Wine Makes the Winter Go Quickly

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0nG2LoDOe3to55j-f06Y0gW8Bq9NsNHj0sbU-s3ToyV8MVtHD8i20pgtAu_rk-AXiQxh4jt6B2VOtl-BuRWsppozRL_rqbHzg_al6vJ56K0OHxeUA8-hyCrj8t9ikxgV1qXPmbi_4CXw/s1600/Matt-Man.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0nG2LoDOe3to55j-f06Y0gW8Bq9NsNHj0sbU-s3ToyV8MVtHD8i20pgtAu_rk-AXiQxh4jt6B2VOtl-BuRWsppozRL_rqbHzg_al6vJ56K0OHxeUA8-hyCrj8t9ikxgV1qXPmbi_4CXw/s320/Matt-Man.jpg" width="265" /></a>Cheers and a cordial Friday to you all.  Matt-Man here.<br /><br />A Matt-Man who is feeling, shall we say, slightly moderated and oh, I don’t know, rustic, in the sense of sharp cheese, crusty bread, washed back with a good wine kind of way.<br /><br />Yes indeed, my friends.  I do get to feeling this way at this time of year…The time of year when the January winds blow cold and raw, ushering in nothing but snow…and ice…and of course, the gray, low hanging skies of despair.<br /><br />This is the time of year when the light of the sun is turned way down low, and the howling winds along with the banshee cries of crows foraging for parking lot French Fries thrown asunder by Wal*Mart shoppers, de-harmonize into a cacophony of every awful 70’s porn sound track ever made.<br /><br />And as the low winter sky dims, and the discordant symphony echoes through every forest, glen, and valley, Mother Nature and Old Man Winter get their groove on above us.<br /><br />As their sick and surreal bodies writhe in pleasure during their frigid and frozen lovemaking, we, against our collective will, become the recipients and caretakers of their offspring.<br /><br />The winter twins known as, <i>Heartache</i> and <i>Sorrow</i>.<br /><br />But my friends, do not allow your timbers to be shivered, for there is hope.  There is a panacea that helps to preempt the evil duo’s procreation and prevent the prodigy of the pernicious winter pair from visiting your parlor.<br /><br />I discovered it years ago during the, <i>I Lost My Big Toe Due to Hypothermia Winter of Aught Three</i>. It is called…<b>Wine</b>.<br /><br />I know.  I know.  Matt-Man is a big beer drinker you say in disbelief, but c’mon, as you know, I also enjoy my share of Wild Irish Rose.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhzRIXLql8X34Pc7Oru5EOhmzXGAGYqtBAGK98IBXct4U5WSU8AZ1V5tUa6NpmoK625JgeCzo7csPrs5sbBvfpywnK0hLS7UleFUYvBrgWHL28pRq8fwBrmpmOhUT2fC5p9bk838nU9Ao/s1600/FLOWERFACE.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhzRIXLql8X34Pc7Oru5EOhmzXGAGYqtBAGK98IBXct4U5WSU8AZ1V5tUa6NpmoK625JgeCzo7csPrs5sbBvfpywnK0hLS7UleFUYvBrgWHL28pRq8fwBrmpmOhUT2fC5p9bk838nU9Ao/s400/FLOWERFACE.JPG" width="250" /></a>I know. I know. You reply once more, <i>“But that’s not really wine. That’s a death sentence.”</i>  Please…it is more than wine; it’s a life giving force.  However…<br /><br />If you’re not into the, in your face force of Wild Irish Rose, you can always drink a wine called <i>Flowerface</i> in order to get you through the doldrums of winter.<br /><br />I have tried it and I love it; although for me, it does have one drawback…It has an actual cork.  As more of connoisseur of twist off wines, I was at first hesitant, but…<br /><br />I fear the cork no longer, and will drink it again and again especially in the winter, and why is that, you ask?<br /><br />In addition to the well-noticed, but not overpowering taste, it is perhaps the most aromatic wine I have ever had.  The aroma is prefect for winter drinking, because once you open the bottle, it smells like spring.<br /><br />When I opened a bottle of <i><a href="http://www.mcmimports.com/home/" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Flowerface</span></a></i> the other night and the aroma embraced my nose, I was envisioning dancing naked ‘neath a warm and life-giving vernal rain shower, as flowers budded and burgeoned around me, and my neighbor screamed, <i>“Why are you dancing naked in my garden?  I’m calling the police!!”</i><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">And while the dancing naked in a neighbor’s garden may be a bit of poetic license on my part, the smell of the <i><a href="http://www.mcmimports.com/home/" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Flowerface</span></a></i> wine that I experienced, is not.  It is very good.</div><br />So there you have it.  Matt-Man being helpful as always, and helping you to get through the doldrums of winter with my ultimate word of advice…<br /><br />Drink more wine, and if you’d like to drink a bottle of what Spring feels like, contact<i> <a href="http://www.mcmimports.com/home/" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">MCM Imports</span></a></i> and they can hook you up on where to get some <i>Flowerface</i>, and their other fine wines.<br /><br />Of course, as I am also true to my love of the Bagwine that is Wild Irish Rose…Here’s an old video of Jayman, for the first time, drinking a bottle of WIR that I had sent him:<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>                           <iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/BTLsd4gyAJI" width="420"></iframe><br /><i>Cheers!!</i><br /><br /><i>Matt-Man</i><br /><br /><i><a href="mailto:mattmaniws@ymail.com">mattmaniws@ymail.com</a></i><br /><i><span style="color: blue;">@MattMan_IWS</span></i></div>

Wine Makes the Winter Go Quickly

Cheers and a cordial Friday to you all.  Matt-Man here. A Matt-Man who is feeling, shall we say, slightly moderated and oh, I don’t know, ru...

Read more »

North Korea Vows More Nuclear Tests Targeting U.S.

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /><iframe height="360" id="kaltura_player_1359086231" src="http://cdnapi.kaltura.com/index.php/kwidget/wid/1_5srm5x5j/uiconf_id/3775332/st_cache/61378?referer=http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/video/north-korea-threatens-nuclear-tests-warns-us-18307880&autoPlay=false&addThis.playerSize=392x221&freeWheel.siteSectionId=nws_offsite&closedCaptionActive=true&addThis.playerSize=640x360&closedCaptionsOverPlayer.fontsize=18" style="border: 0px solid #ffffff;" width="640">Unfortunately your browser does not support IFrames.</iframe> <div style="font-size: x-small; margin-top: 0; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 14px;">North Korea Threatens More Nuclear Tests, Warns U.S.</span><br /><span style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span><br /><div id="date_partner" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif; font-size: 15px; height: 32px; line-height: 23px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 150px; min-height: 30px; padding: 0px; position: relative; width: 490px;"></div><div class="byline_date" style="float: left; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 14px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: 490px;"><div class="byline_date_inner" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: 485px;"><div class="byline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">By <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/author/gloria_riviera" rel="author" style="color: #336699; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">GLORIA RIVIERA</a> (<a href="http://twitter.com/griviera" style="color: #336699; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">@griviera</a>)</div><div class="date" style="margin: 0px; padding: 4px 0px 0px;">BEIJING Jan. 24, 2013</div></div></div><br /><div id="sponsoredByAd" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif; font-size: 15px; left: 430px; line-height: 23px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: absolute; right: 0px; text-align: right; top: 405px;"><span id="sponsoredbylogo1" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span id="_fw_container_sponsoredbylogo1" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"></span></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23px; margin-bottom: 22px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 150px;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23px; margin-bottom: 22px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 150px;">In a bellicose statement singling out the United States as the "sworn enemy" of the Korean people, North Korea today announced plans for a third nuclear test and continued <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/International/north-korea-vows-launch-rocket-december/story?id=17856874" style="color: #336699; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">rocket launches</a>.</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23px; margin-bottom: 22px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 150px;">The move is seen as a disappointment to those who hoped the country's new leader, <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/International/kim-jong-attempts-rebrand-north-korea/story?id=16662917" style="color: #336699; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">Kim Jong-Un</a>, might take a less aggressive path than his predecessor and father, Kim Jong-il.</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23px; margin-bottom: 22px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 150px;">It is also seen as a <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/International/north-korean-missile-hits-target-alarming-world/story?id=17941463" style="color: #336699; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">direct challenge to President Obama</a> and South Korea's newly elected president, Park Geun-hye, who takes office next month.</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23px; margin-bottom: 22px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 150px;">The statement from North Korea's National Defense Commission read:</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23px; margin-bottom: 22px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 150px;">"Settling accounts with the U.S. needs to be done with force, not with words as it regards jungle law as the rule of its survival."</div><div class="rel_container g_4" id="rel_image_feature" style="background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; float: left; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23px; margin: 20px 50px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; width: 200px;"><div class="rel_content" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><div class="rel_thumb" style="line-height: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8896966065785019252" name="lpos=widget[Left_Rail_Image]&lid=view[Image]" style="color: #336699; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;"><img alt="PHOTO: A screen at the General Satellite Control and Command Center shows the moment North Korea's Unha-3 rocket is launched in Pyongyang, North Korea, Wednesday, Dec. 12, 2012." border="0" height="112" src="http://a.abcnews.com/images/International/ap_north_korea_missile_launch_jt_121212_wg.jpg" style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 0.5px; padding: 0px;" title="" width="199" /><span class="image_icon" style="background-color: transparent; background-image: url(http://a.abcnews.com/assets/images/icons/image_icon_35x35.png); background-position: 0px 0px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; height: 35px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: absolute; right: 5px; top: 73px; width: 35px;"></span></a></div><div class="rel_headline" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15px; margin: 3px 0px 0px; padding: 0px;"><div class="photo_credit" style="color: #aaaaaa; font-size: 11px; line-height: 13px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: right;">AP Photo</div><div class="photo_caption" style="margin: 5px 0px 0px; padding: 0px;">A screen at the General Satellite Control and... <a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8896966065785019252" name="lpos=widget[Left_Rail_Image]&lid=view[Image]" style="color: #336699; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">View Full Size</a></div></div></div></div><div class="rel_container g_4" id="rel_1" style="background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; float: left; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23px; margin: 20px 50px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; width: 200px;"><div class="rel_content" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><div class="rel_thumb" style="line-height: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8896966065785019252" name="lpos=widget[Left_Rail_Video_1]&lid=view[Video]" style="color: #336699; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" height="112" src="http://a.abcnews.com/images/GMA/gma_nk_nukes_130124_wl.jpg" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" width="200" /><span class="image_icon" style="background-color: transparent; background-image: url(http://a.abcnews.com/assets/images/icons/play_icon_35x35.png); background-position: 0px 0px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; height: 35px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: absolute; right: 5px; top: 73px; width: 35px;"></span></a></div><div class="rel_headline" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15px; margin: 3px 0px 0px; padding: 0px;">North Korea Targets U.S. With Nuclear Test Talk <a class="open" href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8896966065785019252" style="color: #336699; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">Watch Video</a></div></div></div><div class="rel_container g_4" id="rel_2" style="background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; float: left; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23px; margin: 20px 50px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; width: 200px;"><div class="rel_content" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><div class="rel_thumb" style="line-height: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8896966065785019252" name="lpos=widget[Left_Rail_Video_2]&lid=view[Video]" style="color: #336699; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" height="112" src="http://a.abcnews.com/images/GMA/abc_gma_raddatz5_121212_wl.jpg" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" width="200" /><span class="image_icon" style="background-color: transparent; background-image: url(http://a.abcnews.com/assets/images/icons/play_icon_35x35.png); background-position: 0px 0px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; height: 35px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: absolute; right: 5px; top: 73px; width: 35px;"></span></a></div><div class="rel_headline" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15px; margin: 3px 0px 0px; padding: 0px;">North Korea Launches Missile After 4 Failed Attempts <a class="open" href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8896966065785019252" style="color: #336699; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">Watch Video</a></div></div></div><div class="rel_container g_4" id="rel_3" style="background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; float: left; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23px; margin: 20px 50px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; width: 200px;"><div class="rel_content" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><div class="rel_thumb" style="line-height: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8896966065785019252" name="lpos=widget[Left_Rail_Video_3]&lid=view[Video]" style="color: #336699; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" height="112" src="http://a.abcnews.com/images/WNT/abc_wn_korea_121211_wl.jpg" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" width="200" /><span class="image_icon" style="background-color: transparent; background-image: url(http://a.abcnews.com/assets/images/icons/play_icon_35x35.png); background-position: 0px 0px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; height: 35px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: absolute; right: 5px; top: 73px; width: 35px;"></span></a></div><div class="rel_headline" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15px; margin: 3px 0px 0px; padding: 0px;">North Korea Fires Long-Range Missile <a class="open" href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8896966065785019252" style="color: #336699; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">Watch Video</a></div></div></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23px; margin-bottom: 22px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 150px;">The renewed threats come in response to the U.S. backed resolution tightening sanctions against North Korea after its December rocket launch.</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23px; margin-bottom: 22px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 150px;">At that time, North Korea repeatedly insisted that the launch was simply part of its peaceful space program. The recent statement made no mention of that.</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23px; margin-bottom: 22px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 150px;">It read: "We are not disguising the fact that the various satellites and long-range rockets that we will fire and the high-level nuclear test we will carry out are targeted at the United States."</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23px; margin-bottom: 22px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 150px;">South Korean officials analyzed debris from the December launch that, they say, indicates North Korea built and tested crucial components for a missile that can fly further than 6,200 miles.</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23px; margin-bottom: 22px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 150px;">Analysts say that preparations at the Pungyee test site in northeastern North Korea are underway and that a new underground test could take place on short notice.</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23px; margin-bottom: 22px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 150px;">Within the international monitoring community it is not believed that North Korea currently has the capability to launch a long-range rocket with the capacity to reach the United States or the technology to mount a nuclear warhead on a long-range missile. But the U.S. is not pleased with North Korea's plans. Glyn Davies, the top U.S. envoy to the region, said in Seoul, "We hope they don't do it. We call on them not to do it."</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23px; margin-bottom: 22px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 150px;">China, North Korea's main ally in the region, is also urging restraint. China backed the U.S. resolution at the United Nations and today the Foreign Ministry cautioned North Korea not to take further steps to increase tension.</div></div></div>

North Korea North Korea Vows More Nuclear Tests Targeting U.S.

Unfortunately your browser does not support IFrames. North Korea Threatens More Nuclear Tests, Warns U.S. By  GLORIA RIVIERA  ( @griviera )...

Read more »

Vicco, Smallest Town In Kentucky, Passes LGBT Non-Discrimination Law

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><b style="background-color: white; border: none; color: #999999; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">The Huffington Post</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #999999; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;">  |  By </span><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/curtis-wong" rel="author" style="background-color: white; border: none; color: #999999; cursor: pointer; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">Glennisha Morgan</a> From: <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/">http://www.huffingtonpost.com</a><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #999999; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;">Posted: </span><span itemprop="datePublished" style="background-color: white; border: none; color: #999999; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">01/24/2013 2:51 pm EST</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #999999; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;">  |  Updated: </span><span itemprop="dateModified" style="background-color: white; border: none; color: #999999; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">01/24/2013 3:18 pm EST</span><br /><span itemprop="dateModified" style="background-color: white; border: none; color: #999999; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><img alt="Gay Discrimination Law" src="http://i.huffpost.com/gen/957389/thumbs/r-GAY-DISCRIMINATION-LAW-large570.jpg?6" /></span><br /><span itemprop="dateModified" style="background-color: white; border: none; color: #999999; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></span><span itemprop="dateModified" style="background-color: white; border: none; color: #999999; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"></span><br /><div style="border: none; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; list-style: none; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px;">On the heels of <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/23/kentucky-equality-federation-civil-rights-act-lgbt_n_2533928.html" style="border: none; color: #ed4a4b; cursor: pointer; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_hplink">a statewide push for Kentucky </a>to its protect lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) citizens, one of the smallest towns in the commonwealth has just approved a new nondiscrimination law which does exactly that.</div><div style="border: none; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; list-style: none; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px;">A week ago, the <a href="http://www.fairnesscoalition.org/" style="border: none; color: #ed4a4b; cursor: pointer; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_hplink">Fairness Coalition</a> joined Vicco, Ky. -- home to some 334 residents in total -- as they passed the commonwealth’s first LGBT fair treatment ordinance in a decade, <a href="http://www.lex18.com/news/vicco-kentucky-approves-lgbt-fairness-law" style="border: none; color: #ed4a4b; cursor: pointer; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_hplink">reports Lex 18</a>. Vicco is now <a href="http://blogs.courier-journal.com/faith/2013/01/15/vicco-kentucky-called-smallest-town-in-america-with-gay-rights-protections/" style="border: none; color: #ed4a4b; cursor: pointer; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_hplink">being touted by a number of media outlets</a> as the smallest town in America to adopt an anti-discrimination law based on sexual orientation and gender identity.</div><div style="border: none; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; list-style: none; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px;">The law prevents discrimination in employment, housing and public accommodations based upon a person’s actual or perceived sexual orientation and gender identity. <a href="http://www.advocate.com/society/law/2013/01/15/vicco-ky-smallest-us-city-lgbt-rights-law" style="border: none; color: #ed4a4b; cursor: pointer; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_hplink">The Advocate reports</a> that Mayor Johnny Cummings supported the fair shake along with three out of the four members of the Appalachian’s commission.</div><div style="border: none; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; list-style: none; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px;">Vicco became the fourth city in Kentucky to pass the equality bearing law. In 1999, Lexington and Louisville both approved such laws, followed by Covington in 2003,<a href="http://www.lgbtqnation.com/2013/01/vicco-ky-becomes-smallest-u-s-town-to-adopt-lgbt-fairness-law/" style="border: none; color: #ed4a4b; cursor: pointer; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_hplink">LGBTQ Nation reported</a>.</div><div style="border: none; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; list-style: none; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px;">“Vicco is a community that believes all folks should be treated fairly,“ attorney Eric Ashley said in a Fairness Coalition press release sent to HuffPost Gay Voices. “We believe everyone deserves the opportunity for life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Fairness is a Kentucky value, a Vicco value, and one of our most American values.”</div><div style="border: none; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; list-style: none; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px;">Last October, the acquittal of the <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/23/hate-crime-harlan-county_n_1534421.html" style="border: none; color: #ed4a4b; cursor: pointer; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_hplink">first-ever federal prosecution of a hate crime</a>, which took place in Harlan County, Ky., left many baffled. Four cousins were accused of attacking Kevin Pennington, a 28-year-old gay man, because of his sexual orientation and possibly because of their own self-hatred.</div><div style="border: none; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; list-style: none; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px;">Though the case had been nationally touted as the first to be prosecuted under the<a href="http://www.hrc.org/laws-and-legislation/federal-laws/matthew-shepard-and-james-byrd-jr.-hate-crimes-prevention-act" style="border: none; color: #ed4a4b; cursor: pointer; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_hplink">Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act</a> (signed by President Barack Obama in 2009), it was eventually deemed a drug deal gone wrong. While the men were convicted of kidnapping and conspiracy charges, the jury<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/26/gay-hate-crime-acquittal-kentucky_n_2024569.html" style="border: none; color: #ed4a4b; cursor: pointer; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_hplink">ultimately rejected</a> the theory that hatred had motivated their crimes.</div><div style="border: none; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; list-style: none; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px;">Perhaps the sentiments of Vicco’s new law will echo in the minds of Kentucky lawmakers while the KEF continues to run <a href="http://www.change.org/petitions/commonwealth-of-kentucky-2013-add-sexual-orientation-and-gender-identity-kentucky-civil-rights-2?utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=url_share&utm_campaign=url_share_before_sign" style="border: none; color: #ed4a4b; cursor: pointer; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_hplink">its petition</a> to alter the commonwealth’s Civil Rights Act of 1966, amending it to include protection for all LGBT Kentucky residents.</div></div>

LGBT Vicco, Smallest Town In Kentucky, Passes LGBT Non-Discrimination Law

The Huffington Post   |  By  Glennisha Morgan  From:  http://www.huffingtonpost.com Posted:  01/24/2013 2:51 pm EST   |  Updated:  01/24/201...

Read more »

Giovanna Plowman Tampon Video: Could This Be Real?!?

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /><h1 class="title-news" style="background-color: white; border: none; color: #111111; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 32px; line-height: 36px; list-style: none; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;">Giovanna Plowman, 'Tampon Girl', Apparently Puts Bloody Hygiene Product In Mouth (GRAPHIC VIDEO)</h1><div>From: <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/">http://www.huffingtonpost.com</a></div><div><img alt="Giovanna Plowman Tampon Girl" src="http://i.huffpost.com/gen/957140/thumbs/r-GIOVANNA-PLOWMAN-TAMPON-GIRL-large570.jpg?6" /><br /><br /><br /></div><div><div style="background-color: white; border: none; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; list-style: none; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px;">The person to thank for this happening is the lovely and talented <a href="http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/giovanna-plowman-tampon-girl#fn9" style="border: none; color: #ed7d00; cursor: pointer; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_hplink">Giovanna Plowman</a>who posted a <strong style="border: none; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">GRAPHIC</strong> video (shown below) to her now <a href="https://www.facebook.com/giovanna.plowman?fref=ts" style="border: none; color: #ed7d00; cursor: pointer; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_hplink">deleted Facebook page</a> in which she appears to put a <a href="http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/giovanna-plowman-tampon-girl#fn9" style="border: none; color: #ed7d00; cursor: pointer; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_hplink">bloody tampon in her mouth</a> and suck on it, several times.</div><div style="background-color: white; border: none; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; list-style: none; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px;">There is, as <a href="http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/giovanna-plowman-tampon-girl#fn9" style="border: none; color: #ed7d00; cursor: pointer; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_hplink">KnowYourMeme.com points out,</a> lots of speculation amongst commenters as to the video's authenticity. Some suspect the tampon was dipped in tomato sauce or some other red liquid.</div><div style="background-color: white; border: none; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; list-style: none; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px;">But even with the prospect of the video's fraudulence in mind, it's hard not to cringe when you see Plowman swallow the feminine hygiene product.</div><div style="background-color: white; border: none; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; list-style: none; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px;">The Buffalo, N.Y. teen has received a lot of blowback for posting the video from Twitter users and commenters who accuse her of doing anything for 15 minutes of fame, <a href="http://www.idigitaltimes.com/articles/14792/20130124/giovanna-plowman-tampon-video-watch-nsfw-tosh.htm" style="border: none; color: #ed7d00; cursor: pointer; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_hplink">according to the International Digital Times.</a></div><div style="background-color: white; border: none; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; list-style: none; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px;">You can see the <strong style="border: none; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">GRAPHIC</strong> video below:</div><div style="background-color: white; border: none; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; list-style: none; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px;"><br /></div></div></div><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="http://www.liveleak.com/ll_embed?f=aac17eec7ef9" width="640"></iframe> <br /></div>

Giovanna Plowman GRAPHIC VIDEO Tampon Girl Giovanna Plowman Tampon Video: Could This Be Real?!?

Giovanna Plowman, 'Tampon Girl', Apparently Puts Bloody Hygiene Product In Mouth (GRAPHIC VIDEO) From:  http://www.huffingtonpost.co...

Read more »

Reports: JJ Abrams to Direct Next 'Star Wars'

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /><div id="date_partner" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif; font-size: 15px; height: 18px; line-height: 23px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 150px; min-height: 30px; padding: 0px; position: relative; width: 490px;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 14px;">LOS ANGELES January 25, 2013 (AP) Fom: </span><a href="http://abcnews.go.com/" style="background-color: transparent;">http://abcnews.go.com</a></div><br /><div id="sponsoredByAd" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif; font-size: 15px; left: 430px; line-height: 23px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: absolute; right: 0px; text-align: right; top: 30px;"><span id="sponsoredbylogo1" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span id="_fw_container_sponsoredbylogo1" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"></span></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23px; margin-bottom: 22px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 150px;"></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23px; margin-bottom: 22px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 150px;">Another universe of sci-fi fans has been put in the hands of J.J. Abrams.</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23px; margin-bottom: 22px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 150px;">According to multiple trade reports, Abrams, 46, is set to direct the next installment of "Star Wars," which Disney has said will be "Episode 7" and due out in 2015. Disney bought "Star Wars" maker Lucasfilm last month for $4.06 billion.</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23px; margin-bottom: 22px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 150px;">The Emmy-award-winning director of the TV show "Lost" also captained the reboot of "Star Trek" for rival studio Paramount Pictures, with the next installment in that series, "Star Trek: Into Darkness," set to hit theaters May 17.</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23px; margin-bottom: 22px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 150px;">Citing unnamed sources, the news was reported earlier by Hollywood trade outlets The Wrap, Deadline, The Hollywood Reporter and Daily Variety.</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23px; margin-bottom: 22px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 150px;">Messages left by The Associated Press for Abrams' representatives as well as Disney and Lucasfilm were not immediately returned.</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23px; margin-bottom: 22px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 150px;">Soon after the news broke Thursday afternoon, websites were flush with chatter. On Twitter, "J.J. Abrams," ''Star Wars" and "(hash)Star Trek" were all trending topics.</div><div class="rel_container g_4" id="rel_image" style="background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; float: left; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23px; margin: 20px 50px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; width: 200px;"><div class="rel_content" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><div class="rel_thumb" style="line-height: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative;"><img alt="Star Wars JJ Abrams.JPEG" border="0" src="http://a.abcnews.com//images/Entertainment/a6acf9940ac440fb824f411fef1096c2_mn.jpg" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" width="200" /></div><div class="rel_headline" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15px; margin: 3px 0px 0px; padding: 0px;"><div class="photo_credit" style="color: #aaaaaa; font-size: 11px; line-height: 13px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: right;">AP</div><div class="photo_caption" style="margin: 5px 0px 0px; padding: 0px;"><div id="cap_short" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">FILE - In this Jan. 8, 2013 file photo, J.J.... </div></div></div></div></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23px; margin-bottom: 22px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 150px;">Roberto Orci, a producer and writer who has worked with Abrams on "Star Trek," ''Star Trek: Into Darkness," and "Mission: Impossible III," appeared to confirm the reports on Twitter. In response to a question about Abrams' involvement, Orci tweeted back "True!" He also responded to a Spanish-speaking questioner, "Creo que si!" ("I think so.")</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23px; margin-bottom: 22px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 150px;">Despite denying his interest in directing the next "Star Wars" following The Walt Disney Co.'s October announcement, many people pegged Abrams as the most obvious choice.</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23px; margin-bottom: 22px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 150px;">Abrams spoke about the plot of the original "Star Wars" in the lecture series "TED Talks" in March 2007, and reportedly became enamored of "Lost" co-creator Damon Lindelof partly because Lindelof was wearing a "Star Wars" T-shirt when they first met.</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23px; margin-bottom: 22px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 150px;">In 2009, Abrams told the Los Angeles Times: "As a kid, 'Star Wars' was much more my thing than 'Star Trek' was."</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23px; margin-bottom: 22px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 150px;">Abrams also worked with Lucasfilm's Industrial Light and Magic special effects division for "Mission: Impossible III."</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23px; margin-bottom: 22px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 150px;">He is the second big name associated with the new "Star Wars" films to be launched under the Disney umbrella. Late last year, Lucasfilm confirmed that Michael Arndt, who wrote "Little Miss Sunshine" and "Toy Story 3" would pen the screenplay for "Episode 7."</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23px; margin-bottom: 22px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 150px;">Adam Frazier, a staff writer for the entertainment website GeeksofDoom.com, said Abrams should be able to make the next "Star Wars" original but at the same time appease longtime fans.</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23px; margin-bottom: 22px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 150px;">"He took the 'Star Trek' franchise, which was just drowning in misery, and he was able to bring that back to life," Frazier said. "If there's anyone that can do it with 'Star Wars' I think it's him."</div></div>

JJ Abrams Star Wars Reports: JJ Abrams to Direct Next 'Star Wars'

LOS ANGELES January 25, 2013 (AP) Fom:  http://abcnews.go.com Another universe of sci-fi fans has been put in the hands of J.J. Abrams. Acco...

Read more »

New Orleans Pelicans -- new nickname lacks the sting of Hornets

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><img alt="The Pelicans" src="http://www.trbimg.com/img-5101ce27/turbine/la-sp-sn-new-orleans-pelicans-nickname-2013012-001/600" /><br /><span style="background-color: #f2f2f2; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 12px;">The logo of the New Orleans Pelicans, who will come into existence next NBA season. </span><span class="credit" style="background-color: #f2f2f2; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 12px;">(<span class="photographer">Hornets.com</span>)</span><br /><span class="credit" style="background-color: #f2f2f2; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 12px;"><br /></span><span class="credit" style="background-color: #f2f2f2; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 12px;"><span class="toolSet" style="background-color: white; display: inline-block; font-size: 14px; margin-bottom: 14px; margin-right: -50px; margin-top: 6px; width: 335px;"></span></span><br /><div class="byline" style="color: #292727; float: left; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px 0px 12px; padding: 0px;"><span class="byline" style="display: block;">By Dan Loumena From: <a href="http://www.latimes.com/">http://www.latimes.com</a></span><div class="date" style="color: #930000; font-size: 11px; font-style: italic; margin-top: 3px; padding: 0px;"><span class="dateString" style="display: inline;">January 24, 2013</span><span class="dateTimeSeparator" style="border-left-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; color: white; display: inline; font-size: 10px; letter-spacing: -1px; margin-left: 6px;">, </span><span class="timeString" style="display: inline; text-transform: lowercase;">4:44 p.m.</span></div></div><div class="clear" style="clear: both; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"></div><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px;"></span><div id="story-body-text" style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.43; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative;"><div style="margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 10px; padding: 0px;">The New Orleans Pelicans will come into existence next <a class="taxInlineTagLink" href="http://www.latimes.com/topic/sports/basketball/national-basketball-association-15008001.topic" id="15008001" style="color: #666666; text-decoration: none;" title="National Basketball Association">NBA</a> season when the Hornets nickname is retired.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 10px; padding: 0px;">The franchise decided to go with something more Louisiana, and since the pelican is the state bird, it appears on the flag and the state's nickname is "the Pelican State," it seems appropriate.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 10px; padding: 0px;">But it does lack some credibility. Pelicans are not your typical bird, and they also aren't your typical bird of prey, which usually flashes from the sky to pounce upon its victims. Eagles, hawks, falcons and osprey (seahawks) are almost regal.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 10px; padding: 0px;">Not to say pelicans can't be majestic, flying over water and scooping up meals of fish, <span class="st">crustaceans, tadpoles and turtles or diving directly on top of them, stashing the food in the pouch of their oversized bill.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 10px; padding: 0px;"><span class="st">Pelicans are also smart -- they'll hunt in groups, trapping their prey. Pelicans are adaptive -- they're found on every <a class="taxInlineTagLink" href="http://www.latimes.com/topic/intl/antarctica-PLGEOREG0000013.topic" id="PLGEOREG0000013" style="color: #666666; text-decoration: none;" title="Antarctica">continent</a> but Antarctica.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 10px; padding: 0px;"><span class="st">But pelicans don't seem like they should be a pro franchise's mascot or nickname. A college team? Maybe. Something like the Mad Pelicans? Angry birds could work, but not the New Orleans Pelicans.</span></div></div></div>

NBA New Orleans Pelicans New Orleans Pelicans -- new nickname lacks the sting of Hornets

The logo of the New Orleans Pelicans, who will come into existence next NBA season.  ( Hornets.com ) By Dan Loumena From:  http://www.latime...

Read more »

Winner Winner Chick'n dinner!

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVJRI_WGlpEjHmLf8wtyXkNpLefo9KnYPzkgyK0LDUafOX6n99iPliyK_nPSqau8ZuWVS6WYKYZ8W7jytSfj6RJzQf6YPfiFJZZb47QpdqUxM2T-61PQ9g-LFNNx4A7UUtWUP7M0y7vHI/s1600/chick'n+patty+morning+sta.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVJRI_WGlpEjHmLf8wtyXkNpLefo9KnYPzkgyK0LDUafOX6n99iPliyK_nPSqau8ZuWVS6WYKYZ8W7jytSfj6RJzQf6YPfiFJZZb47QpdqUxM2T-61PQ9g-LFNNx4A7UUtWUP7M0y7vHI/s320/chick'n+patty+morning+sta.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I received some coupons for the Morning Star farms campaign on Bzzagent and haven't had the chick'n patties in a long time, so I decided to buy a box with one of the coupons.</span></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I am a huge fan of these. </span></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You can dice them up and add to a salad or in a sandwich. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I decided to have it as a sandwich and added a delicious yummy salad to go with it!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I love the flavor and how they are healthier than your average chicken patty.</span></div>

Winner Winner Chick'n dinner!

I received some coupons for the Morning Star farms campaign on Bzzagent and haven't had the chick'n patties in a long time, so I dec...

Read more »

Sr. Manager Global Network Services (CCNP/CCIE certification | Juniper | Riverbed) (#109055)

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="WordSection1"><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Job Title:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"> Sr. Manager Global Network Services <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Location:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"> Milpitas, CA<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Duration: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Fulltime<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Job Description:<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Responsibilities:<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: small;">1.Establish vision, develop strategy and road maps for the Global Network landscape in alignment with business priorities.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: small;">2.Manage and mentor Network team across multiple time zones.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: small;">3.Create and maintain catalog of services.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: small;">4.Manage Global Network and IT Security operations support from Managed Service Provider per agreed upon SLA's.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: small;">5.Partner with strategic vendors to achieve business outcome.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: small;">6.Execute Global Network Projects to agreed upon plan.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: small;">7.Partner with Architecture, Business Relationship Managers and Infrastructure Service Owners to influence the future IT landscape.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: small;">8.Report Service utilization, adoption and trends on a quarterly basis and implement corrective actions.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Preferred Qualifications:<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Mandatory Skills:<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: small;">1.Strong leadership (technical and managerial), interpersonal and customer relationship skills<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: small;">2.Strong written and verbal English communication and presentation skills.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: small;">3.Strong Global network architecture experience<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: small;">4.Solid track record of managing large international network projects.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: small;">5.Serve as focal point and maintain day to day responsibility for ownership and resolution of service escalations.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: small;">6.Strong experience with Cisco, Riverbed and Juniper technologies.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: small;">7.Expert level problem solving techniques and methodologies.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: small;">8.Provide strong leadership to resolve complex incidents.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: small;">9.Communicate at all levels effectively with data and metrics.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Preferred Skills:<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: small;">1.Experience in a semiconductor or other high-tech enterprise.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: small;">2.Driving change across the landscape with new technologies.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: small;">3.Prior experience with network redesign to transform workload from on-premise to the cloud is a plus.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: small;">4.Ability to think outside the box.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Minimum Qualifications:<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: small;">1)Bachelor’s degree or equivalent.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: small;">2)Network certification (CCNP/CCIE) or equivalent experience preferred. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Experience:<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: small;">1)7-10 years of hands-on Sr. Network Engineering/Architecture experience.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: small;">2)5-7 years of global team/staff management experience.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Please send in your resumes to vinod.sanker@kla-tencor.com<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div></div></div>

Sr. Manager Global Network Services (CCNP/CCIE certification | Juniper | Riverbed) (#109055)

Job Title: Sr. Manager Global Network Services Location: Milpitas, CA Duration: Fulltime Job Description: Responsibilities: 1.Establish ...

Read more »

Veggies!

<p>How delicious are these oven roasted vegetables!</p><p>Blitzed up they make a delicious soup.</p><div class='separator' style='clear: both; text-align: center;'> <a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgisonAYa1F2nHGdYuOLN-wYdzBUE1tXEw2rBx-U2T8ny8diQUK8kvHIguxzR2-UYRjvv6PsARaUdmvztUfZd-xL4tX9kCZfnK6sNPBK54K1d3kGzuHZiM3lMnbrzrUdbrs_kiYH5U_32c6/s1600/20130124_193825.jpg' imageanchor='1' style='margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;'> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgisonAYa1F2nHGdYuOLN-wYdzBUE1tXEw2rBx-U2T8ny8diQUK8kvHIguxzR2-UYRjvv6PsARaUdmvztUfZd-xL4tX9kCZfnK6sNPBK54K1d3kGzuHZiM3lMnbrzrUdbrs_kiYH5U_32c6/s400/20130124_193825.jpg" /> </a> </div><div class='separator' style='clear: both; text-align: center;'> <a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD-C7adjKHf_t5tzB9ijtEwM-eWek0LgpdLmOlNKKqY_MeA07dbXDGX_dRZiSpQm9zp9y_IQt-XKxfl4rZ-RYklCiZp3LduGix_8YpUQHuUHhRzCTMpbb2qzTFlTl0MHqRiEiFeykvDCf-/s1600/20130124_194636.jpg' imageanchor='1' style='margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;'> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD-C7adjKHf_t5tzB9ijtEwM-eWek0LgpdLmOlNKKqY_MeA07dbXDGX_dRZiSpQm9zp9y_IQt-XKxfl4rZ-RYklCiZp3LduGix_8YpUQHuUHhRzCTMpbb2qzTFlTl0MHqRiEiFeykvDCf-/s400/20130124_194636.jpg" /> </a> </div>

Veggies!

How delicious are these oven roasted vegetables! Blitzed up they make a delicious soup.

Read more »

Teach This! Teaching with lesson plans and ideas that rock 01/24/2013

<ul class="diigo-linkroll"> <li> <p class="diigo-link"> <a href="http://www.bamradionetwork.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=35&Itemid=65">Project-Based Learning: Integrating Technology</a> </p> <p class="diigo-description">I had a great conversation led by Rae Pica and with Dr. William Bender, Suzie Boss, Anthony Cody as we briefly discussed project based learning. It was an enjoyable conversation (but a fast one). If you want to pick up some quick conversations about important topics.BAM radio is a great one to add to your podcast lists for the ride to school. I'm finding a lot of gems there. </p> <p class="diigo-tags"> <span>tags:</span> <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/pbl">pbl</a> <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/teaching">teaching</a> <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/best">best</a> <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/practices">practices</a> <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/differentiation">differentiation</a></p> </li> <li> <p class="diigo-link"> <a href="http://mrsobachsclass.blogspot.com/2013/01/evernote-assessment-e-portfolio.html?spref=tw&m=1">Mrs. Obach's Grade 1 Blog: Evernote: assessment, e-portfolio, notebook, organizer & more!</a> </p> <p class="diigo-description">Twitter conversations lead the most interesting places. Leah Obach is a first grade teacher who uses evernote to keep an efolio for each student. She creates templates and each child has a stack including photos and pictures of the child's work. She uses this during parent conferences to show what each child has done. Wow! This blog post is a must read for anyone looking at evernote or at streamlining assessment at the elementary level. I'm quite intrigued and want to know more. She's also shared her templates for assessing a variety of things for first grade - counting, etc. Applause for what she is doing, but also for taking the time to write the blog post when having a conversation with another teacher on Twitter. This is how we teach and encourage each other to know more. I'm debating about what would be appropriate to do with my students.</p> <p class="diigo-tags"> <span>tags:</span> <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/teaching">teaching</a> <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/evernote">evernote</a> <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/assessment">assessment</a> <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/elemchat">elemchat</a></p> </li> </ul><p class="diigo-ps">Posted from <a href='http://www.diigo.com'>Diigo</a>. The rest of my favorite links are <a href='http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher'>here</a>.</p>

Teach This! Teaching with lesson plans and ideas that rock 01/24/2013

Project-Based Learning: Integrating Technology I had a great conversation led by Rae Pica and with ...

Read more »

Teen/Reference Librarian - Southington Library

<strong>Teen/Reference Librarian -</strong> <strong></strong><strong><span style="color: #48286d;">Southington Library</span></strong> is seeking an energetic part-time Teen/Reference Librarian to develop programs for teens and provide excellent information and readers’ advisory services to all ages. The position includes morning, afternoon, evening and weekend hours - approximately 20 hours/week. Salary is $27/hour with excellent benefits. A Master’s degree in Library Science from an ALA-accredited college or university plus two years’ experience as a professional librarian is required. Send cover letter and resume to Susan Smayda, Executive Director, Southington Library and Museum, 255 Main Street, Southington, CT 06489 or email to <a _fcksavedurl="mailto:smaydas@southington.org" href="mailto:smaydas@southington.org">smaydas@southington.org</a>. Applications must be received by <span style="color: red;">February 11, 2013</span>.

Teen/Reference Librarian - Southington Library

Teen/Reference Librarian - Southington Library is seeking an energetic part-time Teen/Reference Librarian to develop programs for teens a...

Read more »

Teen Assistant - Wilton Library

<strong>Teen Assistant - </strong><strong><span style="color: #48286d;">Wilton Library</span></strong>. To help develop and maintain the collection, perform teen reference duties, create or assist with programs and promote materials and programs through displays, reader’s advisories, tech tools and social media. We’re looking for someone who is proficient in using the Internet, employs Social Media tools and is knowledgeable with Microsoft’s Word, Excel, and Publisher software. An interest in reading and familiarizing yourself with teen literature is a must. Artistic and/or creative skills are helpful. Library knowledge and/or experience in working with teens are a plus. Bachelor’s degree preferred. Hours are from 3-8 p.m. on Monday and Wednesday, plus one Sunday a month. The candidate should have the flexibility to work additional hours for special projects and to cover some vacation time. Hourly salary ranges from $15-$17 depending upon experience. Email resume and cover letter to Susan Lauricella at <a _fcksavedurl="mailto:slauricella@wiltonlibrary.org" href="mailto:slauricella@wiltonlibrary.org">slauricella@wiltonlibrary.org</a>.

Teen Assistant - Wilton Library

Teen Assistant - Wilton Library . To help develop and maintain the collection, perform teen reference duties, create or assist with progra...

Read more »

Pandemics books, authors, and tweets: The best stories about the worst diseases. - Slate Magazine

<base href="data:"><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14px; color: black; text-align: left; "><div class="text parbase section" style="margin: 1.5em 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; "><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; ">The germs have been busy. In the United States this year alone, we've lost people both to old enemies such as <a href="http://www.cdc.gov/pertussis/outbreaks.html" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(86, 129, 140); text-decoration: none; ">whooping cough</a> and to relatively new spillovers from other animals, such as<a href="http://www.cdc.gov/hantavirus/outbreaks/yosemite-national-park-2012.html" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(86, 129, 140); text-decoration: none; ">hantavirus</a> and <a href="http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/westnile/index.htm" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(86, 129, 140); text-decoration: none; ">West Nile virus</a>, which killed more than 240 Americans this year, a record. Diseases we've come to think of as utterly foreign, such as dengue fever, are <a href="http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/pandemics/2012/12/dengue_fever_in_united_states_breakbone_fever_outbreaks_florida_texas_and.html" style="color: rgb(86, 129, 140); text-decoration: none; ">spreading through the United States</a>. Meanwhile, further afield but far too near, we've seen two separate<a href="http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvrd/spb/outbreaks/index.htm" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(86, 129, 140); text-decoration: none; ">Ebola outbreaks</a>; one of <a href="http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvrd/spb/outbreaks/index.htm%23marburg-uganda-2012" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(86, 129, 140); text-decoration: none; ">Marburg</a>; alarming blips of <a href="http://www.cdc.gov/qfever/stats/index.html" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(86, 129, 140); text-decoration: none; ">Q fever</a>; an unsettling and unsettled game of whack-a-mole in the Mideast with a new <a href="http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2012/12/coronavirus-four/" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(86, 129, 140); text-decoration: none; ">SARS-like coronavirus</a>; and the news that because gonorrhea <a href="http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2012/08/gonorrhea-one-drug/" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(86, 129, 140); text-decoration: none; ">has now developed resistance</a> to yet another antibiotic, we possess <a href="http://www.cdc.gov/std/gonorrhea/arg/default.htm" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(86, 129, 140); text-decoration: none; ">just <em style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; font-style: italic; ">one</em></a> that still gives pause to this old intimate. If that drug stops working before we develop a better one, expect a <a href="http://www.ncsddc.org/who-we-are/press-releases/resistance-treatment-rising-cdc-updates-gonorrhea-treatment-guidelines" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(86, 129, 140); text-decoration: none; ">steady drip</a> of ugly cases.</div></div><div class="text parbase section" style="margin: 1.5em 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; "><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; ">More bad-bug news pops up almost weekly, and it stands to get worse for a while, <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2010/aug/12/the-end-of-antibiotics-health-infections" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(86, 129, 140); text-decoration: none; ">maybe for decades</a>. More bacterial strains will develop antibiotic resistance, and our continuing <a href="http://e360.yale.edu/feature/quammen_the_next_pandemic_will_come_from_wildlife/2579/" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(86, 129, 140); text-decoration: none; ">disruption of virus-rich</a> and <a href="http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/pandemics/2012/12/fungal_diseases_bats_frogs_and_humans_are_at_risk_from_new_fungi.html" style="color: rgb(86, 129, 140); text-decoration: none; ">fungus-rich</a> ecosystems worldwide will invite yet more pathogens to make us part of their life cycles. We will live increasingly in a world where you might die because a bat happened to sleep in a certain tree in Tanzania or a <a href="http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/pandemics/2012/12/superspreaders_of_disease_sars_and_other_pandemics_are_spread_by_modern.html" style="color: rgb(86, 129, 140); text-decoration: none; ">particular robin</a> <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/15/sunday-review/the-ecology-of-disease.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(86, 129, 140); text-decoration: none; ">landed in your backyard</a>.</div></div><div class="text parbase section" style="margin: 1.5em 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; "><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; ">Pandemic diseases hold an irresistible allure for both writers and readers, as they involve threats both universal and personal, deep scientific mysteries from cellular to ecosystem levels, and urgent scientific sleuthing with high stakes. If the subject sometimes lends itself to oversimplified and sensationalistic journalism, it has also inspired a bounty of writing that is riveting while being thoughtful, nuanced, and deeply informed. And this work comes in every form and length, from 140-character tweets to 600-page global tours.</div></div><div class="text parbase section" style="margin: 1.5em 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; "><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; ">Here I offer a guide to the best of this work. I've drawn from my own reading and from the suggestions of top infectious-disease writers (more on them shortly). We'll start long, with books, and end, as we should, with tweeted expirations of germ-inflected wisdom.</div></div><div class="text parbase section" style="margin: 1.5em 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; "><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; "><strong style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; font-weight: bold; ">Best Books</strong></div></div><div class="text parbase section" style="margin: 1.5em 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; "><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; ">We face an embarrassment of riches here, and if it's hard to know where to start, it's easy to name a fivesome that will immerse you in the drama of pandemics both past and future while giving a fine understanding of the science. </div></div><div class="parbase image slate_image section" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; "><div class="sl-art-illo-cntr" style="margin: 0px auto; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; float: none; text-align: center; width: 568px; display: block; "><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6Ni2k6_7mFpsQXgzLGL_-44LLLJt7FRwr75pykdYPWw6hWhsUvfsBATi7SkWghhs5GuezxmR81rZhvzhbXJ1Et7NcbiU6Ytf_gYAQn-0LaCxw023whThj3qjrOSv4GsHiwdsuxWAwQIQ/s1600/original-716184"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5837046168904096370" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6Ni2k6_7mFpsQXgzLGL_-44LLLJt7FRwr75pykdYPWw6hWhsUvfsBATi7SkWghhs5GuezxmR81rZhvzhbXJ1Et7NcbiU6Ytf_gYAQn-0LaCxw023whThj3qjrOSv4GsHiwdsuxWAwQIQ/s320/original-716184" /></a></div></div><div class="text parbase section" style="margin: 1.5em 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; "><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; ">Leading the way almost 20 years ago, and still absolutely trenchant today, is Laurie Garrett's<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0140250913/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=slatmaga-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0140250913" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(86, 129, 140); text-decoration: none; "><em style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; font-style: italic; ">The Coming Plague: Newly Emerging Diseases in a World Out of Balance</em></a>, which vividly and judiciously reports the global forces creating a new infectious age. It remains essential reading, with astounding prescience.</div></div><div class="text parbase section" style="margin: 1.5em 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; "><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; ">Warm from the presses, meanwhile, comes David Quammen's <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0393066800/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=slatmaga-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0393066800" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(86, 129, 140); text-decoration: none; "><em style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; font-style: italic; ">Spillover: Animal Infections and the Next Human Pandemic</em></a>—one of the year's best books of any kind. This rich, engrossing work entrances as much with its darting literary elegance and deep humanity as with its exquisitely measured, layered reveal of the global strands binding us to a world of beauty and death.</div></div><div class="text parbase section" style="margin: 1.5em 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; "><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; ">Equally riveting is <a href="http://www.slate.com/authors.maryn_mckenna.html" style="color: rgb(86, 129, 140); text-decoration: none; ">Maryn McKenna's</a> way-too-close-to-home <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005DI7IBS/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=slatmaga-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B005DI7IBS" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(86, 129, 140); text-decoration: none; "><em style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; font-style: italic; ">SuperBug: The Fatal Menace of MRSA</em></a>. This bacterium (methicillin-resistant <em style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; font-style: italic; ">Staphylococcus aureus</em>) is everywhere these days, including, perhaps, on your keyboard and almost certainly on your nose. As McKenna makes vivid, its spread and its increasing resistance to antibiotics can turn a routine cut or hospital visit into a deadly saga.</div></div><div class="text parbase section" style="margin: 1.5em 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; "><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; ">Finally, there are the classics <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002ZNJXXU/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=slatmaga-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B002ZNJXXU" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(86, 129, 140); text-decoration: none; "><em style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; font-style: italic; ">Microbe Hunters</em></a>, Paul de Kruif's 1934 account of how the bug-hunters got started, and John Barry's <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0143036491/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=slatmaga-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0143036491" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(86, 129, 140); text-decoration: none; "><em style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; font-style: italic; ">The Great Influenza: The Story of the Deadliest Pandemic in History</em></a>, which makes scary reading anytime near flu season.</div></div><div class="pagebreak section" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; "></div><a name="pagebreak_anchor_2" style="color: rgb(0, 102, 153); text-decoration: none; font-family: verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; visibility: hidden; "></a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; display: inline !important; float: none; "></span><div class="text parbase section" style="margin: 1.5em 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; "><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; "><strong style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; font-weight: bold; ">Longreads</strong></div></div><div class="text parbase section" style="margin: 1.5em 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; "><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; ">"<a href="http://superbugthebook.com/about-the-book/excerpt/" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(86, 129, 140); text-decoration: none; ">The First Alert</a>," from Maryn McKenna's <em style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; font-style: italic; "><a href="http://superbugthebook.com/about-the-book/description/" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(86, 129, 140); text-decoration: none; ">SuperBug</a></em>, tells of a 13-year-old boy's battle with MRSA. "<a href="http://www.popsci.com/science/article/2012-08/out-wild?single-page-view=true&src=longreads&buffer_share=07093&utm_source=buffer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(86, 129, 140); text-decoration: none; ">Where Will the Next Pandemic Come From? And How Can We Stop It?</a>," in <em style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; font-style: italic; ">Popular Science</em>, opens the puzzle box that David Quammen explores at more length in <em style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; font-style: italic; "><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0393066800/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=slatmaga-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0393066800" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(86, 129, 140); text-decoration: none; ">Spillover</a></em>. In "<a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2000/10/the-hunt-for-the-origin-of-aids/306490/" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(86, 129, 140); text-decoration: none; ">The Hunt for the Origin of AIDS</a>," in the<em style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; font-style: italic; "> Atlantic</em>, Jon Cohen sifts through AIDS-origin theories both well-founded and weird.</div></div><div class="text parbase section" style="margin: 1.5em 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; "><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; ">"<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2004/11/07/magazine/07FLU.html?pagewanted=all&%23038;position=" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(86, 129, 140); text-decoration: none; ">The Flu Hunters</a>," a classic piece by <a href="http://www.gretchenreynolds.com/" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(86, 129, 140); text-decoration: none; ">Gretchen Reynolds</a> in the <em style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; font-style: italic; ">New York Times Magazine</em>, follows the hunt, far from over, to figure out how to prevent future flu pandemics on the scale of the one that <a href="http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/pandemics/2012/12/spanish_flu_mystery_why_don_t_scientists_understand_the_1918_flu_even_after.html" style="color: rgb(86, 129, 140); text-decoration: none; ">killed 20 million to 50 million people in 1918</a>. "<a href="http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2012/07/ff_rabies/all/" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(86, 129, 140); text-decoration: none; ">Undead: The Rabies Virus Remains a Medical Mystery</a>," in <em style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; font-style: italic; ">Wired</em>, an excerpt from the new book by <a href="http://www.jhsph.edu/offices-and-services/practice-and-training/resources/public-health-on-the-inside-podcast/2011-07-rabies-hunter-monica-murphy.html" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(86, 129, 140); text-decoration: none; ">Monica Murphy</a> and <a href="http://billwasik.com/" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(86, 129, 140); text-decoration: none; ">Bill Wasik</a>, <em style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; font-style: italic; "><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0670023736/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=slatmaga-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0670023736" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(86, 129, 140); text-decoration: none; ">Rabid</a></em>, shows how bizarre this old affliction is; some of the comments are as unsettling as the story. <a href="http://www.outsideonline.com/author-bios/Bruce-Barcott.html" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(86, 129, 140); text-decoration: none; ">Bruce Barcott</a>'s "<a href="http://www.outsideonline.com/adventure-travel/north-america/united-states/national-parks/Death-at-Yosemite-The-Story-Behind-Last-Summers-Hantavirus-Outbreak.html?page=all" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(86, 129, 140); text-decoration: none; ">Death at Yosemite</a>," in <em style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; font-style: italic; ">Outside</em>, shows how zoonotic diseases such as the much more obscure hantavirus can pop up, suddenly and fatally, even in the most sublime settings.</div></div><div class="text parbase section" style="margin: 1.5em 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; "><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; ">Finally, "<a href="http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2012/10/01/121001fa_fact_groopman?currentPage=all&pink=GjJ6ve&mobify=0" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(86, 129, 140); text-decoration: none; ">The Rise of Drug-Resistant Gonorrhea</a>," by Jerome Groopman at <em style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; font-style: italic; ">The New Yorker</em>, has some unsettling news about the human pharynx. And his colleague Michael Specter, in "<a href="http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2010/11/15/101115fa_fact_specter" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(86, 129, 140); text-decoration: none; ">A Deadly Misdiagnosis</a>," shows how misguided attempts to fight tuberculosis—possibly the disease that most threatens us—may actually strengthen its hand. Don't read this while you have a cough.</div></div><div class="text parbase section" style="margin: 1.5em 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; "><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; "><strong style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; font-weight: bold; ">Breaking News and Analysis</strong></div></div><div class="text parbase section" style="margin: 1.5em 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; "><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; ">Health and science sections of the <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/pages/health/index.html" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(86, 129, 140); text-decoration: none; "><em style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; font-style: italic; ">New York Times</em></a><em style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; font-style: italic; ">, </em><a href="http://www.npr.org/sections/global-health/" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(86, 129, 140); text-decoration: none; ">National Public Radio</a>, and <a href="http://in.reuters.com/news/health" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(86, 129, 140); text-decoration: none; ">Reuters</a>, as well as <em style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; font-style: italic; "><a href="http://news.sciencemag.org/" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(86, 129, 140); text-decoration: none; ">Science</a> </em>and<a href="http://www.nature.com/news/index.html" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(86, 129, 140); text-decoration: none; "><em style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; font-style: italic; "> Nature'</em>s</a> news departments, all cover infectious disease pretty well. If you read those, you'll catch most of the big news, though it requires sieving out from other stories. (The<em style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; font-style: italic; ">Guardian</em>'s <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/infectiousdiseases" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(86, 129, 140); text-decoration: none; ">infectious-disease news tag</a> does the sieving for you.)</div></div><div class="text parbase section" style="margin: 1.5em 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; "><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; ">To build your own filters, you can perform specific author/subject-tag searches at those and other publications, then bookmark the self-updating results. I've included such searches in the following links for the<em style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; font-style: italic; "> New York Times</em>' <a href="http://topics.nytimes.com/topics/reference/timestopics/people/g/denise_grady/index.ctx?match=exact&query=infectious+disease&submit.x=0&submit.y=0&submit=Search" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(86, 129, 140); text-decoration: none; ">Denise Grady</a>; <em style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; font-style: italic; ">Nature</em>'s <a href="http://www.nature.com/search/executeSearch?include-collections=journals_nature%2Ccrawled_content&exclude-collections=journals_palgrave%2Clab_animal&sp-c=25&sp-s=date_descending&sp-q-1=NATURE%2CNEWS%2CNNEWSB&sp-q=declan+butler" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(86, 129, 140); text-decoration: none; ">Declan Butler</a> and <a href="http://www.nature.com/search/executeSearch?sp-q=brendan+maher&sp-p=all&pag-start=1&sp-c=25&sp-m=0&sp-s=&siteCode=nature&sp-q-9%5BNATURE%5D=1&sp-advanced=true" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(86, 129, 140); text-decoration: none; ">Brendan Maher</a>; NBC's <a href="http://vitals.nbcnews.com/_nv/more/section/archive?author=maggie-fox" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(86, 129, 140); text-decoration: none; ">Maggie Fox</a>; <em style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; font-style: italic; ">Science</em>'s <a href="http://www.sciencemag.org/search?volume=&firstpage=&submit=yes&submit.x=0&submit.y=0&submit=Search&doi=&submit=yes&fulltext=&andorexactfulltext=and&titleabstract=&andorexacttitleabs=and&title=&andorexacttitle=and&author1=cohen%2C+jon&author2=&fmonth=&fyear=&tmonth=&tyear=&hits=10&sortspec=relevance&submit=yes&resourcetype=HWCIT%7CHWELTR&tocsectionid=all&submit=yes" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(86, 129, 140); text-decoration: none; ">Jon Cohen</a> and <a href="http://www.sciencemag.org/search?volume=&firstpage=&submit=yes&submit.x=0&submit.y=0&submit=Search&doi=&submit=yes&fulltext=&andorexactfulltext=and&titleabstract=&andorexacttitleabs=and&title=&andorexacttitle=and&author1=Enserink%2C+Martin&author2=&fmonth=&fyear=&tmonth=&tyear=&hits=10&sortspec=relevance&submit=yes&tocsectionid=all&submit=yes" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(86, 129, 140); text-decoration: none; ">Martin Enserink</a>; and the <em style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; font-style: italic; ">Canadian Press</em>'<a href="http://thechronicleherald.ca/author/helen-branswell-canadian-press" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(86, 129, 140); text-decoration: none; ">Helen Branswell</a>. All of these journalists do top-flight work. Branswell's reporting, alas, goes criminally overlooked in the United States (except by other health journalists). She focuses with particular intensity on swine, bird, and seasonal flu, navigating their changes, overlaps, and frightening uncertainties with particular grace and foresight; she is my go-to for flu.</div></div><div class="text parbase section" style="margin: 1.5em 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; "><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; ">Those folks will get you the main goods. Meanwhile, as with many deep but narrow topics in today's media environment, the infectious-disease beat benefits greatly from a handful of blogs, including some written by journalists, that track back stories, side stories, and follow-ups with a detail and steadiness that mainstream media doesn't allow. Two favorite blogs among bad-bug journalists are <a href="http://humanosphere.org/category/health/" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(86, 129, 140); text-decoration: none; ">Humanosphere Health</a> blog, kept by <a href="http://humanosphere.org/author/tpaulson/" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(86, 129, 140); text-decoration: none; ">Tom Paulson</a>, and the <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/profile/sarahboseley+society/sarah-boseley-global-health" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(86, 129, 140); text-decoration: none; "><em style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; font-style: italic; ">Guardian</em>Health Blog</a>, written by health editor <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/profile/sarahboseley" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(86, 129, 140); text-decoration: none; ">Sarah Boseley</a>.</div></div><div class="text parbase section" style="margin: 1.5em 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; "><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; ">Finally, freelance journalist and blogger Maryn McKenna is unmatched in reporting and contextualizing infectious-disease news with stories that'll scare the antibodies out of you. (She also possesses a <a href="http://marynmckenna.com/audio/" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(86, 129, 140); text-decoration: none; ">disturbingly</a><a href="http://marynmckenna.com/audio/" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(86, 129, 140); text-decoration: none; "> cool radio voice</a>.) The easiest way to follow McKenna is at her blog,<a href="http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/superbug/" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(86, 129, 140); text-decoration: none; ">Superbug</a>. (Disclosure: She and I both blog for <em style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; font-style: italic; ">Wired</em>.) She repeatedly sees the <em style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; font-style: italic; ">big</em> in the big stories, from <a href="http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2012/12/coronavirus-four/" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(86, 129, 140); text-decoration: none; ">new coronaviruses</a> to the CIA's lethally destructive <a href="http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2012/12/taliban-murder-polio/" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(86, 129, 140); text-decoration: none; ">fake-polio-vaccine boondoggle</a>in Pakistan, before almost anyone else does. For a sample, see her <u><a href="http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/pandemics/2012/12/dengue_fever_in_united_states_breakbone_fever_outbreaks_florida_texas_and.html" style="color: rgb(86, 129, 140); text-decoration: none; "><strong style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; font-weight: bold; "><em style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; font-style: italic; ">Slate</em></strong></a></u><a href="http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/pandemics/2012/12/dengue_fever_in_united_states_breakbone_fever_outbreaks_florida_texas_and.html" style="color: rgb(86, 129, 140); text-decoration: none; "> piece on dengue fever</a>. </div></div><div class="text parbase section" style="margin: 1.5em 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; "><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; "><strong style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; font-weight: bold; ">Global Disease in 140</strong></div></div><div class="text parbase section" style="margin: 1.5em 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; "><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-size: 12px; font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; ">Finally, if you've dumped your RSS reader and newspaper home pages for Twitter, you're in luck, for many of the writers named above use Twitter to link to, curate, and discuss both their own and others' breaking coverage. Particularly sharp are <a href="http://twitter.com/HelenBranswell" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(86, 129, 140); text-decoration: none; ">Helen Branswell</a>, <a href="http://twitter.com/marynmck" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(86, 129, 140); text-decoration: none; ">Maryn McKenna</a>,<a href="http://twitter.com/Laurie_Garrett" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(86, 129, 140); text-decoration: none; ">Laurie Garrett</a>, <a href="http://twitter.com/maggiemfox" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(86, 129, 140); text-decoration: none; ">Maggie Fox</a>, <a href="http://twitter.com/DavidQuammen" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(86, 129, 140); text-decoration: none; ">David Quammen</a>, <a href="http://twitter.com/DeclanButlerNat" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(86, 129, 140); text-decoration: none; ">Declan Butler</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/bmahersciwriter" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(86, 129, 140); text-decoration: none; ">Brendan Maher</a>, <a href="http://twitter.com/ScienceCohen" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(86, 129, 140); text-decoration: none; ">Jon Cohen</a>, and<a href="http://twitter.com/MartinEnserink" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(86, 129, 140); text-decoration: none; ">Martin Enserink</a>; and last but not least, Michael Coston, who blogs at <a href="http://afludiary.blogspot.com/" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(86, 129, 140); text-decoration: none; ">Avian Flu Diary</a> and tweets, indefatigably, as <a href="http://twitter.com/Fla_Medic" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(86, 129, 140); text-decoration: none; ">Fla_Medic</a>.</div></div></div><a href="http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/pandemics/2012/12/pandemics_books_authors_and_tweets_the_best_stories_about_the_worst_diseases.single.html">http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/pandemics/2012/12/pandemics_books_authors_and_tweets_the_best_stories_about_the_worst_diseases.single.html</a><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14px; color: black; text-align: left; "><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div>

Pandemics books, authors, and tweets: The best stories about the worst diseases. - Slate Magazine

The germs have been busy. In the United States this year alone, we've lost people both to old enemies such as  whooping cough  and to re...

Read more »