Keep your Feet Healthy and Happy | Best Self Magazine | Atlanta GA

By Sarah E. King

These days, we all lead demanding and active lives. In a single outing, we can run to the store, pick up the dry cleaning, spend a few hours at the office, throw in a workout, stand in line at the bank and take the dog for a walk. We are constantly on the go, and always on our feet, ready to tackle the next errand or take on the next "to-do."

But have you ever stopped to think about the intricate and biological wonder that has taken you to all those places? Your feet. Made up of 52 bones and more than 100 ligaments, tendons and muscles all working together, this crucial part of your body works hard to keep you on the move. When was the last time you took into account how much your feet affect your lifestyle, and for that matter, how much your lifestyle affects your feet?

"The foot is the most complicated part of the body, but the most neglected by most people," says Raymond Margiano, Ph.D., founder and CEO of Foot Solutions, Inc., which focuses on providing a line of shoes, arch supports and foot care accessories. "A lot of people don't understand it, but the feet are the foundation of your body, similar to the foundation of a building. Over time, you start seeing stress cracks in the foundation, and the building starts to lean. The foundation of your body is critical to your alignment; everything above your feet needs that solid support."

Margiano, who has been in the footwear and pedorthic industry for more than 20 years, is not alone in his opinion. Dr. Carl Kihm, podiatric physician and surgeon with Village Podiatry Centers, says we oftentimes take our feet for granted until we experience an ongoing problem that is painful or debilitating.

"Our feet are our foundation and they allow us to be mobile and live," Dr. Kihm says. "If the bones and joints of your foot and/or ankle are in poor condition, this can affect your posture, pace, the pressure distribution and time spent on each foot while walking, which can ultimately lead to knee, hip and back pains."

Dr. Kihm, who sees patients at Village Podiatry Center's Marietta-Kennestone and Douglasville offices, says early assessment and treatment is the optimal way to keep your feet healthy. "Do not ignore your feet. If they hurt, you should listen to your body and you should not try to deal with the pain," he says. "Consider which factors make them feel worse and avoid these."

Clearly, paying attention to your feet and what your body is telling you are the first steps in obtaining happy and healthy feet. But what are we dealing with here? And what do we do to tackle common foot problems?

The Usual Suspects

Dr. David Scott of Resurgens Orthopaedics, who specializes in foot and ankle issues as well as trauma and knee surgeries, puts foot health into simple terms. "When you don't take care of your feet, they hurt, and you don't get to do what you like to do," he says. "Take care of your feet, and you get a lifetime of foot health and wellness." However, despite the straightforward advice, 10 to 20 percent of people have some kind of recurring or chronic foot problem. Here are a few of the more common ailments:

Bunions:

A bunion is a condition where the big toe gradually dislocates, and can get more severe and painful over time. This condition is caused by the bone structure of your feet, which is hereditary. Dr. Kihm says some shoes can make the condition more painful, but shoes are not the cause of bunions.

Treatment: "Wide-toed shoes and padding may be helpful to reduce this kind of pain," Dr. Kihm says. "However, because bunions are a bone condition, sometimes, surgery is required to address and correct the bony etiology and painful deformity."

Hammertoe:

A hammertoe is a deformity of the second, third or fourth toes, in which the toe is bent at the middle joint. If left untreated, a hammertoe may become fixed and require surgery.

Treatment: "Everything in your body has some kind of balance, such as the bicep and the tricep in your arm," Dr. Scott says. "The hammertoe is a sort of imbalance in the toe where the first knuckle is bent up and the second knuckle gets bent down." Dr. Scott says a hammertoe can be surgically straightened by removing the knuckle and lengthening the tendons. The knuckle is then fused straight. "You have to balance all of the joints to correct the hammertoe," he says. Dr. Scott also says forefoot problems in the ball of your foot may be the result of tight calf muscles. "When your calf muscle is tight, it puts more pressure on the ball of your foot when you walk," he says. "People who experience bunions and hammertoes should have their calf muscles checked, and if tight and causing more pressure on the ball of your foot, they should be lengthened during surgery."

Corns:

Corns are pressure-induced callus formations on the toes. Dr. Kihm says each patient is assessed individually to determine why these are occurring.

Treatment: "Your podiatrist can usually trim your corn and this can allow for an immediate relief of pain," he says. "If your shoes are too tight or if you have hammertoes associated with these corns, these can be causative factors that need to be addressed to prevent the corns from returning." Padding around the toes can also reduce the pressures that create corns. However, Dr. Kihm says he cautions people with poor sensation, especially diabetic patients, not to use medicated corn pads. "These contain salicylic acid that dissolves away the corn, but can also dissolve away healthy skin and create wounds and more severe problems."

Plantar fasciitis:

Plantar fasciitis occurs when the strong band of tissue that supports the arch of your foot becomes irritated and inflamed. The bottom of the heel becomes tender and sore. Dr. Scott says there are many factors that cause plantar fasciitis. "The aging of the tendon and the stress we put on it in day-to-day life is one factor," he says. "We are also heavier than we should be, and not as athletic as we should be." Dr. Scott says while sometimes there is an event where you may injure your heel, very frequently, there is not one factor to put your finger on.

Treatment: "Given enough time, plantar fasciitis will actually go away, but you can do things to speed it up," Dr. Scott says. Maintaining a healthy body weight, stretching the upper calf muscle, wearing good footwear or anti-inflammatory medications are all possible forms of treatment. "Ninety-five percent of heel pain, however, gets better with stretching," he says.

Ingrown Nails:

An ingrown nail occurs when the side of the nail grows into the skin. When left untreated, the irritated nail can create infection. Causes include footwear that crowds the toes, not properly cutting the nail or toenail injury.

Treatment: Dr. Kihm says to prevent ingrown nails, avoid cutting your nails too short and do not cut them on a sharp curvature. If you develop an ingrown nail, see your podiatrist for treatment; an in-office procedure is oftentimes performed, which can remove the ingrown nail and prevent it from returning.

If the Shoe Fits...

Certain aches and pains can be avoided by simply paying attention to the shoes you put on your feet. Margiano says most foot problems are caused or aggravated by wearing ill-fitted shoes. "Ninety percent of people are not wearing properly fitted shoes... you want to wear shoes like the shape of your foot, with room and support for walking or running," he says. "Your foot takes the impact if you're not supporting it properly."

For women, the daily use of high-heels is a major culprit in foot pain. "Women will have five times more issues with their feet than men, and the main reason is the female tendency to wear shoes more for appearance than for comfort," Margiano says.

For a woman to avoid issues due to high-heels, Margiano suggests not wearing heels higher than 1.5 to 2 inches, as well as wearing high-heels in moderation. "You don't want to force your feet into this awkward position," he says. "Heels slam those toes into a narrow wedge, and are the leading cause for bunions and hammertoes."

But men aren't free from shoe discomfort either. According to Dr. Kihm, men are five times more likely to have a traumatic fracture of their heel bone than women. "These kinds of injuries are usually experienced when jumping or falling from a height, and since men, for example, work more frequently on roofs, this makes sense."

Dr. Scott says men also are more prone to overuse and sports-related injuries, and injuries among his male and female patients are equal. However, women still take the brunt of footwear-related pain. "I see two or three women patients for every male," he says. "Women are in for more shoe-related issues due to restrictive footwear, and I see more foot and ankle issues with women."

Flip-flops and ballet flats, which offer little arch support, are also a concern for health care professionals. Margiano says there are many foot injuries that result from the foot not being supported, like fallen arches. "Your foot, overtime, will collapse, and being flat footed puts more pressure on your ankle and knees," Margiano says. "You can purchase custom inserts for flats or heels to support the arch... a lot of things can be done for fashionable footwear. When you put in an insert, your foot feels better and feels more supported."

Dr. Kihm says there are many different reasons for fallen arches, and some may have more to do with heredity. "If this problem is noted in children, or since childhood, this typically reflects the patient's inherited bone structure of the arch of his or her feet," he says. "When this problem arises in adulthood, the cause can be the result of tendon damage and dysfunction. We commonly see this in older and overweight females, and it commonly only involves one foot at a time."

For an inherited or developed issue, Dr. Kihm suggests wearing supportive sneakers with rigid arch supports to help prevent or treat these conditions. However, when pain, fatigue or weakness is associated with fallen arches, Dr. Kihm warns that you should report for a physical exam, as these conditions may get worse with time.

Put Your Best Foot Forward

Understanding the steps to take in addressing foot problems will help put you on the right track for a healthier lifestyle. And taking care of your feet can be a simple process. Dr. Scott offers this final advice:

"Keep your weight near your ideal range, pick your activities carefully. When you change activities, you should change it in a gradual way so your feet don't fracture or break. Wear comfortable shoes," he says. "Also, calf stretching and a flexibility routine are important. Those who have stayed flexible as they age tend to do better. Flexibility should be a long-term part of everyone's fitness goals."

Having the right footwear is crucial to maintaining healthy feet. But we don't think about it as much as we should. According to Dr. Kihm, the pressure on your feet exceeds your bodyweight when walking, and can reach four times your body weight when running. "We don't think about this a lot and maybe we 'put up' with our feet being sore or painful," he says. "It should not be this way and it does not need to be. Proper footwear is very important so you can support and protect your feet as they function."

The Right Support

Hiking Boots

Bubba Sloan, co-founder of High Country Outfitters, knows his way around a hiking boot. Sloan says, when it comes to footwear, making sure you have the proper fit is important. "If there was one shoe on the market that I think would fit everyone, I'd sell one shoe," he says. To find the right boot keep these tips in mind:

• The sole: You need sturdiness in the sole of the boot so the foot stays in a stable position. Boots which cover the ankle are not meant to prevent rolling your ankle, but to protect from rocks or other abuses on the trail.
• Socks: Merino wool lets the foot breath and doesn't cause temperatures to rise in the boot like synthetic socks.
• Boots: A light weight, waterproof boot is a good starting point for new hikers.

Heels

For those who wear heels on a daily basis, it's no surprise to hear that high heels cause a range of foot problems.

• Dr. Kihm: "High heels change the forces on the foot as they shift the pressure to the front of the foot. They also have a narrow toe box, which crams the toes together, and can cause corns and calluses, or make bunions more painful."
• Dr. Scott: "It's common sense and we all know it, but we like fashion. You'd rather look good than feel good sometimes. Shoes that are wide enough for your feet, with good thick bottoms, and don't constrict the bone are ideal. Fashion footwear is tight, and doesn't fit how the human foot was made... very few people can wear high heels when they're older."

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Editorial Resources:
Raymond Margiano, CEO - Foot Solutions, Inc., www.footsolutions.com
Dr. Carl Kihm - Village Podiatry Centers, www.villagepodiatrycenters.com
Dr. David Scott - Resurgens Orthopaedics, www.resurgens.com
Bubba Sloan - High Country Outfitters, www.highcountryoutfitters.com

Source: http://www.bestselfatlanta.com/track/73/L0Jlc3QtU2VsZi1BcnRpY2xlcy9IZWFsdGgtV2VsbG5lc3MvS2VlcC15b3VyLUZlZXQtSGVhbHRoeS1hbmQtSGFwcHkuaHRtbA==.html

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North Korea's prison camps expand under new ruler

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Comic actor Andy Samberg and musician Joanna Newsom are engaged to be married, a representative of Samberg said on Monday. "I can confirm that Andy Samberg and Joanna Newsom are engaged," Samberg's publicist, Carrie Byalick, said in an email. The former "Saturday Night Live" comedian and the harpist have kept a low public profile since they began dating five years ago. Newsom, 31, was spotted on Saturday with a diamond ring on her left ring finger at the Film Independent Spirit Awards in Santa Monica, California. A wedding date has not been announced. ...

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/satellites-show-north-koreas-prison-camps-expanding-under-143047200.html

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World's postal services struggle with lower demand

OTAKI, New Zealand (AP) ? Sandra Vidulich is so excited about the leather boots she ordered through Amazon that she rips open the box in front of the postman and tries them on.

"I looove them," she declares, as the driveway at her tree-lined home in rural New Zealand briefly becomes a catwalk. "They're cool."

For now, a boom in Internet shopping is helping keep alive moribund postal services across the developed world. But the core of their business ? letters ? is declining precipitously, and data from many countries indicate that parcels alone won't be enough to save them. The once-proud postal services that helped build modern society are scaling back operations, risking further declines.

The United Kingdom is preparing to wash its hands of mail deliveries entirely by selling the Royal Mail, which traces its roots back nearly 500 years to the reign of King Henry VIII.

The U.S. Postal Service sparked uproar this month when it announced plans to stop delivering letters on Saturdays. New Zealand is considering more drastic cuts: three days of deliveries per week instead of six.

It's only in the past few years that postal services have truly felt the pinch of the Internet. Revenues at the USPS, which delivers about 40 percent of the world's mail, peaked in 2007 at $75 billion.

But the decline since then has been rapid. USPS revenue in 2012 fell to $65 billion, and its losses were $15.9 billion. It handled 160 billion pieces of mail that year, down from 212 billion in 2007. And it had slashed its workforce by 156,000, or 23 percent.

Elsewhere, the news is just as grim. La Poste in France estimates that by 2015, it will be delivering 30 percent fewer letters than it did in 2008. Japan last year delivered 13 percent fewer letters than it did four years earlier. In Denmark, the postal service said letter volumes dropped 12 percent in a single year.

The Universal Postal Union, which reports to the United Nations, estimates that letter volumes worldwide dropped by nearly 4 percent in 2011 and at an even faster clip in developed nations. Developed countries closed 5 percent of their post offices in 2011 alone.

And while Internet shopping continues to grow, postal services that once profited from their monopoly on letters find themselves competing for parcels against private companies like FedEx.

U.S. Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe, in an interview with The Associated Press, said he doesn't believe the service can ever regain the revenue from packages it has lost from letters. He said axing Saturday mail deliveries, while keeping six-day-a-week package deliveries, will save the service about $2 billion a year.

Donahoe said he thinks ending Saturday letter deliveries will keep the USPS a solid proposition for years to come.

"People still go to their mailbox every day and they wait for their mail to come," he said. "It's part of American life."

And it has been since the beginning. The postal service's role was defined in the Constitution, and Benjamin Franklin was the first postmaster general. The short-lived Pony Express achieved an enduring place in American folklore. Even the modern system of highways and airline travel grew from pioneering routes developed by the postal service.

"It's easy to forget how central this institution was to commerce, public life, social affairs," said Richard John, a Columbia University professor who has written a book on the postal service. "It was once very, very important. Of course, that was then and this is now."

Even now, however, much depends on the post office. According to the Envelope Manufacturers Association, the postal service is at the core of a trillion-dollar mailing industry in the U.S. that employs more than 8 million people.

And for delivering a paper letter cheaply, there is simply no alternative. If rural residents were ever charged the actual cost of mail rather than the subsidized standard rate, John said, the costs would be prohibitive.

The value of the mail goes beyond money in many places, including rural New Zealand. The postal carrier serves as a focal point for the community.

John Lahmert, the postman who delivered the boots, has been delivering mail to farms around the North Island town of Otaki for 18 years. The 72-year-old independent contractor seems to know everybody on his route and doesn't mind stopping for a chat.

Noeline Saunders greets him at the gate, wondering if her citrus trees have arrived. Not yet, Lahmert tells her. Barry Georgeson, a semi-retired farmer, calls out a greeting and wanders down to pick up his letters.

"We don't like change," Georgeson said when asked about the possibility of mail coming just three times a week. But he said he could learn to live with it.

Many seemed resigned to a reduced service.

"I think people can genuinely understand that the world is changing," said New Zealand Prime Minister John Key. "And while some people are still very reliant on the mail, for a lot of people that's a fraction of the way they receive information."

About 7 in 10 Americans said they'd favor axing Saturday deliveries if it allowed the post office to deal with billions of dollars in debt, according to a poll by The New York Times and CBS News.

Some countries, including Australia, Canada and Sweden, have already cut deliveries to five days a week. Others are tinkering with partial privatizations.

Exactly what Britons might expect under a privatized service remains unclear. Some speculate it could mean cutbacks.

Royal Mail's Chief Executive Moya Greene declined to comment for this story: "We're simply not doing interviews about the planned sale," spokesman Mish Tullar wrote in an email.

In policy documents, the UK government said six-day-a-week deliveries and standardized letter prices remain vital but that private investors will provide more financial stability than "unpredictable" taxpayer funding.

While letter volumes are falling in developed nations, the reverse is true in some developing countries. In China, mail deliveries are up 56 percent since 2007, driven by a more than fourfold increase in premium express mail, according to figures from China Post.

Yet people in China are accustomed to having their mail show up late or disappear altogether. As Internet use increases in the developing world, mail may never become as essential as it has been elsewhere.

Not everybody is ready to give up on letters. Reader's Digest sends out about 500,000 pieces of mail each week to people in Australia, New Zealand, Singapore and Malaysia as it tries to entice them to buy its merchandise.

"A lot of players are going for a digital strategy, and fewer are doing the direct-mail approach," said Walter Beyleveldt, managing director for the Asia Pacific region. "Because of that, the mailbox will get emptier. It will potentially become an exciting place to go and look."

New Zealanders, however, may be looking there half as often as early as next year, if proposed changes to the New Zealand Post's charter are approved.

The government is accepting public comments until mid-March. A quarter of those received so far were mailed in, a rate considered unusually high.

The other 75 percent? Email.

___

Joe McDonald in Beijing, Yuri Kageyama in Tokyo, Lori Hinnant in Paris, Cassandra Vinograd in London, Pauline Jelinek in Washington and Jan Olsen in Copenhagen, Denmark, contributed to this report. AP researchers Yu Bing and Monika Mathur also contributed.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/worlds-postal-services-struggle-lower-demand-071303113--finance.html

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Texting Gloves Dangerous in Winter, Says expert

Feb. 26, 2013 ? The popular half-gloves that leave fingers uncovered for texting may be good for communicating electronically but they may also lead to permanent loss of fingers due to exposure to the cold.

"Fingers are one of the first body parts to feel the effects of the cold and damp and along with toes, ears and the nose are frequently subjected to frostbite and even amputation," says Arthur Sanford, MD, Division of Trauma, Surgical Critical Care and Burns, Loyola University Health System. "Better to fat finger a text due to wearing winter gloves than to lose a finger due to the cold."

Frostbite is most likely to happen in body parts farthest from the heart and those with large exposed areas. "Blood vessels start to constrict at or below 32 degrees Celsius to preserve body temperature," says Sanford. "The lack of blood in areas of the body can lead to freezing and the death of skin tissue."

Sanford says he treats frostbite in people of all ages. "The old lady who goes out in the snow to get her mail, falls, breaks a hip and lays in the cold and wet for hours until being discovered is a typical victim of frostbite," he says. "But the younger person who goes on a drinking bender and walks home in the snow and damp is also a familiar sight at Loyola trauma."

When suffering from prolonged exposure to cold, use room temperature or slightly warm water to gently revitalize the body. "Do not use hot water, do not rub with handfuls of snow and do not vigorously massage the frozen area," warns Sanford. Overstimulation can actually worsen the situation.

Winter wellness tips from Sanford and Loyola include the following:

? Dress in layers. "If a sweater, pair of socks or other article of clothing gets wet, you can quickly remove it and still be protected from the cold and wet," says Sanford.

? Wear a hat, gloves or mittens and proper footwear including socks and boots. "Texting gloves may look cool and be handy for communicating but it is better to wear full gloves or mittens and save your fingers," says Sanford.

? When outerwear becomes wet, go inside and change to dry clothing. "Wet socks especially are dangerous and can lead to a condition called trench foot which results in poor blood circulation, decay of tissue, infections and even amputation," says Sanford.

? If affected area becomes numb, turns red or blue, swells or feels hot, go to the emergency department. "An emergency physician will assess the tissue and take the proper steps to save the body part," says Sanford.

Hypothermia, when the body temperature is below 95 degrees F(35 degrees C), was the cause of death for 700 Americans between 1979 -- 1998. "Frostbite in January, operate in July is a common mantra here at Loyola," says Sanford. "Bundling up for winter may take you out of media circulation temporarily but better that than to permanently lose the ability to text due to frostbite."

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Loyola University Health System, via Newswise.

Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.

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Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/most_popular/~3/Fix8HP4hpmE/130226141235.htm

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10 Things to Know for Tuesday

Ayla Anderson, clears snow from her vehicle in Denver on Monday, Feb. 25, 2013. Anderson just moved to Denver from Florida. A winter storm passed through Colorado on Sunday dumping over a foot of snow in the Denver area. (AP Photo/Ed Andrieski)

Ayla Anderson, clears snow from her vehicle in Denver on Monday, Feb. 25, 2013. Anderson just moved to Denver from Florida. A winter storm passed through Colorado on Sunday dumping over a foot of snow in the Denver area. (AP Photo/Ed Andrieski)

FILE - In this Aug. 29, 1991 file photo, former Surgeon General C. Everett Koop speaks in Washington during a conference for preventing transmission of Human Immunodeficiency Virus and Hepatitis B Virus to patients during procedures by medical personal. Koop, who raised the profile of the surgeon general by riveting America's attention on the then-emerging disease known as AIDS and by railing against smoking, died Monday, Feb. 25, 2013, in Hanover, N.H. He was 96. (AP Photo/Barry Thumma, File)

A journalist walks past the People of Freedom at party logo at the party headquarters in Rome, Monday, Feb. 25, 2013. The prospect of political paralysis hung over Italy on Monday as partial official results in crucial elections showed an upstart protest campaign led by a comedian making stunning inroads, and mainstream forces of center-left and center-right wrestling for control of Parliament's two houses. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

Your daily look at late-breaking news, upcoming events and the stories that will be talked about Tuesday:

1. WHO WILL FEEL THE AUTOMATIC BUDGET CUTS FIRST

The long-term jobless will see their unemployment checks shrink by about 10 percent.

2. STAKES HIGH FOR NUCLEAR TALKS

Israel has threatened to use all means to stop Iran from being able to build a bomb, raising the specter of a possible Mideast war.

3. HUGE EXPLOSION ROCKS SYRIA'S CAPITAL

Activists say the explosion targeted a checkpoint and killed at least five regime forces.

4. WHAT ITALY'S ELECTIONS MEAN FOR THE ECONOMY

A possible hung parliament and political paralysis has spooked investors and sent the Dow plunging more than 200 points.

5. WHICH CITIES ARE IN A MIDWEST BLIZZARD'S PATH

Kansas City is expected to get a wallop tonight, and Chicago could up to 6 inches of snow on Tuesday.

6. GET READY FOR .APP, .VEGAS, .TECH AND MORE

By year's end, hundreds of Internet address suffixes to rival ".com" should be available for people and businesses to use.

7. HOW A FORMER SURGEON GENERAL SURPRISED CONSERVATIVES

The late C. Everett Koop set aside his personal views on homosexuality and become a leader in sex education to prevent the spread of AIDS.

8. VOTERS TO PICK REPLACEMENT FOR JESSE JACKSON JR.

The Democratic winner of Tuesday's primary is expected to cruise through the April election for the disgraced Chicago congressman's seat.

9. FROM RAGS TO RICHES WITH RETURN OF RING

A homeless panhandler who gave back a woman's lost engagement band receives an outpouring of nearly $150,000 in donations.

10. CAUSE FOR TREKKIES TO REJOICE

With 200,000 votes, William Shatner's "Vulcan" takes the top spot in an online contest to name Pluto's two newest moons.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2013-02-25-10-Things-to-Know-Tuesday/id-4d096f12048a4f7a9cf9dc315d2bf938

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Lawmaker wears blackface costume to Jewish party

A state assemblyman from Brooklyn, N.Y., wore blackface paint and an Afro wig to a costume party over the weekend, and says he "can't imagine anyone getting offended." ?

The party was for the Jewish holiday Purim, a festive celebration often commemorated by dressing up. ?

According to?Politicker, Assemblyman Dov Hikind?hosted a Purim party at his home over the weekend. ?

A photo posted on Facebook by Hikind's 32-year-old son, Yoni Hikind, shows the lawmaker with a darkened face, wearing a black wig, sunglasses and what appears to be an orange jersey over a white t-shirt. The assemblyman's wife wore a devil costume.

The caption reads: "How cool are my folks... Lol"?

See the controversial photo at NBCNewYork.com

Dov Hikind told Politicker that he was "trying to emulate, you know, maybe some of these basketball players."

"Someone gave me a uniform, someone gave me the hair of the actual, you know, sort of a black basketball player,? Hikind said. ?It was just a lot of fun. Everybody just had a very, very good time and every year I do something else. ? The fun for me is when people come in and don?t recognize me.? ?

Hikind said he couldn't imagine the costume bothering anyone.

?Purim, you know, everything goes and it?s all done with respect. No one is laughing, no one is mocking. No one walked in today and said, ?Oh my God.? ? It?s all just in good fun with respect always, whatever anyone does it?s done with tremendous amounts of respect and with dignity, of course.?

By NBCNewYork.com staff

Source: http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/02/25/17088742-new-york-lawmaker-in-hot-water-for-blackface-costume-at-party?lite

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UFC 157?s Three Stars: Ronda Rousey, Robbie Lawler and Dennis Bermudez shine

UFC 157 completed the rare trick of living up to its intense hype. Who stood out as stars?

No. 1 star ? Ronda Rousey: Is there any better word to describe Rousey than star? After months of Rousey appearing on television, in magazines and on every site on the internet, she showed she's more than a media darling. Rousey not only escaped a submission attempt by Liz Carmouche, but also finished the fight with just 11 seconds to go in the first round. That's a star.

No. 2 star ? Robbie Lawler: Looking at this fight card, would you ever have guessed that Lawler would emerge as a star? Before returning to the UFC on Saturday, he lost three of his last five bouts. He was up against Josh Koscheck, who was eager to get a big win after losing to Johny Hendricks. But the power in Lawler's hands knocked Koscheck out in the first round, and earned Lawler a $50,000 Knockout of the Night bonus.

No. 3 star ? Dennis Bermudez: When the preliminary fights started, the Honda Center wasn't even half full. The UFC's tailgate was still going strong in the parking lot. But as Bermudez's bout with Matt Grice wore on, I noticed the stands filling up. Perhaps they heard about the Fight of the Year candidate happening inside, with Bermudez throwing everything he had at Grice, and Grice not only withstanding the punches but coming back with big punches of his own. They each took home a $50,000 Fight of the Night bonus.

Who were your three stars from the night? Tell in the comments, on Facebook or on Twitter.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/ufc-157-three-stars-ronda-rousey-robbie-lawler-143258534--mma.html

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Easy Video Suite Review Don't Buy, Just Get The unbiased TRUTH!

Easy Video Suite is out. But is it all hype? I decided to find out. Get the truth in this Easy Video Suite Review

Note: This is my honest review of Easy Video Suite.

First of all, my real name is Jason. I am a customer of Easy Video Player 2.0. I bought the tool with my own money as I found this quite valuable. No review copy or whatever was given to me. Easy video suite review page is so that you know the absolute truth of this product.

I bought it because I needed a way to stream and track online video sales letters for my online business. I explored many different options, and at the end of the day, EVP looked the best.

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The Top 4 Reasons I Recommend Easy Video Suite

Those three problems that I listed above were also the same problems that other people struggled with using Easy Video Player. The good news is, Josh Bartlett tackled these 3 problems and solved them in Easy Video Suite. Let me explain?

Solution #1: Making Videos

I?m most impressed with one feature, that is the ability to record videos directly from your webcam or do screen recordings easily into easy video suite. This is definitely a game changer. You can record your entire screen or it lets you select a specific area. Another advantage is that when recording you can use the built in annotation tools to highlight, draw or even animate your recording.

Best of all, once your video was recorded you can edit out the sections that you don?t want, such as the phones and awes, directly inside of Easy Video Suite.

Solution #2: Converting Videos

Converting videos is always a big headache. This feature in easy video suite is a huge timesaver which makes my life so much easier. For an overview on how it works: once the video is recorded easy video suite takes the video and automatically convert it into multiple files with are web ready to be streamed on any device.

Example: it makes streaming videos easily on tablets, desktops or on Smartphone?s. All you have to choose is the video quality from a simple bar that you drag to the right for high quality and left for low quality. The software makes it so very easy to convert videos without using any 3^rd party convertor.

Solution #3: Uploading Videos

Uploading videos is also made very easy with this application. All you need to do is simply enter your YouTube login details or your Amazon s3 details and they get automatically saved to upload all the videos you make in easy video suite. Just need to click a button and the videos are automatically uploaded to your accounts. This is so much a time saver as you don?t need any other video up loader with this.

Solution #4: Embedding Videos

Embedding videos has been made very easy with easy video player. Basically it automatically pastes the embed code in your clipboard one the video is uploaded so that you can embed it right within your posts very easily. Another advantage is that easy video player automatically builds video pages for you to host the video, so no more you have to even paste the video embed code.

It is pasted on a page similar to a video sales page which you can edit. Add title, backgrounds; add buy buttons below the video. Basically anything you want you can edit. Everything is under your control.

As you can see? Easy Video Suite is a revolutionary product like never before!

Not to hype it up, but easy video suite gives you the ability to create awesome videos and also publish them online automatically even if you have no technical knowledge. It is really an awesome product. Other than that there is some other awesome features that I haven?t mentioned yet. I?m going to summarize the highlights below as going through it in detail is huge and forever.

?

New Features!?

Mobile App: As it comes with a mobile app (iphone & android) which lets you record videos right of your phone and upload then straight to YouTube or you EVS account to make shooting and publishing happen on the fly.

Gateways: ?The gateway feature is one of the most coolest, basically it allows you to set a point in the video where it pauses and force your customers to either opting to your email list or share your videos? in order to continue further. These options will make your videos viral and lets you build your list at the same time. Awesome feature this is.

Embedded Social Sharing Buttons: ?Social networking and bookmarking is very important nowadays. With easy video suite now it?s very easy to post the options right inside your video. And with the gateways option you can literally force your viewers to share the video using those options.

Video Chapters: ?another advantage is that if you have different chapters on your video at differrent points you can set it up such that they can click and directly get to that chapter just like on any book.

Embedded Buy Buttons: This is a revolutionary feature, as easy video suite allows you to embed buy buttons both inside and below your video. You can time the buttons to show up whenever you want without having top worry about the code, all t his is handled internally. No need to worry about synching its all handed in a simple drag and drop environment within the dash boards.

Embedded Optin Forms: Forget about making squeeze pages. Now you can make squeeze videos as you can embed the squeeze forms right inside your video. This is an awesome feature which will be a game changer for the future.

Desktop App: It comes also with a desktop application for bothe windows and macintosh which lets you record video from your webcam or from the screen, edits the video and automatically publish to the Youtube or? Amazon s3 after converting into a web ready format..

Video playlist?s: Easy video suite also has the capability to create video playlists. You can have video?s played one after another in a sries just like on youtube. The feature is excellent to create training video courses.

Video pages: Easy video suite also gives you the option to host your videos. It also gives you full control to edit the video page anyways you like.

Tracking & split testing: Easy video suite has builtin capabilities for advanced split testing and tracking to find out detailed stats on how well your video?s are performing in a beautiful but simple dashboard. You can also rotate videos in unlimited split tests to see which video gets the most about of views and traffic.

Redirect option: you can have your visitors redirected automatically to any URL you specify after the videos are done playing.

So that?s about it..These are the main features in Easy Video Suite. Obviously, you can now understand how powerful this is.

Let me sum it up with some pros and cons.

Pros And Cons

Pros:

• No installation required. Instead, you get an account at EVSuite.com
• No limits on video bandwidth, or number of sites you can use it on
• Records video from your webcam or screen on Mac & PC (no external recording tools needed)
• Mobile App records/uploads video on iPhone/Android
• Does basic video editing
• Automatic video conversion to multiple
• Automatic 1-click uploading to Amazon S3 and/or YouTube
• Works on both a Mac and PC
• All features are super easy to use with the simple drag and drop interface

Cons:

• Somewhat expensive. $297 personal license (comes with branding)
• $397 for commercial (no branding, unlimited sites)
• Video editing is only for basic editing. For advanced editing you will need Windows Movie Maker for PC or iMovie/Final Cut Pro for the Mac.
• Video pages are hosted on EVSuite.com by default (You can still host them on your domain, you just have to copy some code over, it?s easy, but requires an extra step.)
• It?s not a magic pill. You still need to have a quality product to sell and traffic
• You also need original, engaging content for your videos. Easy Video Suite won?t make up for delivery bad content, it will only make it easier to deliver it.

Easy Video Suite Review Conclusion

It?s obvious that Easy Video Suite is a seriously powerful video marketing solution. However, as powerful as it is, it may or may not be something you desperately need. Let me explain why.

Who Should NOT Buy It

If you have no product or you are not using video at all in any of your marketing online, Easy Video Suite will have no use to you. Sure, it would simply be an awesome piece of software that you would be able to play around with, but it wouldn?t really have much of an impact on your business.

Who SHOULD Buy It

Now, on the other hand, if you are currently using video in your business for marketing, whether that is on YouTube, or you are a previous customer of easy video player 2.0, Easy video suite is an absolute must-have for your business. You should buy it. It lives up to it?s name as the easiest video marketing solution in the world, and actually delivers what it promises. And once you start using it, you will be hooked.

To your online video marketing success,

Jason thomas

Source: http://e-mag.in/easy-video-suite-review-dont-buy-just-get-the-truth/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=easy-video-suite-review-dont-buy-just-get-the-truth

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U.S. Plains states hit with second winter storm in a week

KANSAS CITY, Missouri (Reuters) - A powerful winter storm barreled through the U.S. southern Plains on Monday, dumping more than a foot of snow and creating blizzard conditions in Oklahoma, Texas and parts of Kansas still digging out from a winter storm last week.

Interstates and smaller highways in the Texas and Oklahoma panhandles were closed by the heavy and drifting snow that cut down visibility and forced flight cancellations at airports across the region.

Some 17 inches of snow fell near Amarillo, Texas by noon on Monday, according to the National Weather Service, and the storm potentially could be in the top three all time. Other areas in the Texas panhandle also reported more than a foot of snow.

The National Weather Service warned that "most roads are impassable" and Texas Governor Rick Perry activated Texas Military Forces to be ready to respond to assistance calls.

Airports in Amarillo and 120 miles to the south in Lubbock, Texas, were closed while Interstate 27 between the cities was shut because of blowing snow, state officials said.

Parts of northwestern Oklahoma could get 16 inches to 24 inches of snow, with high winds that could create drifts up to 6 feet high, according to the National Weather Service in Norman, Oklahoma.

"It's the biggest in the last several years, really," said James Hand, emergency management director in the small town of Mooreland. "Last year we didn't have anything to shovel."

Tyson Foods Inc said its Amarillo beef plant was closed Monday because of the storm. Also, USDA officials in Amarillo were working from home.

"We weren't able to make into the office this morning," said Kenneth Gladney, officer in charge at USDA's Amarillo market news office.

He said there was 14 inches of snow on the ground and more forecast. "I can hardly see 100 yards out my back window."

The Oklahoma Highway Patrol said it closed all highways in the Oklahoma panhandle because of blizzard conditions. Interstate 40 in the Texas panhandle was also closed, along with numerous highways and other roads.

In Oklahoma City, some afternoon flights from Will Rogers World Airport were canceled due to the approaching storm.

Kansas, hit by a foot or more of snow in spots last week, braced for possible worsening conditions on Monday and Tuesday.

Blizzard conditions struck southwest Kansas on Monday morning and were expected to spread east to Wichita in the afternoon. A winter storm warning stretched from west-central Kansas to the northeast across Missouri and into Illinois.

Dodge City in southwestern Kansas began receiving snow overnight whipped by up to 40 miles per hour winds, said Marc Russell, a National Weather Service meteorologist.

"We had all that snow last week and the ditches are full, so snow will blow over the roads pretty quickly and make them impassible," Russell said.

Four highways were closed in southwest Kansas by late morning and Kansas National Guard troops were standing by to help motorists, officials said.

Flights were halted on Monday at Wichita, Kansas, Mid-Continent Airport. Schools in Wichita and many other districts in central and western Kansas were closed. State offices in central and western Kansas also were closed.

"Take this storm seriously," Kansas Governor Sam Brownback said. "Postpone travel plans if you are in the path of the heaviest predicted snow."

Last week, about 200 miles of Interstate 70 in Kansas were closed because of the massive winter storm that dumped well over a foot of snow in parts of the state. Winds are forecast in the 25 mph to 40 mph range.

In the Kansas City area, which was hit hard in last week's storm, bread aisles at area grocers were nearly bare and snow shovels and other equipment was flying off store shelves.

A Home Depot in Overland Park, Kansas, a Kansas City suburb, received 300 snow shovels Sunday night and nearly all were sold within an hour after the store opened Monday, a manager said.

From 6 to 10 inches of snow was expected in all but the northwestern region of Missouri through midday Tuesday with snowfall rates above 1 inch per hour in some parts of the state, along with blowing and drifting, the weather service said.

The same storm blanketed eastern Colorado with snow on Sunday, prompting the cancellation of 200 flights in and out of Denver International Airport.

Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper ordered all non-essential state personnel to report to work two hours later than scheduled on Monday to give Denver snow plow drivers more time to clear city streets.

(Additional reporting by Carey Gillam in Kansas City and Steve Olafson in Oklahoma City; Editing by Jeffrey Benkoe, Greg McCune and Bob Burgdorfer)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/colorado-snowstorm-triggers-blizzard-warnings-slows-air-traffic-093034534.html

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LG aims to raise smartphone sales by 52 percent

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) ? LG Electronics Inc. is aiming to raise its smartphone sales by more than half this year as it makes a shift from basic phones to high-end devices after lagging competitors for several years.

The South Korean company aims to sell more than 40 million smartphones in 2013, it said in a statement on Monday. LG shipped 26.3 million smartphones in 2012, fewer than HTC Corp. and Research In Motion Ltd. which each shipped more than 32 million smartphones.

To meet the sales goal, LG will release handsets in all price ranges from high-tier to affordable models and go all out in both developed and emerging markets.

"We aim to improve profitability and also to become a top-tier smartphone brand," Park Jong-seok, head of LG's mobile phone business, told reporters at a mobile industry fair in Barcelona, according to the statement.

LG faces similar challenges to other second-tier smartphone vendors. They are squeezed by the two smartphone giants ? Samsung Electronics Co. and Apple Inc. ? that are dominating most of the profit in the smartphone industry and also by Chinese makers that are expanding in the smartphone markets of fast-growing emerging countries.

But LG hopes to make its Optimus brand stand out by drawing on technologies from other parts of the LG empire. The company is the largest shareholder in LG Display Co. and has collaborated with other LG affiliates on batteries and cameras.

LG was the world's third-largest maker of cellphones in 2009 but was caught off guard by the popularity of smartphones. In the fourth quarter of 2012, LG sold fewer phones than Chinese rivals Huawei Technologies Ltd. and ZTE Corp., which are expanding shipments of their cheaper smartphones.

Its mobile communications division was profitable for the first time in three years last year as it moved its focus from basic phones to lucrative smartphones.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/495d344a0d10421e9baa8ee77029cfbd/Article_2013-02-25-LG%20Electronics-Smartphone%20Sales/id-401703c2c3824c388c2a0e0eaf125559

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Merkel visits troops operating Patriots in Turkey

ANKARA, Turkey ? German Chancellor Angela Merkel is visiting German troops deployed to operate Patriot missile batteries in Turkey.

The Patriots were sent to Turkey, a NATO member, to protect it from spillover from Syria's civil war.

Merkel's two-day visit comes as Turkey grows increasingly frustrated over the slow progress in its bid for European Union membership. Before arriving Sunday, Merkel said she backs opening a new chapter in those stalled talks, despite being skeptical about Turkey's accession.

The chancellor's first stop was Kahramanmaras, some 100 kilometers (60 miles) from the Syrian border, where some 300 German troops are manning two out of six NATO-deployed anti-missile batteries.

Merkel will hold talks with Turkish leaders on Monday. She is accompanied by a delegation of businessmen.

The Associated Press

Source: http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2013/feb/24/merkel-visits-troops-operating-patriots-in-turkey/

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Source: http://forums.ferra.ru/index.php?showtopic=54647

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Victoria Beckham & Harper: London Eurostar Arrival with Brooklyn!

Victoria Beckham carries her precious daughter Harper while stepping out of the Eurostar station on Friday (February 22) in London, England.

The 38-year-old fashion designer was joined by her older son Brooklyn.

PHOTOS: Check out the latest pics of Victoria Beckham

On the same day, Victoria?s husband David Beckham was seen rocking a beanie at Gare du Nord?s Train Station in Paris.

The day after, Victoria posted a pic of luggage and tweeted, ?Spotted in Milan! There is another VB?? X vb.? Check out the pic below!

Earlier in the week, Victoria and Harper were spotted doing some shopping together in Paris.

Like Just Jared on Facebook

Source: http://www.justjared.com/2013/02/23/victoria-beckham-harper-london-eurostar-arrival-with-brooklyn/

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Football: Berbatov's magic moment sinks Stoke

LONDON: Fulham forward Dimitar Berbatov produced a moment of magic to end his side's poor run with a 1-0 win over Stoke at Craven Cottage on Saturday.

Berbatov marked his 200th Premier League appearance with his 85th goal in the English top-flight and it was one of the former Manchester United star's best as he netted a superb volley just before half-time.

Martin Jol's team still needed a second half penalty save from Mark Schwarzer, who kept out Jon Walters' effort, to clinch just their fourth win in 19 Premier League games.

Berbatov and Schwarzer's heroics lifted Fulham to 11th, nine points clear of the relegation zone, and continued the away-day misery for Stoke, who have won just one in their last 23 leagues games on their travels.

Fulham's first sight of goal fell to Berbatov after Sascha Riether's cross picked out the Bulgarian forward for a close-range volley that looped just over.

Bryan Ruiz had the ball in the net moments later but Fulham's celebrations were cut short as referee Lee Probert correctly ruled that the Costa Rican forward had used his hand to score.

Steven Nzonzi needed treatment after a collision with Berbatov left the Stoke midfielder with blood dripping from the bridge of his nose.

Nzonzi still seemed miffed following that incident and he was fortunate to escape with a booking after cuffing Ruiz around the head in an off-the-ball incident.

A ferocious free-kick from Fulham's Greek midfielder Giorgos Karagounis brought the best save of the half from Asmir Begovic.

Stoke sent on American midfielder Brek Shea for his debut when Matthew Etherington hobbled off with a back injury.

Jol's team pushed on and finally broke the deadlock in first half stoppage-time when a cross was only half cleared to Berbatov, who showed superb technique to lash a brilliant volley into the top corner of Begovic's goal.

Fulham defender Philippe Senderos almost gifted Stoke an equaliser immediately after the interval when his attempt to shepherd the ball back to Schwarzer allowed Peter Crouch to nip ahead of him and flick a shot that the Australian saved well.

Schwarzer came to Fulham's rescue again in the 54th minute after Dejagah conceded a penalty when he blocked Shea's cross with his raised arms.

Walters stepped up to take the spot-kick, but the Stoke striker has a poor record with penalties this season and his luck was out again as Schwarzer dived to his right to save.

- AFP/fa

Source: http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/afp_sports/view/1256076/1/.html

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HTC settles with FTC over insecure implementation of Carrier IQ, HTC Logger

HTC America has settled with the FTC (Federal Trade Commission) over concerns that the company put millions of customer's personal information at risk with insecure implementations of software on its devices. The FTC found that HTC did not take a reasonable amount of care in implementing best coding and security practices when creating software for its devices, having this to say:

"[HTC] failed to provide its engineering staff with adequate security training, failed to review or test the software on its mobile devices for potential security vulnerabilities, failed to follow well-known and commonly accepted secure coding practices, and failed to establish a process for receiving and addressing vulnerability reports from third parties."

Those are some pretty strong words for the company, but where it really hits home is the consumer-facing issues that were caused by this lack of oversight. The FTC explains that HTC's implementation of Carrier IQ and HTC Logger on its devices left customer data vulnerable to attack, alongside errors that would let third parties bypass Android's built-in permissions system.

The second part of the FTC's complaint is that it finds HTC was deceptive in telling consumers about the security risks of its software implementations, stating that the device user manuals and interface of the "Tell HTC" app were misleading. Both of these issues in implementation are said to have undermined the normal consent mechanism of Android that would have kept user's data safe.

So what does this mean for HTC? The FTC is requiring that the company develop and release software patches for its devices that are affected with these vulnerabilities, and HTC has said that it has already released some patches at this point. Furthermore, HTC will have to submit to "independent security assessments" every 2 years for the next 20 years. HTC will also be forbidden from making misleading statements about the security of its devices and user's data going forward.

This is a pretty big finding from the FTC, but isn't necessarily uncommon. Although their may not have been widespread exploits that were taking advantage of these security holes, it's important that HTC is going to be making changes to help security going forward. Though we would have preferred if HTC was implementing best practices in the first place, rather than it coming to an investigation by the FTC.

Source: FTC

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/N4YHuTFvwyQ/story01.htm

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Awesome New Posters for Monsters University

It took Pixar and Disney 12 years, but the day of the sequel, or shall we say prequel, to Monsters, Inc. from 2001 is finally coming out, as Monsters University is slowly taking over the internet with more and more releases, be it traliers or posters for the upcoming film.

The new movie, coming out on?June?21,?2013, will be the tales of Mike, Sulley and a few new characters during their university days, as they?meet in?college?and are in the same?fraternity?while planning to become scarers at Monsters, Inc. The film also tells the tale of how the two began as rivals, only to become friends in the obvious happy ending.

Sulley

Mike

Monsters University will be the 14th feature film created by Pixar, keeping the average of one a year, with Brave doing very well in 2012, bringing in?$535,383,207 from the box office and getting a 78% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, which is actually a weak score for a Pixar film.

Art

Don Carlton

John Goodman (Sulley), Billy Crystal (Mike) and Steve Buscemi (Randall) will all be reprising their voice-jobs from the previous film. The film was in plans since 2005.?Following disagreements between then-Disney CEO?Michael Eisner?and Pixar founder and CEO?Steve Jobs, Disney (who at the time owned the rights to make sequels to all of Pixar?s films up to?Cars) announced that a sequel to?Monsters, Inc.?would be made by?Circle 7 Animation.

However, Disney?s change of management in late 2005 (which saw Eisner replaced by his lieutenant?Robert Iger) led to renewed negotiations with Pixar, and in early 2006 Disney announced that they had purchased the studio. The Disney-owned sequel rights were then transferred to Pixar, leading to the cancellation of Rob Muir and Bob Hilgenberg?s version of the film and the subsequent closure of Circle 7

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Squishy

?Dean Hardscrabble

Terri & Terry Perry

For more on Pixar, here are 9 minimalist posters of their films, includings Monsters Inc.

Tags: Film Posters, Mike & Sulley, Monsters Inc., Monsters University, movie posters, pixar

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheWalyouBlog/~3/R4sklae6Wts/

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Five Things ?The Sessions? Gets Right: Sex and Disability on Screen ...

So much of criticism, feminist critique included, hinges on highlighting what is wrong. In the case of film reviews, we so often ask what on-screen narratives convey about difference and the status quo. For an industry the prides itself on innovation, misogyny occupies the limelight so often that one might even call it formulaic. (Epic fail, Hollywood.) The same is true of representations of other kinds of difference, be they differences of race or religion, nationality or ability.

This is why it?s so startling, so exciting, when a film that garners critical acclaim does many things well. From the point of view of film watchers looking for a great story, there?s a lot to love about The Sessions. But even from a critical vantage point, The Sessions stands out as a film that gets so many things right.

1. Disability does not mitigate one?s multifaceted humanity.

Mark O?Brien was a poet, a Berkeley graduate student, a community organizer, a cultural critic, and a journalist. Mark O?Brien was hilarious and vulnerable and generous. He believed in treating all labor, especially that of his caretakers, as intrinsically valued. He knew that the ways we treat disability say something very ugly about our culture. Mark O?Brien was a risk taker?venturing into publishing and human connection and sex. He craved love and success. He knew that both depended on self-determination.

At its core, The Sessions is a portrait of a relationship between a surrogate partner and her client, but through The Sessions, we come to know Mark O?Brien (John Hawkes) as layered and contradictory. In sharp contrast to representations of disability in popular culture that tend to rely on a pity trope that emphasizes dependency or an overcoming trope that overstresses rugged individualism, The Sessions does not reduce Mark O?Brien to post-polio syndrome. To be sure, Mark O?Brien self-identifies as disabled, but here disability shapes a multifaceted human experience.

Consider that in their first meeting, Cheryl Cohen Greene (Helen Hunt) is clearly curious and perhaps surprised to see Mark?s body. One she describes in her memoir An Intimate Life as, ?slight, only four-foot-seven and around seventy pounds.? Critically though, Mark?s disabled body does not elicit pity from Cheryl. When Mark points to some money, Cheryl?s compensation for her work, and then asks, ?That was the wrong way to start off?? Cheryl replies, ?It really was.? As opposed to an equivocating or patronizing response, Cheryl engages with Mark as an adult, one who can be called out for denigrating (albeit unintentionally) her labor. Scenes show Mark shopping for his own clothes, hiring caregivers, writing. By depicting Mark?s life, this film version of a real-life man pulses.

Perhaps most significantly, it is Mark who tells the story first. We see Mark start his work on writing what presumably became his renowned 1990 essay ?On Seeing a Sex Surrogate.?

2. Disability and sexuality are not mutually exclusive dimensions of human experience.

The Sessions is a not a film about sexuality or disability. Rather, sexuality and disability are inextricably linked throughout. In addition to the social stigmas and structural barriers directed towards disability, those with disabilities are routinely perceived as non-sexual. By contrast, Mark?s sexual desires are articulated from the outset, and Mark?s sexuality is an active force in the narrative. While The Sessions may revolve around Mark?s pursuit to have his first sexual encounter, Mark is represented as a sexual being with desires and fantasies that pre-exist his encounters with Cheryl. Given the ways in which the equation of non-sexuality and disability operate to infantilize people, depicting Mark as always already a sexual being is groundbreaking.

3. Sex and intimacy that happen outside of marital bonds, long-term relationship, or enduring partnership can be transformative.

Most reviews of The Sessions devote an inordinate word count to unpacking the differences between sex surrogates and sex workers. Defending surrogacy against associations with ?prostitution? is tinged with all sorts of moralist righteousness. It also helps to situate surrogacy as a ?helping profession.? In portraying the complex and nuanced dimensions of Cheryl and Mark?s connection, The Sessions tells the story of an intimate relationship that leaves both parties changed. And yet, the film does not culminate in marriage or even love, at least not long-lasting love. Rather, first comes financial transaction, then comes sex, then comes greater self-knowledge. There are no wedding bells here or even romantic references to possible domesticity.

It?s important, too, that the film depicts Cheryl?s relationship with her husband. Perhaps because their marriage has reached that moment of routine predictability, the marital bond appears less intimate than the relationship between Cheryl and Mark. I?m not suggesting that there?s nothing there, but what I am suggesting is that in juxtaposing these two relationships, the film challenges the notion that sex that happens a few times, for pay, or between relative strangers never has meaning. In The Sessions, it?s precisely this kind of sex and intimacy that has radically transformative potential. It?s interesting to note that reviews that invest so much in qualifying surrogacy as not sex work ignore how?sex work fulfills emotional needs in ways not dissimilar to surrogacy.

4. Religion and spirituality are spaces where people work out sexuality in multifaceted ways.

Catholic imagery?stained glass windows, a Eucharistic consecration, the Confessional?figures prominently in the film, but interestingly Catholic caricature does not.? Since the sex abuse scandal, the relationship of the Catholic Church to sexuality is often grotesquely depicted as all shame, pathology, and brimstone. Without a doubt, the Catholic Church is responsible for constructing an infrastructure that suppresses adult sexuality and produces unconscionable sexual victimization. But my own admittedly lapsed Catholicism speaks to a Church with a more dynamic, imaginative relationship to sex. While Catholic doctrine may discourage masturbation and stigmatize queerness, the Catholics of my upbringing?specifically the teachers and nuns and priests who staffed my Catholic schools?had subtle ways of conveying that idea that rules, especially those related to sexuality, might be considered suggestive rather than compulsory.

?My penis speaks to me, Father Brendan,? Mark reveals to his Priest, played by William H. Macy. Mark attends Mass daily and regularly seeks out confession. Not surprisingly, his decision to see a surrogate is one he wrestles with spiritually. Ultimately, it is Father Brendan who tells Mark, ?Go for it.? This is not the Catholicism of popular caricature. Rather, the relationship between Father Brendan and Mark O?Brien, while grounded in a shared denomination, is forged as together they wrestle with moral questions complicated by lived experience.

5. Sex is about communication and intimacy?and it?s about sex.

What comes through in The Sessions is something Cheryl Cohen Greene emphasizes in her book?successful surrogacy results in the formation of skills that can be used in future relationships. Clients, as Mark does, learn how to ask questions and express needs; they learn how to talk and think about sex. But The Sessions does not purport, as so much pop-sexuality education does, that sex has very little to do with what happens between the sheets (or on the kitchen floor) and everything to do with what happens between the ears.

By contrast, sex in The Sessions is carnal and embodied. As a surrogate, Cheryl incites Mark to pay attention to his penis and to gauge what feels good. The Sessions features nudity, though it is hardly pornographic, and yet sex is not sanitized. ?Cumming? figures prominently, and what emerges is a representation of sexuality that hovers between ?making love? and ?fucking,? while appreciating what both acts have to offer.

Of his iron lung, Mark O?Brien writes, ?It?s huge and ugly and yellow but it works.? Sex is messy and scary and fun. It?s a human need and want and hope for folks who identify as disabled and those who are unconscious of their own temporary able-bodiedness. Likely nominee Helen Hunt will not win an Academy Award for her performance, but The Sessions wins as a widely consumed cultural artifact that disrupts in powerful ways how we think about both disability and sexuality.

Tags: Academy Awards, Cheryl Cohen Greene, Culture, disability, entertainment, Health, intimacy, Mark O'Brien, sex surrogacy, Sex Work, Sexuality, U.S.

Source: http://thefeministwire.com/2013/02/five-things-the-sessions-gets-right-sex-and-disability-on-screen/

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Tebow's a no go at controversial church

DALLAS - Former Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow has canceled his appearance to speak at a controversial church.

Tebow called Pastor Robert Jeffress Wednesday night and told him of his decision to pull out of speaking at First Baptist Church in Dallas, Texas, according to CNN.

Tebow was scheduled to speak at the church on April 28.

First Baptist Church has been criticized for its strong views against homosexuality, Islam, and Mormonism.

Tebow tweeted his explanation for canceling his speaking engagement:

"While I was looking forward to sharing a message of hope and Christ's unconditional love with faithful members of the historic First Baptist Church of Dallas in April, due to new information that has been brought to my attention, I have decided to cancel my upcoming appearance. I will continue to use the platform God has blessed me with to bring Faith, Hope and Love to all those needing a brighter day. Thank you for all of your love and support. God Bless!"

As for on the field, the New York Jets are looking to trade Tebow?at the NFL Scouting Combine over the weekend, according to ESPN.

Copyright 2013 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Source: http://www.thedenverchannel.com/sports/broncos/former-denver-broncos-qb-tim-tebow-pulls-out-of-speaking-engagement-at-controversial-dallas-church

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Carly Rae Jepsen Gets 'Over You' In New Video

Jepsen falls for a bad boy, again and again, in her 'Tonight I'm Getting Over You' video.
By Jocelyn Vena

Carly Rae Jepsen in her "Tonight I'm Getting Over You" music video
Photo: Interscope

Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1702468/carly-rae-jepsen-tonight-getting-over-you-video-premiere.jhtml

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The Best Camera You Can Fit in Your Pocket Is Your Deal of the Day

Although the old axiom that the best camera is the one you have with you is still accurate in 2013, it should have an additional corollary: sometimes the best camera isn't your cell phone. Tiny optics and sensors produce passable — even good — photos, but a real dedicated camera simply has more capabilities. That's why folks still want point-and-shoot cameras, but a cheap crappy point-and-shoot won't be much better than your phone. You want an excellent point and shoot. A good choice is the Canon Powershot S110, a camera that Mario Aguilar called the "most refined little pocket camera Canon has ever made." Check out his review here. More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/x9xPGsrxdmw/the-best-camera-you-can-fit-in-your-pocket-is-your-deal-of-the-day

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