An MPS board seat, a judgeship in Ozaukee County and the office of Mequon mayor are on the ballot.
Voters will head to the polls Tuesday for primaries in spring nonpartisan elections, including races to narrow the number of candidates for a Milwaukee School Board seat, an Ozaukee County judgeship and for mayor of Mequon.
In MPS, parent and activist Megan O'Halloran, Montessori teacher and MPS parent Kathryn Gabor and former MPS teacher and community activist Derek Beyer are competing to replace Carol Voss in District 8. Voss did not seek re-election. Tuesday's vote will eliminate one of the three candidates.
In Ozaukee County, three Cedarburg lawyers — Mark Larson, Steven Cain and Angela Foy — and Mequon attorney James Wawrzyn are looking to replace Circuit Judge Joseph Voiland, who will not seek a second six-year term. Tuesday's primary will eliminate two of the candidates.
In Mequon, three candidates are competing for the office of mayor. District 4 Alderman John Wirth, District 6 Alderman Brian Schneider and Cheryle Rebholz, a former Mequon-Thiensville School Board member, are seeking to replace Mayor Dan Abendroth, who will vacate the seat in spring. The primary will narrow the field to two.
Only U.S. citizens are allowed to vote in Wisconsin and must be registered. People may register to vote at their polling location and must provide proof of residence. Among the acceptable documents: a valid driver's license, utility bill, paycheck, pay stub, bank statement or residential lease.
People can check their registration status at the My Vote Wisconsin website.
Polls open at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m.
The general election takes place April 2.


Even from rehab, Lindsay Lohan is hard at work plotting her big comeback. The actress will kick off her first week post-treatment by hosting Chelsea Lately on Monday (11/10c on E!), Entertainment Weekly reports.
Lohan has already booked an interview with Oprah Winfrey and an eight-episode docu-series on OWN as part of her attempt to return to Hollywood's good graces. The interview will air Sunday, Aug. 18 at 9/8c on OWN, but Lohan fans will have to wait until 2014 to watch the reality series.
In the meantime, Lohan's latest film The Canyons will be released on video on demand and iTunes Friday, with a limited theatrical release.


The modern university is no longer made up simply of departments and regular professors teaching students. Ancillary centers, programs, and initiatives proliferate, undertaking research on every conceivable topic and, in exchange for use of the university's name, bringing in prestige, money, and the occasional celebrity. The fates of such entities rarely make the New York Post. But anti-Semitism is not a normal subject.
Just how abnormal a subject it is, and how volatile its study can be, has come to public attention with Yale University's termination of the Yale Initiative for the Interdisciplinary Study of Antisemitism (YIISA) after five years of successful operation. Led by the sociologist Charles Small, YIISA was the largest research unit in North America devoted to examining an issue of great antiquity and urgent contemporary significance. Its mission was defined clearly: "to explore this subject matter in a comprehensive, interdisciplinary framework from an array of approaches and perspectives as well as regional contexts."
Pursuant to that mission, YIISA annually assembled groups of scholars for seminars and conferences and published a series of studies. The scholars attached to the initiative included such figures as David Hirsh of Goldsmiths College in London, Irwin Cotler, the former Canadian attorney general, and Bassam Tibi, professor emeritus of international relations at the University of Goettingen. Dozens of other well-credentialed academics participated in YIISA seminars, with interns, graduate fellows, and Yale faculty members helping to realize the enterprise's promise of becoming a "vibrant space" for scholarship, discussion, and debate.
But "initiatives" are fragile things, and this one, evidently, initiated more than its host had bargained for. At a 2010 conference titled "Global Antisemitism: A Crisis of Modernity," experts from around the world gathered to deliberate the most dangerous global form of contemporary anti-Semitism, namely, the Muslim variety. Dangerous in more ways than one: the event's discussions provoked the ire of some Yale faculty and students, as well as representatives of the official Muslim world; the ire evidently caused institutional discomfiture; and YIISA's fate was sealed.
No doubt other considerations went into Yale's decision to shut down this enterprise; it is difficult to know for sure. But the finality of the move, and the evasive rationales advanced for it, suggest a desire to dodge the issue. After all, universities rarely admit mistakes and even more rarely correct them. More typical are bureaucratic fixes: downgrading "programs" to "projects," moving units to smaller office spaces (the academic equivalent of Siberia), or, in truly bad situations, replacing leaders and putting units in receivership. Why pull the plug so completely?
In the event, Yale's stated reasons for terminating YIISA omit any mention of the 2010 conference or its subject matter. The university's director of strategic communications, according to Abby Wisse Schachter who broke the story in the New York Post, asserted that the decision was made on the basis of YIISA's failure to "serve the research and teaching interests of some significant Yale faculty and . . . [to] be sustained by the creative energy of a critical mass of Yale faculty." Unspecified were the interests that were not being served or sustained, let alone the nature of the alleged failure.
To counter criticism of its action, Yale dribbled out a few additional statements. To Donald Green, the director of the institute where YIISA was housed, the problem lay both in YIISA's professional standards and in its non-popularity: "Little scholarly work appeared in top-tier journals in behavioral science, comparative politics, or history. Courses created in this area did not attract large numbers of students."
It may indeed be that course enrollments were low, but so are enrollments in any number of areas that universities deem worthy of study. In any case, such numbers are of little relevance to an entity like YIISA, which was by definition a research and not a teaching unit, and which held numerous events attracting public attention and open to the entire Yale community.
As far as publications are concerned, YIISA, just like similar centers and programs at Yale, published its own highly regarded monograph series that made its scholars' work freely available for download. Since when is the wide dissemination of scholarly products no longer an important academic goal? Nor is Yale known for applying the "top-tier" criterion across the board. The Yale Center for the Study of Globalization, for example, is a center-Left policy group currently directed by the former Mexican president Ernesto Zedillo. It attracts wealthy and powerful speakers, some of whom are or may become Yale donors, and releases its reports and findings not in so-called "top-tier journals" but in various house-branded forms. It is hardly unique in this.
But the pious invocation of "top-tier" academic journals with their hoary review processes is itself specious. Offering a comparison with YIISA's record in this respect, Green touted the "extraordinary number" of articles in such journals produced by yet another Yale research "initiative." This is the Field Experiments Initiative, dedicated to "randomized studies of voter mobilization, peer counseling of homeless people, campaign activities in Africa, and the persuasiveness of televised campaign advertisements." The fact that the jargon-laden study of campaign advertisements yields more placements in academic journals than do analyses of anti-Semitism speaks dreary volumes about the gatekeepers of so much of contemporary scholarship, about the subjects they consider respectable, and about the standards of judgment they apply.
And here we return to the unspoken nub of the matter. At its 2010 conference, YIISA dared to tackle, openly, the single deadliest form of contemporary anti-Semitism, bringing together for this purpose a bevy of "top-tier" scholars from around the world. It was, clearly, the very holding of such an event that raised hackles from within and without. One response came from Maen Rashid Areikat, the Washington representative of the Palestine Liberation Organization: "It's shocking that a respected institution like Yale would give a platform to these right-wing extremists and their odious views. . . . I urge you to publicly dissociate yourself and Yale University from the anti-Arab extremism and hate-mongering that were on display during this conference."
This, from an operative of a group whose very name is soaked with the blood of murdered Jews and whose doctrines have poisoned the minds and disfigured the passions of whole generations, including in centers of elite Western opinion. Asked about the possible influence of responses like Areikat's in its decision to terminate YIISA, a Yale spokesman huffed that the university "doesn't make decisions about individual programs . . . based on outside criticism." Maybe so. But it would be naïve to suppose that Yale is anything less than super-sensitive to its institutional self-interest in a part of the world whose favor it may wish to court—and the all too palpable consequences of whose wrath it seeks to avoid.
It is well known, for instance, that Yale has long been seeking support from wealthy Arab donors. In particular, it has wooed Saudi Prince Alwaleed ibn Talal, who in 2005 gave $20 million apiece to Harvard and Georgetown for Islamic-studies programs. (Yale, which competed vigorously for the prize, made it to the final round.) True to their donors' intent, such academic programs are faithful disseminators of the "narrative" of Muslim victimization. In the same connection, it should likewise be borne in mind that in 2009, alerted to the imminent publication by its own press of a scholarly book on the Danish-cartoons controversy, the Yale administration summarily intervened to yank images of the cartoons from the final product—on the grounds that their appearance might elicit "violence."
That craven decision was made, allegedly, on the advice of experts gathered for the task, a number of them on the Yale faculty. The same or similar experts, one imagines, now constitute the unnamed "critical mass" whose "research and teaching interests" YIISA is condemned for having failed to serve. Among them, no doubt, are Flynt and Hillary Mann Leverett, formerly of the State Department and National Security Council and now senior fellows of Yale's Jackson Institute for Global Affairs. The Leveretts, strong defenders of the Iranian (and Syrian) regimes, famously charged the George W. Bush administration with ignoring crucial opportunities to negotiate with the mullahs of Tehran, and have criticized the Obama administration on the same grounds. In 2009, Hillary Mann Leverett took her graduate students to New York to meet with Mahmoud Ahmadinejad at the United Nations; reportedly, he enlightened them on the absence of proof for the Holocaust.
There is no need to impute a conspiracy here; it suffices to recognize a confluence of factors—and a mindset. Exactly 60 years ago, the young William F. Buckley, Jr., in God and Man at Yale, published a withering critique of, in the words of a recent appraisal, "the intolerance of the academy toward unfashionable concepts, . . . the stultifying effects of elitist groupthink on thought, and . . . the failure of the university to engage a wide range of ideas fairly and in simple good faith." At the time, the particular issue salient in Buckley's mind was the academy's refusal to engage the subject of God and man. Today, it is the refusal to engage the global campaign to defame, de-legitimate, and demonize the Jewish people. As the fact of anti-Semitism grows, including on some North American campuses, one large, serious academic effort to study anti-Semitism has been shut down.


The Bellingen High School Swimming Carnival was held on Wednesday February 6 in perfect conditions.
These conditions obviously made a fast pool with five records tumbling.
Rebecca Hodgson broke two of Talissa Alford’s records in the 50 metres breastroke and the 50 metres butterfly, swimming an amazing 32.74 in the Fly which many freestyle swimmers would like to swim.
The other three records went to Patrick Carey in the 50 metres butterfly, Jesse Case in the 50 metres breaststroke and Niam Noble also in the 50 metres breaststroke .


The Defense Finance and Accounting Service has donated more than 100 surplus desktop and laptop computers to Marines stationed at Camp Lejeune, N.C., and to some deployed overseas.
The computers were being replaced as part of DFAS' Desktop Management Initiative. Last year, DFAS announced its plans to modernize and standardize desktop computers through a utility-style contract made against the General Services Administration's Millenia vehicle.
The donated computers will help marines of the 2nd Marine Division gain access to DFAS' online pay tool, myPay to view their payroll earnings and tax statements. The portal, which went live in 2000, also lets users update their federal and state tax-withholding information, make address changes, and update bank account and electronic funds transfer information.
"Delivering these machines helps Marines, allows the Defense Department to realize additional value from its initial investment in the computers, and encourages Marines to use the online tools that can support their pay needs," said Air Force Brig. Gen. Jan D. Eakle, deputy director of DFAS, in a news release.
The idea of donating the computers was spawned when David Earley, a former Marine and current DFAS employee, assisted with the upgrade of computers at DFAS headquarters in Arlington, Va.
"During a banquet earlier this year, I had the honor of sitting next to two Marines who had just returned from Iraq," Earley said in the release. "One of the Marines shared the value of how Marines were using computers in the far reaches of Iraq. He also made me aware they could always use more computers."


Andrea Bain has hosted a number of national lifestyle shows on HGTV and SLICE and appeared regularly as a relationship specialist on various Canadian daytime programs.
Andrea Bain has hosted a number of national lifestyle shows on HGTV and SLICE and appeared regularly as a relationship specialist on various Canadian daytime programs. Most recently, Bain has used her relationship expertise to pen her first book, Single Girl Problems, which will be published later this year. After graduating with a BA in Sociology from York University and a diploma in Broadcast Journalism from Humber College, Bain began her television career in a Toronto newsroom. She worked behind the scenes as a producer and, shortly after, landed her first reporting job. After some encouragement from her peers, Bain decided to step in front of the camera full time and became an entertainment correspondent for the Los Angeles-based TV station Reelzchannel, where she interviewed such notable names as Oprah, Brad Pitt and Martin Scorsese.


Police have recovered £15,000 of drugs at a prison.
An intelligence-led inquiry, a joint operation with the Scottish Prison Service, recovered a ''significant quantity'' of heroin at HMP Perth.
The drugs were recovered on Thursday and are said to have an illicit value of around £15,000.
A 26-year-old man will be reported to the procurator fiscal following the seizure.
HMP Perth is a male-only prison which houses offenders from Perth and the surrounding areas.


In Turnbull, spit and polish will be employed to cover what essentially will be policies similar to Abbott.
That Turnbull was magnanimous in the hour of Abbott's pathetic, richly deserved, failure is a testament to Turnbull's natural integrity as a man.
Rumours that Abbott is to be appointed Ambassador to the Holy See (Vatican) to seek absolution and a whipping, have yet to be confirmed.
Subs need to be built here, not Japan where they are promised to. Turnbull will be his own man not a shadow of Abbott. That is really stretching the excuses.
Abbott is in no hurry to congratulate or even tell his ex people of the circumstances at hand is he.
How long would you expect secret deals being done that we don’t need to know about to continue.
I think Shorten and Turnbull will work quite well as members that have interests of Australia at heart. What will Abbott’s next move be , maybe he will resign from parliament to bring on an election. I doubt if working in unison will be on. The atmosphere would be too thick to penetrate.
It will make no difference. The rightards hate turnbull. Even more so now he has assassinated their bully boy. They will undermine him and leak like sieves.
After the filth and viciousness dealt out to Julia Gillard for knifing Rudd this just shows the lieberals are mega hypocrites.
They are no better than Labor. They are exactly the same.
All their yap about "people should decide", treachery, disloyalty et al was just more lies and gutter politics wasnt it.
They are total fools after all they said to then go and do exactly the same themselves.
Turnbull and his supporters have blood all over them and it is obvious they are not to be trusted. If this is what they do to their chosen idiot what will they do next? Julie bishop is the most scheming, disloyal politician there has ever been. After her knifing of four leaders as deputy how stupid is turnbull to have her at his back? If you cant govern your own party how can you govern the country.
I predict turnbulls first lie is that he will go full term. Election before xmas.
They just cant help themselves. The lieing liars of the lieberal party.
I dunno PETE, I reckon you should stick with your little submarines I think !
Turnbull is the best man for the lib; party whether the libs; believe that or not. Labor know who is best for the lib; party.
Abbott attacks on the ABC did not work, that sort of bullying only goes to make the perpetrator look like a sook. Abbott had a habit of creating sensational goof ups, so what else do you expect.
I am very happy to see the right decision for change take place, we were going nowhere and in double quick time. A lot of repairs around the world now needs to take place, to regain some respect in world affairs. Turnbull should never been dislodged in the first place.
First year PM 2 years in. Hockey will be a loser as well, as he was in tune with Abbott’s untruths. No one can be disappointed at this latest leadership spill. Abbott had deceived everybody, with a fraudulent election. There seems to be persons in our society that seem to think AU would be better placed as a third world country. That is precisely where we were headed.
Better times ahead, hopefully Turnbull will have the wisdom to govern for all Australians and not just the elite.
mikk, Abbott was not knifed in the back like Rudd, he was given six months to right the ship, and failed then, he was advised that a challenge was imimant and he did the honorable thing and called the ballot. How anyone can see that as being the same as what happened to Rudd is trueky bizarre.
Abbott in my view, as a supporter in the last election, was a disapointment and many voters, myself included were caught between a rock and a hard place, tolerate Abbott, or risk letting labor back in. In fact, I was pretty much in favor of allowing labor to Finnish the job they started, that being finding where true bottom lies, because history shows they are masters at that.
There were several issues I thought cost Abbott dearly, firstly, the knighthood of prince Philip. Then his lack of action in the chopper gate affair and even if his hands were tied, he could have at least distanced himself and urged all of his party to show restraint in their spending, especially given his treasurers call for belt tightening and for all to do the heavy lifting.
Personally I woukd have preferred Morris as leader because he's a doer and doesn't run away from the tough calls. He is a man with balls.
But, at the end of the day Abbott was a dud and needed to move on. I also think he should quit altogether.


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WASHINGTON - Caving to a massive campaign by Internet services and their millions of users, Congress indefinitely postponed legislation Friday to stop online piracy of movies and music costing U.S. companies billions of dollars every year. Critics said the bills would result in censorship and stifle Internet innovation.
The demise, at least for the time being, of the anti-piracy bills was a clear victory for Silicon Valley over Hollywood, which has campaigned for a tougher response to online piracy. The legislation also would cover the counterfeiting of drugs and car parts.
Congress' qualms underscored how Internet users can use their collective might to block those who want to change the system.
The battle over the future of the Internet also played out on a different front Thursday when a loose affiliation of hackers known as "Anonymous" shut down Justice Department websites for several hours and hacked the site of the Motion Picture Association of America after federal officials issued an indictment against Megaupload.com, one of the world's biggest file-sharing sites.
The site of the Hong Kong-based company was shut down, and the founder and three employees were arrested in New Zealand on U.S. accusations that they facilitated millions of illegal downloads of films, music and other content, costing copyright holders at least $500 million in lost revenue. New Zealand police raided homes and businesses linked to the founder, Kim Dotcom, on Friday and seized guns, millions of dollars and nearly $5 million in luxury cars, officials there said.
In the U.S., momentum against the Senate's Protect Intellectual Property Act and the House's Stop Online Piracy Act, known popularly as PIPA and SOPA, grew quickly on Wednesday when the online encyclopedia Wikipedia and other Web giants staged a one-day blackout and Google organized a petition drive that attracted more than 7 million participants.
That day alone, at least six senators who had co-sponsored the Senate legislation reversed their positions. House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, in statements at the time and again on Friday, stressed that more consensus-building was needed before the legislation would be ready for a vote.
On Friday, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., said he was postponing a test vote set for Tuesday "in light of recent events." House Judiciary Committee Chairman Lamar Smith, R-Texas, followed suit, saying consideration of a similar House bill would be postponed "until there is wider agreement on a solution."
With opposition mounting, it was unlikely that Reid would have received the 60 votes needed to advance the legislation to the Senate floor.
The two bills would allow the Justice Department, and copyright holders, to seek court orders against foreign websites accused of copyright infringement. The legislation would bar online advertising networks and payment facilitators such as credit card companies from doing business with an alleged violator. They also would forbid search engines from linking to such sites.
The chief Senate sponsor, Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., cited estimates that copyright piracy costs the American economy more than $50 billion annually and that global sales of counterfeit goods via the Internet reached $135 billion in 2010. He and Smith insist that their bills target only foreign criminals and that there is nothing in them to require websites, Internet service providers, search engines or others to monitor their networks.
That didn't satisfy critics who said the legislation could force Internet companies to pre-screen user comments or videos, burden new and smaller websites with huge litigation costs and impede new investments.
The White House, while not taking a specific stand on the bills, last week said it would "not support any legislation that reduces freedom of expression ... or undermines the dynamic, innovative global Internet." On Friday, White House spokesman Jay Carney said online piracy is an issue that has to be addressed, "but everybody has to be in on it for it to work and get through Congress."
The scuttling, for now, of PIPA and SOPA frustrates what might have been one of the few opportunities to move significant legislation in an election year where the two parties have little motivation to cooperate.
Until recently "you would have thought this bill was teed up," with backing from key Senate leaders and support from powerful interest groups, said Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kan., who cosponsored the original bill but quickly dropped his backing on the grounds the bill could undermine innovation and Internet freedom.
Moran said the "uprising" of so many people with similar concerns was a "major turnaround, and in my experience it is something that has happened very rarely."
Moran said PIPA and SOPA now have "such a black eye" that it will be difficult to amend them. Reid, however, said that there had been progress in recent talks among the various stakeholders and "there is no reason that the legitimate issues raised by many about this bill cannot be resolved."
Jeff Chester, executive director for the Center for Digital Democracy, a consumer protection and privacy advocacy group, said Google and Facebook and their supporters "have delivered a powerful blow to the Hollywood lobby." He predicted a compromise that doesn't include what many see as overreaching provisions in the current legislation.
"It's been framed as an Internet freedom issue, but at the end of the day it will be decided on the narrow interests of the old and new media companies," he said. The big questions involve who should or shouldn't pay - or be paid - for Internet content.
Leahy said he respected Reid's decision to postpone the vote but lamented the Senate's unwillingness to debate his bill.
"The day will come when the senators who forced this move will look back and realize they made a knee-jerk reaction to a monumental problem," Leahy said. Criminals in China, Russia and other countries "who do nothing but peddle in counterfeit products and stolen American content are smugly watching how the United States Senate decided" it was not worth taking up the bill, he said.
In the House, Smith said he had "heard from the critics" and resolved that it was "clear that we need to revisit the approach on how best to address the problem of foreign thieves that steal and sell American inventions and products." Smith had planned on holding further committee votes on his bill next month.
The bill's opponents were relieved it was put on hold.
Markham Erickson, executive director of NetCoalition, commended Congress for "recognizing the serious collateral damage this bill could inflict on the Internet."
The group represents Internet and technology companies including Google, Yahoo and Amazon.com. Erickson said they would work with Congress "to address the problem of piracy without compromising innovation and free expression."
Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., who has joined Sens. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Moran in proposing an alternative anti-piracy bill, credited opponents with forcing lawmakers "to back away from an effort to ram through controversial legislation."
But the CEO of the Motion Picture Association of America, former Connecticut Democratic Sen. Chris Dodd, warned, "As a consequence of failing to act, there will continue to be a safe haven for foreign thieves." The MPAA, which represents such companies as Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation and Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc., is a leading advocate for the anti-piracy legislation.


SAN ANTONIO - Despite his recent participation in the Spurs annual coaching retreat, Manu Ginobili said he has "no intention" of becoming a coach.
Ginobili attended the retreat held before the start of training camp this week at the invitation of Spurs coach Gregg Popovich.
Writing in his latest column for the Argentine newspaper La Nacion, Ginobili said it was an opportunity he couldn't pass up because it gave him the chance to "learn and see basketball from the other side."
"I accepted with pleasure," he wrote. "It was a great decision."
Ginobili announced his retirement in August after 16 seasons. In his column, he stressed that he does not regret his decision and is happily settling into retirement.
But that doesn't mean he isn't keeping up with his former team. Ginobili has been taking in training camp daily at the Spurs practice facility and noted in his column that he thinks the team will "be better offensively" than last season but could be tested defensively with the loss of Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green.


Black entrepreneurs have largely missed out on a rebound in federal small-business lending since the financial crisis ended.
More than four years into the nation’s economic recovery, African-Americans looking for loans are struggling to overcome deeper financial distress, tighter lending standards and cutbacks by some lenders.
U.S. financial institutions made $382.5 million in Small Business Administration loans to black-owned businesses in the fiscal year ended Sept. 30, according to an analysis of the agency’s data by The Wall Street Journal. Black borrowers received 1.7% of the $23.09 billion in total SBA loans.
The percentage is down sharply from 8.2% of overall SBA loan volume in fiscal 2008. By number of loans, black-owned small businesses got 2.3% of the federal agency’s roughly 54,000 loans last year, down from 11% in 2008. Read more.
The WSJ notes that SBA loans are a crucial source of financing for many entrepreneurs. To explain the drastic decline in loans to black business owners, SBA officials point to tougher scrutiny of loan applications, a decline in small SBA loans and the impact of the financial crisis on the credit scores, – thus, the eligibility – of black borrowers.
Listen to what Roland Martin, Eric K. Ham and Armstrong Williams had to say about the report.


HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WHNT) – It’s called “Blankets From Warm Hearts,” and the title sums up the project. The North Alabama Coalition For the Homeless is asking the community to donate blankets, coats, gloves, hats, thermal underwear – anything to help keep people warm.
The annual drive has been held for more than 15 years, but unfortunately, the need hasn’t diminished. Also important, it isn’t a matter of coming up with just one blanket, hat and pair of gloves per person.
“We’re talking about multiple, because people who live out in the woods, or live under bridges get wet. They don’t have a place to dry it, so they need new warm coats, and scarves and blankets,” says Danielle Clemons, Executive Director of the First Stop Homeless Day Center.
Homeless advocates want to make sure people understand the winter goods are for more than just comfort.
NACH Executive Director Lineise Arnold says the ultimate goal of their client continuum is self-sufficiency.
“The street outreach component, transitional housing to permanent housing, and in that program there is case management provided to the clients which helps the clients find employment, helps the clients that are able to get enrolled in school, helps the clients to develop budgets and try to avoid becoming in a homeless situation again in the future,” Arnold says.
Arnold also reminds the faces of homelessness are changing rapidly, from people with strong work histories who have recently been laid off to those who are highly educated but have fallen on hard times.
“So many of our street population, their health is compromised already, so blankets and coats and socks are really lifesavers,” says Sherry Birney of the Coalition.


Dairy farmers the Mackie's are opening a yoghurt factory at their farm in Rora, Longside. Pictured is Bruce and Jane Mackie in their new yogurt factory they recently installed at the farm.
Innovative and growing food and drink businesses from across the north-east had their achievements recognised at the region’s prestigious annual food and drink awards last night.
The 2019 North East Scotland Food & Drink Awards included 13 different categories spanning the breadth of the industry.
Internationalisation, inn-ovation and capitalising on links between the food, drink and tourism industry are recognised drivers for long-term sector growth and this was reflected in a high number of entries in categories including; Export Business of the Year, Best Food & Drink Tourism Experience and the Innovation Award.
The winners were announced at a ceremony at Ardoe House Hotel.
Delivered in partnership by Opportunity North East (One) and Aberdeenshire Council, 250 attended the event, which welcomed former BBC journalist, author and nutritionist Amanda Hamilton, as host.
Two local companies were celebrating double wins on the night. Associated Seafoods took home the award for Investing in Skills Development and Export Business of the Year. Meanwhile Most Successful Product from the 2018 Awards and Best Retail Product (small businesses) was scooped by rora dairy.
Best Retail Product, medium sized business went to Summerhouse Drinks – Walter Gregor’s Mixers Gift Pack, while the Best Retail Product for large businesses was awarded to Dean’s – Steven Brown Art All Butter Shortbread Gift Tins range – Angus McCoo.
Best Brewed Product was awarded to Brew Toon for Craft Beer Range – The Jail Ale (Red Ale) while Best Distilled Product went to Glen Garioch Distillery – Glen Garioch Vintage 2007, Cask 57.
Best Foodservice Product was awarded to Macphie for their Vegan-Certified Cake Mix and Frosting Range – Chocolate and Plain and Esker Spirits was named Best Young Business.
Judges named Christopher Leigh, of John Ross Jr Food & Drink Entrepreneur of the Year and Mackie’s of Scotland 19.2 was named Best Food & Drink Tourism Experience.
Forest Farm was handed the Innovation Award for The Organic Dairy – Scotland’s 1st Milk Vending Machine.
Pat Machray OBE, Chairman of One’s Food, Drink & Agriculture Board, said: “One is working with businesses and partners to drive an ambitious growth agenda in the food and drink sector as part of the long-term economic vision for the regional economy.
“This includes supporting businesses to realise their potential, using market insights to bring new products forward, targeting premium, international markets, and using innovation and digital technology to increase productivity.
“The awards recognise the achievements of businesses across the region’s food and drink sector and provide an important vehicle for businesses to get new products in front of influential buyers who participate in the judging.
The food, drink and agriculture sector is a significant part of the region’s economy, directly employing more than 22,000 people. Excluding the whisky sector, it contributes an estimated 20% of Scotland’s food and drink industry output.


"It hurts. It hurts our team," said Auburn coach Gus Malzahn. "We have goals and dreams, and we did not get it done tonight. It is unfortunate, but we did not get it done. But you have to be a big boy. You have to man up. You have to be better in the future."
The Auburn Tigers could only put just so much pressure on their offense.
Sure, two huge miscues by the offense -- a fumble and a botched snap -- prevented the Tigers from pulling off another heroic finish. And a blocked field goal that was returned for a touchdown on the last play of the first half was costly. And the defense played worlds better in the second half.
But the bottom line is this: The Tigers gave up 41 points, including 35 in the first half. Championship caliber teams don't do that.
Auburn's defense had exceeded expectations through the first five games. The most points they gave up was 21 to Arkansas in the season opener. In fact, the defense saved them on a Thursday night at Kansas State (as did several uncharacteristic mistakes by the Wildcats).
But they really didn't face a very good offensive team in that stretch. LSU's offense has been erratic. San Jose State and Louisiana Tech are simply not reliable measures for an SEC team, especially one with national championship aspirations.
The cracks in the dam started to show a month ago in a 38-23 loss to Mississippi State. Yes, turnovers contributed to the Tigers' demise that day in Starkville. But missed tackles and missed assignments contributed just as much.
That was followed by a narrow escape at home against South Carolina. The Tigers won 42-35, but only because the Gamecocks' defense is even worse and because Steve Spurrier ran out of time. And Spurrier should have had one more shot at the end zone had the officials noticed that Auburn had two players with the same jersey number -- Montravius Adams and D'haquille Williams each wearing No. 1 -- which should have been a 5-yard penalty and one last play.
That was followed by the great escape in Oxford, when Ole Miss fumbled twice in the closing minutes when the Rebels certainly would have scored. The second one, of course, had heartbreaking consequences as Ole Miss receiver Laquon Treadwell suffered that gruesome broken ankle and fumbled just before crossing the goal line.
The college football playoff selection committee doesn't look at style points. They look at final scores and strength of schedule and other such tangible matters. So the Tigers were deemed the third-best team in college football, and the best among those without perfect records.
But their weakness were exposed by a fairly middling Texas A&M team, one that plummeted from playoff talk to oblivion with losses to Mississippi State, Ole Miss and Alabama by a combined score of 142-51. Aggies coach Kevin Sumlin grew so frustrated that he benched his freshman starting quarterback, Kenny Hill, for Kyle Allen, another freshman. That move didn't inspire much confidence in College Station after the Aggies struggled to beat Louisiana-Monroe 21-16.
So nobody saw this coming. Nobody, that is, outside the eternally confident Sumlin.
Even after the Aggies struck for two quick touchdowns in the game's first two minutes and seven seconds, the Tigers appeared to take control. A pair of touchdowns by Cameron Artis-Payne tied it, and no doubt most people watching figured that Auburn had survived the Aggies' hardest punch.
But the defense surrendered two more touchdowns in the second quarter. Even with that, the Tigers could have cut the halftime margin to eight points on a Daniel Carlson field goal. Instead, Myles Garrett broke through the line and blocked the kick. Deshazor Everett scooped it up and raced 65 yards for the touchdown.
Just like that, instead of it being 28-20 it was 35-17, and it was evident the Tigers indeed were in deep trouble.
So where to from here? A spot in the playoffs is pretty much gone. It would take a series of events too long and improbable to ponder now.
Even so, a strong finish would still turn the season into a success. Road wins over Georgia and Alabama should be viewed as more than consolation prizes. That, plus a win over Samford, would give the Tigers 10 wins for the regular season. A bowl victory would certainly reward them with a top-10 finish in Malzahn's second season with a bright future. If you're an Auburn fan, certainly you would have taken that two years ago.
"Like I said before, we have a lot of champions," Malzahn said. "We just have to improve. It is not going to affect us in a negative way the rest of the year, put it that way."
Much of that depends on the Tigers' defense. Georgia's offense, at its best, is just as explosive as Texas A&M's. The Dogs will have Todd Gurley back from suspension. Alabama's offense has been powerful at home.If Auburn's defense doesn't improve, we could see more of what we have seen the last four weeks.


The Election Commission today removed the portion that advocates Hindu state and monarchy from the Rastriya Prajatantra Party’s statute before endorsing it.
Election Commissioner Narendra Dahal told The Himalayan Times that Hindu state and monarchy contradicted constitutional provisions of republican order and secularism.
Dahal added that political parties were also barred from advocating anything that could adversely impact the country’s security.
Co-spokesperson for Rastriya Prajatantra Party Mohan Shrestha said his party had called emergency meetings of the party’s top two bodies to decide the RPP’s next course of action following the EC’s decision.
“The EC has no right to comment on political matters. The constitution does not bar any party from advocating a political agenda. The constitution guarantees freedom of expression,” Shrestha said and added that if his party was barred from taking its political agenda of Hindu state and monarchy to the public, it would be meaningless for the party to take part in elections.
“We fear that the EC has conspired to spoil the environment for local elections,” Shrestha added.
He said his party, which had played key role in preparing conducive environment for the polls, was jolted by the Election Commission’s decision.
A version of this article appears in print on March 18, 2017 of The Himalayan Times.


‘13 Hours’ Review: Michael Bay’s Benghazi Thriller Resonates, But Is It A Political Football?
13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers Of Benghazi rates perhaps as director Michael Bay’s most accomplished film to date, a timely and pulse-pounding true story of the terrorist attack on an American diplomatic outpost and a CIA Annex in Benghazi, Libya on September 11, 2012. Paramount is releasing the film in the exact same corridor that brought success in the last couple of years to two other, somewhat similar movies American Sniper and Lone Survivor, and like the latter film in particular, Bay has crafted a patriotic, riveting war movie full of intense action that also thankfully puts a human face on exactly what happened in Benghazi.
retired Navy Seals and Marines now in their 30’s and 40’s, is basically a movie that puts its emphasis on the brave men who fought this battle rather than the ensuing political storm it is still causing as we enter this Presidential election year. Hillary Clinton and President Obama (not even mentioned) are not the focus here as in the political debate about what was done – or not done- in this incident. Rather, it is these six men who form a unit called Group Global Response or GGR there, to protect and provide security for whatever problems might come up. When U.S. Ambassador Christopher Stevens (Matt Letscher) goes out to visit the vulnerable outpost, a terrorist attack soon follows and he is killed, a victim of smoke inhalation, along with three others. With no American military in sight, the GGR tries to ride to the rescue but are thwarted by a superior named Bob ( David Costabile) and lose crucial time. Against his orders they go anyway. When they get there the place is in flames and the CIA Annex is likely the next target. What ensues is a very violent war film full of shooting and explosions, exactly the kind of thing we have come to expect from Bay films, but here in the context of a true story seems all too real, putting the audience right in the center of the action.
In many ways this movie, which really only wants to focus on the warrior, not the war, is like many others, but because it is likely to be used as a political football (and already has been on Fox News) the real point of it could be sadly lost. I hope it isn’t because seeing this whole thing from the POV of the men who were on the front lines, much like The Alamo in some ways (there’s even a reference to that), is compelling moviemaking and a real step forward into something a little more important than another Transformers movie for Bay.
The acting across the board is excellent with standouts being John Krasinski as a former Navy Seal who must abandon his family just one more time to take on an assignment he thought would be brief and uneventful. Also memorable is James Badge Dale as Rone, a man who risks it all.
There can be no question, as I say in my video review (just click the link above to watch) , that Bay really knows how to deliver this kind of action and it is all exceptionally well-shot and edited. It should be no surprise the director of photography is Oscar winner Dion Beebe. The music by Lorne Balfe is also very fine and really adds an emotional layer to the proceedings. The screenplay is by Chuck Hogan from the book, 13 Hours by Mitchell Zuckoff and members of the Annex Security Team. If it sometimes drifts into cliches of these kinds of movies, it is overall nicely crafted. The rest of the cast includes Max Martini, Pablo Schreiber, David Denman and Dominic Fumusa. Bay and Erwin Stoff are the producers.
Do you plan to see 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers Of Benghazi? Let us know what you think.


PASADENA, Calif. -- UPN won the battle over which network gets to air "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," but The WB is winning the war. The WB's "Gilmore Girls" beats "Buffy" in households and some key demographics most weeks, even as "Buffy's" ratings are up compared to last season when it aired on The WB.
This fall, The WB also launched a hit in "Smallville" and finally got some comedy traction on Friday night with "Reba." To reward these series, The WB announced yesterday "Gilmore Girls," "Smallville" and "Reba" have been renewed for next fall.
Though "Smallville" is a hit, Jordan Levin, The WB's Entertainment president, acknowledged the frustration of some fans who feel the series devolved into a monster-of-the-week show after its launch.
"You'll start to see some smaller mini-arcs over three to four episodes to get away from some of the formulaic storytelling structure we were getting ourselves boxed into," Levin said. "We don't want to turn it into a serialized show -- we do want to retain its close-ended nature -- but we do want to extend the mythology."
The network still has trouble on Sunday night, where ratings remain in the basement, and "Dawson's Creek" and especially "Felicity" are losing viewers.
"It's going to be a situation where we're going to have some tough decisions come fall," said Levin. "We've always bet on new development. Being a network that has a younger audience, they expect new things and it's difficult for us to maintain shows as long as some other networks. 'Dawson's Creek' has performed strongly for us, 'Felicity' always comes back and performs stronger for us in the second half. We'll have to see how our development comes out and see how the cards fall in May."
And despite the fact that "JKX: The Jamie Kennedy Experiment" premiered Sunday with The WB's best ratings among men age 18 to 34 since 1997, Levin still thinks the night needs work.
"It's fair to say Sunday has been a struggle," Levin said. "We've got to figure out a strategy for an audience that's not being served on that night. We were hoping as 'The Simpsons' aged they'd cede that audience over to us. ... But we found 'The Simpsons' remains a fantastic show and shows no signs of losing steam. That requires us to retrench."
Piggybacking on the upcoming Warner Bros. movie, The WB will roll out the "All New Scooby-Doo! The Animated Series" next fall as part of the Kids' WB! lineup. It will also air on sister station Cartoon Network during the 2002-03 season.
"JKX" (premiered Sunday at 8 p.m.): Jamie Kennedy stars in this unfunny candid-camera show that includes Kennedy playing various characters who embarrass the unsuspecting marks.
"Glory Days" (premieres tonight at 9): "Dawson's Creek" creator Kevin Williamson returns to The WB with a series that tries to be both "Murder, She Wrote" suspense show and sudsy drama. The former is uninvolving and there's not enough of the latter.
"No Boundaries" (premieres March 3 at 7 p.m.): Making their way from British Columbia to the Arctic Circle on a 30-day journey, 15 adventurers attempt to win $100,000 and a Ford Explorer. Not available for review.
"The Young Person's Guide to Becoming a Rock Star" (premiere date not announced): Oliver Hudson, son of Goldie Hawn, stars as a wannabe rock star in this single-camera, no-laugh-track comedy.
When "20/20" returns to its 10 p.m. Friday time slot this week, Barbara Walters will be joined by a new co-anchor, ABC reporter John Miller. Walters has hosted "20/20" solo since the retirement of Hugh Downs in September 1999.
"I like working with someone else," Walters said. "When Hugh left, the big question was who?"
Miller is the ABC reporter who interviewed Osama bin Laden face-to-face in May 1998 in Afghanistan. During that interview, he was not allowed to take notes and the answers came in Arabic without the help of an English translator, preventing any follow-up questions.
"I remember getting eye contact with him and I started to acknowledge his answers," Miller said. "And I nodded in interest and then in agreement and gave him the RCA dog head tilt ... but I can't imagine that Osama bin Laden believed that I had somehow spontaneously learned Arabic that day in the tent."
At the end of it, Miller went to his translator in the back of the room to ask if bin Laden had answered any of the questions. Bin Laden did answer, saying he would kill Americans and send them home in coffins and boxes. Miller asked what he was doing when bin Laden made these threats.
"You were nodding in agreement the entire time," the translator said.
The 2001 TV Land Future Classic Award was awarded to NBC's "Scrubs" this week. The award recognizes one new show from the past year that best exemplifies "the qualities of an emerging television phenomenon that will endure for years to come."
Past recipients include "Malcolm in the Middle," "The Sopranos" and "Sports Night."
Remember those annoying virtual ads that popped up in the background during Fox's coverage of the World Series last fall? You weren't the only one who disliked them.
Fox Television Entertainment Group chairman Sandy Grushow wasn't a fan of the initial spots either.
"We all went home and watched those virtual ads the first night, and it was pretty clear to anybody who was watching that having the image of Calista Flockhart didn't exactly feel appropriate," Grushow said. "Had I been able to make it go away as I was sitting in my own living room, I certainly would have. It was one of those cringe moments."
Grushow said that reaction caused the network to reel in the spots and replace the cast photos with logos. But, Grushow added, there will probably be no opportunity to place those virtual ads in the background during Fox's coverage of the Super Bowl next month.
While we're on the subject of annoyances during sporting events, CBS president Leslie Moonves assured Pittsburgh viewers KDKA won't use its Time Machine to insert extra commercials during NFL games again. The station got caught using the device during Steelers games last fall, leading to a national furor among some broadcasters and advertisers concerned about the clutter that results from too many commercials, diminishing their impact.
"If it ever happens again, everybody involved will be out the door in 30 seconds," Moonves said, "and they're well aware of it."


CHAPEL HILL � It could not have ended any other way: fans surrounding the stage, dancing and clapping as seasoned Cuban pianist and composer Chucho Vald�s and his quintet played the last song of the night, putting an end to an extraordinary soulful performance Tuesday at Memorial Hall on the UNC-Chapel Hill campus.
For Vald�s, the concert was another opportunity to take the spotlight doing what he loves. For the audience, it presented a unique opportunity to see one of the greatest jazz pianists in the world perform at the top of his game.
Never mind the fact he recently turned 71. The dexterity and sharpness with which he made his piano sing made it clear that age has not slowed him down, not even after five decades of performing in halls around the world.
If anything, Vald�s demonstrated once again that he learned from the best. As a child, he took piano lessons from his father, Bebo Vald�s, one of the most celebrated pioneering Cuban pianists and bandleaders of all time.
After playing successfully with several bands, Chucho Vald�s founded his own band in the early 1970s, Irakere, which revolutionized Latin music by fusing jazz, rock, classical and tradition Cuban styles. Since then, he has won five Grammy awards and three Latin Grammy awards, the latest for his 2010 album �Chucho�s Steps,� which he recorded with his latest band, The Afro-Cuban Messengers.
Throughout Tuesday�s concert, Vald�s performed songs from that album, though improvisations and impromptu solos by the talented quintet members that accompanied him made the audience feel as if they had just walked into a jazz jamming session.
At times, the seductive rhythms were unmistakably Cuban, with the congas, bata and bass taking center stage. At others, the frantic sounds of the drums evoked the discordance that characterizes free jazz.
The controlled chaos was only tamed by Vald�s, who allowed his accompanists to express themselves but knew when to step in to reel in the performance with slow and delicate piano tunes that mesmerized the audience again and again and reminded them why he is considered one of the world�s ambassadors of Latin music.
Keren Rivas is a former Times-News reporter who currently works at Elon University.


The awareness stage occurs two to four weeks after the death of a loved one and generally lasts three to four months. It takes time to fully absorb the impact of a major loss and symptoms may include anger, fear and guilt.
Experiencing symptoms of depression also is a normal part of the grieving process and is a psychological expression of grief. Grief is likely to be expressed physically (weight loss/ difficulty sleeping/loss of appetite), emotionally (difficulty making decisions) and psychologically (depression/anxiety).
After the first year, reconciliation and acceptance will begin to occur. Healing takes time and the best thing you can do is be patient with and kind to yourself. Take care of yourself, eat a balanced diet, exercise regularly, keep a daily routine and seek out caring people who will allow you to express your grief and talk about your loved one. Not all people are able to tolerate the expression of painful feelings, so choose a listener wisely.
If you have continued difficulty sleeping, substantial weight loss or weight gain, prolonged emotional stress or are overcome with thoughts of suicide, help is available. There are people in the community who can be contacted for support and counseling: family physician, minister, grief counselor, social worker, psychologist or mental health professional. Attending a support group can be beneficial as well. Support groups serve a unique function. You learn you are not alone, that the grieving process is normal, and you can learn and share what helps with others.
The Village at Penn State Life Care Retirement Community and Koch Funeral Home will offer a free, eight-session, grief and bereavement educational support group. The group started Oct. 2, but those who still want to join are welcome. Come and learn about living and coping after the loss of a loved one. Contact Andrea Chronister at 235-8906 to register or for more information.


Below you can find a list of our latest Video Cards reviews, articles and guides that have been published on TweakTown.
With Christmas just around the corner and your favorite computer-type person wanting that little something special, we have taken a look at a pair of video cards from HIS. With rock bottom prices and... Read the article.
For those who have been looking for performance on a budget, the recent release of the Radeon 9600XT was a true blessing. Today we look at the Sapphire version of this very VPU. Come join us as we see... Read the review.
ATI's super fast Radeon 9800 XT graphics processor has been on the market for a little while now. Today we've got Power Color's vanilla version for you and we've put it head-to-head against its older... Read the review.
Capitalizing on the strengths of the popular Radeon 9600 Pro mid-range performance graphics card, ATI has just released their brand new Radeon 9600 XT VPU which offers a tremendous price to performance... Read the review.
Half a grand is a lot of money to spend on a graphics card. In this article we examine visual gaming performance of ATI's latest GPU, the Radeon 9800 XT, in Counter-Strike, NHL 2004, Max Payne 2, Midnight... Read the article.
GeForce FX 5700 and 5950 Ultra - nVidia's return to the top?
nVidia's NV36 (GeForce FX 5700) and NV38 (GeForce FX 5950) cores have arrived. How do they compare to the competition from the 2003 conquering ATI in the 9600 Pro and 9800 Pro. Read on! Read the article.
The GeForce FX has recently given nVidia a bad name with various decisions which could have been handled better. Chaintech is a long time supporter of nVidia and has stood by them in thick and thin. Today... Read the review.
We would all love to be in the position to be able to buy a brand new Ferrari on the way to work tomorrow but of course due to the high retail it is inhibitive of actually happening unless your numbers... Read the review.
With new video board models coming out about every six months, it can get a bit difficult staying up with just how the top players compare with others in the market. Come join Cameron "Sov" Johnson as... Read the review.
There are many of us who really want a top notch video board but just can't come up with the $500 to make it happen. We're close to this figure, but just can't quite pull it off. If this sounds like you... Read the review.
Not everyone is in the position to be able to go out and spend $500 on the latest high-end graphics card based on chips from ATI or nVidia. For this very reason ATI created the Radeon 9600 Pro, the upgrade... Read the review.
Whatever happened to the olden days when a video card was just something to throw into your system to ensure a screen display? Thankfully they are long gone! With modern advancements in graphics, we are... Read the review.
It is in our nature to desire and crave the very best of what resource is available to us. In this technological age of ours the IT industry has many great products on offer which come at a high asking... Read the review.
For many months enthusiasts awaited the arrival of nVidia GeForce FX 5800 only to be let down by poor performance, jet engine level volume from its cooler and supply problems due to the use of DDR-II.... Read the review.
After listening to everyone dog the new line of GeForceFX GPU, it can be difficult for a manufacturer to come up with a workable solution while still using this chipset. Enter Prolink with their FX5600... Read the review.
Since ATI's Radeon 9700 Pro started appearing on shop shelves nVidia have had to keep pace with their GeForce FX series. Recently ATI launched the Radeon 9800 Pro which is essentially a Radeon 9700 Pro... Read the review.
We've been hearing about the new nVidia GeForceFX boards for some time now, but what about those who just can't afford to go without a month's rent to get the latest and greatest? Come join Mike "Darthtanion... Read the review.
Often products which are focused towards the value end of the market are over-shadowed by many for the more lucrative products available to us. Today Cameron "Sov" Johnson takes a look at Gigabyte's GV9200... Read the review.
Tyan are a company who has been known mostly for their impressive server / workstation products. Recently they've taken notice of the growing overclocking market and decided to switch their focus slightly... Read the review.
While nVidia&#039s GeForce FX continues to stock itself on shop shelves worldwide, we shouldn&#039t forget the "lesser" products still floating around on the market. Albatron being a strong supporter... Read the review.
Sapphire Radeon 9700 Atlantis Pro "Ultimate Edition"
We've been seeing the Radeon 9700 Pro boards for a while, but when someone comes up saying they have one called "Ultimate Edition", it makes you ask why. Come join Mike "Darthtanion" Wright as he takes... Read the review.


Update 1.8 for Tom Clancy’s The Division releases this week, adding the new Resistance PvE mode, the new PvP Skirmish mode, and other new features. The new patch even adds a new area to the New York City map, a higher maximum gear score, and the Rogue 2.0 system. These new modes and features will go live after a three-hour maintenance period tomorrow (December 5).
In addition to the launch of the 1.8 update, players of The Division can play all of the game’s DLC for free this week. Each of the game’s three DLCs will be accessible to players until December 10. The Underground DLC, Survival DLC, and Last Stand DLC will be open to all, according to the game’s official website. The Division is also on sale this week, offering up to a 70 percent discount on the game and its downloadable content.
Players who do not own the game can also experience what it has to offer for free. The Division is free to play for a limited time on PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One. On PC, the free period begins on December 5 and ends on December 7. On PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, the game is free starting on December 6 and ends on December 10. For exact times on each platform, visit the game’s official website.
Patch notes for the 1.8 update are available now detailing the new modes and features of the free patch. Up to four players can test their mettle against NPC enemies in the new Resistance mode. Two teams of four players can battle in fast-paced Skirmish PvP. Not to mention, the new Optimization Station gives players a way to improve the gear score on items, increasing their statistics. The update also improves Underground content with new directives, Hunter spawns, and better loot.
The notes include details on each new classified gear set releasing in the upcoming Global Events. As the Inquisitr reported, the third Global Event is Strike and it starts sometime next week. This event will introduce six-piece classified versions of the Banshee’s Shadow set, the D3-FNC (Frontline) set, the Path of the Nomad set, and the Predator’s Mark set.
Four new exotic weapons, new Premium items, and more are also part of the upcoming patch. Update 1.8 for The Division will go live on PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One on December 5.


Poor President Obama. His leftist backers have momentarily fallen out of love with him for not destroying the country fast enough. Obama must ask himself, "What would Hugo Chavez do?"
Obama decided to embark on a personal rehabilitation tour. He first stopped by the annual awards dinner of the Congressional Black Caucus and told blacks to "stop complainin'. Stop grumblin'. Stop cryin'."
Don't they realize that it's the Republicans' fault that black unemployment is nearly double the national average, at 16.7 percent? "So many people in (Washington) are fighting us every step of the way."
Instead of berating them, Obama ought to count his lucky stars that he's not taking more grief. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver said that if Bill Clinton were in the White House and didn't address the problem of black unemployment, blacks "probably would be marching on the White House."
Obama's malcontent leftist friends on the Leftist Coast agree that he has not been liberal enough. So to regain their favor, he jetted out West in that covered wagon known as Air Force One and pleaded with them to understand the predicament he is in with nasty Republicans opposing him every step of the way. He is, he assured them, as radical as they are.
In Seattle, representing the downtrodden, Obama told the 65 guests who were paying a paltry $35,800 per couple, "From the moment I took office, what we've seen is a constant ideological push-back against any kind of sensible reforms that would make our economy work better and give people more opportunity."
The bipartisan Obama told his fellow warriors for the poor that the Republican alternative "is an approach to government that will fundamentally cripple America in meeting the challenges of the 21st century."
That's the ticket. Unless we agree to Obama's spending $450 billion more in borrowed money on the grounds that increasing the national debt will decrease the national debt, we will be crippling America. If we demand fiscal responsibility, we simply cannot be trusted to meet the challenges of the 21st century.
Obama's bird-brained policies are so exasperatingly ridiculous he's lucky no one is invoking the 25th Amendment to challenge his mental capacity to serve.
Though it would never happen, it's time for Obama to go further and really tell the whole truth. Even if he believes, against all evidence and reason, that the government can improve the economy by sucking all remaining oxygen out of the private sector, that's not the only reason he is pushing for another reckless stimulus package.
Obama doesn't care about infrastructure or improving the disastrous unemployment numbers he's fueling. These are not what float his Marxist boat. Stimulus Jr. isn't about creating more economic demand, which it wouldn't do anyway. Like Stimulus Sr., it's about pressing forward with his nefarious scheme to restructure America in his image.
It would be bad enough if these boondoggles were just grab bags of political payoffs, money laundering, redistribution, and colossal waste. But they're also designed to create more government programs that will self-perpetuate.
Through Stimulus Jr., Obama would create a massive new bureaucracy to administer the nightmare — a bureaucracy that would not wither away when the program is completed, any more than Marx's government would wither away after the "dictatorship of the proletariat."
Why is it so hard for some people to grasp that neither government tax and regulatory roadblocks against economic growth nor massive wealth redistribution programs improve the plight of lower- and middle-income groups?
When will a greater percentage of blacks realize that liberal prescriptions harm rather than improve their economic conditions? When will they realize they are being exploited and injured by the very leaders who say they are the only ones who care about them?
These demagogues had better hope minorities and lower- and middle-income groups never systematically study the damning results of their policies. Obama scapegoats Republican obstruction for the failure of his policies, but no matter how hard he dissembles, he had his way the first two years of his term.
Nevertheless, he persists. On the next stop on his propaganda tour, Obama told his audience that the 2012 election will be even more important than the one in 2008. It will be "a contest of values."
Finally, there's something we can all agree on. It will indeed be a contest of values. Unfortunately for Obama, recent polls show that essentially half the American people fear his beloved federal government.
So let's get ready to rumble.
David Limbaugh is a writer, author, and attorney. His latest book, "Crimes Against Liberty," was No. 1 on The New York Times best-seller list for nonfiction for its first two weeks. Follow him on Twitter @davidlimbaugh and his website at DavidLimbaugh.com.


Republican leaders in Congress on Thursday began advancing bills urgently needed to avoid federal agency shutdowns on Oct. 1 while navigating conservatives' demands to punish Planned Parenthood over an abortion controversy.
The Senate defeated Republican efforts to use a funding extension bill to cut off money to Planned Parenthood, clearing the way for a version without that provision that extends all previous funding through Dec. 11.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky has set the first procedural vote on that measure for Monday, two days before the federal fiscal year ends on Sept. 30.
House Speaker John Boehner, meanwhile, laid out similar options in a closed-door meeting with Republican conservatives, who oppose any spending bill allowing federal funds to go to Planned Parenthood amid allegations that it improperly sold tissue harvested from aborted fetuses.
The nonprofit women's healthcare group has denied any wrongdoing.
Lawmakers leaving the meeting declined to say whether Boehner would defy their demands and hold a vote on a "clean" funding bill.
House Republican leadership aides said that the Ohio congressman is considering alternatives, including a separate Planned Parenthood defunding bill using special procedures to ease passage through both chambers of Congress. President Barack Obama would likely veto it.
While no final decisions were made, Rep. Steve Scalise of Louisiana, a member of the House Republican leadership, told reporters: "We're going to keep attacking this (abortion) on many fronts."
He said possibilities included bills for a moratorium on Planned Parenthood funds and effectively banning late-term abortions. House Republicans will discuss the plans again on Friday morning.
Before Thursday's Senate vote, the White House warned that Obama would veto legislation to continue funding the government if it strips away federal money for Planned Parenthood, setting up the showdown with anti-abortion advocates.
For weeks, many Republicans have vowed to punish the organization following the release of secretly taped videos in which Planned Parenthood officials discussed harvesting tissue from aborted fetuses for medical research. The group receives over $500 million in government funds annually for non-abortion activities.
Republican aides also said lawmakers were considering ramping up congressional investigations of Planned Parenthood.
The effort to defund Planned Parenthood is also being waged in states. On Thursday, the Republican-led Wisconsin Assembly approved a bill banning the state from using federal family planning money from going to Planned Parenthood and other organizations that perform abortions.
The bill needs state Senate approval and Gov. Scott Walker's signature before becoming law.


One of the best Flat lots in the neighborhood!! This home includes many upgrades and extras. Beautiful hardwoods, Large windows, spacious kitchen with stainless steel appliances and granite countertops, built in office nook, and upstairs master bathroom has been fully upgraded including a beautiful marble shower. Step outside and enjoy the peaceful backyard from the screened porch and a hot tub! Home is located in a great neighborhood close to the park and the pool. Minutes from I485, downtown, and the whitewater center. This home is a Must See!


In Frank Lynn's article entitled ''Cohalan Faces New Hurdle for Court Post,'' on Aug. 24, placing quotation marks around a statement which I allegedly made to unnamed county legislators defies belief.
First, let the record show, I never made such a statement to anyone.
Second, Mr. Lynn knows full well that the County Executive has made no decisions with respect to a third term. I have stated this to Mr. Lynn, directly, on a number of occasions.


Kim Burrell is receiving a ton of backlash over anti-gay remarks she made during a recent sermon at her Houston church. As we previously reported, the viral video features the gospel singer and pastor talking to her congregation about sin and referring to gays and lesbians as perverted.
In another video, Burrell clarified that she “never said that all gays were going to hell."
The video surfaced just days before Burrell is scheduled to appear on The Ellen show with Pharrell Williams to perform a song from the Hidden Figures soundtrack. The host, Ellen DeGeneres, is gay and and has been happily married to her wife, Portia di Rossi, for eight years.
Pharrell, as well as Hidden Figures co-stars Octavia Spencer and Janelle Monae addressed the controversy on social media Saturday (Dec. 31).
"I condemn hate speech of any kind. There is no room in this world for any kind of prejudice. My greatest hope is for inclusion and love for all humanity for 2017 and beyond," said Pharrell.
Fellow musicians Questlove, Chaka Khan and Yolanda Adams also issued responses to Kim Burrell's remarks. You can read them all below.
Reps for Kim Burrell had no comment on the matter.


MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- Memphis police have arrested one person and are looking for two others they say targeted one of the city's credit unions early Friday morning.
Police said 19-year-old Tevias Jackson and another man were caught in the act hitting the ATM at the credit union in the 2600 block of Mt. Moriah Terrace with a hammer and ax.
Jackson was arrested not far from the scene, but the other suspect managed to get away.
Police are also looking for a woman they believe was with the men, and was seen driving away in a tan 2005 Altima.
Jackson is charged with felony vandalism and evading arrest.
Police say the trio didn't get any cash out of the machine.
The ATM was covered with a tarp by the time customers got to the credit union later Friday morning.


Melbourne-based software start-up, Network2Share, is on the hunt for resellers as it launches its storage agnostic file sync and share product, CloudFileSync.
Network2Share has spent two a half years developing the product that stands to benefits Australian resellers with extremely high profit margins (between 60 to 300 per cent), no minimum sales targets, no cost for NFR licenses and no upfront fees.
The product is suited for managed service providers, VARs, and Cloud service providers.
“For a lot of companies that have developed a B2B product, the channel has always been an afterthought,” Network2Share CEO, Regan McKay, said. “The problem we discovered was that the margins were really low and the products were never really built from day-one for the IT guy, and it just wasn’t making money.
“We built a product for the IT community to sell to SME customers ranging from 10 to 500 users, which is the sweet spot that the product has been designed for.
The product itself can be held on-premise or within a hybrid Cloud envrionment.
“By doing this, customers can choose where their data is and its compliant,” he said.
For Australian resellers, the license fees are in Australian dollars and it also has a US billing system for other resellers outside of the country. The company is planning to release the software in 22 languages, McKay said.
“The channel is the only way we’re going to market with the product. It’s logical and a great way for us to expand our business,” he said.
Network2Share has developed a launch promotion for CloudFileSync where resellers who sign up can instantly earn a $500 wholesale credit to cover the cost of user and server licenses.
Resellers can install CloudFileSync on to a customer’s existing onsite storage to provide them with their own private Cloud that is secured behind their firewall.
They can also monetise their own Cloud storage, providing clients with a hosted Cloud solution that meets data sovereignty and other compliance requirements.
For resellers that don’t have their own storage, they’ll have access to a marketplace that allows them to purchase and sell, with margin, secure Cloud storage.


Samsung is planning to release the new smart watch equipped with a universal subscriber identity module, or USIM, through SK Telecom, Korea’s biggest telecommunications vendor, according to those close to the matter.
The Korean tech company, which on Monday released the software development kit, or SDK, for its Tizen-based Gear 2 and Gear 2 Neo, expects application developers to roll out new apps to help build an ecosystem for wearables.
The Samsung Gear 2, the Samsung Gear 2 Neo and Samsung Gear Fit are expected to hit the shelves as early as this month in the global market.


(AURORA, Ore. ) - The Clackamas County Sheriff's Office is currently investigating the homicide of an unidentified adult male, found in a field in the area of NE Arndt Rd and Hwy. 551 between Wilsonville and Aurora.
On Monday, Sheriff's Office Patrol deputies responded to a citizen's report of a dead body. The subject was located by fire and police personnel and confirmed to be deceased.
Detectives from the Sheriff's Office and personnel from the Medical Examiner's Office were called out to investigate.
He was wearing an Army camo print t-shirt, blue jeans, and black-and-orange Nike-brand sneakers. He also had a distinctive cross with blue stones on a neck chain.
Anyone with information concerning this crime is encouraged to contact the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office's confidential Tip Line -- by phone at 503-723-4949 or by using the online email form at http://web3.clackamas.us/contact/tip.jsp -- Please reference CCSO Case # 14-21883.


Girl Power blasted back into people's consciousness earlier this month when four out of the five 'Spices' announced they were reforming for a six date tour. However, so huge was the response to Scary, Sporty, Baby and Ginger appearing back on stage, the Spice Girls have revealed six more new dates in order to meet demand.
Emma Bunton, Geri Halliwell, Melanie Chisholm (Mel C) and Melanie Brown (Mel B) will perform two more dates in both London and Manchester.
Bunton replaces pastry chef Johnny Iuzzini, who was hooked from the show amid sexual misconduct allegations earlier this year.
Former Spice Girls star Emma Bunton is to join Paul Hollywood as the new host of the American version of ‘The Great British Bake Off’, it has been confirmed.
Emma – aka. Baby Spice – is to co-host ‘The Great American Baking Show’ alongside the show’s returning judge Anthony ‘Spice’ Adams. The new series is set to be broadcast before the end of 2018, and it’s thought that Bunton has already commenced filming.
While pregnancy announcements are normally greeted with nothing but excitement, it seems one Spice Girl lived up to her nickname when she heard about Geri Horner’s baby news. Mel B, a.k.a. Scary Spice has reportedly been left frustrated by news of a second mini Ginger Spice because it could get in the way of a Spice (or G.E.M as they’re now known) reunion.
Reports have surfaced that the 41-year-old has been complaining to pals about Geri’s baby news and, as soon as Mrs Horner made her big announcement, Mel B unfollowed her on Instagram.
Here’s what you need to know about the ‘Absolutely Fabulous’ movie.
Sweetie darling! Filming for The Absolutely Fabulous Movie is underway in the south of France and the first image from the film was released earlier this week. In case you’ve been hitting the Bolly hard recently, here’s a reminder of everything you need to know about the upcoming movie.
Joanna Lumley and Jennifer Saunders in the first image from the Ab Fab movie.
Read More: Is Kim Kardashian Going To Join Kate Moss In Absolutely Fabulous Movie?


Helianny Garcia uses crutches as she parades down the catwalk during Bionic Fashion Day at the Metropolitan Cultural Center in Quito, Ecuador, on Feb. 5. Garcia is a cancer survivor from Venezuela whose right leg was amputated in her fight against the disease.
Published at 3:53 p.m. ET: As Fashion Week starts today in New York, the catwalks will be filled with implausibly thin models who embody a very particular idea of physical perfection, but in Ecuador on Tuesday a different kind of fashion show took place. At Bionic Fashion Day the models were young cancer survivors who had lost limbs to the disease. Sixteen models from Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Costa Rica, Colombia and Ecuador wore creations by Ecuadorean designers at an event organized by the Youth Against Cancer Foundation. The event aimed to counter stereotypes and break down social barriers for cancer patients and survivors.
Editor's note: All photos are from Feb. 5 and were made available to NBC News on Feb. 7.
Cintia Caraguay of Ecuador prepares to model a creation before the start of Bionic Fashion Day. Caraguay lost her right leg to cancer.
Eric Salas from Venezuela, who lost his right arm to cancer, is prepared to model clothing at Bionic Fashion Day.
Yulexi Chevez of Ecuador is assisted as she parades down the catwalk using her prosthetic leg at Bionic Fashion Day.
Arli Mujica, from Venezuela, supports herself on crutches as she wears a piece of her costume before the start of Bionic Fashion Day. Mujica is a former runner who lost her left leg to cancer. Today, Mujica is a competitive swimmer at the paralympic level.


Like, they want to pay someone to do this. With real money.
Well, this is it. The best job in the world. Netflix wants to pay someone to watch Netflix full time.
The company is looking for a new tagger — someone who will watch all the new movies and shows Netflix adds to its library and tag them so that the computer algorithm can make recommendations.
This means some lucky person will wake up every morning, head to their couch, open their computer, and binge-watch a show until it's time for bed. Just like you've probably done on several occasions, except you weren't getting a paycheck.
The job will offer flexible hours working from home and, presumably, a free Netflix account.
Netflix already employs 40 taggers, but this latest position, based in the U.K., is the first time it is recruiting outside the United States.
You can apply here if you think you've got what it takes, but the competition is probably gonna be ruthless.


This was a busy weekend for the Haunted Windchimes, including their live Prairie Home Companion performance on Saturday afternoon, and gigs both Friday and Saturday night with three-fifths of the band performing as the Ghost of Michael Clark.
If you missed any or all of the above, we have some pretty good consolation prizes.
You can go here to listen to a podcast of the entire Prairie Home Companion show, which also included an opening song by Garrison Keillor extolling the virtues of Colorado Springs.
Last but hopefully not least, if you're in a reading mood, check out our interview with Mike Clark from last week's issue here and take a trip down memory lane with the Indy's 2008 Haunted Windchimes cover story here.
Congratulations to all. Now keep up the good work!


Too much government manipulation and stimulation.
A free market that's not permitted to operate as such.
Banker (Wall Street) greed that causes - and then perpetuates - wrenching boom-and-bust cycles.
Too much easy money, which paved the way for too many easy loans.
Too many houses on the market.
Banks that have no incentive to lend.
And a generally unhealthy economy.
I agree that all of those issues are root problems. But here's the thing: To fix the housing market - and with it, the U.S. economy - we can't just attack one, two or three of these.
We have to address all of them - and in a comprehensive fashion.
My plan proposes to do just that.
Try it on again. Only this time, when you comment, help me identify unintended consequences that could result from the plan, and let's make it better together.
Let me start by saying that my plan isn't another government-manipulation scheme. It does require temporary government action (legislation) that is specifically designed to address these issues in a manner that will turn the market around. But it also puts a strict time limit on these initiatives, meaning the government intervention will eventually expire and allow the free market take over once and for all.
If you're cynical, like me, you're saying: "Yeah, but self-serving legislators pander to special interests to perpetuate government-controlled programs." You're right, but that's another problem for another time - and involves throwing the bums out of office.
In the meantime, my housing plan recognizes that special interests profited egregiously from the de facto government backing of the aptly named government-sponsored enterprises (GSEs) Fannie Mae (OTC: FNMA) and Freddie Mac.
They have to be killed off.
The plan calls for them to be unwound - and buried.
But in our advanced economy, there is a need for a "mechanism" that is able to transfer risk to investors who are willing to accept it.
That mechanism is called "securitization." That's what securitization does. And that's what Fannie and Freddie do.
GSEs such as Fannie and Freddie help increase the flow of mortgage money in the financial system. They amass a pool of money, which they can use to buy mortgages that they carry on their books as inventory, or that they repackage and sell. But there are a few things wrong with this model. And my plan fixes them all.
As I outlined last week, my plan creates a replacement pool of capital. But that money won't come from investors who believe that the government will backstop their Fannie and Freddie bonds; it will be free money "donated" by all the banks that "we the taxpayers" bailed out so that they could live to rip us off another day.
Will last for only 10 years.
And will have to lend at prevailing rates based on its "cost of capital" (which will be zero).
Banks will be forced to lend on similar terms: In other words, in addition to the existence of the pool that banks will have to contribute to, banks will have to compete with one another and the pool by providing loans on the same basis as the pool offers.
And the pool will have risk-retention requirements - the same as banks. That should be 10%. This means the pool, and banks, will have to hold 10% of the value of their total loans as a reserve against possible future losses. After all, banks that overleveraged themselves without a substantial -enough cushion of capital reserves against crashing asset prices led to the credit crisis.
Because this is only a temporary liquidity pool - and because we aren't a communist dictatorship (even so, the banks owe us something for all the trouble they caused, and the trillions of dollars of economic damage they're responsible for) - banks should get a break on the taxes they pay on the profits they generate from the pool.
The public will be benefiting and banks need the profit motive to serve as an incentive. We want those banks to profit so that they can transparently rebuild their balance sheets and pay taxes again. (Another plan we need to talk about is breaking up all the too-big-to-fail banks).
The idea of "sunsetting" the pool is that it clears the way for other private-mortgage-money investors and syndicators to get into the business and compete profitably.
The ultimate objective here is clear: We want to get the U.S. government out of the mortgage-lending business, and let the free market take over after a transition period.
While we're getting mortgage financing back on track, we need to stabilize the sinking U.S. housing market itself. With my plan, tax credits will get prospective buyers off the fences they're currently seated on - and will spur them into action.
U.S. housing prices have fallen precipitously. S hould we just let them continue to freefall? No one knows what the natural equilibrium level should be in any town, county, region, state, or nationally.
What we can assume is that a housing-price bottom will eventually form. And if that "bottom" is significantly below where we are now, this country is in for a lot more economic pain.
That statement - more than any other - highlights what I said at the outset of this column: If we're going to save the U.S. economy, we have to fix the U.S. housing market. It also attempts to speak to free -market advocates, of which I am one, by saying that sometimes an engineered soft landing is easier to bounce back from than a full-blown crash.
My plan to offer tax credits against depreciation and credits for appreciation doesn't inordinately manipulate prices. It simply incentivizes people to test the waters sooner rather than later by subsidizing (yes, that's what I'm suggesting) the very real risk that new homebuyers would be taking by making a purchase at this point in a soft-and-unsteady market.
Don't be too quick to dismiss this part of the proposal: After all, we subsidize banks that take risks that are backstopped by taxpayers. Why not offer a small subsidy directly to U.S. taxpayers?
If the small tax credits (they could and should be limited to some range of home prices, if for no other reason than to avoid giving additional tax breaks to the uber-wealthy in this country) are enough to incentivize people to "bottom fish" for homes - and enough people decide that prices have come down to a level that justifies this investment or speculation - then we will have created a "floor" for housing-market prices that could hold.
It's a relatively market-based solution to a market-based problem. And it recognizes that markets need risk-takers and sometimes risk-takers need an edge to play.
If you're thinking that this tax-credit scheme is another government handout that's going to come back to cost us, you're right. And that's another reason I like the plan.
By giving tax credits against future tax revenue, the federal government is trading revenue from tomorrow (which it wouldn't be getting if the economy keeps sinking) for a chance to stabilize the housing market today. It will hopefully achieve that point of stability sooner rather than later - and will energize the U.S. economy at the same time.
What's wrong with forcing more fiscal discipline on profligate government spenders? Eventually, we are going to have to address spending in a meaningful way. If my plan is enacted, it will add to the question of what future revenue will be available to spend if we are giving taxpayers much-needed tax credits to stabilize the housing market and the economy now. I know it's fanciful, but part of my plan is designed to impose fiscal discipline on the federal government by repatriating taxpayer money back to taxpayers.
There are plenty of unintended consequences that will manifest themselves if my plan is enacted and implemented. I'm developing a list (it's short right now) and I would welcome your help. If we can work together to shape this plan so that it is better positioned to deliver the hoped-for impact on the U.S. housing market and the U.S. economy, we just might be able to present Congress and the Obama administration with a deal they can't refuse.
It's our country, our future and our obligation to our democracy to be part of the solution to our collective problems and not part of those problems. If you've got constructive comments and ideas for making our plan better, I will do my part to stitch them together so we can do what needs to be done for our country.
This post originally appeared on Money Morning.


The Nevada City Council held a ceremony to swear in the Rudiger in 2015.
The 2018 Paw and Order Dinner will have a dual focus this year.
Taking place on at 5:30 p.m., Sept. 21 at the Miner’s Foundry Cultural Center in Nevada City is the dinner, program and auction, according to a release.
In addition to raising the annual budget which supports the on-going training expenses of K9 Officer Rüdiger and K9 Officer Kano, the Rüdiger Foundation hopes to also raise the initial funding to provide additional K9 officers and equipment for local law enforcement agencies.
Start up expenses for new law enforcement K9 programs can be cost prohibitive for small, rural departments.
Rüdiger Foundation estimates the need for a total of five full-time K9 officers to provide around-the-clock K9 services to Nevada City, Grass Valley, and the unincorporated areas of Nevada County.
Tickets are $100 and are available online by visiting Rüdiger Foundation on Facebook and linking to the 2018 Paw and Order event page.
To request an event invitation or request information on event sponsorship packages contact tina@rüdigerfoundation.org.


LAURA Gallacher is best known for being the wife of Russell Brand and the sister of TV star Kirsty.
They grew up on the Wentworth Estate in Surrey, where they were lucky enough to share a neighbourhood with the late legend Bruce Forsyth.
The plush area has also been the home of Elton John and Cliff Richard.
In the past, Laura has worked in the restaurant industry.
She appeared to be employed at the Moral Fox restaurant, where she regularly tweeted updates.
Gallacher also helped with the opening of Electric Diner, a posh restaurant for the Soho House Group.
Entrepreneur Laura also has her own fashion brand, where she sells dungarees.
On her official website, she writes: “The Joy Journal is about creativity, colour, individuality and fun.
How long have Laura Gallacher and Russell Brand been together?
In August 2017, the pair tied the knot in an intimate service at Remenham Church near their home in Henley-on-Thames, Oxon.
How many children do Laura Gallacher and Russell Brand have?
The couple has two daughters, Mabel born in November 2016 and their second baby daughter who arrived in July 2018.


Prepare for more steamy royal lurve.
For anyone out there foolish enough to think that ITV's latest drama smash Victoria would only be a one-off, you can now relax.
Jenna Coleman will definitely be back for a second series next year, as the channel has ordered another run.
Tom Hughes will also return as the dashing Prince Albert, while Daisy Goodwin will continue to write the show.
Victoria has proved to be a ratings winner for ITV since it launched in late August, averaging around 7.7 million viewers and managing to beat rival Poldark over on BBC One.
Speaking of the next series, Goodwin said: "Even though she reigned in the 19th Century, Victoria is a heroine for our times. In the next series she faces the very modern dilemma of how to juggle children with her husband and her job.
"As Victoria will discover, it's hard to be a wife, a mother and ruler of the most powerful nation on earth!"
Victoria is Jenna Coleman's first major TV project since leaving Doctor Who - and she was admittedly reluctant to sign on at first.
"Funnily, when I left Doctor Who, the first thing I said was, 'I just don't want to do a series for a while' - but it's been such an adventure, I've loved it," she told Digital Spy in August.
"I think when taking on something iconic, and someone who really existed, you definitely want to be sure that you can do it to the best of your ability.
"But ultimately, it was impossible to turn down. I would've been crazy. It's a gift, it's an absolute gift to be able to explore, and try and bring this to life."
Victoria continues with its sixth of eight episodes on Sunday (September 25) at 9pm on ITV.
Jenna Coleman admits Emmerdale was "overwhelming"


ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.- West Mesa High School celebrated their state basketball championship Monday.
The girls basketball team beat Hobbs in the 5A championship.
In honor of the win, the Mustangs cut the nets down in their gym.
The girls said they were thankful for the support they received all season.
“Honestly, seeing the gym filled it brings back to the actual game, the intensity, the whole feeling of the community being here again,” said star player Maiah Rivas. “It's felt amazing, it doesn't feel real at all."
The girls had a little fun with their coach during the celebration.
They got to cut his beard. He agreed to shave it off after they won state.


Above: Thinfilm's smart label tells you about your bottle of Johnnie Walker.
Perhaps you have heard about smart homes and smart light bulbs. Meet the smart bottle.
Yes, one of our most interesting new technologies is going to ensure that we can drink a bottle of scotch with the utmost confidence that it’s authentic. It will also give the scotch maker a way to engage more deeply with a consumer who might otherwise just toss that bottle away and never be heard from again. The smart bottle is part of the Internet of Things (IoT), or everyday objects that are connected to the Internet and have electronic brains.
Thinfilm Electronics is revealing its smart bottle in a deal with Diageo, the maker of the Johnnie Walker Blue Label brand of scotch. The smart bottle can verify for you that your 12-year-old bottle of scotch has never been opened before, and it can also connect via near-field communications to your smartphone.
With a smartphone app, you can learn some new things about your Johnnie Walker Blue Label, get personalized promotions, and communicate with the liquor company.
Thinfilm, based in Oslo, Norway, is showing off the smart bottle and the printed electronics that it developed for the bottle at the Mobile World Congress event in Barcelona, Spain. The company recently announced a deal with Xerox that will enable Thinfilm to print billions of chips per year on tiny labels as part of its plan to track IoT devices.
Thinfilm has figured out how to print chips such as sensors on tags that can be attached to bottles. Using Thinfilm’s OpenSense technology, a smart bottle can detect both the sealed and open state of the bottle. The tags and sensor information they contain will allow Diageo to send personalized communications to consumers who read the tags with their smartphones.
The project came from Diageo Technology Ventures, an experimental tech and investment arm of Diageo. The goal is to enable Diageo to send consumers targeted and timely marketing messages, whether at retail or after purchase. It can, for instance, send you cocktail recipes after you open the bottle.
Thinfilm’s NFC-based tags can be read by readers all across the supply chain, allowing retailers and manufacturers to track inventory to the point of purchase. The tech provides a new layer of security in ensuring the authenticity of the scotch. Sutija said the tag adds tens of cents to the cost of a bottle.
Thinfilm said these NFC tags compete with conventional static QR codes that are often difficult to read, easy to copy, and do not support sensor integration. The OpenSense tags can dynamically detect if a bottle is sealed or open with the tap of an NFC-enabled smartphone. To ensure authenticity, the tags are completely and permanently encoded at the point of manufacture. They can’t be copied or electrically modified. If a seal is broken, it gives off one kind of signal. If it is unbroken, it sends another.
Since the tag uses radio-frequency communication, it doesn’t need a battery. The radio signal itself provides the power that completes the connection between a reader and that tag.
Diageo Technology Ventures was set up in September to help solve the company’s business challenges and unlock growth opportunities. The project takes advantage of advancements in sensors, electronic printing, material sciences, and mobile technologies. Diageo owns brands such as Crown Royal and Tanqueray, and it is traded on the New York Stock Exchange.
The tags will go into production later this year.
Above: Thinfilm makes labels for smart bottles of Johnnie Walker Blue Label scotch.