Conscious Evolution TV

By Christopher Kelly

All of my friends and relatives warned me not to adopt a Jack Russell terrier.

This was the summer of 2009. My previous dog, a wonderfully mellow 14-year-old sheltie, had passed away that year, and I was finally ready to adopt a new pet. While searching the shelter for dogs one afternoon, I fell in love with a 3-year-old Jack Russell whose previous owners had to leave the country.But everyone I asked told me to steer clear: "Too energetic and high-strung." "Stubborn and willful." "You'll spend half your day walking him, and the other half buying new shoes to replace the ones he will chew up."Lucky for me, I ignored them and brought Tucker home on June 30, 2010. Little did I know I'd be on the vanguard of a trend, one that reaches its culmination on Oscar night, as The Artist -- and its adorable Jack Russell, Uggie -- competes for 10 Academy Awards.Jack Russells, the scrappy little fox hunters that were first bred by the Rev. John Russell in the United Kingdom in the mid-19th century, have been on the Hollywood radar screen for decades, on TV shows like Frasier and in movies like The Mask. Among celebrities who own the dogs are Mariah Carey, Bette Midler and Paul McCartney. But it all came together for the breed in 2011.First came Beginners, which featured Cosmo, a Jack Russell that plays Arthur, the loyal companion to the aging gay father played by Oscar nominee Christopher Plummer. That high-pitched bark, that nervous yelp whenever you leave the house, the quiet and simple pleasure he takes in plopping down on your lap: Cosmos' was a performance that brilliantly inhabited the Jack Russell experience.Soon after, Uggie began his fabulous run. A longtime bit player in commercials and forgotten movies like Mr. Fix It and Paul Blart: Mall Cop, he first garnered attention in 2011 in Water for Elephants. He had a small supporting role as Queenie, the dog of the circus dwarf Kinko (Mark Povinelli). Uggie followed that, of course, with his dazzling work in The Artist. Without so much as an audible bark to let us know what he was thinking, he powerfully captured his character's devotion to his master and his deep bravery.The awards for that performance have been considerable -- a Pawscar, a Golden Collar, the Palme Dog at last year's Cannes Film Festival -- and justifiably so. Not since Asta, the wire-haired fox terrier in the "Thin Man" films, has one canine so quickly entered the pop-culture galaxy.Hollywood is fickle. Tastes quickly change, especially when it comes to dogs. Uggie and his owners, no doubt preferring to avoid the post-Oscar curse, recently announced that the now-10-year-old Jack Russell would be retiring. He will busy himself instead as the first ever "spokesdog" for Nintendo, and lounge by the pool.Already there are signs that, by this time next year, we'll be buzzing about another breed entirely. Last month, director Martin Scorsese wrote a letter to the Los Angeles Times protesting that the Doberman pinscher from Hugo hadn't gotten nearly the attention it deserved. A Pekingese named Malachy (ugly even by the standards of Pekingese, if you ask me) recently won the Westminster Kennel Club "Best in Show" prize.But as a proud Jack Russell terrier owner, and a fan of both The Artist and Beginners, I can only thank the likes of Cosmo and Uggie for letting the world in on my little secret: They may require a little extra energy and attention. They may bark when you leave the house and jump all over you when you return, even if only 15 seconds have elapsed. They may eat more peanut butter treats than you can afford.But if it's companionship, affection, personality, spirit, protectiveness and intelligence you're after in a dog, then every year is the year of the Jack Russell.

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Love for this show-stealing breed is personal

Srishti Dances of India will collaborate with The Spilling Ink Project to present "Samudra: Churning Oceans."

Indian dance often is revered for its ornate costumes, highly stylized steps and routines steeped in rich religious references.

But for Srishti Dances of India, an Odissi/Indian classical dance company founded in 1997 in Pittsburgh, the art form is more than just a museum piece.

"We're moving away from the exotic aspect of it to thinking of it more as a rich vocabulary for contemporary expression," says artistic director Sreyashi Dey.

Her troupe of six dancers, now based in Ann Arbor, Mich., will challenge audiences to find the here and now in the dance style's history with "Samudra: Churning Oceans," which has its world premiere this weekend at the Kelly-Strayhorn Theater as part of the East Liberty venue's 2011-12 "KST Presents" season.

'Samudra: Churning Oceans'

Where: Kelly-Strayhorn Theater, East Liberty.

When: 8 p.m. today and Saturday

Tickets: $25 in advance, $30 at the door, $20 for residents of 15206 and $15 for students and artists. 1-800-838-3006 or http://www.kelly-strayhorn.org.

Information: A pre-show mixer will be held at 7 p.m. both evenings. A post-show talk with artists will follow Saturday's performance.

Regulars at the Kelly-Strayhorn may remember Srishti Dances of India from its performance in fall 2010. This time, the group will collaborate with The Spilling Ink Project, a Washington, D.C-based classical Indian dance company founded in 2007 by Carnegie Mellon University graduate Vijay Palaparty. Next weekend, they'll perform together in Washington, D.C., and hope to tour the piece more widely in the future, Ms. Dey says.

In "Samudra," dancers tap historical Indian dance forms to present a choreographic collection of personal narratives, highlighted with multimedia projections.

"You can think of the whole thing as a journey where we explore our own personal journeys as dancers, as artists, as human beings [and] also as people who have at some point ... migrated from one country to another," says Ms. Dey, who moved to the United States from India about 25 years ago.

Costuming will be more contemporary than what is typical for classical Indian dance.

"We want to focus more on the ideas and on the journey and the personal identity and issues like that rather than leading the audience to focus more on the heavy cultural aspects in terms of the very traditional jewelry and heavy makeup," she says.

Music for the production was recorded in India and in Washington, D.C., and weaves together the traditional and more modern aspects of the different types of Indian dance audiences will see.

"The objective of the performance isn't to compare and contrast the two styles," Ms. Dey says. "It's focusing more on the synergies and the combined expressions of these ideas."

Audiences do not need to be familiar with any of the styles to connect with the program.

"What we are trying to do is reach a larger audience," says Nalini Prakash, co-artistic director of The Spilling Ink Project. "We try to go just beyond the storytelling aspects" of gods and goddesses.

"I would say the main thing would be to not think of the classical dance forms from only a cultural perspective, to not think of them as these exotic dance forms with pretty costumes," Ms. Dey says. "That's not what we would like people to come away with. We would like people to think of it as a medium of expression."

First published on February 24, 2012 at 12:00 am

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Srishti Dances of India reflects on personal stories in 'Samudra'

BY GREG KLEIN

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Organizers of the Clark Sports Center’s new “Commit to be Fit” program had their doubts about the program. “We were unsure if it was going to be a success,” said Doug McCoy, Clark personal training coordinator and co-designer of the program. “It was a lot of work in the beginning.

We had to get all the department heads to sign off on it, we had to present it to all the staff members. I think we worried that after all that, it might not be (a success).” Those fears were erased by the second day of sign-ups, when 100 Clark members had “committed” to the program.

That was nearly as many as had participated last year in the Pound for Pound Challenge, which the Commit program is replacing. The Pound for Pound was a weight loss program that rewarded members for losing weight with membership discounts and a chart of their success. TheCommit program is similar, but doesn’t just focus on weight loss. It charts members participation throughout the fitness center, keeping a log of all their activities, and helping them try new activities and learn new skills.

Now eight weeks into the new program, McCoy and his fellow designer, Emily Kishbaugh, can see how successful they have been.

“Last year, when we would put the results on the charts, you could see the spot where results started leveling off,” said Kishbaugh, Marketing Specialist and Program Coordinator for the sports center.

“It isn’t that people were going backward, but they just weren’t improving anymore. Here, everyone turns in their account logs, and you can see the hard work every time.”

The numbers for the new program are impressive. A total of 255 members are in the program, about a sixth of theClark’s total membership and nearly 30 percent of the adult members. Pool attendance and fitness class participation are up from last year by significant amounts. More people are attending the monthly health seminars too.

Even website viewings have gone up, five percent so far this year, and the Commit to be Fit website is the fourth most viewed page on the Clark site. More impressive than the numbers, however, are the individual stories.

“I don’t do this for the discount,” said Joanie Lee, 65 of Fly Creek. “I don’t do this to compete with the other members, although I have lost more weight than my daughter. I am doing this for my self-esteem. When you see what you have done at the end of the day, it really makes you proud.”

Lee, who worked in human resources at Basset untilhealth problems forced her into retirement, has suffered from debilitating back problems.

“I have had major surgeries that have failed,” she said.“At one point, I really hit the duldrums. When I saw this program, I decided to sign up and see what I could do.”

Lee said she has lost 12 pounds in eight weeks and greatly improved her back strength. She said she is particularly impressed with her yoga instructor, Katherine Walters.

“She’s wonderful,” Lee said. “She went to a retreat in Texas and she knows all the esoteric names and positions. We have a great class. There’s a 91- year old woman. There’s a 95-year old woman. We have everyone from a 95-pounder to a 400-plus pound woman. She has to sit on a chair thewhole time, but she is doing the exercises. Everyone in the program is losing weight.

“The thing is, you do what you can do, and they never push you past your limits,” Lee said. “If they work here, then they are there for you.”

Part of the appeal of the new program is that it takes advantage of the entirecenter and not just the weight room.

“You get credit for everything you do that is working out,” said Kishbaugh. Adds McCoy, “We wanted to do something that made people want to work out. This way it is always something different.

I hear people saying ‘man, I haven’t been in a pool in years. I really love it!’” Each week, participants are given new challenges and encouraged to work out in different ways. New exercises are taught, new skills learned.

Tips and recipes for healthy eating are included. Results are logged in personal books, passports as they are called, and certified by instructors.

There are charts hanging on the walls that show who is having the most success— members are identified by number, not by name—and the challenges can spur some friendly competition.

“It has become a social thing,” McCoy said. “You see people looking at the weekly chart and you hear people talking about the results. Like ‘wow, number 22 really had a good week. I have to work harder to beat 22.’”

For McCoy, the program has become an extension of his personal journey.

“I had a sedentary job,” said the former van driver, “and I had gained a lot of weight. I started working out. Then I became interested in why I was working out, and what I was doing.”

McCoy became a part-time personal trainer at the Clark in 2000, and went full time four years ago. He said he was particularly interested in helping people find a successful routine.

“For me, when I first started working out, the hardest part was committing to a regular program. It is hard to keep to a routine,” he said.

It may be hard work, but with the help of their instructors, the Commit participants have also been successful.

Since the program started, the 255 members have worked out for 3,373-plus hours, and an average of 562 hours a week. Even the staff members are getting into it. Where just 12 did the previous program, 45 are now signed up for the new one.

Phase one of the program started on Jan. 2 and runs through May, but the program will continue throughout the year. Phase two will start in late spring and include more outdoor activities to take advantage of the weather.

“We’re going to keep it going,” McCoy said. “We want to give our members more ways to make healthy life changes.”

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Fitness program ‘success’

LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

GPS personal tracking devices and applications are forecast to grow with a CAGR of 40%, with both markets breaking $1 billion in 2017.

Senior analyst Patrick Connolly says, “The hardware market remained below 100,000 units in 2011. However, it is forecast to reach 2.5 million units in 2017, with significant growth in elderly, health, and lone worker markets. Dedicated devices can offer significant benefits, with insurance and liability increasingly encouraging the use of approved equipment.”

“We are also seeing the first signs of leading CE companies entering the market, such as Qualcomm, Apple (via PocketFinder), Garmin, Cobra, etc. and there will also be significant partnerships and acquisitions in this space as new entrants looks to add tracking to their portfolio,” adds Connolly. Other markets include family, personal items (e.g. luggage), and pet and offender tracking.

There is an addressable market of over 120 million people across these markets alone, with over two million US elderly using non-GPS Personal Emergency Response Systems (PERS). However, awareness, battery life, economic conditions, and high subscription fees remain significant barriers. There is also a fear that smartphone applications will cannibalize the market.

The application market is already booming, with Life360 reaching 10 million downloads for its family locator application. Long term, these solutions will become part of much bigger security and health markets, growing to over 200 million downloads in 2017, as well as the majority of total tracking market revenue.

Group director Dominique Bonte adds, “In particular, carrier platforms represent a major revenue generator opportunity for family locator applications, matching their secure image and offering differentiation to family subscription plans. Companies such as Location Labs and TCS are already seeing success in this space.”

ABI Research’s new report, “Personal Location Devices and Applications Market,” (http://www.abiresearch.com/research/1010467) identifies the key growth markets for GPS tracking devices, analyzing each market individually to enable companies to identify the market that best fits their approach. The competitive environment is also analyzed.

This report is part of the firm’s Location Platforms and Enablers Research Service (http://www.abiresearch.com/products/service/Location_Platforms_and_Enablers_Research_Service).

ABI Research provides in-depth analysis and quantitative forecasting of trends in global connectivity and other emerging technologies. From offices in North America, Europe and Asia, ABI Research’s worldwide team of experts advises thousands of decision makers through 40+ research and advisory services. Est. 1990. For more information visit http://www.abiresearch.com, or call +1.516.624.2500.

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Personal Tracking to Be the Next Billion Dollar GPS Market, According to ABI Research

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The White House on Thursday vowed to raise the level of privacy on the Web through a series of personal data protection measures it calls the Consumer Privacy Bill of Rights. The initiative calls for, among other things, companies that gather information online to provide users with greater control over what information is collected and how it’s used.

The framework is also intended to ensure that companies use customer data in the same context that it was collected. For example, it’s expected that online retailers disclose consumers’ names and home addresses to shippers in order to fulfill customers’ orders. This is a consistent use of the information, much like a social network using member profile information to improve and add services. When an online retailer or social network discloses personal information about its customers or members to a third-party marketing company, then the data is in danger of being used out of context to sell consumers things in which they have expressed no interest.

The Obama administration’s bill of rights is part of a larger Consumer Data Privacy in a Networked World report (pdf) that the administration issued Thursday to encourage the development of enforceable privacy policies both nationwide and internationally. In a statement, the White House expressed the hope that Congress would pass laws that create consistency in how personal information may be used rather than leaving it up to individual companies.

Even if the Consumer Privacy Bill of Rights doesn’t lead to legislation, the hope is that industry groups will use the document’s provisions to create more uniform rules for managing personal information. The White House holds up private-sector Internet standards-setting organizations such as the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) and the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) as examples to follow, given their use of transparent processes to set Internet-related technical standards. Such standards support an ever-growing growing range of online services and applications, as well as the trillions of dollars in global commerce, the report says.

Adherence to any new privacy rules would be voluntary, but the White House wants to give the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) the power to enforce penalties on those who promise to follow these rules yet fail to protect personal information entrusted to them. “We must reject the conclusion that privacy is an outmoded value,” President Obama points out in the report’s introduction.

In the coming weeks, the Commerce Department’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration is expected to meet with companies, organizations and individuals impacted by the new privacy guidelines. The White House’s report points out that it does not intend to hinder the U.S.’s online retail business, estimated to be worth $145 billion annually. “New uses of personal data in location services, protected by appropriate privacy and security safeguards, could create important business opportunities,” according to the report.

Image courtesy of Sam Burt Photography, via iStockphoto.com

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`Bill of Rights' Aims to Give Consumers More Control Over Personal Info Online

By Chris Foy

Last updated at 11:32 PM on 23rd February 2012

Owen Farrell accepted the latest rapid step in his personal development yesterday in the same relaxed manner that he has dealt with every other challenge in his burgeoning career.

Not even suddenly having to take on a No 10 playmaker’s role for England, which for so long belonged to Jonny Wilkinson, appeared to unsettle him. Run the attacking game? No problem. Act as the focal point for the hopes of a huge Twickenham crowd? That’s fine. Take the goal kicks as well? Of course. Deal with the hype as the new sensation? What hype?

The new man: Owen Farrell pictured at England's Pennyhill Park base on Thursday

England squad

B Foden (Northampton Saints); C Ashton (Northampton Saints), M Tuilagi (Leicester Tigers), B Barritt (Saracens), D Strettle (Saracens); O Farrell (Saracens), L Dickson (Northampton Saints); A Corbisiero (London Irish), D Hartley (Northampton Saints), D Cole (Leicester Tigers), M Botha (Saracens), G Parling (Leicester Tigers), T Croft (Leicester Tigers), C Robshaw (Harlequins, capt), B Morgan (Scarlets)

Replacements: R Webber (London Wasps), M Stevens (Saracens), C Lawes (Northampton Saints), P Dowson (Northampton Saints), B Youngs (Leicester Tigers), T Flood (Leicester Tigers), M Brown (Harlequins)

Far from feeling overawed by the task of wielding the conductor’s baton for his country after just two Test appearances, Farrell regards the onus on him tomorrow as nothing special, no cause for alarm — all part of the job.

It shouldn’t be any surprise. After all, he came back from a loan spell at Bedford and expertly guided Saracens to the Aviva Premiership title last season while still a teenager. In the final, at HQ, the sell-out crowd didn’t make his composure unravel.

The unexpected loss of Charlie Hodgson to a freak finger injury has thrust Farrell into the position where he must call the tune against Wales and, as someone used to making his presence felt, he has no worries on that score. He will just do what comes naturally.

Asked about his incredible temperament and willingness to run the show at such a young age, he said: ‘I’ve always had it. When you’ve worked hard to learn as much as you can, watched games and been as prepared as possible, I think you earn the right to talk to other people — not boss them about but try to lead them.

‘I’ve always been a person who speaks up, I’ve always been pretty loud and tried to bring as much energy to the game as I can. The way I play at 12 anyway, I can be a second fly-half in the team. I’ve always wanted to work the game out and be a person who guides the team.

England expects: Farrell's move to fly-half comes as Lancaster makes four changes for the clash with Wales

Final preparations: Farrell (left) and Dickson (right) have been training with team-mates

‘I do have some responsibility but I have some unbelievable players around me, not just here but at Saracens, too, to help me through it.

‘It’s my first game at 10 (for England) and that’s not to say I’ll play there again. I might not. I’m happy to fit in wherever I’m needed.’

In reality, despite the competing presence of Toby Flood as a more experienced rival, Farrell could make a strong case for a long-term stint at No 10 if he kicks his goals and sets team-mates loose in authoritative fashion tomorrow.

Big chance: Dickson (centre) has been given the nod to face Wales and Flood (below) continues in the side

The young Saracen played down the difficulty of switching from inside centre, saying: ‘It’s just stepping in one position.’ His move to stand-off has cleared the way for Manu Tuilagi’s recall in midfield, at outside centre, where he will form a robust, powerful pairing with Brad Barritt.

For all the talk of Welsh power and stature in the back line, England head coach Stuart Lancaster pointedly remarked: ‘Anyone who has seen Brad Barritt and Manu Tuilagi play would argue that we have some physicality of our own. Manu being available again is exciting. He is only 20 and Owen is only 20, they are young lads and exciting players.’

The Farrell-Tuilagi axis previously appeared in England’s Under 18 team and the fly-half was particularly enthused yesterday by the prospect of unleashing his Anglo-Samoan contemporary, as well as Barritt. ‘I’d definitely rather have Manu on my team than against me,’ he said. ‘You can be as prepared as you want, but you’ve still got to stop him. Wales have got some powerful centres so it will be a really good battle.’

Down but not out: Tuilagi required treatment during the training session but was soon back on his feet (below)

The last time Tuilagi appeared in an England shirt, it was in the World Cup quarter-final defeat against France. Tomorrow, he will be in an overhauled backline under new management, with a new attacking gameplan, but the Leicester rookie dismissed such considerations as trivial details. In his eyes, rugby is a simple business of spreading mayhem.

‘For me, playing rugby is about being physical and Wales have got massive backs, so this is the game I want to play in,’ he said, with a cheery grin. ‘It doesn’t feel very different (to when I played for England before).

‘Of course it’s a different game-plan but I just want to get the ball in my hands and run.
‘I’ve played with Faz in the Under 18s. He’s cool-headed, so I’m not surprised he’s confident to kick points and win games for England.’

That would be the dream scenario for Lancaster and the masses at Twickenham, but it will be a tall order — even taller now that England are fielding their youngest championship line-up since 1989. Remarkably, Wales possess more caps on the bench than the hosts have in their starting XV.

The midfield selection potentially gives England real balance in that area, both in attack and defence, but only time will tell if that scratch combination and the other newcomers, Geoff Parling, Ben Morgan and Lee Dickson, can give Lancaster’s side sufficient clout and exuberance to upset the more established visitors.

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Thrown into lions' den! Farrell ready to lead from No10 as Wales roar into Twickenham