Jealous!

<p>So jealous of my twin sister!  She is currently snowboarding her little heart out in Austria.  She travelled over the weekend with her husband and a gang of friends.  She sent me pictures of the large hillside chalet they have rented - it looks amazing!</p><p>Can't wait to hear all about the snow, the apres ski and the Jaegermeister stories(!) when she returns in a week.</p>

Jealous!

So jealous of my twin sister!  She is currently snowboarding her little heart out in Austria.  She travelled over the weekend with her husba...

Read more »

Get help for children before the cute lisp becomes cumbersome

<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKZ1GypMrms00_KSLn0fU0MgUbiEdwBh6K6EHnkFhYTmL7qovW6oQVEbvPZwHTOG_ZHgSAavCPfHtYYLmMmCx2OiZc7wfYYHbdjCQLDFYLpPihq7TbTW7QVuNxBuPqQcUfZ9HofOUpG0lC/s1600/2013-01-26+15.38.48.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKZ1GypMrms00_KSLn0fU0MgUbiEdwBh6K6EHnkFhYTmL7qovW6oQVEbvPZwHTOG_ZHgSAavCPfHtYYLmMmCx2OiZc7wfYYHbdjCQLDFYLpPihq7TbTW7QVuNxBuPqQcUfZ9HofOUpG0lC/s320/2013-01-26+15.38.48.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramblin%27_Wreck_from_Georgia_Tech" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Ramblin' Wreck from Georgia Tech">I'm a Ramblin' Wreck from Georgia Tech</a><br />and a heck of a teacher dear. ;-) My trip last week<br />to Atlanta has me thinking about the importance of<br />speech therapy and how I'm glad I got it for one of<br />my own children.</td></tr></tbody></table>Last week, I was at the Georgia Tech men's basketball game and sat in front of eight boys who were about ten. I admit, I'm a people watcher - but not really a people watcher but a people lover. Precious children with the world ahead of them just pull on my heart strings every time.<br /><br />As I sat down, the boys were getting settled and one of them commented.<br /><br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">"Hey, look, there's girls dancing."<br />"Hey, they don't have many clothes on."</blockquote>All at the same time all eight of them said.<br /><blockquote class="tr_bq"><br />"coooooool"</blockquote><br />(I guess they were just getting to the age that it was ok to say that.) We were sitting in some great seats that my Dad got us because he supports Georgia Tech's fundraising program. At halftime, they were debating what they would do and said:<br /><br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">"What do we do? Sit in our seats and be bored, or get up and go eat desserts and drink drinks and tell stories and have fun?"</blockquote><br />They promptly got up and left. Because I work with teenage boys, it was just so like the teens (and grown men), that it made me smile. I love that about the men in my life... they love to eat and tell stories...and I love to listen.<br /><br />But the little, extroverted boy in the white T-shirt with the lisp just cracked me up. After his halftime during which he must have had quite a bit of the chocolate and Coca-Cola, he came back talking a mile a minute. First, there was the Zaxby's Foul shot.<br /><br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">"He got the 'thaxby's thoul thot!' The 'thaxby's thoul thot!!'"</blockquote><br />Then, when they were shooting shirts in to the stands.<br /><br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">"Pulease help usth! We need uh t-sthirt."</blockquote><br />Finally, near the end, he talked to his friend with the Wake Forest Tshirt<br /><br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">"Dude, wake foresth losth - there is no way they can sthore 30 poinsth in the lasth sthecond."</blockquote>I wanted to turn around and say,<br /><br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">"Oh, do you mean the last six seconds?"</blockquote><b>It was so cute.</b> But this conversation came back to me as I was talking to a person who was discussing when and if kids need speech therapy.<br /><br /><h2>Cute can become cumbersome.</h2>One of my own children had a lisp as a child. Sure, it was cute, but I knew if we didn't do something at a very young age, that it would no longer be cute, it would be cumbersome.<br /><br />So, in first grade we found a VERY GOOD <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speech_and_language_pathology" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Speech and language pathology">speech therapist</a> and by third grade, the lisp was gone. My child no longer has the lisp and I'm so relieved and sometimes don't even think of it. But this Mom was saying that she wasn't sure that she wanted to get her child help because it was 'cute." Another chimed in about an older child she knew who still had the lisp and it was no longer cute, in fact, it was limiting her in what she wanted to do but she couldn't "fix" it.<br /><h2>Speech Therapists are important</h2>All of this comes together to mention the importance of good speech therapist. Teachers come in all sizes and shapes and speech therapists are needed, valuable people -- especially good ones. I've watched speech therapists in action and it looks like they are playing games. The difference is that the good ones actually are able to get results and the others do not.<br /><br /><h2>Partnering with parents and teachers to help children is important to correcting speech issues</h2>I recall with my child that the speech therapist actually met with me and my child's teacher and we had cues that we'd give my child when he/she would revert into the bad habits. We were all partners to help the child move forward and speak articulately. Our health insurance even helped.<br /><br />I'm writing this to all of you out there who work with children or have children of their own. There is an age that children do need help with their lisp or their <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speech_disorder" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Speech disorder">speech impediment</a>... the tough thing is that age is just at the edge of cuteness turning into a problem. I'm so glad that we got my child help for this.<br /><br /><b>Physical therapists and speech therapists</b> - you are teachers too and my hat is off to you. If more parents would realize that cute turns into limiting very quickly and the longer you wait from "prime time" for helping children overcome such things, the harder it will be and more expensive it will be to help the child overcome the issues.<br /><br />Physical and speech therapists -- remember your noble calling. Work with teachers and parents and remember that we're all on the same team.<br /><br /><h2>Be the adult because kids won't know why they need to change</h2>Far too many parents care more about being popular than being a parent. From experience, when I've gotten my children tutoring, physical therapy or speech therapy, or even shots - my children were rarely happy about it.<br /><br />Kids complain about such things because they literally don't see or hear anything wrong with what they are saying or doing. It is our job to see the big picture and long term and do the right thing by our children when they become adults.<br /><br />Remember your noble calling, teacher... parent...therapist.  You are "coooooool" and important!<br /><br /> <div class="zemanta-pixie" style="height: 15px; margin-top: 10px;"><a class="zemanta-pixie-a" href="http://www.zemanta.com/?px" title="Enhanced by Zemanta"><img alt="Enhanced by Zemanta" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/zemified_c.png?x-id=39702500-564e-4e9f-89c4-0e88e1cd4265" style="border: none; float: right;" /></a></div>

parenting Teaching Get help for children before the cute lisp becomes cumbersome

I'm a Ramblin' Wreck from Georgia Tech and a heck of a teacher dear. ;-) My trip last week to Atlanta has me thinking about the impo...

Read more »

more news to come

I've got a secret wrapped in a riddle. What do upholstery, sparkles and a party of 20 have in common?<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiS3fOWXkLCcref0v9D7qN5XCIg3wWLohfVoXbKVA6TfJFBJSAFBCsg16I_rMbN3xLvlsi6TMwRJQv-oGHijBWd8wQQM_BGT3B3389vVicg_E1YWXf5AP2z9wXeI8ugue4hkDoaGTB2r1y/s1600/250579_208166459220561_132290533474821_530131_7231531_n_large.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiS3fOWXkLCcref0v9D7qN5XCIg3wWLohfVoXbKVA6TfJFBJSAFBCsg16I_rMbN3xLvlsi6TMwRJQv-oGHijBWd8wQQM_BGT3B3389vVicg_E1YWXf5AP2z9wXeI8ugue4hkDoaGTB2r1y/s320/250579_208166459220561_132290533474821_530131_7231531_n_large.jpeg" width="212" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://weheartit.com/entry/16870682" target="_blank">source</a></td></tr></tbody></table>Come back on Wednesday and find out.

more news to come

I've got a secret wrapped in a riddle. What do upholstery, sparkles and a party of 20 have in common? source Come back on Wednesday and ...

Read more »

Uninvited Guests Are Best

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_XrmC4arx2-RW2X9Anfl13iRWS41jzqcz5xv808_1w55fXysfomTi64KImuXXgu2TNZlacxkuLDySAsBwbsteylNQhiaciImj2He6MylBSAKRbtRCul96QQTKD74dWfjKI4l4hgQmAFc/s1600/hangover+sexy+woman.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_XrmC4arx2-RW2X9Anfl13iRWS41jzqcz5xv808_1w55fXysfomTi64KImuXXgu2TNZlacxkuLDySAsBwbsteylNQhiaciImj2He6MylBSAKRbtRCul96QQTKD74dWfjKI4l4hgQmAFc/s400/hangover+sexy+woman.jpg" width="400" /></a>CHEEEEEEEERS BITCHES!! WHAT’S WRONG?  DO YOU HAVE A SUPER BOWL PARTY HANGOVER?  WHAT A SHAME, BECAUSE I DON’T…<br /><br />No sirree Bob, I sure as hell don’t, and it is…NICE!!<br /><br />After a cold and brutal slog from 11-7 at the Beer Mine yesterday, I hopped into the Bagwine Mobile, cranked up some Scorpions, and set off for a Super Bowl soiree which was being held by my longtime, yet newly re-discovered friend, Nancy.<br /><br />Upon locating her cottage like abode which is safely and snugly nestled upon a road less traveled, I parked, popped the trunk, grabbed a couple of Colt 45’s from nippy bag, and walked toward the door of Casa de Nancy.<br /><br />Before I could reach the entrance, I was accosted by two diminutive dogs whose collective bravado was as large as their bodies were tiny.  While they nipped at my ankles, their simultaneous yipping and yapping provided a clarion call to Mizz Nancy, alerting her to let me in.<br /><br />And upon her opening the door, and I seeing the glorious face of my friend, I step by careful step, proceeded into her warm and welcoming wigwam of Super Bowl frivolity.<br /><br />Two seconds in and a set of misplaced fireplace tools which I helped Nancy to knock over later, I shunned my winter coat, pulled the Colt 45’s out and said, <i>“Hi Y’all.”</i><br /><br />After the lovely Nancy put one of my beers in the fridge, and as I was opening the other, she introduced me to the ensemble… <br /><br /><i>“Name redacted (ex-husband) and Name redacted (current boyfriend), this is Matt.”</i><br /><br />I stood there, and felt the crushing weight of societal hierarchies crashing down upon me as these two jokers eyeballed me, looked at Nancy, back at me again, and all while thinking to themselves…<br /><br /><i>“Well Ms. Vale…Another rooster in the henhouse.”</i><br /><br />And then?  Well…the Colt 45 tasted pretty good, so I got over that within seconds, and Nancy introduced me to her 18 year old son.<br /><br />I could tell quickly that her son Sam liked me, because within two minutes, he was calling me, Matt-Man.  He and I talked politics, sports, advertising, fiction vs. non-fiction, and well, we shared a smoke outside together. We bonded.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbPu28feP14xDCdqglquaPQZSEWZHiYQUchyFy6nhxDDiddnG4IW-m1tD-jqHxeWg4OCYJFbEuRM62vWy1E8nPJ2Q2WINdugIkeXBBKgvwJlxeWncby4I9Q3EU9RTZnFtXdCR27jQo0dU/s1600/Colt+45+Malt+Liquor+Billy+Dee+Willaims.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/AVvXsEhbPu28feP14xDCdqglquaPQZSEWZHiYQUchyFy6nhxDDiddnG4IW-m1tD-jqHxeWg4OCYJFbEuRM62vWy1E8nPJ2Q2WINdugIkeXBBKgvwJlxeWncby4I9Q3EU9RTZnFtXdCR27jQo0dU/s400/Colt+45+Malt+Liquor+Billy+Dee+Willaims.jpg" width="318" /></a>Ex husband and new boyfriend soon left, perhaps 20-25 minutes after my arrival which was kind of hurtful because it made me think…<br /><br /><i>“Are you leaving because you are offended that I smell like my Beer Mine customers and am beneath you, or are you leaving because I am so fucking AWESOME!!?”</i><br /><br />Uh-huh…I think we all know the answer to that…it was the Colt 45.  Beer Snobs.  I could tell immediately.<br /><br />Anyhoo…<br /><br />The tiny male dog, Oscar, began to hump my cold stiff shoe.  The lights went out at the Superdome, and the phone rang.  There would be a couple of Nancy’s friends stopping by after their AA meeting.<br /><br />So, here I am, sitting on the couch with her son, with a dog humping my foot, and a beer in my hand waiting upon the arrival of two AA meeting attendees, and I’m thinking…<br /><br /><i>“This is fucking AWESOME; I can‘t wait to tell Jayman!!”</i><br /><br />Upon their arrival, I found them both to be very nice, and I stayed til’ the bitter end of the game. Although…I kinda just held my final beer and didn’t drink it.<br /><br />Although I wish I could have talked to Nancy more as I haven’t seen her in nearly seven years, it was great to see her again, and meet her son, who while high strung, is a good guy, I had a good time.<br /><br />I want to thank good ol’ Nancy for <strike>caving into my demands that I be allowed to come over</strike> inviting me to her home, and sharing her kindness and that of her son with me.<br /><br />It was a nice time, but Nancy?  I need to come back…because Schmoop goes to bed early often, and I bet your boyfriend travels once in awhile, and after all…<br /><br />Your son did ask you midway through the fourth quarter of the Super Bowl…<br /><br /><i>“Mom?  Can Matt-Man stay all night?”</i><br /><br />I loooooove that boy!!<br /><br /><i>Cheers!!</i><br /><i>Matt-Man</i><br /><br /><a href="mailto:mattmaniws@ymail.com">mattmaniws@ymail.com</a><br /><i><span style="color: blue;"><a href="https://twitter.com/MattMan_IWS" target="_blank">@MattMan_IWS</a></span></i><br /><i><br /></i> <i>P.S.  </i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">Also, Saturday night was an <i>EPIC</i> episode of <i>I'm With Stupid</i>. It started out with typical witty and charming banter between Jayman and Matt-Man and later turned into an ALL OUT WAR! That's right kids, Sunshine State Shirley and Justin both called in and IT WAS ON! Justin and Shirley went to war almost immediately. It was AWESOME! Check it out.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"><br /></span><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"><object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.adobe.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=9,0,0,0" height="105" id="143577" name="143577" width="210"><param name="movie" value="http://www.blogtalkradio.com/btrplayer.swf?file=http://www.blogtalkradio.com%2Fplaylist.aspx%3Fshow_id%3D4353435&autostart=false&bufferlength=5&volume=80&corner=rounded&callback=http://www.blogtalkradio.com/flashplayercallback.aspx" /><param name="quality" value="high" /><param name="wmode" value="transparent" /><param name="menu" value="false" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><embed src="http://www.blogtalkradio.com/btrplayer.swf" flashvars="file=http://www.blogtalkradio.com%2Fplaylist.aspx%3Fshow_id%3D4353435&autostart=false&shuffle=false&callback=http://www.blogtalkradio.com/FlashPlayerCallback.aspx&width=210&height=105&volume=80&corner=rounded" width="210" height="105" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" quality="high" wmode="transparent" menu="false" name="143577" id="143577" allowScriptAccess="always"></embed></object></span></div><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"></span><div style="font-size: 10px; text-align: center; width: 220px;"><br /></div></div>

Uninvited Guests Are Best

CHEEEEEEEERS BITCHES!! WHAT’S WRONG?  DO YOU HAVE A SUPER BOWL PARTY HANGOVER?  WHAT A SHAME, BECAUSE I DON’T… No sirree Bob, I sure as hell...

Read more »

Antonio Silva scores major UFC 156 upset with knockout of Alistair Overeem

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="background-color: white; color: #777777; font-family: arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 13px;">By </span><span class="fn" style="background-color: white; color: #777777; font-family: arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 13px;"><a href="http://sports.yahoo.com/author/maggie-hendricks/" rel="author" style="color: #a1abb2; text-decoration: none;">Maggie Hendricks</a></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #777777; font-family: arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 13px;"> | </span><span class="provider org" style="background-color: white; color: #777777; font-family: arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 13px;"><a href="http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/" style="color: #a1abb2; text-decoration: none;">Cagewriter</a></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #777777; font-family: arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 13px;"> – </span><abbr style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #777777; font-family: arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 13px;" title="2013-02-03T04:34:21Z">15 hours ago From: </abbr>http://sports.yahoo.com<br /><img src="http://l.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/2zqQu2PvvZ1WyjvYIhcCNQ--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7cT04NTt3PTYzMA--/http://media.zenfs.com/en/blogs/sptusmmaexperts/160570320.jpg" /><br /><br /><div class="first" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.450000762939453px; padding: 0px;"><span class="yom-figure yom-fig-right" style="clear: both; display: block; float: right; margin-bottom: 11px; margin-left: 20px; margin-top: 6px; width: 630px;"><span class="legend" style="color: #414141; display: block; font-family: arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 1.7em; margin: 5px 0px 0px; padding: 0px;">(Getty)</span></span>Antonio "Big Foot" Silva patiently fought Alistair Overeem at UFC 156, and then pulled off the biggest upset of the young year with a knockout win in the third round.</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.450000762939453px; margin-top: 11px; padding: 0px;">The first round was more clinch-filled than expected, but Overeem definitely got his licks in. He used leg kicks and punches as well as fantastic movement to hold off Silva. Overeem also landed 13 body shots in the first round.</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.450000762939453px; margin-top: 11px; padding: 0px;">Overeem went a different route in the second round, taking down Silva early in the round. After Overeem controlled and beat up Silva for much of the round, they were stood up and they finally started throwing at each other. Both fighters got in knees and punches until they were stopped by the round ending. As they headed to their separate corners, Overeem threw a look at Silva that seemed to say, "Bring it."</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.450000762939453px; margin-top: 11px; padding: 0px;">Silva complied. In the third round, Silva became aggressive and Overeem stood right in front of him. "Big Foot" landed a bevy of punches that first wobbled Overeem, and then sent him to the ground. Silva had to be pulled back by referee Herb Dean. The fight was stopped 25 seconds into the final round.</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.450000762939453px; margin-top: 11px; padding: 0px;">“After I knocked him out I was yelling at him ‘Let’s go! I want more… come fight!" Silva said through a translator after the bout.</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.450000762939453px; margin-top: 11px; padding: 0px;">This was Overeem's first fight since beating Brock Lesnar late in 2011. Overeem was given a title shot after the win, but lost his opportunity after pre-fight tests caused him to be suspended in Nevada. He was hoping for a title shot immediately upon his suspension, but had to beat Silva first. That title shot is not likely now.</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.450000762939453px; margin-top: 11px; padding: 0px;">Before knocking out Overeem, Silva had experienced an up and down past few fights. He beat MMA legend Fedor Emelianenko, then lost to Daniel Cormier in the Strikeforce heavyweight Grand Prix, and to Cain Velasquez at UFC 146. After that, he scored a first-round TKO over Travis Browne.</div></div>

UFC Antonio Silva scores major UFC 156 upset with knockout of Alistair Overeem

By  Maggie Hendricks  |  Cagewriter  –  15 hours ago From:  http://sports.yahoo.com (Getty) Antonio "Big Foot" Silva patiently fou...

Read more »

Searching for the Super Bowl Start Time: 2013 Edition

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;">Feb 3, 2013 at 1:59pm ET by </span><a href="http://searchengineland.com/author/vanessa-fox" rel="author" style="background-color: white; color: #555555; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Vanessa Fox</a> From: http://searchengineland.com<br /><br /><div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px;">Surely every organization managing an event site knows at this point that people want to know what time things start. And that those potential viewers are likely to turn to Google to find out.</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://searchengineland.com/figz/wp-content/seloads/2013/02/start-time-trends.png" style="color: #555555; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><img alt="Super Bowl Start Time Trends" class="aligncenter wp-image-147212" height="493" src="http://searchengineland.com/figz/wp-content/seloads/2013/02/start-time-trends.png" style="border: 1px solid black; display: block; margin: 0px auto; padding: 0px;" width="608" /></a></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px;">This year, Google just provides the answer right at the top of the page: February 3rd at 3:30 pacific.</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://searchengineland.com/figz/wp-content/seloads/2013/02/google-starttime-sunday.png" style="color: #555555; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><img alt="Super Bowl Start Time" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-147207" height="459" src="http://searchengineland.com/figz/wp-content/seloads/2013/02/google-starttime-sunday-600x459.png" style="border: 1px solid black; display: block; margin: 0px auto; padding: 0px;" width="600" /></a></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px;"><a href="http://searchengineland.com/when-is-the-super-bowl-start-time-the-nfl-finally-gets-it-right-110176" style="color: #555555; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Just as we saw last year</a>, the NFL understands what their target audience is looking for and has built a page that provides exactly what they need (that ranks first in the search results), as well as invites them to tour the rest of the site (which gives the NFL the page views they need – win/win!).</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px;"><a href="http://searchengineland.com/figz/wp-content/seloads/2013/02/nfl-starttime.png" style="color: #555555; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><img alt="NFL Super Bowl Start Time" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-147209" height="496" src="http://searchengineland.com/figz/wp-content/seloads/2013/02/nfl-starttime.png" style="border: none; display: block; margin: 0px auto; padding: 0px;" width="537" /></a></div><h2 style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Tahoma, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding: 0px;">Super Bowl Start Time: Search Results Through the Years</h2><div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px;">This query is a great example of how far search has come (both for search engines and for organizations who want to reach their audiences online). Let’s take a quick journey back in time.</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px;"><a href="http://searchengineland.com/can-searchers-find-the-superbowl-16396" style="color: #555555; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">2009 Super Bowl</a> - Google offers up the 2007 game (and Microsoft Live Search provides a Wikipedia result about the history of the Super Bowl).</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px;"><a href="http://searchengineland.com/figz/wp-content/seloads/2013/02/2009starttime.jpg" style="color: #555555; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><img alt="2009 Super Bowl " class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-147211" height="301" src="http://searchengineland.com/figz/wp-content/seloads/2013/02/2009starttime.jpg" style="border: none; display: block; margin: 0px auto; padding: 0px;" width="500" /></a></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px;"><a href="http://searchengineland.com/searching-for-the-superbowl-start-time-how-are-the-engines-the-nfl-and-cbs-doing-35451" style="color: #555555; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">2010 Super Bowl</a> -Google attempts to fix the problem of choosing either spammy results or spammier results (“So when is the Super Bowl 44 start time? What is the Super Bowl Time? Football fans all over America would be anxious for the game to begin on 2010 Feb 07 at Land Shark Stadium, Miami, Florida. The Super Bowl 2010 start time is pretty well set…”) to rank by adding a Onebox with the start time at the top of the page. (Bing mostly just provides the spam.)</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://searchengineland.com/figz/wp-content/seloads/2013/02/2010starttime.jpg" style="color: #555555; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><img alt="2010 Super Bowl Start Time" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-147215" height="640" src="http://searchengineland.com/figz/wp-content/seloads/2013/02/2010starttime.jpg" style="border: 1px solid black; display: block; margin: 0px auto; padding: 0px;" width="425" /></a></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px;"><a href="http://searchengineland.com/what-time-does-the-super-bowl-start-a-continuing-lesson-in-search-visibility-63633" style="color: #555555; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">2011 Super Bowl</a> – Google gives news organizations the benefit of the doubt, and puts Google News results above the Onebox that gives searchers the answer they are looking for.</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px;">Sadly, news organizations have decided that what works for churn and burn spam sites works for credible organizations with names that would hurt more to lose and thus began HuffPo’s tradition of crafting articles almost solely out of search queries (“Are you wondering, “what time does the Superbowl start?” It’s a common search query, as is “what time is the super bowl 2011″, “superbowl start time” and “superbowl kick off time 2011″, according to Google Trends the evening before the Super Bowl.”).</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px;">Bing is also ranking pages with wisdom like “But a whole bunch of people don’t even know when the Super Bowl starts. As of noon EST today, here are some of the most frequent Google searches, based on the Google Trends site…”</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://searchengineland.com/figz/wp-content/seloads/2013/02/2011starttime.png" style="color: #555555; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><img alt="2011 Super Bowl Start Time" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-147218" height="822" src="http://searchengineland.com/figz/wp-content/seloads/2013/02/2011starttime.png" style="border: 1px solid black; display: block; margin: 0px auto; padding: 0px;" width="500" /></a></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px;"><a href="http://searchengineland.com/when-is-the-super-bowl-start-time-the-nfl-finally-gets-it-right-110176" style="color: #555555; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">2012 Super Bowl</a> – Everything changes, and the angels rejoice (or maybe that’s just me). Sure, HuffPo is still at it, and still ranking (“For starters, it’s two words, not one. “Superbowl” is an incorrect spelling”), and the Onebox on Google mysteriously goes missing, but the NFL creates a page that is intersection of target audience analysis and organization goals and builds it in such a way that it shows up for searchers.</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://searchengineland.com/figz/wp-content/seloads/2012/02/super-bowl-time-serp.png" style="color: #555555; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><img alt="2012 Super Bowl Start Time" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-110177" height="328" src="http://searchengineland.com/figz/wp-content/seloads/2012/02/super-bowl-time-serp.png" style="border: 1px solid black; display: block; margin: 0px auto; padding: 0px;" width="524" /></a></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px;">By the way, that multiple spelling technique isn’t  isn’t just a Super Bowl strategy for the Huffington Post. Take a look at this <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/01/kanye-west-straitjacket-abu-dhabi-photo_n_2597925.html" style="color: #555555; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">article about Kanye West’s fashion sense</a> (“He had on a straitjacket (perhaps more commonly spelled “straight jacket”)…)”:</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://searchengineland.com/figz/wp-content/seloads/2013/02/kanye.png" style="color: #555555; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><img alt="Kanye" class="aligncenter" height="138" src="http://searchengineland.com/figz/wp-content/seloads/2013/02/kanye.png" style="border: 1px solid black; display: block; margin: 0px auto; padding: 0px;" width="589" /></a></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px;"><strong style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">2013 Super Bowl</strong> – And this year, the NFL is once again meeting their audiences needs and Google has rewarded them by ranking them first. The Onebox is also back and above the news results this time. And Bing is also providing the start time at the top of results.</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://searchengineland.com/figz/wp-content/seloads/2013/02/bing-startime.png" style="color: #555555; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><img alt="Bing" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-147238" height="575" src="http://searchengineland.com/figz/wp-content/seloads/2013/02/bing-startime-600x575.png" style="border: 1px solid black; display: block; margin: 0px auto; padding: 0px;" width="600" /></a></div><h2 style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Tahoma, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding: 0px;">Who Should Be Ranking?</h2><div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px;">What about the organizations other than the NFL that should be ranking?</div><h3 style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 14px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">TV Guide</h3><div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px;">tvguide.com ranks for [what time does the super bowl start] but not for the slightly more popular [super bowl start time], which is a sign that Google still has work to do in truly ranking based on intent vs. the specific words in the query (and gives HuffPo a little ammunition in defending their choice to sneak in as many query variations as possible). I applaud TV Guide for understanding what their audience is looking for and providing answers, but they could probably do a better job of showcasing other content on the site that would appeal to this audience (right now, they include links in the article, but no images or video that would catch the viewer’s attention and encourage clicks.</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://searchengineland.com/figz/wp-content/seloads/2013/02/tvguide-starttime.png" style="color: #555555; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><img alt="tv guide starttime" class="aligncenter wp-image-147225" height="516" src="http://searchengineland.com/figz/wp-content/seloads/2013/02/tvguide-starttime.png" style="border: 1px solid black; display: block; margin: 0px auto; padding: 0px;" width="592" /></a></div><h3 style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 14px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">CBS</h3><div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px;">The game airs on CBS this year, but their site isn’t ranking for this query. Amazingly, YOU CAN WATCH THE GAME ONLINE ON THE CBS WEB SITE THIS YEAR (finally, finally, we live in the future), but cbs.com doesn’t rank for those searches either.</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px;"><a href="http://searchengineland.com/figz/wp-content/seloads/2013/02/both.png" style="color: #555555; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><img alt="Super Bowl Watch Online Live Stream" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-147228" height="338" src="http://searchengineland.com/figz/wp-content/seloads/2013/02/both-600x338.png" style="border: none; display: block; margin: 0px auto; padding: 0px;" width="600" /></a></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px;">My new favorite site, nfl.com, ranks for both (fortunately for CBS, they just link right over to cbs.com). What’s the problem? Same old story. The cbs.com home page links to just a pop up player with the live stream, and doesn’t have a real page available that search engines can index and rank. In fact, the only page on cbs.com that seems to mention the Super Bowl at all is the home page. And without JavaScript enabled, well, the page looks like this:</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px;"><a href="http://searchengineland.com/figz/wp-content/seloads/2013/02/cbs2.png" style="color: #555555; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><img alt="CBS Without JavaScript" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-147229" height="417" src="http://searchengineland.com/figz/wp-content/seloads/2013/02/cbs2-600x417.png" style="border: none; display: block; margin: 0px auto; padding: 0px;" width="600" /></a></div><h3 style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 14px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">San Francisco 49ers</h3><div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px;">The home page does list the start time, but as with teams in years past, that this is the start time of the game can only be inferred. The actual words that people are looking for aren’t there.</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px;"><a href="http://searchengineland.com/figz/wp-content/seloads/2013/02/49ers.png" style="color: #555555; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><img alt="49ers site" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-147231" height="155" src="http://searchengineland.com/figz/wp-content/seloads/2013/02/49ers-600x155.png" style="border: none; display: block; margin: 0px auto; padding: 0px;" width="600" /></a></div><h3 style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 14px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Baltimore Ravens</h3><div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px;">To be honest, I can barely tell that from the Baltimore home page that they’re in the Super Bowl. Sure, they’ve got a hashtag, but this page looks designed for aesthetics rather than based on what users might want to accomplish.</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px;"><a href="http://searchengineland.com/figz/wp-content/seloads/2013/02/ravens.png" style="color: #555555; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><img alt="Baltimore Ravens" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-147232" height="272" src="http://searchengineland.com/figz/wp-content/seloads/2013/02/ravens-600x272.png" style="border: none; display: block; margin: 0px auto; padding: 0px;" width="600" /></a></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px;">So, it goes. In 2013, large organizations still don’t have the basics down and still aren’t connecting with their target audience as well as they could be.  Knowing what a hashtag is just isn’t enough.</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px;">But things are definitely improving. <a href="http://www.nfl.com/" style="color: #555555; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">The NFL</a> is getting it right two years in a row. <a href="http://www.cbs.com/" style="color: #555555; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">CBS</a> is offering live streaming on your pick of devices. And the latest offering by the Huffington Post is actually about the game, and not an ode to Google Trends:</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px;"><img alt="Huffpo" src="http://searchengineland.com/figz/wp-content/seloads/2013/02/huffponew.png" /></div></div>

Super Bowl Start Tim Searching for the Super Bowl Start Time: 2013 Edition

Feb 3, 2013 at 1:59pm ET by  Vanessa Fox  From: http://searchengineland.com Surely every organization managing an event site knows at this p...

Read more »

Super Bowl: Teams hold final talks before game

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /></div><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/-0LO5dFDrx8?feature=player_detailpage" width="640"></iframe><br /><br /><h5 style="background-color: #f2f2f2; border: 0px; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px 0px 6px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">NFL Kickoff OT From: http://espn.go.com</h5><div class="mod-video-tags" style="background-color: #f2f2f2; border: 0px; color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; display: block; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 5px; vertical-align: baseline;">NFL Live predicts the outcome of Super Bowl XLVII.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; display: block; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 5px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">NEW ORLEANS -- <a href="http://espn.go.com/nfl/team/_/name/bal/baltimore-ravens" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #225fb2; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Baltimore Ravens</a> coach John Harbaugh played an inspirational highlight video for his team Saturday night in the team's final meeting at the team hotel before Super Bowl XLVII that showed the big hits, big plays and key moments from throughout the season.</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></div><div class="mod-container mod-no-footer mod-inline content-box floatright mod-no-header-footer" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; clear: both; color: black; float: right !important; font-family: verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 261.8833312988281px;"><div class="mod-content" style="border: 1px solid rgb(194, 194, 194); font-size: 11px; margin: 0px 0px 6px; outline: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px; vertical-align: baseline;"><h4 style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(194, 194, 194); border-bottom-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; margin: 0px 7px; outline: 0px; padding: 2px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;">More On Super Bowl XLVII</h4><div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #333333; line-height: 17px; margin: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 4px; vertical-align: baseline;"><img border="0" class="io-img" src="http://a.espncdn.com//photo/2013/0120/nfl_e_super_bowl_preview_ill_b2_134.jpg" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; float: right; margin: 8px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" />From the battle of the Harbaughs to the final game of Ray Lewis' career, ESPN has you covered for all things Niners and Ravens at <a href="http://espn.go.com/nfl/superbowl" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: rgb(96, 143, 214) !important; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><b style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #333333; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Super Bowl Central</b></a>.</div><div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #333333; line-height: 17px; margin: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 4px; vertical-align: baseline;">• <a href="http://espn.go.com/blog/afcnorth" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: rgb(96, 143, 214) !important; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">AFC North blog</a> | <a href="http://espn.go.com/blog/nfcwest" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: rgb(96, 143, 214) !important; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">NFC West blog</a><br />• <b style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Topics Page:</b> <a href="http://espn.go.com/nfl/topics/_/page/super-bowl" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: rgb(96, 143, 214) !important; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The Super Bowl</a><br />• <a href="http://espn.go.com/nfl/playoffs/2012/story/_/id/8864067/nfl-playoffs-better-harbaughs-super-bowl" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: rgb(96, 143, 214) !important; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Super Bowl Q&A</a> | <a href="http://espn.go.com/blog/nflnation/tag/_/name/road-to-the-superdome" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: rgb(96, 143, 214) !important; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Road to Superdome</a><br />• <b style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Meet the defenses:</b> <a href="http://espn.go.com/blog/statsinfo/post/_/id/60862/top-things-to-know-ravens-defense" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: rgb(96, 143, 214) !important; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Ravens</a> | <a href="http://espn.go.com/blog/statsinfo/post/_/id/60926/top-things-to-know-49ers-defense" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: rgb(96, 143, 214) !important; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">49ers</a></div></div></div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Harbaugh's message to the team was simple: This is the way we got to the Super Bowl, and this is the way we win the Super Bowl.</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The <a href="http://espn.go.com/nfl/team/_/name/sf/san-francisco-49ers" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #225fb2; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">San Francisco 49ers</a>' final meeting Saturday night, meanwhile, featured speeches from coach<a href="http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/27/jim-harbaugh" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #225fb2; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Jim Harbaugh</a> and wide receiver <a href="http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/1433/randy-moss" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #225fb2; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Randy Moss</a>, who knows the emotional pain of losing the Super Bowl as he did with the Patriots in failing to complete a perfect season in 2007.</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Jim Harbaugh also introduced the 49ers to Colonel Jim Minnick, a friend he's had since the eighth grade. Minnick encouraged the players to leave it all on the field for their teammates, play together and be prepared to overcome adversity because nothing ever goes as planned, offering examples from his military career.</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Visitors for the Ravens included New Jersey Governor Chris Christie and newly-inducted Hall of Famer <a href="http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/962/jonathan-ogden" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #225fb2; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Jonathan Ogden</a>, who played for the Ravens from 1996-2007.</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Christie met with quarterback <a href="http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/11252/joe-flacco" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #225fb2; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Joe Flacco</a> in the team hotel. Both are New Jersey natives and graduates of the University of Delaware. Ogden's visit generated a lot of excitement in the lobby from fans and players alike.</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">One 49ers player told ESPN that everybody is well prepared and ready for the game.</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">"There is nothing but pure excitement,'' the player said.</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The 49ers have no obligations until buses leave for the Superdome at 3 p.m. ET. Early buses for the Ravens will depart for the stadium at the same time.</div></span></div></div>

Super Bowl Super Bowl: Teams hold final talks before game

NFL Kickoff OT From: http://espn.go.com NFL Live predicts the outcome of Super Bowl XLVII. NEW ORLEANS --  Baltimore Ravens  coach John Harb...

Read more »

The Puppy Bowl: Sunday’s other big game

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18.149999618530273px;">Posted by </span><a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/maura-judkis/2011/03/04/gIQAUSQrnO_page.html" rel="author external" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #777777; font-family: georgia; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18.149999618530273px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" title="Visit Maura Judkis’s website">Maura Judkis</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18.149999618530273px;"> on February 3, 2013 at </span><span class="get-the-time" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #999999; font-family: georgia; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18.149999618530273px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">9:45 am From: </span>http://www.washingtonpost.com<br /><br /><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: georgia; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 22px; vertical-align: baseline;">There are three guarantees of Super Bowl Sunday:</div><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-style: inherit; line-height: 28px;">There will be tortilla chips, so many tortilla chips.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-style: inherit; line-height: 28px;">There will be commercials that will</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-style: inherit; line-height: 28px;"> </span><a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/volkswagen-super-bowl-ad-accused-of-being-racist/2013/01/29/36d81e38-6a60-11e2-95b3-272d604a10a3_story.html" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: black; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-style: inherit; line-height: 28px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">give you pause</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-style: inherit; line-height: 28px;">.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-style: inherit; line-height: 28px;">A few channels away, there will be roly-poly puppies with soft bellies and floppy ears,</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-style: inherit; line-height: 28px;"> </span><em style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; line-height: 28px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">widdle</em><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-style: inherit; line-height: 28px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-style: inherit; line-height: 28px;">black noses and football-shaped toys,</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-style: inherit; line-height: 28px;"> </span><em style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; line-height: 28px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">squeeee.</em><br /><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: georgia; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 22px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: georgia; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 22px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">On Animal Planet’s ninth annual Puppy Bowl, which begins Sunday at 3 p.m. and airs on repeat for the rest of the day, you don’t have to pick a team to root for. The puppies always win.</span></div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: georgia; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 22px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="Gallery: Behind the scenes at the Puppy Bowl (Linda Davidson/for The Washington Post)" src="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/style-blog/files/2013/02/puppybowl.jpg" /></div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: georgia; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 22px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="border: 0px; font-family: arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/the-puppy-bowl-behind-the-scenes-of-tvs-cutest-show/2013/01/25/f7fe46f4-6642-11e2-93e1-475791032daf_gallery.html" style="border: 0px; color: black; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Gallery: Behind the scenes at the Puppy Bowl</a> </strong><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">(Linda Davidson/for The Washington Post)</span></div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: georgia; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 22px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"></div><div style="border: 0px; line-height: 1.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 22px; vertical-align: baseline;">I spent two days at the Puppy Bowl taping last November for Sunday Style’s <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/tv/inside-the-puppy-bowl-the-visionary-force-behind-online-cute/2013/01/28/0600875a-6191-11e2-a389-ee565c81c565_story_4.html" style="border: 0px; color: black; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">behind-the-scenes look at the cutest show on TV</a>, and its impact on Internet culture. A few things that you won’t see on the show: Anxious hovering of hedgehog parents, performance-enhancing drugs (read: catnip) administered to the kitties and this scene:</div><blockquote style="border-left-color: rgb(219, 219, 219); border-left-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 0px 2px; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px; margin: 0px 0px 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 5px 0px 5px 20px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div style="border: 0px; font-family: georgia; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 22px; vertical-align: baseline;">“I don’t know why, but everyone else refused to do this job,” said Jessi Baden-Campbell, the unlucky line producer for Discovery Studios, as she stepped onto the 10-by-19-foot “field” with cleaning solution in hand. She may be the busiest person in the Puppy Bowl. In minutes her services are needed again.</div></blockquote><blockquote style="border-left-color: rgb(219, 219, 219); border-left-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 0px 2px; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px; margin: 0px 0px 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 5px 0px 5px 20px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div style="border: 0px; font-family: georgia; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 22px; vertical-align: baseline;">“We’ve got a puker!” calls out a cameraman.</div><div style="border: 0px; font-family: georgia; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 22px; vertical-align: baseline;">And again.</div><div style="border: 0px; font-family: georgia; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">“Someone made a touchdown right here!” calls out another, using a euphemism for a moment you probably won’t see on TV.</div></blockquote><img alt="Gallery: Meet the Puppy Bowl "athletes." (Adele Godfrey/Animal Planet)" src="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/style-blog/files/2013/02/puppybowl2.jpg" /><br /><br /></div>

The Puppy Bow The Puppy Bowl: Sunday’s other big game

Posted by  Maura Judkis  on February 3, 2013 at  9:45 am From:  http://www.washingtonpost.com There are three guarantees of Super Bowl Sunda...

Read more »

THE BALKANS – ORGANIZED CRIME AND POLITICAL CORRUPTION Final Part

<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves/> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:DoNotPromoteQF/> <w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/> <w:DontVertAlignCellWithSp/> <w:DontBreakConstrainedForcedTables/> <w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/> <w:Word11KerningPairs/> <w:CachedColBalance/> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> <m:mathPr> <m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/> <m:brkBin m:val="before"/> <m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/> <m:smallFrac m:val="off"/> <m:dispDef/> <m:lMargin m:val="0"/> <m:rMargin m:val="0"/> <m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/> <m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/> <m:intLim m:val="subSup"/> <m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/> </m:mathPr></w:WordDocument></xml><![endif]--><br /><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true" DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99" LatentStyleCount="267"> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/> </w:LatentStyles></xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]><style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Normale Tabelle"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} </style><![endif]--> <br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 1;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;"><br /></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">FUTURE TRENDS</span></b></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Adapted by Geopolitical Analysis and Monitoring from Ioannis Michaletos<b><span style="mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;"></span></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">In all BALKAN states excluding GREECE the overall Muslim population is set to increase because of declining birth rates among non Muslims, a phenomenon that also sweeps across EUROPE, where Muslims are slowly but surely outnumber non Muslims. Furthermore, immigration movements from the BALKANS towards WESTERN EUROPE have actually lowered the population in BULGARIA, over the past decade or so.</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">The BALKANS has always constituted one of the fiercest terrains of ethnic – Cultural enmity in EUROPE. The reasons for the above are the placement of the Peninsula close to ASIA that reserved the role of the “EUROPEAN gatekeeper” for the whole of SOUTH EASTERN EUROPE. One has to remember of the Kraijna border area created by the AUSTRIANS in the 17th century in order to counterweight the Ottoman forces. </span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Future seems to have elements of repeating this situation due to the ongoing rivalry between WEST and EAST, a phenomenon that one can easily retrieve by reading Homer’s Iliad or by comprehending the PERSIANS wars back in the 5th century BC, as they were recorded by Herodotus historiography. The BALKANS are the gateway between the WEST and the EAST, where OXIDANT meets ORIENT. <br /><br /><span style="color: blue;"><b>THE BALKAN PENINSULA REMAINS MORE THAN EVER “THE SOFT UNDERBELLY OF EUROPE”</b></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">The overall challenges for security and intelligence services, oriented in the BALKAN region seems overwhelming, judging by the multitude of challenges involved and the tasks needed to overcome them. The current époque has brought the re-engineering of security policies, in order to combat non- symmetrical threats such as the ones of organized crime and terrorism. Taking into account the globalization process, the interrelation between societies and the breathtaking advancements in telecommunications and transport; it is fair to assume that certain issues should be seriously reflected upon, on a different perspective than the traditional mode.</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">A multiparty approach to organized crime should be form here upon the core of any intelligence activity in the BALKANS. Organized crime –Along with the rest of the perils for modern societies- need measures that are up to the modern way of life and communication of ours. A parallel and well constructed method of Open Source Intelligence gathering and the operation of specialized crime intelligence units would certainly help towards the aim of curbing crime and its calamities. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">In addition a conclusive analysis and synthesis of the available information, without any bias; should be the core of any serious attempt into reaching viable prognosis and stall malicious situations such as terrorists incidents and further empowerment of organized crime.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">In order for the aforementioned to become a custom reality, there has to be a constructive and significant replenish of the human resources involved and an upgrade of the present era technical equipment. Therefore decisions should be taken soon enough so as to foresee any positive results, before events surpass the ability of the intelligence community to react and function properly. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">The BALKAN Peninsula remains more than ever “The soft underbelly of EUROPE”, apart from the other more conventional menaces in the wider EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN area.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Read interesting analysis regarding OC:</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><a href="http://www.bmlv.gv.at/pdf_pool/publikationen/crime_omero.pdf">http://www.bmlv.gv.at/pdf_pool/publikationen/crime_omero.pdf  </a></span></span></div>

THE BALKANS – ORGANIZED CRIME AND POLITICAL CORRUPTION Final Part

FUTURE TRENDS Adapted by Geopolitical Analysis and Monitoring from Ioannis Michaletos In all BALKAN states excluding GREECE the overall Mus...

Read more »

Teach This! Teaching with lesson plans and ideas that rock 02/03/2013

<ul class="diigo-linkroll"> <li> <p class="diigo-link"> <a href="http://www.edutopia.org/blog/websites-for-science-teachers-eric-brunsell">Ten Websites for Science Teachers | Edutopia</a> </p> <p class="diigo-description">Edutopia has a great list of websites for science teachers. It is a bit older but the sites are still great. I shared some sites for math teachers last week and got some messages from Science teachers for me to find a good article. My friend Eric Brunsell from University of Washington at Oshkosh wrote this and it is on the Edutopia site.</p> <p class="diigo-tags"> <span>tags:</span> <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/science">science</a> <a href="http://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/teaching">teaching</a></p> <ul class="diigo-comments"> </ul> </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 02/03/2013

Ten Websites for Science Teachers | Edutopia Edutopia has a great list of websites for science teach...

Read more »

Celebration of 35 years of St. Paul's Swimming Club

<p>St. Paul's Swimming Club is no more.  This is the club that I learnt to swim with, met best friends through and spent my formative years hanging out at the pool.</p><p>Today a presentation was made to Frank and Mrs Kavanagh for all that they gave to the club.  Accepted by Martin, it was extremely emotional.</p><p>Saw so many people that I hadn't seen in years - all older and many had their children with them who also had learnt to swim with this club.  (My sister and her children are pictured).</p><div class='separator' style='clear: both; text-align: center;'> <a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAnLCGFYFyWo0EbKwSVRFYq5r8sxmGOgphyphenhyphenqn_9X2ZzaS-oTccda8juWE-26YMOKiN25HmzlmHiGY6XN5GWL0nZdHxwGSFaRKEyu77VS4H7PGbz8AxC8rFqfNMkzmLkipYkv7e2ABPgbZP/s1600/20130203_150751.jpg' imageanchor='1' style='margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;'> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAnLCGFYFyWo0EbKwSVRFYq5r8sxmGOgphyphenhyphenqn_9X2ZzaS-oTccda8juWE-26YMOKiN25HmzlmHiGY6XN5GWL0nZdHxwGSFaRKEyu77VS4H7PGbz8AxC8rFqfNMkzmLkipYkv7e2ABPgbZP/s400/20130203_150751.jpg" /> </a> </div><div class='separator' style='clear: both; text-align: center;'> <a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC4bTXRC4Xc0NTFqcCWGR5TaGscdcgSywMEnKmVtrblBRBFzToLB0ida67AZYlf1VySr6sImK0PiA19EdOH_Jk3Ize6F2up2dEQH1QBNnF5FoBMpMVJon-i_cZJOLz_ZnAop3i906QN1pa/s1600/20130203_145702.jpg' imageanchor='1' style='margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;'> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC4bTXRC4Xc0NTFqcCWGR5TaGscdcgSywMEnKmVtrblBRBFzToLB0ida67AZYlf1VySr6sImK0PiA19EdOH_Jk3Ize6F2up2dEQH1QBNnF5FoBMpMVJon-i_cZJOLz_ZnAop3i906QN1pa/s400/20130203_145702.jpg" /> </a> </div><div class='separator' style='clear: both; text-align: center;'> <a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw_R7lBo-pSvCjMdG_AhyfPmBS6mpHs3FrAJhkRUnTi0Lv-pxTsfaVUss6EKxoS8RB1Ugs_mDAwIsvlisrhmePegu5Xa-VCwUBOybcw4UTCL1vk-T3GaggOoE0SVY-PYfXxjwkdyOlkGlH/s1600/20130203_152440.jpg' imageanchor='1' style='margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;'> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw_R7lBo-pSvCjMdG_AhyfPmBS6mpHs3FrAJhkRUnTi0Lv-pxTsfaVUss6EKxoS8RB1Ugs_mDAwIsvlisrhmePegu5Xa-VCwUBOybcw4UTCL1vk-T3GaggOoE0SVY-PYfXxjwkdyOlkGlH/s400/20130203_152440.jpg" /> </a> </div><div class='separator' style='clear: both; text-align: center;'> <a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigN6qqJ4IslpRX6ire6Yr8ixatEyPcQqgpsUXrUClxu4kqp8grggHySVuVLwEMDFGs1Gz-32mdav3JmZCQUQqehMUdjDgIulaNG8Eq1EhHuqghPiB8zMQ9W0A2H7E5bLKWJ-YWBWTmphDu/s1600/20130203_151452.jpg' imageanchor='1' style='margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;'> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigN6qqJ4IslpRX6ire6Yr8ixatEyPcQqgpsUXrUClxu4kqp8grggHySVuVLwEMDFGs1Gz-32mdav3JmZCQUQqehMUdjDgIulaNG8Eq1EhHuqghPiB8zMQ9W0A2H7E5bLKWJ-YWBWTmphDu/s400/20130203_151452.jpg" /> </a> </div><div class='separator' style='clear: both; text-align: center;'> <a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFZrXq-XFQwmBmX149bzqkFzwdSy_EnSjtFzoURTAo8-KpOCBrma76skZzJ5hhHlFarcr-hddcq_L7lJdVFZLsyO086OpTLwtkw1o6s3L3uCTe_LAApfxcExpuW2WRiYqMkQxBCn8sTijZ/s1600/20130203_151248.jpg' imageanchor='1' style='margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;'> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFZrXq-XFQwmBmX149bzqkFzwdSy_EnSjtFzoURTAo8-KpOCBrma76skZzJ5hhHlFarcr-hddcq_L7lJdVFZLsyO086OpTLwtkw1o6s3L3uCTe_LAApfxcExpuW2WRiYqMkQxBCn8sTijZ/s400/20130203_151248.jpg" /> </a> </div>

Celebration of 35 years of St. Paul's Swimming Club

St. Paul's Swimming Club is no more.  This is the club that I learnt to swim with, met best friends through and spent my formative years...

Read more »

28 in 28 #3: Evidence

<i>February is Book Month on A Daily Dose of Architecture. The "<a href="http://archidose.blogspot.com/search/label/28%20in%2028">28 in 28</a>" series features a different book every day of the month.</i><br /><br /><a href="http://www.monacellipress.com/book/?isbn=9781580933490"><b><i>Evidence: The Work of Robert A. M. Stern Architects</i></b></a> by Robert A.M. Stern<br />The Monacelli Press, 2012<br />Hardcover, 400 pages<br /><br /><img alt="28-28_evidence.jpg" src="http://www.archidose.org/Blog/28-28_evidence.jpg" title="Book cover" /><br /><br /><a href="http://www.ramsa.com/people/robert-a-m-stern.html">Robert A.M. Stern</a> is an architect who fans of modern and contemporary architecture love to hate. His postmodern designs of the seventies and eighties gave way to a strong embrace of traditional architecture that continues to this day. Yet one's impression of Stern must be balanced by his 15-year tenure as <a href="http://www.architecture.yale.edu/drupal/people/faculty/stern-robert-am">Dean of the Yale School of Architecture</a>, where his own stylistic leanings hardly drive the curriculum (Yale is more like other Ivy League programs than, say, <a href="http://architecture.nd.edu/">Notre Dame's neoclassicism</a>), and his prolific writing, evidenced mainly by the New York histories (<i>1880, 1930, 1960, 2000</i>) that he co-authored. Even more books have been made on Stern's architecture—fifteen from 1981 to 2010, or one every two years. Number sixteen is <i>Evidence</i>, a welcome compact monograph, when compared to the coffee table tomes on his work that have prevailed in recent years.<br /><br />Where some recent titles have focused on Stern's houses and gardens (2005), buildings and towns (2007), and campus buildings (2010), <i>Evidence</i> is less concerned with typology, or even with presenting his projects as understandable wholes. Instead the book focuses on architectural elements—thresholds, paths, facades—and architectural form. In the short introduction, Stern even calls the book "evidence [of] a multitude of solutions that nevertheless reflect a consistent attitude to form." What follows is page after page of full-bleed photos without captions, grouped via the various elements and attitudes. Yet without a table of contents to guide the way, the book becomes a meandering journey through 40 years of Stern's career. It's not until page 378 that a key to the buildings photographed can be found; even then it's not easy to pair them up, given the lack of pagination.<br /><br /><i>Evidence</i> is like a print version of an online slideshow, where instead of swiping or clicking the right arrow, one turns the pages to see more photos of Stern's buildings. In this sense it's odd that an architect like Stern would be given this sort of "archi-porn" treatment, but I think ultimately this book helps to connect the architect with clients rather than other architects. Do potential clients want to read about individual projects, or would they rather look at some architectural variations of threshold, path, and facade? The answer is an easy one. What the book also shows, not surprisingly, is the strong relationship between an architect and a photographer, in this case Stern and <a href="http://www.peteraaron.net/">Peter Aaron</a>, who is responsible for about 90% of the book's photos. This visual journey could not take place without the careful eye of the photographer and his understanding of Stern's buildings, which depart from most of what makes up the rest of "archi-porn" these days.<br /><br /><b>US: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1580933491/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&camp=211189&creative=373489&creativeASIN=1580933491&link_code=as3&tag=aweeklydoseof-20" target="_blank"><img alt="Buy from Amazon.com" border="0" src="http://www.archidose.org/books/buy-from-tan.gif" /></a> CA: <a href="http://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/1580933491/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&camp=211189&creative=373489&creativeASIN=1580933491&link_code=as3&tag=aweeklydoseof-20" target="_blank"><img alt="Buy from Amazon.ca" border="0" height="28" src="http://www.archidose.org/books/buy-from-tan-ca.gif" width="90" /></a> UK: <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1580933491/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&camp=211189&creative=373489&creativeASIN=1580933491&link_code=as3&tag=aweeklydoseof-20" target="_blank"><img alt="Buy from Amazon.co.uk" border="0" height="28" src="http://www.archidose.org/books/buy-from-tan-uk.gif" width="90" /></a></b>

28 in 28 #3: Evidence

February is Book Month on A Daily Dose of Architecture. The " 28 in 28 " series features a different book every day of the month. ...

Read more »

Nature's Bakery Review

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NyHDH5qu5H0/UQ5WiMm5qwI/AAAAAAAAGFs/VSjMT6CjL-I/s1600/Holy+Figs!.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NyHDH5qu5H0/UQ5WiMm5qwI/AAAAAAAAGFs/VSjMT6CjL-I/s320/Holy+Figs!.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I was sent these fig bars to review from a company by the name of <a href="http://naturesbakery.com/">Nature's Bakery</a> who believes in creating all natural quality foods that we can not only benefit from but enjoy!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Why?</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">All natural</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">&</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Cholesterol free</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Made from stone ground wheat flour.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Wow was I amazed or what when this showed up on my door step!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I thought I was getting a few flavors of each bar, but no not at all!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I was sent boxes of every flavor in this great big box!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I probably have enough to last me a year, or wait maybe not even because they are so good!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Prepare to be amazed.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><u>Raspberry:</u></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><u><br /></u></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The best part to a fig cookie is the filling aren't I right?</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Once again I was blown away!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Not only are the ingredients all natural they taste so delicious and fruity.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The fig cookie is chewy and not dry and just the right amount of fruit filling!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><u><br /></u></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><u>Little known facts:</u></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><u><br /></u></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The seeds of raspberries were traced from Eastern Asia during the prehistoric times as well as the western hemisphere. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">No one thought of their deliciousness until the 16th century!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We should be thanking human travelers!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">They were carried and spread accidentally and intentionally worldwide!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Excellent source of fiber, vitamin C and manganese</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><u>Vanilla Fig:</u></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><u><br /></u></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><u>Whole Wheat Fig:</u></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><u><br /></u></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><u>Peach Apricot:</u></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><u><br /></u></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><u>Vanilla Raspberry:</u></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><u><br /></u></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><u>Blueberry:</u></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><u><br /></u></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><u>Apple Cinnamon:</u></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It's OK, you can put your tongues back in your mouths now from drooling over this tasty and delicious review!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Be sure to check them out!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://naturesbakery.com/">http://naturesbakery.com/</a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/naturesbakery?fref=ts">https://www.facebook.com/naturesbakery?fref=ts</a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://twitter.com/naturesbakery"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">https://twitter.com/naturesbakery</span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>

Nature's Bakery Review

I was sent these fig bars to review from a company by the name of  Nature's Bakery  who believes in creating all natural quality foods t...

Read more »