4th NW Quadrant: The Approval Matrix
From Wet Paint by Mariella Mosthof
Shockingly, the non-surgical fat-burning procedure Kim had done on last night's Real Housewives of Atlanta was not (medically speaking) actually called the Get Skinny Laser. Kim's procedure is called Zerona, and it actually is about as simple as it looked on RHoATL. Patients electing to get this non-surgical, fat-reducing procedure lie under low level, rotating laser lights for 20 minutes on their backs and 20 minutes on their stomachs for circumferential reduction of waist, hips, and thighs.
Translation? It's more of an all-over slimming process than liposuction, where you can target a specific area.
A treatment cycle is typically 6 sessions spread over two weeks, and can run the average housewife anywhere between $1800 and $3000. It works by burning a small pore in the surface of fat cells, causing them to empty their contents and flush out naturally through the body. Some doctors will actually offer a lymphatic massage to encourage the draining process while others simply instruct patients to drink lots of water. The procedure is most effective for patients who are generally healthy and only have a little bit of fat to lose.
Patients lose an average of 3.65 inches total across their waist, hips, and thighs, with zero downtime and zero pain. However, they are encouraged to exercise and maintain a healthy diet to keep up the results.
Translation: eating a slice of pizza during the procedure was probably not doctor recommended, Kim.
Friday, December 31, 2010
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Six Animals That Just Don't Give a F*Ck
3rd NW Quadrant: The Approval Matrix
From CRACKED
6. Mongoose
5. Pen-Tailed Tree Shrew
4. Wolverine
3. Tasmanian Devil
2. Cane Toad
1. Honey Badger
Model's Hair Goes Up In Flames At Diddy's Album Release Party!
3rd NW Quadrant: The Approval Matrix
From Pop Eater By Jett Wells
Diddy wanted to celebrate his new album 'Last Train to Paris' with a big party filled with hot women, but maybe not so hot that they literally caught fire. During a live recording of his record release party on Ustream in London NYC's penthouse suite on Tuesday, a bikini-clad model's hair lit up as she waded in large bath tub surrounded by small candles.
During the recording, actor/comedian Kevin Hart greeted party-watchers while standing in a large bathroom filled with half-naked girls, but as soon as the model's hair caught fire, he flipped out.
"Oh, oh, oh, s**t!" Hart screamed while laughing. "Did the camera catch that? Did the camera catch that? Cut the camera! Cut the camera off!"
From Pop Eater By Jett Wells
Diddy wanted to celebrate his new album 'Last Train to Paris' with a big party filled with hot women, but maybe not so hot that they literally caught fire. During a live recording of his record release party on Ustream in London NYC's penthouse suite on Tuesday, a bikini-clad model's hair lit up as she waded in large bath tub surrounded by small candles.
During the recording, actor/comedian Kevin Hart greeted party-watchers while standing in a large bathroom filled with half-naked girls, but as soon as the model's hair caught fire, he flipped out.
"Oh, oh, oh, s**t!" Hart screamed while laughing. "Did the camera catch that? Did the camera catch that? Cut the camera! Cut the camera off!"
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
ALONE TOGETHER by Sherry Turkle
From Publishers Weekly/Starred Review via Amazon
As the digital age sparks increasing debate about what new technologies and increased connectivity are doing to our brains, comes this chilling examination of what our iPods and iPads are doing to our relationships from MIT professor Turkle (Simulation and Its Discontents). In this third in a trilogy that explores the relationship between humans and technology, Turkle argues that people are increasingly functioning without face-to-face contact. For all the talk of convenience and connection derived from texting, e-mailing, and social networking, Turkle reaffirms that what humans still instinctively need is each other, and she encounters dissatisfaction and alienation among users: teenagers whose identities are shaped not by self-exploration but by how they are perceived by the online collective, mothers who feel texting makes communicating with their children more frequent yet less substantive, Facebook users who feel shallow status updates devalue the true intimacies of friendships. Turkle 's prescient book makes a strong case that what was meant to be a way to facilitate communications has pushed people closer to their machines and further away from each other.
Chernobyl Site Will Open to Tours
From BOSTON By Maria Danilova
Beginning next year, Ukraine plans to open up the sealed zone around the Chernobyl nuclear power plant to visitors who wish to learn more about the disaster that occurred nearly 25 years ago, the Emergency Situations Ministry said yesterday.
Chernobyl’s reactor No. 4 exploded on April 26, 1986, spewing radiation over a large swath of northern Europe, in the world’s worst nuclear accident.
Hundreds of thousands of people were resettled from areas contaminated with radiation fallout in Ukraine, Belarus, and Russia. Related health problems still persist.
The so-called exclusion zone, a highly contaminated area within a 30-mile radius of the exploded reactor, was evacuated and sealed off in the aftermath of the explosion. All visits were prohibited.
Hundreds of thousands of people were resettled from areas contaminated with radiation fallout in Ukraine, Belarus, and Russia. Related health problems still persist.
The so-called exclusion zone, a highly contaminated area within a 30-mile radius of the exploded reactor, was evacuated and sealed off in the aftermath of the explosion. All visits were prohibited.
Yulia Yershova, Emergency Situations Ministry spokeswoman, said experts are developing travel routes that will be both medically safe and informative for Ukrainians as well as foreign visitors.
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
CALLUM INNES | COLM TOIBIN WATER | COLOUR
From SKNY
Innes’s new works on paper are comprised of ethereal squares of complexly layered colour painted on paper with the dexterity and sensitivity for which the artist has become known. The visually charged edges of the squares reveal glimpses of the individual colours in their pure form, giving the viewer an understanding of how the layers interact to create the finished work.
Tóibín’s water|colour tells the story of Nora, a middle-aged housewife struggling with the recent death of her husband and its effect on her family. Tóibín elegantly weaves a poignant tale of loss, depression and, ultimately, the promise of healing, placed against the backdrop of the unique colours of the Irish shoreline. The exhibition will afford a rare opportunity to see Tóibín’s original writing journal in which he committed to paper the first draft of his ideas for the story.
Exhibition: Through December 16, 2010 - January 29, 2011
Sean Kelly Gallery
528 West 29th Street
New York NY 10001
Tel 212.239.1181
Biscotti: Recipes from the Kitchen of The American Academy in Rome
2nd NW Quadrant: The Approval Matrix
From Amazon
The Rome Sustainable Food Project, a program devoted to providing organic, local, and sustainable meals for the community of the American Academy in Rome, has launched a delicious revolution to rethink institutional dining. Headed by chef Mona Talbott, a Chez Panisse alum, and guided by Alice Waters, the menus have given rise to a new, authentic cuisine inspired by la cucina romana, Chez Panisse, and the collective experience of those working in the AAR kitchen. Biscotti is the first book in the series. Each volume, covering a single subject, contains authentic, simple recipes for favorite dishes served at the academy’s communal table, narrated with carefully explained techniques and methods–suitable for both the home cook and the institutional kitchen.
Our first bite into this book project is a sweet one, focusing on fifty biscotti and dolcetti (cookies and sweets). Subsequent volumes in the series will include muffins and scones; pasta, long and short; vegetables; preserves; and more.
From Amazon
The Rome Sustainable Food Project, a program devoted to providing organic, local, and sustainable meals for the community of the American Academy in Rome, has launched a delicious revolution to rethink institutional dining. Headed by chef Mona Talbott, a Chez Panisse alum, and guided by Alice Waters, the menus have given rise to a new, authentic cuisine inspired by la cucina romana, Chez Panisse, and the collective experience of those working in the AAR kitchen. Biscotti is the first book in the series. Each volume, covering a single subject, contains authentic, simple recipes for favorite dishes served at the academy’s communal table, narrated with carefully explained techniques and methods–suitable for both the home cook and the institutional kitchen.
Our first bite into this book project is a sweet one, focusing on fifty biscotti and dolcetti (cookies and sweets). Subsequent volumes in the series will include muffins and scones; pasta, long and short; vegetables; preserves; and more.
Monday, December 27, 2010
FDNY Officials Stop Bob Diamonds' Atlantic Ave Tunnel Tours
1st NW Quadrant: The Approval Matrix
BY MIKE MCLAUGHLIN DAILY NEWS WRITER
Fire department officials halted a popular tour of an abandoned tunnel under Atlantic Ave. yesterday after declaring it a safety hazard.
Transit buff Bob Diamond started tours of the former Long Island Rail Road tunnel in 1982, but FDNY officials said he can't continue because there's only one entrance - via ladder through a manhole near Court St.
"This is not a safe place for the public to be allowed to go," said FDNY spokesman Frank Dwyer. "It's dangerous down there. There's no safe way into and out of the tunnel."
Dwyer said the narrow entrance and ladder would pose a challenge for emergency responders to rescue visitors in the event of an accident.
He also raised concerns about air quality and the use of generators on the street to power the tunnel's lighting.
BY MIKE MCLAUGHLIN DAILY NEWS WRITER
Fire department officials halted a popular tour of an abandoned tunnel under Atlantic Ave. yesterday after declaring it a safety hazard.
Transit buff Bob Diamond started tours of the former Long Island Rail Road tunnel in 1982, but FDNY officials said he can't continue because there's only one entrance - via ladder through a manhole near Court St.
"This is not a safe place for the public to be allowed to go," said FDNY spokesman Frank Dwyer. "It's dangerous down there. There's no safe way into and out of the tunnel."
Dwyer said the narrow entrance and ladder would pose a challenge for emergency responders to rescue visitors in the event of an accident.
He also raised concerns about air quality and the use of generators on the street to power the tunnel's lighting.
Carine Roitfeld Leaves French VOGUE
1st NW Quadrant: The Approval Matrix
From The Time's Magazine By SARAH LEON
The swirl of mystery surrounding Carine Roitfeld’s sudden departure from French Vogue has led to rampant speculation. Where will she go next? Who will replace her? Was she fired? And, if yes, was it because of some unauthorized extracurriculars [... demanding huge sums of money for extracurricular consulting gigs...] or because she stood up to the LVMH [...she was fired as a cause of not complying with a request from LVMH group for the December issue.] group or because she outfitted schoolchildren [Paris Vogue's December issue has hit the newsstands with an editorial spread featuring a bevy of little girls who look barely old enough to write their age in double digits.] to look like smoldering runway models?
From The Time's Magazine By SARAH LEON
The swirl of mystery surrounding Carine Roitfeld’s sudden departure from French Vogue has led to rampant speculation. Where will she go next? Who will replace her? Was she fired? And, if yes, was it because of some unauthorized extracurriculars [... demanding huge sums of money for extracurricular consulting gigs...] or because she stood up to the LVMH [...she was fired as a cause of not complying with a request from LVMH group for the December issue.] group or because she outfitted schoolchildren [Paris Vogue's December issue has hit the newsstands with an editorial spread featuring a bevy of little girls who look barely old enough to write their age in double digits.] to look like smoldering runway models?
Friday, December 17, 2010
THE WALKING DEAD Season Finale Earned 6 Million Viewers!
4th NW Quadrant: The Approval Matrix
From Screen Crave
“The Walking Dead” is on a serious winning streak. This past Sunday AMC aired the show’s first season finale and viewers tuned in in droves. Over the course of the six episode run, each week the numbers have continued to show great improvement with the highest audience clocking in at 5.5 million viewers for the episode entitled “Wildfire.” That seemed like a great feat, that is until the finale earned a total of 6 million viewers!
From Screen Crave
“The Walking Dead” is on a serious winning streak. This past Sunday AMC aired the show’s first season finale and viewers tuned in in droves. Over the course of the six episode run, each week the numbers have continued to show great improvement with the highest audience clocking in at 5.5 million viewers for the episode entitled “Wildfire.” That seemed like a great feat, that is until the finale earned a total of 6 million viewers!
'The Walking Dead' airs Sundays, 10PM ET on AMC.
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
ON THE BRO'D Tumbler by WONDER-TONIC
3rd NW Quadrant: The Approval Matrix
From ON THE BRO'D and Amazon
"On The Road, the most famous of Jack Kerouac's works, is not only the soul of the Beat movement and literature, but one of the most important novels of the century. Like nearly all of Kerouac's writing, On The Road is thinly fictionalized autobiography, filled with a cast made of Kerouac's real life friends, lovers, and fellow travelers. Narrated by Sal Paradise, one of Kerouac's alter-egos, On the Road is a cross-country bohemian odyssey that not only influenced writing in the years since its 1957 publication but penetrated into the deepest levels of American thought and culture."
From ON THE BRO'D and Amazon
"On The Road, the most famous of Jack Kerouac's works, is not only the soul of the Beat movement and literature, but one of the most important novels of the century. Like nearly all of Kerouac's writing, On The Road is thinly fictionalized autobiography, filled with a cast made of Kerouac's real life friends, lovers, and fellow travelers. Narrated by Sal Paradise, one of Kerouac's alter-egos, On the Road is a cross-country bohemian odyssey that not only influenced writing in the years since its 1957 publication but penetrated into the deepest levels of American thought and culture."
COOPER BLACULA.COM
3rd NW Quadrant: The Approval Matrix
From Cooper Blacula
Cooper Blacula is a daily project by graphic designer Mike Joyce of Stereotype Design in New York City.
Tune in once a day to see your favorite film summed up in one brief and broken sentence meticulously set in Cooper Black.
Some of these awkward poetic gems are even offered as wearables available at Palmer & Cash and 2K T-shirts.
From Cooper Blacula
Cooper Blacula is a daily project by graphic designer Mike Joyce of Stereotype Design in New York City.
Tune in once a day to see your favorite film summed up in one brief and broken sentence meticulously set in Cooper Black.
Some of these awkward poetic gems are even offered as wearables available at Palmer & Cash and 2K T-shirts.
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
THE GREAT GAME: Afghanistan
2nd NW Quadrant: The Approval Matrix
From On Stage
The Great Game: Afghanistan explores Afghan culture and history, sparking discussion and debate on what is viewed by many as the most important focus of UK and American foreign policy of our time. Through the eyes of 12 leading British and American playwrights and the voices of those actively involved in the war and on U.S. & NATO policy in Afghanistan, The Tricycle Theatre’s The Great Game: Afghanistan presents, in three separate thrilling and provocative evenings, the culture and history of Afghanistan since Western involvement in 1842 to the present day.
“The Great Game” was a term used for the strategic rivalry and conflict between the British Empire and the Russian Empire for supremacy in Central Asia. The classic Great Game period is generally regarded as running approximately from the Russo-Persian Treaty of 1813 to the Anglo-Russian Convention of 1907. Following the Bolshevik Revolution of 1917 a second less intensive phase followed. The Term “The Great Game” was introduced into mainstream consciousness by British novelist Rudyard Kipling in his novel ‘Kim’ (1901).
In addition to this unique theatrical event, The Shakespeare Theatre Company will be presenting Experience Afghanistan, a two-week long festival coinciding with The Great Game performances consisting of art exhibits, symposia and performances to further explore and celebrate the culture and people of Afghanistan.
From the Tricycle Theatre in London, The Great Game: Afghanistan is a unique three part theatrical event exploring the culture and history of Afghanistan since Western involvement in 1842 to the present day. Performances in New York begin December 1, produced by The Public Theater in association with NYU Skirball Center.
Browse this website for more information about The Great Game: Afghanistan and special events surrounding the New York run.
DECEMBER 1 – 19 at NYU Skirball Center
By Phone: (212) 352-3101 or (866) 811-4111 Mon – Fri 9am – 9pm, Sat – Sun 10am – 6pm.
Online: www.skirballcenter.nyu.edu
From On Stage
The Great Game: Afghanistan explores Afghan culture and history, sparking discussion and debate on what is viewed by many as the most important focus of UK and American foreign policy of our time. Through the eyes of 12 leading British and American playwrights and the voices of those actively involved in the war and on U.S. & NATO policy in Afghanistan, The Tricycle Theatre’s The Great Game: Afghanistan presents, in three separate thrilling and provocative evenings, the culture and history of Afghanistan since Western involvement in 1842 to the present day.
“The Great Game” was a term used for the strategic rivalry and conflict between the British Empire and the Russian Empire for supremacy in Central Asia. The classic Great Game period is generally regarded as running approximately from the Russo-Persian Treaty of 1813 to the Anglo-Russian Convention of 1907. Following the Bolshevik Revolution of 1917 a second less intensive phase followed. The Term “The Great Game” was introduced into mainstream consciousness by British novelist Rudyard Kipling in his novel ‘Kim’ (1901).
In addition to this unique theatrical event, The Shakespeare Theatre Company will be presenting Experience Afghanistan, a two-week long festival coinciding with The Great Game performances consisting of art exhibits, symposia and performances to further explore and celebrate the culture and people of Afghanistan.
From the Tricycle Theatre in London, The Great Game: Afghanistan is a unique three part theatrical event exploring the culture and history of Afghanistan since Western involvement in 1842 to the present day. Performances in New York begin December 1, produced by The Public Theater in association with NYU Skirball Center.
Browse this website for more information about The Great Game: Afghanistan and special events surrounding the New York run.
DECEMBER 1 – 19 at NYU Skirball Center
By Phone: (212) 352-3101 or (866) 811-4111 Mon – Fri 9am – 9pm, Sat – Sun 10am – 6pm.
Online: www.skirballcenter.nyu.edu
RUN AND BECOME: Motivation And Transformation In The Brighton Marathon
2nd NW Quadrant: The Approval Matrix
From VIMEO
Run and Become is a Creative Campus Initiative project run from the Department of Anthropology at the University of Sussex. As well as a cultural project, it is also a research project, aiming to improve our understanding of the human factors involved in training for and completing a marathon run. The two key themes are motivation and transformation. What motivates people to carry on training and carry on running, through the dark days of winter, and when the pain of ‘the wall’ hits them? How are people transformed through the act of training and running a marathon – bodily, emotionally, personally?
The project involved two Sussex students, Helen Kearney and Adam Brickley, who themselves trained for the inaugural Brighton Marathon, which took place on April 18th 2010. During their training, they completed a weekly video diary in which they reflected on their training experiences, their motivation and self-transformation. Two more Sussex students, Sam Pepper and Jenni Rose Human from the Anthropology Department interviewed Helen and Adam, and 30 other participants who were running in the marathon. They used this material to write their dissertations for their final year Anthropology course, The Anthropology of the Body.
This film, and the book and exhibition it accompanies, draws on Helen and Adams' reflections, and the data gathered by Sam and Jenni, together with other popular and academic sources of writing on running. It was put together by the Brighton-based artist, Matt Pagett.
The film follows the route of the Brighton marathon. Stills taken exactly 1 week before the race are combined with film of the race itself. The voice-over focuses on people's experiences of training, and their expectations of the race.
For their help, guidance and advice, we would like to thank: Brighton Marathon, Esporta Brighton Health and Racquets Club, Saucony, Clif Bar, Jubilee Library, The Basement Brighton, School of Global Studies at the University of Sussex, School of Media and Film at the University of Sussex, Cara Courage, Dimitrios Dalakoglou and Hildi Mitchell.
The project has been an opportunity for us all – including the interviewees – to reflect on our running. We hope the insights will also inspire others to contemplate the ultimate running challenge: the marathon.
From VIMEO
Run and Become is a Creative Campus Initiative project run from the Department of Anthropology at the University of Sussex. As well as a cultural project, it is also a research project, aiming to improve our understanding of the human factors involved in training for and completing a marathon run. The two key themes are motivation and transformation. What motivates people to carry on training and carry on running, through the dark days of winter, and when the pain of ‘the wall’ hits them? How are people transformed through the act of training and running a marathon – bodily, emotionally, personally?
The project involved two Sussex students, Helen Kearney and Adam Brickley, who themselves trained for the inaugural Brighton Marathon, which took place on April 18th 2010. During their training, they completed a weekly video diary in which they reflected on their training experiences, their motivation and self-transformation. Two more Sussex students, Sam Pepper and Jenni Rose Human from the Anthropology Department interviewed Helen and Adam, and 30 other participants who were running in the marathon. They used this material to write their dissertations for their final year Anthropology course, The Anthropology of the Body.
This film, and the book and exhibition it accompanies, draws on Helen and Adams' reflections, and the data gathered by Sam and Jenni, together with other popular and academic sources of writing on running. It was put together by the Brighton-based artist, Matt Pagett.
The film follows the route of the Brighton marathon. Stills taken exactly 1 week before the race are combined with film of the race itself. The voice-over focuses on people's experiences of training, and their expectations of the race.
For their help, guidance and advice, we would like to thank: Brighton Marathon, Esporta Brighton Health and Racquets Club, Saucony, Clif Bar, Jubilee Library, The Basement Brighton, School of Global Studies at the University of Sussex, School of Media and Film at the University of Sussex, Cara Courage, Dimitrios Dalakoglou and Hildi Mitchell.
The project has been an opportunity for us all – including the interviewees – to reflect on our running. We hope the insights will also inspire others to contemplate the ultimate running challenge: the marathon.
Monday, December 13, 2010
A COMPLICATED MAN: The Life of Bill Clinton as Told by Those Who Know Him by Michael Takiff
1st NW Quadrant: The Approval Matrix
From Amazon
From Amazon
Though Bill Clinton has been out of office since 2001, public fascination with him continues unabated. Many books about Clinton have been published in recent years, but shockingly, no single-volume biography covers the full scope of Clinton’s life from the cradle to the present day, not even Clinton’s own account, My Life. More troubling still, books on Clinton have tended to be highly polarized, casting the former president in an overly positive or negative light.
In this, the first complete oral history of Clinton’s life, historian Michael Takiff presents the first truly balanced book on one of our nation’s most controversial and fascinating presidents. Through more than 150 chronologically arranged interviews with key figures including Bob Dole, James Carville, and Tom Brokaw, among many others, A Complicated Man goes far beyond the well-worn party-line territory to capture the larger-than-life essence of Clinton the man. With the tremendous attention given to the Lewinsky scandal, it is easy to overlook the president’s humble upbringing, as well as his many achievements at home and abroad: the longest economic boom in American history, a balanced budget, successful intervention in the Balkans, and a series of landmark, if controversial, free-trade agreements. Through the candid recollections of Takiff’s many subjects, A Complicated Man leaves no area unexplored, revealing the most complete and unexpected portrait of our forty-second president published to date.
China's International Standardized Test Scores
1st NW Quadrant: The Approval Matrix
From NY Times By Sam Dillon
With China’s debut in international standardized testing, students in Shanghai have surprised experts by outscoring their counterparts in dozens of other countries, in reading as well as in math and science, according to the results of a respected exam.
American officials and Europeans involved in administering the test in about 65 countries acknowledged that the scores from Shanghai — an industrial powerhouse with some 20 million residents and scores of modern universities that is a magnet for the best students in the country — are by no means representative of all of China.
About 5,100 15-year-olds in Shanghai were chosen as a representative cross-section of students in that city. In the United States, a similar number of students from across the country were selected as a representative sample for the test.
Experts noted the obvious difficulty of using a standardized test to compare countries and cities of vastly different sizes. Even so, they said the stellar academic performance of students in Shanghai was noteworthy, and another sign of China’s rapid modernization.
The results also appeared to reflect the culture of education there, including greater emphasis on teacher training and more time spent on studying rather than extracurricular activities like sports.
From NY Times By Sam Dillon
With China’s debut in international standardized testing, students in Shanghai have surprised experts by outscoring their counterparts in dozens of other countries, in reading as well as in math and science, according to the results of a respected exam.
American officials and Europeans involved in administering the test in about 65 countries acknowledged that the scores from Shanghai — an industrial powerhouse with some 20 million residents and scores of modern universities that is a magnet for the best students in the country — are by no means representative of all of China.
About 5,100 15-year-olds in Shanghai were chosen as a representative cross-section of students in that city. In the United States, a similar number of students from across the country were selected as a representative sample for the test.
Experts noted the obvious difficulty of using a standardized test to compare countries and cities of vastly different sizes. Even so, they said the stellar academic performance of students in Shanghai was noteworthy, and another sign of China’s rapid modernization.
The results also appeared to reflect the culture of education there, including greater emphasis on teacher training and more time spent on studying rather than extracurricular activities like sports.
Friday, December 10, 2010
The Approval Matrix Apologizes To Raymond Felton After Criticizing Him
4th NW Quadrant: The Approval Matrix
From The Approval Matrix 4th NW Quadrant Week of November 29, 2010 and ESPN
From The Approval Matrix 4th NW Quadrant Week of November 29, 2010 and ESPN
Thursday, December 9, 2010
The Global Gender Gap Report 2010
4th NW Quadrant: The Approval Matrix
From The Week
The World Economic Forum's recently released 2010 Global Gender Gap Rankings paint "an appalling portrait" of Prime Minister Silvio Berluscioni's Italy, says Barbie Nadeau in Newsweek. Other European countries have been working toward greater gender equality, says Nadeau, but "Berlusconi has led the charge in the opposite direction, effectively stifling women by creating a world in which they are seen first and foremost as sex objects instead of professional equals." Italy ranked 74th for its treatment of women — seven places lower than when Berlusconi returned to office in 2008, and one of the lowest rankings in the European Union. Here, a brief guide to the place of women in Berlusconi's Italy, by the numbers:
95 percent
The percentage of Italian men who have never used a washing machine
From The Week
The World Economic Forum's recently released 2010 Global Gender Gap Rankings paint "an appalling portrait" of Prime Minister Silvio Berluscioni's Italy, says Barbie Nadeau in Newsweek. Other European countries have been working toward greater gender equality, says Nadeau, but "Berlusconi has led the charge in the opposite direction, effectively stifling women by creating a world in which they are seen first and foremost as sex objects instead of professional equals." Italy ranked 74th for its treatment of women — seven places lower than when Berlusconi returned to office in 2008, and one of the lowest rankings in the European Union. Here, a brief guide to the place of women in Berlusconi's Italy, by the numbers:
95 percent
The percentage of Italian men who have never used a washing machine
N.J. Model Is Indicted For Allegedly Injecting Others With Buttocks-Enhancing Gel
4th NW Quadrant: The Approval Matrix
From NJ by Alexi Friedman
A 28-year-old New Brunswick model who claims to have appeared on “The View” television show has been indicted on charges she practiced medicine without a license, stemming from an incident in March when six women from Essex County ended up in hospitals after receiving buttocks-enhancement injections containing the same material contractors use to caulk bathtubs, authorities said.
The woman, Anivia Cruz-Dilworth, 28, was charged in a three-count indictment, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office announced.
The women showed up in the emergency rooms of area hospitals complaining of problems after having received the buttocks-enhancement injections. An investigation revealed Cruz-Dilworth had injected women with what she described as hydro-gel. Several of the women sustained serious bacterial infections requiring them to undergo surgeries.
The women who underwent these procedures were put in touch with Cruz-Dilworth by word-of-mouth at area beauty salons, said Assistant Prosecutor Peter Sepulveda, who is handling the case. Cruz-Dilworth would visit the women’s homes to perform the procedure. In one case, she did the procedure at her home, a gated community in New Brunswick.
“Her actions caused a lot of harm. Many of these women had to undergo surgery following these illegal procedures," Sepulveda said. “One woman had to undergo five separate hospitalizations and multiple surgeries as a result of the injuries sustained from the unlawfully performed buttocks injections."
In her biography, Cruz-Dilworth describes herself as a 5-foot-10 full-figure model. She says she has been represented by Wilhelmina and Clicks modeling agencies in New York City and has appeared on “The View’’ and in Essence Magazine and Oprah’s O Magazine.
She is scheduled to appear in Superior Court on Dec. 9.
From NJ by Alexi Friedman
A 28-year-old New Brunswick model who claims to have appeared on “The View” television show has been indicted on charges she practiced medicine without a license, stemming from an incident in March when six women from Essex County ended up in hospitals after receiving buttocks-enhancement injections containing the same material contractors use to caulk bathtubs, authorities said.
The woman, Anivia Cruz-Dilworth, 28, was charged in a three-count indictment, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office announced.
The women showed up in the emergency rooms of area hospitals complaining of problems after having received the buttocks-enhancement injections. An investigation revealed Cruz-Dilworth had injected women with what she described as hydro-gel. Several of the women sustained serious bacterial infections requiring them to undergo surgeries.
The women who underwent these procedures were put in touch with Cruz-Dilworth by word-of-mouth at area beauty salons, said Assistant Prosecutor Peter Sepulveda, who is handling the case. Cruz-Dilworth would visit the women’s homes to perform the procedure. In one case, she did the procedure at her home, a gated community in New Brunswick.
“Her actions caused a lot of harm. Many of these women had to undergo surgery following these illegal procedures," Sepulveda said. “One woman had to undergo five separate hospitalizations and multiple surgeries as a result of the injuries sustained from the unlawfully performed buttocks injections."
In her biography, Cruz-Dilworth describes herself as a 5-foot-10 full-figure model. She says she has been represented by Wilhelmina and Clicks modeling agencies in New York City and has appeared on “The View’’ and in Essence Magazine and Oprah’s O Magazine.
She is scheduled to appear in Superior Court on Dec. 9.
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
The Chameleon And Horse In TANGLED
3rd NW Quadrant: The Approval Matrix
From SW
Walt Disney Pictures presents in 2010 "Tangled," one of the most hilarious, hair-raising computer animated feature film tales ever told. When the kingdom's most wanted--and most charming--bandit Flynn Rider (voice of Zachary Levi) hides out in a mysterious tower, he's taken hostage by Rapunzel (voice of Mandy Moore), a beautiful and feisty tower-bound teen with 70 feet of magical, golden hair. Flynn's curious captor, who's looking for her ticket out of the tower where she's been locked away for years, strikes a deal with the handsome thief and the unlikely duo sets off on an action-packed escapade, complete with a super-cop horse, an over-protective chameleon and a gruff gang of pub thugs. In theaters this holiday season 2010 in Disney Digital 3D(TM), "Tangled" is a story of adventure, heart, humor and hair--lots of hair.
This is Pascal, Rapunzel's pet green and ever cute chameleon from the Disney CG animated movie Rapunzel. Rapunzel’s one true friend is her silent, color-changing sidekick, PASCAL. Pascal may be just a small green chameleon, but he plays a big role in Rapunzel’s life. Confidante, coach and cheerleader, Pascal is a driving force behind Rapunzel’s decision to leave her lonely tower.
From SW
Walt Disney Pictures presents in 2010 "Tangled," one of the most hilarious, hair-raising computer animated feature film tales ever told. When the kingdom's most wanted--and most charming--bandit Flynn Rider (voice of Zachary Levi) hides out in a mysterious tower, he's taken hostage by Rapunzel (voice of Mandy Moore), a beautiful and feisty tower-bound teen with 70 feet of magical, golden hair. Flynn's curious captor, who's looking for her ticket out of the tower where she's been locked away for years, strikes a deal with the handsome thief and the unlikely duo sets off on an action-packed escapade, complete with a super-cop horse, an over-protective chameleon and a gruff gang of pub thugs. In theaters this holiday season 2010 in Disney Digital 3D(TM), "Tangled" is a story of adventure, heart, humor and hair--lots of hair.
This is Pascal, Rapunzel's pet green and ever cute chameleon from the Disney CG animated movie Rapunzel. Rapunzel’s one true friend is her silent, color-changing sidekick, PASCAL. Pascal may be just a small green chameleon, but he plays a big role in Rapunzel’s life. Confidante, coach and cheerleader, Pascal is a driving force behind Rapunzel’s decision to leave her lonely tower.
Desert Bus for Hope
3rd NW Quadrant: The Approval Matrix
From Desert Bus by Jer
What is Desert Bus for Hope? We are a charity fundraiser for Child’s Play. We raise money by playing the world’s worst video game, Desert Bus, in exchange for donations. The more money raised, the longer we play. That said, it would be pretty boring just to watch a bunch of people play the world’s worst video game. That’s why we have contests, live auctions, silent auctions, incredible prizes and a complete lack of self respect. We’ll also be accepting challenges to do all manner of silly things (Songs, Dances, Poems, Readings, etc) in exchange for donations.
From Desert Bus by Jer
What is Desert Bus for Hope? We are a charity fundraiser for Child’s Play. We raise money by playing the world’s worst video game, Desert Bus, in exchange for donations. The more money raised, the longer we play. That said, it would be pretty boring just to watch a bunch of people play the world’s worst video game. That’s why we have contests, live auctions, silent auctions, incredible prizes and a complete lack of self respect. We’ll also be accepting challenges to do all manner of silly things (Songs, Dances, Poems, Readings, etc) in exchange for donations.
Monday, December 6, 2010
NASA-Funded Research Discovers Life Built With Toxic Chemical
2nd NW Quadrant: The Approval Matrix
From NASA
NASA-funded astrobiology research has changed the fundamental knowledge about what comprises all known life on Earth.
Researchers conducting tests in the harsh environment of Mono Lake in California have discovered the first known microorganism on Earth able to thrive and reproduce using the toxic chemical arsenic. The microorganism substitutes arsenic for phosphorus in its cell components.
"The definition of life has just expanded," said Ed Weiler, NASA's associate administrator for the Science Mission Directorate at the agency's Headquarters in Washington. "As we pursue our efforts to seek signs of life in the solar system, we have to think more broadly, more diversely and consider life as we do not know it."
This finding of an alternative biochemistry makeup will alter biology textbooks and expand the scope of the search for life beyond Earth. The research is published in this week's edition of Science Express.
From NASA
NASA-funded astrobiology research has changed the fundamental knowledge about what comprises all known life on Earth.
Researchers conducting tests in the harsh environment of Mono Lake in California have discovered the first known microorganism on Earth able to thrive and reproduce using the toxic chemical arsenic. The microorganism substitutes arsenic for phosphorus in its cell components.
"The definition of life has just expanded," said Ed Weiler, NASA's associate administrator for the Science Mission Directorate at the agency's Headquarters in Washington. "As we pursue our efforts to seek signs of life in the solar system, we have to think more broadly, more diversely and consider life as we do not know it."
This finding of an alternative biochemistry makeup will alter biology textbooks and expand the scope of the search for life beyond Earth. The research is published in this week's edition of Science Express.
FIFA World Cup In Russia 2018 and Qatar On Tap for 2022
1st NW Quadrant: The Approval Matrix
From Advisor One by Joyce Hanson
With the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) announcing Dec. 2 the locations of the World Cup in 2018 and 2022, investors who have been thinking about putting their money on Russia and Qatar may want to place their bets now.
The newly announced hosts of the world’s largest sporting event—Russia will handle the 2018 soccer match while Qatar is on tap for 2022—will likely see a boost to their national economies as a result of the hoards of fans who visit, according to investment analyst Ed Kuczma for the New York-based Van Eck Emerging Markets Fund.
“FIFA looks almost like a supernational wealth fund like the International Monetary Fund, like a semi-political organization looking to develop these economies,” Kuczma said. “What these games do is make a push for modernization within these economies and development of infrastructure. It really has a long-lasting impact.”
Russia beat out bids by England, Spain-Portugal and Belgium-Netherlands, and Qatar topped a U.S. bid. Kuczma pointed out, however, that South Africa this year proved that emerging nations are just as able to host the World Cup. And, he added, soccer-mad Brazil has been tapped to host the event in 2014.
To be sure, both countries will now make a huge push to build hotels, redesign airports and modernize roadways. Security will certainly be a concern, as well, especially considering Qatar’s location in the Middle East. A highlight of this flurry of infrastructure activity will revolve around Qatar’s construction of nine stadiums in a country where temperatures can reach a high of 122 degrees Fahrenheit.
From Advisor One by Joyce Hanson
With the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) announcing Dec. 2 the locations of the World Cup in 2018 and 2022, investors who have been thinking about putting their money on Russia and Qatar may want to place their bets now.
The newly announced hosts of the world’s largest sporting event—Russia will handle the 2018 soccer match while Qatar is on tap for 2022—will likely see a boost to their national economies as a result of the hoards of fans who visit, according to investment analyst Ed Kuczma for the New York-based Van Eck Emerging Markets Fund.
“FIFA looks almost like a supernational wealth fund like the International Monetary Fund, like a semi-political organization looking to develop these economies,” Kuczma said. “What these games do is make a push for modernization within these economies and development of infrastructure. It really has a long-lasting impact.”
Russia beat out bids by England, Spain-Portugal and Belgium-Netherlands, and Qatar topped a U.S. bid. Kuczma pointed out, however, that South Africa this year proved that emerging nations are just as able to host the World Cup. And, he added, soccer-mad Brazil has been tapped to host the event in 2014.
To be sure, both countries will now make a huge push to build hotels, redesign airports and modernize roadways. Security will certainly be a concern, as well, especially considering Qatar’s location in the Middle East. A highlight of this flurry of infrastructure activity will revolve around Qatar’s construction of nine stadiums in a country where temperatures can reach a high of 122 degrees Fahrenheit.
BLUE VALENTINE
1st NW Quadrant: The Approval Matrix
Friday, December 3, 2010
The Kardashian Rip-Off Prepaid Debit Card
4th NW Quadrant: The Approval Matrix
From CS by Laurent Belsie
Prepaid debit cards are not the best of deals. They come with lots of fees without all the protections of a credit card.
But even by those standards, the Kardashian debit card stood out for its high fees: a $9.95 activation fee and charges of $7.95 per month, with a $1.50 fee to call customer support and a $6.00 fee to shut down the card.
Which is why reality quickly caught up with the E! reality-show sisters. Criticized by personal-finance guru Suze Orman and on the verge of an investigation by Connecticut's attorney general, the Kardshians through a lawyer said Monday they no longer wanted their names associated with the card.
Later in the day, University National Bank and its partner, The Revenue Resource Group LLC, pulled the plug on the venture. Launched Nov. 9, the Kardashian Kard didn't last a month.
Existing cards will be active for 30 days and then receive refunds of any balances and any pre-paid fees, University National Bank said in a statement.
So how many people actually ponied up for the celebrity card? All of 250, according to the bank.
From CS by Laurent Belsie
Prepaid debit cards are not the best of deals. They come with lots of fees without all the protections of a credit card.
But even by those standards, the Kardashian debit card stood out for its high fees: a $9.95 activation fee and charges of $7.95 per month, with a $1.50 fee to call customer support and a $6.00 fee to shut down the card.
Which is why reality quickly caught up with the E! reality-show sisters. Criticized by personal-finance guru Suze Orman and on the verge of an investigation by Connecticut's attorney general, the Kardshians through a lawyer said Monday they no longer wanted their names associated with the card.
Later in the day, University National Bank and its partner, The Revenue Resource Group LLC, pulled the plug on the venture. Launched Nov. 9, the Kardashian Kard didn't last a month.
Existing cards will be active for 30 days and then receive refunds of any balances and any pre-paid fees, University National Bank said in a statement.
So how many people actually ponied up for the celebrity card? All of 250, according to the bank.
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Kurt Vonnegut Memorial Library Opens In Vonnegut's Hometown, Indianapolis
2nd NW Quadrant: The Approval Matrix
From Huffington Post by Matt Sledge
Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.'s depiction of his home town of Indianapolis swung between admiration and contempt, but it always conveyed a basic sense of longing. A new museum there showcases the complicated feelings the novelist felt for the city in which his mother bore him -- and killed herself.
Now open on weekends and open full-time in 2011, the Kurt Vonnegut Memorial Library has been a labor of love for volunteers like President Julia Whitehead and her board, which includes all of Vonnegut's children and friend Morley Safer. Although its collection is still taking shape, it features a virtual reliquary of Vonnegut's personal effects, many of which will be familiar to readers of his novels. And, in a nod to the man's own visual inclinations, his squiggly collaborations with printmaker Joe Petro are also given pride of place.
While Vonnegut bitterly lampooned the placelessness of Midwestern life in Breakfast of Champions with his portrait of a fictional "Midland City" based on Indianapolis, he also wrote warmly of the way the very flatness of the region could inspire "awe for an Edenic continent stretching forever in all directions." After leaving Indiana for Cornell and and the Army, Vonnegut often looked back, but never returned for very long. The Vonnegut presented by the exhibits in this small but worthwhile museum is at once unassuming and extraordinary, much like the city that shaped him.
From Huffington Post by Matt Sledge
Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.'s depiction of his home town of Indianapolis swung between admiration and contempt, but it always conveyed a basic sense of longing. A new museum there showcases the complicated feelings the novelist felt for the city in which his mother bore him -- and killed herself.
Now open on weekends and open full-time in 2011, the Kurt Vonnegut Memorial Library has been a labor of love for volunteers like President Julia Whitehead and her board, which includes all of Vonnegut's children and friend Morley Safer. Although its collection is still taking shape, it features a virtual reliquary of Vonnegut's personal effects, many of which will be familiar to readers of his novels. And, in a nod to the man's own visual inclinations, his squiggly collaborations with printmaker Joe Petro are also given pride of place.
While Vonnegut bitterly lampooned the placelessness of Midwestern life in Breakfast of Champions with his portrait of a fictional "Midland City" based on Indianapolis, he also wrote warmly of the way the very flatness of the region could inspire "awe for an Edenic continent stretching forever in all directions." After leaving Indiana for Cornell and and the Army, Vonnegut often looked back, but never returned for very long. The Vonnegut presented by the exhibits in this small but worthwhile museum is at once unassuming and extraordinary, much like the city that shaped him.
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