CONWAY, Massachusetts (Reuters) - Rain and high winds lashed U.S. Northeast and mid-Atlantic states early Thursday, knocking out power to more than 330,000 homes and businesses bracing for a coming snowstorm.
Gusty winds of up to 77 miles per hour battered parts of New England and a high wind advisory remains in effect until 6 p.m. for northern Connecticut, most of Massachusetts, and southern New Hampshire, the National Weather Service said.
Thunderstorms rolled across the Northeast early on Thursday morning, toppling trees and downing utility lines. Among the hardest hit areas were Connecticut, where about 71,000 customers had no electricity, Long Island, with about 34,000 customers out, and New Jersey, where about 27,000 customers were without power, according to utility reports.
Raging winds tore the roof off of an elementary school in Fall River, Massachusetts, sending bricks and other debris crashing to the street below, local media reported. A large section of the roof of another elementary school, this one in Raynham, south of Boston, also was blown off, with some debris landing across the street. No one was reported injured.
Early morning bursts of wind and rain also caused traffic accidents. In Centerville, Massachusetts, on Cape Cod, a teenage girl crossing the street to board a school bus was seriously injured after being hit by a car in what police called a weather-related crash, local media said. In Boston, a toppled tree fell on an ambulance on its way to pick up a patient. No injuries were reported.
From Friday through the weekend, a series of storms threatens to dump snow from the Midwest to New England and the mid-Atlantic, according to meteorologist Alex Sosnowski on Accuweather.com. Slick conditions could snarl the Friday morning commute to Washington, D.C., and Baltimore, he said.
(Additional reporting by Scott DiSavino; Writing by Barbara Goldberg; Editing by Nick Zieminski)
Yisrael Beytenu chairman launches a scathing attack on the UNHRC over call on Israel to withdraw from Judea and Samaria.
Elad Benari, February 2, 2013
Yisrael Beytenu chairman, former Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman, on Thursday evening launched a scathing attack on the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) which said earlier that Israel must withdraw all of its citizens from the regions of Judea and Samaria.
"The UN Human Rights Council once again proved today that there is no connection between its name and its nature,? said Lieberman, noting that the UNHRC does not show any interest in the ongoing mass murders in Syria.
?The only thing this Council is engaged with is ways to try to harm Israel,? Lieberman wrote on his official Facebook page.
Lieberman noted that during his tenure as foreign minister he had ordered that Israel cut all ties with the UNHRC, adding that the United States, Canada and the European Union had previously said that the UNHRC?s constant pursuit of Israel is disproportionate.
?There is no need to reply to the Council?s distorted report on Jewish construction in Judea and Samaria,? he said.
?We will continue to build and live in our country and they will continue to try and hurt the Zionist activities through baseless and pointless reports whose place is in the garbage heap of history.?
In a report it issued earlier on Thursday, the UNHRC wrote that "Israel must, in compliance with Article 49 of the Fourth Geneva Convention, cease all settlement activities without preconditions.?
?It must immediately initiate a process of withdrawal of all settlers from the occupied Palestinian territories,? said the report.
Israel?s Foreign Ministry responded in a fiery statement immediately to the report, which claimed that Jewish settlement activity only ?hampers peace efforts.?
In response, Foreign Ministry spokesman Yigal Palmor said, ?The Human Rights Council has sadly distinguished itself by its systemically one-sided and biased approach towards Israel.
?This latest report is yet another reminder of that,? he added.
The UNHRC has a history of passing numerous biased resolutions condemning Israel for various alleged ?crimes? each year.
Earlier this week, Israel became the first country to boycott a UNHRC review of its rights situation, sparking heated debate among diplomats on how to respond.
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Who doesn't love a parade? Dancing, music, balloon versions of cartoon characters; what a blast! But what if you were at a parade that never ended? After a while, the parade would not be so amusing -- it would be torture! In a sense, each of us has a parade in our heads. A parade of thoughts. Our minds relentlessly produce judgments, memories and worries, whether we want them to or not. Dealing with a nonstop parade of intrusive and distressing thoughts can have a seriously negative impact on your life. However, observing the patterns of your thoughts will enable you to more effectively cope with them.
Sometimes your thoughts will be a disorganized mess that leaves you exhausted and hopeless. Imagine hosting a dinner party and feeling overwhelmed with the number of preparations that need to be made. Instead of focusing on one thing at a time, your mind erratically jumps first to the menu, then to decorations and then to the guest list in just a few seconds. Not fun!
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Alternatively, thoughts may feel ingrained and repetitive, making us wish for a different thought, no matter what it may be. This often occurs when we feel resentment. If a co-worker spreads a nasty rumor about you, your thoughts will likely be fixated on what this person said and what other people think. You may also find yourself rehearsing a scathing rant in preparation for the glorious day when you give that person a piece of your mind. Sound familiar?
In previous "Cloud Nine" articles, I've discussed how to mindfully observe thoughts and how to challenge and change your thoughts. In addition to these two reliable techniques, allow me to offer a third alternative: "Focus and Flow*."
The first step of Focus and Flow is to breathe in and tightly embrace whatever thoughts are in your head. Take ownership of them, round them up and face them.
To Focus, close your eyes, breathe in and say silently to yourself: "Clear mind, clear mind, clear mind . . ." This should help you feel more in control of your thinking and give you a sense of calmness and clarity. By repeating the phrase "clear mind," you are asserting yourself in the midst of your distressing thoughts. Think of this like clearing off a cluttered desk: You could try to ignore the clutter, you could feel discouraged by it or you can calmly gather it all up into one big pile. Try it right now and see how it feels.
The second step of Focus and Flow is to breathe out and let the thoughts go. Now that you've assembled a large heap of clutter, push it off the desk and onto the floor. Surrender and trust as you freefall into the unknown.
To Flow, keep your eyes closed, breathe out, and say silently to yourself: "Don't knowwww . . . . . . ."
When doing this, you may feel a sense of relief and freedom. Regardless of what thoughts you are having, give yourself the gift of feeling completely unattached to them. The phrase "don't know" is meant to distance yourself from rigid thinking; no matter how real a worry or opinion seems to you, you can always question its validity. As I've discussed in a previous article, assumptions are often insufficient; there is always more information to learn. Take a moment to inhale and Focus again, followed by a Flow as you exhale.
Now, continue Focusing and Flowing for about five minutes. Each time you inhale, experience strength, firmness and stability. Each time you exhale, feel detachment, lightness and trust. If you need a momentary break, take a breath just on its own before continuing with the exercise. With time, inflexible thoughts will feel more loose and less dominating; chaotic thinking will become more organized and manageable.
With Focus and Flow, you can discover a healthy balance between firmly anchoring yourself in thought and freeing yourself from mental monotony. So next time the thought parade drags on, breathe in and Focus. "Clear mind, clear mind, clear mind . . ." Now that you feel stable, rooted and in control of your thoughts, toss them away and Flow. "Don't knowwww . . . . . . ."
Keep at it and there may be an end to that parade after all!
We commonly think that post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is something that only combat troops face. It?s thought of as an effect only of war. But that?s not the whole story.
Through news reports and media coverage we are also aware of the ripples and problems PTSD can create in the lives of many brave military members after they return home. But what if I was to tell you that people who have lived through difficult financial problems can also suffer from PTSD?
Debt Related PTSD and FInancial PTSD Quietly Hurts Many ? Click to Tweet
Your first reaction to such a statement would probably be ?that?s not possible? or ?that?s not true.? But in fact it is possible and it is true that many people have struggled with debt related PTSD.
It?s quite possible that Dave Ramsey?s entire efforts to talk people out of bankruptcy are based not on logic or reality but on the unresolved PTSD he faced after living through his financial problems.
Dave Ramsey?s unawareness of what was actually happening to him is not a unique occurrence. In fact I might also be just one such person that was struck with debt related PTSD.
Years ago Pam and I recorded a video about our experience with our financial problems and if you watch this section of that video you can hear us described symptoms that we experienced.
While I had previously associated post-debt depression with the financial struggles we had. After doing the research for this article I think that what we actually lived through was most similar to some PTSD experiences.
Society minimizes the impact that a problem debt has on lives. Those suffering with problem debt are often disparagingly labeled. But the fact remains, that no matter how someone landed in financial trouble, they still must deal with the trauma and find a way out.
Money problems have two primary components. The first is the actual events that led to the financial trauma but the second is that of the aftermath and impact that financial trauma has on the individual lives.
It would be wrong to label people with debt in negative ways without realize many are suffering with what could be easily classified as post-traumatic stress disorder and need to seek help for that illness.
[Financial] Trauma: ?An emotional state of discomfort and stress resulting from memories of an extraordinary, catastrophic experience which shattered the survivor?s sense of invulnerability to harm.? (Trauma and its Wake, Charles Figley, Ph.D.)
This article introduces a common condition we have heard much about, PTSD, and the reality that many traumatized by money troubles actually suffer from the psychological impact of PTSD related difficulties and without treatment and/or awareness it can dramatically alter the otherwise healthier path in life that could be possible after money troubles.
And that detour in life from debt related PTSD does not began after the event is over, but once the trauma has been felt. The presence of PTSD also hurts the ability for the individual to deal with their debt in a healthy way. Dr. Goulston, a psychiatrist, describes what he calls the ?Four Ds of Financial PTSD,? debt, dependency, distrust and denial. Those conditions hold people back from making good and level-headed decisions about how to best deal with their debt.
I can?t tell you how many times I?ve had people tell me that they are stuck not knowing what to do to get out of debt or following their financial problems they want to avoid credit because they don?t want to face that pain again. They mistakenly continue to link credit with the retraumatizing feeling that occurs when they think about having good credit again. Good credit in their minds equals pain because the good credit led to problem debt and the problem debt led to pain.
The reality is most likely their financial PTSD is keeping them linked in behavior that actually holds them back from escaping the bonds of their lingering emotional debt. By not taking action or only taking avoidance action to deal with their debt they circle in a nearly perpetual cycle of self-fulfilling financial unhappiness.
Some say their money troubles have left them distrusting and depressed. And I?ve talked about the impact of denial in the process of dealing with debt in my article on the seven stages of debt.
The Seven Emotional Stages of Debt
A financial collapse can lead to the same emotional reactions as those experienced by those facing other traumatic events. It?s not the exact nature of the event that leads to PTSD, but how the trauma impacts the individual.
This example from psychiatrist Dr. Mark Goulston shows the way many people have felt living through their money troubles. I remember similar feelings myself.
Dr G: How big a trauma has losing all this money been?
Client: Big.
Dr. G: How big?
Client (now beginning to cry with upset and relief): I can?t even think about it.
Dr. G: What does it make you want to do?
Client: I don?t know. I guess, just hide. (He then continues to speak about this for several minutes).
Dr. G: How well do you think you could handle another trauma with your wife, children, parents, health?
Client (looking at me incredulously): Are you nuts? I couldn?t.
Dr. G: What do you think you?d do?
Client: I couldn?t even imagine. (He continues to speak about this for several minutes).
Dr. G: So, you?re as scared as you?ve ever been.
Client: More than I?ve ever been. ? Source
Lind Friend, a practicing psychotherapist for many decades has also witnessed the same PTSD symptoms in people experiencing financial loss and worries. She describes the PTSD symptoms as, ?anxiety, sleeplessness, heart palpations, overreacting, irritability, excessive worry, a sense of doom, loss of interest in normal events, emotional numbing, and flashbacks to traumatic events.? ? Source
Dr. Maggie Baker, another experienced in anxiety, depression and financial issues, says she sees ?patients suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). These patients are grappling with the psychological burden that results from catastrophic losses.?
Dr. Baker states the symptoms of financial PTSD are easy to recognize. Ask yourself the following questions:
Do you think about your money more in the last few weeks?
Are you worried about the current and future performance of your 401(K)?
Do you wake up at night with persistent memories of the 2008 financial collapse?
Have any small events (such as friend asking if you are going on vacation) caused you anxiety or worried money thoughts?
Do you feel a jolt of anxiety when financial statements arrive?
Do you avoid opening or reading your financial statements?
Do you have a growing sense of fear, helplessness and hopelessness?
If 4 or more of your answers are YES, then you are being held captive to the symptoms of PTSD. ? Source
Sarah who lived through debt said, ?When I was debt, it didn?t just feel like ?stress?- it felt like my life was falling apart. It also left me wondering if I will ever shake the feeling that I could lose everything again at the drop of a hat.?
There have been a limited number of studies about the effects of financial problems and the result of PTSD. One such study was published in 2012. In that study by Audrey Freshman (Freshman, A. (2012). Financial disaster as a risk factor for posttraumatic stress disorder: Internet survey of trauma in victims of the madoff ponzi scheme. Health and Social Work, 37(1), 39-48.) she stated:
There are no known studies to date examining the risk of PTSD associated with sudden and dramatic personal financial loss. A Web-based, online, nonprobability convenience survey of 172 Madoff victims (56% female; mean age, 60.9 years) using the Posttraumatic Stress List Checklist, civilian version was conducted 8 to 10 months following the focal event.
Sociodemographic information and data concerning anxiety/depression and health-related concerns were gathered by self-report questionnaire. A five-point Likert-type scale was used to assess victim response to government regulatory systems.
Results demonstrated that a majority of respondents (55.7%) met criteria for a presumptive DSM-IV-TR diagnosis of PTSD, and as a group, respondents acknowledged high levels of anxiety (60.7%), depression (58%), and health-related problems (34%). Victims overwhelmingly affirmed a substantial loss of confidence in financial institutions (90%). This raises a public health concern as to governmental response and counseling needs during times of severe economic trauma.
Dr. Goulston, who I previously mentioned, describes in an interview which you can listen to here, some key experiences of those with debt PTSD.
Goulston: I think what goes on for a lot of people, something that I call the ?Four D?s of financial PTSD,? and that?s debt, dependency, distrust and then our denials in working. And what that means is when you?re in debt, whenever someone calls you to try to get money from you, it re-traumatizes you, it makes you realize how you don?t have what you thought you had. And then, when you feel that vulnerable, you reach out ? who can I depend on? Who can I rely on? I?ll call my stock broker, I?ll call my financial person. I?ll read the news. And then what happens is when you hear the news changing from day-to-day, you feel I can?t trust anyone.
So when you?re in a state of feeling like the world is trying to take more money from you and you don?t even have that much leftover, and who can you depend on, because you don?t know what you can do under your own control, and the people that you have trusted, you can?t trust anymore. It puts you into this real state of irritability, almost brittleness, fragility. And that?s where the fourth D is, what allows us to get through life is denial that functions?
Moon: ?I?d rather not think about it.?
Goulston: There you go. I mean, if we were aware of how dangerous it is to drive, how dangerous it is to fly, all the side effects of every medication we take ? if we didn?t have healthy denial, we would be frozen. So I think what?s happening is people are living with these four D?s constantly, which leads to ?so what do you do about it?? So any thing that?ll help you regain a sense of control will help you feel better. And also, talk with each other and you listen to each other, makes it better.
Moon: What are some of the warning signs, if you will, that you might be experiencing this?
Goulston: OK, warning signs are you feel a change in your personality, you tend to be irritable, you snap at people, you?re withdrawn. But the key signs for PTSD is that you tend to relive the event over again, either in dreams or you even have flashbacks when you read the newspaper. And you want to avoid it, you want to avoid being re-traumatized, because if you?re feeling vulnerable and you get another hit, a lot of people feel shattered, I just won?t come back. And then the third thing is that you have this increased arousal in your hyper-vigilance. So you can?t ever totally lower your guard. And if you think about it, think about that you can never lower your guard, so you never know what it?s like to relax.
PTSD is an anxiety disorder following a traumatic event like injury, death or even something as emotional as the death of your financial like.
The symptoms of PTSD fall into three main categories:
?Reliving? the event, which disturbs day-to-day activity
Flashback episodes, where the event seems to be happening again and again
Repeated upsetting memories of the event
Repeated nightmares of the event
Strong, uncomfortable reactions to situations that remind you of the event
Avoidance
Emotional ?numbing,? or feeling as though you don?t care about anything
Feeling detached
Being unable to remember important aspects of the trauma
Having a lack of interest in normal activities
Showing less of your moods
Avoiding places, people, or thoughts that remind you of the event
Feeling like you have no future
Hyperarousal
Difficulty concentrating
Startling easily
Having an exaggerated response to things that startle you
Feeling more aware (hypervigilance)
Feeling irritable or having outbursts of anger
Having trouble falling or staying asleep
You might feel guilt about the event (including ?survivor guilt?). You might also have some of the following symptoms, which are typical of anxiety, stress, and tension:
Agitation or excitability
Dizziness
Fainting
Feeling your heart beat in your chest
Headache ? Source
According to the National Institute of Mental Health to be diagnosed with PTSD, a person must have all of the following for at least 1 month:
At least one re-experiencing symptom
At least three avoidance symptoms
At least two hyperarousal symptoms
Symptoms that make it hard to go about daily life, go to school or work, be with friends, and take care of important tasks. ? Source
It?s one thing to now recognize the reality that PTSD can be experienced by many as a result of financial trauma or debt trauma, but what now?
Currently there are a number of therapies for those that suffer from PTSD. But the most important step to take is the one that allows you to either reach out to someone suffering and guide them towards help or to seek help if you are the one struggling with these issues.
The most common avenues of treatment are counseling, therapy, medication, or a combination of all. If you are looking for help you should talk to your physician about a referral for help with anxiety counseling or find a local mental health professional that has experience with PTSD or anxiety counseling. You may also want to use the links provided here.
With treatment, you can actually learn to get past these issues and resume a more emotionally stable and healthy life again.
In my personal situation the financial trauma I lived through decades ago is still easily recalled and felt as if it was yesterday. But the good news is that it long ago stopped controlling my life because I took action and steps to deal with my trauma.
Ironically, helping others with their debt problems was probably a real blessing for my recovery. It helped me to see I was not alone and that my issues were not catastrophic but actually trivial compared to many people face in debt.
But my experience dealing with debt was not unique. Take Dave Ramsey for example, all you have to do is listen to his traumatic tales of his financial problems and you can begin to see some glimpses of the impact debt had on his life and how he struggle with the emotional implications of his financial stress.
Dave says things like ?I?ve never forgotten how painful it was for both of us,? Dave says. ?I feel that pain to this very day.? ? Source. He also says, ?Bankruptcy is a gut-wrenching, life-changing event that causes lifelong damage? and ?Bankruptcy. That word sends chills up the spine. If you?re facing the prospect of bankruptcy or you?re in the middle of it right now, you know it?s a living nightmare. It can devastate your job, destroy your marriage and steal your peace of mind? and ?Bankruptcy is listed in the top five life-altering negative events that we can go through, along with divorce, severe illness, disability, and loss of a loved one. I would never say that bankruptcy is as bad as losing a loved one, but it is life-altering and leaves deep wounds both to the psyche and the credit report.? ? Source.
It?s very possible that Dave?s disgust with bankruptcy and credit cards is not a position based on logic as I talked about here, but the remaining bits of his unresolved debt PTSD issues he faced.
21 of 21 people found the following review helpful
This review is from: Empowerment: You Can Do, Be, and Have All Things (Paperback)
I had a teacher when I was in college who frequently said, ?Know your limitations?? For the most part, I think that most of us don?t have any problem with knowing our limitations. I think that most of us would like to know what we are truly, truly capable of being, doing, and having.
Because I am on a (sometimes)conscious Spiritual Path, I try to remind myself at least 1,000 times a day that the Living Spirit of God is within me and around me in each and every moment; that I arise out of Spirit, like a wave arises out of the ocean; that just like an apple tree is an apple seed, God is within me wanting to burst forth and be all that I can truly be. This isn?t true just of me, this I know and feel and sense is true of you, as well, because if you were really living out your God Self, you wouldn?t be looking for books on how this can be done.
Y?see, most of us are identifying ourselves as bodies. We look in the mirror and we say, ?This is who I am?? We think that all that we are is located between the top of our heads to the soles of our feet and that we have a certain amount of potential sandwiched in between the two.
But that?s not true. We don?t have potential. We are potential.
There are times when I feel like I?ve wasted my life. I think of all the things that I haven?t yet done and I forget about all the things that I have. And it is in those times that I must make even more of an effort to get clear, to be still, to know and to feel and to sense that Spirit is within me and around me now and I can be all things through this Power, I can do all things through this Strength, I can have all things through this Incredible Love that knows nothing of the past and certainly knows nothing of limitations.
This book is a beautiful book of reminders. John Randolph Price has a way of saying things that really touch me at a core level. He has a very practical way of putting these, sometimes, very abstract metaphysical principles to work so that you can really see how these principles are always working in your life. There is a common misconception in metaphysics that we can use the Power of the Mind to create what we want in our lives, yes, we can but we cannot not use the Power of the Mind. In fact, it is the ONLY POWER we can use because it is the ONLY POWER there is.
So ?flex? your power now and make the decision to get this book and to use this book consciously. Let?s stop knowing what our limitations are and start knowing more of what is truly, truly possible for ourselves, for each other, and for the world. We are the hands and feet, ears and eyes of God?of Love?of Life Itself.
Peace & Blessings.
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MINNEAPOLIS (AP) ? Coach Rick Adelman has returned to the Minnesota Timberwolves after spending three weeks with his ailing wife. He rejoins a club that lost nine of 11 games in his absence.
In some ways, Adelman may need the Wolves as much as they need him.
Adelman ran practice on Monday and said he planned to be on the sideline against the Clippers on Wednesday night if all continued to progress with Mary Kay Adelman, who was being treated for an undisclosed condition. Adelman said he wanted to wait to return until he got the feeling that he would be back for good. He said his wife's condition is improving and he hopes that the worst of it is behind them.
"It's hard," Adelman said. "I've never done this. It's never happened. But there's some things that are more important than basketball or anything else. I think the team understands that. Hopefully things will settle down here now."
The Wolves have suffered long-term injuries to Kevin Love, Brandon Roy, Chase Budinger, Josh Howard and Malcolm Lee and recently Nikola Pekovic and Alexey Shved went down with injuries that have kept them out for more than a week now.
Ricky Rubio is still working his way back from a torn ACL in his left knee last March, and with no healthy stars and no head coach, the Wolves have crumbled in January.
A team that started the season with expectations of making the playoffs for the first time since 2004 is 17-24, good for 12th place in the demanding Western Conference. They have lost four straight games, including a back-to-back on the road last weekend at Washington and Charlotte, where the Bobcats snapped a 16-game home losing streak.
Adelman has been in constant contact with his coaching staff throughout his absence, speaking Porter daily and talking with president of basketball operations David Kahn about any possible roster moves that can be made. He returned to the team for a brief meeting on Jan. 16, both to apprise his players of his personal situation and try to give them a pep talk to get through a grueling stretch.
"Even having him in the practice, it's already a big deal," forward Andrei Kirilenko said of his coach's return. "You feel the positive emotions get back. You were feeling down but now you feel everything getting back to normal."
Whatever difficulties the Wolves have slogged through on the court have no doubt paled in comparison to Adelman's trials off of it.
Those who know Adelman well speak with fondness about his love for Mary Kay, and the rare smiles that are seen on the curmudgeonly coach's face usually come before games Mary Kay attends, when he looks for her in the stands and gives her a wave before pregame introductions.
The intensely private Adelman has made an effort to keep Mary Kay's situation out of the public eye. Two of their sons also work for the team, with R.J. in the front office and David on the coaching staff. Both have remained at work while their father has been away.
"They're looking better," Adelman said. "We're going to take it each day as it comes."
___
Follow Jon Krawczynski on Twitter: http://twitter.com/APKrawczynski
The author of ?1984?, George Orwell, once said, ?The quickest way to end a war is to lose it.?
In the preamble to the U.S. Constitution, among the priorities listed is to ?provide for the common defense? of the nation. After having fought a six-year war during the Revolution and replaced the failed Articles of Confederation, the framers of the Constitution, many of whom had fought beside George Washington, well understood the need for a standing army and navy to protect the new nation.
In the nation?s earliest years, Americans repeatedly elected Presidents with military credentials and experience. In addition to Washington they included Monroe, Jackson, Harrison, Tyler, Grant, Teddy Roosevelt, Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon, Carter, Reagan, Bush41 and 43. FDR had served as Secretary of the Navy.
In recent times, two Presidents, Clinton?a draft dodger?and Obama have had no military experience to draw upon. Over the objections of their generals, both introduced policies to include and protect homosexuals in the U.S. military services. Now the doors have been opened to permit women to fight beside men. The military is not a place where one conducts social experiments. It?s a place where men go in harm?s way to protect the nation.
Today, thanks to the failure of the Congress to address America?s spending and growing debt problems, the U.S. military faces a draconian ?sequestration??massive cuts to the defense budget?that would so seriously decrease the nation?s ability to defend itself and project power globally, that it reminds one of the failure to maintain a strong military that required a massive effort to get up to speed after the Japanese Empire?s attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941. The WWII declaration of war included the Nazi Third Reich that threatened the United Kingdom, all of Europe, and Russia.
A recent Rasmussen Reports poll found that 40% of likely voters ?believe the United States spends too much on defense and national security? while only 22% disagree and 32% believe the amount spent is about right. This is a definition of stupidity.
A nation requires a standing army, navy, coast guard, and air force, along with a trustworthy banking system. After the 2008 financial crisis?the result of government policies regarding housing?we had to bail out the banking system to the tune of billions. Today we face the prospect of a military that is flying an aging fleet of airplanes, has a navy that has as few ships in service as we had at the end of World War I, and a volunteer military that requires that support of thousands of civilian personnel.
Out-going Secretary of Defense, Leon Panetta, has been loudly warning that the result of any spending cuts would be ?catastrophic.?
One can argue that we have spent a fortune in treasure and blood in the Middle East since 2001, but only the most foolish would argue that America and the West is not facing the greatest threat in its history since Moslem armies were defeated at the doors of Europe in 732 AD and 1529 AD.
In a recent press conference, Panetta said that the practical results of the proposed cuts in defense would be less training for units not imminently deploying to Afghanistan; less shipboard training for all but the highest priority missions; less pilot training and fewer flight hours; curtailed ship maintenance and disruption to research and weapons modernization programs. He described it as the hollowing out of the defense force of the nation.
Noting that members of our military are fighting and sometimes dying to defend our nation, Panetta said, ?Those of us in Washington need to have the same courage as they do to do the right thing and try to protect the security of this country. We must ensure we have the resources we need to defend the nation and meet our commitments to our troops, to our civilian employees, and to their families, after more than a decade of war.?
Courage and common sense are two elements that are missing in Washington these days.
Retired General Paul E. Vallely, U.S. Army, states the case bluntly. ?President Obama is working very hard to destroy U.S. military superiority, consciously and unconsciously to the advantage (of) our global enemies in an attempt to seize control over national security and (in) another overt attempt to bypass Congress, the Obama administration may have already made this play as of this writing.?
Joined at the press conference by Army General Martin E. Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Dempsey described sequestration as ?a self-inflicted wound on national security?, bluntly saying it was ?an irresponsible way to manage our nation?s defense. It cuts blindly and it cuts bluntly. It compounds risk and it compromises readiness.?
Americans are largely unaware that our air fleet is the oldest in Air Force history, worn down by two-plus decades of combat dating back to the 1991 Gulf War. The average age of the fleet exceeds a quarter of a century. The U.S. Navy is a mere shadow of itself. Under normal operations one third of the fleet is in repair, one third is in port for the rest and relaxation of sailors, leaving approximately 90 ships to patrol the seven seas to protect American interests. There are about 800,000 civilians that provide support to our services and nearly 1.4 million in the active-duty military.
We have until March to know whether Congress will take action to repeal sequestration and replace it with the steps everyone with a lick of sense knows must be taken; reforming the nation?s tax code, reforming Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid to avoid their impending failure, reductions in the spending and borrowing that has imposed more than $16 trillion in debt, and reform of the spiraling avalanche of regulations that are choking the nation?s economic recovery.
How serious is it? Gen. Dempsey warned that operations, maintenance and training will be gutted. ?We?ll ground aircraft, return ships to port, and sharply curtail training across the force. (We) may be forced to furlough civilians at the expense of maintenance and even health care. We will be unable to reset the force following a decade of war.?
?Within a year, we?ll be unprepared,? said Gen. Dempsey.
An American pastor who has been jailed in Iran since September has been sentenced to eight years in prison, the U.S. State Department said Sunday.
Spokesman Darby Holladay said the department is calling on Iran to respect Saeed Abedini's human rights and release him.
Earlier this month, Iran's semi-official news agency, ISNA, quoted Abedini's attorney, Nasser Sarbazi, as saying his client stood trial in the Revolutionary Court on charges of attempting to undermine state security by creating a network of Christian churches in private homes.
The pastor, who is of Iranian origin but lives in Boise, Idaho, has rejected the charges.
"Mr. Abedini's attorney had only one day (Jan. 21) to present his defense, so we remain deeply concerned about the fairness and transparency of Mr. Abedini's trial," Holladay said.
'Devastated' Following the court presentation, ISNA quoted Sarbazi as saying the court would issue its verdict later, and that Abedini would be allowed to leave Iran and meet his family in the U.S. after posting bail.
"The promise of his release was a lie," said the pastor's wife, Naghmeh. "With today's development, I am devastated for my husband and my family. We must now pursue every effort, turn every rock, and not stop until Saeed is safely on American soil."
Her comments were provided by the Washington-based American Center for Law and Justice, which focuses on constitutional and human rights law around the world. The center is representing the pastor's family in the United States.
Holladay said the State Department is in close contact with Abedini's family and actively engaged in the case. Abedini and his wife have two children.
"We condemn Iran's continued violation of the universal right of freedom of religion," Holladay said.
I thought Not Pacman—a version of Pac-Man that uses gravity to control the yellow hungry monster—was awesome and needed to be ported to iOS and AndroidASAP. Gizmodo reader Pierre-Yves Gatouillat agreed with that opinion and he did just that. He sent this via email: More »
How do I create a podcast and make money? Nowadays this question is becoming more and more popular. If you have ever listened to, or subscribed to, a podcast, then you already know how convenient they are. You simply subscribe to the podcast, and it is downloaded as updates are available. Then, you can listen to the podcasts at your convenience, regardless of whether you are online or offline.
So, given the popularity of podcasts, have you ever considered the idea of creating your own podcast? If not, perhaps you should. The podcast has truly liberated the notion of free broadcasting in that anyone with the right equipment (which usually costs less than a few hundred dollars, not including internet access) can broadcast online.
Just as with any other endeavor, there are steps that the experts recommend be implemented before the first episode.
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How To Podcast Like A Pro
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1 ? Plan Your Podcast
When creating a podcast, as tempting as it may be to jump in, feet first, it is always best to plan ahead and organize. Know your topic, and organize the material well so that it flows naturally. Failure to plan will make your podcast seem awkward, lack direction, and will lose listeners very quickly. It is a good idea to choose a topic that you are passionate about, as you are more likely to convey your enthusiasm about a topic that captures your own interest. In turn, it will capture the interest of others.
Write out a few dot points on some subjects you would like to cover over the course of the cast, that way you stay on track and your audience will not get lost in your discussion.
(Image Courtesy of?Cam Knows)
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2 ? Set The Stage
In podcasting, ?setting the stage? is a metaphor for deciding how your podcast is going to be formatted. Will you be speaking alone? Will you be engaging in dialogue with someone else? Will you be adding music to enhance the podcast? The possibilities are only limited by the boundaries of your imagination. There are no legalities to restrict your creativity with one exception: if you do plan to use music in your podcast, make sure that you have all of the appropriate permissions from the artist(s) and recording companies. Or, if you have musical talent, you may simply create your own music.
Also, as a postscript to the legality of podcasts, common sense should come into play. Use of material that is illegal in nature is not encouraged and may result in criminal action being taken against you. Again ? just use common sense.
(Image Courtesy of Siamese Puppy)
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3 ? Create A Professional Recording Location
The volume of background noise that exists in our lives would probably amaze us if we really noticed it. As we live and grow in our surroundings, we learn to ?tune out? background noises and only notice noises if they are unusually loud, sudden, or strikingly different from the normal background noise that is always there.
To the contrary, when recording audio, every decibel of background noise is not only audible to the listener, it can be distracting and annoying. Furthermore, most normal rooms have a faint echo which is also magnified when recording.
When setting up your location for podcasting, the smaller the surroundings, the better. Also, having some sort of insulating surface around the recording area will help to absorb the sound of your voice and prevent the bounce-back effect of an echo. As strange as it may sound, a good way to practice podcasting is to do so in a clothes closet, as long as you are not claustrophobic. The surrounding clothing will absorb the excess noise and the improvement in voice quality will be significant. Once this has been completed as a test, strive to achieve similar quality in the broadcast location.
(Image Courtesy of?Travis Estell)
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4 ? Prepare Your Gear
You can get your hands on a fairly reasonable condenser studio mic for as little as $200 USD with a wind muff to stop those ?pff? sounds when you blow or speak loudly into the mic. It also pays to purchase an MBox or a good quality sound card for your computer, this will allow you to record your podcast in CD quality (320kbps). You will need a mixer to run your Mic?s through, just make sure the mixer has ?Phantom Power?, to power your condenser mic. A mixer is also great for expanding out the number of mic?s as you introduce more guests on your show.
You will need a nice set of Headphones,?preferably?the over ear ones and as far as software goes, you can use either Logic, Pro Tools or if you are on a pretty tight budget then ?Garage Band? will even do the trick. There are other multi track recording and editing programs but those three came to mind as a great tool for tracking your podcasts.
(Image?Courtesy?Of?mbrown)
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5 ? Create A Great Environment
Make sure your environment is as comfortable as possible and really set the scene, put up a funny poster ,an awesome view of Manhattan or a canvas print of Muhammad Ali knocking out his competition to inspire your thoughts while podcasting, it?s all really up to personal preference. Famous Podcaster, ?Joe Rogan? even has mannequins with ?Storm Trooper? helmets on them to jazz up his studio. Let your imagination run free and create a cool vibe in the room.
The more professional and personalised the setup, the more serious you will take your podcasting.
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6 ? Promote Your Podcast
This part is just as important as creating your podcast itself. How is anyone going to hear your podcast if you keep it all to yourself? Add a ?Get on Youtube, Twitter, Facebook, Google+ and start promoting your show and posting snippets of your clips. Create a community on Google+ that is aligned with what you talk about and start discussions with those like-minded people so that you can share your show with them also.
Most people will only listen to the first 30 seconds of a podcast, so make sure you are always giving your ?A! Game? and you are showcasing what you feel will be a highlight of what your podcast REALLY has to offer the world. If they like what they hear then they will listen, then hopefully share your podcast also with their Facebook friends and Twitter/YouTube followers.
All the pros are publishing their podcasts in the iTunes Store, the best way to do this would be:
Alternatively, you can navigate to the submission page this way:
Open iTunes.
Click the iTunes Store icon in the Source list.
From the?Choose Genre?pop-up menu, choose?Podcasts.
Click the big ?Publish a Podcast? button in the middle of the screen.
Note:?The iTunes team reviews each podcast submission. Depending on demand, it may take a week or two before your podcast is added.
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How Can You Make Money Podcasting?
Podcasting is a lucrative means of earning a solid income online. To effectively use podcasting to generate earnings, it is always a good idea to follow the examples of others who have been successful in an endeavor such as this. Some examples of successful podcasters include:
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Joe Rogan,?a?UFC commentator, comedian?and?the host of?the hit TV show?Fear Factor?runs his own personal podcast ?The Joe Rogan Experience?. His show is raw and uncut, with some really out there, yet incredible life advice which is shared by Joe and his mix mash of guests every week.
Joe Rogan?endorses a new supplement brand called ?Onnit? who have proven to deliver great results for their customers. Not sure how much kickback?Joe Rogan?gets for endorsing the Onnit brand but it would be a great idea for anyone who has a large number of listeners to contact some brands who relate to your audience for sponsorship.
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Kevin Kastner, no not the actor, but a guy who podcasts the well known ?Alaska TV? once broadcasted via a podcasting network. Networks provide a modicum of security by reaching a broader listening audience; however, Kastner was dissatisfied with splitting his profits with the network. He decided to break away from the network, seek his own sponsors, and keep the earnings. His efforts were successful, as his earnings spiked more than 200% in the first year.
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Royce Hildreth, who co-produces a podcast which is of interest to pregnant women, utilizes a system that is more or less a hybrid of the network vs. self-sponsored arrangements.
He has an arrangement with a media company where he can solicit his own sponsors, and the media company will take care of inserting the ads for him. This is done on a flat-fee basis, which Hildreth stated has worked out well.
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Don McAllister, who podcasts ?ScreenCastsOnline?, believes his system is among the best. He provides some podcasts free, and charges a flat fee (usually around $55) for the others.
The free podcasts serve as ?teasers? which generate the interest in the paid broadcasts.
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In Summary
The above tips and techniques are only highlights of podcasting for fun or profit. As long as the broadcaster is passionate and knowledgeable about the material being podcasted, the rest is easy.
PHILADELPHIA ? Ryan Arcidiacono hit the tying 3-pointer with 2.2 seconds left in regulation, and James Bell hit consecutive 3s in overtime to send Villanova to its second win over a Top 5 team this week, 75-71 over No. 3 Syracuse on Saturday.
The Wildcats defeated No. 5 Louisville 73-64 on Tuesday and became the first unranked team to beat two Top 5 teams in the same season since Florida State in 2011-12, according to STATS LLC.
Arcidiacono's 3-point attempt to tie with about 25 seconds left in regulation was off the mark. Syracuse's Michael Carter-Williams missed the front end of a 1-and-1 and JayVaughn Pinkston of the Wildcats grabbed the rebound.
Bell missed a 3 and Mouphtaou Yarou grabbed the offensive rebound. Syracuse decided not to foul, giving Yarou time to kick it out to Arcidiacono. He let go a leaner from just beyond the 3-point line to tie the game at 61, force overtime and send the crowd into a frenzy.
With the Orange (18-2, 6-1 Big East) down two points in overtime, Brandon Triche made one free throw with 46.5 seconds left.
Bell followed with a layup to for a 71-68 lead and the Wildcats (13-7, 4-3) held on from the free throw line.
Philly's college fans came down with a case of court-storming fever this week after Villanova's win over Louisville and La Salle's 54-53 win the next night over No. 9 Butler. At the Wells Fargo Center, home of the NHL's Flyers, the fans made it a Philly hoops hat trick, rushing the court in celebration of one of the biggest regular-season weeks in Villanova history.
Florida State beat No.3 North Carolina and No. 4 Duke in its big week.
Darrun Hilliard scored 25 points and Yarou had 14 points and 16 rebounds for the Wildcats while Bell scored 13 points.
Triche led the Orange with 23 points and Carter-Williams scored 17 points. The Orange had an eight-game winning streak and both of their losses came to Philadelphia teams. They lost to Temple on Dec. 22.
The Orange clearly could have use James Southerland in the tight game. Southerland, second on the team in scoring at 13.6 points and the team leader with 33 3-pointers, was declared out indefinitely because of an eligibility matter involving academics that has yet to be resolved.
Jerami Grant, who played well in Southerland's absence, fouled out with 5:22 left and the Orange up one. His fifth foul was against Hilliard. Hilliard missed both from the line, the Orange stormed down in transition off the defensive board, and Triche hit a 3 for a 57-53 lead.
The Orange just could never put them away. They missed six of eight shots in overtime and were only 5 of 14 overall from 3-point range.
Grant's 3-pointer early in the second half gave the Orange their first lead of the game, 33-32.
The Wildcats gave all the students standing behind each basket and dressed in white an early reason to think they would be rushing again. They opened the game on a 10-0 run and stretched the lead to 25-13. But the fun didn't last long.
Triche, a 50 percent shooter on the season, hit Syracuse's first 3-pointer of the half to slice the lead to four. He tipped in a basket at the buzzer to cut the lead to 32-26.
Syracuse missed 10 of its first 14 shots and finished at 29 percent for the half.
The digital video revolution started as soon as personal computers and laptops became common in each household. Due to the engaging and immersive nature of digital videos, consumers have turned to them for entertainment, education, and interactivity. By mid- to late 2000s, worldwide PC shipments reached all-time highs and the number of personal computers in use all over the world hit one billion, so the number of viewers of online video content blew up to unimaginable proportions.
Over the years, video streaming website YouTube has dominated most of our computer screens. Search engine giant Google even bought it for $1.65 billion back in 2006 for its huge income-generating potential, making it one of the biggest acquisitions for the Mountain View, CA-headquartered company to date. Lately, however, new players have started spiraling into the digital video space to threaten and challenge YouTube?s supremacy as the ultimate video sharing site. But what?s really happening here?
Online video consumption isn?t limited to certain devices anymore
Today, watching online videos has become better since viewing capabilities aren?t limited to laptops and desktops anymore. The rapidly increasing proliferation of tablets, smartphones, and other internet-capable mobile devices also fuel the demand for video viewing. This infographic from SundaySky clearly states that 50% of tablet users and 20% of smartphone users watch video content, so it?s highly possible that this has some sort of influence over the growing number of videos viewed across the web.
Discovery is being taken to an entirely new level
AllThingsD stated in this article that the most critical element in increasing consumer demand for web videos is discovery; and I couldn?t agree more. Spotify already made its mark in music discovery. Pinterest has already created a whole new realm for creativity and inspirational ideas. Instagram has cemented its place as the destination for finding tagged and stylized photos. User-generated video content has yet to see an aggregate site that will emerge to the top, and no such service has been able to make a patchwork quilt out of the bazillion videos available out there. And while YouTube continues to keep its stronghold in this area, users have started looking for other alternatives or sources to discover more videos, especially now that other video-viewing devices are within arm?s length.
Additionally, more and more businesses are willing to spend money to get their product ?discovered? via videos. Some companies choose to enhance customer experience and engagement through video tutorials, personalized product introductions, and other witty and creative video marketing methods to increase their appeal to consumers. A good example of a company that leverages videos to communicate with audiences is cloud phone system provider RingCentral. Check out their video below to see a simple example of this audio-visual marketing method:
Available hardware and software makes it simpler to create video content
The availability of tools such as DSLR and point-and-shoot cameras and the declining software costs has provoked a surge in video production ? both homemade and professional-grade. Moreover, these tools have become simplified to a great extent; they?re more user-friendly and accessible that they have even enabled grandmas to record, upload, and distribute videos by themselves.
TV networks and other similar content creators are being forced into this type of distribution model
Another interesting shift in terms of online video production and consumption involves the large TV networks and film outfits. Major players in the industry have started to produce more online video content in hopes of tapping more audiences or expanding their reach. Major television networks such as CBS and NBC are now starting to distribute some of their shows online to sustain viewership. Disney and other similar companies have embarked on offering exclusive content to drive more revenue and at the same time keep control over their content.
As video content continues to multiply, online video consumption will surely continue to expand. Advancements, smarter methods, and new trends are expected to develop over the next few years in terms of creating or distributing content that is intended to sink into the senses of most consumers.
Author: Nancy Perkins????
Nancy is actively writing about business, technology, health, fashion and lifestyle. Her passion for writing has lead her to work with a few known websites in their respected industries?. View?full?profile
A New Jersey high school teacher has been arrested for allegedly having a sexual relationship with a student, authorities said.
Jennalin Garcia-Calle, a 28-year-old algebra teacher at Plainfield High School, was arrested Thursday in Davie, Fla., and charged with second-degree sexual assault and fourth-degree child abuse.
According to prosecutors, Garcia-Calle began the relationship with the 16-year-old boy in December. Prosecutors allege that at least three sexual encounters occurred in a classroom inside the school.
"The boy is not at a stage in his life where he's able to make that type of legal and quite frankly mature enough decision," said Union County Prosecutor Theodore Romankow.
Authorities became aware of the alleged relationship after the student told a family member what had happened. Students at the high school said the boy also bragged about the relationship to classmates.
"They both knew what they were doing, they both knew they were wrong," said senior Imani Campbell.
Prosecutors said Garcia-Calle realized her relationship with the boy had been discovered, prompting her to check into a rehabilitation center in Florida, as well as send the boy messages asking him to erase certain evidence. U.S. marshalls traced those messages and arrested Garcia-Calle.
For more visit NBCNewYork.com
She is being held without bond in Florida, awaiting extradition to New Jersey.
The Plainfield Board of Education has placed Garcia-Calle on an administrative suspension.
Information on an attorney for Garcia-Calle was not immediately available.
At the start of NAMM 2013, Roland announced two new models in its Cube line and an iOS app to complete the trio. Both the Cube Lite and Cube Lite Monitor are on display in all of their dual-connecting glory, but we're far more interested in the former for its guitar amp wares. The 10W compact unit touts built-in JC Clean, Crunch and Extreme tones alongside Chorus and Reverb controls. We were pleasantly surprised with how well these on-board sounds came across at the strings of a Stratocaster during the booth demos we witnessed. Usually included presets can be really hit or miss, but these are quite serviceable -- especially in a portable unit. As you might expect, all of the usual controls are here including volume, treble, bass and drive and the requisite 1/4-inch input graces the backside. That's all quite nice, but the real story here is the iOS software and aux connectivity.
That iOS app, Cube Jam, allows you to record and play along with tunes from your iDevice and connects via the i-Cube Link stereo auxiliary input from the headphone jack of a slate or handset. We were a bit disappointed that the connection didn't come at the hands of a 30-pin jack or Lightning port, but overall the unit worked quite nicely in our limited time with it. The separate volume control for the aux port is quite nice and allows the user to adjust levels of the amp and the accompanying track independently to keep things just so. We'd surmize that you'd be able to connect an Android, BB10 or WP8 device for playback, if you're willing give up the Cube Jam software. Cube Lite also requires a tethered power supply and doesn't support Bluetooth connectivity like we saw on the iLoud from IK Multimedia. If you don't have a need for the guitar functionality, the Cube Lite Monitor wields the same 1/8-inch input, but offers stereo 1/4-inch jacks instead and tosses the in-built tones. Head on past the break for a quick tour and a closer look awaits in the gallery just below.
The internet has effectively ruined the suspense of waiting to see high profile Super Bowl commercials, but Audi attacks the crucial pre-game timeframe this year using a different tack.
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The setup: A high schooler is iffy about attending prom on his own until his dad lends him the keys to the family S6. After a spirited drive to school (which includes parking in the principal's spot), the newly emboldened kid kisses the prom queen. Three subsequent outcomes will be voted on by the YouTube Nation over a 24 hour period, and the winning selection will air during the big game.
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We're not sure the concept is pulled off with enough ?lan to warrant the hoopla Audi has earned in years past, especially with clever spots like this?occupying a solid spot in the pantheon of the greatest Super Bowl car commercials of all time. But if you don't mind feeding Audi's obligatory pre-Superbowl hype machine, you can view the proto-ads on Audi's official YouTube channel?before the winner is announced on January 26.
SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Twitter Inc, the social network known for its 140-character messages, hinted at the direction of its evolution on Thursday with the launch of a new streaming video service for smartphones.
The service, called Vine, records six-second-long video clips, which can then be seamlessly embedded within tweets.
The foray into video marks the beginning of a new thread in Twitter's development, which evolved from a simple SMS text-messaging service in its early days into a platform that now delivers multimedia content.
Privately held Twitter, which was founded in 2006 and is now expected by analysts to go public within two years, has spent the past year encouraging marketers to use its multimedia capabilities to deliver ads.
"Like Tweets, the brevity of videos on Vine (six seconds or less) inspires creativity," Michael Sippey, a Twitter vice president, said on the company's blog.
Twitter's increasing emphasis on delivering video through its network has stirred speculation that it could eventually host longer content and grow into a bona fide media broadcaster.
The network has supported embedded YouTube videos since 2009, but for the first time, Twitter itself will host video content with Vine.
Thursday's roll-out was the product of Twitter's 2012 acquisition of Vine, then a three-person startup based in New York. Twitter has spent recent months integrating Vine's video technology into its service, as well as launching Vine as an independent app for Apple's iPhone.
(Reporting By Gerry Shih; Editing by Leslie Adler)
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) ? Full of shimmer and swing, San Francisco's sleek new jazz concert hall opened Wednesday with an opening night gala featuring McCoy Tyner, Chick Corea and Esperanza Spalding aimed at cementing respect for and expanding the reach of the jazz idiom on the West Coast.
Called SFJAZZ Center, the 700-seat specially designed concert hall nestled in the heart of the city's arts district was brightly lit amid a light rain and attracted a crowd of hundreds with a high-energy, inaugural celebration emceed by Bill Cosby.
Cosby played percussion during the night's first number, along with several others including Oakland percussionist John Santos.
"This is just fabulous, it's a tremendous opportunity for everyone here," Santos said.
Billed as the first freestanding building in the West built for jazz performance and education, the center opened Wednesday after raising more than $60 million over more than a decade to build a home for SFJAZZ, the nonprofit that puts on the city's jazz festival.
A building that stood opposite the hall was decked out with giant black-and-white photographs of jazz greats.
"This is the revival of the jazz scene in San Francisco," said attorney and attendee Kirk Boyd.
After three decades of renting trucks to drop off pianos and drums for gigs at outside venues, spokesman Marshall Lamm said the organization was delighted to open a permanent home, which soon will boast a New Orleans-style cafe and cocktail lounge led by The Slanted Door's chef Charles Phan.
"It's just not like someone inherited some money and they built a building," said San Francisco bassist, jazz composer and bandleader Marcus Shelby. "This a concept and idea and practice that has been developed for decades and this building is the result of all of that hard work to give the West Coast a venue that has to be respected."
Wednesday, the show drew celebrities including Tom Waits, Danny Glover, Amy Tan, former Secretary of State George Shultz and hundreds of other jazz aficionados.
The venue will need to play multiple, distinct roles: attract exclusive, high-level performers, support local musicians and school groups such as the SFJAZZ High School All-Stars and celebrate the legacy of the city's Fillmore District.
A half-century ago, hundreds of black-owned businesses including jazz and blues nightclubs thrived in the Fillmore, then nicknamed "Harlem of the West." After the government decreed the area blighted, wrecking balls erased many such hotspots and forced thousands of people from the neighborhood through eminent domain. After a decades-long urban renewal project by the federal and local governments, the Fillmore was reshaped ? and gradually jazz clubs have started coming back.
None, organizers say, will have the weight and promise of SFJAZZ Center, whose acoustics are custom designed to showcase the sound coming off the stage and enhance the listener's experience.
"For the musicians to flow, it requires a stage where you can hear very clearly, " said Sam Berkow, who designed the acoustics and sound system for SFJAZZ Center as well as Jazz at Lincoln Center. "For the audience watching the band, with seating around the stage you'll get that collective sense of the listening experience, which is important when musicians are not just playing a chart but offering a solo in response to the crowd's energy."
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Associated Press photographer Eric Risberg contributed to this report.
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Follow Garance Burke at http://www.twitter.com/garanceburke
How do I create a podcast and make money? Nowadays this question is becoming more and more popular. If you have ever listened to, or subscribed to, a podcast, then you already know how convenient they are. You simply subscribe to the podcast, and it is downloaded as updates are available. Then, you can listen to the podcasts at your convenience, regardless of whether you are online or offline.
In podcasting, ?setting the stage? is a metaphor for deciding how your podcast is going to be formatted. Will you be speaking alone? Will you be engaging in dialogue with someone else? Will you be adding music to enhance the podcast? The possibilities are only limited by the boundaries of your imagination. There are no legalities to restrict your creativity with one exception: if you do plan to use music in your podcast, make sure that you have all of the appropriate permissions from the artist(s) and recording companies. Or, if you have musical talent, you may simply create your own music.
You can get your hands on a fairly reasonable condenser studio mic for as little as $200 USD with a wind muff to stop those ?pff? sounds when you blow or speak loudly into the mic. It also pays to purchase an MBox or a good quality sound card for your computer, this will allow you to record your podcast in CD quality (320kbps). You will need a mixer to run your Mic?s through, just make sure the mixer has ?Phantom Power?, to power your condenser mic. A mixer is also great for expanding out the number of mic?s as you introduce more guests on your show.
Make sure your environment is as comfortable as possible and really set the scene, put up a funny poster ,an awesome view of Manhattan or a canvas print of Muhammad Ali knocking out his competition to inspire your thoughts while podcasting, it?s all really up to personal preference. Famous Podcaster, ?Joe Rogan? even has mannequins with ?Storm Trooper? helmets on them to jazz up his studio. Let your imagination run free and create a cool vibe in the room.
This part is just as important as creating your podcast itself. How is anyone going to hear your podcast if you keep it all to yourself? Add a ?Get on Youtube, Twitter, Facebook, Google+ and start promoting your show and posting snippets of your clips. Create a community on Google+ that is aligned with what you talk about and start discussions with those like-minded people so that you can share your show with them also.
