DT Fine Art

Konnichiwa! After spending a beautiful weekend in Kyoto visiting temples, meditating, and walking through magnificent Japanese gardens, Im back in Tokyo for the launch of the Huffington Post Japan. After a few nights of sleep discombobulation, Im fully adjusted to the 13-hour time difference — the transition made easier by the spirit of omotenashi, the legendary and very real Japanese tradition of hospitality. Im here with my daughter Isabella and a small team of HuffPost international editors, joining our talented HuffPost Japan team in their Akihabara offices to launch the new edition, our first in Asia. We are all elated that after launching editions in the UK, Canada, France, Spain, and Italy, HuffPost has gone east — not only to a new country, but to a new continent, and a new hemisphere, with consequences that are anything but symbolic. The launch of Huffington Post Japan represents the fulfillment of our goal of inviting ever more voices from around the world to join our growing global conversation. And its living proof — since Huffington Post Japan is live as of today — of the way 21st century media have transcended once-formidable barriers of geography, language, and culture.

Any time would be a fascinating time to launch HuffPost in Japan, right now the country is living through a pivotal moment. The countrys prime minster, Shinzo Abe, took office — for the second time — in 2012, and has vowed to avoid the austerity-related missteps of so many other world leaders, so that Japan might make a break with the shrinking economy of the past. The tragic consequences of the devastating earthquake, tsunami and nuclear disaster that wreaked so much destruction in March, 2011, are still very much apparent — as are the remarkable displays of resilience, courage, and empathy that followed in the tragedys wake and continue through to the present.

In addition to telling the stories of such defining events, and inviting Japans people to tell their own stories, HuffPost Japan will be exploring and celebrating the countrys culture, from deeply-rooted traditions — including zen meditation and tea ceremonies, with their rich rituals and fascinating tea masters like Sen no Rikyu — to its embrace of oddball pursuits, like, yes, crying baby contests. Well also be putting the spotlight on Japans unique approach to one of my favorite subjects, sleep — from capsule hotels to the abundant photoblogs of people sleeping on trains. And of course HuffPost Japan will be a place to discuss pastimes like food, books, theater, movies, travel, and sports.

When it comes to media, Japan presents unique challenges and opportunities. As our CEO Jimmy Maymann has said, In most markets, around 20-25 percent of our audience is coming from mobile, but in Japan that will be so different. Mobile Internet in Japan is Internet. Three of the biggest newspapers in the world are produced in Japan. At the same time, the Japanese are voracious users of social media and social-networking sites — not only Facebook and Twitter, but smartphone services like Line, Comm and Gree. Akira Morikawa, a developer of Line, has described the rapid growth of social messaging as a movement, adding that we hope it will spread to the US, Europe, and elsewhere.

For years, Asahi Shimbun has prioritized giving back to various communities and causes in Japan, and especially to organizations that support culture and sports. Several of its finest hours as a news organization have come at times of tragedy and difficulty in Japan, notably in its comprehensive coverage of the Fukushima nuclear disaster in 2011 and its uncovering of the Recruit insider trading scandal in the late 1980s. And key to its philosophy — and its growth — is looking beyond Japans borders and speaking to the wider world: in addition to Japanese, Asahi Shimbun reports in English, Chinese and Korean.

Finally, the company is not only a pillar of journalism, but of civic values. As Asahi Shimbuns president Kimura Tadakazu has written, We believe that mutual understanding deepens and democracy matures when we respect and listen to one another without self-righteousness and when we voice our individual views in a straightforward manner. And here is the companys credo, introduced in 1952: To be impartial and unbiased; to safeguard freedom of speech and thus contribute to the perfecting of a democratic nation and the ensuring of world peace. To be devoted to the welfare of the nation, in the name of justice and humanitarianism; to reject all forms of wrongdoing, violence and corruption. To report the truth fairly and promptly; to keep editorial comment liberal, yet impartial. To cherish tolerance at all times; to preserve a sense of responsibility and dignity without sacrificing vitality and freshness.

HuffPost Japans editor-in-chief is Shigeki Matsuura. Born on Hokkaido, Japans second-largest island, he graduated from Tokyo University of Science and worked for several IT and media companies, including Conde Nast Publications Japan, where he helped launch the Japanese edition of Wired. He also helped launch BLOGOS, and even designed an orbit route for a satellite. More recently, he managed GREE News, part of the mobile and gaming company GREE, growing the site both financially and in terms of traffic. He writes in his launch-day post The Huffington Post Japan hopes to be the place where we have an honest conversation about the future of Japan, and our editors will work to bring your voices and ideas onto our pages to achieve this.

Our launch day lineup of bloggers includes Yukio Edano, member of the Japanese House of Representatives, on whether the prime ministers ecomonic policies, known as Abenomics, will fix Japans persistent deflation; Seiko Noda, also a member of the House of Representatives, on her hopes for new policies that benefit women in the Japanese workforce; former Miss Japan Yurie Yoshino on her battle with a rare form of cancer; and the University of Tokyos Kenji Shibuya on ways Japans aging population can stay healthy.

It has been such a pleasure working with everyone who has helped make possible the launch of HuffPost Japan — a group effort that has spanned many months across two continents. At The Asahi Shimbun Company, we are grateful to CEO Toshikazu Kimura, Shinichi Yoshida, Yoichi Nishimura, Takamichi Ono, Yoshiichi Yada and Eri Goto. At HuffPost Japan, deep thanks to our editor in chief Shigeki Matsuura, front page editor Chitose Wada, traffic and trends editor Atsushi Nagayama, reporter Chika Igaya, news editors Akihiro Chishiro and Naoko Utsumiya, and blog editors Kenji Ando and Kaori Matsumoto. At AOL Japan: Yasushi Okue, Noriaki Sakata, Yuji Ando, for their contributions that brought us to this day. And of course, deep thanks to our US-based HuffPost team who have spent a lot of time both in New York and Tokyo training the Japanese editors and bringing the HuffPost DNA to Japan: Nicholas Sabloff, David Flumenbaum, Joanna Zelman, John Pavley, Otto Toth, Nik Petrov, Philip Moortgat and the rest of our great tech team.

So please join us in welcoming Japan to the HuffPost family. And as always, please use the comments section to let us know what you think.

In some ways, walking into Deb Maevers antique store, Pastimes Antiques, is like stepping into your mom or grandmothers closet. There is an abundance of fabulous vintage clothing just waiting to help you make a fashion statement.

And thats what inspired the Vintage NOW fashion show, which takes vintage pieces and mixes them with modern clothing for a fresh look.

I had an idea, Maevers says. We have so much vintage clothing, I thought wouldnt it be great to have a fashion show?

She credits her husband with finding the perfect name for the show. I spent weeks coming up with some ideas, Maevers says. It was a simple man thing. He asked me What are you trying to say with this show? I said I wanted to show women how to wear vintage (clothes) now, and he looked at me and said You just found your name.

She also credits her husband with having the show benefit an organization. I immediately thought of Safe House (for Women), Maevers says. Its women helping women.

Courtesy of B the Difference

Drinking and dining are some of South Floridians favorite
pastimes, but these indulgences all that much better when theyre for a higher
purpose. So for anyone feeling like a Good Samaritan this Saturday, theres Cheers
to B, a charitable mixology competition and mixer kicking off at Fort
Lauderdales Antique Car Museum.

The evening serves to benefit B the Difference, a neurofibromatosis (NF) charity dedicated to the memory
of Brandon Merritt, a 22-year-old South Florida native who died from the
disease last year. 100% of the proceeds will go toward the Childrens Tumor
Foundation, ultimately, to help find a cure for NF.

Brandon was an amazing person with the biggest heart and smile who would do anything for anybody. His love and compassion for his family and friends was 110%. He touched everyone who was lucky enough to cross paths with him, said Jackie Eisen, Co-Producer of the event along with Brandons sisters, Stephanie and Jessica Merritt.

As far as food details, the feast will include carving stations, meatballs, lamb chops, mini hot dogs, gourmet hors doeuvres, cheese platters, cold appetizers, pastas and desserts galore. Theyll also feature five mixology stations (featuring Double Cross vodka), each pouring a cocktail created just for the event.

These include:

Cucumber Mint by Marriott Harbor Beach:Double Cross Vodka infused with Cucumbers and Mint

Ortanique Lychee Martini by Gilbert Velilla:Double Cross Vodka, Lychee Juice, Lychee Liqueur

Cooper Avenue Carpathian Cooler by Cricket Nelson:Double Cross Vodka, Ginger Liqueur, Pear Liqueur, Fresh Lemon Juice, Riesling, Served with a splash of club soda

Haven by Isaac Grillo:Double Cross Vodka, Elderflower Liqueur, Fresh Lemon Juice, Fresh Basil, Served with a splash of Cranberry Juice

Michaels Genuine Food amp; Drink Market Special by Ryan Goodspeed:Double Cross Vodka, Cranberries, Apple Cider and Ginger Beer

Guests will get the chance to taste each creation and vote for their favorite. The winning drink will be crowned Official Cheers to B! 2012 Cocktail. The main bar will also feature a Double Cross Dirty Martini (served with truffled blue cheese-stuffed olives) and a Double Cross Pear Martini. The event will also include a live and silent auction component.

Sounds like therell be gluttonous amounts of food and drink to go around – and all for the sake of a good cause. We cant think of a better way to spend a Saturday night.

Tickets for the event run $100 per person and can be purchased athttps://grow.ctf.org/CheerstoB. It runs from 7 to 10 pm at the Fort Lauderdale Antique Car Museum at 1527 SouthWest 1st Avenue in downtown Fort Lauderdale.

Its arguably the most universal of all sports-related pastimes – second-guessing a head coachs starting lineup after his team loses.

After the Vancouver Whitecaps looked awful in a 1-0 home loss to Portland on Sunday, fans and pundits were quick to point out many roster mistakes made by head coach Martin Rennie.

But one stood out above all others.

If speed does indeed kill in soccer, like it does in most sports, why not start your two fastest forwards – Darren Mattocks and Dane Richards?

Mattocks, the teams leading scorer, had recovered from a hamstring injury and Richards was full of confidence after scoring two goals for Jamaica last week to help his country advance in World Cup qualifying.

Rennie did well not to roll his eyes when asked the question after the Caps trained Wednesday at Burnaby Lake.

We had won four-nil the game before and were looking like a great team, he said, in reference to the Caps 4-0 win over the lowly Chivas USA on Oct. 3. You dont change things too much in that situation.

Rennie started Kenny Miller and Camilo Sanvezzo up front that game and the pairing looked effective until Miller suffered a hamstring injury. Mattocks was injured then, but Richards scored a goal after coming on as an early-game substitute for Miller.

Rennie appreciates the interest in his team, but stressed he cant be too concerned about other peoples opinions.

Some people think Atiba (Harris) should have started, he said. At the end of the day, I like the fact theres a lot of interest in our team and that theres a lot of media coverage. There are opinions I would agree with and others I disagree with. I dont really follow (the second-guessing) that closely.

Mattocks and Richards were the first substitutes Rennie put on the field in the second half against Portland and expect the two Jamaican internationals to get more playing time against Real Salt Lake on Saturday night as the team prepares for its one-game playoff against the Los Angeles Galaxy on Nov. 1.

I think that Dane and Darren are a big threat and Im sure theyll be a big part of what were doing in the next couple of games, Rennie said.

Richards, with three goals and one assist for the Caps since arriving from the New York Red Bulls in July, feels his speed and game-breaking abilities work well in Rennies system.

All the midfielders are trying to find me whenever they get the chance, he said. The system helps exploit my speed in one-on-one situations with defenders.

Richards spent 5½ seasons in New York before coming to Vancouver in a trade for Sebas-tien Le Toux and hell be gone soon, as hes set to join English Championship side Burnley in January.

He has played well at BC Place, scoring all three of his goals there, but hopes to improve his performances on the road, especially in Los Angeles next week.

I would love to help our team beat LA, he said. That would be the best memory I would have of Vancouver – going to LA and beating the Galaxy because theyre one of the kingpins of MLS.

Mattocks, an MLS Rookie of the Year candidate with seven goals and one assist in 19 games, hoped to score 12 goals this year but injuries and a freak early-season cooking accident limited his playing time.

He said hes still learning to connect with teammates as he tries to run in behind opposing defenders.

Sometimes the passes dont come as I want them and other times the passes are good but I make the wrong run, he said. Its all a learning process. Mattocks said scoring a couple of timely road goals over the next week would erase a lot of the frustration he has felt at times this season.

If I could score a couple of goals against Salt Lake and LA and help the team get to the next round, that would cap off a fantastic season, he said.

SIDE KICKS: Defender/ midfielder Alain Rochat, who suffered a charley horse in the game against Portland, appeared fully recovered when training with the team Wednesday … Atlanta Silverbacks forward Matt Horth is on trial with the Caps this week. The 6-3, 194-pound Ohio native has 18 goals in 49 appearances for Atlanta in the past two seasons.

bconstantineau@vancouversun.com

October 30, 2012 10:59
Newport village green inquiry hears barrister sumup

A field in Newport which is at the centre of a battle to build a giant supermarket is used for ‘all manner of different sports and pastimes’, a public inquiry has heard.

The Oklahoma Thunders trade of James Harden was not something done in a vacuum that affects just the defending Western Conference champs and the Houston Rockets.

Instead, a move of thatmagnitudeshakes the foundation of everything we thoughtwe knew as the 2012-13 NBA season gets underway. Teams that were thought to bepseudo-contenders suddenly have an incredibly clearer road, and the already loaded Western Conference just got yet another fringe playoff team.

The move also shakes up one of my favorite NBA pastimes: the power rankings.

With that in mind, heres a look at where every team ranks heading into the tipoff of what should be a captivating season.

1. Miami Heat

Its quite simple here. The Heat are the defending NBA champions, have far and away the leagues best player and a vastly improved supporting cast.

Any prognosticators who fail to put Miami atop their power rankings, quite frankly, have some explaining to do in order to recapture their credibility.

2. Los Angeles Lakers

Injuries to Kobe Bryant and Dwight Howard linger over Los Angeles coming into the season, but this is a team that will only get better as the season goes along.

The addition of Howard, Steve Nash and a cabal of veteran bench guys obviously makes this roster far more formidable than in 2011-12.

If there is any team that can take down LeBron James and Co. in 2012-13, that squad is the Lakers.

3. San Antonio Spurs

One of falls favorite pastimes is picking out a perfect pumpkin. You take it home, and carefully carve a jack-o-lantern to display on Halloween. But what happens to the rest of the pumpkin? Often it ends up being discarded. However, the seemingly useless insides of your pumpkin are actually very nutritious and can provide you and your family a base for healthy recipes and tasty fall treats.

Pumpkins, like most vegetables, are low in fat and have a moderate amount of carbohydrates. In one cup there are 12 grams of carbohydrates, with only 2.5 grams of sugar and nearly 3 grams of fiber. This is about 10 percent of your recommended daily fiber value. The bright orange color of pumpkins indicates that they are packed with beta-carotene, or vitamin A. This is an antioxidant that aids your body in fighting infections and helps keep your eyes and skin healthy. One cup of cooked pumpkin contains 245 percent of your recommended daily value of vitamin A. Pumpkins also contain 19 percent of your recommended vitamin C intake and 16 percent of daily potassium. It is also a source of iron and calcium, making the colorful fall vegetable a healthy ingredient to use as part of your fall menu.

If you live on the East Coast, we cant think of a better way to pass the time in this post-Hurricane Sandy limbo than making crafts and watching YouTube videos (and, even if youre not in the Frankenstorms wake, we still think those happen to be pretty great activities for any occasion/lunch break). Luckily, Chrissie Millers awesome new web show, Club Chrissie, combines both of those pastimes (you can peep the premiere, which launched on PAPERMAG last week and features Miller tie-dying sneakers with Maxine Ashley, HERE). In this latest episode, Millers Sophomore colleague (and all around cool girl — just scope her hair!) Leah Dell comes into the clubhouse to make iron-on vintage t-shirts. Watch the two chat, play with Millers puppet friends and get their crafting on.

You can head to i am OTHER to see more episodes of Club Chrissie.

A GROUP campaigning to protect a treasured green space in Walcot was shocked when its application to designate it as a village green was returned by Swindon Council.

Swindon Walcot and Parks community group wants to gain the status for Buckhurst Field, between Buckhurst Crescent and Chickerell Road, to safeguard it against development.

Under the Commons Act 2006, the applicant has to show that a significant number of inhabitants have indulged as of right in sports and pastimes on the land for at least 20 years, and they continue to do so at the time of the application.

One of Austins favorite pastimes is parsing words, a game that runs neck and neck with piling up studies that nervous politicians then use to justify indecision, inaction or delay.

A rapidly growing region requires infrastructure, but more than that, it requires leaders who are secure enough and decisive enough to make a decision and defend it clearly. To lead is to choose, and choosing means making someone unhappy.

The rematch between Democrat Karen Huber and Republican Gerald Daugherty really boils down to choosing and living with the consequences. Huber, who represents Southwest Travis County on the Commissioners Court, defeated Daugherty four years ago, and Daugherty is running hard to return the gesture or maybe its a favor considering that public funds are going to shrink at a time when demands for services like roads are going to grow.

Both candidates have strong business backgrounds, and both are well-acquainted with the daunting demands of representing a corner of the county that is geographically and politically challenging. When it comes to making unpopular choices and living with the consequences, we pick Daugherty. You may not like the answer hell give you, but he doesnt stutter, nor does he cite statistics. He was a pleasant surprise for us during his previous stint on the five-member Commissioners Court. He was thoughtful, asked good questions and came prepared.

For the past four years, County Commissioner Karen Huber has been answering questions about building a stretch of Texas 45 Southwest that would relieve the congestion on Brodie Lane. Critics say shes blocking construction because she opposes constructing the highway. Huber says she wants more information about whether building the road will be an effective use of public money. That, of course, means more study. That, in turn, has further infuriated residents of the Shady Hollow neighborhood who live with the commuter traffic on Brodie Lane and have been asking for relief since the early 1990s.

Its difficult to argue with Hubers stated desire to spend public money effectively, but her commitment has been inconsistent. She didnt waste time studying a request from the Travis County Sheriffs Law Enforcement Association for an expensive raise. In fact, she cast a deciding vote for an 11.4 percent pay raise that the union representing Travis County sheriffs deputies wanted. The countys budget and human resources staff warned commissioners that a survey the union used to justify the raise was skewed.

Huber, along with Commissioners Ron Davis and Margaret Gomez, ignored those warnings and, moreover, voted against a more reasonable pay increase proposal offered by County Judge Sam Biscoe and Commissioner Sarah Eckhardt.

The court majority voted to cover the $10.1 million cost of the pay raise by tapping into reserve funds. Biscoe said county commissioners hadnt dipped into reserves to pay for raises before at least during his time on the court. Biscoe was elected county commissioner in 1988 and was elected county judge in 1997.

It was an expensive decision, and when asked about it, Huber said that she wants to ensure that line officers are paid adequately. Two groups representing Travis County sheriffs deputies endorsed Huber and contributed $22,000 to her re-election, according to campaign finance reports.

Our history with Daugherty has been a little complicated. We admire his tenacity but worried when he ran in 2000 that he would be a one-issue officeholder. His unwavering advocacy for roads and his staunch opposition to light rail are legendary. When he took office, though, Daugherty demonstrated a thorough, thoughtful approach to decision making. Yes, hes direct, but not disrespectful. That means you dont have to guess where he is on a given issue.

Daugherty earned the respect of a courthouse crowd dominated by Democrats. He may not be able to convince you of his point of view, but at least most people can understand why he votes the way he does.

We parted ways with Daugherty, however, over his opposition to legislation that would have given counties ordinance-making authority. Were still not in agreement on that issue, but Daugherty explains that ordinance-making authority doesnt stand a chance of getting through the Legislature anytime in the foreseeable future. Its a typically blunt, practical assessment with which we cant disagree.

The Travis County Commissioners Court needs that kind of skeptical pragmatism that Daugherty embodies. Precinct 3 voters should return him to the Commissioners Court.