).
Accolades: "With her talk of home, hearth and determination, it was hard not to also think of Donna Reed – that ‘50s homemaker in pretty dresses and heels," The Daily Beast said. Romney "looked great" despite it being "a safe choice, to be sure," Fashionista said. "The cinched-waist silhouette gave off a ’50s homemaker vibe that surely cast Romney in a more relatable light to more than a few women in the audience, despite its four-figure price tag," Stylite explained. "Given all that well-publicized history, it's hard to take Romney's selection of an Oscar de la Renta dress as anything other than a neatly tailored fuck-you to Michelle Obama," Jezebel speculated.
Verdict: This was close. Romney looked like a traditionalist; Obama looked modern. Romney wore a cooler color, but Obama wore a cooler cut. The women had very similar haircuts. In the end, we have to reward risk-taking. Michelle Obama pulled it off.
This article is from the archive of our partner The Wire.
We want to hear what you think about this article. Submit a letter to the editor or write to firstname.lastname@example.org.

domain: news


text:
Pennsylvania has always had a fair share of public officials who have been arrested and convicted of crimes. The list includes former attorneys general, legislators and police officers. Reports of a high-ranking state law enforcement officer being caught up in allegations of criminality are always shocking and difficult to understand. The latest official to be accused of serious criminality, including the suppression of drug charges and obtaining sexual favors, is the District Attorney of Bedford County, William Higgins.
The 43-year-old prosecutor resigned from the job recently under a cloud of criminal charges that included obstruction of law enforcement, reckless endangerment, official oppression and hindrance of a prosecution. Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro announced that Higgins had traded his law enforcement authority for sexual favors. Authorities accused him of accessing confidential police records to manipulate the cases against women, refusing to approve search warrants, offering lenient plea bargains and thwarting drug prosecutions.
They accuse him also of leaking information about informants to drug dealers. Higgins’ attorney seemed to announce an upcoming defense by pointing out that his client was being accused by convicted criminals who Higgins prosecuted. The attorney also alleged that Higgins had a known strained relationship with some law enforcement officials, indicating their lack of credibility. Higgins issued a statement that he was resigning to be with his family.
He stated that he had faith in the criminal justice system and could not comment further. He noticeably failed to espouse his innocence to the charges, including the serious allegations of suppressing drug charges. The involvement of the Pennsylvania Attorney General did not seem to bode well for the viability of the defendant’s defenses. It appears that a wide scope of statewide resources and authority support the investigation. Nonetheless, the state will have to prove each charged criminal element against the defendant by credible evidence and beyond a reasonable doubt.
Source: abajournal.com, “Pennsylvania DA is charged with protecting drug dealers, trading favorable treatment for sex“, Debra Cassens Weiss, April 5, 2018

domain: politics


Mayor Tony T. Yarber to Hold Series of Townhall Meetings
Mayor Tony T. Yarber will hold a series of meetings, beginning Tuesday, Feb. 2, at 6 p.m. at Christ United Methodist Church, 6000 Old Canton Road. The mayor will be joined by City department directors who will address the topics of the new water billing system, infrastructure, public safety and other issues. The following are the dates and locations of the meetings:
·Tuesday, Feb. 23 at Forest Hill High School Auditorium, 2607 Raymond Road
·Tuesday, March 1 at Callaway High School Auditorium, 601 Beasley Road
·Tuesday, March 15 at Provine High School, 2400 Robinson St.


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In Switzerland, the purpose of the second amendment is on display. It's cantons are each prepared against invasions that nobody in Switzerland ever expects to happens, but they are prepared to keep their neighbors neighborly. The concept behind the second amendment was invented in places like Switzerland. The purpose of the second amendment was to avoid a standing army by having a strong militia. (http://www.snopes.com/politics/guns/switzerland.asp). In Switzerland all the males are drafted. In the USA we have the National Guard, and then we have militia which often are no better than USA Nazi or fascist Brownshirts. I beleive we need to bring back a nationally organized militia to avoid the brownshirts and to strengthen democracy. If we want that, maybe we need to imitate the Swiss.
In Israel they have a similar system, though they exempt too many people from it. Israel would be well off imitating the Swiss. The Swiss have multiple religions that once were at each other throats. Originally the militia also had the job of protecting Swiss protestants from Swiss Catholics as well as from outsiders. A secular militia enables freedom of religion by encouraging people to distinguish between tribal and religious identity -- and national or civic identity. If everyone is Swiss; Buddhist, Christian, Moslem or Hindu, first, then there is no reason to kill as "Non Swiss" folks who are not one's own sectual preference.
Teaching civic identity and civic values is part of establishing and maintaining civilization. Civitus versus "tribus" is the reason the concept of "civitus" was invented in the first place. You can't have functional markets or urbanity without the ability of many disparate people coming together under uniform laws to trade and exchange. Sorry but markets might govern themselves, but they have to have a government to exist. It may look like anarchy, but the regulations, the uniform weights and measures, the money that can be trusted, etc... are all features of government. And if everyone was trained in how to use a fire arm and the principles of our democracy, that would be a civil government. "Secular humanism" isn't opposed to religion, that is a modern myth. Secular humanism is just an expression of the concept of "civitus" taken to modern times.
Maybe, we need to bring back the militia, with a uniform "basic training" so that young adults can grow up together and responsibly use fire-arms. And they would need to have a license as a result -- and only those with such a license should be able to acquire one. So if someone has a gun, it is secured according to regulations, used by someone who knows to empty the bullets out before cleaning it, etc...
Criminals sometimes move outside the law on their own, but often they are pushed there by exclusion from legitimate society. The concept of civitus is around the notion we should pull them into our comity and create a civilization rather than warring communities and tribes. Even tribal communities usually have something like that. They take the kids, train them, run them through an initiation ceremony and after that they are adults, act like adults, feel they are adults and usually are ready to be adults. Militia plays that role in civilized societies on a larger scale.
And Militia is part of how modern democracy got started, and ancient democracy. The first step to democracy is the general assembly. And most general assemblies were initially of men who could fight to defend a town or village. An army can provide a rough democracy to a town and in ancient England the Yeomanry won their rights because their arrows and weapons were necessary to the survival of the British Crown in it's wars and civil wars. They won rights by being able to fight for them, and then not having to do so, because the official government; barons, clerics and officials -- had to respect them.
Representation usually came with the ability to provide armed forces as well. Our militia made the difference in our revolution against the British, but it was the unity of it, and it being led by a trained officer corps that made the difference. Hence the words "well regulated militia" in the constitution. We've had a standing army due to external wars, but if we weren't constantly war-mongering at the behest of war-profiteers we wouldn't need such a standing army. And we've traditionally drawn our standing army by drafting people who spend the rest of their obligation in militia. Police, fire, rescue, all have their origins in militia. We need to have a stronger National Guard, and train people so they can be part of our society -- and that starts with training them to be in a militia. It doesn't have to be an armed militia; fire brigades, flood brigades, medical brigades, even science and health brigades, could fill the bill too.
So we should use the National Guard, strengthen it's functions, and include within it medical corps, first responder training, fire and rescue training, first aid. All the stuff folks like me learned as a boy scout. And use that institution to create a real bottom up institution to involve our young men in our society.
Anyway, I'd take most of our guns, the heavy caliber ones, and move them to armories, that would just also happen to be associated with community centers, firing ranges, and where people could learn to fire a gun, and if they wanted an AK-47 or AR-15, keep it in a gun locker under control of a Sargent there. Then should there be a disaster they'd be the first responders, not some invading army. And if someone wants to play with his assault rifle, he can do it some place where he's not going to hurt anyone. Or she.
We need a smaller standing army, but a larger commitment to militia and to training our young people. Now I'd organize it on a membership basis, with National, State, county and local member branches run by full time soldiers, backed by a membership organization where militia members would have a voice in their own affairs with elected structures and general assemblies. The right to assemble is in the constitution for multiple reasons.

domain: sociology


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The first caregiver conference with Dr. Michael Ungar of a three part series will be taking place on December 1 at 6:30 p.m.
The conference, Nurturing Resilience Through Relationships, will focus on the concept that nurturing and supportive relationships are critical for children and youth to become healthy, resilient adults. Dr. Ungar will describe how relationships contribute to our resilience and the many ways they promote a powerful identity and a sense of belonging. Dr. Ungar will share stories and concrete suggestions for parents and caregivers to support a wide variety of relationships for their children.
Following the presentation, there will be opportunities to ask questions of Dr. Ungar.
To register, please follow this link: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_ozef-YMkQnOhQ7E1J9ikNg
If you are unable to attend live, individuals who register through the above link will have access to the recording for 30 days.


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The federal government has announced a new plan to tax the distributions of income trusts, among other measures, in what amounts to a mini-budget released late Tuesday night.
“The measures I am bringing forward are necessary to restore balance and fairness to Canada’s tax system, to ensure our economy continues to grow and prosper and to bring Canada in line with other jurisdictions,” said Finance Minister Jim Flaherty.
In an effort to level the playing field between income trusts and corporations, the government’s “Tax Fairness Plan” will levy a tax on income trust distributions. Since trusts distribute virtually all of their profits, this would be akin to levying a corporate income tax.
The government also announced a plan to reduce the general corporate income tax rate an additional half-percentage point, to 18.5%, as of January 1, 2011.
“The current situation is not right and is not fair. It is the responsibility of the Government of Canada to set our nation’s tax policy, not corporate tax planners,” Flaherty said, pointing out that trust conversions effectively allow businesses to duck corporate taxation, downloading the tax burden to investors.
The increased tax burden on trust distributions was clearly intended to head off new conversions, taking effect in next year for businesses that are not yet trading as trusts — BCE, for example, has already put its conversion plans on hold. For existing trusts, the changes will not take effect until 2011, giving them time to adjust.
“What that basically means is that starting in the year 2011 the income trusts will need to start paying tax and that will affect distributions,” says Jamie Golombek, vice-president, taxation & estate planning, at AIM Trimark Investments. “If it affects distributions, if you believe that the price of an income trust is the present value of all future cash flows, then it could affect the market price and we’ve seen that so far this morning.”
|• The future of the trust structure|
• Trick or treat?: More on Ottawa’s tax changes
• Funds shrug off tax
|• TEMPLATE LETTER:|
Ottawa’s new “tax fairness” plan
The finance department pointed out that other jurisdictions — namely the U.S. and Australia — have already recognized business trusts as a drain on tax coffers and have shut the structure down.
“They don’t allow this in the U.S. That’s why you had US companies coming into the Canadian market to issue income trusts up here because of this tax arbitrage opportunity,” says Golombek. “So it clearly could not go on and I think from a policy point of view it’s probably the right thing ultimately, although there may be some pain in the short term.”
Still, the move came as a surprise to many.
“It’s a big shock to people, but we’ll see what happens,” says Cynthia Kett, a planner from Stewart & Kett Financial. “I suspect that everybody will gasp but it will all settle down and everything will normalize again.”
“[This] totally shocked everyone. I even gave a presentation on Monday and I was asked if they were going to do anything. I thought it would be highly unlikely that a Conservative minority government would introduce something so controversial. But I was wrong,” Golombek says.
Also announced were a pair of tax measures for seniors, including a $1,000 increase in the Age Credit Amount, bringing it to $5,066 , retroactive to January 1, 2006; and the option of income splitting for pensioners, beginning in 2007.
|Specified Investment Flow-Through Tax Rates:|
Distributed Non-Portfolio Earnings, 2007-2011
|Basic rate (federal)||21.0%||20.5%||20.0%||19.0%||18.5%|
(in lieu of provincial tax)


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Oregon State AD Bob De Carolis spoke with reporters Wednesday afternoon in a conference call from Phoenix to give an update from the OSU prospective about the projected annual $21 million expected to receive each year.
Here are the bullet points. A full report is here in the GT on Thursday. De Carolis has full comment and explanation.
- There will be deductions each year, so OSU will not get a full $21 million.
- The Beavers must buy out of its Learfield Communications media contract to do what the Pac-12 wants them to do as a conference. That brings the first year down to $16 million.
- Schools are paying up front Phase II of the contract, which is the conference network, up front. That brings it down to $14.5 million.
- After that there’s $4 million deficit the OSU athletic department runs. That would bring it down to $10 million or so.
- The Beavers then must address the $6-7 million bill for the first phase of Reser Stadium rebuilding. That could be done in one lump sum or over time.
- After that De Carolis wants to sustain the programs he has, and help them be competitive. The operating budgets for any of them teams have not increased in five years.
- De Carolis plans figure out the best way to distribute the money over the years.
- None of the schools will see any of the big money for two years. The 2011-12 season is under the old contract, and then money is paid out in a lump sum at the end of the year.
“It’s a great day to be Beaver,” De Carolis said. “It’s an even better day to be part of Pac-12 Conference going forward. It’s a landmark deal with our partners. We are very excited about the opportunities. And from the commissioner (Larry Scott) we are not done.”


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Funding headed for rural areas for economic development
SALISBURY, Md. – Governor Larry Hogan visited Salisbury University today to announce plans to build economic development here on the Eastern Shore.
Governor Hogan announced, they would be investing $50 million into rural Maryland to develop the economy. He says 10 million will go to the tri-county councils, for the five districts, and be made possible through the Rural Maryland Economic Development Fund.
The funds are to rebuild the economy and provide more opportunities for those on the Eastern Shore to get access to jobs, connect more Marylanders, and in turn, transform the community. “This will fund critical local economic development projects, eligible use of the funds includes developing infrastructures such as utilities, transportation, and broadband to support the attraction, retention, and expansion of businesses,” says Gov. Hogan.
Gov. Hogan also says he hopes this funding will promote entrepreneurship throughout the state, and hopefully change the mission of government to be pro-job.
Friday’s announcement marks the latest economic recovery initiative launched by the Hogan administration.


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BOUNTIFUL — Brian Horne of Bountiful, received a Student Leadership Award from the Association of Collegiate Business Schools and Programs last month, at the commencement ceremonies for the University of Phoenix.
The program, held in the Maverik Center in West Valley, featured graduates earning degrees in business administration, counseling, education, psychology and more.
Horne earned a Master of Science in Accountancy.
Osteopathic degree earned
BOUNTIFUL — Jacob Harmon, a 1999 graduate of Bountiful High School, was recently awarded a degree of Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine from the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine.
Harmon, the son of Marlin and Nonie Harmon of Bountiful, earned a Bachelor of Science degree in biomedical engineering from the University of Utah in 2006.
He and his wife, Jennifer, are the parents of two children. He plans to enter the radiology program at O’Bleness Memorial Hospital in Athens, Ohio. While at WVSOM, Harmon received an anatomy award as well.
Law student accepted to program
BOUNTIFUL — After graduating from the University of Mississippi School of Law, Michael L. Telford of Bountiful has been accepted into the graduate tax law program at NYU.
While all areas of law require at least a three-year Juris Doctorate (JD) degree, a number of specialty fields – including tax – require an additional year of study for a Masters of Law (LL.M.) degree.
Seven graduates, nearly 5 percent of Mississippi’s graduating class, were accepted to top-ranked programs. Tax law professor Karen Green said she’s never seen such a concentration of talent and dedication to the profession as with this year’s graduates.


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#0803 Classic Linker Q&A section
Q1) What is #0803 Classic
- Connects PS™/PS2™ and Wii™
Classic controllers to GC™ / Wii™.
Q2) Is #0803 Classic
Linker compatible to Wii™ ?
is only workable in GC™ compatible games or "classic" games, but not workable in Wii™ menu
nor Wii™ games.
Q3) How to configure the auto-fire function ?
A) Please follow the guide below to configure the auto-fire function:
Hold START, press a button other then START or SELECT, release START. This will enable
ˇ§autofireˇ¨ for this button.
Repeat the above procedure will disable ˇ§auto fireˇ¨ for this button.
Q4) Is other 3rd party Wii™ Classic compatible controllers workable with #0803 Classic Linker ?
A) There are too many 3rd party Wii™ Classic compatible controllers in the market.
#0803 Classic Linker could only compatible with original Wii™ Classic controller.

domain: hobby


Deemed by Ripley’s Believe It or Not to be the “Crookedest Street In The World,” Iowa’s Snake Alley is the most crooked street in the United States, despite San Francisco’s claims otherwise.
Created in 1894 by a trio of German immigrants, the steep street was a purposefully experimental design that was meant to mimic the vineyard trails of Europe. Aside from aesthetic choices, the street also served to connect Burlington’s downtown business district to a residential area on the raised end of Snake Alley. Down almost 300 feet the street consists of five half-curves and two quarter-curves, and lest the dizzying zig-zag prove too much for the horses that it was initially intended for, the limestone bricks that make up the street’s surface were placed at an angle to help the beasts get a better footing.
Speaking of horses in Snake Alley, there is a (likely apocryphal) story that after it was completed, the Burlington fire department would send prospective horses down the road at a full gallop and those that didn’t tumble over themselves, break ankles, or otherwise collapse would be allowed to pull the fire trucks. Believe it or not.
Today, the road is home to an annual bike race and an annual art fair that line the quaint street.


The 92-year-old former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad who has returned to politics after a long time won a majority in parliament. And this historic victory of Mahathir`s alliance Pakatan Harapan - the Alliance of hope ends his former party the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition`s 60-year grip on power.
Election Commission of the country has already officially announced the results. According to the election commission chairman Mohammad Hashim Abdullah, the Pakatan Harapan got 121 seats. Their nearest rival The People`s Justice Party received 104 seats and Barisan Nasional (BN) received 79 seats.
Among the 222 parliamentary constituencies of the country`s parliament, a party or coalition can form the government if it gets 112 seats. Accordingly, the 92-year-old Mahathir`s alliance, Pakatan Harapan, formed the government after winning the majority of seats. Pakatan Harapan has already been recognized from Malaysia`s palace.
Mahathir Mohamad wants to take oath later on Thursday. Then he will be the world`s oldest prime minister.
When Mahathir Mohamad resigned from the Prime Ministership in 2003 after his 22-year rule, his one-time disciple Najib Razak led the Barisan Nasional (BN) later who has been embroiled in a massive corruption scandal. As a result, Malaysians faced an economic turndown. Mahathir called for his resignation. After Najib refused to step down Mahathir declared to compete from the opposition coalition, Pakatan Harappan.
After winning the election, Mahathir Mohamad told the journalists, "We do not want to retaliate; we only want to reinstate the rule of law."
Barisan Nasional (BN) has been in power since 1957, after the independence from Britain. But their popularity has declined in recent years due to corruption and nepotism. In the 2013 election, the opposition got many votes but did not get enough seats to form the government.
Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim was later brought to jail for allegations of homosexuality. Ibrahim claimed that this was a political harassment case. In 2016, Mahathir Mohamad left the Barisan Alliance and formed a separate party. Later, he formed an alliance with the opposition.