Take-off hopes for stranded Britons .

The Australian government ordered an arbitration hearing after Qantas grounded all of its aircraft on Saturday, leaving tens of thousands of passengers stranded worldwide.

In a victory for the airline, Fair Work Australia issued the emergency ruling, ordering the unions to return to the negotiating table and come to an agreement within 21 days or face binding arbitration.

The first of the grounded planes were preparing to return to the sky as Australia's Civil Aviation Safety Authority cleared the airline to resume flying.

Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce said: "The important thing is that all industrial action is now over and we have a certainty. We will be returning to business as usual over the next 24 hours."

On its website, the company apologised for the inconvenience it had caused, and told passengers: "Please be advised that some flights may be delayed."

Heathrow Airport, where a Qantas flight for Singapore and Sydney is scheduled to leave, urged passengers to check the status of Qantas flights with the airline before setting off.

In the last few weeks, workers have staged strikes and refused overtime work over concerns that some of the airline's 35,000 jobs would be moved overseas. Up to 70,000 passengers were affected when the airline grounded 108 planes at 22 airports on Saturday.

The strikes have cost the airline 15 million Australian dollars (£10 million) a week.

Some aviation experts said the surprise grounding of planes has hurt the reputation of Australia's flag carrier around the world. Nevertheless, Qantas shares jumped almost 5% to 1.62 Australian dollars (£1.07) today on the stock exchange in Sydney.

PM to name adoption shame councils

The Prime Minister said details such as local adoption rates would be published so that people can challenge underperforming councils.

Those that do not improve could be taken over by more effective authorities, or have their services contracted out privately.

Mr Cameron spoke out as potential adopters and foster parents were urged to come forward.

Launching the Give a Child a Home campaign at the start of national adoption week, the premier said: "It is shocking that of the 3,600 children under the age of one in care, only 60 were adopted last year - this is clearly not good enough.

"So we will publish data on how every local authority is performing to ensure they are working quickly enough to provide the safe and secure family environment every child deserves."

He continued: "We need more people to think about fostering and adoption so this National Adoption Week I would encourage anyone who is considering adoption to find out more about whether they could provide a home for a child.

"People who foster and adopt make a fantastic difference to a child's life and there are children waiting for families right now."

A final report by former mandarin David Norgrove into reforming the family justice system is due to be published later in the week.

Its recommendations are expected to include restricting the duration of court cases to six months - instead of the average 13 months now.

City Cards App

The app stores all content locally, so there is no need to incur roaming charges when using it while abroad.

You can now save your favourite attractions into your favourites folder

The App now provides you with walking route from your current location to a selected attraction

Improved user interface makes using the app easier than ever.

The application also provides users with information on where they can purchase a city card which will give them discounted admission to all of the attractions listed. City Cards can be ordered online by vistiing the City Tourist Board web sites or can be obtained from Tourist Offices in the city.

Could Sports be the Savior that 3D TV needs

It seems that not every new deal in technology is worth the euphoria that it hits the market with. This is a lesson that many players in the television and movie industry have learnt the hard way as far as 3D technology is concerned. Apparently, the old 2D is still gold according to numerous Hollywood producers and Wall Street analysts who advocate for drastic reduction in the number of movies produced in 3D. The main reason behind the outcry is the lower finances and revenue that 3D box office continues to record each year.

Many producers go with the misconception that since the 3D film Avatar was a success in 2009; then everything else will fit into place so long as it is in 3D as well. The hype that ushered in 3D seems to have disappeared as quickly as it emerged and the high revenues that used to come from it some two to three years ago are no longer the order of the day. On average, a 3D film will cost 20-45 percent more to make than a 2D version of the same. Many of the 3D companies are recording disappointing revenue figures. So what is the way forward for such companies?

It is tempting to quickly mention the reduction of 3D movie prices. However, that quick fix option could only mean worse for the companies. Larger audiences may be tempted in but at lower rates not much more money would be made. To add insult to injury, research findings indicate that price isn’t the only issue, but interest in the 3D movies is a key issue as well. Where there is no will, there definitely isn’t a way no matter how low the price tags might be lowered. Simply put, the main market for these films, Americans, seem to be losing interest in 3D movies altogether.

Man Tasered after fight at Plan B

Two men ended up in jail when a Madison Police officer used a Taser after being punched in the shoulder trying to break up a brawl at the Plan B parking lot early Saturday morning.

Police said officers were called to Plan B on Williamson Street for a fight and when they got there saw a suspect punch another man several times.

According to the report, a Taser was used on the primary suspect in order to gain his compliance.

Police said a friend of the suspect tried to prevent an officer from making the arrest.

New districts could apply in recalls.

Wisconsin state senators who could face recall elections next year might be campaigning to new constituents if the legislature passes an amendment pushing forward the date new district lines are applied to elections.

State Sen. Mary Lazich, R-New Berlin, authored an amendment on Friday to Act 43,  the new state law that changes legislative district lines.

Senators of even-numbered senate districts and Assembly representatives have regular elections on Nov. 6, 2012, but senators from odd-numbered districts, to which the amendment would directly apply, do not have general elections until 2014.  

There could be special elections before the Nov. 6 date for senators from odd-numbered districts eligible for recall next year, in which, under the GAB's interpretation, constituents from the old districts would vote.

Lazich's amendment would move the date the new districts will apply to elections  up to November 9, 2011 for Senate districts so constituents of new Senate districts would vote in recall elections.

Lazich said in a statement if old districts were used for recall elections, voters would be recalling and electing a senator from another district.

 "With the new landscape of recalls, the legislature must take steps not to disenfranchise voters living in odd numbered districts," Lazich said.

But Sen. Chris Larson, D-Milwaukee, sees the amendment as an "unconstitutional" Republican effort to save their jobs and the GOP state majority.

"[The legislation ensures] that Republicans facing recall can run in their new, gerrymandered districts rather than the districts that elected them to office," Larson said in a statement.  

The amendment is in response to Government Accountability Board Director Kevin Kennedy's opinion that any recall election occurring before Nov. 6, 2012 would be held in the district that legislator represented before Aug. 24, 2011, the day redistricting took effect.

Kennedy said an election occurring on or after that date would use the new district lines.

State allows concealed weapons in Capitol

State officials decided Friday to allow concealed weapons in the state Capitol and other state buildings under Wisconsin's new law that allows those with permits to carry weapons in public places.

The law is set to go into effect Tuesday.

"We must respect [a citizen's] right to keep and bear arms under the U.S. and Wisconsin Constitutions," Department of Administration Secretary Michael Huebsch said in a statement.

Huebsch said weapons will be prohibited in buildings that provide services for mentally ill patients or criminals and buildings that store combustible materials.

In addition, concealed weapons will not be permitted in the Wisconsin Supreme Court chamber or the State Capitol Police station because of current state law.

The state Senate drafted rules that would prohibit concealed weapons from being brought into the Senate Gallery but the state Assembly will likely allow weapons in the Assembly Gallery. Both houses would permit concealed carry on their respective floors if committees approve their rules.

Huebsch said in a letter that state workers will be subject to the same criteria as the public with the exception of employees whose job performance may be impacted  by possessing a concealed weapon.

But Assembly Minority Leader Peter Barca, D-Kenosha, said in a statement the policy shows that Gov. Scott Walker is "out of touch and taking our state in the wrong direction."

"Gov. Walker needs to decide which is more important—dividing and polarizing our state or actually moving forward on issues that matter most to the people of Wisconsin," Barca said.

City of Madison, Dane County and University of Wisconsin-Madison officials previously took steps to restrict those with concealed weapons access to their buildings. But their jurisdiction does not cover open public spaces like state parks, parking lots and campus outdoor areas.

Occupy Wall Street: Many Cities Leaving Protesters Alone [LATEST UPDATES]

New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, for example, said Friday that the several hundred protesters sleeping in Zuccotti Park, the unofficial headquarters of the movement that began in mid-September, can stay as long as they obey the law.

"I can't talk about other cities," he said. "Our responsibilities are protect your rights and your safety. And I think we're trying to do that. We're trying to act responsibly and safely."

Still, the city made life a lot harder for the demonstrators: Fire authorities seized a dozen cans of gasoline and six generators that powered lights, cooking equipment and computers, saying they were safety hazards.

In the span of three days this week, police broke up protest encampments in Oakland, Calif., Atlanta and, early Friday, San Diego and Nashville, Tenn.

Nashville police cracked down after authorities imposed a curfew on the protest. Twenty-nine people were arrested and later released after a judge said the demonstrators were not given enough time to comply with the brand-new rule. They received citations for trespassing instead.

Fifty-one people were arrested in San Diego, where authorities descended on a three-week-old encampment at the Civic Center Plaza and Children's Park and removed tents, canopies, tables and other furniture.

Officials there cited numerous complaints about human and animal feces, urination, drug use and littering, as well as damage to city property - the same problems reported in many other cities. Police said the San Diego demonstrators can return without their tents and other belongings after the park is cleaned up.

Earlier this week, in the most serious clashes of the movement so far, more than 100 people were arrested and a 24-year-old Iraq War veteran suffered a skull fracture after Oakland police armed with tear gas and bean bag rounds broke up a 15-day encampment and repulsed an effort by demonstrators to retake the site.

But other cities have rejected aggressive tactics, at least so far, some of them because they want to avoid the violence seen in Oakland or, as some have speculated, because they are expecting the protests to wither anyway with the onset of cold weather.

Officials are watching the encampments for health and safety problems but say that protesters exercising their rights to free speech and assembly will be allowed to stay as long as they are peaceful and law-abiding.

"We're accommodating a free speech event as part of normal business and we're going to continue to enforce city rules," said Aaron Pickus, a spokesman for the mayor of Seattle, where about 40 protesters are camping at City Hall. "They have the right to peacefully assemble. Ultimately what the mayor is doing is strike a balance."

Authorities have similarly taken a largely hands-off approach in Portland, Ore., where about 300 demonstrators are occupying two parks downtown; Memphis, Tenn., where the number of protesters near City Hall has ranged from about a dozen to about 100; and in Salt Lake City, where activists actually held a vigil outside police headquarters this week to thank the department for not using force against them.

In the nation's capital, U.S. Park Police distributed fliers this week at two encampments totaling more than 150 tents near the White House. And while the fliers listed the park service regulations that protesters were violating, including a ban on camping, a park police spokesman said the notices should not be considered warnings.

In Providence, R.I., Public Safety Commissioner Steven Pare said the protesters will not be forcibly removed even after the Sunday afternoon deadline he set for them. He said he intends to seek their ouster by way of court action, something that could take several weeks.

"When you see police having to quell disturbances with tear gas or other means, it's not what the police want and it's not what we want to see in our society," Pare said.

Similarly, in London, church and local government authorities are going to court to evict protesters camped outside St. Paul's Cathedral - though officials acknowledged Friday it could take weeks or months to get an order to remove the tent city.

Several hundred protesters against economic inequality and corporate excesses have been camped outside the building since Oct. 15. On Oct. 21 cathedral officials shut the building, saying the campsite represented a health and safety hazard.

It was the first time the 300-year-old church, one of London's best-known buildings, had closed since German planes bombed the city during World War II.

In Minneapolis, where dozens have been sleeping overnight on a government plaza between a county building and City Hall, the three-week-old occupation has been far tamer than those in other cities, with only a few arrests.

Sheriff Rich Stanek has made it a practice to meet with protesters daily to talk about their issues and the day ahead, and he has refused to engage what he called "the 1 percent" who want to cause trouble.

Thomas Kinkade painting Gaston town

McAdenville is already internationally famous as Christmastown USA, where tourists flock to see nearly a million holiday lights.

But this holiday season could draw in new tourists from all over the globe wanting to see the latest masterpiece by 53-year-old artist Thomas Kinkade.

“Christmastown USA” is the name of the work being created by the famed “Painter of Light” and will feature McAdenville, complete with a covering of snow and Christmas lights adorning the town’s trees.

Jay McCosh, one of the owners of the Thomas Kinkade Gallery on Main Street, McAdenville, says that he’s wanted Kinkade to paint the Gaston town for three years now and the time has finally arrived.

“It’s really special. He was really excited and his brother is the one that really kind of tweaked him into doing it,” McCosh said. “Rumors have been flying since two years ago. Since then, it’s just been a hint. Now that it’s been confirmed, I couldn’t officially announce it until I got the first sketch.”

The black-and-white Kinkade-drawn sketch arrived in McCosh’s hands Tuesday and since then he’s been telling everyone about the painting that’s coming to fruition.

The sketch, which McCosh says could be changed by the time it’s painted, features the town’s famed fountain and Christmas trees surrounding it.

There’s a little church nearby and McCosh says that some aspects of the town could be moved around in the painting, making it not appear totally as it would in reality.

Patrick Kinkade, Thomas’ brother, has been to McAdenville and taken pictures back to the artist. McCosh says that he’s taken hundreds of pictures of the town and those are now in the hands of Thomas Kinkade.

“I sent him probably over 100 pictures… close-ups of things,” McCosh said. “This painting is going to have snow on the ground and all the trees will be lit.”

Reproductions of the painting will be sold on canvas exclusively in McCosh’s McAdenville gallery and he says that people wanting it are “going to have to come to me to get it.”

In the future, McCosh hopes to have note cards, Christmas cards, paper prints and nightlights for sale featuring the finished painting.

But for Christmas 2011, 18x27-inch framed canvases will be sold from between $955 to $1,210, he says. The other merchandise will have to wait until next year to be sold because of timing issues.

Unveiling

The painting will be unveiled at McAdenville’s annual Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony on Dec. 1, McCosh says.

Thomas Kinkade could be there to show off the work of art personally. Patrick Kinkade may be there if his famous brother can’t work it into his schedule.

“We’re trying to get Thom here and I’ve got a lot of prep to do if he is coming,” McCosh said. “If Thom doesn’t come, his brother will definitely be there. His brother and I are good buddies.”

Kinkade has only painted North Carolina twice in his illustrious career, according to McCosh.

He once painted the Biltmore Estate in Asheville and the Cape Hatteras lighthouse.

Kinkade’s past paintings are famous for depicting peaceful, thought-provoking environments often surrounding a cottage or village. Many of these are set in wintry weather environments.

“I think this painting is going to celebrate Christmas,” McCosh said. “What we’re hoping is that it again puts McAdenville in the national spotlight to celebrate how wonderful it is that we find Christmastown USA. It’s going to be a nice little acknowledgment.”

McCosh says that a nativity scene and church could be featured in the painting, in addition to Santa Claus, a little drummer boy and a man roasting chestnuts.

Painting it himself

Although Patrick Kinkade and McCosh have helped Thomas prepare to create the painting by supplying ideas and photographs, McCosh says that the “Painter of Light” will create the artwork.

“He paints everything himself. At first when they told me he’s got one guy that helps him prepare some work, I actually thought that this was going to be the other guy that prepared the sketch,” McCosh said. “This sketch was actually done my Thom. For me, I was extremely impressed.”

Kinkade’s status as a globally-appealing artist may leave some wondering why he chose to capture a Gaston County town. His uses of light, subtle paint strokes and colors have molded him into an artist whose work transcends generations.

But for McCosh, there’s no mystery why he’d want to paint McAdenville.

“You’ve got a mill town there aren’t many towns in the country. Mill people still live in town and work in town,” he said. “McAdenville is not like it used to be even 20 years ago in that respect. A lot of people that live in the mill houses still work in the mill. That structure still exists but not as much as it used to.”

McCosh says that Kinkade’s paintings, often depicting scenes evocative of yesteryear, conger up memories and people like that.

“I know he’s one of the most collected living artists in the world,” McCosh said. “His Christmas pieces are by far some of the most popular. They really sell out when they come…things from a simpler, better time in peoples’ minds where you can have a mental escape.”

Thomas Kinkade creates NASCAR-themed work

TALLADEGA, Alabama -- Pat Kinkade knows we'd rather be talking to his brother.  But right now, artist Thomas Kinkade is in England, painting what is destined to be another piece of art that will eventually be found in living rooms around the world. 

  So it falls to Pat -- chairman of the Criminal Justice Department at Texas Christian University -- to attend today's unveiling in Talladega of "This is Talladega," a NASCAR-themed work created by his brother. 

Pat Kinkade doesn't have a title in the Thomas Kinkade organization, but he's pleased to step in when needed. 

"Ultimately, I'm just his brother," he said. "I'm the Billy Carter of the art world." 

The Talladega print, which depicts Dale Earnhardt Sr. speeding around the track, is Thomas Kinkade's second NASCAR work. His first debuted three years ago at Daytona. 

"Thom's a big fan and approached the people at NASCAR," Pat Kinkade said. "He came up with the idea of Daytona, and Talladega was a natural, too. Dale Earnhardt was one of Thom's favorite drivers." 

"This is Talladega" will be available at Talladega this weekend and at Thomas Kinkade galleries around the country. Prices range from $20 for unframed posters to various types of limited editions that could cost as much as $40,000, Pat Kinkade said. The most common limited edition will cost about $1,000, he said. 

Blake Davidson, NASCAR's vice president of licensing and consumer products, said the new piece will please race fans. 

"Kinkade has an innate ability of capturing the true emotion of our sport, and he has clearly done so again with his latest work honoring one of NASCAR's most thrilling venues," he said. 

In addition to painting, Thomas Kinkade spends his time and money on charitable endeavors, a desire to give that comes through in his art, Pat Kinkade said. 

"Thom's art speaks to the heart," he said. "It's comfort art. It provides a sense of family, of God, of country of peace. Ultimately what it does is speak to the heart of the average collector. It turns someone's house into a home." 

It has also turned Thomas Kinkade, known as the "Painter of Light," into a millionaire, and made his brother a semi-celebrity in the process. 

"I'm sort of the face of the company, but of course, I'm much prettier," Pat Kinkade said with a laugh. "I like to say I'm the brother of light."

Now Offering Thomas Kinkade's 'This is Tallad

Inc., a renowned custom conservation framing and art gallery, has announced the availability of Thomas Kinkade's "This is Talladega" to the public.

San Francisco Bay Area, CA (PRWEB) October 29, 2011

World Wide Art, Inc., a renowned custom conservation framing and art gallery, has announced the availability of Thomas Kinkade's "This is Talladega" to the public.

The painting, which is Kinkade's second NASCAR masterpiece, features the late Dale Earnhardt reflecting the aggression and passion the racing legend was known for. Nicknamed "The Intimidator," Earnhardt was fearless in his racing style, which is obvious when one views the painting.

"Kinkade has really nailed the emotion of NASCAR with this piece. 'This is Talladega' captures the spirit and passion that racing fans feel for this one-of-a-kind sport," said David Wilfong, spokesperson ."This painting captures an amazing moment in NASCAR history and is perfect for any motorsports fan, especially fans of Talladega and Dale Earnhardt."

Thomas Kinkade, the Painter of Light, is known for his hallmark ability to capture light with glowing, realistic highlights. Few artists are able to perfect this skill as Kinkade has in his work. The artist also has the distinction of being known as America's most-collected living artist.

Kinkade tends to draw inspiration for his works from subjects that people can easily relate to, whether they are everyday scenery or beloved sporting events, like the moment captured in "This is Talladega." Rather than merely focus on the technical details of the settings he observes, the artist takes great care to preserve the spirit and the emotion of each moment. This effort is masterfully demonstrated in his latest release.

In "This is Talladega," Earnhardt's black and red car, emblazoned with his No. 3, charges ahead of the pack at breakneck speed. Two other vehicles trail hopelessly behind, lingering several yards back in a haze of dust. The crowd is going wild and the sky itself almost seems gripped with anticipation, gleaming pink and azure while setting a dramatic backdrop for the scene.

"For millions of fans across the United States and around the world, NASCAR is an exciting and fun-packed sport," said Wilfong. "Kinkade has worked masterfully at capturing this energy, including the high-octane engines and excitement of the crowd at the famous Talladega Speedway."

The work takes on a special meaning for true Dale Earnhardt fans, who know that Talladega was the last race the driver won before his death at the 2001 Daytona 500. He remains a legend to NASCAR fans, with many considering him to be the greatest driver of all time.

Fox To Reboot ‘In Living Color’ With Keenen Ivory Wayans; 2 Specials Set For Midseason

EXCLUSIVE: Fox is bringing back its groundbreaking 1990s sketch comedy series In Living Color with the series’ creator and star, Keenen Ivory Wayans, on board as host and executive producer. Fox has ordered two In Living Color half-hour specials to air as part of the network’s 25th anniversary celebration in midseason with a series option behind them, meaning that in success, the reboot will join Fox’s schedule as a regular series next season. I hear it was Wayans’ idea to revive the popular sketch comedy series with a new cast. The new In Living Color will be produced by his production company Ivory Way Prods. in association with 20th Century Fox TV’s Fox 21.

Like the remake, the original In Living Color, which was produced by Ivory Way Prods and 20th TV, also launched in midseason, premiering on April 15, 1990. It broke stereotypes by employing a cast of mostly black comedians and introducing hip-hop and dancing to mainstream television. The show helped launch the careers of a slew of comedy actors — its cast included Wayans; his siblings Damon, Shawn, Kim and later Marlon; as well as Jim Carrey, Jamie Foxx and David Alan Grier — and of course Jennifer Lopez as one of the Fly Girls. It spawned such iconic characters as “Men on Film,” starring flamboyant film critics Blaine Edwards (Damon Wayans) and Antoine Merriweather (Grier); Homey D. Clown (Damon Wayans), a dour urban kiddie entertainer whose catchphrase was “Homey don’t play that!”; streetwise scam artists “The Home Boys” (Keenen Ivory and Damon Wayans); and Fire Marshall Color gave its actors freedom to improvise and it skewered everyone, particularly black America. In probably the most successful programming stunt opposite the Super Bowl ever, a special live edition of In Living Color drew some 25 million viewers during the halftime of the 1992 Super Bowl on CBS. But the show’s fearlessness when it comes to the targets of its jokes and the unapologetic political incorrectness of its skits often ran afoul with Fox’s censors. The frequent clashes contributed to Wayans’ departure from the show after the third season though he remained an executive producer. In Living Color ended its run in May 1994 after five seasons.

Fox has long been looking to launch a successful new sketch comedy series. Last season, it tried with In The Flow With Affion Crockett, executive produced by In Living Color alum Foxx, which was originally slated for midseason but ultimately aired in the summer to low ratings. Keenen Ivory Wayans, repped by UTA, has been focused on features for the past 15 years, directing, writing and producing the successful Scary Movie franchise as well as White Chicks and Little Man, on which he worked with his brothers. At Fox 21, In Living Color joins series Homeland, Breakout Kings and Sons Of Anarchy.

In Living Color' Returning to Fox, Keenen Ivory Wayans Producing

Fox will air two half-hour specials of "In Living Color" in the spring, with the option to pick it up to series next season.

Fox is set to reboot In Living Color. 

Host Keenen Ivory Wayans will produce two half-hour specials based on his classic sketch comedy series from the early 1990s, which helped launch the careers of his own family as well as those of Jamie Foxx, David Alan Grier and Jim Carrey, among others.

The revival is being billed as a contemporary take on the hit sketch comedy show that will feature a new cast of fresh, young talent as well as musical performances by special guests. The network will air the pairing this spring, with the option to order the show to series for next fall or mid-season.

The news comes mere months after Fox attempted to create an original sketch comedy series, In the Flow with Affion Crockett. The short-lived, half-hour series hosted by Affion Crockett and executive produced by Jamie Foxx.

The specials will be produced by Ivory Way Productions in association with 20th Century Fox TV spin off Fox 21, better known as the company behind Homeland, Breakout Kings and Sons of Anarchy.

Can ‘In Living Color’ Be Colorful Again?

Numerous media outlets are reporting that the groundbreaking humor show is being rebooted by Fox. Keenen Ivory Wayans, the original producer of the show, is said to be slated to serve as the revamped program’s host and executive producer. Fox has reportedly ordered two half-hour primetime specials that will air midseason.

The first “In Living Color” aired from 1990 to 1994. Since then, cast members from the original run of the show, like Damon Wayans, Jim Carrey, Jamie Foxx and “Fly Girl” dancer Jennifer Lopez, have gone onto stardom. Damon Wayans, Jr. even has his own show now, as a co-star of “Happy Endings.”

Can the new show capture the excitement of the first? “In Living Color” offered a clear alternative to “Saturday Night Live,” by giving audiences new characters (like Homey the Clown) and a fresh comedic perspective. If the new show is overly nostalgic, it could undercut what made the original so popular to begin with. Still, seeing Keenen Ivory Wayans, and possibly the next generation of Wayans, on TV no doubt will be a huge draw to fans of sketch comedy.

What do you think of the return of “In Living Color”? Leave your thoughts in the comments.

Here are some sketches from the original show:

Community of Readers talk to have feminist take on zombie apocalypse

How will nature, technology and feminism fare in a zombie apocalypse?

That is the subject of the second of a series of talks for the University of Houston-Victoria Community of Readers program on Nov. 7.

Amanda Rachelle Warren of the University of South Carolina Aiken will address how a zombie apocalypse might affect relationships between humans and technology, and between men and women.

"I will focus on what eco-feminism is, and how is applies to 'World War Z,'" Warren said. "Applying eco-feminist theory to the life and death struggles of the Zombie Wars shows us how a zombie apocalypse subverts traditional western divisions between technology and nature, as well as traditional male-female roles."

"World War Z," by Max Brooks, is the book chosen for the 2011-12 Community of Readers common reading program. The book takes a fictional look at how world governments cope or fail when confronted by a zombie pandemic. Students, faculty, staff and the public are invited to hear a variety of talks related to different aspects of how society would fare during a zombie uprising.

The book addresses a number of issues that relate to Warren's academic studies.

Warren said rather than divisions between gender, wealth, power and race, the zombie invasion will effectively level the playing field between all living beings. Traditional ways of thinking about technology and nature, as well as arbitrary socio-cultural expectations, will have to be revamped.

"Each person becomes an individual entity drawing on personal strength to survive the onslaught of the undead, each becoming part of a greater human race that must use basic skills to survive, and returning to nature rather than relying on technology for survival," she said. "Otherwise, we die."

The book is available for purchase at local and online retailers, and copies are available to check out at the Victoria College/UHV Library and the Victoria Public Library. All UHV freshmen received a copy.

"We chose this book because it addresses aspects of science, sociology and psychology behind the zombie story line," said Uppinder Mehan, interim chair of the UHV School of Arts & Sciences Humanities Division, and a Community of Readers committee member. "It also addresses East-West and North-South geopolitical relations, so we'll cover many areas of study this year."

The book is done in an interview-style format with people who have survived the zombie warfare. "World War Z" has sold more than 1 million copies worldwide.

For more information about the Community of Readers, visit uhv.edu/communityofreaders or email readers@uhv.edu. Committee members are UHV faculty members Mehan, Casey Akins, Libby Rhoades, Dmitri Sobolev, Alireza Tavakkoli, Esperanza Camargo and Paul Carlson.

Wausau zombie apocalypse comes to life 140 characters at a time

Two years ago, Wausau's zombie population came to life through a story spun by a Rib Mountain man. His tale has evolved 140 characters at a time.

With fall in the air, spooky stories show off their supernatural powers.

"Wausau Loner's world is just like ours except two years ago, zombies rose and killed 99% of the population," said David Coulthurst, who created the Wausau Loner on Twitter.

You may not be able to see zombies around town, but Coulthurst does. He's breathing new life into the world of the undead  -- one tweet at a time.

"It's a strange medium to work with both because it's so limited in terms of characters and because there's a real time factor to it," said Coulthurst. "If a tweet comes out at four in the morning, there's something happening at four in the morning."

Coulthurst uses real places to ground his stories, bringing a sense of reality to this parallel world.

"It's kind of a treat for people who live in that place to say, oh yeah, I work there or I drive past that place," said Coulthurst. "That would be a cool place to hide out from the zombies or that would be a death trap if the zombies rose up."

When he has time, Coulthurst drives around in search of details, smoothing the edges on a story he's spun for more than two years.

"I might look for fencing," said Coulthurst. "I might look for places you could get water, places that might be dangerous if you got in them and got stuck."

Most recently, Wausau Loner's travels have taken him to Mosinee, in search of others who may have survived the zompocalypse. As the two year anniversary of Z-day inches closer, memories of the world he used to live in haunt him.

"Halloween decorations from then are still up in his world," said Coulthurst. "For him it's a bad joke to come around and see a zombie who might have zombie make up on him or is wearing a Halloween costume."

Each day brings new discoveries in the saga -- some live and others die, but that's all part of the game. And even if the zombies catch you, there's always the chance to live again.

Daylight Savings 2011: Will You Be Ready?

Ok, folks, here comes that one day sure to screw up your life for at least 24 hours, if not the entire week: Daylight Savings Time 2011.

That’s the day, Sunday, November 6, 2011, when you have to set your clocks forward – not backward – one hour. (Remember, that’s one week from now.)

That little fact is lost on many, and results in people like this blogger, forgetting to adjust their clocks.

Fortunately, we have smartphones to do that for us. And if you’re anything like this blogger, you use your smartphone, in this case an Apple iPhone as your watch. (It’s a more complicated physical process, reaching for the iPhone versus twisting and looking at the wrist, but it does the job.)

But even with that, what confuses many is what time it is with respect to what they have to do, and when they wake up. That hour time difference just plain feels different and takes about a week to get used to.

So with all of that hassle, the question is, do we have to do this? Many say it helps to save energy, and that it was started in World WarI to save fuel by reducing the need to use artificial light.

But others say it’s unnecessary to have to do Daylight Savings at all.

My take is, given the way we work in an Internet age, I’m not sure Daylight Savings is the big energy saver it was in a time before the information age.

Moreover, this paragraph offers another reason not to do it, at least in the way we’re used to:

The Uniform Time Act of 1966 provided the basic framework for alternating between daylight saving time and standard time, which we now observe in the United States. But Congress can’t seem to resist tinkering with it. For example, in 1973 daylight saving time was observed all year, instead of just the spring and summer. The current system of beginning DST at 2 AM on the first Sunday in April and ending it at 2 AM on the last Sunday in October was not standardized until 1986.

So, all of this is government-directed. That means we can elect to stop doing it all together. But until we do, remember that on November 6, clocks go forward one hour.

Rutgers' Eric LeGrand helped Louisville's Anthony Conner keep his head up

University of Louisville cornerback Anthony Conner said an unexpected phone call helped lift his spirits while he was hospitalized with a broken neck suffered against Rutgers on Oct. 21.

Former Rutgers defensive tackle Eric LeGrand called Conner the day after his surgery to stabilize a cervical fracture. Last year LeGrand was paralyzed after making a tackle on a kickoff.

Conner also was hurt making a tackle, but he did not suffer paralysis. U of L coach Charlie Strong brought him into the media room during his postgame interview. Conner wore a neck brace and spoke softly, at one point pausing when he appeared to think about how fortunate he was to be walking.

“He helped me, like he eased my mind because he was so positive,” Conner said of LeGrand. “… I’m like this one man that’s facing this every day and I was lucky enough to walk away from it, so I’m happy just to be here today with my team.”

Strong brought Conner into the locker room at the end of his pregame speech for his teammates to see. Conner also rode a golf cart onto the field before the second quarter and received a standing ovation from the crowd of 44,817 at Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium.

“I enjoyed it, I loved it, it’s the support that Coach preaches about every day,” Conner said. “I enjoyed every second, every minute, everything about it.”

He also received the game ball from Strong after the 27-10 victory over Syracuse.

“It’s going to be a long recovery,” Strong said, “but what’s going to be great is just getting him around the team. The impact and the influence of our team will be good, because there’s going to be days where he’s going to be down.”

Strong emphasized to the players to not take tomorrow for granted. While addressing them at breakfast, he pointed to the vacant seat where Conner normally sat.

“Appreciate today,” Strong told his player, “because you never know what can be taken away from you.”

Eric LeGrand inspires Rutgers football team

Eric LeGrand was right. His presence fired up Rutgers.

LeGrand, who was paralyzed from the neck down while trying to make a tackle on a kickoff return a year ago, put on his black-and-red Rutgers uniform Saturday and led the Scarlet Knights onto the field for their game against No. 25 West Virginia.

Riding in a motorized wheelchair through a snow storm and carrying an ax — Rutgers Coach Greg Schiano's oft-stated motto is "Keep chopping" — LeGrand led the team to midfield before making a right-hand turn and leaving the field.

LeGrand is an analyst for the Rutgers radio network and has made a tremendous recovery. He can stand for up to 40 minutes at a time.

"I think it's the perfect time to fire up the team, inspire the crowd and hopefully lead us to a victory," LeGrand said earlier in the week during a radio interview.

And it worked — for a half. Rutgers led, 31-21, at halftime and 31-28 after three quarters. But West Virginia rallied for a 41-31 victory.

Open mouth …

… insert foot.

Notre Dame defeated Navy, 56-14, and has restored order in what is college football's longest continuous rivalry — the teams have played the last 85 seasons. Not all is well, however, with the Fighting Irish.

On Thursday, Coach Brian Kelly was quoted saying, "You can see the players that I have recruited, you know who they are. We've had one class of kids that we've recruited that I've had my hand on. The other guys here are coming along. It's a process."

On Friday, Kelly apologized, but by then several upper-classmen had responded on Twitter, including star linebacker Manti Te'o, who wrote: "Playin for my bros and that's it!!!!

Rutgers stopped by West Virginia's much-maligned defense and surprising running game

West Virginia coach Dana Holgorsen showed up at High Point Solutions Stadium today and called an audible.

“No,” he said when asked if he had planned on running the ball. “It was the conditions. This was as bad of conditions as I’ve ever played in or coached in my whole career. The first half especially because the field was covered in snow and ice.”

The No. 25 Mountaineers turned to their much-maligned defense, which gave up 49 points last week in a loss to Syracuse, and its running game to notch their 17th consecutive victory over Rutgers today, a 41-31 decision in near blizzard-like conditions in Piscataway.

National Grid ready to respond to storm

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) - National Grid has activated all of its crews for Saturday night's storm and has mobilized its Emergency Planning, Operations and Community Relations teams.

"We want them to know we are ready to respond to any problems this first nor'easter brings and we have a solid foundation in place for the upcoming winter season," said Kathy Lyford, vice president, New England Operations.

All National Grid crews have been scheduled to work and that includes contractor crews and and extra tree crews to repair any power outages in any affected area of the region.

In addition, the Emergency Operations Center has been opened and activated and Lyford said local and state officials have been contacted to best serve all of National Grid's customers

Our clocks will move forward by an hour for good - but only if Scotland agrees

The clocks will go back this weekend to herald the end of British Summer Time.

But it might be for the last time, as moves are afoot to keep clocks wound forward by an hour for good from next year.

The final decision rests with Scotland - and those north of the border are against a move that would give them an extra hour of darkness in the morning.

The Government is poised to back plans for Britain's clocks to go forward by one hour all year round, with ministers set to support proposals that mean moving in line with Central European Time, for a trial period of three years.

The changes would mean lighter winter evenings, which supporters claim would cut road deaths, boost tourism and reduce energy use.

However there are a number of hurdles to pass before the plans become reality - including blanket agreement from Scotland about the proposed changes.

The coalition Government said today it will only go ahead with the reforms if they win the backing of political leaders across the UK - any 'clear opposition' would mean the plans were dropped.

Scotland has traditionally opposed such a move as the nation would be plunged into darkness for longer in the mornings.

CLP to Build Two Australia Power Stations

SYDNEY—CLP Holdings Ltd. said on Tuesday it will build two gas-fired power stations in Australia's Queensland state worth a combined A$3.6 billion (US$3.8 billion), underscoring how companies are continuing to invest in new energy supply despite national plans to put a price on carbon emissions.

CLP's Australian unit TRUenergy will feed the proposed power plants at Ipswich, a city near the state capital Brisbane, and Gladstone, an industrial port further to the north, with natural gas produced from Queensland's southwest gas fields. With initial generation capacity of about 500 megawatts each, rising to 1.5 gigawatts, they could increase the state's overall generation capacity by 20%.

Queensland Premier Anna Bligh said the stations will produce about half as much carbon dioxide as a coal-fired power station and that their construction from 2013 shows that "gas can compete in a carbon-priced economy".

Hong Kong-based CLP's choice of gas is in line with a broader trend in Australia away from coal, which generates 80% of the country's electricity, making it one of the world's biggest carbon polluters by head of population.

Following the successful passage of legislation this month, Australia will tax carbon emissions at A$23 per metric ton next year.

CL&P opens Emergency Operations Center

BERLIN, CT - As the October nor'easter makes its way through the state, Connecticut Light and Power (CL&P) has opened its Emergency Operations Center in Berlin.

Over 200 CL&P line and tree crews are working to restore power to customers affected by outages and the company is in the process of securing additional help. "As was predicted, the heavy, wet snow is weighing down the trees and creating issues across the state," said Al Roy, CL&P's manager of Emergency Management. "Our crews and support staff continue to respond as the storm moves through and we are communicating with town and state officials to coordinate efforts."

CL&P will be assessing storm damage as soon as it is safe to do so. An estimate as to when power will be restored will be available once the assessment is complete. We appreciate our customers patience.

In the meantime, CL&P is reminding customers to:

- Stay away from all downed wires. Assume any downed, hanging or burning power lines are live and dangerous and call 9-1-1 immediately. If a power line falls on your vehicle while you’re inside, stay there. Don’t touch anything outside the vehicle and wait for emergency crews.

- Report your power outage by calling CL&P at 800-286-2000. Our automated phone system rapidly processes your report and helps us speed restoration efforts. It also provides restoration estimates as soon as they’re available.

- Before operating a generator, make sure it has been properly installed by a licensed electrician. Improperly installed generators can feed electricity back into power lines and pose a deadly situation for our line workers. Always operate generators outdoors to avoid carbon monoxide hazards.