Best Martial Arts Movies | Cool Material

Few things are as delectably enjoyable as martial arts films. You can turn most on half way through and still get glued to your couch. You coast along with the plot (as awful as it can be at times) eagerly anticipating the next fight scene. Great martial arts flicks, however, combine awesome combat with a story that actually makes it worth the down time between roundhouse kicks. Here are 14 every guys should see.

Ip Man

The fight scenes in Ip Man are so devastatingly awesome, you?ll want to start training in Wing Chun as soon as the credits roll. Bruce Lee?s mentor, as played by Donnie Yen, is soft-spoken, kind, and insanely badass when it comes to combat. Ip Man is not just a watch-worthy flick because of the great fight scenes, but it?s also an interesting historical look at the world Ip Man lived in and what life was like in 1930?s Southern China. Plus, any dude who trained Bruce Lee must be pretty decent, right? Amazon Instant?iTunes?Netflix Instant Netflix DVD

Hero

For as awesome as Jet Li is, a lot of his films fall short for us. Hero is one major exception (along with Once Upon a Time in China). The first thing you?ll notice about Hero is the sheer beauty of it. Not just the choreographed fight scenes, but just the overall look. It?s stunning. In fact, it?s the only time we can recall watching a plethora of arrows fly towards someone?s cranium and thinking how beautiful it is. Amazon Instant?iTunes Netflix DVD

Enter the Dragon

Not including any Bruce Lee movies on this list would be ridiculous. While some might argue that The Chinese Connection should be the choice, we just can?t not choose Enter the Dragon. Is it the greatest story ever told? No. Does it feature Bruce Lee destroying a substantial series of evil-doers? Yes. For that alone, it?s just awesome. Amazon?iTunes Netflix DVD

Ong-Bak

Some of the kicks in Ong-Bak will leave you checking your own jaw to see if it got shattered to pieces from some sort of weird osmosis. The film, which mostly showcases Muay Thai, is the standout project from the incredible Tony Jaa, and definitetly worth a watch. Amazon Instant?iTunes?Netflix Instant Netflix DVD

Brotherhood of the Wolf

When you think French movies, you think passionate romances, artsy flicks that go over your head, and plenty of baguettes. You don?t think martial arts. And while Brotherhood of the Wolf isn?t a straight-up martial arts movie (it isn?t a straight-up any kind of movie, actually), it is a serious piece of entertainment. It?s one of those movies you just put on and enjoy without letting your brain get to wrapped up in what?s going on. It?s like nothing you?ve seen before and it?s damn entertaining. Netflix DVD

13 Assassins

The scheming and strategy, the David vs. Goliath aspect, and the kickass battles make 13 Assassins a treat for samurai fans. Actually, it?s a treat for movie fans in general, because, unlike some martial arts films, there?s actually some grandiose scope aside from the standard action scenes. Amazon Instant?iTunes?Netflix Instant Netflix DVD

The Man From Nowhere

It can be challenging at times to determine what is and what isn?t a true martial arts movie. Like, what do you do when lots of the action involves gun fights but there is still martial arts involved? While The Man from Nowhere walks that fine line, we put it on this list for two good reasons: 1) It?s unbelievably awesome, and 2) The fight scene with the eyeball in a jar. That?s all we?ll say. Amazon Instant?iTunes?Netflix Instant Netflix DVD

Kung Fu Hustle

Martial arts movies don?t always have to be dead serious, in fact, they don?t always have to be serious at all. Kung Fu Hustle won?t be confused for a Bruce Lee epic, but it?s definitely a must watch. It?s so absurdly ridiculous that you almost miss how awesome the fighting is. Amazon Instant?iTunes Netflix DVD

Once Upon a Time in China

The first in a trilogy, Once Upon a Time in China really introduced many to the skills of Jet Li. It also happens to combine incredible fight scenes with a large-scale story that will keep you interested for the 2+ hours. Netflix DVD

Kill Bill Vol. 1

No subtitles! Okay, watching Kill Bill Vol 1 is not pleasurable just because you don?t have do any reading, it just happens to be a kickass martial arts flick from a dude who knows a thing or two about violence on film. It?s one of the few films with a female protagonist and the only film on this list that involves sick moves with a nonstick frying pan. iTunes Netflix DVD

Iron Monkey

Think of Iron Monkey as Robin Hood without the goofy tights. An unknown hero steals from the rich, only he doesn?t challenge enemies to archery contests, he just beats the crap out of them. The fighting is?choreographed by the same dude who worked on Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and The Matrix, plus, it?s got Donnie Yen in it, which is always a positive. iTunes Netflix DVD

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon

The fame of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is warranted. Ang Lee?s epic is visually stunning. It feels like you?re watching a kickass fairy tale meant for adults. Oh, and there?s tree fighting. Amazon Instant?iTunes Netflix DVD

The Legend of Drunken Master

Finally a Jackie Chan movie for the list. Not only that, but a Jackie Chan movie where he gains his fighting ability by drinking. The script writes itself! The film features some of the funniest/coolest fight scenes you?ll ever see. Just don?t pound Maker?s Mark and try to fight after watching it. Netflix DVD

Seven Samurai

This list wouldn?t be complete without the movie many consider the greatest martial arts/samurai film of all time. It?s a movie that spawned so many remakes and offshoots, that you just know without watching it that it will be good. Well, it is good, and, in fact, far, far better than good. Don?t let the black and white and subtitles stop you from watching this masterpiece. Amazon Instant iTunes Netflix DVD

Source: http://coolmaterial.com/feature/14-martial-arts-movies-every-guy-should-see/

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15 year-old rape victim deserves flogging for separate crime of ...

Additional reporting by JJ Robinson

The religious Adhaalath Party (AP) has declared that the 15 year-old rape victim who was recently sentenced to 100 lashes and eight months of house arrest ?deserves the punishment?, as this is the penalty for fornication under Islamic Sharia.

The party, members of which largely dominate the Maldives? Ministry of Islamic Affairs, stated that the sentence of flogging had not been passed against the for being sexually abused by her stepfather, but rather for the consensual sex to which she had confessed to having on another occasion.

?The purpose of penalties like these in Islamic Sharia is to maintain order in society and to save it from sinful acts. It is not at all an act of violence. We must turn a deaf ear to the international organisations which are calling to abolish these penalties, labeling them degrading and inhumane acts or torture,? the statement read.

?No one has the right to criticise any penalties specified in Islam,? the party added.

Quoting verses from the Quran, the statement said that no citizen should be allowed to express ideas and opinions about a verdict made in accordance with the religion in a court of law in a 100 percent Muslim country.

The Adhaalath Party further cautioned that criticising issues like this would ?encourage enemies of Islam, create confusion among the general public and open up opportunities for people who aim to stop the practice of similar penalties commanded in Islam.?

?Furthermore, Allah has decreed that expressing disapproval of issues such as this contradicts with faith in Islam,? the statement continued, quoting more verses from the Quran.

?Allah has also commanded that we show no kindness when implementing these penalties.?

The party also stated that it was saddened by the physical and psychological abuse the girl had suffered at the hands of her parents, calling the state authorities to ensure they were given the punishments they were due as detailed in Islamic Sharia.

?If such sinful activities are to become this common, the society will break down and we may become deserving of divine wrath,? the Adhaalath Party stated.

Flogging amounts to degrading punishment or torture: UN

United Nations has expressed concern over the case of the 15 year-old being sentenced to flogging.

?The child is allegedly a victim of long-standing sexual abuse. Under international legal human rights obligations of Maldives, corporal punishment, including flogging, amounts to cruel, inhuman or degrading punishment or even to torture,? read a statement issued by the UN in the Maldives.

? The approach to sexual abuse which has been adopted in numerous international human rights frameworks is that governments should implement prevention, prosecution of perpetrators, and protection measures to ensure that sexual abuse does not occur. Where it has occurred, governments should put in place measures for rescue, rehabilitation, and reintegration of victims.?

US ?deeply disturbed?

The US Embassy in Colombo said it was ?deeply disturbed? by the recent ruling, noting that the minor was ?also a victim of rape?.

?We call upon the Maldivian government to recognise that she must be protected rather than punished by authorities. We welcome President Waheed?s statement that his government ?will push for a review? of the decision. We urge the Maldivian judiciary to immediately drop all charges against the girl and for the Majlis to enact legislation that protects women and minors who have suffered sexual abuse.

?Promoting gender equality and advancing the status of all women and girls around the world remains one of the greatest unmet challenges of our time, and one that is vital in all countries to ensure full democratic rights, regardless of culture,? the Embassy stated.

President ?saddened?

President Mohamed Waheed, who has previously insisted on the executive?s inability to interfere in judicial matters, stated on his official Twitter account yesterday: ?I am saddened by the sentence of flogging handed to a minor. Govt will push for review of this position.?

The government is currently pushing for re-election to the UN Human Rights Council and launched its campaign in Geneva today (February 28), spearheaded by State Minister of Foreign Affairs Dunya Maumoon, daughter of former 30 year autocratic ruler Maumoon Abdul Gayoom.

In a statement today, the Foreign Ministry said the Maldives had prioritised its term in the Council ?by focusing on women and children?s rights and the rights of persons with disability, had been a vocal campaigner for the prevention of torture, and brought the issue of the right of all to live in a safe and clean environment to the forefront of the Council?s debate.?

In a second statement later today, the Foreign Ministry expressed ?deep concern by the prosecution and the Juvenile Court?s sentence to flog a 15 year-old girl on the charges of pre-marital sex.?

?Though the flogging will be deferred until the girl turns 18, the government believes she is the victim of sexual abuse and should be treated as such by the state and the society and therefore, her rights should be fully protected. The Government is of the view that the case merits appeal. The girl is under state care and the government will facilitate and supervise her appeal of the case, via the girl?s lawyer, to ensure that justice is done and her rights are protected,? the Ministry stated.

?The Juvenile Court?s verdict has brought home the critical and severe need to review existing mechanisms, especially legal framework, available for protecting the rights of the children in the Maldives. The government calls on all stakeholders to view cases of child abuse and child-sexual abuse through a human rights lens and to base each case on the best interest of the child.

?In view of the urgent attention required for protecting the rights of the children, the government has established a Committee to review the existing child protection mechanisms, particularly the legal mechanism, in view of the universally accepted norms and principles, and recommend to the state areas that require urgent changes,? the Ministry said.

Source: http://minivannews.com/politics/15-year-old-rape-victim-deserves-flogging-for-crime-of-fornication-adhaalath-party-53861

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Noted BlackBerry bull changes tune

BlackBerry 10

After insisting that BlackBerry (BBRY) shares would rebound throughout 2011 and 2012 as the stock plummeted, Macquarie Capital Markets cut its price target earlier this month to $11 with a Neutral rating. This marked the first time the firm has advised investors that BlackBerry shares will likely continue to fall; Macquarie remained optimistic the whole way down over the past two years, as illustrated in the chart below.?While the firm does see some positive notes for BlackBerry in the coming months, it said in a recent research note that BlackBerry shares will be trading on sentiment rather than long-term fundamentals following next month?s launches, after which the stock will likely continue to slide.

[More from BGR: Crytek CEO: PlayStation 4, next-gen Xbox can?t compete with PCs]

[More from BGR: Report outlines ?5 biggest problems facing Apple?]

?In advance of next month?s BB10 launch in two of BBRY?s largest markets, we are collaborating with our telecom colleagues Riaz Hyder in Indonesia and Best Waiyanont in Thailand to examine the company?s opportunities and risks in emerging Asia,??Macquarie?analysts wrote in a recent note to investors. ?We estimate that BBRY has ~15.2m subs in Indonesia and Thailand (19% of global total) and has shipped around one-third of global BB7 hardware sales in recent qtrs.?

The note continued, ?Our analysis shows that although the service fee structure of BB10 will be dilutive to overall service ARPU, much of the existing service revenue will be maintained for a year or more, as initial BB10 price points may be cost-prohibitive for many Indonesian and Thai consumers. We estimate that perhaps 15-20% of the BBRY installed base could purchase $400-600 ASP devices.?

Macquarie sees the following impact for BlackBerry:

• Low-end BB7 devices remain popular due to lower ASPs of $200-300 vs. iPhone ASPs at $700-900 and Android ASPs at $300-800. Implicitly, we do not expect significant sales of BB10 at an estimated $500-600 ASP in emerging markets.
• The key reason for the strength of BB outside of BBM is 1) first mover advantage, 2) lower pricing point (US$200 for cheapest handset ? Gemini); and 3) quite complimentary with Facebook and Twitter usage which were the main drivers for mobile internet adoption.
• According to Best Waiyanont, BBs have a considerably cheaper monthly cost than the data packages required for an iPhone or Android device. In Thailand, a BB package would cost only ~$10/month, with unlimited use of social media including Facebook, Twitter, BB messenger, and Email vs. a required data package costing $20 to support an iPhone or Android device. In the near-term, we think this will stay the BB sub base as the value proposition for BB devices is much more attractive to emerging market consumers than higher-end devices.

BlackBerry is likely to trade more on buzz than fundamentals in the short term, but Macquarie believes that will end following the next round of BlackBerry 10 device launches. ?We continue to advise investors to ignore the launch noise and value the company on long-term cash flows, which we believe will ultimately drive the shares lower,? the firm said.

This article was originally published on BGR.com

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/noted-blackberry-bull-changes-tune-234544768.html

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Lawyer says Lohan committed to turning life around

LOS ANGELES (AP) ? Lindsay Lohan is committed to turning her life around and wants to record public service announcements on the dangers of domestic violence, alcohol abuse and drunken driving, her attorney said Wednesday.

Mark Heller told The Associated Press that the actress' plans are independent of a criminal case that could return her to jail on charges that she lied to police about being a passenger in her car when it slammed into a dump truck in June.

The "Liz & Dick" star has been repeatedly sentenced to jail, rehab, and community service since her first pair of arrests for driving under the influence in 2007. She spent several months in court-ordered psychotherapy until a judge released her from supervised probation in March 2012.

As part of the intense psychotherapy sessions, Lohan is in the beginning stages of trying to become an inspirational speaker to young people, he said.

"I think she suddenly woke up one morning and had an epiphany and she suddenly realized and appreciated the seriousness of the events that led to her being in court," Heller said.

"She's going to try to inspire hope in people," he said. "I think it will be good for her. It certainly won't hurt others."

Heller mentioned Lohan's intent to become an inspirational speaker in a letter to prosecutors and a judge that was obtained Tuesday. He said he will meet with prosecutors on Friday to try to reach a resolution in Lohan's newest case, which includes misdemeanor charges of reckless driving and obstructing officers from performing their duties.

She has pleaded not guilty. Lohan, 26, was on probation at the time of the crash and faces up to 245 days in jail if a judge determines her conduct violated her probation in a 2011 necklace theft case.

Officers suspected alcohol might have been involved in the June accident on Pacific Coast Highway, but the actress passed sobriety tests at a hospital and she was never charged with driving under the influence.

Santa Monica police Sgt. Richard Lewis said officers did not give Lohan a field sobriety test at the accident scene because she and her assistant were injured in the crash and were taken to a nearby hospital. While officers could not rule out that Lohan might have been drinking, he noted that she did not show signs of impairment.

Celebrity web site TMZ, citing anonymous sources, reported Wednesday that a bottle of alcohol was found next to Lohan's sports car after the crash. Lewis said he could not discuss evidence in the case, but noted that the actress was not charged with drunken driving.

Heller wrote in a motion filed last week that officers found a bottle that they initially thought was urine, but might have contained wine. His filing, which seeks a delay or dismissal of charges against the actress, states that "upon information and belief" the bottle's contents were never tested.

Lohan's case returns to court on Friday, although the actress is not required to attend.

Heller is asking a judge to dismiss the case against Lohan because officers ignored the actress' request to talk to her attorney before being interviewed, court records show. He said he is prepared to defend Lohan at trial if necessary, but is hoping a deal can be worked out. He is seeking a delay in the case to have time to prepare and allow Lohan to demonstrate she is improving her life.

Threats from judges and jail sentences that are invariably cut short because of overcrowding haven't helped Lohan, Heller said. "None of it really brought closure to this predicament that led to this most recent event."

___

Anthony McCartney can be reached at http://twitter.com/mccartneyAP

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/lawyer-says-lohan-committed-turning-life-around-200509449.html

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Veteran explorer stakes Russia's claim over the Arctic

By Gabriela Baczynska

MOSCOW | Wed Feb 27, 2013 1:40pm EST

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian polar explorer Artur Chilingarov made his name in the Soviet Union with a daring rescue of an ice-bound ship, then won international fame for planting Russia's flag under the ice cap, angering governments with rival claims over the Arctic.

Now at the age of 73, rather than folding away his maps, he is spearheading President Vladimir Putin's diplomatic push to secure more of the mineral-rich region.

"We don't want anything that belongs to anybody else, but if we prove it's ours, give it to us," a cigar-puffing Chilingarov told Reuters in an interview in his Moscow office dominated by a wall map of the Arctic seabed's topography.

On his desk stood a 10-cm (four-inch) high replica of the titanium Russian tricolor that he planted at the North Pole during his 2007 dive.

Huge reserves of Arctic oil and natural gas are expected to become more accessible as climate change melts the ice and technology advances.

For Putin, the race for the Arctic's natural wealth is a matter of national and personal pride at the start of his six-year, third term as president, and would be a victory from which he could reap political dividends.

Competition is fierce, with Norway, the United States, Canada and Denmark also seeking to secure their interests in the Arctic and where international energy majors such as ConocoPhillips and Statoil hope to succeed with potentially lucrative offshore projects.

After the failure of a first attempt to secure an additional 1.2 million square km (463,000 square miles) of the Arctic shelf, Russia intends to present more evidence to support its claim to the United Nations by the end of this year.

"Our economy today is largely based on what was developed in the Arctic regions - oil, gas, diamonds, gold, apatites - from Norilsk to Chukotka, thanks to the Soviet Union's policies of exploring and producing there," Chilingarov said.

"But back then we did not go into the sea. Resources are not endless and our task now is to leave future generations the same chances of economic stability as the Soviet Union left us."

NEW STRATEGY

The map on Chilingarov's wall was the result of 30 years of work by Soviet and then Russian scientists and was central to Moscow's first attempt in 2001 to win U.N. recognition that its Arctic shelf extends up to the North Pole.

Russia says an underwater mountain range known as the Lomonosov Ridge, which stretches across the Arctic Sea, is part of its own Eurasian landmass.

But the U.N. was not convinced and asked for more research to back the claim, rejected by Canada and Denmark, which say the formation is a geographical extension of their own land.

Chilingarov said the presentation of new evidence to back up Russia's claim was now a priority for the Kremlin.

"This is a very important task supported by the president. The aim is to do it by the end of this year," said the explorer. "We spare no efforts on expeditions to prove that Russia sits on Arctic resources ... We are very serious, very serious about this."

Russia puts its total shelf oil and gas reserves, from the Arctic to the Caspian Sea, at 100 billion tonnes of oil equivalent - enough to power the world for more than 20 years.

A new strategy for the Arctic, approved by Putin this month, underlines the importance of tapping more energy resources in a country whose $2.1 trillion economy is overly reliant on exports of energy resources.

Oil and gas sales now account for around half of Russia's budget revenues and commodities make up some 90 percent of Russian exports.

The cost of developing any new energy fields will be great.

Russia's flagship gas project on the Arctic shelf, the Gazprom-controlled Shtokman, is already on hold because of cost overruns after years of failed attempts to advance work at the field holding nearly 4 trillion cubic meters of gas.

Other countries, meanwhile, are pressing their own claims. A Danish expedition last year also collected data to support its claim to a vast tract in the Arctic including the North Pole.

RICH REWARDS

The rewards for the winners are potentially huge, with the U.S. Geological Survey estimating that 30 percent of the world's undiscovered natural gas and 15 percent of oil is in the Arctic.

Several companies, including Russia's Rosneft, Norway's Statoil and U.S.-based Exxon Mobil are already getting ready to drill in areas of melting sea ice, despite the risks, technological difficulties and costs.

After Chilingarov's North Pole dive in 2007, he was officially declared a hero of Russia, an award he added to the title of hero of the Soviet Union that he had won for the 1980s rescue operation, and his face still adorns postage stamps.

He is one of only four people to have been awarded both titles, and one of only two still alive.

"This is not the end of my expedition activity, but this was the pinnacle of it," Chilingarov said of the 2007 dive.

There is also an environmental challenge to face. Many environmental groups say the rush for the Arctic's natural resources risks destroying its fragile ecosystems, already under threat from climate change, as there are no adequate impact studies or emergency plans in case of a leak.

Last August, Greenpeace activists scaled Gazprom's Prirazlomnaya oil rig - Russia's first offshore oil development in the Arctic - to protest against drilling there and draw attention to the destruction of the area.

"As a polar explorer, obviously, I am for leaving the Arctic untouched. As a politician, I understand that Russia lives on its natural resources and should go on developing them," said Chilingarov.

(Editing by Timothy Heritage)

Source: http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/scienceNews/~3/_muQGpFh_Lc/us-russia-arctic-idUSBRE91Q11F20130227

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Freescale fashions world's smallest ARM-powered microcontroller

If you're looking for an exceedingly tiny ARM-based microcontroller, Freescale says it's just cooked up the world's smallest. Dubbed the Kinetis KL02, the piece of kit is 25 precent smaller than the previous record-holder and measures up at a 1.9 x 2.00 x 0.56 millimeters. Having trouble visualizing exactly how small that is? Just take a gander at the photo above. A 48 MHz ARM Cortex-M0+ processor has made it onto the wafer-level chip-scale package and it's paired with 32KB of flash memory and 4KB of RAM. The outfit reckons it'll be a good match for 'internet of things' devices that are tight on space, and says it beats its older L Series kin in power efficiency. Manufacturer sampling for the KL02 is slated for March, while wide availability is penciled in for July, and it'll set buyers back 75 cents a piece when purchased in 100,000-unit loads. Hit the jump for more details in the press release.

Filed under: Misc

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Source: Freescale

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/QdRtJv-l0rY/

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Allison Miller: 'You Don't Play Like a Girl': Queer in a Jazz World

All female musicians go through a hazing period, an eye-opening moment when they first observe the extracurricular activities and conversations that go down offstage in the music business. Thanks to my first drum teacher, Walter Salb, I got my hazing period over with at age 14. Walt always said, "If you can deal with me, then you can deal with anyone in this business." He was right! I didn't just learn how to play paradiddles from him. I learned how to curse like a sailor, volley and one-up sarcastic insults with speed and precision (with beer in one hand and a whiskey in the other) and demean women with vulgar prowess. I also learned how to "man up" and show no emotion. This was all fine and dandy with me. I loved it. I was a little tomboy drummer, obsessed with jazz, who hadn't quite discovered her sexuality. I would just hang out at Walt's house, practicing the drums, cursing, drinking, talking shit and listening to old jazz records. My sexist vulgarity quickly surpassed most of the boys'.

Time went on, and I went away to college, kept practicing those drums, honed my crassness, sharpened my drinking skills and enthusiastically discovered that I was a big fat homo. I now had two love affairs in my life: jazz and women. Historically, jazz and women make a classic combination. But being a woman and loving jazz and women? Not so classic. The dichotomy of the two felt absolutely ridiculous. I spent my days transcribing Miles Davis solos and my nights chasing girls. Let me make one thing clear: My sexuality, at this point, was absolutely one-dimensional. I had no awareness of feminism, equality or politics. I was interested in sex only, and I could still one-up the boys with a dirty joke.

After college I moved to the jazz capital of the world, New York City. I had no idea that it was also the gay capital of the world. How fabulous! I met gays unlike any gays I had ever encountered. Gays fighting for equal rights. Gays who were interested in more than just accumulating notches on their belts. I quickly got schooled in feminism, gay rights and gay subculture. Righteous queer female artists and activists flooded into my life: BETTY, Toshi Reagon, Ani DiFranco, Gloria Steinem, Animal, Melissa Ferrick, Indigo Girls, Staceyann Chin. I was taken to the mecca of all feminist festivals, the Michigan Womyn's Music Festival. I slowly but surely became a full-fledged lesbian feminist.

Now what was I to do with this new identity? How was it going to fit into my life as a touring jazz musician? The jazz world is a boys' club. How would I continue to play the music I loved while being a radical lesbian feminist? How was I supposed to be one of the boys when I was realizing how powerful I felt as a woman?

I began to feel oppressed while on the road playing the music I loved. I was starving for the company of like-minded feminists. I became increasingly aware of the damaging implications underneath every chauvinist comment or joke. I started feeling internal conflict and guilt if I participated in post-show examinations of the physical attributes or deficiencies of women we'd seen in the audience.

I went from actively participating in the dirty joke to keeping my mouth shut and feeling silenced and invisible, and from that to losing all humor and wanting to march on Washington every time anyone said anything, even complimentary things, about women. I didn't know how to be all of myself. How could I speak up without the fear of being the lesbian feminist buzzkill?

So, risking not being liked, I started speaking up and challenging men when they crossed that line from funny to sexist. Surprisingly, a lot of them were receptive to my challenges, and the ones who weren't just stopped calling me, which was fine by me. There are fewer of those guys than you would imagine. For the most part, the jazz world is not as conservative as I thought it was. But believe me, when someone needs to be called out, I'm happy to do it.

Today I know who I am. I am a fully integrated person. That's sort of the key to feeling like you "belong." I can be my whole self everywhere I go -- unapologetically. I'm at home in the jazz and the feminist communities. They aren't so separate for me now. I can exist happily in both -- and I need them both to exist.

Honestly, it's hard to be a woman in this business. I have to prove myself over and over again. So many people have said to me, "You don't play like a girl!" They think it's a compliment. But actually, I do play like a girl. This is what girls play like. People hear with their eyes: They see a "girl" and are surprised when they hear the power and prowess that they associate with "boys." By getting onstage and throwing down while looking the way I do, I am breaking stereotypes. I am a woman. I am a dyke. I am a tomboy. I play jazz.

?

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/allison-miller/you-dont-play-like-a-girl-queer-in-a-jazz-world_b_2769544.html

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?R to cut public finance deficit to below 3% this year | Prague Monitor

?TK |

25 February 2013

Prague, Feb 22 (CTK) - The Finance Ministry expects to keep public finance deficit below the planned 3 percent of GDP this year on condition the economic situation in Europe does not worsen dramatically, Finance Minister Miroslav Kalousek said in reaction to estimates released by the European Commission Friday.

The EC said in its new forecast it expects the Czech public finance deficit to reach 3.1 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) this year. The Finance Ministry reckons with a 2.9 percent deficit.

For the year 2012, the EC expects a public finance deficit at 5.2 percent owing to a one-off operation involving the entry of the restitution of church property on budget accounts. The restitution claims contributed 1.5 percent to the deficit.

The EC also said Friday it expects the Czech economy to stagnate this year.

"This is a forecast. Unless the economic situation in Europe worsens markedly, we will maintain the deficit below 3 percent so as we can finish the excessive deficit procedure," Kalousek said.

Kalousek does not plan to introduce any extraordinary measures in the state budget if the deficit is higher,

"Two or three tenths of percent of GDP is a task that the government can cope with in operating expenses of its ministries," he said.

The EC opened the excessive deficit procedure for the Czech Republic in 2009 when the country's budget deficit was almost double the permitted limit. The EU demands that the Czech government should cut the deficit below 3 percent of GDP by 2013.

The procedure might lead to a suspension of European subsidy payments in an extreme case.

The public finance deficit is calculated as the difference of revenues and expenditures of ministries and other government institutions, municipalities, selected state-subsidised organisations, state and other off-budget funds (Land Fund, Support and Guarantee Agricultural and Forestry Fund, Wine Fund and others), Railway Infrastructure Administration, transformation institution Prisko, PPP Centre, public universities, public research institutes, health insurance companies, associations and unions of health insurance companies, and Centre of Interstate Settlements.

CR's macroeconomic indicators:

2012 2013 2014
GDP (change in pct against previous year) - 1.1 0.0 1.9
Unemployment (in pct, Eurostat methodology) 7.0 7.6 7.3
Inflation (HICP, in pct) 3.5 2.1 1.6
Budget deficit (as pct of GDP) - 5.2 - 3.1 3.0
Debt (as pct of GDP) 45.5 48.0 49.5

Source: European Commission

Copyright 2011 by the Czech News Agency (?TK). All rights reserved.
Copying, dissemination or other publication of this article or parts thereof without the prior written consent of ?TK is expressly forbidden. The Prague Daily Monitor and Monitor CE are not responsible for its content.

Source: http://praguemonitor.com/2013/02/25/%C4%8Dr-cut-public-finance-deficit-below-3-year

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Make Grand Entry With South Bend Limo

By: Jennefer Kadarshan

A limo contributes charm and style to all the arrivals in entrance of a grand casino. A VIP entry boosts up your confidence and impresses the other casino's visitors. The South Bend limo is a very popular transport automobile associated with important events or other activities where a sophisticated entry is a must. Rich people, celebrities and superstars generally used to travel by limos to the casino. Either offered by one of the limo companies or the casino itself, the high-class limo is now cost-effective to most of the individuals. As per the price range assigned, it is possible to seek the services of any chauffeured limo that meets individual choices and needs.
Before determining and booking the any Limousine service it is greatly advice to and checks out the limo and the interior to make sure it is cleaned and properly serviced, this will help you to decide, satisfy your needs and prevent future disappointments.
A weekend is expected to be all about fun, and you can appear in style with a south bend Indiana limousine. Whether you are in city or traveling from another state, an experienced limo company can take you to your casino without any hassle. Just forget about locating the casino on the GPS. Do not worry about finding the hotel or even vehicle parking. Sit with the relaxation in a stretch south bend limo with your buddies and relish the journey, while an experienced limo driver takes you to the casino.
A highly demanded limousine for casino services in South Band is the Lincoln stretch limousine. Due to its seductively sleekness and quality clients consider it appropriate for casino and party night outs. Elegant and high-class, the stretch limousine subsequently has got a spacious and flexible interior accommodating perfectly up to 10 passengers and put at their convenience fully stocked bars, leather interior, mood lights, air-conditioning, CD/DVD music, DVD and LCD monitors.
Hire the South Bend Limousine service for your party and casino nights. They are perfect for any occasion either you are celebrating a bachelors party or a corporate event. South Bend Limousine service has top notch limousines for your needs ranging from Chrysler to 15 seat Party bus. The rates are very attractive and easily affordable. They provide professional drives which are second to none. They are truly able to assist you in staying in your budget when other limo services cant do it. They are always strived to fulfill your needs at the time of your event or your memorable event. To feel the difference visit the website of South bend limo.

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About the Author:
Platinum Limousine provides the top quality limousines at affordable and attractive rates in South Bend, Indiana and the surrounding areas. For more details visit online at http://sb-platinumlimo.com/

Article Originally Published On: http://www.articlesnatch.com

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