Now that they have their signed expunction orders in hand, the heartbreaking saga of the San Antonio Four is finally over.
It all began when the four Latinx lesbian women in San Antonio, Texas, were falsely accused of child rape in the ‘90s. In the summer of 1994, Elizabeth Ramirez babysat her two young nieces for a week, and her three close friends, Kristie Mayhugh, and couple Cassandra Rivera Hurtado and Anna Vasquez, helped out with the kids. They had all recently graduated high school.
Several months later, due to a combination of homophobia and a family member’s personal vendetta, the women were falsely accused of sexually assaulting the two girls as part of a Satanic ritual. The nation was in the midst of unfounded hysteria about Satanism, and despite vehement denials of such heinous crimes, the four women were prosecuted.
Ramirez was tried first, in 1997, and she was convicted and sentenced to 37 and a half years. The remaining three women were tried together in 1998, and they were convicted and sentenced to 15 years each. Appeals failed, and they went to prison a few years later. They fought tirelessly for the freedom, with significant help from the Innocence Project from Texas, but it would take over a decade for any relief.
Vasquez was shocked to be released on parole in 2012, after serving 12 years. Then, one of their accusers recanted, and some “forensic science” that helped convict the women was discovered to be junk science. Based on this, the following year, Innocence Project of Texas secured the release of the remaining three women; Ramirez had been in prison for 17 years, and Hurtado and Mayhugh for around 14 years each. They were now in their early forties.
In 2016, the state’s highest court deemed the women “actually innocent” and officially exonerated, and they were compensated generously by the state, receiving amounts based on their time served as well as an annuity for life that is around several thousand dollars a month. Most people following their story thought the injustice ended there, but the women had one final step left to be fully cleared of the crime. Just over two years after being exonerated, their records were finally expunged by a judge in San Antonio on December 3, 2018 — 24 years after the start of their tragic ordeal.
Exoneration vs. expunction
While the San Antonio Four were technically no longer convicted felons following their exoneration, no expunction meant their records were still in the system, says lawyer Mike Ware, executive director of The Innocence Project of Texas, who secured the women’s exoneration and expunction. This meant that any background checks run during the two-year period between exoneration and expunction, such as those from potential employers and landlords, revealed they had been arrested and convicted of sexual assault of a child.
Before her exoneration, Mayhugh struggled to find an employer that would hire her, but even afterward, it was difficult since her criminal record still had those marks. She now lives in Houston and plans to return to school, but she delayed her enrollment due to concerns that her record would create complications.
Before the expunction, Hurtado entered paralegal school, and when her criminal records came up in the application process, she had to explain the situation. Fortunately, they let her in.
Vasquez, who lives in San Antonio and works full-time for The Innocence Project of Texas, frequently speaks about her experience at high schools. “I had been exonerated, yet every time I went into a high school for a speaking engagement, I was being escorted in and out, because I was red-flagged,” Vasquez told INTO. She says it continued to impact our lives since they were still essentially treated like convicted felons. When a documentary made about her and the other women, Southwest of Salem, had screenings in Canada, the four couldn’t attend because they weren’t allowed to cross the border.
The women’s records showed that their convictions had been vacated, but that doesn’t always matter. “In many cases, an arrest record is enough for the employer, or the person at customs who’s deciding whether to let you into the country or not, or the high school where you’re speaking,” Ware says. “Sometimes an arrest record is all that matters — that’s as far as they look — so the fact that they don’t have convictions is not sufficient.” Ware adds that having an arrest record for sexual assault of a child can also result in different treatment by police, even if you’re just pulled over for a minor traffic violation.
Now that the expunction is complete, the women no longer have to fear background checks or border crossings.
“For me, the expunction is like the icing on the cake,” Mayhugh says. “It’s a completion of everything, because that’s basically what we were fighting for — to have our names cleared. It’s a big deal because now I feel like I can finally move forward with my life and do the things that I want to do.”
Why expunction took so long
An expunction is typically always a slow process due to the complex statutes involved, Ware says. But there are a few reasons why the expunction of the San Antonio Four took this long.
When a case is expunged in Texas, it’s usually wiped off the books completely; it’s as though it never happened, Ware explains. This means it can’t be referenced in future cases.
“We wanted our case to be able to be used in court by others who were going through something similar, because there are so many other people wrongly convicted of the same offense,” Hurtado says. “We were even more than willing to keep it on our record so that it could be used.”
Ramirez echoed that sentiment: “To us, why fight such a big fight and then not be able to reference it? What good would that be for people who need hope?”
Additionally, some in the legal world believe expunction removes your right to discuss the case publicly. “There are actually people out there who’d say now that their records have been expunged, they can’t even talk about this case anymore — that they can’t go to the high school and talk about the case, that they can’t go to the legislature and advocate for reform and talk about the case,” Ware says.
Vasquez says sharing their story, raising awareness about wrongful convictions, and advocating for criminal justice reform is crucial. Ware also wanted to keep the “beautiful published opinion exonerating the women” on the books. So expunction was off the table unless the four could keep their case and opinion on record and speak freely about their experiences.
Because of these unique conditions, Ware had to work closely with the district attorneys and carefully word the expunction orders. Fortunately, they came to an agreement, and on December 3, 2018, State District Judge Catherine Torres-Stahl signed the expunction orders.
“We have always wanted our names to be cleared and the truth to be known, and finally, we are out of the system,” Vasquez says. “That takes precedence over any amount of money the State of Texas could have paid us.”
Mixed emotions and flashbacks
Since the summer of 2017, Hurtado has worked as a legal assistant for San Antonio lawyer Rosie Gonzalez, who was an advocate for the women’s freedom when they were imprisoned. As part of her job, Hurtado has had to go to the courthouse where she was convicted in order to file and pick up documents. She’s run into the prosecutors who put both her and Ramirez behind bars. It was extremely difficult and emotional at first, though she’s gotten accustomed to it. But nothing could prepare her for the day of the expunction hearing, which took place the 175th State District Court — the very same courtroom where all four women were convicted.
Despite the positive development in the case, returning to the same courtroom where they were convicted brought back difficult memories for the San Antonio Four. Before the hearing, Mayhugh wasn’t too worried, but as she approached the courthouse — and especially once she realized there was a lot of press there — she began feeling nervous and uneasy.
Vasquez felt mixed emotions. “I think a lot of people expect you to have this joyous day, and it was, but at the same time, it was also like all these memories just came rushing back,” she says. “For example, when Cassie and I turned ourselves in, we had family and friends in tow to walk us in there, and we were placed under arrest. Then this time our family members were there again, but it was more of a celebration than a sad ending.”
Re-entering the courtroom also brought Ramirez painful flashbacks. She remembered the gut-wrenching feeling of learning she was sentenced to 37 and a half years for a crime she didn’t commit. She remembered getting only five minutes to say goodbye to her mother, then “freaking out” and fainting onto the ground at the prospect of spending most of her life behind bars, and then being ridiculed by guards.
When Hurtado stepped in the courtroom, she began crying and shaking. She says seeing her family in the pews and watching Ware get up and speak again made her feel like she’d gone back in time to the original trial.
“[The expunction hearing] was so emotional; I didn’t stop crying and shaking until well after we left the courthouse,” Hurtado says. “And it was good to hear what the judge had to say; she was very nice about it. That meant a lot to us, because the last time we were in that court we were treated horribly.”
The expunction is hugely meaningful to all four women, and Hurtado says it feels amazing to no longer have anything hanging over their heads. But that doesn’t mean they’ll go away quietly. “Even though it’s done, we’re not going to stop fighting for what we believe in,” she says.
Ramirez, who lives in San Antonio and runs a printing business with her wife, says while they’ve been fully cleared on paper, it still doesn’t change what they went through. She’s often recognized around town as one of the San Antonio Four, and she views the lingering title as bittersweet.
While sometimes she’d prefer everyone to forget about it, she says, she appreciates that people know they didn’t just sit down and take it, but instead never gave up and kept fighting. She also knows her story raises awareness about wrongful convictions, which is especially important given that she and the others think their situation could easily happen today. “There are still people who think that being gay means you’d do something criminal,” Ramirez says. “Putting this story out for people to understand and know it happened will bring other people to come forward and share and help.”
In November, Hurtado’s boss, Rosie Gonzalez, won the election to become the judge of Bexar County Court at Law No. 13 this January. Hurtado is planning to be a clerk for Gonzalez, and in an ironic twist of fate, she’ll be spending her days at the same courthouse where so much of her fate has been decided.
But she’s not scared to work in the same place that wrongly put her behind bars for almost 15 years. “I’m proud of myself because I’m able to walk into that courthouse and know they did not break us,” Hurtado says. “They know that we fought and we won, and the world knows that they were wrong.”
Images via Getty
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text:
Do you sometimes use boxed mac and cheese for your kids or yourself? Yes, homemade mac and cheese is great, but sometimes we need convenient options! If you’re a boxed mac fan, you’re going to love this!
Here’s how we like to modify boxed mac and cheese:
- Add frozen or fresh veggies (peas, small broccoli florets, small cauliflower florets, butternut squash) to the last few minutes of boiling water so they’re fully cooked.
- Use butter (try grassfed if available – it has more CLA and omega-3 fats!), and if you want to add some more protein try plain Greek yogurt instead of milk. Use the same quantity or a little more than what’s called for on the mac and cheese box.
Try this early with your young toddler so that they are used to their mac looking a little different each time! Have an older toddler set in their ways and will only eat the mac and cheese from the blue box? Use the strategies in step 7 of our Toddler & Kid Course to slowly graduate away from foods presented the same way each time.
Additional tips to try:
- Stir in diced chicken, turkey or beans.
- Try lentil or whole grain pasta if you make it from scratch – some boxed brands now use lentil or whole grain pasta!
- Stir in pureed butternut squash for more color and flavor.
- Need to boost calories? Stir in cream cheese or heavy cream.
- Stir in marinara sauce and mini meatballs.
- Add spices – smoked paprika and garlic go great with mac and cheese!

domain: food


text:
A recent report by the CIPD and Mind mental health charity found that mental health issues are now the primary cause of long-term sickness for almost a quarter (22%) of organisations.
The survey of over 44,000 employees also found that only four in ten (42%) felt their manager would be able to spot the signs if they were struggling with mental health issues.
Emma Mamo, head of workplace wellbeing at Mind, said: “Our research finds that almost one in two workers reported they had experienced poor mental health – such as stress, low mood, and anxiety – while working at their current organisation. Given how much of our lives are spent at work, and how common poor mental health is, it’s really important that our employers and managers take an active role in helping us keep well and supporting us when we need it.”
So how can managers and businesses help spot the signs and prevent their employees m becoming overwhelmed at work?
Appreciate that everyone is different
Jonathan Taylor, senior psychologist at Pearn Kandola business psychology firm, says one of the first things to understand is that everyone has a different response to stress. “Stress occurs when we feel unable to cope with the current demands being placed on us. That ‘this feels too much’ moment. But we are all different and we each have different thresholds.”
These thresholds are influenced by a number of different factors and the working environment. “For example, have we overcome similar challenges before? Do we feel like we have additional support on hand if we need it? How rested are we? Having an understanding of what stress is, what causes it, what it feels like, and how we can manage it is key,” says Taylor.
Learn how to spot the warning signs
“The most common warning signs of stress include feelings of anxiety (rapid heartbeat and difficulty concentrating), irritability or short temper, reducing social contact with others, difficulty sleeping and memory problems,” says Taylor. “Carry out your own risk assessment and encourage employees to take regular breaks, mentally switch off from work at times, socialise and look after their wellbeing by making sure they are getting enough sleep, eating well and exercising.”
Learn how to say no
While “yes” might be the default for many of us, we can’t say yes to everything and everyone. Sometimes this comes down to learning to say no to things without feeling as though you’re letting your boss or colleagues down. “Rather than a straight ‘no’, turn the discussion into a positive by offering suggestions on what you feel is possible. For example, ‘I won’t be able to make Friday, but I could do Monday?’” Taylor advises. “Or if the new task has created a conflict for you, share this with your manager – ‘I’ll struggle to do this and the other task. Can the deadline for the other task be pushed back a day?’”
Encourage and reassure people
Adrian Lewis, director of Activ Absence software company, says encouraging people to communicate more openly is essential. “People would rather be perceived as being lazy than having a mental health problem, so leaders must reassure people there are no stigmas around mental health,” he notes. “They could also promote mental health support services, such as EAPs or counselling, and use great events such as World Mental Health day to communicate positive mental health messages.”
Give employees more autonomy
Peter Clarke, co-founder of Qlearsite HR consulting firm, says there will inevitably be times when we all feel overwhelmed but that it’s about giving employees the autonomy to speak up. “Employees need to be given the autonomy to decline a task if it doesn’t fit within their long or short-term priorities,” he notes. “It is far better to commit to doing ten things excellently than to commit to doing 20 and not being able to deliver on any of them in full detail or to the high standard others expect of you.”
Don’t suffer in silence
Ultimately, it comes down to not trying to be a martyr and letting your boss and colleagues know how you’re feeling. Lewis says: “Being authentic and realistic is far better than taking on too much and suffering in silence and becoming overwhelmed. Unless there is a two-way, open dialogue about workloads then managers simply won’t realise they are over loading their staff.”
Georgina Fuller is an award winning freelance journalist and editor.

domain: sociology


text:
MOHD DANILOVS got their new logo & brand identity pack by running a design contest:
HOUSE OF WORLD EXCHANGE
Check out MOHD DANILOVS's Logo & brand identity pack contest…
Accounting & Financial
we are a financial company ,Multi-Asset Broker
Other color requirements
Gold and Dark Black
you can preview our web site https://houseofworldexchange.com our brand name HOUSE OF WORLD , and we have sub brands HOUSE OF WORLD exchange , HOUSE OF WORLD holding , HOUSE OF WORLD prime
Every design category has flexible pricing for all budgets. Logo & brand identity pack starts at 4.099 kr..
Full copyright with production-ready files for digital and/or print.
It all began with a design brief.
A quick, interactive guide helped them understand their design style and captured exactly what they needed in their logo & brand identity pack.
Designers across the globe delivered design magic.
MOHD DANILOVS collaborated with designers to refine their ideas
When design entries come in, you can rate them so designers know what you’re looking for in your logo design.
99designs has great collaboration tools so you can pinpoint and capture your ideas
And then… they selected a winner!
Along the way, they met lots of talented designers…
We think contests are a super fun way to get design.
Recently completed contests:
New venture capital and finance company. Slogan to be secondary text to allow easy removal if we decide not to include
Leverage all the advantages of cloud accounting with rinehimerbaker. From award-winning cloud software that streamlines
We are an accounting firm that focuses on small companies
We advise / sell commercial property and casualty insurance products to businesses of varying types.
Our organization is a wealth management firm that also has an asset management (hedge fund) arm, a consulting/coaching a
UPDATE: Please see recent updates to the brief at the bottom! --- We help freedom-minded individuals protect and growt
We are a multiline insurance agency who represents the largest auto insurance company.

domain: design


text:
Not many people have had a life like Dee Snider.
A singer-songwriter, screenwriter, radio personality, and actor, Snider is most famous for his role as the frontman of the heavy metal band Twisted Sister. He was ranked 83 in the Hit Parader’s Top 100 Metal Vocalist of All Time.
In 1985, a Senate hearing was instigated by the Parents Music Resource Center (PMRC), who wanted to introduce a parental warning system that would label all albums containing offensive material. The system was to include letters identifying the type of objectionable content to be found in each album (e.g. O for occult themes, S for sex, D for drugs, V for violence, etc.). Snider joined John Denver and Frank Zappa who all testified against censorship and the proposed warning system.
In 2012, Snider began appearing as one of 18 contestants vying to become Donald Trump’s next Celebrity Apprentice and was fired after the eighth task during the seventh episode.
Montreal Rocks’ Ernest Skinner chatted with Dee about his music, his radio show, his starring role on Broadway, his reality show, and his brand new album, Leave a Scar, and his upcoming live stream.
“On the 29th, I’m doing a live concert event, playing a bunch of new stuff on the new album, from the old albums, Twisted Sister, of course, it’s my legacy. How could I not? And I’m stoked to be in front of a live audience for the first time in two years. It’s on Long Island, so it’s a little bit of a hometown return. We’ve got about a thousand people who are all either vaccinated or tested. So it’s going to be a party. I’m so excited.”
Check HERE for more info on the event.
Snider also chats about smelly boots, Canada, a $300K rip-off, SpongeBob SquarePants, Allisa White-Gluz and collaborating with Hatebreed‘s Jamey Jasta.
Watch the full interview below:
Leave a Scar is out July 30th 2021Share this :

domain: artistic


A Grade Item
Please note that this is an A Grade open box item. It may have been returned to us by another customer who purchased it in error.
A Grade items are new and unused. The box may have been unsealed and opened. All A Grade items are complete, working and have been fully tested.
This item is supplied with a 12 month warranty.
We’ve made our iconic H Series PC cases even better. Our new lineup still features the elements builders loved in the original H Series, including our patented cable management system, removable fan/radiator mounting brackets, and easy-to-use drive trays, alongside new updates like a front-panel USB-C connector supporting high-speed USB 3.1 Gen 2 devices, and a tempered glass side panel that installs with a single thumbscrew.
- With a USB 3.1 Gen2-compatible USB-C connector on the front panel, it's easier than ever to connect smartphones, high-speed external storage, or the latest peripherals to your PC.
- The clean, modern design, iconic cable management bar, and uninterrupted tempered-glass side panel showcase your stunning build.
- Cable management can often take more time than assembly. We designed a cable routing kit with pre-installed channels and straps, for intuitive and easy wiring.
- Two Aer F120mm fans are included for optimal internal airflow and the front panel and PSU intakes include removable filters. Includes a removeable bracket designed for radiators up to 240mm simplifies the installation of either closed-loop or custom-loop water cooling.


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Where were his handlers?
Did the team that usually manage Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson hit the snooze button this week?
He sounded like a disgruntled teenager dismissing Non-Partisan Association voters as just “angry old white men.”
If you look behind the young vibrant facade of our mayor you will find a whole team of dictatorial, narrow-minded and perhaps angry old white men.
When I was young, I hated to be told what was best for me without my input. Well, here is some news for the young voters, that is what Vision is all about.
Alicia Hagman, Vancouver
Mayor thinks he’s better than others
Excellent editorial Tuesday about Mayor Gregor Robertson.
He is, and always has been, an elitist who thinks that he and his are superior to you and yours.
Nick Mayar, Delta
The answer, my friends . . .
Michael Smyth writes that new NDP leader John Horgan “does a twist on pipeline issue.”
I guess we’ll have to dust off the old weather vane.
Terry Katnich, Maple Ridge
Quit drinking Russian vodka
Prime Minister Stephen Harper has recently been spouting off about how Canada is placing strong sanctions against Russia to impact their economy in view of their aggression against Ukraine.
I went into a liquor store and one of the first large, prominent displays I saw was Russian Standard Vodka next to a large supply of Smirnoff, etc. This is a slap in the face of the very large Ukrainian-Canadian population whose grandparents and great-grandparents escaped czarist and Stalinist Russian oppression and helped build this country.
Ukrainians are not Russian, and Russians have no right to be in Ukraine, including the Crimea.
Stop selling their vodka.
Roman Senkiw, Coquitlam
CBC and CTV News are asking, “Where is Rob Ford?” I couldn’t care less.
I thought the Ford saga was over but no. Not only is he still in the news, he’s leading the news.
Or look at NBA Clippers owner Donald Sterling; his racist views were meant for his girlfriend only. But she not only secretly taped them but also behaved like Judas by making them public.
It’s all over the news and it shouldn’t be there at all.
Jerzy Rudowski, Langley
Forests are fine
In response to the May 4 op-ed by Vicky Husband and Anthony Britneff, I wish to reassure readers that B.C. logging practices are sustainable. Since 2001, the biggest threat to Interior forests has been the mountain pine beetle, not logging.
The beetle infestation is the largest in North America’s recorded history and since 2001 this government has invested $917 million to mitigate the economic and environmental impacts of this pest.
The chief forester of the day did temporarily increase the allowable annual cut in the areas most heavily impacted by the beetle so that forest licensees could recover as much economic value as possible from beetle-infested trees and to speed regeneration of impacted forests. In B.C., licensees are legally required to reforest the areas they harvest.
As the beetle infestation has progressed, the Chief Forester has been re-determining the allowable annual cut levels and has been reducing them, to ensure, that despite the beetle, that future generations will be able enjoy B.C.’s forests.
Steve Thomson, Forests Minister
Offer to teachers is fair
When you deduct the summer months, Easter, Christmas, stat holidays and professional-development days, my calculations say that a teacher works about 180 days per year.
Allowing the average salary to be about $70,000, excluding benefits, their hourly wage if they worked eight-hour days, which is doubtful, is approximately $48.60 per hour. Well, boo hoo, that doesn’t seem like such a paltry sum. How many well-trained professionals or college graduates would like to earn that amount? If you worked a full year, that would equate to about $100,000 a year.
Give you heads a shake, teachers. While everyone agrees you have an important job and should be well paid, you are! The offer put forth by Victoria is very reasonable.
Tom Duncan, Chilliwack
I see in the letters that teacher-bashing season is upon us.
One reader suggests we have no balls because we don’t shut down the schools. Darn it, we are cursed with caring about our students.
And the writer of the letter of the week, who at least has done research and makes some good points, nevertheless calculates benefits into our compensation as if they are sinful luxuries.
When contract talks are underway we prepare for such opinions. People have a right to them but after 30 years in the classroom I know you have to have done the job to know what you’re talking about.
Lee Thompson, Abbotsford

domain: news


text:
Our cities are growing at unprecedented rates. The cost of living is increasing. Traffic congestion is causing mayhem and liveability seems to be declining.
As Australia’s rapid population growth races to reach 40 million people, the discussion of how people and goods are moved around our country and the impact this has on communities is paramount.
Energy, social infrastructure, economic growth and efficient transport solutions will be pivotal in ensuring that Australia not only survives unprecedented growth over the coming decades, but that, importantly, we thrive and prosper through them.
Freight is a critical component of this. The efficient and affordable movement of goods ensures the connectivity of people and places. But the movement of freight needs to consider much more than just price and speed.
The 2035 survey is now closed. We are analysing the results to share insights on what people want. Stay tuned!
In the meantime, explore more of our thinking below.


Industrial-Grade Equipment Used to Restore Water Damage Quickly in Crestview?
Our local team in Crestview, DeFuniak Springs, and Chipley uses industrial-grade water extraction and drying equipment to quickly and efficiently restore water damage in homes and businesses in Crestview. Here is some of the specialized equipment we use to locate, measure, extract, and dry water damage:
Moisture Detection and Measurement
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We use industrial-strength air movers and dehumidifiers to remove the remaining moisture from ceilings, walls, and floors. Proper drying helps to prevent swelling and warping of floors, walls, and furniture.
- High-speed air movers cause moisture to evaporate at a faster pace
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When your Crestview home or commercial business has a water damage emergency, our local team in Crestview, DeFuniak Springs, and Chipley is Here to Help. ® Our technicians are on call and ready to respond to water damage emergencies 24-hours a day. We’ll restore your water damage “Like it never even happened.” Call us today at 850-772-0686.
Franchises are independently owned and operated.


text:
The Argentina international looks set to leave the Santiago Bernabeu alongside Arsenal and Chelsea target Sami Khedira after Carlo Ancelotti moved to bring in Toni Kroos and James Rodriguez in big-money deals.
Di Maria, who joined Madrid from Benfica in 2010, is adamant he won't be spending the season on the sidelines, and is determined to quit the Champions League winners before the end of the transfer window.
It is believed that PSG have re-entered the race for his signature, but various reports in Spain claim that Di Maria is holding out for a move to Old Trafford despite United's lack of Champions League football in the upcoming campaign.
The versatile playmaker won't be allowed to depart for less than £50million, and Louis Van Gaal is prepared to meet Real's asking price as well as offering a lucrative long-term deal, with PSG still unwilling to match the asking price.
Di Maria was an unused substitute for his side's 2-0 European Super Cup win over Sevilla on Tuesday, fuelling speculation that he will not be a Los Blancos player come September.


A Brownlow Medal preview, including team-by-team coverage and an assessment of the leading chances.
Harrison Vesey Opinion: Don't let Tony Abbott distract you from what the survey is really about.
Warren Thomson SOME of best emerging singers and dancers in The Hills have been recognised after starring in a recent talent competition.
Meg Francis The man was taken to hospital after he fell through a garage roof in Galston
Tareyn Varley and Gayle Tomlinson He came, he sang, he left, but you can relive the entire night below.
Warren Thomson STUDENTS at Baulkham Hills High School are learning to talk Python – and they are excelling at it.
Warren Thomson ORANGE Blossom Festival will come to a close this weekend when the Norwest Community Festival is held on Sunday at Bella Vista Farm.


text:
Through the combination of outreach, regulations and incentives, South Holland, IL has created a community engaged in their own resiliency. The residents are aware of their exposure to floods and take the necessary steps to reduce that vulnerability. Their approach of no adverse impact floodplain management is applicable to many communities in Louisiana that deal with floodplain issues.
South Holland, a relatively small town of 23,000 residents in north east Illinois approximately 20 miles south of Chicago, has developed a hazard mitigation plan to counter regular flooding from the Calumet River. South Holland is subject to slow rising, slow moving and slowly receding floods in all seasons due to localized storms, heavy rainfall and snow melt. The town’s flat topography results in floods with longer lasting effects. In reaction to the heavy flooding of the 1990s, the village adopted a number of strategies to protect itself from flooding. Created in 1994 and updated in 2000, the Flood Mitigation and Comprehensive Plan uses education, outreach, policy, code enforcement and structural protection to control annual flooding. South Holland is diligent in the education and engagement of its residents to avoid any removal of floodplain carrying capacity or storage. Pamphlets and floodplain maps distributed throughout the community, in addition to zoning and building codes, help residents clearly understand how inappropriate development can further exacerbate impacts from flooding.
Citizens and town staff came together to form the Flood Liaison Committee, which assisted in the development of their Floodplain Management Plan. The plan takes a no adverse impact approach, including multiple strategies that collectively reduce the town’s vulnerability to flooding. Enrolling in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) Community Rating System gave the committee a framework to begin development of their plan, while also offering a tool for measuring its success. Regular reviewing and updating of the plan ensures its improvement and continued relevance as needs evolve.
South Holland has implemented multiple regulations to combat adverse impacts on the environment due to development. These efforts comprehensively work together to prevent increased flooding caused by new development, retain floodplain carrying and storage capacity, reduce runoff from impervious surfaces, and protect fish and wildlife along with their supportive ecological habitats.
- The project team constructed a regional diversion channel and a flood storage reservoir that created carrying capacity for overflow.
- Codes and regulations were established to avoid overloading the expanded system.
- The town has returned multiple sites to open space functioning as natural floodplain by purchasing then removing structures from flood prone areas.
- Regulations were created requiring a one-foot freeboard above FEMA BFE (base flood elevation) for new construction. Additionally, any material fill in the floodplain must be compensated for by excavating 1.5 times the volume of the fill.
- An ordinance was created for retention of runoff from all storms for new developments.
- The Plan requires two inspections per year of riverine systems to assure they are clean, not in need of maintenance, and free flowing. South Holland maintains an Urban Forestry Commission as well as a full-time arborist to assure that protected trees and vegetation are maintained and protected from negligent development.
By informing and educating citizens about areas most vulnerable to storms and the different approaches to reducing adverse impacts, South Holland has created an engaged community that is proactive about ensuring their own safety. This engagement has allowed them to make huge strides in their protective capabilities with a modest budget.
- Workshops were held and handouts distributed door-to-door to inform citizens about flood protection and decreasing flood risk.
- A website was created as a strategy within an overall public information program to help property owners learn about the hazards they are exposed to and what they can do about them.
- The Flood Assistance Rebate Program offers land owners of single-family residences a 25% rebate (up to $2,500) per home for flood control projects.
- The project team implemented various flood warning services.
Really notable is the town’s public outreach and education efforts. Informing the town residents of their vulnerabilities fosters a proactive attitude to flood mitigation, which helps to increase their capacity to prepare and respond to storm events while working within the confines of a limited budget.
- The Flood Liaison Committee was created to assist in the development of the Floodplain Management Plan. Made up of citizens and town staff, it ensured the town was engaged and informed in mitigation issues.
- South Holland organized a series of open houses which were publicized door-to-door and in the newspaper. These open houses focused on informing citizens about their vulnerabilities to flooding and the options available to mitigate them, through handouts, videos and consultations with local staff and contractors.
- Brochures, booklets and community maps were distributed to the community, which included emergency numbers and a description of government services.
- The community newsletter, published monthly, addresses flooding issues, discusses flood reduction projects and includes summaries of committee meetings.
- Letters are periodically sent to residents living in the floodplain, which contain pertinent information about the NFIP and the importance of purchasing flood insurance.
- In cooperation with two other nearby communities, the Village also organizes an annual Flood Awareness Week by engaging the community through a series of events, including a Business Breakfast meeting to educate local real estate agents, lenders and insurance agents about flooding issues and the NFIP.

domain: geography


text:
when i went to crave i thought there cupcakes would taste lik safe ways but theres was like a miracale...更多
1 - 10 条点评，共 145 条
Great little place to grab something to help with your sweetness crave! There were four of us and two of us have the lime ones and two the red velvet. We were all happy with our choices
Stopped by Crave Cupcakes while wandering around Kensington and was delighted to find they had gluten free cupcakes! The cupcakes are quite good, nice and fluffy, not dry at all. So surprised and happy!
Yumm, I pick these up everytime I visit Calgary Chocolate with buttercream icing is favorite because unlike other cupcakeries, their...更多
I have always thought that Crave cupcakes were something that I HAD to try, from what I see online everyone loves them ... I didn't love them, they were wayyyyy too sweet for me! I scraped off all of the icing, and even the cake...更多
Of course Crave is known for its rich, moist, marvellous cupcakes in great flavour combinations. I was a bit skeptical...更多
I've had the cupcakes and mini-cupcakes on numerous occasions. They are so delicious. I just had a baby and bought a dozen of my favorite mini cupcakes (red velvet and the chocolate buttercream with blue icing are the best). Only reason to avoid this place...更多


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Kubon, Diamond, niQ, Genja and Edward will represent Gambit Gaming at the remaining three stages of LCS EU Summer. Our management believes that Diamond has benefited from a two-week-long break: he had a chance to dedicate extra time to his mechanical skills, as well as to rethink his attitude towards playing in a team. We will inform you of our long-term plans in the beginning of August. We realize that our chances to advance to playoffs are slim, therefore we will try to perform decently in the remaining eight games.
Recently Riot Games informed the community about potential changes in the LCS structure, such as increasing the amount of teams from eight to ten. Many believe that it will decrease the difficulty of qualifying to the next split. Regardless, we do not intend to relax, since the final decision regarding the amount of teams is yet to be made. Going forward our main goal is to prepare for the qualifiers. First of all, we will finalize our roster, and afterwards will commit to practicing.

domain: game


text:
Maybe it isn't a surprise to read evidence that professional equity analysts almost always predict much higher EPS growth amongst companies on the stock market than actually comes to pass. McKinsey & Company took the trouble to compile the numbers and the ugly truth is revealed in its April 2010 McKinsey Quarterly report Equity analysts: Still too bullish (free registration required to view the brief report but the three graphs are worth at least 1000 words and many more dollars each). Only the odd year does the market actually meet or exceed analyst forecasts. You would think the analysts would learn after 25 years of over-estimating results, or maybe it is just deliberate hype.
Given the amount of salt that would therefore be recommended to consume while reading such analysts reports, maybe the best investment diet strategy would be to avoid ingesting them altogether. Who wants a choice between investment bad taste from over-cooked reports or high blood pressure from too much salt?
Tuesday, 4 May 2010
Powered by Forex Pros - The Forex Trading Portal.

domain: economics


text:
The timple is the most emblematic musical instrument of the Canary Islands, a small guitar that is very common in Canarian traditional music bands.
It is played in a similar way to the guitar, by strumming its five strings. There have been, and still are, virtuoso soloists of this musical instrument in the archipelago.
What is the timple
The timple canario is a small stringed instrument (barely 60 centimetres). Although the vast majority of them have five strings, four-string timples can be found in some areas of Tenerife. Its presence is very common in Canarian folk groups.
The parts of the timple are the case (where the lower bridge, soundboard and soundhole are located), the neck (where the fingerboard and frets are located) and the pegbox (where the soundboard and pegs are located).
In recent years, timples are being made with materials other than wood, although this is creating bitter controversy with purists of this traditional Canarian instrument.
History of the most Canarian instrument
The origin of the timple is not clear, although everything seems to indicate that it is European (without ruling out African influences). Its relationship with other types of small guitars from different countries is evident, including the Portuguese cavaquinho, the Hawaiian ukulele, the Venezuelan cuatro and the Bolivian charango.
Renaissance and Baroque vihuelas and guitars were brought by Europeans to the Canary Islands and South America, where they took on different forms. In the 18th century, various manuals for learning to play the guitar, such as those written by Pablo Minguet in 1752 and Andrés del Soto in 1760, already referred to an instrument called tiple, a name that would become timple in the course of time.
Theisland of Lanzarote was the first place where the first timple makers emerged. The most important of these was Simón Morales Tavío, who began its systematic manufacture in the first half of the 20th century. He soon became the most popular craftsman of this musical instrument in the Canary Islands.
The woods most commonly used in the manufacture of the timple are white spruce and pine for the front part of the case (called tabla de armonía), black mulberry and sandalwood for the back, ebony for the splint and orange for the ornaments and the rosette.
Dromedary or cow bones were the most commonly used in the early days of tempera to make the pegs, but nowadays they have been replaced by synthetic materials. Similarly, animal casings have been replaced by carbon fibre or nylon for making strings.
The best place to find out all about this musical instrument is the Casa-Museo del Timple, which is based in Teguise (the birthplace of Simón Morales Tavío), where you can learn about the history of this emblematic Canarian instrument, the different techniques used to make it and its importance in Canarian culture. In addition, concerts are organised from time to time.
Germán López, one of the world's best timplists
The timple is one of the most characteristic sounds in the folklore of the Canary Islands. Its strumming is an art appreciated by locals and visitors alike and, seeing the young talents that are emerging when it comes to playing it, it seems to be in excellent health.
Photos: sansebastiangomera.org, wikipedia, teguise.es, germanlopeztimple.com, Leo Aldaba (Flickr), gomeraverde.es.


Kansas will face a $279 million budget shortfall by July, far worse than state officials had thought before a new revenue forecast Monday that will force Gov. Sam Brownback and legislators to consider spending cuts.
The state will also be required to close an even bigger additional gap — $436 million — during the following 12 months, according to the new forecast.
Continue Reading Below
Aides to the Republican governor, who narrowly won re-election last week, said his administration will work in the next weeks to find savings while trying to protect funding for schools and core programs. But a Democratic leader called the new projections "devastating."
Brownback and many Republicans in the GOP-dominated Legislature are not publicly rethinking aggressive cuts in personal income taxes enacted in 2012 and 2013 to stimulate the economy. The state cut its top rate 26 percent and exempted the owners of 191,000 businesses from income taxes altogether, and further reductions are promised, including a decrease in the top rate next year.
"I would say the economy's growing — when you look at wages, when you look at jobs from new and expanded businesses, when you look at small business income," Shawn Sullivan, the governor's budget director, said during a Statehouse news conference announcing the new forecast. "We continue to cut taxes every year, which is a great thing."
The new forecast revised previous revenue projections made in April for the current budget year, which began in July, dropping the prediction for total general revenues by $206 million, to less than $5.8 billion. The state also faces previously unanticipated costs for social services, public schools, and public employee pensions, driving up the figure for its spending commitments past $6.4 billion.
After eating through $380 million in cash reserves, the state still would have to close a 4.3 percent budget gap by July. An unofficial projection previously put the shortfall at $14 million.
The new forecast followed short-of-the-mark tax collections in the spring, summer and fall.
The forecast also made the first revenue projections for the fiscal years beginning in July 2015 and July 2016.
For the next fiscal year, the new projection was $5.8 billion in revenues — short of the nearly $6.2 billion that legislative researchers had been assuming in their unofficial forecasts. The projected shortfall of $436 million is about 7 percent, and higher than the $282 million gap estimated unofficially.
The new revenue projection for the fiscal year beginning in July 2016 is a little less than $5.9 billion — again, short of the nearly $6.4 billion legislative researchers had assumed. But the new forecast assumes that spending by that time will be in line with the lower revenues.
The projections also assume Kansas will continue to see modest economic growth, said Raney Gilliland, director of the nonpartisan Kansas Legislative Research Department.
During the governor's race, Democratic challenger Paul Davis argued the tax cuts championed by Brownback were wrecking the state's finances. Senate Minority Leader Anthony Hensley, a Topeka Democrat, predicted the state will have to cut spending on schools and social services and divert money from highway projects.
"There is absolutely no good way out of this," Hensley said. "You can't find enough efficiencies or growth to make up these devastating numbers."
The new forecast was drafted by legislative researchers, members of Brownback's budget staff, Department of Revenue officials and university economists. Governors and legislators must use the "consensus" numbers in budgeting.
Summary of the new forecast: http://bit.ly/1xsR0Vc
Follow John Hanna on Twitter at https://twitter.com/apjdhanna


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Sunderland continued their unbeaten away run but couldn’t get all three points in an entertaining 2-2 draw at Stadium MK.
Charlie Wyke scored the opening goal of the game early on, but the hosts quickly responded with two goals from Joe Mason and Cameron Jerome. Luke O’Nien scored a leveller for the lads midway through the second as the spoils were shared.
Sunderland made their second trip to Stadium MK looking to push forward in the promotion race and edge closer to the top two.
Lee Johnson made several changes from the Papa John’s Trophy game with many regulars coming back into the line-up. There were returns for Charlie Wyke, Grant Leadbitter, Aiden McGeady, Bailey Wright, and a debut for Jake Vokins at left-back.
Sunderland made a dream start with their star man Charlie Wyke on the scoresheet yet again; O’Brien held the ball up well to McGeady who played a lovely ball through to Wyke who slotted it past Andrew Fisher with an assured finish.
Wyke with his 13th league goal of the season has been in imperious form this year and never looked like missing.
MK Dons weren’t behind for long, they had a flurry of chances with Cameron Jerome initially denied by a great save from Burge, but it dropped to Joe Mason who couldn’t miss from close range.
Despite going behind in the first five minutes, the hosts had been the better side and dominated the early possession.
Sunderland found themselves behind, and it had been coming – Matt O’Riley’s effort from range ended up being a pass to Jerome who pounced to prod home.
The Dons had been by far the better team, Sunderland couldn’t keep the ball for longer than two minutes and were incredibly wasteful in possession.
Sunderland’s main threat was through Wyke, who did well to beat the last man, but his effort on the half volley was well saved by Fisher.
The lads should have equalised half an hour into the game - the lads nicked the ball back high up the pitch and Wyke raced towards goal, but with options around him, he was caught in two minds and blazed an effort over the bar.
Unsurprisingly, Sunderland’s main threat was through Wyke. The ball was played up to the big man who did well to beat the last man, but his effort on the half volley was well saved by Fisher.
Sunderland were getting closer and McGeady floated a lovely ball to Max Power who tried to volley It home from 12 yards, but it whistled over the bar.
Despite being poor in the opening 20 minutes, Sunderland had more than enough openings to go into the break level.
The home side had started the better ad almost extended their lead, Scott Fraser found O’Riley through on goal and beat Burge, but Wright was on hand to clear off the line.
Ten minutes into the second half Sunderland levelled, from a short corner McGeady cut inside and his effort dropped to O’Nien who turned well and fired across goal leaving Fisher with no chance.
An hour into the game and the lads were upping the temp and looking for that third goal to get back in front.
Sunderland players were screaming for a penalty as an O’Brien header was blocked by the hand of Dons defender, but the referee waived play on.
It was a finely poised game with both side trying to get a winner, Sunderland came close through a Power cross which just evaded everyone.
Jordan Jones was a threat on the break and almost got a league debut goal as it dropped to him with Fisher out of position, but the keeper did brilliantly to recover and keep the scores level.
With not long left on the clock McGeady was close to getting the winner, the Irishman’s effort on goal was well saved by Fisher who got a strong hand to save it.
With the last kick of the game the lads had a massive chance to win it as McGeady was in on the left-hand side with the goalkeeper to beat, he cut inside and was denied by the Dons keeper.
Full Time: MK Dons 2-2 Sunderland
ALS Man of the Match: Luke O’Nien
Sunderland: Burge; Power, Willis, Wright, Vokins (Sanderson 84’); Gooch (Jones 68’), Leadbitter, O’Nien (Scowen 77’), McGeady; Wyke, O’Brien (Maguire 84’)
Subs Not Used: Matthews, Neil & Diamond

domain: sports


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UW Internet of Things Systems Research Center Welcomes New Assistant Director
UW Internet of Things Systems Research Center, February 16, 2017
After three years of remarkable success, the UW IoT Systems Research Center is growing. Last month, Marti Ryan joined the center as its assistant director. In this role, Marti will be an integral part of the center’s research, member outreach and collaborative learning, and work group project initiatives.
Filling the Talent Gap
ASME, December 2016
Will Caldwell, an IoT Lab student alumnus, shares his story on how he became involved with IoT and the impact working in the lab had on his future career.
Thomas Yen to speak at the WCET 28th Annual Meeting
WCET 28th Annual Meeting, October 12-14, 2016
Thomas Yen, the IoT Lab Technical Director and Instrumentation Innovator-Instructor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, is presenting at the WCET 28th Annual Meeting in Minneapolis, MN between October 12-14, 2016. He will be speaking in the Closing Session on Innovation Hubs and Labs: Driving Change and Creativity.
Businesses spawned at UW-Madison take two of three pitch night awards
University of Wisconsin-Madison News, August 17, 2016
IoT alumni Neil Klingensmith and Pete Chulick have won an econmic impact award for their respective UW-Madison based businesses, Emonix and WeightUp. Emonix is a patent-applied-for system that reduces salt usage in water softeners and WeightUp helps monitor the motion of weightlifters to improve their methodology.
The Internet of Things is Here
Educause Review, June 27, 2016
The IoT as a broad concept that is expaning faster than ever before. Higher education communities such as ours can lead the development of the future technologies, buisness models, ethics and leaders of the IoT world.
IoT Isn't Only for Engineers
IoTPORTFOLIO, May 30, 2016
Raj Veeramani, the founder of IoT, is interviewed about the history and importance of the IoT lab in multiple fields and it's rapid growth and success on the UW-Madison campus. More»
I am The Wisconsin Idea
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, March 11, 2015
In this editorial, UW Alum Jeff Roznowski reflects upon the role of the IoT Lab in his embodiment of "The Wisconsin Idea". More»


Posts for April, 2010
A new nationwide survey released today (April 1) by the Pew Hispanic Center shows than foreign-born Latinos are more positive and knowledgeable about the 2010 U. S. Census than native-born Latinos.
While most agreed that the census is good for the Latino community, the survey found that those who are foreign born are significantly more likely to feel that way. They were also more likely to trust the census to keep their personal information confidential and to know that the census cannot be used to determine if someone is in the country illegally.
Hispanics are the nation's largest minority group, numbering 46.8 million, or 15.4% of the population in 2008. That compares with figures in 2000 that showed 35.3 million Latinos in the country.
According to Pew, among Latino adults between the ages of 18 and older, 47% are native born, while 53% are foreign born.
For the complete survey go to www.pewhispanic.org.
U. S. Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar announced today (April 1) that the National Park Service has started a "special resource study" of sites significant to the life of farm worker and civil rights leader Cesar Chavez.
The announcement comes a day after the birthday of Chavez, March 31, when President Barack Obama, Salazar and U. S. Labor Secretary Hilda Solis held a private meeting with members of the Chavez family and other officials of the United Farm Workers.
"As stewards of the history of this great nation we look forward to working with the Chavez family, the United Farm Workers and communities throughout California and Arizona to determine how best to preserve this great legacy," said Salazar in a news release.
"Cesar Chavez changed the course of history for Latinos and farm workers, empowering them to fight for fair wages, health care coverage, pension benefits, housing improvements, pesticide and health regulations and countless other protections for their health and well-being," said Solis.
"As a farm worker himself, he had a great connectiion to the natural environment." she said. "We still have a lot to learn from his legacy--that is why I was proud to work with Secretary Salazar in Congress on this issue and I am delighted that the Department of the Interior will begin to study significant sites in the life of this great American hero."
The special study will identify important sites related to the life and work of Chavez and the farm worker movement in the western part of the country, said Salazar.
Salazar also annunced that Julie Chavez Rodriguez, the granddaughter of Chavez, has been appointed as the new director of the new Office of Youth in the Great Outdoors, which will bring together youth employment and development programs throughout the department.
Proyecto Salud, an effort to create health education, awareness and improvement in the Latino community, will be presented a special community award for its outstanding public health initiatives by the City of Milwaukee Health Department Tuesday, April 6.
The project is run in cooperation with Core/El Centro and Aurora Walker's Point Community Clinic on the city's south side. It trains health promoters and offers different programs on a range of issues, including mental health, parenting classes, women's issues and barriers to good health.
City Health Commissioner Bevan K. Baker will present the award Monday at 11 a.m. at the project's offices, 611 W. National Ave. Ana Paula Soares-Lynch and Sherri Ohly, co-directors of the project, will accept the award.
Wilma Fonseca, executive director of the center, said the $10,000 grant comes from the Helen Bader Foundation. That money will be used to help support the academic, recreation, social and cultural activities that take place during the summer program, she said.
Last year, the agency received an estimated $40,000 from MPS for the program that runs from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and serves an estimated 200 children a day, she said.
Jose Gomez, the archbishop of San Antonio who was born in Monterrey, Mexico, was named Tuesday to succeed Cardinal Roger Manoney in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles.
His appointment means Gomez will become the most prominent Latino bishop in the country because of the size of the LA diocese and it's large Latino makeup, saysThe Los Angeles Times.
Mahoney is expected to step down next February when he reaches the mandatory retirement age for bishops of 75 .
The Sixteenth Street Community Health Center at 1032 S. Cesar Chavez Dr. will celebrate a major renovation of its facilities Friday (April 9) and also thank those who helped pay for the improvements.
"It's beautiful," said John Bartkowski, president and CEO of the center, describing the improvements Thursday.
With federal stimulus dollars and other funding from federal and foundation sources, the center has undergone improvements that will allow it to expand the heatlth services it provides to the low-income residents it serves on the city's culturally diverse south side.
Thanks to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), the center received $1.2 million to make capital improvements to all its health facilites. A portion of that money was used at the Chavez Center to improve the reception area in the pediatric clinic, pave and repair the parking lot, improve the heating, ventilating and air conditioning system, and create wireless notepads for the electronic health records system, he said.
Another $448,000 in stimulus money -- part of the increased demand for services money -- will allow the clinic to add another doctor and three-person medical team to see more patients, he said.
The clinic has also improved and expanded its examining rooms from 13 to 16 for more efficiencies for doctors and patients, he said. That was done with a total of $750,000 that was received from targeted investment funds that U.S. Sen. Herb Kohl (D-Milwaukee) and U. S. Rep. Gwen Moore (D-Milwaukee) helped secure. Contributions from Northwestern Mutual Foundation and the Greater Milwaukee Foundation were also used for that project.
Kohl, Moore and representatives from the foundations will be on hand Friday at 10 a.m. ceremonies and tour of the new and improved facilities.
A public tribute and memorial will be held in East Los Angeles on April 16-17 for Jaime Escalante, the Los Angeles calculus teacher made famous in the movie "Stand and Deliver," the Los Angeles Times reports.
Escalante, who came to the U.S. from Bolivia, died March 30. He was 79.
He became one of the most famous teachers in the country in the 1980s and 1990s when he challenged tough and troubled, mostly Latino, kids at East L.A.'s Garfield High School to learn advanced math and calculus.
His phenomenal success in teaching and inspiring the students to be and do their best was the subject of a book and then the movie "Stand and Deliver," starring James Edward Olmos.
Along with the Escalante family, Olmos is involved in planning the tribute. Olmos told the Times that the visitation will start at Escalante's old classroom at Garfield High, which will be "reconstituted" to appear as it was during the teacher's tenure at the school in the 1980s.
Rows of orange barrels have blossomed along Cesar E. Chavez Drives where the $1.9 million repaving and streetscape project has begun.
The highly traveled street that goes through the heart of the city's Latino commercial center has been in need of repaving for years, according to city officials.
The project, which includes the addition of lights, benches and other amenities, received the needed money to proceed from federal stimulus dollars.
The work should be done by the end of the summer, so in the meantime it's likely to be slow going.
La Causa Inc. charter school will get a $25,000 boost for its campaign to build green space and athletic fields Friday, April 16.
The UPS Foundation will present the south side agency with a $25,000 contribution toward the campaign to rasie $85,000 to build the fields on a vacant lot behind the charter school. More than 600 students are enrolled in the charter school at S. 2nd and Mitchell Streets, according to agency officials.
La Causa is one of the largest bilingual, multicultural agencies in Milwaukee that serves families and children.
Luther Castillo, a Honduran physician now leading a large international health mission in Haiti, will speak tonight (April 13) at 7 p.m. at Central United Methodist Church, 639 N. 25th St.
He will discuss "Quality and Preventive Health Care as Universal Right -- Regardless of Where You Are or How Wealthy You Are."
Castillo, who was featured in the movie "Salud," is one of the first doctors from the Afro-Indigenous Garifuna population in Honduras, where public education and health services were scarce.
He was president of the first graduating class of the Latin American School of Medicine in Havana, Cuba. The school was established to provide free medical education to students in under-served communities and stresses preventive medicine.
Castillo and other LASM graduates established the first autonomous medical clinic serving the Garifuna people. He was named "Doctor of the Year" by Rotary International in Tegucigalpa. He now supervisies more than 300 doctors from 20 countries, including the U.S., who are working in medical encampments in Haiti.
His talk is free.
The group of nine identified themselves as Cuban nationals to a park ranger and said they were seeking application of the "wet food/dry foot policy," a spokesman for customs and border protection said.
The "wet foot/dry foot policy" refers to an agreement between the two countries that a Cuban caught on the waters (wet feet) between the two nations is sent back to the place of embarkation. A Cuban who makes it to dry land (dry foot) gets a chance to remain in the U.S. and may later qualify for expedited legal permanent resident status and U. S. citizenship.
Border Patrol agents served each of the nine Cubans with a notice to appear before an immigration judge for further immigration related proceedings.
Reaction has been pouring in after the Arizona House of Representatives voted this week to pass what would be the toughest laws in the nation dealing with undocumented immigrants.
The National Immigration Forum said :"Arizona's new anti-immigrant law enshrines racial profiling" and called on Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer to veto it. "This misguided, and possibly unconstitutional, legislation represents several steps in the wrong direction on the question of how to respond to our broken immigration system."
America's Voice said: "The Arizong State House of Representataives just voted in favor of Draconian legislation that declares open season on immigrants and Latinos in the state."
Reform Immigration for America called the bill "disturbing."
The Law Enforcement Engagement Initiative said the measure "plays politics with public safety" strains the resources of law enforcmenet and would make it harder to fight violent crime.
But theFederation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) headlined its press release: "If Washington won't, Arizona will."
"After decades of failure by the federal government to properly secure the border, Arizona lawmakers, led by State Senator Russell Pearce, have once again responded to their constituents who want immigration enforcement," said FAIR in its release.
Arizona State Senator Russell Pearce, the author of the bill said "takes the handcuffs off of law enforcement and lets them do their job."
The deadline for signing up for the Felix Mantilla Little League has been extended to Saturday, May 1. Registration is at the Bruce Guadalupe Middle School, 920 S. 9th St..
The league is open to kids between the ages of 5-15 who lives in the area between Wisconsin Avenue on the north, Howard Avenue on the south, Lake Drive on the east and 43rd St. on the west.
To participate players need to bring a birth certificate and three documents that show proof of residency.
For more information, call Jerad at (414)384-3100, ext 2815.
TheCenter for Latin American and Caribbean Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee begins its week-long, free film festival tonight (April 16) at 7 p.m. with a Brazilian film by Italian director Marco Bechis.
The series continues through next Friday, April 23 , with an array of offerings that come from Uruguay, Haiti, Mexico, Argentina, Colombia, the U.S. and other countries--all with subtitles.
The films promise to offer a glimpse into a variety of topics, such the Haitian revolution, Brazilian music in the film "Beyond Ipanema" and "Walt y El Grupo" about a trip that Disney took to Latin America in 1941 at the request of the U.S. government as part of a "good neighbor" policy.
All of films will be shown at the UMS Union Theater, 2200 E. Kenwood Blvd. For a full schedule and a peek at some trailers for some of the films go to: http://www4.uwm.edu/clacs/filmseries/filmseries32.cfm
Twenty-one years ago Rafael Fernandez, a social worker wtih Milwaukee Public Schools, started "Cantos de las Americas/A Tribute to Education" to celebrate culture and learning.
"My intent was to provide parents and children the opportunity to mingle and to talk about the importance of culture, learning and the arts," he said.
This Friday, April 23, more than 400 students from 14 Milwaukee Public Schools will dance, sing and share their cultural traditions at the annual "Cantos de las Americas" at the Marcus Center for the Performing Arts.
The free event that's open to the public begins at 6:30 p.m.
The performances will feature songs and dances from throughout the Americas and beyond, including mariachis, Domincan bachatas, salsas, cumbias and contemporary and American pop music. There will also be European dramatic skits, along with native American dances, Southeast Asian and African-American dances.
Participating schools include Burbank, Allen-Field, Kagel, Forest Home, Greenfield Avenue, Holmes, Hayes, Riley, Rogers Academy, Milwaukee Spanish Immersion, Lincoln Street, Morgandale, Vieau and Fratney.
The event is sponsored by the Marcus Cetner, the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee division of academic affairs, and the MPS division of bilingual education.
U. S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan says he wants to help cut the drop-out rates and improve college enrollment among Latinos.
He made his comments this week at a gathering of Hispanic college adminstrators in Washington, D. C., according to a report in The Miami Herald.
HIs ideas for getting more Latinos to go to college include revamping financial aid and high school curricula.
The story notes that Latinos now make up a quarter of the country's children younger than age 5.
Although a bill championed by State Rep. Pedro Colón (D-Milwaukee) to create an optional state holiday in honor of farmworker and civil rights leader Cesar Chavez passed the Assembly, it now needs to be approved by the state Senate.
"It faces a more difficult hurdle in the Senate," said Colón Thursday. And since today is the last day of the legislative session, if it doesn't clear the Senate today, it's dead.
"For the past 10 years I have authored this legislation and it was not until the Democrats took control of the Assembly that we were able to vote on the measure," said Colón.
Assembly Bill 467 would create an optional state holiday in honor of Chavez on his birthday, March 31. It would allow state employees to take off March 31 in lieu of another state holiday.
The annual "El Dia de los Niños," a Latin American tradition that celebrates children, will be held Saturday (April 24) at South Division High School, 1515 W. Lapham Blvd., from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
This year the theme for the event is "Go Green" and there will be activities, including arts and crafts, and information on the importance of recycling and saving the planet.
The day is designed to promote education, early literacy, cultural appreciation and community resources. It's also a reminder that children need to be cared for by their communities, according to a press release on the event from the council.
While Assistant Attorney General for the civil rights division, Thomas E. Perez, was in Milwaukee Friday talking about the renewed push for civil rights, Arizona Governor Jan Brewer was signing the state's new law that makes it a crime to be an illegal immigrant in the state.
When asked about the new law, Perez said he has not seen the text of the new law, but that he's sure his department will be taking a closer look at it.
However, Wisconsin's only Latino legislator was quick to react.
State Rep. Pedro Colón, who is Puerto Rican, issued a press release that said: "As an American I am concerned that the police in Arizona can now detain all Americans without reason and as a Latino I am angry it is aimed at us."
"Extreme measures, such as this only highlight the fact that we need comprehensive immigration reform at the federal level. No one can reasonably argue that a patch work of various state laws is the direction we should be moving...This law is extreme and indefensible."
Dorothy Smith, who was the principal of White Rock Elementary School in Waukesha before she was suddenly removed from the building in late January, has retired, according to Waukesha School Supt. Todd Gray.
Gray said the official date of Smith's retirement was March 11. She had been an adminstrator for eight years and with the district for 21 years, he said.
She's the only African-American principal in the system and is also bilingual.
Smith said she had already put in her papers for retirement and had planned to retire at the end of the year, but the date was pushed up. "It was a mutual decision," she said.
White Rock is the district's oldest bilingual school, but it's been on the chopping block, which has raised protests from parents, who are mostly Latino.
Smith said she had already put in her papers for retirement and had planned to retire at the end of the year, but that the retirement date was pushed up. "It was a mutual decision," she said.
When Gray was removed from White Rock, Gray refused to give any details saying it was a leave and a personnel matter.
As to the plans for closing White Rock, scheduled for the fall of 2011 school year, Gray said the school board has not made a final decision. But the administrations recommendation remains that the school be closed, he said.
He's said the school should close because there are other bilingual programs in the district and that students come from throughout to attend White Rock, which is a smaller school
To celebrate its 40th anniversary, the United Community Center will announce that it plans to build a new senior citizen center and add 10 new classrooms to expand the Bruce Guadalupe Community School in the future
The estimated cost of both projects totals $4 million, with about $3 million going to the senior center and $1 going to the classrooms, said Ricardo Diaz, the executive director of the south side educational and social service agency.
The plans will be announced Friday (Arpil 30) at the agency’s 40th anniversary banquet at the UCC, 1028 S. 9th St. where Friends of the Hispanic Community and outstanding Latino youth will also be honored.
In spite of a rocky economy, Diaz said he believes the resources can be found for the expansion. “The reason for our growth is that we’re betting on the future of these kids and the future of the Hispanic community,” he said. “We feel strongly about the long term investment to build facilities that create opportunity, open doors and build bridges to the community. That’s what the UCC has done for 40 years.”
The new senior center will be built on Washington St. between S. 7th and S. 8th Streets. It will be located between the current UCC Village, a 20- unit apartment for seniors and the Olga Village, a 37-unit apartment project for seniors that’s now under construction, said Diaz.
Today more than 120 seniors attend activities at the senior center that includes lunch, bingo, dominoes, exercise classes, field trips, sewing, art and other recreational and educational programs. It’s also one of the few senior centers in the city to serve lunch on Saturdays and Sundays, he said.
The new 13,000-square foot addition would accommodate more seniors and would also include space for a senior citizen health clinic that could be operated in partnership with the Sixteenth Street Community Health Center, he said.
John Bartkowski, president and CEO of the Sixteenth Street Community Health Center, said about 40% of seniors who live at the UCC or attend programs there are already patients of the clinic.
“We are talking about the possibility of having an internist with an interest in geriatrics to take appointments at the clinic, maybe two days a week,” he said. “We’re in the process of looking how it would work,” he said, adding that federal approval would be necessary because the clinic is a federal community health center.
Diaz believes the senior center, which helps seniors stay active and engaged, and the clinic make would make a good combination in helping with health education, health care and improving their overall quality of life.
The senior center is now located in basement space that would then be converted to 10 new classrooms to expand the Bruce Guadalupe School, which has grades from K-3 to grade eight. The additional classrooms would grow the current enrollment of the school from the current 867 students to 1,100 in eight years
“That will make us one of the largest charter schools in the state,” he said.
Local Latino and civil rights leaders Wednesday denounced Arizona's new law that makes it a state crime to be in the country illegally and pledged action on the streets and in the courts to halt the law before it goes into effect this summer.
"The Arizona law has galvanized the immigrant rights movement across the country," said Christine Neumann-Ortiz, the executive director of Voces de la Frontera, who predicted thousands will take to the streets again on Saturday May 1 to protest the new Arizona law and to call for immigration reform.
Milwaukee and more than 70 other cities across the country will hold marches Saturday to protest the Arizona law that Neumann-Ortiz and others said would lead to"institutionalizing racial profiling."
Some 15 buses from around the state will be coming to the march here , said Neumann-Ortiz, who has led four other massive marches here.
Similar marches will be held in Madison and Beloit., she said at a press conference at Voces offices, 1027 S. 5th St.
Darryl Morrin, the state director of the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), said national leaders of his organization are asking the governor of Arizona and the legislature to rescind "this hostile legislation that prempts the Constitution and violates everyone's liberties."
LULAC is also calling on the Obama adminsitration and the Wisconsin Congressional delegation to immediately pass comprehensive immigration reform "to put this behind us once and for all," he said.
Morrin said the national LULAC staff is also looking at legally challenging the law on constitutional grounds and is prepared to take the case all the way to the U. S. Supreme Court.
There are now 46.9 million Hispanics in the country, or one in seven, said Morrin. "We are too large to be taken for granted, ignored or overlooked," he said. "And if you fail to pass immigration reform this summer, we will remember and take this into account in the fall," he said, a reference to the Latino vote.
The Arizona director of LULAC, Ana Valenzuela Estrada, also spoke via teleconference call. "People here are afraid," she said, adding that her own son, who had his birth certificate, was stopped by authorities. She called the new law "mean-spirited" and "devastating."
Karyn Rotker, a senior staff attorney with the ACLU of Wisconsin, emphasized that being in the country illegally is a violation of civil, not criminal laws. "There no crime called being illegally present," she said. States and cities do not have the authority under the constitution to create immigration laws, she said.
Henry Hamilton, of the NAACP, branch of Milwaukee said the new law will make people feel less safe in their communities.
And Pastor Andy Oren, of Faith United Methodist Church, said the law creates "fear and false patriotism."
When asked why polls show that 60 to 70% of Arizonans support the new law, Estrada said that 80,000 signed a petition to Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer asking he not to sign the law and that calls ran 11 to 1 asking her to veto the measure.
But Rotker added: "Regardless of what polls say, you can't take away people's civil rights."
A new report on the well-being of the nation's 16 million Latino children paints a poor picture of the health and welfare of this growing population, largely because 59% live in low-income or poor families.
It found that Latino children have low rates of high school graduation (55%), a high percentage (19%) lack health insurance and high rates of teen pregnancy and incarceration.
For the report, researchers analyzed data collected between 2000 and 2008 and looked at 25 factors, such as demographics, citizenship, family structure, housing, access to health care, education, etc.
"Latinos have strong family values and a solid work ethic, but Latino parents still struggle to keep their children healthy, safe and educated because the majority live in families that are barely scraping by financially," said Janet Murguia, President and CEO of NCLR.
"Our ability to help strengthen Latino families and give their children an opportunity to advance is essential to our nature's future," she said, adding that policies to improve financial stability and opportunites for Latinos are needed.
The report found that although Latino children under 18 make up 22% of the population, they account for 33% of all children living in poverty.
It also found that 92% of Latino children are U. S. citizens, although 58% live in immigrant families with one or more foreign-born parent.
There's one key fact that's of local interest. The report found that among states with large Latino populations, Wisconsin had among the highest share of Latino youth who were overweight or obese--some 52%.
The state with the highest share of overweight or obese Latino youth was Washington with 57%, followed by Pennsulvania with 54%, then Wisconsin. North Carolina had the lowest rate--28%.
High rates of obesity put Latino youth at higher risk for Type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, asthma, hyptertensin and other health problems, the report says.
For the complete data and report go to: www.nclr.org/latinochildwellbeing
This year's May 1 march to push for comprehensive immigration reform and to protest Arizona's new tough law against illegal immigrants will take a different route this year.
The march will start at noon at the offices of Voces de la Frontera, 1027 S. 5th St., and proceed down National Aven.
But instead of going through downtown and to Veteran's Park, the march will go west to S. Layton Blvd. and into Mitchell Park. That’s because the American Cancer Society’s “Making Strides Against Breast Cancer” walk/run had already been booked for the park.
After the march, there will be a festival fund-raiser with food, music and a raffle at Mitchell Park, said Christine Neumann-Ortiz, director of Voces de la Frontera, the organizer of the march.
Much has been said about Arizona's tough new illegal immigration law. But now comes the T-shirt.
The white shirt with black letters reads:"Do I Look 'Illegal"? and sells for $15. It's put out by the Brave New Foundation's Cuéntame, which also has an on-line petition to boycott Arizona until the law is striken down.
"Your appearance, youth clothes, your language, your location, your activities or anything that may trigger suspicion is now grounds for detention," says the web site for the shirt.
"So, in response to this heinous bill, we decided to send the Arizona governor and the state legislature a challenge: Answer this question-Do I look "Illegal'?
The National Conference of State Legislature reports that in the first three months of 2010, more than 1,180 bills and resolutions relating to immigrants and refugees were introduced in state legislatures across the country.
Of those bills, 71 laws were enacted and 87 resolutions adopted in 25 states, the report said. That number compares with 2009 figures when 50 states considered 1,049 bills and resolutions and 25 states passed 35 laws and adopted 40 resolutions. The top issues for the bills covered employment, identification/drivers' licenses and human trafficking.
The report does not include the tough, new Arizona legislation because it wasn't enacted until after the end of the first quarter.


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This is just more chilling, classical, drum n bass than Dubstep.
One of my friends is addicted to this song. He listens to it for up to half an hour. I ask him why he always does. But i already know the answer...Its because this shit is epic.
there was no hardcore/heavy shit in the dubstep. stil verry nice
Go and listen to my other songs if you like! Thanks anyways.
I liked the overall feel with the drums, strings, and piano, but this didn't really seem like a dubstep to me. It has more of a dance/trance/miscellaneous feel.
I agree, just didn't know what to pick.. Thanks anyway!
Cool - I feel like the volume of the track needs to be a little louder.
I do agree with you now that I think of it!
Please contact me if you would like to use this in a project. We can discuss the details.


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Sound all too familiar? It certainly has been for mine in my own healing journey too, I have had to gradually develop the art of saying “NO”, however to this day I can still be triggered with my boundaries within my work load with clients, so it’s a gradual realisation of how to better manages this when it arrises.
HOW TO BEGIN TO SET BOUNDARIES
Know what you want + deserve
Self-awareness is the first step in setting boundaries. In order to know your limits, you have to know what your needs, and expectations are.
Try asking yourself: “What’s my preference?”, “How do I feel about this?”, “How am I feeling right now?”, “Is this something I want to do?”
Our boundaries are shaped by who we are, what we need, and what we want.
The more honest you are with yourself, the more concise your boundaries will be.
After all, if you can’t decide what you want, then others will make that decision for you.
Know your basic rights
In its simplest form, our boundaries are a declaration of our basic human rights.
The Right to…
- Say no without feeling guilty.
- Be treated with respect.
- Make my needs as important as others.
- Be accepting of my mistakes and failures.
- Not to meet others’ unreasonable expectations of me.
By acknowledging, and honouring our rights above in addition to self-awareness we can begin to understand what our boundaries are and “stop people-pleasing.”
Let those around you know
The next step is to communicate your boundaries to those around you.
Even if it’s uncomfortable… Even if the other person doesn’t understand at first… And even if you feel like it might offend someone…
You have a responsibility to yourself to set these limits and to make those limits known. Your wellbeing is a top priority and should come first. After all, we can’t fully be there for others if we aren’t first there to support ourselves.
Also, your boundaries aren’t intended to hurt those around you or negatively impact your relationships. At the end of the day, you are doing this for your own wellness and for the betterment of your relationships with others.
Besides, it is possible to communicate your boundaries in a manner that is direct, honest, and kind. In fact, by approaching it this way your intentions and the significance of your boundaries will be better understood and hopefully better received.
It’s also important to note that boundaries can be flexible. Having an open discussion about each others’ boundaries can lead to compromise and solutions that work to everyone’s benefit.
And if after all that someone just can’t understand or respect your wishes, then that’s on them. Remember, you’re not responsible for the feelings of others.
Get comfortable speaking up for yourself
It’s not always easy to do. Often times we want to please others or simply don’t want to offend anyone.
But these are remnants of an old way of living that has no place in today’s world of long workdays, busy schedules, social media, and juggling more than we often can handle. So it’s time we familiarise ourselves with speaking up for ourselves and get used to saying, “no”.
Again, it is your right to say, “no” and to do so without providing an explanation and without being emotionally responsible for the person you’re saying it too. And it is your right to be heard and to speak up when someone says or does something you deem inappropriate.
So get comfortable saying “no” to the event you don’t want to go too. That activity you don’t want to participate in. That guy you want nothing to do with. Or the extra work shift you don’t need.
Ask for help and support if you need it
It’s important to mention that setting boundaries can be harder and more complicated if you or someone you know is struggling with mental illness, depression, anxiety, or past trauma.
If you are struggling with setting or asserting your boundaries, or if someone is constantly crossing your limits after making them know, please never hesitate to reach out to a mental health professional.
The 6-week group coaching courses that Jenny & I run also help you to process much healthier boundaries too.
Boundaries are crucial for maintaining our overall well-being, especially mentally, as well as honouring our basic human rights and personal desires. Setting and asserting our boundaries helps us conserve our limited energy, and grow out of our comfort zones to gain the confidence and self-worth we all deserve.
So go on – start with one boundary today – you owe it to yourself!


Tech News – The company has reportedly sent out invites for an event which is scheduled for Tuesday, which will also be the platform for the launch of the two smartphones although the company hasn’t mentioned anything regarding the unveiling on the invite. The tagline reads as “inspiration doesn’t only work 9 to 5” which might be a hint for something new.
The Lumia 640 features 5.0 inches IPS LCD display with 720 x 1280 pixels resolution. The device is clocked at Quad-core 1.2 GHz Cortex-A7 paired with Adreno 305, the processor is coupled with 1 GB worth of RAM. It runs on Microsoft Windows Phone 8.1 with Lumia Denim.
It gets an 8MP camera on the rear surface and sports a 1MP camera on its front surface for selfie enthusiasts. Fueling its operations is a Li-Ion 2500 mAh battery for long lasting usage.
The Lumia 640 is available in Glossy cyan, Orange, White and Matte black colour variants. It is in-built with 8GB of internal memory (30 GB free OneDrive and micro SD support up to 128 GB)
The Lumia 640XL sports 5.7 inches IPS LCD display with 720 x 1280 pixels resolution. The handset comes fitted with Quad-core 1.2 GHz Cortex-A7 coupled with Adreno 305 along with 1GB RAM.


Hey there, Nuked here! As much as I love technology, there’s always a risk when it comes to downloading apps. And this recent news about iRecorder Screen Recorder is a prime example of that. According to Ars Technica, this Android recording app started innocently enough, but eventually turned malicious almost a year after its initial release.
The app began recording a minute of audio every 15 minutes and sending it to the developer’s server without the user’s knowledge or consent. This was all done through an encrypted link, making it even harder to detect. It wasn’t until ESET researcher Lukas Stefanko wrote about it in a blog post that the app was finally removed from the Google Play store.
What’s particularly concerning about this situation is that the app had already been downloaded 50,000 times before it was taken down. And as Stefanko points out, apps with similar malicious code have made it past Google’s filters before.
Unfortunately, this isn’t the first time we’ve seen scam apps on app stores. Recorder apps in particular can be problematic with predatory pricing and fake reviews. But what’s truly alarming is when apps turn “evil” after you’ve had them for a while, using the permissions you granted them initially to collect sensitive information from your device.
While iRecorder Screen Recorder may be gone, there’s no telling what other sleeper agents might be lurking on our phones. Fortunately, Google is working on updates that will notify users of any changes in an app’s data-sharing practices. However, it remains to be seen how effective these updates will be in catching malicious apps before they can do any damage.
In the meantime, it’s always important to be cautious when downloading apps and to regularly check for any suspicious activity on your device. Stay safe out there!
That’s all for now. Thanks for reading, and until next time, keep laughing and loving technology!


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Little Nadav is a Peeping Tom. At night, he wanders around his Tel Aviv neighborhood, looking through open windows for signs of life. He watches a woman make love, her perpendicular coitus interrupted when three Army officers ring her doorbell. She knows what they've come to tell her. She passes out. When she awakens, she quickly discerns that the Angels of Death have come to the wrong house.
And little Nadav watches his tempestuous Aunt Nina -- the beautiful young woman with whom he's in love. He writes dirty erotic stories about her that his guidance counselor turns over to his ne'er-do-well father, who calls Nadav "my sweet little shit pie." His mother is a clothing designer who'll see an outfit she likes and tweak it into her own style. His parents are separated, and since the split, his mother has become something of a nymphomaniac, with little time for her son.
He hardly sees his Dad, who's moved to a yeshiva, and who, when the movie opens, is actually dead. Later, as their lives unfold in flashback, Nadav goes to live with him, and they ride around town in a Star of David-topped van packed with bearded evangelicals, who stop at crowded corners to blast their music and dance a vigorous hora.
In Savi Gabizon's award-winning Nina's Tragedies, the events of Nadav's life move back and forth in time in a sort of orderly free association, and we witness all of its bittersweet vivacity through his watchful eyes. It's Ingmar Bergman meets Alex Portnoy, with a tone that moves gracefully from the darkly whimsical to the tragi-comic, and with a heroine who lives in a state of perpetual sadness that only deepens when her husband dies in battle.
Death permeates Nina's Tragedies, which should be no surprise in a film coming from a country so mired in bloodshed for so many decades now. Some of the death is natural, and some of it is not. But the suffering that goes with it is intensely intimate: It's the suffering of individuals for other individuals and for themselves, rather than the suffering of a culture for itself. And yet, it's that, too. For Nina's Tragedies are Israel's tragedies, and everything in Gabizon's film is at once both slice of life and metaphor.
When the rabbis roll Nadav's father off to his funeral, a wheel on the gurney that carries his body wobbles and squeaks. They repair it, but halfway to the cemetery, the trouble returns, as if there's no escaping it. And what do we make of Alex, a gregarious Russian played by the same actor who played Nina's late husband? This casting, which borders on the absurd, allows Gabizon a moment of almost magical realism -- one that reality later explains, and then, in a series of revivifying turns, becomes almost magical again. In Hebrew and a little Russian, with subtitles.


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Are KIM KARDASHIAN and KANYE WEST preparing to move in together? Celebrity gossip websites have learned that the reality star and her rapper boyfriend have put both their homes on the market, which is obviously the first step couples make when they want to live together.
Kim Kardashian is obviously a fan of moving fast when it comes to relationships, so this doesn’t really surprise us. When she was with Kris Humphries, Kim had a ring on her finger after only seven months of dating, was married within three months of getting engaged, and was divorced after 72 days of marriage.
Unfortunately for Kanye, it appears that Kim still hasn’t kicked the habit on moving her relationships along at lightning-fast speed.
According to TMZ:
“Kim Kardashian and Kayne West have both discreetly listed their homes for sale… Kim has given a “pocket listing” to a realtor for her $4.8 mil Beverly Hills home — a pocket listing doesn’t appear in official real estate documents. We’re told Kim‘s asking price is $5 million… Ditto Kanye, who listed his L.A. home as well — again, a pocket listing.”
Coincidence? Heck no.
The site adds:
“Sources close to the couple confirm … both are selling their homes so they can rent a house together. They’re looking for a really private place to live … behind gates.”
We bet they’ll be married by the end of the year.
Photo Via Kanye West‘s Twitter


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Investment decision in Value
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