Thursday, January 31, 2013

'30 Rock': Ending a 7-season marathon of mirth

NEW YORK (AP) ? You want resolution on the "30 Rock" finale?

You're gonna get it. Sort of. At least, the sort befitting "30 Rock," with its loopy storytelling mixed with joy in spoofing the culture of TV.

Closure, if that's what it is, comes in a two-minute postscript on this hour episode (airing Thursday at 8 p.m. EST on NBC). But maybe you should just stop reading right now, you "30 Rock" purists who don't want to know what happens or might seem to happen, however wacked-out and ironic it may be.

Which, among other things, includes this sly touch: a reference to the snowglobe revelation with which the medical drama "St. Elsewhere" famously concluded a quarter-century ago.

But there's more. Just before the final fade-out, NBC President Kenneth the former Page (Jack McBrayer) is pitched a new comedy series taking place right there at network headquarters, 30 Rock.

Hmmm. This is no ending. It's a Mobius strip.

The comic coda suggests where many of the characters might be a year from now. But that's not the point of the finale, which mostly wants to have fun. And does.

This last yahoo of "30 Rock" after seven brilliant seasons takes delight in tracking the unraveling of its characters as the show-within-the-show, "TGS," comes to an end with its own final broadcast. After that, of course, its producer, Liz Lemon (Tina Fey), its stars, Jenna Moroney and Tracy Jordan (Jane Krakowski and Tracy Morgan) and other members of the "TGS" staff will have to leave the cozy, kooky nest of 30 Rockefeller Plaza. The prospect of doing that terrifies them all.

Meanwhile, Jack Donaghy (Alec Baldwin), the newly minted CEO of NBC parent Kabletown, is battling his own existential crisis.

He has gotten the top job he wanted all his life. And as the ultimate Republican capitalist, he has even scored a lash-out from a treasured enemy, House Republican Leader Nancy Pelosi.

"Jack Donaghy is an economic war criminal," Pelosi is seen declaring on a cable news network. "If the Democratic Party controls Congress, I will see to it that he is punished in the worst way possible: by having to come down here and listen to us."

Even with total victory under his belt, Jack still feels unfulfilled. What else can he do? He resigns from the company and begins a journey to discover what might truly make him happy.

Jack's despair includes the fear that he's lost Liz as a friend.

"I don't have that many people in my life," he sobs to Jenna. "I spend Christmas alone in the Hamptons drinking Scotch and throwing firecrackers at Billy Joel's dog."

Out of a job, Liz is miserable as a stay-at-home mom of adopted twins. Conversely, her husband, Criss (played by guest star James Marsden), hates steady employment.

"It's OK to want to work," he consoles Liz. "One of us has to. We just got it backwards: You're the dad."

"I do like ignoring your questions while I try to watch TV," Liz agrees.

(Interestingly, a year hence Liz is seen back at work producing a dumb sitcom with her children in tow. Where is hubby Criss?)

During the finale, "30 Rock" doesn't hesitate to snack on its own past.

Liz and Tracy have an awkward heart-to-heart at the strip club where Tracy lured her on their first encounter on the series' premiere.

And a high point of the episode comes when Jenna revisits the project she starred in years ago, a film with the lips-scrunching title "Rural Juror" (which inevitably comes out sounding something like "ruhr juhr").

On the farewell "TGS," Jenna performs the theme from her new musical adaptation of "Rural Juror," with, inevitably, almost nothing she sings recognizable as English.

It serves as a reminder: "30 Rock" wasn't just a brilliant comedy series. It also forged a comic language of its own.

____

Online:

http://www.nbc.com

___

Frazier Moore is a national television columnist for The Associated Press. He can be reached at fmoore(at)ap.org and at http://www.twitter.com/tvfrazier

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/30-rock-ending-7-season-marathon-mirth-141758515.html

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Gears of War: Judgment Sponsoring Maxim Big Game ... - Epic Games

Gears of War Trike by Paul Jr. DesignsThe Maxim Gods and Goddesses Party is this Saturday, February 2nd and is sponsored by Gears of War: Judgment. As the exclusive gaming partner, Gears of War: Judgment will have an elaborate branded lounge featuring flat screen TVs and gaming stations for guests to enjoy the newest version of Free For All from the Gears of War franchise before its release on Mar. 19, 2012.

And don?t forget, the Gears of War trike hand crafted by Paul Jr. Designs is headed to the party for a photo-shoot. Be sure to watch for exclusive photos from the event.

After the party, the trike will be headed home to Epic Headquarters. Stay tuned for pictures from the homecoming festivities!

maxim

Posted by Flak Jan 30, 2013 Last Updated Jan 30, 2013

Source: http://epicgames.com/community/2013/01/gears-of-war-judgment-sponsoring-maxim-big-game-party/

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Webcam Spy 'Sextorted' Hundreds of Women, FBI Says

A man who may have coerced as many as 350 women to strip for him via webcam has been arrested by the FBI on federal computer-hacking charges.

According to federal authorities, Karen "Gary" Kazaryan, 27, of Glendale, Calif., broke into email, Skype and Facebook accounts.

He then searched for and stole risqu? private photos and other information and changed users' passwords, a Department of Justice statement said.

The statement also said Kazaryn masqueraded as friends of his victims, pretending to be a woman and persuading them to remove their clothes while connected via Skype video chat.

If a victim refused, Kazaryan would allegedly blackmail her into compliance by threatening to post the stolen risqu? images online ? a classic example of "sextortion."

Don't make it easy for the next one

The DOJ press release says Kazaryan "gained unauthorized access to ? in other words, hacked into ? the victims' accounts."

Given the loose definition of hacking under federal criminal code, this could mean Kazaryan simply guessed or reset their passwords.

That's easy to do when people post personal details on their Facebook pages that are answers to identity-challenge questions such as "What was your mother's maiden name?"

The press release said Kazaryan has been indicted on 15 counts of computer intrusion and 15 counts of aggravated identity theft.

If convicted, he faces up to 105 years in federal prison.

[How to Avoid Becoming a Victim of Sextortion]

Digital invasion of privacy

There have been many incidents of hackers using webcams to spy on victims.

Last year, several computer-rental companies were caught using webcam images to extort past-due payments from customers.

In 2010, a Santa Ana, Calif., man was busted for a webcam-sextortion scheme similar to Kazaryan's.

The following year, a Fullerton, Calif., computer technician was caught putting spyware on women's Apple laptops, then persuading the women to take the laptops into the bathroom while they took showers.

Webcam users can best protect themselves from spyware by making sure they're behind a secure firewall and using anti-virus software that won't allow an attacker to clandestinely turn on a user's webcam.

A lower-tech solution is to simply put black tape over your computer's webcam when you're not using it.

It's also important to remember that not everyone online is always whom they seem to be.

A message that appears to come from a trusted friend could really be from a creep trying to glean information or images that you normally wouldn't give up to strangers.

This story was provided by TechNewsDaily, a sister site to LiveScience.

Copyright 2013 LiveScience, a TechMediaNetwork company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/webcam-spy-sextorted-hundreds-women-fbi-says-022912950.html

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Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Exclusive 'Kick-Ass 2' Preview: A Family Affair

MTV News was on the set of 'Kick-Ass 2,' and here's all we're allowed to say about it — for now!
By Josh Wigler


Jim Carrey and Aaron Taylor-Johnson in "Kick-Ass 2"
Photo: Universal Pictures

Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1700929/kick-ass-2-preview.jhtml

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Dropbox Launches Instant File Previews And Virtual Photo Album Sharing

Dropbox Photo SHaringToday Dropbox launched the ability to instantly preview any file you've saved so you don't have to download it to know what it is. It also launched a photos tab for the web to make it easy to view and share photos you've uploaded. Product Manager?Chris Beckmann explained "Both are related to a shift that we're seeing that's underway at Dropbox from thinking about things as files to thinking about things as users' content."

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/alPCpWxpZro/

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Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Girl saves mom suffering diabetic attack

A fast thinking 9-year-old Illinois girl was able to help guide her mother to safety after the woman suffered a diabetic attack while driving at speeds of up to 70 mph.

Jennifer Sheridan, 42, was driving her daughter Aleksandra to McDonald's in Frankfort, Ill., after the two had attended a high school basketball game on the evening of Jan. 18. Sheridan, who has type 2 diabetes, had a diabetic attack when her blood sugar suddenly dropped. She told ABCNews.com that she was not aware of what was happening.

"I was still conscious, and talking, my daughter said. I don't remember any of that," Sheridan said. "We went through, she says, a red light, and then I know I kept saying, 'We have to stop.' That was in my mind, but it wasn't clicking."

Sheridan said that they passed her house and the McDonald's. Aleksandra was screaming and crying during the wayward drive, which she says must have lasted 15 to 20 minutes, but kept talking to her mother.

"She says she kept telling me different things, that I was going too fast, or too slow," Sheridan said.

While the car was still moving, Sheridan's husband called. She said that Aleksandra was on phone screaming that they were going off the road.

Her car eventually veered to the right, through a small ditch and a group of trees. At that point Aleksandra turned the car off, preventing the still moving car from hitting a tree.

Luckily, both mother and daughter were unharmed. Once the car was off, Aleksandra slowly fed her mother a chocolate bar that was in the car's cup holder.

"Once we were stopped and she could focus, she fed me," Sheridan said. "She said, 'I kept just giving little pieces so you wouldn't choke.'"

Police and the fire department were called to the scene by a passerby who saw the incident. The story also caught local media attention from WBBM-TV and Fox News.

Sheridan says the next thing she actually remembers was being in the ambulance. Police who arrived on the scene congratulated Aleksandra, and even gave her a yellow duck toy, which they call the "Golden Duck Award for Heroes."

This is not the first time Aleksandra has come to her mom's aid when she had a diabetic attack. Two years ago, while they were in their home, the girl called 911 when she found her mother on the kitchen floor.

Sheridan said that she is now using an insulin pump, which is designed to eliminate lows in blood sugar in diabetics. She said that she will soon be on the list for a new pancreas. With a daughter and a 16-year-old son with cerebral palsy, she says she needs to be in top form. For now, she's happy that both she and Aleksandra are unscathed.

"Every day, I wake up and think, 'Yes!'" she said.

Also Read

Source: http://gma.yahoo.com/blogs/abc-blogs/girl-9-saves-mom-diabetic-attack-while-driving-155739348--abc-news-topstories.html

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DNA-repairing protein may be key to preventing recurrence of some cancers

Jan. 28, 2013 ? Just as the body can become resistant to antibiotics, certain methods of killing cancer tumors can end up creating resistant tumor cells. But a University of Central Florida professor has found a protein present in several types of cancer, including breast and ovarian cancer, which could be helpful in preventing tumors from coming back.

The protein, KLF8, appears to protect tumor cells from drugs aimed at killing them and even aid the tumor cells' ability to regenerate.

"All cells have a DNA-repair mechanism," explained Jihe Zhao, a medical doctor and researcher who in the past few months has published several articles related to the protein in the Journal of Biological Chemistry and Oncogene, among others. "That's why we survive constant DNA damage threats. But KLF8 is overexpressed in specific cancers, such as breast cancer and ovarian cancer. The thought is that if we can stop it from switching on, we may be able to stop the tumors from coming back as part of therapy. We still need to do a lot more research, but it is plausible.

There are between 2.5 million and 2.7 million women who have breast cancer in the United States and 10 to 20 percent will experience a recurrence, according to the American Cancer Society. Current treatment options, depending on the stage of cancer, include surgical removal followed by chemotherapy using a combination of cancer killing drugs. Each year about 22,200 women are also diagnosed with ovarian cancer.

DNA damage-based chemotherapies depend on failure of cancer cells to repair the DNA damage and subsequent cell death, according to the journal article. Aberrant high levels of DNA repair function in the cells likely increase not only the resistance of the cells to such therapies but also the malignancy of the cells due to improper DNA repair-mediated genomic and chromosomal instability.

In the study, Zhao's team tested one specific cancer-fighting drug used in the treatment of breast cancer to determine the role of the protein.

"Indeed, our results have clearly linked the KLF8-promoted DNA repair to the cell resistance to doxorubicin-induced cell death," Zhao said. "It remains to be determined whether KLF8 plays a similar role in repairing DNA damage caused by other types of genotoxic agents such as DNA alkylating agents and ionizing radiation."

Even so, the results suggest that in addition to enhancing the drug resistance of the cancer cells, KLF8 could play a role in disturbing genomic integrity through its aberrant DNA repair function and subsequently contribute to aggressive progression of cancer.

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Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by University of Central Florida.

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


Journal References:

  1. H. Lu, L. Hu, T. Li, S. Lahiri, C. Shen, M. S. Wason, D. Mukherjee, H. Xie, L. Yu, J. Zhao. A Novel Role of Kruppel-like Factor 8 in DNA Repair in Breast Cancer Cells. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 2012; 287 (52): 43720 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.M112.418053
  2. H Lu, X Wang, A M Urvalek, T Li, H Xie, L Yu, J Zhao. Transformation of human ovarian surface epithelial cells by Kr?ppel-like factor 8. Oncogene, 2012; DOI: 10.1038/onc.2012.545

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

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/health_medicine/genes/~3/OBBSx68vNM4/130128104626.htm

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Spotlight: Leaders in Commercial Banking in 2013 ? North Bay ...

Individuals are alphabetized by name of institution.

Larry Tidwell

AltaPacific Bank

3725 Westwind Blvd., Ste. 100, Santa Rosa 95403,?apbconect.com, 707-236-1521
Larry Tidwell

Larry Tidwell

Larry Tidwell has served as the executive vice president in the real estate industries group at AltaPacific Bank in Santa Rosa since April 2009. He oversees all construction lending, a responsibility he held in his previous position as executive vice president in the real estate industries group at Temecula Valley Bank.

Mr. Tidwell was born in Roswell, N.M., and has lived in the North Bay for 30 years. He cited the retention of customers over more than 15 years as a major accomplishment.

?I think one thing we will see in 2013 is more banks throwing their hat in the ring with regards to lending,? he said.??This will lead to healthy competition amongst lenders, which will be good for borrowers as they will have more choices.?

AltaPacific Bank was founded in 2006 and has assets of $222 million.

Gus Zijlstra

American River Bank

90 S. E St., Ste. 11, Santa Rosa 95404, americanriverbank.com, 707-528-6300

Gus Zijlstra

Gus Zijlstra is vice president and relationship manager at American River Bank and has 16 years of experience in commercial lending.

A native of Buenos Aires, Argentina, Mr. Zijlstra has a management and accounting degree from Sonoma State University and a master?s degree from the University of San Francisco. He moved to Santa Rosa in 1985 after graduating from the Argentine Naval Academy and a successful naval career.

Mr. Zijlstra said the one-on-one customer service he provides is what clients expect from a community bank, and those interactions are enhanced by his experience in the banking industry. He is also a frequent volunteer for community organizations, including his work to help mentor elementary school students through Operation Getting Together and to teach financial concepts at the junior high level through Junior Achievement of the Redwood Empire.

American River Bank is a 30-year-old regional business bank with $585 million in assets.

David Meddaugh

Bank of America Merrill Lynch

10 Santa Rosa Ave., Ste. 210, Santa Rosa 95404,?bankofamerica.com, 707-293-2553

David Meddaugh

David Meddaugh is the senior vice president and market manager of the North Coast commercial banking office of Bank of America Merrill Lynch. He has been with the bank for more than 30 years. In his current capacity, he manages the unit?s largest client relationships, with particular focus on the wine and specialty food and beverage industries.

Mr. Meddaugh also serves as the bank?s liaison with the California wine industry. He has presented at the Wine Industry Financial Symposium, Unified Wine and Grape Symposium, Leadership Forum, Sonoma State University Economic Outlook and Moss Adams Wine Industry Roundtable.

He earned bachelor?s degrees in both economics and finance from California State University, Chico, and holds an MBA in corporate finance from the Pacific Coast Banking School at the University of Washington.

Mr. Meddaugh was raised in Santa Rosa. He lives there with his wife and two children at their Buckshot Ranch property, which has been planted to Italian varietal olive trees.

Beth Reizman

Bank of Marin

504 Redwood Blvd., Ste. 100, Novato 94947,?bankofmarin.com, 415-763-4520
Beth Reizman

Beth Reizman

Beth Reizman?is a seasoned lender and manager who has held various positions over her 17-year tenure at Bank of Marin. As commercial banking manager, she is based in?the bank?s headquarters in Novato. She also is a member of the senior management team, helping set the strategic direction of the bank. Ms. Reizman claims her greatest banking accomplishment is helping contribute to the growth and success of Bank of Marin.

Ms. Reizman is currently treasurer of the Marin Workforce Housing Trust Board and serves on their finance committee. She has served on numerous local non-profit boards in the past, including Novato Human Needs Center, North Bay Children?s Center, and Novato Sunrise Rotary. She has also been a long time community volunteer with Lucas Valley Swim Team, Lucas Valley Community Church, and Marin Catholic High School.

Born in the Philippines, she attended the International School in Manila then graduated with a degree in economics from Stanford University. Ms. Reizman started her career at Crocker Bank in the Asia Pacific division then held numerous private and commercial banking positions with Crocker, Hibernia Bank and Bank of California.

Larry Fletcher

Bank of Napa

2007 Redwood Rd., Ste. 101, Napa 94558,?thebankofnapa.com, 707-257-7777
Larry Fletcher

Larry Fletcher

A 30-year resident of Northern California, Larry Fletcher is the executive vice president and chief credit officer at Bank of Napa. He has more than 30 years of experience as a banking executive, 26 of them in Napa and Solano counties. He is responsible for all aspects of the bank?s loan portfolio.

Born in Southern California, Mr. Fletcher graduated from Long Beach State University in 1974 with a degree in business administration. He graduated with honors from the Pacific Coast Banking School in Seattle in 1988.

Prior to joining Bank of Napa, Mr. Fletcher was the manager of the commercial lending hub for Vintage Bank. He also held the previous role of chief credit officer for Solano Bank, a subsidiary of Vintage Bank in Vacaville, and began his banking career as a consumer loan officer for United California Bank in Los Angeles.

Outside of the bank, he serves on the board of directors for Child Start, a nonprofit that operates the Head Start child-development organization in Napa and Solano counties.

Tom LeMasters, president and CEO, credited Mr. Fletcher with helping the bank to grow a strong portfolio during tumultuous economic times. The bank reported nearly $150 million in assets at the end of 2012.

Don Mercer

Bank of the West

20 S. Petaluma Blvd., Petaluma 94952,?bankofthewest.com, 707-778-3313

Don Mercer

Don Mercer, senior vice president and national sales manager, has been with Bank of the West for 13 years. In this role for the bank, he manages the region?s SBA team for small business and commercial lending.

Previously, Mr. Mercer served as a branch manager, regional business development officer and regional manager at the bank. He began his banking career while in college, and assumed his current position in 2007.

A graduate of the Pacific Coast Banking School, Mr. Mercer also holds a bachelor?s degree from the University of California, Los Angeles. Born in Anaheim and raised in Fullerton, he has lived in the North Bay for more than 10 years. In his spare time, he enjoys cooking and reading.

Founded in 1874, $63 billion-asset Bank of the West operates 700 branches and offices in 19 states. The bank has several branches in the North Bay, including a commercial lending office in Petaluma and a wine-focused lending office in Napa.

Michael Silva

Comerica Bank

2 Embarcadero Ctr., Ste. 300, San Francisco 94111, comerica.com, 415-477-3274

Michael Silva

Michael Silva is a senior vice president at Comerica Bank, heading the bank?s commercial lending group in San Francisco, Marin, Sonoma and Mendocino counties. He has served in his current role for nine years and has been with Comerica for a total of 15 years. That followed 12 years at Union Bank.

Mr. Silva has a bachelor of science degree in finance from Santa Clara University?and is a graduate of Pacific Coast Banking School at the University of Washington.

Comerica serves a number of specialty food manufacturers in the North Bay, and the wine industry represents about 25 percent of the bank?s regional portfolio, he said.

?There are a lot of companies in the region that are emerging from a smaller size and looking to grow,? Mr. Silva said.

He said that the bank also sees growth opportunities for other sectors in the region, such as helping to finance the purchase of the North Bay Business Journal, Santa Rosa Press Democrat and the Petaluma Argus-Courier last year.

?You?re seeing the impact of local business people owning their local newspaper,? he said.

Comerica Bank had $63.3 billion in assets in its most recent report.

Steve Herron

Exchange Bank

545 Fourth St., Dept. 410, Santa Rosa 95401,?exchangebank.com, 707-524-3102
Steve Herron

Steve Herron

Steve Herron has served as senior vice president and manager for commercial lending at Exchange Bank since 2000. He focused on business lending for seven years prior to that as a business development officer at the bank.?

Mr. Herron?s banking career began in Los Angeles, where he participated in a commercial lending training program for Union Bank. The program included a one-year assignment in Sacramento, which led to his transfer to the bank?s small banking office in Santa Rosa as a commercial lender in 1987.

Since 1996, Exchange Bank has steadily developed?its?growing?niche as a commercial lender catering to Sonoma County?s artisan?winemakers, growers and vineyard managers, growing that portfolio?to more than $150 million.?

A resident of the North Bay since 1987, Mr. Herron grew up in Fresno. In his spare time he loves to listen to music, read business periodicals, follow the stock markets and collect fine wine.

?I personally think there is a reasonable level of pent-up demand within the business community ? most sectors ? for growth in hiring, capital expansion and expanded business lending,? he said.??I think it will start slowly in 2013, held back by the second phase of the fiscal/budget cliff, but accelerate during the second quarter and into the back half of 2013.?

Exchange Bank was founded more than 120 years ago and reported more than $1.6 billion in assets in its last financial filing.

Barbara Larson

First Community Bank

438 First St.,? Santa Rosa 95401,?fcbconnect.com, 707-636-9711

Barbara Larson is vice president and commercial loan officer at First Community Bank.

Barbara Larson

Barbara Larson

Ms. Larson has been in the banking industry since 1996, and joined First Community Bank in 2008. She specializes in commercial lines of credit, equipment financing and SBA financing. The bank describes her as a client favorite who brings a wealth of business expertise and customized personal service to each relationship.

?I love working for a community bank, and First Community was the perfect fit for me professionally and personally,? she said.

The bank encourages community service, and Ms. Larson shares her time and talent in through a number of community organizations. She is the current treasurer of the Santa Rosa West Rotary Club, a position she has held for nine years. As a longtime advocate for children, young adults and seniors, she also serves as the treasurer for the Elder Care Expo board of directors.

Carol Landry

First Northern Bank

555 Mason St., Ste. 100, Vacaville 95688,?thatsmybank.com, 707-447-8600
Carol Landry

Carol Landry

Carol Landry is the senior vice president and western region commercial loan manager for First Northern Bank. She has been with the bank for eight years. In her current position, Ms. Landry manages commercial loan activities in Solano and Yolo counties.

She has more than 30 years of experience in commercial lending, including several community and national banks in Solano, Yolo and Napa counties.

Ms. Landry is past chairman of Vacaville Chamber of Commerce and Vacaville Library Commission. She has been a board member of several community organizations in Solano County. Ms. Landry holds a bachelor of arts degree in economics from the University of California, Davis, and is a graduate of Pacific Coast Banking School at University of Washington.

First Northern Bank was founded in 1910 to provide better banking services to the Solano agribusiness community. Today, in addition to operating lines of credit and equipment lines and leases, the bank offers commercial solar financing and commercial real estate loans to small- and medium-sized businesses and farms. The 10-branch bank is a preferred SBA lender and reported $805.6 million in total assets on Sept. 30.

Jim Wening

JPMorgan Chase

835 Fourth St., Santa Rosa 95404, chase.com, 707-576-3003

Jim Wening is the market manager for Chase Middle Market Banking in Northern California. He has served in a number of leadership roles over an 18-year career in banking, most recently as market manager for Chase Middle Market Banking in San Diego and chairman of the bank?s market leadership team for Orange County the Inland Empire and San Diego.

Mr. Wening spent 16 years as U.S. Bank?s San Diego market president. He has a double major in accounting and finance from Texas Christian University, and an MBA with an emphasis in corporate strategy from Washington University in St. Louis.

?The North Bay is a great market with many strong businesses across different sectors, which makes it an attractive environment for Chase,? Mr. Wening said.

Lynne Carpenter

Luther Burbank Savings

804 Fourth St., Santa Rosa 95404, lutherburbanksavings.com, 707-523-9898

Lynne Carpenter

Lynne Carpenter is the chief income property loan officer at Luther Burbank Savings. She has worked for the bank for ten years, formerly as a commercial loan officer.

Ms. Carpenter worked as a teller in high school and returned to banking after graduating from Western Illinois University in Macomb, Ill. The California native worked in the commercial real estate lending department at a Newport Balboa Savings and Loan after college, embracing the associated challenges and choosing to focus her career in that field of banking.

As manager of the Income Property Lending Division at Luther Burbank Savings, Ms. Carpenter oversees the origination of loans secured by multi-family property in California as well as Seattle, Wash.

Ms. Carpenter said one of her biggest accomplishments was ?helping Luther Burbank Savings achieve record profitability in one of the most difficult real estate markets in history.?

Ruth Edwards

Mechanics Bank

433 Soscol Ave. Ste. 161, Napa 94559,?mechanicsbank.com, 707-256-4343
Ruth Edwards

Ruth Edwards

Ruth Edwards, senior vice president and corporate banking regional manager for the Napa region of Mechanics Bank, has spent more than a decade as a North Bay banker. A longtime wine country resident who grew up in Santa Rosa, she joined the bank?s Napa corporate banking office in 2006. Previously, she was part of the Santa Rosa regional commercial banking office of?Wells Fargo. She lives with her husband, Gary, and two small children in Sonoma.

Mechanics Bank has been a North Bay fixture for 17 years. Its Napa client relationships, however, date back to the early 20th century, when it was a well-known lender to the wine industry. The bank has continued to lend during the economic downturn and focused on furthering its customer relationships as industries weathered the so-called Great Recession.

The 107-year-old bank passed the $3 billion asset mark last year with significant deposit growth. Offices throughout Northern California include Napa, a St. Helena and San Rafael. A new Napa office is set to open in late spring.

Mike Ledwich

Rabobank, N.A.

700 Trancas St., Napa 94558,?rabobankamerica.com, 916-797-8286

Mike Ledwich

Mike Ledwich is vice president and commercial banking officer for Rabobank, N.A. He is responsible for fostering new business relationships and providing solutions to meet the banking needs of business customers in Napa and Sonoma counties.

A banker for 26 years, Mr. Ledwich has spent his entire career in Napa. Before joining Rabobank, Mr. Ledwich was senior vice president and client relationship manager at Bay Commercial Bank as well as senior vice president and relationship manager at Charter Oak Bank.? He also served as vice president and senior relationship manager at Mechanics Bank in Napa for 10 years.

Mr. Ledwich earned a bachelor of science degree in finance and economics from Sacramento State University?and an MBA from Golden Gate University in San Francisco. ?A lifelong resident of Napa, he is a member and past president of Napa Sunrise Rotary Club.

Rabobank is a California community bank with nearly 120 branches, including branches in Napa and Sonoma and a branch and agribusiness lending office in Santa Rosa.

Michael Downey

Redwood Credit Union

3033 Cleveland Ave., Santa Rosa 95403,?redwoodcu.org, 877-545-4100

Michel Downey

Michael Downey is senior vice president of business services for Redwood Credit Union, where he has managed the credit union?s business programs since 2006. He has a bachelor?s degree in business administration from Chico State University?and served on the city of Santa Rosa Board of Public Utilities for nearly 24 years.

Mr. Downey has many years of business management and financial services experience in Sonoma County. He owned a local business for 30 years. Recognizing the unique financial needs of small businesses, Mr. Downey started a financial services career more than 10 years ago to provide custom financial solutions to help local businesses grow and thrive.

Aging baby boomers will play a prominent role in commercial lending in 2013 as they execute business-exit strategies and transfer assets, he said.

?We are entering a period of the largest transition of generational wealth in the history of our country,? he said.

In 2008, Mr. Downey helped start Redwood Credit Union?s SBA program, which has ranked among the top lenders in the North Bay for the past four years. The credit union is a Small Business Administration preferred lender with more than $2 billion in assets and in excess 220,000 members.

Sunny Lapham

SAFE-BIDCO

1377 Corporate Center Pkwy., Ste. A, Santa Rosa 95407,?safe-bidco.com, 707-577-8621
Sunny Lapham

Sunny Lapham

Sunny Lapham joined SAFE-BIDCO as a loan officer in 2004. Ms. Lapham?s current responsibilities include underwriting and financial analysis of loan requests and overseeing the corporation?s Small Business Loan Guarantee Program and the Energy Efficiency Loan Program.

Ms. Lapham works extensively with community lenders to facilitate their small business lending. Under her stewardship, the Small Business Loan Guarantee Program tripled in volume this past year.

She has 25 years of experience in north coast banking and financial development, including stints at Exchange Bank and Redwood Credit Union. She has a degree in social psychology from University of Nevada?and trained to administer loan programs backed by the Small Business Administration, as well as general banking. Ms. Lapham has served on the board of directors for a number of businesses, nonprofits and educational organizations in the North Bay.

Rob McMillan

Silicon Valley Bank

899 Adams St., Ste. G2, St. Helena 94574,?svb.com/winedivision, 707-967-1367

Rob McMillan

Rob McMillan is the founder of the?St. Helena-based?Wine Division of??Silicon Valley Bank. Starting in 1992, he developed the division from the idea and startup phase to the point where it?s now regarded by many as the leading provider of financial services to the fine wine business on the West Coast.

Mr. McMillan?s banking career has spanned more than 30 years, over 20 with Silicon Valley Bank. In that time, he has moved though roles of increasing responsibility including a term on the bank?s Managing Committee.

Today, Mr. McMillan supports Silicon Valley Bank?s continuing growth and success in the wine business assisting the rest of the division?s clients and bankers: sharing views on the macro factors impacting the fine wine business, offering customized management presentations for clients, writing, speaking and managing a portfolio of client relationships.

He has published reports of varied and emerging trends to the wine industry over the past decade and is author of the bank?s annual Wine Industry Report. Mr. McMillan?s perspectives regarding the direction, opportunities and threats in the fine wine business continue to be cited in regional, national international and the wine trade press.

Mr. McMillan received a bachelor?s degree in finance and economics from Sacramento State University and an MBA from Leavey School of Business at?Santa Clara University. He is affiliated with, and supports numerous charities and industry associations both in and outside of the wine industry.

He is the father of two, enjoys the outdoors and travel, and takes any opportunity to play percussion and drums in live settings.

Jamie Williams

Sonoma Bank

1101 Fifth Ave., Ste. 360, San Rafael 94901,?sonomabank.com, 415-747-3202
Jamie Williams

Jamie Williams

Jamie Williams has been senior vice president and commercial banking regional director for Sonoma Bank since he was hired two and a half years ago. His focus has been on building strong commercial banking teams in Marin County, East Bay and Santa Rosa. He said hiring high-performing, well-known veteran bankers are key in the success of the bank?s commercial teams in the region.

Along with traditional business banking products and services, Sonoma Bank has experienced tremendous growth in owner-occupied commercial real estate lending.

Mr. Williams was born in Marin and has lived in Novato for more than 21 years. He has been in the banking industry for more than 30 years, always on the commercial or corporate banking side. Prior to joining Sonoma Bank, he was a founder of Greater Bay Bank Marin and was regional vice president for Westamerica Bank. His first position was in 1978 as a management trainee for Wells Fargo after graduating from Santa Clara University with a degree in economics.

Sterling Bank of Spokane, Wash., does business in California as Sonoma Bank.

Bill Fogarty

Summit State Bank

500 Bicentennial Way, Santa Rosa 95403,?summitstatebank.com, 707-568-6000

Bill Fogarty

Bill Fogarty is senior vice president and chief credit officer at Summit State Bank. Mr. Fogarty joined Summit at the end of 2011 with 25 years of banking experience, including chief credit officer and chief executive roles at other community banking institutions.

Mr. Fogarty attended Arizona State University and earned a bachelor?s degree in business administration at University of Phoenix. He also graduated from Pacific Coast Bankers School at University of Washington in Seattle.

He focuses on all areas of the bank?s lending programs and portfolio for safety, soundness and profitability.

?We are seeing indicators of an upturn in our economy due to a notable pickup in loan production in 2012 that was double the level of 2011,? Mr. Fogarty said. ?We heavily promoted our $50 million loan commitment in 2012, which we believe was part of our increased loan demand and production at Summit. But we also believe that the economic upturn was the foundation of this growth. Businesses are also beginning to activate their expansion plans and start projects that have been on hold for the last few years.?

In his spare time, Mr. Fogarty enjoys outdoor activities such as hiking, wildlife photography and golf. He also enjoys spending time with his wife of 28 years, Sheryl, his two children and grandchild.

Mr. Fogarty has ?fallen in love with Sonoma County? and regularly donates his time to local nonprofits and chambers of commerce.

Founded in 1984, Summit State Bank has roughly $430 million in assets, 62 employees and five offices. Summit State Bank is a Top Performing Bank, earning the highest Findley Reports designation of all Sonoma County-based banks.

Francine Boards

Travis Credit Union

One Travis Way, Vacaville 95687,?traviscu.org, 707-469-1964

Francine Boards became vice president of business lending at Travis Credit Union in early 2012. It?s a newly created position that is part of a targeted approach to boost the $2.2 billion institution?s efforts in commercial lending. She served as senior commercial credit officer at the credit union since 2009.

Prior to joining Travis, Ms. Boards held senior management positions for commercial lending operations at One California Bank, Mechanics Bank and Civic Bank of Commerce. She has a total of 24 years of financial industry experience and is a graduate of the MBA program at St. Mary?s College of California as well as Pacific Coast Banking School at the University of Washington.

Patrick McCarty

Umpqua Bank

1400A Grant Ave., Novato 94945, umpquabank.com, 415-493-3120

Patrick McCarty is senior vice president and manager of Umpqua Bank?s business banking center in Novato. He assumed that role following Umpqua?s purchase of Novato-based Circle Bank in November, where Mr. McCarty had served as chief lending officer for ten years.

In his current role, Mr. McCarty oversees an office specializing in commercial real estate loans in Marin, San Francisco, San Mateo and Santa Clara counties. He said that he expected Circle Bank?s positive reputation as a commercial real estate lender would continue at Umpqua.

?Umpqua Bank is unique in that it has the pricing power of a large regional bank, but due to their internal structure, local management is allow to make credit decisions. This structure eliminates a common complaint regarding response time in larger institutions,? he said.

Mr. McCarty has nearly four decades of banking experience, and has a bachelor?s degree in finance from Texas A&M University.

James Barrett

Union Bank

899 Adams St., Ste. F-1, St. Helena 94574,?unionbank.com, 707-968-9514

James Barrett

James Barrett?is vice president and senior relationship manager with the Wine Industry Services group at?Union Bank.

The Wine Industry Services group in Northern California is growing. Ttotal commitments to the industry increased by about 30 percent in the last two years. Mr. Barrett attributes this growth to the bank?s consistency in its approach to the business and to its strong relationships with clients.

In addition to the wine industry, he has clients in the retail, food and beverage, and manufacturing sectors, and has worked with clients in many other industries during his career.

Mr. Barrett said his biggest accomplishment has been to successfully balance a rewarding career with an active and happy family life. He likes to spend time with family and friends and enjoys sports, reading and cooking.

He earned a finance degree at?Auburn University?and a master?s degree in business administration with an emphasis in finance at?Georgia State University?in Atlanta. He is a graduate of?Leadership Napa Valley?and a member of the?Napa Rotary Club.

Mr. Barrett has lived in Napa since 1995.

As of Sept. 30, Union Bank had assets of $88.2 billion and roughly 10,000 employees.

Conrad Figueroa

U.S. Bank

1 California St., Ste. 2000, San Francisco 94111,?usbank.com, 707.326.8397

Conrad Figueroa

Conrad Figueroa is a senior relationship manager in the?Bay Area Commercial Banking Group, which includes the North Bay, of U.S. Bank. The group caters to middle-market companies with a strong focus on relationship banking.? ?

Previously, Mr. Figueroa spent 10 years working for Wells Fargo Bank and five years for Comerica Bank. During his time at Wells Fargo and prior to becoming a vice president for commercial banking there, he was a branch manager and a licensed financial advisor.

Mr. Figueroa has lived in Northern California for over 20 years and is a graduate of University of California, Davis, in economics. Mr. Figueroa enjoys running in his spare time and is a 2011 Boston Marathon finisher.

U.S. Bank, based in Minneapolis, recently reported more than $350 billion in assets. ?

Scott Shapiro

Warren Capital Corp.

100 Rowland Way, Ste. 205, Novato 94945,?warrencapital.com, 415-898-1875
Scott Shapiro

Scott Shapiro

Scott Shapiro is senior vice president of Warren Capital Corporation. He is responsible for managing the lender?s portfolio and developing relationships with its partners, which include community banks and the health care and franchise markets.

Mr. Shapiro has been with Warren Capital for 12 years. His career in banking began at BankBoston in Boston during its merger with Fleet Bank. He attended Boston College, graduating with a business degree in finance and information systems.

Having grown up in the North Bay, Mr. Shapiro moved back to California after college. He began working at Warren Capital as a three-day-a-week intern in the 2001 recession and gradually worked his way up to senior vice president. He said that ascent is?one of his greatest accomplishments, leading to years-long relationships with repeat clients.

Over the past 29 years, Warren Capital has completed over $1.7 billion in financings, including $500 million in the North Bay, for more than 3,500 clients. The lender provides services that include equipment leasing and financing, large-scale debt placements and seller-focused merger-and-acquisition advisory.

James Kimball

Wells Fargo

200 B St., Ste. 300, Santa Rosa 95401, wellsfargo.com, 707-584-3147

James Kimball

?Kimball is a senior vice president and regional manager with the Wells Fargo Commercial Banking Group. He oversees the North Coast Regional Commercial Banking Office, responsible for a territory spanning from the Golden Gate Bridge to Oregon.

The team serves a variety of industries, but has specialists focused on wine, specialty food and agriculture.

Mr. Kimball has worked in financial services for more than 25 years, a career that has focused on commercial banking in Northern California and the western United States. He was regional president for wholesale banking at Wachovia when the bank merged with Wells Fargo and spent 22 years holding various leadership positions at Bank of America.

He received bachelor?s and master?s degrees in finance from Sacramento State University.

A lifelong Sonoma County?resident, Mr. Kimball is an active community leader in Northern California and has a history of service on the boards of the North Bay Leadership Council and the Wine Business Institute at Sonoma State University. He lives with his wife, Sharon, and two children in Petaluma.

Joseph Dietzen

Westamerica Bank

1108 Fifth Ave., San Rafael 94901, westamerica.com, 800-848-1088

Joseph Dietzen is senior vice president at Westamerica Bank. In that role, he oversees account relationships and loan production in the bank?s Sonoma and Mendocino regions.

A native of Washington, he grew up in Yakima and came to California to obtain a bachelor?s degree in economics from Stanford University. Mr. Dietzen later received an MBA in finance from?University of California, Berkeley, and attended Pacific Coast Banking School.

He joined Westamerica Bank in 2005 when it acquired National Bank of the Redwoods.?He had been executive vice president and responsible for real estate loan production there.

Mr. Dietzen said that he was pleased to work closely with the low-income housing efforts of the Sonoma County Loan Consortium and Burbank Housing. He also?was?actively involved with Redwood Empire Food Bank during a time of expansion.

When away from his duties at the bank, Mr. Dietzen said that he enjoys working on a classic Victorian townhouse that has been in his wife?s family for generations.

Westamerica Bank reported $5 billion in total assets at the end of 2012.

Source: http://www.northbaybusinessjournal.com/67794/spotlight-leaders-in-commercial-banking-2013/

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Monday, January 28, 2013

Mexican church sparks debate on forgiving killers

(AP) ? An order of Roman Catholic priests in Mexico has produced a video urging relatives of drug cartel victims to adopt a Christ-like forgiveness by pardoning even the killers, hitting a sensitive nerve in a country that has suffered an estimated 70,000 estimated drug gang killings or more.

The 10-minute video entitled "Brother Narco," presented this week, tells the story of Miri, a 13-year-old girl who cowers in her bedroom as a gunman and his gang kill her parents one night. The killer in a black cowboy hat later bursts with his henchmen into the church where her parents' funeral is being held. The gunmen carry a funeral wreath for the couple, and the killer lays a hand on the coffin, and then turns to leave.

Miri walks up to him in the church and hugs him.

"My uncles and aunts told me .... that when I grow up, I have to do the same thing to your children," Miri says to him, speaking of revenge. Instead, she decides to forgive him, reasoning, "Maybe somebody did the same thing to your parents, or maybe they never hugged you."

The killer is shown returning the embrace, but it is unclear what he does next.

The scriptwriter of the short film, Pauline Father Omar Sotelo, said he won't reveal if the killer ever repents of his crime. Sotelo says his group is already in pre-production for the second of a planned 12 short features, filmed in high-definition video, which will be distributed on the Internet and on social networks.

Sotelo acknowledged that such a scene might be improbable in real life, but insisted that "as mystical and utopic as it may seem, this project comes out of real-life stories."

He told of one woman he met who decided to forgive her sons' killer.

"She said "I don't want to see anyone else's children killed. That is why I pardoned my son's killer'," Sotelo recalled.

Anti-crime crusader Isabel Miranda de Wallace had a different view: "I don't think people can forgive if they don't even know what happened to the victims, if justice hasn't been done."

Miranda de Wallace led a decade-long fight to bring to justice the gang that kidnapped and killed her son. But they haven't been sentenced yet, and they delayed so long in telling where they left her son's body that the lot was built over by the time authorities could search it.

She said even getting answers is hard in a country where drug gangs have routinely dissolved the bodies of their victims in chemicals or dumped them in unmarked mass graves.

"There are a lot of people who cannot even mourn, because we haven't found the bodies of our relatives, " she said, "so how are you going to go through the process of loss and reach forgiveness if you can't even get justice?"

To some extent, it is surprising how much tolerance victims' relatives have shown. In 2011, when victims banded together to form the Movement for Peace and Justice With Dignity, the relatives of dead drug gang suspects and the relatives of drug gang victims often marched and rallied side by side, to demand answers about their loved ones' fates.

Sotelo hardly thinks his production is the last word on the debate. But in a nation where tens of thousands of young men have been recruited to drug gangs, he said forgiveness is something the nation is going to have to deal with. The only other alternative would be to arrest or kill all of the gunmen, and ? apart from humanitarian concerns ? Mexican authorities haven't proven very capable at doing either.

"By attacking the criminals with guns, what we have done is taken violence and produced more violence," he said.

"What we have found is that these criminals have undergone a process of dehumanization," Sotelo said. "What we need to do is to reverse that process of dehumanization. How you re-humanize someone, is, well, by treating them as what they are, a human being."

Miranda de Wallace, too, acknowledged Mexico will one day face the task, but in a country where an estimated 98 percent of crimes go unprosecuted, said that day has not yet arrived.

"Without doubt, we will have to reach forgiveness," she said, "but I don't think we are at that stage yet in the national process."

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/apdefault/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2013-01-28-Drug%20War-Mexico-Forgiveness/id-956d8ccff917472ab4b736793bb009fa

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Watch Five Huge Power Station Towers Collapse in Super Slow Motion

Few things are as satisfying as watching a building get demolished. Bonus points for if it's a gigantic structure, like Texas Stadium, or, say, four water cooling towers for a power plant. Their crumble and fall was shown in slow motion by our old friends the Slow Mo Guys. [YouTube] More »


Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/HkF38y1aXgs/watch-four-huge-power-station-towers-collapse-in-super-slow-motion

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Now you can get your 'Downton Abbey' on

Joss Barratt / Carnival Films

Michelle Dockery is Lady Mary and Laura Carmichael is Lady Edith on "Downton Abbey." The drama has spurred interest in Edwardian fashion, home furnishings and books about the era.

By Tanya Mohn, TODAY contributor

?Downton Abbey? fans may be effortlessly transported back to another time and place, but the impact of the television series is also firmly rooted in the real world. The popular costume drama has reportedly spurred sales in everything from wedding dresses, lingerie and other Edwardian fashions to home furnishings and even what people are reading.

?Etiquette books are selling through the roof right now? said Scott F. Stoddart, dean of the School of Liberal Arts at the Fashion Institute of Technology. So are history books about World War I and recently reprinted titles like ?To Marry an English Lord.? ?People are drawn to a bygone era, a more romantic time of gracious living,? he said.

Related: 'Downton Abbey' is hit by tragedy

The influence of popular culture on style and taste goes back to the early days of Hollywood, when film stars like Joan Crawford, dressed as a flapper in the 1920s and 1930s, inspired shorter hemlines. After Elizabeth Taylor appeared in ?A Place in the Sun? in the early 1950s wearing a distinctive dress, ?every girl wanted to wear it to the prom that year,? said Stoddart, author of ?Analyzing Mad Men? and of the forthcoming ?Exploring Downton Abbey? to be released during the summer of 2013.

The trend for a television series to impact the marketplace is more recent, as the medium typically influenced viewers through advertising. ?To my mind, ?Mad Men? is one of the first,? inspiring companies like Brooks Brothers, Banana Republic and Crate & Barrel to create everything from 60s-era men?s suits to living rooms sets, said Stoddart. ?It really takes about two to three seasons before retailers really get on the band wagon. It?s happening now with ?Downton Abbey.??

Ralph Lauren has a new collection, modeled by actress Jessica Chastain, that features Lady Mary-type turn-of-the-century hunting garb, and other "Downton"-inspired products include 1920s-era jewelry collections and T-shirts based on characters in the series.?

Skinny ties made a comeback after ?Mad Men,? said Stoddart, and soon ?we will give gloves a nod because of 'Downton Abbey.' ?

Leonard Lee, an associate professor at the Columbia Business School, said the financial impact of popular shows is difficult to measure. But while he is not aware of any academic research or tracking of the phenomenon, the underlying psychological process is consistent with what is known about consumer behavior. Repeated exposure, positive feelings, imitating behavior, and the desire to be a part of the larger experience and enjoy it in a more proactive way, he said, are factors that typically influence spending choices.

Emotional resonance, not logic, is often key, said Lee, referring to a well-known study that analyzed how decorative posters were chosen and found that participants who deliberated more about which one to buy were less likely to hang them up. ?Sometimes when you think too much about options, you tend to be more dissatisfied than when you rely more on feelings and evaluate holistically.??

The influence of popular culture on spending is growing, said Marshal Cohen, chief industry analyst of The NPD Group, a market research company, who has followed consumer behavior and retail trends for more than 30 years. ?It used to be that fashion led the way for what?s in, what?s out,? he said, but today, entertainment and popular culture have taken on a larger role, though the public typically downplays it.?

The NPD Group conducts a survey each year in which respondents are asked if they made purchases influenced by celebrities. ?Every year consumers deny it, yet the numbers show they do it more and more,? Cohen said. A decade ago, for example, 8 percent of survey respondents said they made purchases as a direct result of celebrity influence. But in the most recent survey, conducted in March 2012, 18 percent admitted they did so. ?They don?t like to admit they are easily influenced and swayed,? said Cohen, who is the author of ?Why Customers Do What They Do?and ?Buy Me! How to Get Customers to Choose Your Products and Ignore the Rest.?

?Fashion is easiest industry to see the cause and effect,? of popular culture, but interior design, home furnishings and other lifestyle areas are also impacted. During the recession, the fashion industry ?was scared. It didn?t take chances on color and design,? resulting in safe products that lacked inspiration and bored consumers.

But the "Downton Abbey" influence is positive, for the public and the retail industry, experts say.

?It?s so different; it?s new and fresh,? said Cohen.

?Anything that expands your mind is always a good thing,? said Stoddart, whether it?s fashion or reading history. ?It adds to a strong conversation between people.? ??

Related content:

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Source: http://lifeinc.today.com/_news/2013/01/28/16681328-downton-abbey-boosts-interest-in-products-inspired-by-bygone-era?lite

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Health And Sport News ? Blog Archive ? Top Medical Issues in ...

Posted on : 27-01-2013 | By : mary | In : Health Tips

0

healthy styleWith recent advances in women?s sports medicine, girls and women can learn to safely take part in any sport or type of exercise they choose. While some people start getting interested in sports medicine only after they?ve had an injury, you should also learn as much as you can as a preventative measure, so you can avoid problems in the future. Even though each sport has different risks so does each player of that sport which is why it?s so important to make sure you are listening to your body.

Finding a physician who specializes in women?s sports medicine is important for any woman who is going to exercise or participate in sports regularly. Some believe that these doctors are only necessary after an injury, but the fact s that a sports medicine specialist can offer advice to help you prevent injuries. If you have areas that are more problematic for you, such as your knees or back, a sports medicine doctor can give you proper advice on treating and preventing recurrence of these conditions.

If you do have a serious injury, these are the doctors who can suggest the best course of treatment. One thing to consider when choosing a sports medicine physician is whether or not he/she is experienced and respected in his field (a good reputation counts). Men and women are both susceptible to a common sports-related injury like a stress fracture. These are very small breaks in bones, and usually occur from repetitive stress activities, such as running or jumping. These breaks normally occur in the lower half of the body, such as the feet or legs. This problem can also occur in the arms if you engage in repetitive activities such as rowing or pitching. Building up your tolerance and endurance gradually is a great way to prevent this injury when starting a new activity. Make sure to see a doctor promptly if you suspect any kind of fracture.

Nutrition plays a large role in sports medicine, and women can prevent and even reverse many conditions by paying attention to their diets and adding certain supplements. Maintaining bone health is very important for women, so they need to make sure they are getting enough calcium. MSM, glucosamine and chondroitin are normally found together in a formula, are very helpful if you are active. Supplements that are good for your heart and bone health are fish oil capsules. You will have stronger bones by eating a healthy and balanced diet and taking some supplements. The information above gives us a clear picture of the fact that women?s health and sports medicine covers a wide range of conditions. It?s easier to prevent the conditions when you have a greater awareness of them to begin with. If any of these happen to you be sure to seek medical advice rather than getting discouraged. Just take it one day at a time and allowing yourself time to heal.

Source: http://www.metroliners.org/top-medical-issues-in-sports-women-want-to-be-aware-of

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Sunday, January 27, 2013

PlayMakers Repertory Company Presents - Triangle Arts and ...

The "Raisin in the Sun" cast includes (standing from left) Miriam Hyman as Beneatha Younger, Mikaal Sulaiman as Walter Lee Younger, Dee Dee Batteast as Ruth Younger, and Victor Waddell as Travis Younger, plus Kathryn Hunter-Williams (seated) as Lena Younger (photo by Jon Gardiner)

The ?Raisin in the Sun? cast includes (standing from left) Miriam Hyman as Beneatha Younger, Mikaal Sulaiman as Walter Lee Younger, Dee Dee Batteast as Ruth Younger, and Victor Waddell as Travis Younger, plus Kathryn Hunter-Williams (seated) as Lena Younger (photo by Jon Gardiner)

PlayMakers Repertory Company, the University of North Carolina?s professional-theater-in-residence, will ring in the New Year ? and help celebrate Black History Month in February ? with an invigorating twin bill of A Raisin in the Sun (1959) by Lorraine Hansberry and Clybourne Park (2010) by Bruce Norris, performed in rotating repertory, on Tuesdays-Sundays, Jan. 26-March 3, in the Paul Green Theatre in UNC?s Center for Dramatic Art.

Raelle Myrick-Hodges will direct Hansberry?s tragic tale of the African-American Younger family?s attempt to integrate a Chicago subdivision in the Fifties, and Tracy Young will direct Norris? sequel about the white family that sold them the house.

The first play by a black woman to be performed on Broadway, A Raisin in the Sun was nominated for four 1960 Tony Awards?, including Best Play. Clybourne Park also earned four 2012 Tony Award nominations, and won the Tony for Best Play as well at the 2011 Pulitzer Prize for Drama.

?This is my first time working on A Raisin in the Sun,? Raelle Myrick-Hodges confesses. ?I was not one of the youth that read it in high school. The first time I read it was when PlayMakers producing artistic director Joe Haj wanted me to do the play. I initially said no, but Joe was adamant that I read it. And, of course, I fell in love with the language and the characters?.?

Myrick-Hodges adds, ?My desire to direct the play was a direct result of reading [it]. The stage directions envelope you, taking you to a very specific family in a specific time. And it is so gorgeous in its dreaming for its lead character Walter [played at PlayMakers by Mikaal Sulaiman] as well as its disillusionment.

?Honestly, if it wasn?t going to be a PlayMakers production, I doubt I would have wanted to direct it,? she says. ?[But t]he script and the producer made my need to direct the play very high.?

Clybourne Park director Tracy Young recalls, ?I had heard about Clybourne Park when it was running at Playwrights Horizons in New York City. I then read it, and was very excited to direct it at PlayMakers.?

Young adds, ?The writing is thrilling ? very human, very funny, very disturbing, and also very compassionate in its own brutal way (which will make sense when you see the play).

?The play is very astute in depicting what we all struggle with in the areas of identity ? racial, gender, sexual, socioeconomic ? and how we negotiate (often very clumsily) with others in these areas,? claims Young. ?The play is about human imperfection and how in a way, the more things change, the more they stay the same. It challenges the perception that we are living in a post-racial America, and it does that in a way that is both disturbing and, ultimately, enlightening.?

Young adds, ?[Clybourne Park] is a comedy. There are strong language and mature themes. It?s a play worth seeing. If possible, audiences should see Raisin first, as it will greatly inform the Clybourne experience.?

Raisin in the Sun director Raelle Myrick-Hodges says, ?There is much to this play and to ?describe? the plot to you takes away from the truth that theater is about what each individual audience member sees in the play. There are several plots. But, basically, Walter Lee Younger and his family grapple over the choice of what to do with insurance money they have inherited because of the death of their father. The family struggles with poverty vs. gentrification, racism, sexism, and how to balance each family member?s role in the family. I really don?t wish to give away the plot. It?s a classic.?

In addition to Mikaal Sulaiman as Walter Lee Younger, the PRC cast for A Raisin in the Sun includes Dee Dee Batteast as Ruth Younger, Matt Garner as Karl Lindner, Kathryn Hunter-Williams as Lena Younger, Miriam A. Hyman as Beneatha Younger, Nilan Johnson as Bobo, Patrick McHugh as Moving Man, J. Alphonse Nicholson as Joseph Asagai, Daniel Morgan Shelley as George Murchison, Allen Tedder as Moving Man, and Victor Waddell as Travis Younger.

The ?Clybourne Park? cast includes (from the left) Josh Tobin as Tom, Rasool Jahan as Lena, Nilan Johnson as Kevin, Kelsey Didion as Lindsey, and Constance Macy as Kathy (photo by Jon Gardiner)

The ?Clybourne Park? cast includes (from the left) Josh Tobin as Tom, Rasool Jahan as Lena, Nilan Johnson as Kevin, Kelsey Didion as Lindsey, and Constance Macy as Kathy (photo by Jon Gardiner)

Clybourne Park director Tracy Young recalls, ?The first act takes place in 1959, in the home of Russ (Jay O?Berski) and Bev (Constance Macy). They have recently sold their home and, with the help of their maid Francine (Rasool Jahan), are packing and preparing to move.

?The neighborhood minister Jim (Josh Tobin) drops by for a farewell visit, and attempts to console Russ about the death of his and Bev?s son Kenneth (later played by Josh Tobin), who was a soldier in the Korean War and committed suicide two years after returning home. Russ resists Jim?s consolation, and asks him to leave.?

Young adds, ?Bev pleads with Jim to stay, and reveals that she has serious concerns about Russ? ability to cope with the loss of his son. Francine?s husband Albert (Nilan Johnson) arrives to pick up Francine, and is enlisted by Bev to bring Kenneth?s footlocker downstairs from the upper floor of the house. Soon after, Karl Lindner (Matt Garner) arrives with his deaf and pregnant wife Betsy (Kelsey Didion) in tow, and confronts Russ about the selling of his home to a ?colored family? (the Younger family from A Raisin in the Sun).

?Karl warns Russ that a black family moving in to the Clybourne Park neighborhood will result in ?white flight? and property values dropping,? Young explains. ?Russ responds that he doesn?t care, because the community shunned his son because of his involvement in war crimes and the shunning led to the boy?s suicide,? says Young. ?Despite much urging from Karl, Russ refuses to reconsider the sale of the home to the Younger family.?

Young adds, ?Act II takes place in the same home, but now 50 years have passed. In the ensuing years, the Clybourne Park neighborhood evolved into a predominately black neighborhood, and suffered the effects of poverty, drugs, and urban blight. Now the area is becoming gentrified; and a white couple, Steve and Lindsey (Matt Garner and Kelsey Didion), has purchased the house with the intent of demolishing it and rebuilding a substantially larger house in its place. This time, it is a black couple from the neighborhood, Lena and Albert (Rasool Jahan and Nilan Johnson) who are aiming to stop the white couple from tampering with the history of the historic home by having the home assigned landmark status.

[WARNING: SPOILERS] ?With the help of their lawyer Tom (Josh Tobin) and the white couple?s lawyer Kathy (Constance Macy), the two opposing groups meet at the house to argue about [its] fate ?,? notes Tracy Young. ?Lena reveals that her great aunt was in fact Lena, the matriarch of the Younger family, and that because of this, the house holds a special meaning for her. Throughout the negotiations around the house, many underlying racial biases are alarmingly and humorously revealed. When a worker, Dan (Jay O?Berski), hired by Lindsey and Steve, unearths Kenneth?s military foot locker and reveals its contents, the play comes full circle.? [END OF SPOILERS]

Raisin in the Sun director Raelle Myrick-Hodges says the deep thrust stage of the Paul Green Theatre complicates the staging of Lorraine Hanserry?s landmark drama. ?? It is as if you are directing a piece in the round,? claims Myrick-Hodges. ?How to make sure the play is staged in a naturalistic way without leaving the audience (or in a thrust situation, half the audience) without enough information to stay engaged in the play.?

Clybourne Park director Tracy Young declares, ?The play continually traverses outrageous and biting humor and searing and painful tragedy. The interplay between these two extremes is the tonal essence of the piece and capturing that has been an exciting and rewarding challenge.?

In addition to director Raelle Myrick-Hodges and PlayMakers Repertory Company producing artistic director Joseph Haj, the creative team for A Raisin in the Sun includes production manager Michael Rolleri, scenic designer Robin Vest, lighting designer Kathy A. Perkins, costume designer Jan Chambers, sound designer/engineer Robert Dagit, vocal coach John Patrick, movement coach Craig Turner, dramaturg Mark Perry, and stage manager Charles K. Bayang.

PlayMakers Rep?s creative team for Clybourne Park is much the same, except for director Tracy Young, costume designer Jade Bettin, dramaturg Gregory Kable, and stage manager Sarah Smiley.

?Because the play in running in repertory with A Raisin In The Sun, both Clybourne and Raisin have the same scenic designer, Robin Vest,? notes Clybourne Park director Tracy Young. ?Act I of Clybourne takes place at the same time of Raisin, inside the house that the Younger family purchases. The Stoller family are the current owners; and as the play opens, they are packing up and moving out.?

Young adds, ?So much consideration was given to creating the kind of house that Lena describes in Raisin: a larger two-story home with a backyard. We wanted to give a sense of openness and of some kinds of ?natural? elements. The house has natural wood floors and the wallpaper and curtains are decorated in floral patterns.

?We were also interested in the notion of family and shared memory,? Young explains, ?and so there are enlarged picture frames that stand in for architectural elements of the house in both Raisin and Clybourne.?

Tracy Young reports, ?In Act II of Clybourne, we flash forward 50 years and see that the house has fallen into disrepair. The new owners are a white couple who are planning to demolish the house in order to rebuild a substantially larger house in its place. The current residents of the surrounding neighborhood are working to oppose this expansion and to preserve the historic nature of the older home and that conflict is what drives the second act of the play.?

The costumes for A Raisin in the Sun and the first act of Clybourne Park are 1950s fashions, Young notes. She adds, ?In Raisin, much is said about how the small apartment the family lives in is deprived of natural light. We wanted the Clybourne house to be light and bright, with many windows. Both acts of the play take place during the late summer between 3 p.m. and 4 p.m. (but 50 years apart), so the lighting reflects that.??

SECOND OPINION: Jan. 24th Chapel Hill, NC Daily Tar Heel preview by Josephine Yurcaba: http://www.dailytarheel.com/article/2013/01/PlayMakers-confronts-prejudice-in-shows, Jan. 16th multimedia preview by Colleen McEnaney, Delia D?Ambra, and Lily Fagan: http://www.dailytarheel.com/multimedia/15797, and Jan. 16th preview by Josephine Yurcaba: http://www.dailytarheel.com/article/2013/01/PlayMakers-tackles-issues-of-gentrication-in-new-plays; and Jan. 8th Chapel Hill, NC Chapel Hill Weekly & Magazine preview by Jessie Ammons: http://www.chapelhillmagazine.com/blogs/chapel-hill-magazine-blog/PlayMakers-presents-a-raisin-in-the-sun-and-clybourne-park/.

PlayMakers Repertory Company presents A RAISIN IN THE RUN at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 26 Preview, 7:30 p.m. Jan. 29 and 31 Previews, 2 p.m. Feb. 2 Opening Performance, 2 p.m. Feb. 3, 7:30 p.m. Feb. 5-8, 2 and 7:30 p.m. Feb. 9, 7:30 p.m. Feb. 13, 7:30 p.m. Feb. 15 and 16, 2 p.m. Feb. 17, 7:30 p.m. Feb. 19, 2 p.m. Feb. 23, 7:30 p.m. Feb. 27, 2 p.m. March 2; and CLYBOURNE PARK at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 27 Preview, 7:30 p.m. Jan. 30 and Feb. 1 Previews, and 7:30 p.m. Feb. 2 Opening Performance, 2 p.m. Feb. 10, 7:30 p.m. Feb. 12 and 14, 2 p.m. Feb. 16, 7:30 p.m. Feb. 20-23, 7:30 p.m. Feb. 26 and 28, 7:30 p.m. March 1, and 2 p.m. March 3 in the Paul Green Theatre in the Center for Dramatic Art, 120 Country Club Rd., Chapel Hill, NC 27514, on the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill campus.

TICKETS: $15-$50, except $10 UNC students, $12 all other students, and $15 general admission on Tuesdays (Community Night).

BOX OFFICE: 919/962-PLAY or http://www.playmakersrep.org/tickets.

GROUP RATES (15+ tickets): 919/843-2311, miwashin@email.unc.edu, or http://www.playmakersrep.org/tickets/groupsales.

SHOWS:

A Raisin in the Sun: http://playmakersrep.org/raisin.

Clybourne Park: http://playmakersrep.org/clybournepark.

NEWS RELEASE: http://www.playmakersrep.org/media/story.aspx?id=fb1dbeca-e7dc-4f13-9ba3-66b9bf2efdf4.

SEASON: http://www.playmakersrep.org/season1213.

PRESENTER: http://www.playmakersrep.org/.

BLOG: http://playmakersrep.blogspot.com/.

VENUE: http://www.playmakersrep.org/aboutus/paulgreen.

DIRECTIONS/PARKING: http://www.playmakersrep.org/visitorinfo.?

NOTE 1: The 2 p.m. Feb. 9th performance of A Raisin in the Sun and the 2 p.m. Feb. 16th performance of Clybourne Park will be an Open-Captioned Performances. For details, click http://www.playmakersrep.org/opencaption.

NOTE 2: There will be FREE post-performance discussions with the creative team of A Raisin in the Sun on Feb. 11th and 17th and with the creative team of Clybourne Park on Feb. 24th and 28th.

NOTE 3: Arts Access, Inc. (http://www.artsaccessinc.org/) of Raleigh will audio-describe an All-Access Performance of A Raisin in the Sun on Feb. 19th and of Clybourne Park on Feb. 26th, which will also feature sign-language interpretation and Large-Print and Braille programs and ? if requested in advance by e-mail to whitneywhite@unc.edu ? a tactile tour of the set.

NOTE 4: At 2 p.m. on March 2nd (A Raisin in the Sun) and at 2 p.m. on March 3rd (Clybourne Park),, the N.C. Psychoanalytic Foundation (http://www.ncpsychoanalysis.org/), the Lucy Daniels Foundation (http://ldf.org/), and the N.C. Psychoanalytic Society (http://www.ncpsasoc.org/).will sponsor FREE post-show 50-minute ?Mindplay? discussions, led by Harold Kudler, MD, who will speak on?Raisin d??tre: The Long View of People and Community.?

OTHER LINKS:

A Raisin in the Sun (background): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Raisin_in_the_Sun (Wikipedia).

A Raisin in the Sun (script): http://books.google.com/ (Google Books).

Lorraine Hansberry: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lorraine_Hansberry (Wikipedia).

Clybourne Park (background): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clybourne_Park (Wikipedia).

Clybourne Park (script): http://books.google.com/ (Google Books).

Bruce Norris: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bruce_Norris_(playwright) (Wikipedia).

EDITOR?S NOTE:

Robert W. McDowell is editor and publisher of Triangle Review, a FREE weekly e-mail arts newsletter. This preview is reprinted with permission from Triangle Review.

To start your FREE subscription to this newsletter, e-mail RobertM748@aol.com and type SUBSCRIBE TR in the Subject: line.

To read all of Robert W. McDowell?s Triangle Review previews and reviews online at Triangle Arts & Entertainment, click http://triangleartsandentertainment.org/author/robert-w-mcdowell/.

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Tagged as: A Raisin in the Sun, Bruce Norris, Clybourne Park, Lorraine Hansberry, Paul Green Theatre, PlayMakers Rep, PlayMakers Repertory Company, PRC, Raelle Myrick-Hodges, Tracy Young

Source: http://triangleartsandentertainment.org/2013/01/playmakers-repertory-company-presents-a-raisin-in-the-sun-and-clybourne-park-on-jan-26-march-3/

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