Zimbabwe official warns of political violence

PRETORIA, South Africa (AP) ? A top official in the party of Zimbabwe's prime minister, Morgan Tsvangirai, says he is concerned that political violence is again taking root ahead of a March 16 referendum on a new constitution and elections later in the year.

Finance Minister Tendai Biti said in South Africa on Saturday that he is also worried that some foreign observers will not be allowed into Zimbabwe to monitor the voting. Top Zimbabwean officials have said that African and regional monitors will be allowed, but Western observers will be banned.

Tsvangirai's party, formerly the opposition, is in a shaky coalition with President Robert Mugabe's party.

Biti has previously complained of arson and numerous other attacks this year that he has blamed on Mugabe's supporters. Both Mugabe and Tsvangirai have called for violence-free elections.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/zimbabwe-official-warns-political-violence-145408289.html

pretty in pink shark tank john wall gordon hayward gas prices rising stars challenge star trek 2

Age Sex Location: Lexington Filmmakers fundraise from Short to ...

At the recent Lexington Short Films Filmmakers Night, local indie film fans laughed out loud at Age/Sex/Location (they were supposed to).

The characters of Rob and Ova were created by Jeremy Midkiff (Rob Bronson) and Jonathan Moore (Ova Reynolds- pronounced Ovy), and were brought together for the first time in the short, Age/Sex/Location.

They shot eight hours of footage for that 15-minute short, with zero budget. ?We shot everything on borrowed gear and had no other expenses,? Midkiff says.

Feedback from the short film night was positive. Midkiff says, ?Most people had to qualify their praise by saying something like ?the no budget nature? of the film didn?t get in the way from it being a solid comedy. Watching your comedic film with an audience is great. There is sort of instant feedback. People laughed the whole time, so we felt like it was pretty successful. And most people who talked to us after the show said they laughed very hard and we got some comparisons to Borat (which is flattering since I consider it one of the funniest movies ever). More than anything though, we had so many local actors, directors, DPs, etc, that came up to us and wanted to work with us. And we are all about that.?

They used the enthusiasm about the short to ?launch an IndieGoGo fundraising page to raise funds for the feature film we are making. We have stepped it up by getting a better HD camera and we hope to raise enough money to get a few lights, audio equipment, and other gear to make a more professional film this go around. The goal is to finish shooting the feature (which revolves around the characters we created for Age/Sex/Location) by August and editing the film to submit to film festivals at the end of the year.?

?They?s No Place Like Home: The Ballad of Rob and Ova? is a mocumentary feature film about Rob Bronson and Ova Reynolds,?who are thirty-something, unemployed guys from a poor Kentucky county who attempt to travel across the state to try out for?a puppet troupe. A local news crew has chosen Rob and Ova as the focus of their story on unemployment in the state, and picks?up with them as they hitchhike and do odd jobs.?

At press, they?d raised $1,475. of the $4,000 goal with a funding deadline of Monday, March 18.

Midkiff says, ?In the short, we limited ourselves to basically two or three locations. In the feature there will probably be 25 different locations. And the feature will also move because we hope to use some of our funding to get the ability to do steadicam and tracking shots. Plus, it is a road picture, so we will always be on the move, hitchhiking through Kentucky. We actually have shot a couple of small scenes that might make it in the feature. One was in a flea market (where we saw a dream catcher with Confederate soldiers inside of it) and a karaoke night at a fast food restaurant. ?

As for how the Lexington filmmaking scene has evolved, he says, ?There have always been people making films here (my co-worker Thom Southerland has made A LOT of good films), but there seems to be a renewed interest in creating a community. The Lexington Film League definitely deserves some credit for fostering this community and supporting local filmmakers.?

Looking ahead, Midkiff says, ?I am currently collaborating on a script with my good friend, Joanna Grisham (a creative writing/English teacher at EKU and Asbury).?? It is a comedic coming-of-age story about our experiences growing up in Pentecostal church camps. I have a few other finished feature length scripts, for which I am looking for a producer/director. I love making movies, but they can be so time consuming that I can imagine at some point in the future just writing and/or editing.?

He says, ?I think the future of indie film in Lexington could be really unique and eventually be able to support a good regional film festival. The idea of a film collective has been brought up many times and is a great idea. I think an informal film collective could grow around here too and in some ways, already exists.?

This article appears on page 11 of the March 14, 2013 print edition of Ace.

Click to subscribe to the Ace e-dition (delivered to your inbox every Thursday), and stay tuned for more Lexington film news.

Behind the Music

Jeremy Midkiff (Left) hanging out with Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys

Filmmaker Jeremy Midkiff might be better known to many Lexingtonians as musician Jeremy Midkiff of Big Fresh.

The influence is obviously a big part of the Age/Sex/Location short, and the upcoming feature.

Midkiff says, ?I started playing in bands in high school and I am pretty sure Jonathan started playing guitar and banjo around the same time. I grew up mainly listening to pop music (from the Beatles and Beach Boys to the They Might Be Giants and Michael Jackson). Most of the music I have written for Big Fresh has been influenced by pop music, but in recent years I may me more influenced by hip hop and electronic music. Catchy melodies are still at the heart of what I like. Jonathan is a really good banjo and guitar player. He grew up on country and old-time music. He has played music in many live settings ? most recently playing at Mexican restaurants in Atlanta. There is a little musical interlude in our Age/Sex/Location short, and we hope to have a lot of music in our feature film as well.?

Midkiff? ?grew up in a smaller town (Owensboro, KY) and so when I came to Lexington and started playing a lot of shows with Big Fresh I felt like really embraced and at home. [Lexington] really hasn?t changed much. It is still the perfect sized town where there is a lot going on, but not so much going on where other artists don?t find and support each other.?

They are currently organizing a fundraiser where they?ll show the short film ?and sing and play songs, in character.?

He says,? ?I doubt I will ever stop writing music. I don?t play live much with Big Fresh anymore, but they keep getting better and better and I hope that I can write them even one song that will connect with a lot of people.?

Click here to read an Ace 2000 Big Fresh CD review.

Click to subscribe to the Ace e-dition (delivered to your inbox every Thursday), and stay tuned for more Lexington film news.

Related Archives

Lexpatriate Kentucker Audley?s No Budge Films 2.19.2013

Short Film Night Preview 1.22.2013

Hitting the Cycle 10.11.2012

Reel Visions 8.14.2009

New Crop of Indie Filmmakers in Lex May 1996

Source: http://www.aceweekly.com/2013/03/age-sex-location-lexington-filmmakers-fundraise-from-short-to-feature/

etan patz obama dog doug hutchison larry brown thomas kinkade pat summit brewers

How to get free seeds for your first garden - Mother Nature Network

Starting a garden from seed can be an expensive proposition if you're ordering online and buying from seed catalogs. A handful of harder-to-find heirloom seeds can cost as much as a frou-frou cup of coffee. Factor in shipping charges and you'll be wondering how starting a garden is supposed to save you money.

?

Fortunately, experienced gardeners can be some of the most generous people ? especially where seeds are concerned ? and they are often willing to part with seeds to help a new gardener.

?

Below are some tips on places you can go online and in real life to get your green thumbs on free garden seeds.

?

Gardening forums

When I started my first real outdoor garden, I was lucky enough to have been part of an online forum filled with gardeners who where as generous with their knowledge as they were with the seeds from their gardens. The popularity of social media sites like Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest has depressed participation in online forums, but they're still the place to go to meet serious seed savers and swappers. There are many gardening websites with active communities and seed swapping forums that are worth checking out.

?

Sometimes gardeners unload excess seeds on newbies for what is known as Self-Addressed Stamped Envelopes offers. A SASE seed offer means you will have to send the gardener an envelope with your name and address and stamps that cover the cost of postage of the seeds they are sending you. How many seeds you get will depend on the gardener, but they?re usually more seeds than you could buy for the cost of two postage stamps. GardenWeb is a good place to get started, but also search for some smaller forums where you won?t get lost in the crowd.

?

Seed swaps

?

?

Late winter and early spring is the time of year when gardeners get together and swap seeds saved from their garden the previous year. Gardeners bring in their own saved seeds, and sometimes extra seeds they've purchased, and exchange them at these swaps for seeds they are interested in growing. Usually, to participate in a seed swap you have to take seeds to exchange, but some seed swaps may be set up so that new gardeners who don?t have seeds can take some home with them too. Do a Google search for seed swaps in your community and attend as many as possible to get to know the gardeners in your area.

?

Seed libraries

Seed libraries have been rising in popularity the past couple of years. They can be a standalone project, or they can be connected to the library in your municipality. They work on an honor system; you are allowed to take seeds for free with the understanding that you will return seeds at the end of the season. SeedLibraries.org is a recently formed social network of seed savers and seed librarians. There you?ll find seed libraries across the country and information about starting one in your community.

?

Ask a gardener for free seeds

Maybe you're the kind of person who does not feel comfortable asking strangers for something free. But chances are that you already have a friend who is a gardener, someone you can ask for seeds. It might be a neighbor, family member or even a coworker, and they probably have a seed stash of their own that they will happily dip into to help a new gardener get started.

?

Save your own seeds

Remember the saying "beggars can't be choosers" when you're asking for free seeds. Do not turn your nose up at any seed that is offered for free that you can actually put to use in your garden. Even if it isn?t something you particularly care for, think of seeds as a currency. Grow it in your garden, enjoy the blooms, or eat the fruit, and then save the seeds. By saving these ?unwanted? seeds you will build up your own seed bank. These seeds can be your entrance into a seed swap at the end of the season, they can be used to barter for seeds you do want, and you can use them to make deposits in the seed libraries and seed banks that provided you seeds when you had none. Visit the ?Engage & Grow? tab of the SeedMatters.org website for helpful information on seed saving.

?

Ramon is the original urban garden blogging male espousing a DIY philosophy to gardening and garden projects. Better known online as MrBrownThumb, he?s been demystifying gardening secrets for average gardeners online since 2005. Besides writing the popular?MrBrownThumb?garden blog he?s co-founder of?@SeedChat?on Twitter, the creative director of?One Seed Chicago, and founder of the?Chicago Seed Library.

?

Related posts on MNN:

Source: http://www.mnn.com/your-home/organic-farming-gardening/stories/how-to-get-free-seeds-for-your-first-garden

us open bill nye Hurricane Isaac 2012 Snooki Baby terrell owens terrell owens neil armstrong

Malaysia standoff with armed Filipinos ends in violence

MANILA (Reuters) - A standoff between Malaysian security forces and armed Filipinos ended in violence on Friday, with at least two police officers killed amid conflicting reports of casualties as Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak declared his patience had run out.

Malaysian state news agency Bernama said that two police commandoes had been killed in a mortar attack and two wounded after security forces tried to force out the group of at least 100 Filipinos who have been holed up in eastern Sabah state for more than two weeks.

The Filipino armed clan, followers of the Sultanate of Sulu in the southern Philippines who had demanded recognition and payment from the Malaysian government, said 10 of its members had been killed.

The Philippines only confirmed one death among the group, saying that 10 had surrendered while the rest had fled towards the sea.

Both governments had urged the group to return home and Najib was quoted by Bernama on Friday as saying that patience had run out.

"Do not test our patience, our patience has reached the limit," he was quoted as saying.

"We have a plan to remove them, they should have surrendered and left," said Najib, who must call national elections by April and has come under pressure from the opposition for allowing the bizarre standoff to drag on.

Raul Hernandez, spokesman for the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs, cited Malaysia's ambassador to Manila as saying the standoff was over.

The confrontation had threatened to reignite tension between the Philippines and Malaysia, whose ties have been periodically frayed by security and migration problems along their sea border.

Malaysia's The Star newspaper reported that at least two gunmen had been killed and three police officers wounded.

A hospital in Sandakan, about 90 km (55 miles) from the site of the standoff in Lahad Datu, told Reuters it was preparing to receive three wounded police officers.

The leader of the group earlier told Philippine radio they had been surrounded by Malaysian police, who have warned in recent days that a deadline for them to leave had passed.

The armed group is demanding recognition from Malaysia and renegotiation of the original terms of a lease on Sabah by the Sultanate to a British trading company in the 19th century. Malaysian officials have said the group's demands would not be met.

(Reporting by Niluksi Koswanage and Anuradha Raghu in Kuala Lumpur; Rosemarie Francisco and Manny Mogato in Manila; Editing by Stuart Grudgings and Nick Macfie)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/malaysia-police-raid-village-end-stand-off-says-042443179.html

Tropical Storm Sandy W S B H c mitt romney

Bulgaria president calls May election after protests

SOFIA (Reuters) - Bulgaria will hold an early election on May 12, the president said on Thursday, seeking a way out of a political crisis that could undermine the Balkan country's economic stability.

Prime Minister Boiko Borisov resigned last week after nationwide protests against high electricity prices, and plans to cut prices and revoke the distribution license of Czech utility CEZ could deter other investors.

The European Union's poorest country has kept its debt and deficit low to maintain confidence in a currency peg to the euro, introduced in 1997 after mass protests against hyperinflation toppled a leftist government.

But demonstrations by tens of thousands of Bulgarians have already forced some concessions and whoever wins the election will be under considerable pressure to spend and raise living standards that are less than half the EU average.

"I believe that the necessary key changes in the laws should be decided by a new parliament. The decision is to hold elections," President Rosen Plevneliev told a packed session of parliament.

The average wage is just 400 euros a month and pension less than half that, so electricity prices - although among the EU's lowest - bite particularly deep, particularly in winter when many people use it to heat their homes.

All major Bulgarian parties have said they do not want to form a government in the current parliament.

(Reporting by Sam Cage and Tsvetelia Tsolova; Editing by Alison Williams)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/bulgaria-president-calls-early-poll-protests-082817668.html

frank martin pink slime eagle cam trayvon martin case affordable care act the line us soccer

Here's Who Is Really to Blame for Sequestration (Atlantic Politics Channel)

Share With Friends: | | Politics - Top Stories Stories, RSS Feeds and Widgets via Feedzilla.

Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/288021499?client_source=feed&format=rss

Nancy Lanza school shootings cbs news Jenni Rivera Adam Lanza Facebook the hobbit mick jagger

Land Rover EV prototypes tread lightly uphill, recharge on the way down

Instant torque feels delicious on the highway, but it could be an even bigger asset in an offroader. Land Rover has been experimenting with electric versions of its Defender 110 for a while now, and claims its latest prototypes benefit from a reduction in wheel spin due to the single-speed motor, making them more adept at climbing and less likely to churn up the environment. The prototypes don't necessarily stand out in terms of raw specs: they're 25 percent heavier than turbodiesel models, with lower horsepower and torque ratings, and with a range of just 50 miles. They try to make up for it in other ways, however, with the ability to deliver up to eight hours of slow, grueling off-road time, where range is secondary to staying upright, and by exploiting Land Rover's Hill Descent Control feature for faster recharging through regenerative braking. There's no plan to bring an EV Defender to market any time soon, or to run the Dakar gauntlet like some rivals have, but the prototypes are due to make appearance at the Geneva Motor Show before being tested for painful-sounding "specialist applications" later in the year.

Filed under: Transportation

Comments

Via: Autoblog, Forbes

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/03/01/land-rover-ev-prototypes/

millennial media nit championship transcendentalism bells palsy channel 5 news uc berkeley harrison barnes