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The Firefighter program is concerned with the science of fire fighting and fire prevention as well as the safety and hazards associated with fires. Our training involves the study of the behavior, compartmentalisation, suppression and investigation of fire and its related emergencies. The Firefighter program provides the opportunity for non-sponsored students to acquire a Certificate of Completion in Fire Operations in a college-based Fire Academy.
MCC Fire Academy
The MCC Fire Academy is located at the Mesa Public Safety Training Facility, 3260 North 40th Street, Mesa, AZ 85215. Directions to Fire Academy. | <urn:uuid:c230e63c-8c3c-4745-9f6d-12c410690f82> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.mesacc.edu/departments/fire-science-emt/firefighter | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698207393/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095647-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.956914 | 119 | 1.539063 | 2 |
Ein Kol Chadash
When I was a child, I wanted to be a great chess player all by myself. I thought that reading chess books or learning from how others played was "cheating", that the only valid measure of chess skill was the skill you achieved with your raw intellect alone. Naturally I remained a very mediocre chess player, and soon gave it up in frustration.
The point that I missed is that, yes, given an infinite lifespan, it might be interesting to see how far you could get on your own, but in our world, if you don't build on what has been done before, you're not going to get very far. People have been playing chess for hundreds of years. Why not benefit from that experience, and start at the limit of what we currently know, rather than fighting through what others have already done? It's just duplicated effort.
I was reminded of this when, listening to a rap song in the car, I was suddenly struck by how my attitude to rap music had changed. I remember when I heard the first rap songs that used sampling of well-known (to me, anyway) popular songs, such as Puff Daddy's Happy Breath, which uses a sample of the Police's Every Breath You Take. I was really offended. I felt these people were shamelessly stealing the creativity of others, climbing on the bandwagon of a classic song, kind of like a hack artist who achieves notoriety by painting a mustache on the Mona Lisa.
Now I realise that the rap artists are building on a heritage common to all of us, that all artists use. No-one creates music in a vacuum, and if they did we wouldn't recognise or appreciate it. We only like music because we have heard similar material before, and appreciate what the artist has done to build on that body of work. Rap artists place their artistry in the words that they rap and the skill they employ in doing that; the music is less important. Still, by reinterpreting classic music, as Puff Daddy did, a new meaning can be found, a different aspect.
The Police took reggae and ska music that they liked and crafted it into the Police sound, adding their own lyrical and vocal talents on top of that base. The fact that the difference is exaggerated by their playing their own instruments shouldn't hide the fact that they have used a familiar music form. The exact copy that sampling affords means that there is no skill in playing the instruments, certainly, but that is no fundamental objection. One could employ session musicians to perform music without losing one's artistic integrity and licence.
It's interesting that many artists seem to subscribe strongly to the "don't copy" argument, especially when they think someone will copy them, but seem curiously blind (as I wasn't in my nascent chess career) to their own copying. So artists fail to see that their own careers are based on the body of art that has gone before, yet go to ludicrous lengths to prevent anyone from benefiting from their own work on any but their own circumscribed terms (eg Harlan Ellison). Contrast Cory Doctorow, or the artists who contributed to the Wired CD. These people get it. It doesn't seem to make them better artists (that seems to be an independent factor) but I bet they're happier than the ones who obsess about how much they're "losing" to piracy etc. (Entities like the RIAA, of course, do not represent the interests of artists at all, but rather the interests of companies heavily invested in a particular - and hitherto very successful - method of exploiting artists commercially.)
So there isn't anything really, fundamentally new: we are all human, and our responses to the world that we find ourselves in take on familiar forms. Anyone who truly believes he can create something from nothing, that his creativity owes nothing to those who have gone before him, believes himself to be God. And, as the old joke goes, the difference between them is that God doesn't think He's a man. | <urn:uuid:0e623f81-965a-42c4-a3ca-8ad41069b779> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://batflattery.blogspot.com/2005/01/ein-kol-chadash.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705953421/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120553-00012-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.984931 | 825 | 1.695313 | 2 |
If you're hankering for a Kindle but can't get one, check out the Calibre software.
For those who don't think e-book readers are just a waste of money AND who use Linux, here's a software that you might want to read about. I know, that was a pretty restrictive pair of qualifiers, but read on if you're interested just the same.
Calibre is an open source program equipped with library management, format conversion, news feeds to e-book conversion, and e-book reader sync features. It will also allow you to view e-books of practically any format on your PC. Some of the jobs mentioned above can be run concurrently. As it is primarily an e-library program it provides cataloging, searching, sorting, and configuration capabilities.
E-book cataloging can be performed on collections that you've stored in your harddisk, reader, or memory card.
For those who associate e-books with PDF, think again. Readers (I'm referring to the handheld devices) usually support their own proprietary e-book formats. For example, Amazon's Kindle uses the AZW format, EPUB is used by BeBooks, and iPhones (yes, some people can actually read on a 3.5-inch or 89 mm screen) support PDBs. Calibre allow easy e-book sharing between certain devices by converting from one format to another.
Downloading news from certain sites to be viewed later on your devices can be performed through the Fetch News Action. You can either store the downloaded news content in your computer before syncing or, if your e-book reader is already attached, it will transfer the files automatically. In normal conditions, downloading news can be done by simply providing Calibre with the required URL (typically an RSS feed).
If you actually try Calibre, you'll most likely end up using its graphical user interface but power users can make use of the command line interface for added versatility and speed in executing commands. | <urn:uuid:945af629-497d-42f4-851f-206a33d8f1c7> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://apcmag.com/manage-your-e-books-on-linux-with-calibre.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696382584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092622-00040-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.935299 | 414 | 1.648438 | 2 |
Fertility experts Dr. Zev Rosenwaks and Dr. Marc Goldstein of NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center offer advice to men and women confronting infertility in their new book "A Baby at Last! The Couple's Complete Guide to Getting Pregnant--from cutting-edge treatments to common sense wisdom."
Rosenwaks is the director of the Ronald O. Perelman and Claudia Cohen Center for Reproductive Medicine at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical. Goldstein is the director ofthe Center for Male Reproductive Medicine and Microsurgery at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center.
Read an excerpt of the book below, and then head to the "GMA" Library to find more good reads.
You Are Not Alone: When to Seek Help
Claire, a thirty-seven-year-old designer, had tried unsuccessfully to have a baby for a year and a half before she went to see her gynecologist. Her doctor found she had an incompetent cervix, which he corrected surgically. Six months later, her husband, Jeff, a thirty-eight-year-old salesman, went to a urologist, who found Jeff had a very low sperm count and a cyst on one testicle. Claire did some research on the Internet into hospitals and doctors. An oncologist friend suggested they go to Weill Cornell, where a radiologist told them that Jeff's cyst was benign, but Dr. Goldstein found that Jeff had varicoceles (varicose veins in the scrotum) affecting both testicles. Microsurgery repaired the varicoceles, but Jeff's sperm count remained very low, so they decided to try an in vitro fertilization (IVF) procedure with Dr. Rosenwaks.
For the first IVF attempt, three of Claire's eggs were fertilized with Jeff's sperm and transferred into her uterus, but none progressed to a pregnancy. A few months later, Jeff had better-quality sperm surgically removed from his testicles, and those sperm were used to fertilize ten of Claire's eggs. Dr. Rosenwaks transferred four healthy embryos.
"I had prepared myself for the possibility that it wouldn't work," says Claire.
"Jeff and I talked a lot during the two-week wait about what we would do if we got bad news. We also met with a counselor at Weill Cornell, who made the process easier to deal with." When they received word that Claire was pregnant, "I couldn't believe it," says Jeff. "I'll never forget that call." Their daughter, Connie, is now eighteen months old.
Fertility is, on the face of things, a very simple process. It's a matter of getting the sperm and egg together. But the variables are plentiful, and as many couples find, it's easy for something to go wrong. You need a good quality egg and properly functioning sperm. You need enough sperm to be deposited where it's supposed to be. The sperm has to be strong enough to swim up the female reproductive tract through the fallopian tube to reach the egg to fertilize it. The fallopian tube has to be normal to be able to pick up the fertilized egg and deliver it to the uterus so it can develop fully. The woman's brain also needs to function properly, so that the pituitary gland produces adequate amounts of hormones necessary to foster follicle and egg development in the ovary. In turn the ovary, under the influence of the pituitary gland, must produce the critical hormones—estrogen and progesterone—necessary to promote uterine lining development and support for the implantation of the fertilized egg. | <urn:uuid:4d68e3fb-d70f-483a-8589-00024daacca5> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/OnCall/baby-couples-complete-guide-pregnant-zev-rosenwaks-md/story?id=10918197 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368710006682/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516131326-00040-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.96654 | 770 | 1.632813 | 2 |
photo courtesy of freedigitalphotos.com
When Katie and her boyfriend first starting dating, he drove drunk and she told him how much she disapproved of this. He promised to never do it again. The other night her boyfriend stumbled into the house after the bar. How did he get there? He drove his buddies car!!! Katie is upset that he drove drunk AND that he broke his promise to her. She has not talked to him since.
Slacker and Steve would never encourage anyone to drink and drive but people do make mistakes and break promises. Do you think Katie is overreacting?
Steve thinks she is angry because he did not listen to her...it MUST be a control thing.
Slacker thinks that no one would ever say to their partner “Don’t leave you car downtown. You must bring that thing home.”He could have found a ride home but did his buddy convince him to drive so his buddy would have his car in the morning (hopefully)?
The only people that can truly cast stones are the ones that have never ever driven drunk. Slacker and Steve think that this is going to be hard to find.
If you have been in a situation like this, how would you handle it?What should Katie do? | <urn:uuid:e9b21a22-adfd-46ce-b5be-b5ac76f53a04> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.alice1059.com/OPP--Drunk-Driving/11315791?archive=1&pid=271173 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704713110/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516114513-00031-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.991784 | 261 | 1.828125 | 2 |
Table of Contents
Social Media really changes the way that ideas flow and tactics are communicated. Within very recent memory, if you wanted to be ‘in the know’ you had to spend a lot of time going to trade shows, local professional association meetings and read the latest book. Establishing credibility as a ‘thought leader’ was a well established path. Finding them was straightforward.
The combination of Social Media and Search Engine technology means that a whole different group of voices are driving market perception.
If you want to be heard today, you need to rise to the top of the search engines, develop traffic to your work and have people refer others to your offerings. Success and visibility are driven by a whole different set of techniques today. The path to the top of the hill changes so quickly that there may as well not be a path.
Just ask yourself, ‘how do people learn new things’? Even ten years ago, if you wanted to know about a new topic in HR, you went to the library, visited a trade show or asked someone in the local SHRM chapter. None of these old fashioned venues are keeping pace with the evolution of communication.
There is an additional complicating factor: Buzzwords evolve more rapidly today.
New industry jargon has a predictable half life. Terms like ‘Collaboration’, ‘Talent Acquisition’, ‘Electronic Recruiting’, ‘Social Recruiting’, ‘Competency’, ‘Assessment’ and ‘Screening’ have very general meanings that continually enlarge. The more people who use the term, the less that it actually means. By the time a new discipline is at the top of mind, it’s almost meaningless.
Talent Management is like that. It can mean anything from ‘Succession Planning’ to ‘a comprehensive program to manage and optimize an organization’s Human Capital’. Every imaginable variation of Talent Management process is now a part of some vendor’s product roadmap.
Social Media is the ultimate ‘What Have You Done For Me Lately’ universe. In the end, that’s its achilles heel. If you want to be recalled (when people visit search engines to learn about the topic), you have to publish regularly and prodigiously.This creates a flow of material that is simultaneously higher in volume and thinner in overall content. For the time being, if you want to understand what is going on, you have to continuously refresh your understanding. If you want to be seen as a
thought leader, thought is less important than volume.
It’s unlikely that this situation will remain constant. But, it’s going to be with us for a while. Eventually, search engines will evolve to score content quality and relevance but it’s a ways off.
This list is a part of the Influence Project at HRExaminer. We are trying to measure and understand the meaning of influence in the contemporary HR community. The project includes automated measures of online influence and an interview based process (The Top 100).
In order to really quantify the dimensions of online influence, we measure three key variables:
- Reach: A measure of the audience size (number of eyeballs) for each individual. Traffic.
- Relevance: The degree to which content associated with the individual matches a cloud of keywords prepared for the analysis
- Resonance: The number of mentions, inbound links and participation found for each individual.
The process is amazing. Given a starter list of key words, we spider the web based on searches for those search terms. That massive pile of data is then sorted and sifted in Traackr’s analytic sandbox. Links, references, content, name duplication are all identified, assessed and reexamined. Ultimately, after a number of spider-analyze-spider iterations, the list starts to take shape.
Dr. Dewett returns as a member of the HRExaminer Editorial Advisory Board. Dr. Dewett is a leadership expert and professor at Wright State University, author, speaker, trainer, consultant, and Harley nut. Full Bio…
Performance Management: Less is More
by Dr. Todd Dewett
The parade of thoughtful performance enhancing tools and structures never seems to end. We set goals for ourselves and have them set for us by others. We collect data for metrics supporting our performance. We attend formal and informal meetings to discuss our performance. We engage 360 assessments. We are coached. We are mentored. We are sent to training. And we participate in a myriad of leadership development programs. It’s shocking we actually get any work done.
All of these approaches can be very helpful. However, we forget two vital realities: each can be used improperly and they can be used too much. The first obvious result is a significant waste of hours and dollars spent managing the ever growing performance management system. Aside from this painful but obvious issue, there are at least three additional reasons to consider downsizing your performance management efforts:
The suspect cost/benefit tradeoff
- On the one hand, we spend a very large amount of hours and dollars to regularly administer and upgrade the performance management system. These quantities are quite measurable. On the other hand, how measurable is the change in performance due to each facet of the system? That is much more difficult to ascertain. Just between us, I know that these investments in the soft side of the performance equation are beneficial, but I can’t blame you for raising your eyebrow once in a while since nobody knows how to calculate a really good ROI.
Too much process analysis, not enough flow
- By process analysis I mean thinking about how you do something as opposed to actually doing it. The long list of devices above assist in the development of self-awareness. Well, they are supposed to. However, they often simply create excess time spent process analyzing. Worse still, depending on the quality of the device (e.g., coach, employee evaluation), time spent on process analysis may not be accurate or productive at all. Most importantly, time spent process analyzing is time not spent lost deeply immersed in the tasks, which is where optimal performance actually happens.
Creating mental extremes: the feedback junkies and the paranoid
- Most normal people find it challenging to positively and productively process performance-related feedback. When too many devices are used to support performance, or they are used incorrectly, unproductive mental tendencies can emerge, regardless of personality. One of the most common is the feedback junky. These are the people who do not feel good about themselves unless someone is overtly affirming their performance. Worse still are the paranoid. They live in a constant state of anxiety, wondering which aspect of their performance is currently being evaluated. These tendencies are reinforced by excessive performance management. Ironic, given their intention.
Here is a simple prescription to consider. First, remember, all things in moderation! The members of your team do not need every single performance enhancer known to man. Think of excessive performance management vehicles as bureaucracy you need to reduce. Less really is more. Second, shift much of the performance management process to informal administration instead of formal administration. Encourage coaching and mentoring, but do not create a rigid and mandatory system. One final thought: if you reduce some of the thoughtful, but not so helpful, bureaucracy surrounding your individual team members, they will love you for it!
Industry Analysts are a key feature of the HR Industry landscape. Operating without more infrastructure than their companies provide, these are the folks who make sense out of market dynamics, trends and information. They are the safari guides and outfitters on the industry journey towards real professionalization.
We had a delightful Analysts Summit with eight of the key players in the industry. It was a solid foundation for the next chapter, this coming May. Each of the analysts who came had an opportunity to get to know the others in a different setting. No pressure, limited agenda, lots of opportunities to learn and understand.
Usually, when analysts go to conferences, they are scheduled rigorously and always working someone else’s agenda. They are there to fill gaps in the content, provide industry analysis and to have meetings with prospective clients or vendors. At HRDemo, we tried to keep their schedules light. The idea was (and will continue to be) to keep the event very different from other HR Technology offerings.
Industry analysts spend their time intensively trying to understand aspects of the market. Massive complexity and a skyrocketing pile of information make it difficult for most practitioners to comfortably grasp the entire surface of the discipline, let alone the deep nuances. Analysts help by continuously looking for and at data about best practices, changing norms, implementation techniques and other mostly quantifiable aspects of HR and Recruiting.
The centerpiece of the summit was a presentation by Brad Warga, the head of Talent Acquisition for Harrah’s. He is doing amazing things that include an analytics dominated approach and a Recruiting Department that turns a profit.This is real cutting edge HR in a challenging setting.
The point of the summit was threefold:
1. We wanted to create a setting in which people who are always under pressure to provide answers had time to think in each other’s presence;
2. We created a place where people who have known of and about each other for years could get a little closer; and
3. We tried to deliver a view of operational HR that is hard to find: successful, proactive and profitable.
We scored big on all fronts.
Over the coming years, the HR Industry Analysts Summit is going to grow. It’s the one place where analysts have the opportunity to get to know each other and share insights without having to compete. I think it’s going to become a very important feature of the HR Demo Show.
Next: What we learned about software and the industry.
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For every 250 bloggers talking to an empty virtual room about nothing, there is one voice delivering value and perspective. The democratization of publishing has made it possible for all sorts of voices to be heard. That so little is being said is only troubling if you don’t agree with Einstein, who said, “Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I’m not sure about the former.” In other words, the ability to deliver social media is no guarantee of content quality.
Several factors come in to play when the information quality question involves a profession and its practice. The maturity of the profession itself; the maturity of the author (professionally and personally), the level of understanding of the problem under discussion and the relationship of the author to the audience are each aspects of the way that authors and audiences interact.
As is painfluuly clear in politics (regardless of your persuasion), the level of enthusiasm for an idea has painfully little to do with its legitimacy or utility. The factors that seem to drive influence on a national scale involve a race to the lowest common denominator. Intelligence and maturity are not inherent gateways to influence in the industry. There is infinite room in the infinite universe for the infinitely inane. Influence is not different from that.
And, this is an introduction to a guy who I think is really smart.
Jon Ingham is a British HR consultant and author who rose to global visibility throu his blog. Ingham focuses on enterprise issues and the evolution of Strategic HR. He’s definitely one of the smart social media practioners who are being paid attention. At least some of his strength comes from having deep operational experiences outside of HR.
If our profession has a single major weakness, it’s the inherent lack of grounding in the real work of the businesss. HR’s greatest mentors always preach the importannce of delivering the sort of value the organization needs as a part of its mission. Without hands on experience in sales, marketing, engineering, production and/or customer service, the organization’s work remains theoretical.
Jon says, “I help organisations gain competitive advantage through the creation of human and social capital supported by effective leadership, HR and management practices, OD interventions, and the use of web 2.0 / social media tools etc.”
He began his career as a C++ specialist (that’s software) doing user acceptance at Andersen (now Accenture). The key question became, “How do you make internal change happen in an organization?” Simply delivering technical insight was not enough. Ingham knew there was more.
He moved into HR to learn about change management. Since then, he’s worked internationally (Moscow and Egypt among others) and often in key change management roles. He spent a sifnificant chunk of time doing fundamental HR service delivery.
Jon defines HR as ‘managing people to accumulate Human Capital.” His book, Strategic Human Capital Management: Creating Value Through People, Ingham details the processes and procedures requored by a contemporay organization (Google Books has a 50 page preview). His clear eyed view of smart HR was significantly ahead of the rest of the industry making Jon both articulator and visionary.
His influence stems from his audience, a rekentless travel schedule and the depth and clarity of his thought. Ingham travels the entire HCM waterfront and is willing to take us along on the ride with him. For example,
Collective intelligence isn’t about information flows and processes. It’s about people and their connections. Speed and flexibility isn’t about formal planning processes – supported by social tools, it’s about giving people autonomy to make quicker and smarter decisions – supported by social relationships.
We talked about the trends taht are shaping the industry:
- HR continues to get closer to the business. In doing so, we risk losing the very things that make HR valuable. This tension will shape HR organizations for the next several years.
- Measurement is taking root in the culture of Human CApital Management. This is a good thing. But, you can not forecast the future by measuring the past. Measurement should be balanced with creativity and trust. When measurement becomes about performance surveillance, the culture suffers.
- Ironically, HR should be trying to become more relationship focused. Social Media is at its most useful when it is social.
- HRTech offers extraordinary ways for the discipline to add value. The US understands this far more deeply than the rest of the world.
Ingham is still early in his career. It’s not outrageous to imagine him as the next Ullrich. We’re going to keep following him. | <urn:uuid:a65d5a53-7f09-4b55-a354-88c7e88201f6> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.hrexaminer.com/magazine/weekly/hrexaminer-v1-45/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368710006682/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516131326-00002-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.954884 | 3,115 | 1.6875 | 2 |
10024 What are Nivomat shocks and does my Volvo have them?
It’s a little known fact that many Volvos have self-leveling rear suspension equipped from the factory. Most owners are unaware of this system as it is fully self-contained and has no external parts such as a compressor or air lines. The Nivomat self-leveling system that Volvo uses is designed and manufactured by Sachs/Boge. The heart of the system is theNivomat self-leveling shock which works in conjunction with a lightweight coil spring. In simple terms, the Nivomat shock pumps itself up to normal ride height when loaded. For example, if you put a couple of hundred pounds in the trunk or cargo area of your wagon, the back will sag down a couple of inches. It will stay this way until you begin driving. As you drive, the normal movement of the suspension will gradually raise the rear of your car to the normal height, usually within a mile or two.
Ongoing Sagging Problem?
|The large rubber accordion boot is the simplest way to identify a Nivomat shock.|
If your car seems to sag all the time, it’s possible that the Nivomat shocks are worn out or were mistakenly replaced with ordinary shocks. Since the Nivomat shocks actually play a part in holding the car up (conventional shocks don’t), when they’re removed the car will be about 2 inches lower in the rear, even if new shocks have been fitted. Often, we get calls from customers and even repair shops wondering why a particular Volvo now rests low in the back after installing new shocks.
If your car is parked for extended periods (more than a day or two), the car may settle a little, which is normal. However, the difference from driver side rear to passenger side rear should be less than 9/16’.
Is It Self-Leveling?
To check the operation of the self-leveling function, park on a flat surface, measure from the center of the fender lip to the lowest part of the wheel lip (See figure 1), and record your measurement (A) of both driver’s and passenger’s side rear. Now load the trunk or cargo area with about 300 lbs. The car will sag a little. Drive the car of couple of miles, then park in the same spot where you took your first measurement, and measure again with weight still in car. The permissible deviation is -3/4” to +5/16”.
For example, if your unloaded measurement was 20”, the acceptable loaded measurement would have to fall between 19 3/16’ and 20 5/16’. Keep in mind that the allowable difference from side to side is 9/16’. If the results don’t fall within the acceptable range, the shock absorbers in question should be replaced. A light oil film is normal, but if oil leakage appears excessive, replacement may be necessary.
Failed Nivomats? What next?
If you determine that your Nivomats have failed, you have a couple options for replacement. New replacements can be very expensive.
For rear wheel drive models, we offer two other options, the first being original Sachs/Boge Nivomats at substantial savings over most Volvo dealers. Secondly, and most popular are our Nivomat replacement kits. This kit consists of a new pair of shocks along with a new pair of springs at the proper spring rate so your Volvo won’t sag. Our Nivomat replacement kit is cheaper than the cost of original replacements and improves ride quality, when compared to the mushy ride the Nivomats alone provide. | <urn:uuid:2f74409c-a9e5-4f46-b6b8-2037b82c4c33> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.ipdusa.com/techtips/10024/what-are-nivomat-shocks-and-does-my-volvo-have-them?crumbs=P0,P6167,P6166,T10004,P4955,T10017,P7889 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705195219/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115315-00001-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.937344 | 785 | 1.765625 | 2 |
Academics - Opportunities - First-Year Seminar - Community Tours - Research Seminars - Service-Learning
Undeclared students have access to the wide range of courses offered in all of the colleges across the University. Taking introductory courses in majors of possible interest, many of which are part of the NU Core Curriculum, is a wonderful way to begin to explore the disciplines, while taking advantage of the richness of Northeastern’s varied curriculum. We also offer multidisciplinary courses that have been specifically designed to provide undeclared students with opportunities to explore broad philosophical and practical issues/questions, to give students opportunities early in their academic studies to work closely with faculty and other students, and to both ask and answer the questions that matter in today’s world. In so doing, students are able to explore interests that may translate into academic majors or areas of study.
- Why should the NU community care about sustainability? And, if we do, what can we do to enhance current sustainability efforts?
- What is the role of the University in promoting citizenship and social activism?
- How might this extend to NU students and both our Boston and global communities?
Opportunities across the University
We encourage our undeclared students to pursue the rich and rigorous academic avenues available to them at Northeastern. The wide array of research opportunities, internships and co-op positions, local, national and international all play an integral part in the academic journey of an undeclared student.
The University expects all students to explore different disciplines as they fulfill the thought-provoking requirements in the NU Core. This ensures, for example, that a chemistry major will graduate not only with the depth of knowledge in science, but also with the breadth of knowledge of the social sciences, arts and humanities as well as the skills to think critically and analyze and synthesize information. Capable advisors guide undeclared students to fulfill these NU Core requirements as the students take courses that will help them explore various majors and disciplines of interest and discover the path that will lead to their academic goals.
Connections and Decisions, the Freshman Seminar for Undeclared Students
FSEM 1000, Connections and Decisions, is a one-credit seminar specifically designed for first-semester freshmen in the Program for Undeclared Students. Through this weekly course, we provide guidance to students as they explore the wide variety of opportunities and resources available on our campus. The class is co-taught by instructors who are advisors, faculty, or graduate students, in partnership with teaching assistants, undergraduate students who enjoy introducing students to the many exciting facets of Northeastern’s campus.
Weekly discussions, in-class exercises and reflections, and homework assignments help first-year students to:
- learn how to navigate and make the most of the resources available at the University
- adjust to the academic and social aspects of university life
- provide guided exploration to students as they discover the path to their academic goals
- foster students’ independence and self-reliance as they learn to manage their academic careers
As a part of this course, students attend our Meet the Majors Fair as well as the many weekly programs offered through our What’s in a Major series where faculty and students from majors across the University speak about their classroom and co-op experiences.
Undeclared students are required to participate in a Place and Opportunity tour as part of their FSEM1000 course requirements. Students will have the opportunity to go on a neighborhood tour conducted by their Peer Mentor and Teaching Assistants for FSEM1000. Students will enjoy local food from restaurants on their tour and get to know more about the Boston community and ways for students to get involved in service and to learn more about their new urban surroundings. The Place and Opportunity tours are an important introduction to the dynamic and engaging opportunities that await NU students.
Undeclared students may elect to participate in one-credit research seminars designed to introduce them to the process of conducting academic research and to explore its relevance for real-world problem solving. Students select from a broad array of research topics currently being explored by NU faculty members. The seminars meet weekly and allow students to study important global issues in a small-group setting and, under the guidance of a faculty member, to discuss and assess the relevance and impact of these timely academic issues.
Through the research seminars, nationally-recognized Northeastern scholars help students explore:
- what it means to be a researcher or to conduct primary research
- why academic research should matter to people in the real-world, and
- how research translates into individual and organizational policies and practices that can improve the world
Undeclared freshmen may choose a service-learning section of FSEM1000 which will provide the opportunity for students to explore their interests, develop professional skills and prepare for their first co-op experience. The service-learning sections will serve weekly at a local organization outside of class, helping students become more familiar with the Boston community. Their service will be integrated into the FSEM1000 Connections and Decisions curriculum and allow students the unique opportunity of experiential learning in their first semester.
Here is a list of our Service-Learning Community Partners:
-Boston Rescue Mission
-Boston Scholar Athlete Program
-Hostelling International, Cultural Kitchen
-Healthy Kids, Healthy Futures
-Peace through Play
-Strong Women, Strong Girls
-Tobin Community Center
-United South End Settlements (USES)
-Yawkey Boys & Girls Club of Roxbury
-YMCA of Greater Boston, King K-8 School
-Youth Development Initiative Program (YDIP)
For more information on the range of service-learning opportunities offered by our Service Learning website.
If you’re interested in taking a service-learning section of your FSEM1000 seminar, please fill out the brief survey at this link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/S-L_undeclared_interest_form_Summer-Fall2012 so that we can help identify service opportunities best suited towards your academic and professional interests! | <urn:uuid:4e861592-246c-4dd0-8cda-537155cab8a4> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.northeastern.edu/undeclared/academics/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704713110/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516114513-00007-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.940621 | 1,272 | 1.703125 | 2 |
Bents your posture starts with the torso and upward of it being bent forward and it stays that way and your bum is sticking out away from the basket. You should start the putt with the bum pointing away from the target and as the arm moves forward so should the pelvis so that your posture is straight up when the disc leaves. Think of a heavy rock musician displaying their jiggly bits. That's what you do toward the basket jam your wiener at the pole
Your list sounds good and your experiment with physics is approved by Sir Isaac Newton and for the explanation as to what goes on there google Newtons law. There are more than one and knowing each of them helps in disc golf.
I agree with Mark that is good to try out new styles. Most try something out and if it does not work immediately they'll drop it. Switching styles can take a while and you can practice the new and the old time simultaneously so you'll always have a back up form to fall back to. A better form will absolutely transform poor putting. The yardstick to when to start a search for a new form should be your score card. If you miss a lot or are otherwise losing to people you don't want to lose to because of putting the form needs to change if a lot of practice with the old style does not produce improvements. No improvements despite a lot of practice means either you have reached the limits of the form or your execution of that form is off. To check for the latter remember that all the best putters in the world accelerate the arm hard and often in a very short distance of a few inches only. Maybe as little as 2" of fast acceleration.
The other underlying key is to accelerate as fast as you can meaning optimizing how your body can accelerate optimally. Which is with as loose arm as possible without losing the angles of the disc. So try yawning shaking the arms and raising the arms up and dropping the arms low with gravity alone. You should be as loose or looser in the muscles as they are when you wake up. That is the comparison minus the minor tension needed to just keep the disc oriented correctly. Flat for spin putters at shorter ranges and a minimal anny at long ranges. A degree to few based on the distance and fade characteristics of the disc. I'm not a fan of hard fading putters so ideally the anny should be very small and the disc mildly fading so that it will stay on the line all the time.
Mark Ellis: How fast do you accelerate your arm and is there any muscle tension in your arm before and during the putt? What happens when you move to a thin putter like the APX and the Magnet vs your trusted Rattler? It is way easier to accelerate the arm when you are totally loose in the arm muscles and it is in turn helped by having a thinner disc in your hand. Wrist snap is not even necessary but it is good in small movements say 2" or less for a spin putt.
One of the best putters of all time Cam Todd won't move his wrist at all. While snapping the wrist a little adds power (and accuracy due to added acceleration=better disc weight pushing against the finger=more feedback to aim with) so that you can take some off elsewhere for more accuracy and consistency the wrist needs to stay in control needing more arm muscles to last an event. You'll lose the timing of movements when you're tired and spin putts hurt more for that than pitch putts.
The larger the movement of the wrist snap in a spin putt the better the chance of a mistake is. If you snap slower than normal you'll miss right, too fast misses left and if you're tired and the wrist acts like a ball bearing flapping the hand right without resistance you'll miss wide right. If you need or want to use wrist snap less is definitely more inside the circle.
The only time the wrist should really work hard and have a larger motion range is going for it around your maximum putting distance. There is a crucial difference between the wrist snapping hard vs firmly and still almost as fast. Fast adds accuracy and consistency 100 % murders accuracy and consistency doubly so. 70-80 % power wrist snap is probably ok and when you have a good wrist 90 % should work too but never 100 % within the circle if you don't face monster headwinds and you have to force the disc into the basket on a laser line risking missing long and faaar.
Flat shots need running on the center line of the tee and planting each step on the center line. Anhyzer needs running from rear right to front left with the plant step hitting the ground to the left of the line you're running on. Hyzer is the mirror of that. | <urn:uuid:4835484b-4205-4043-9d93-b6bdb40fcd81> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.discgolfreview.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=403923 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697974692/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095254-00011-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.958063 | 973 | 1.523438 | 2 |
I mentioned in another thread that there are so many skills we would need to survive a Zpoc or any kind of massive disaster. How many of us can sew our own clothes or cook our own foor? Okay, we all know you're gonna have to know how to shoot in order to stay alive. You're gonna shoot zombies and you're gonna shoot food. Now how many know how to field dress what they shoot? Can you skin that critter? Can you tan the pelt? Once the ammo on the store shelves is gone you're gonna have to reload your own. Do you know how to make a primer, a lead slug the proper caliber or how to make gun powder? We talk bicycles, cars, ATVs, Motorcycles and even horses but how many of us have used these things? Riding a bicycle is almost a given but some folks never learn to drive a car let alone a motorcycle, ATV or snowmobile. How many of us know how to cue a horse? How many of us know the proper use of spurs? What's the easiest way to get feathers off a bird you shot and managed to dress out without ruining it? How many can plant a garden? How many know about hydroponics? You may not have access to a garden plot and may have to grow food on a rooftop in a home made green house. Do you have these skills? Do you know someone who does? Can you get enough people together who have different skills that can be used to survive? | <urn:uuid:14285ec8-46a2-4a78-9ca8-3de1ef5e5155> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.lostzombies.com/forum/topics/the-simple-skills-arent-so?x=1&id=2035037%3ATopic%3A520572&page=1 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701852492/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105732-00039-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.974213 | 307 | 1.507813 | 2 |
I recently picked up a beta copy of Programming Erlang: Software for a Concurrent World to go along with my (paper) copy of Programming in Haskell. I figured if I had both books, I could make quick runs through them as I try to decide between Haskell and Erlang as the FP language I'm going to focus on this summer. What follows isn't really a review of either book, just a few first impressions.
Programming Erlang: Software for a Concurrent World looks like to be a very accessible book, that also goes into enough depth to be worthwhile. The version I got yesterday had 279 pages in the PDF, but an update was released today and my new copy hasn't found it's way here yet. I like what I've read of Joe Armstrong's writing and examples, and have caught on quickly to the initial concepts.
Programming in Haskell surprised me by being really small, only 171 pages (including the index). It on the scale of 'The C Programming Language', and so far it reminds me a lot of that book. I have to admit though, that I've always been put off by the seeming need of Haskell writers to use 'special Haskell characters' in their text, Programming Haskell even includes a table of 15 such symbols and how to represent them in ASCII. Bleargh!
So far, I'm leaning towards Erlang (mostly because of concurrency), but I'm not going to make up my mind for a while yet — too many other deadlines I need to deal with right now. As I get closer to the summer, I'll let you know which way I decide to go. (I'll also get real reviews of the two books up fairly soon.) | <urn:uuid:462dc3c9-b7df-4f8e-8d6f-233b94db1cd1> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://on-ruby.blogspot.com/2007/04/erlang-and-haskell-books-first.html?showComment=1177602960000 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699881956/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516102441-00034-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.977415 | 348 | 1.570313 | 2 |
I'm considering going on to do the City & Guilds level 3 diploma when I've finished my certificate and part of the work is to do illustrated studies of 3 countries with strong traditions of embroidery. Not a problem in itself as there are several that fall into this category, but most of them really have been done to death. I mean, almost everyone does China, Japan, India or Norway. I want to do something different. I've already thought about Korea and Brazil, but can anyone think of others? I need places with information that's easy to find (preferably in English, although I can manage in Romance and Germanic languages) and I would rather like one in each of 3 different continents.
And what about Italy? Besides a long tradition in embroidery for the house (table linens, sheets, curtains...) we have as well many regional techniques that are still practiced and teached. Have a look Tuttoricamo, a non-profit site made by several keen embroiderers.
Grazie Stefania and everyone else! There seems to be so much choice that I'm going to enjoy looking into a few places whilst I make up my mind.=)
Current front runners are:
Definite 'No's are:
not because they're no good, but simply because they've been done to death and I want to do something relatively fresh. I'll pump my teacher for all the countries she's deep down sick of seeing!!!
What to think of the Netherlands? There is a tradition on the island of Marken that is very specific. W e have a teacher who is specialist in embroidery of Marken: http://www.margreetbeemsterboer.nl/GBindex.html. She also knows a lot of other traditional techniques from the Netherlands and also other countries of Europe.
Hungary has a very strong tradition of embroidery, with specific designs for villages which identify where you live. Of course, today these "costumes" are not worn for every day. As in most countries in the world they are only ceremonial, but many girls still learn to do the embroidery which is very intricate and colorful. Check it out!
What about the heavy goldworks of Mexico and Spain on the religious vestments or bullfighters? I am learning how to make goldworks on the vestments of religious icons. The technique was brought by the Mexicans and Spaniards in the Renaissance era as seen in the religous icons they brought with them, Philippines were colonized by Spain in the 1500s. I am not a catholic, but the technique fascinates me. While researching for more goldworks, bordados en oro, ricamo oro, broderie d´or, I discovered the costumes of the toreros (bullfighters). They are very beautiful.
An examining body based in the UK who offer syllabuses in just about any subject you can imagine, including quite a number of textile and embroidery ones: embroidery, machine embroidery, stumpwork, goldwork, patchwork & Quilting, hand knit textiles, silk painting....
Have you thought about Turkey? I lived there a few years when my father was stationed there. I saw beautiful work in the museums and created in front of my eyes. They also create a form of lace work that you may have heard of oya lace. Oya lace is made using several different techniques such as needle point lace, beading, crochet and tatting. Although the needlepoint lace is the one most people see. There is South and Central America with such diverse people and techniques such as brazillian embroidery, weaving, a type of teneriffe lace, knitting, folk embroideries that very from village to village.So much to choose from.Have fun. | <urn:uuid:f64d788f-fd98-47b2-ad46-35bd15fa6e0a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://stitchinfingers.ning.com/forum/topics/countries-with-strong?commentId=2105845%3AComment%3A83393 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697974692/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095254-00031-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.972345 | 789 | 1.8125 | 2 |
Sacred Heart seminarians attended a workshop on internet pornography and addiction presented by Fr. James Schroeder, SCJ, Ph.D., a St. Louis-based clinical psychologist.
Easy access to pornography via the internet has increased the prevalence of compulsive behavior that has a negative effect on human sexual expression, and can lead to even deeper psychological problems, he said. Fr. Schroeder added that this is particularly true within the framework of the chaste life to which seminarians feel called. He described stages of growing compulsion, and offered perspectives on when and how to access resources for recovery. He also discussed paths to the healthy integration of sexuality in the celibate life style.
In his practice, Fr. Schroeder sees patients experiencing problems related to sexuality and pornography addiction.
About 100 seminarians and Sacred Heart faculty attended the Jan. 25 talk. | <urn:uuid:676915b1-5408-4e95-b250-c880f619758b> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.shst.edu/NewsDetails.aspx?ID=120 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368707435344/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516123035-00026-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.939051 | 174 | 1.84375 | 2 |
Adored by celebrities including Renée Zellwegger, Kim Cattrall and Kerry Washington, Murad Skincare was the world’s first line of doctor-branded, clinical skincare when it launched in 1989 and has since gone on to become the #1 selling skincare line in department stores across the globe.
[Related article: Post-summer skincare tips]
We sat down for a chat with its founder and CEO, Dr Howard Murad, to discover his top tips for perfect autumn skin.
Should people change their skincare routine in autumn?
Certainly, because in the winter you tend to be drier, so you need a richer moisturiser than you’ve been using. Also, it’s important to eat certain foods. I like walnuts. I also like fish oil as an ingredient, because they actually hydrate you from within.
Most people think ‘what I put on my skin is going to take care of me’, but the truth is, what you eat can have a significant impact on your appearance.
What are five top foods for great skin?
• Goji berries are amazing – they’re the most nutritionally dense food on the planet.
• Pomegranates have the most amazing antioxidants. We at Murad were able to prove that they improved the SPF of sunscreens, if you just took them by mouth.
[Related article: Superfoods for beautiful skin]
• Walnuts have all kinds of amino acids, which are important to build collagen. They have anti-oxidants, anti-inflammatories and are full of good omegas, so if you don’t like fish, you can certainly have those instead.
• Watermelon is very water rich, so when you’re thirsty, it’s ideal to have a slice of watermelon, because, besides the water you get, you also get all kinds of vito-nutrients, anti-oxidants and it alsoimproves the SPF of sunscreens.
• Tumeric is one of my favourite seasonings. Studies have shown it may help reduce cancer, plus some people think it makes you think better
You have a lot of celebrity fans, whose skin looks amazing. What’s their secret?
The secret is that they take better care of their skin. They make sure that they take the time to have a massage or a facial, they use proper skincare, they use good cleansers - things like that make a difference. You don’t have to be a celebrity to do that, it doesn’t have to be expensive, it’s important to basically understand that overall health is part of skincare.
[Related article: Wrinkle-busting wonder products]
We all know that we should eat more fruit and vegetables, we all know that we should sleep better, we all know it’s important to put on sunscreens, so doing that on a regular basis is critical. All the celebrities do that, and everybody should do that as well. It doesn’t cost that much to take care of your skin.
We’re off to buy a packet of walnuts and a rich moisturiser, ASAP. | <urn:uuid:3f786bf8-78ca-47bc-9e0e-4d0e5d5f2c45> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://uk.lifestyle.yahoo.com/hollywood-dermatologist-reveals-secrets-of-celebrity-skin.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699881956/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516102441-00010-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.964007 | 686 | 1.539063 | 2 |
Mon April 23, 2012
N.C. Company Handcrafts Artisan Jeans In Raleigh
Originally published on Mon April 23, 2012 8:50 am
RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:
Back a half-century ago, much of North Carolina's work force, 40 percent, got a paycheck from the textile industry. These days, it's less than 2 percent, with many of those lost jobs going overseas.
But one company - Raleigh Denim - has found a way to thrive in North Carolina, by making blue jeans the old-fashioned way. Here's Laurin Penland with the story.
(SOUNDBITE OF MACHINERY)
LAURIN PENLAND, BYLINE: Co-founder and blue jeans enthusiast Victor Lytvinenko shows me around the Raleigh Denim factory on a sleepy street in downtown Raleigh, North Carolina.
(SOUNDBITE OF FACTORY MACHINERY)
PENLAND: It's a small enterprise, but one that has grown rapidly in the past five years. Lytvinenko says it all started when he and his wife took apart a pair of jeans in their apartment and made a pair of their own. Back then, all they could afford were old sewing machines.
VICTOR LYTVINENKO: Our button hole machine is from 1941. And it has a counter on one side of it that goes up to a billion and I love that. I love that it was implied that it would go up to a billion.
PENLAND: What is the counter?
LYTVINENKO: How many button holes it's done.
PENLAND: So how many has it done?
LYTVINENKO: It looks like 583 million. About halfway to a billion.
(SOUNDBITE OF LAUGHTER)
LYTVINENKO: Isn't that cool?
PENLAND: Today those antiquated machines are integral to what make Raleigh Denim jeans unique. And expensive. A pair runs between $200 and $300.
LYTVINENKO: Our business model is different. We're really focused on making the best product that we can with the best style and the best story. We cannot compete on price, we cannot make a cheaper jean.
PENLAND: Raleigh Denim's business model is a departure from North Carolina's denim legacy, which focused on mass production. But the fledgling startup wouldn't exist if it weren't for those early denim pioneers. Lytvinenko not only bought the old machines, he learned from people that used to work in the old factories.
CHRISTEL ELLSBERG: My grandmother, she said, why don't you learn how to sew, you will always have work.
(SOUNDBITE OF LAUGHTER)
ELLSBERG: But she was right. I'm still working.
PENLAND: That's patternmaker Christel Ellsberg, who began as a custom tailor in Germany more than 60 years ago and who used to work at Levi-Strauss. As denim work dwindled, Ellsberg took jobs that had nothing to do with her expertise. And then she heard about Raleigh Denim from her hairdresser.
ELLSBERG: So, I was here the next day and I've been here ever since. At least it is something that I know how to do, you know, rather than jobs that I took because I had no choice.
PENLAND: Even in a down economy, Raleigh Denim's approach to making locally sourced, hand-crafted jeans has proven successful.
LYTVINENKO: I want things that are made nearby. I want things that I know are made responsibly that aren't polluting the earth. It's essentially everything that we've that our collective community has embraced in food - is what we're doing in fashion and in clothing.
PENLAND: Raleigh Denim started with two employees, now it has 19, and its jeans are sold at Barney's and other high-end boutiques. It's an unlikely story in a state that has seen its textile industry drastically shrink. In the last 15 years, more than 40 percent of the factories have closed their doors.
LYTVINENKO: A lot of the industry then was focused on price. And I think that's a lot of the reason that the vast majority of it has moved over seas. And I think that is the reason that we are in business and growing. We're trying to take as much as we can of the history and heritage of the textile industry - of the denim industry in North Carolina - and build from it and do something new with it.
PENLAND: Lytvinenko never goes too long without looking back on North Carolina's denim history, and whenever he wants to look at the history of his own growing company, he visits a closet in his office where he keeps old, worn-out jeans.
LYTVINENKO: So, this is my secret stash of old jeans. I kind of come back here in this closet every now and then to remind me how far that we've come and also to look at how beautiful the jeans are.
Lytvinenko says each pair of jeans holds memories. As for Raleigh Denim jeans, they tell the story of North Carolina's textile past, and perhaps, future.
PENLAND: For NPR News, I'm Laurin Penland. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR. | <urn:uuid:4d15f904-4b69-440a-8fa1-d47366f2be31> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.kwgs.org/post/nc-company-handcrafts-artisan-jeans-raleigh | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708142388/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516124222-00032-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.972481 | 1,145 | 1.695313 | 2 |
Originally Posted by dmz
Hmmmmm.... I'd say it's more disingenuous to draw that distinction: to demanding an "original text". Most scholars agree that these narratives were oral traditions [dare I say "recitations"] until much later on -- maybe not Nehemiah
later but much later than you'd think. And when you compare those texts with what they reference -- the languages, the historical/cultural references, it bears out that they were from that time period. (Just like any other text of the era is verified.)
But this in itself is dishonest in a way - there WAS an oral tradition but the oral tradition was the earlier non-Hebrew mythos.
The flood was an oral tradition - but never in a Biblical sense....it was even literary in the Babylonian iteration from which it was lifted.
Ditto the two contradictory creation myths in Genesis...on at least may have been oral but the Biblical version never was.
All of what we know as Bible in its Judaic form is literary.
And in any event, you have to account for the Hebrew religion, which by any account is very old.
What we do "know" -- in a secular academic sense -- is that there was a King David.
How do we know this? Please don't say 'from the Bible' or we will have to shoot you.
, and there was someone named Moses,
Again - evidence?
We also can gather from the first/second century materials that there was a guy named Yeshua, that paid off a lot of the Jewish cultural expectations -- expectations based on that earlier cultural overhead. See the "historical Jesus" materials
One historical source and one only. A dubious one that says none of those things. In fact it is almost a throwaway comment that may even be spurious or a later addition.
It isn't a question whether these people or events happened/existed at that time,
Why not? I would say it is nothing else but that..
it's a question of whether they are accurate. And again, for those wishing to strip Scripture of its authority, it is a 100 times more potent to simply reduce it to a social construction, rather than insist the ancient Israelites, or Yeshua never existed.
For anyone wishing to strip scripture of its 'authority' it is only necessary to make a list of the first contradictions one finds in the text. No need to list the hundreds , the first 10 or so will do.
Thereafter the question merely becomes a philosophical/psychological one: "how can people continue to believe that a document with inherent and blatant contradictions is any sort of guidance, divine or otherwise"...but it is all the more interesting for that. | <urn:uuid:efdea87b-82ed-4a03-8ac8-648bd0f0ed48> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://forums.appleinsider.com/t/103628/the-bible-too-liberal-for-some | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368710006682/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516131326-00005-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.971249 | 562 | 1.84375 | 2 |
Alpha & Omega Ministries Apologetics Blog
Revelation 5:9-10 1st Person ("us") or 3rd Person ("them")?
06/16/2007 - Alan KurschnerIn the past, I have been asked more than once what the correct readings are in Revelation 5:9-10. Once again, today someone emailed me asking whether the King James Version readings are correct, or the modern translations are more faithful to the original reading. So this has prompted me to write a brief post explaining these variants. There are at least three related variant readings in these two verses that concern us here. We will address the first two in v.10, followed with the third in v.9. Here is the text,
“And hast made us [hemas] unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.” (Revelation 5:10 KJV)
“You have made them [autous] to be a kingdom and priests to our God; and they will reign upon the earth.” (Revelation 5:10 NASB)This verse is part of a praise song that the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders are singing regarding the Lamb's redemptive victory of God's elect of a diverse people (the Church). But between the KJV and modern translations there is a significant difference: Are the four living creatures and twenty-four elders claiming that they ("us") have been redeemed? (according to the KJV reading). Or are they singing, not about themselves, but about a body of people ("they") who are not found in this heavenly scene? (according to the modern translations).
The question of which reading is correct is quickly solved by examining the support of the manuscripts. First, by far, most of the majority of the witnesses testify to "them." This is an interesting point because King James Only advocates often use the "majority" argument as a defense for their readings. They cannot in this case. But the majority argument in itself does not prove this point. More importantly, the earliest and the best manuscripts support "them." As far as the Textus Receptus (KJV) reading of "us," it is found in a minimun of patristic and versional witnesses. There is no question that "them" is the reading that would be found in the original text. And therefore the KJV contains the inferior reading, and the modern translations have the correct reading.
One wonders, then, why King James Only advocates make a mountain out of this variant in light of the prodigious hard historical and textual data? For those who are familiar with pretribulationism, you may guess why. Here is their reasoning:
i. Since the KJV says, "made us," then the four living creatures and the elders are (or represent) the church.
ii. Since the living creatures and the elders are in heaven, therefore the church must be in heaven.
iii. And since the church is in heaven, and the vision of the Beast and the Great Tribulation against God's people is yet to unfold, the church has been "raptured" before all that persecution.
But as noted above, the first premise rests on a phantom support of textual data. But only the most recalcitrant KJVO advocate will be unmoved from this Tradition.
One other variant in this verse should be mentioned briefly regarding the persons of the action (1st or 3rd). The KJV reads,
"we shall reign" (basileusomen)Modern translations read,
"they will reign" (basileusousin)Once again the KJV reading is attested by nothing of significance. Whereas, the modern reading, "they", is attested by the vast majority of manuscripts--and the earliest and best of them. It is obvious that the scribal replacement of "they" with "we" was intended to conform with the agreement of the 1st person plural of the previous "us."
Moving on. In v.9 we have a similar variant reading:
“And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;” (Revelation 5:9 KJV)
“And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are You to take the book and to break its seals; for You were slain, and purchased for God with Your blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation.” (Revelation 5:9 NASB)Notice how the KJV contains, "us", which is absent from the NASB and modern translations. Again, textual considerations will help us to clarify this discrepancy. Though there are not many manuscript witnesses that testify to "purchased for God," it is supported by the best witness to Revelation, Codex A. Further, the internal evidence of the shorter reading explains the emergence of other longer readings. That is, there was a scribal tendency to "clarify" ambiguous readings. And in this case, it makes much more sense that a scribe would add an object to clarify who is being purchased, rather than a scribe omitting the object of God's purchasing.
With this understanding, one can see now why scribes in the following verse 10 would change the inconsistency of the third person pronoun to the first person so as to have agreement with the "us" in verse 9.
(Incidentally, since the four living creatures are clearly celestial beings, it is absurd to argue that they have been redeemed.) | <urn:uuid:2a052eb9-9e0c-43f1-8f8b-c5532d4bc7af> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.aomin.org/aoblog/index.php?itemid=2056 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704713110/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516114513-00013-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.955478 | 1,183 | 1.828125 | 2 |
On Sun, 6 Feb 2000, John P. Looney wrote:
> Checkout xvidtune. Setup the monitor until you are happy, in windows.
> Then, boot into X, play around with the screen (using it, not the dials)
> and it'll eventually give you a "modeline". You can then use this modeline
> in your /etc/X11/XF86Config to give you a mode the exact same as in
>> However, it's fairly complex to do...and becareful with xvidtune - you
> can overclock your monitor & blow it, if you aren't careful.
You could have a look at the Video-Timings-HOWTO (comes in the HOWTOs on
most distributions) about how this works, and why your screen's being
displayed a little off. xvidtune (IIRC) is one of the tools which is
reccommended for use in that, with a huge warning. Anyway, at least it'll
give you some advice as to where (any why) you could go wrong. There
really shouldn't be any problem using xvidtune, though, if my limited
experience is anything to go by.
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Indian Linux Users' Group? Try here. If you've read all this and aren't a lawyer: you should be! | <urn:uuid:2ddbff08-108a-4dc5-b159-23229712ffaf> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.linux.ie/lists/pipermail/ilug/2000-February/012419.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699273641/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516101433-00017-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.948245 | 400 | 1.65625 | 2 |
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MP Maria Miller urges housing chiefs to cut the number of new homes
BASINGSTOKE MP Maria Miller has urged local housing chiefs to slash the number of new homes to be built each year amid fears that the borough’s natural environment will suffer.
Her call comes as Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council’s planning and infrastructure overview and scrutiny committee are set to recommend an annual new homes target for the borough’s Local Plan – a document outlining how many houses should be built until 2029.
The document will eventually replace the current South East Plan, which requires that 945 new homes are built in the borough each year.
The committee met last night, and council housing experts are recommending that 770 new homes should be built annually. Last year, councillors settled on 594 new homes as the annual figure, but following a High Court ruling in April, the pre-submission Core Strategy – part of the Local Plan – was deemed “irrational” and “unlawful” for not considering building on the council-owned Manydown land and was scrapped, forcing the borough council to go back to the drawing board in deciding a yearly housing target.
The new 770 figure has been recommended following “concerns” from a Government planning inspector, who disagreed with the borough’s calculation and said 594 new homes was too low.
The new calculation is based on predicted population growth, changes in average household size, and predicting the number of people moving into the borough.
But Mrs Miller, who was recently appointed to the Government Cabinet as Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, believes the proposed 770 new annual housing number is far too high. “Local people have said clearly that they want to see fewer houses built in future years, and it should be for them to shape the future of the borough,” she said.
“We have seen some of the highest levels of house-building in the south-east in our area over the last 10 years, driven by centrally-set house building targets – not local needs. It simply isn’t appropriate to take these high levels of house-building over the last 10 years and project the figures into the future so that the borough continues to grow disproportionally larger.”
Mrs Miller declined to say how many homes should be built, but she said the environmental impact of new homes must help to determine the final figure.
She said: “Housing numbers should be based on evidence not just of population growth and household size, but also of the impact housing development has had on our environment and water quality, and the ability of our infrastructure and water supply to cope with more.
“It is about getting the balance right – the right number of homes for our community, built in a sustainable way. What I have is a question mark if more could be done to understand that impact.
“We are guardians of our community, and we need to protect it for the next generation.” According to a report for Wednesday’s committee, the borough’s population will rise from 167,000 people in 2011 to 185,000 by 2029, and on average, 490 people move into the borough each year. | <urn:uuid:ce90ac11-27eb-4d9d-a04b-c2bb146b59b3> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.basingstokegazette.co.uk/news/local/9962727.MP_Maria_Miller_urges_housing_chiefs_to_cut_the_number_of_new_homes/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706153698/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120913-00019-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.96189 | 694 | 1.78125 | 2 |
US 4969839 A
A multi-conductor terminal is disclosed which connects a plurality of discrete electrical connectors without the need for stripping insulation from the conductors.
1. A connecting socket device for a cable for electrical communication with a connecting plug device which comprises a plurality of discrete electrical conductors contained within a cable insulation, but with each discrete conductor having insulation thereon, comprising:
a cable holder having a proximal end and a distal end defining a plurality of retaining slots on the exterior thereof for said discrete electrical conductors having insulation thereon and defining through the center there of a passageway for said cable, said cable holder further defining a generally annular slot at the proximal end thereof running transverse to said retaining slots whereby said individual conductors cross said annular slot as they proceed from said passageway to said retaining slots;
pierce members defining with sharpened edges a "V"-shaped slot, said "V"-shaped slot crossing the path of individual discrete conductors in alignment with said annular slot for piercing the insulation on said discrete conductors as they cross said annular slot so as to establish electrical communication between said discrete conductors and said insulation piercing conducting members without the necessity of stripping insulation from individual discrete conductors; and
terminals in electrical communication with said pierce members for electrical communication with contacts of a connecting plug device.
In accordance with this invention it has been found that multi-conductor cables may be quickly and easily attached to a connector in accordance with this invention with significantly less labor than has heretofore been required. The connector in accordance with this invention not only eliminates the need for stripping insulation from individual conductors, but also eliminates the need for attaching the individual conductors to the conductor terminals by means of set screws. Various other advantages will become apparent from the following description given with reference to the various figures of drawing.
FIG. 1 of the drawings illustrates a connector 1 in accordance with this invention. FIG. 1 of the drawings, for all practical purposes, has substantially the same dimensions as the exterior of a conventional connector.
FIG. 2 of the drawings illustrates the connector 1 of FIG. 1 in an assembly view. For purposes of this description, the terms "proximate" and "distal" will be utilized in referring to the structure illustrated in FIG. 2 as to whether those elements are respectively either near or far in the FIG. 2 view. The connector 1 in accordance with this invention comprises a terminal housing 3 having openings 5 at the proximal end thereof for exposing generally hollow terminals 7 which form a part of terminal holder 9. Terminal holder 9 also additionally has insulation piercing conducting members 11 which are in fact the distal end of terminals 7 and which form the distal end of terminal holder 9. Terminal holder 9 nests within terminal housing 3 as is best illustrated in the assembly view of FIG. 3 which is an assembly view from the opposite direction of that illustrated in FIG. 2. Immediately adjacent terminal holder 9 is cable holder 13. Cable holder 13 defines a passage 15 through the central portion thereof for receipt of cable 17.
As can best be seen in the FIG. 3 view, cable 17 comprises an outer sheathing of insulation 19 which encompasses a plurality of individual conductors 21 with insulation thereon. FIGS. 2 and 3 illustrate cable 17 entering passageway 15 of cable holder 13 through the distal end thereof. The cable with a portion of the sheathing 19 removed therefrom passes through the proximal end of cable holder 13 where the individual conductors with insulation thereon are splayed into retaining means 23. It is seen that the retaining means 23 comprise a plurality of slots about the cable holder 13 for receiving individual conductors 21. Each of the retaining means 23 may be color coded to assist in proper placement of conductors 21 of cable 17. In the embodiment here depicted, six retaining means are on the peripheral surface of the cable holder 13, and one retaining means 25 is in the central portion of cable holder 13. It is seen that cable holder 13 has an annular slot 27 about the proximal end thereof across which individual conductors 21 are splayed for receipt into the retaining means 23.
Insulation piercing conducting members 11 are in alignment with each of the retaining means of cable holder 13 so that when the assembly is nested within the terminal housing, the insulation piercing conducting members cross the path of individual conductors and, due to the configuration thereof, pierce the insulation of the individual conductors and establish electrical communication between the individual conductors and the appropriate terminal 7. It can be seen that nesting causes the conductors 21 to wedge into insulation piercing conducting members 11.
The insulation piercing capability of the connector in accordance with this invention is best illustrated in FIG. 4 of the drawings wherein terminal holder 9 is illustrated with insulation piercing conducting members 11 piercing the insulation of individual conductors 21 as they are illustrated in their configuration when retained within cable holder 13. For purposes of clarity, the cable holder 13 is not illustrated in FIG. 4, but for all practical purposes, the cable holder and the retaining means thereof maintain the individual conductors 21 in the configuration illustrated in FIG. 4 to assure that the insulation piercing conducting members 11 establish electrical contact with the appropriate conductor.
The connector is substantially closed by rear housing 31 which adjustably attaches to terminal housing 3 by threaded connections 33 and 35, respectively. A rubber bushing 37 and thrustwasher 39 transmit the force from rear housing 31 to cable holder 13 and terminal holder 9 as the rear housing is adjustably coupled with terminal housing 3. It is seen that the force of compression caused by appropriate adjustment forces insulation piercing through the insulation of individual conductors 21.
As best illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4 of the drawings, the insulation piercing conducting members 11 define a sharpened, v-shaped slot 41 for cutting through the insulation of the insulated conductors 21 and for impinging upon the conductor thereof for establishing electrical communication.
In most instances conductors 21 each comprise a plurality of conducting strands which are arranged into a circular cross-sectional configuration. When using a conductor formed of such strands, the strands are forced from the circular configuration into a "v" shape due to the wedging thereof into "v" shaped slot 41.
As best illustrated in FIG. 3 of the drawings, terminal housing 3 comprises on the interior thereof a key 43 for alignment with a keyway 45 and 47 of terminal holder 9 and cable holder 13 to assure proper alignment thereof.
FIG. 5 of the drawings is a cross section view along the line 5--5 of FIG. 1. This view illustrates the various components completely assembled.
The connector 1 in accordance with this invention is adapted to be received into a receptacle of the type illustrated in U.S. patent application No. 4,304,457 above referenced. Such receptacle includes a hinged cover which mates with a locking mechanism having a cross section similar to the locking mechanism 51 illustrated in FIG. 1 of the drawings. Locking mechanism 51 in accordance with this invention, however, comprises a passageway 53 defined by the outer surface of terminal housing 3 for receipt of a plug assembly retainer 55 which fits into slot 53. It is seen that the distal end 57 of slot 53 is defined by an inclined surface. Plug assembly 51 mates with a similarly but matingly inclined surface 59. A locking mechanism from a receptacle rests at distal end of plug assembly retainer at 61. Thus in accordance with this invention, if an electrical connection is inadvertantly maintained when mechanical disconnection between a tractor and trailer occurs, the force exerted on the connector of this invention will be concentrated on surface 61, and due to the inclined surface at 59, the plug assembly retainer is destroyed permitting the connector 1 to fall free without deleterious effects other than destruction of the plug assembly retainer 51 which is simply replaced.
It is thus seen that the connector in accordance with this invention provides a novel multi-conductor terminal for use in connecting a tractor and trailer. It is seen that the connector in accordance with this invention is easily maintenanced and replaced with only a fraction of the labor associated with replacement of conventional connectors. As many variations will be apparent to those of skill in the art from a reading of the above description, such variations are within the spirit and scope of this invention as defined by the following appended claims.
FIG. 1 of the drawings illustrates in perspective view a connector in accordance with this invention.
FIG. 2 of the drawings illustrates a perspective assembly view of the connector in accordance with this invention.
FIG. 3 of the drawings illustrates a perspective assembly view in a direction opposite to that of FIG. 2 of the drawings.
FIG. 4 of the drawings illustrates a closeup of a portion of a connector in accordance with this invention.
FIG. 5 of the drawings is a cross section view along the line 5--5 of FIG. 1.
This invention relates generally to the art of electrical connectors, and more particularly to the art of an electrical connector for use on multi-conductor cables of the type utilized to connect a tractor-trailer rig.
Tractor-trailer rigs have conventionally required the use of uniform connectors such that virtually any tractor may be coupled with any trailer and the trailer provided with necessary electrical power for road operation. Conventionally, this has been done with a seven-conductor cable utilizing a conventional male/female interconnect. These interconnectors are arranged within a cylindrical terminal housing of about one and one-half inches (11/2") diameter. The terminals are arranged generally about the center of the cylindrical housing with the seventh terminal being axially disposed along the center thereof. Examples of such terminals are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,304,457 which is herewith incorporated by reference.
The terminals within the terminal holder are connected to individual discrete conductors emanating from a cable sheathed with insulation. Each of the discrete conductors also has insulation thereon.
Conventional electrical interconnectors of this type are subject not only to road wear and soiling, but also to a certain amount of abuse and neglect during normal operation. For example, tractors are frequently mechanically detached from trailers while neglecting to disconnect the electrical connection, resulting in destruction of either the cable or the electrical interconnector upon movement of the tractor away from the trailer.
Due to such abuse and normal wear and tear, electrical connectors between tractor and trailer are subject to frequent replacement. Conventionally, mechanics have had to sever the cable, strip a portion of insulation from the cable, and then strip insulation from the individual discrete connector contained therein. It is then necessary for the mechanic to connect the individual conductors to the terminals of the connector utilizing a set screw for retaining each individual conductor in electrical contact with each terminal. There is, thus, significant labor involved in the maintenance of electrical interconnectors for tractor-trailer rigs.
It is thus an object of this invention to provide a novel electrical connector.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a novel electrical connector for use on multi-conductor cables.
It is still a further and more particular object of this invention to provide a novel connector for a multi-conductor cable which may be installed and replaced with only a small amount of labor.
It is a yet further object of this invention to provide such a connector wherein discrete conductors having insulation thereon may be attached without the need to strip insulation therefrom.
These as well as other objects are accomplished by a connector having a cable holder with a plurality of retaining means for discrete electrical conductors having insulation thereon and a terminal holder which mates therewith having a plurality of insulation piercing conducting members in alignment with the retaining means for piercing the insulation thereof and establishing electrical communication.
This is a continuation of copending application(s) Ser. No. 07/282,574, filed on Dec. 12, 1988, now abandoned which is a continuation of application Ser. No. 07/147,121, filed 1/21/88, now abandoned, which is a continuation of Ser. No. 06/936,936, filed 12/1/86, abandoned, which is a continuation of Ser. No. 06/494,356, filed 5/13/83, abandoned.
Citations de brevets | <urn:uuid:0d5dc3d8-233c-4b84-bcd9-62a589438f88> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.google.fr/patents/US4969839 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368707435344/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516123035-00042-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.933613 | 2,520 | 1.679688 | 2 |
Some maps have surfaced that are giving the FCC more justification for delaying the transition into digital TV broadcast. The move to digital was scheduled to have already happened, but pushed to June 12 when the economy crashed. It was clear that the public was not properly educated on what was going to happen when the feds flipped the big switch.
The maps demonstrate that if the change occured on the original date, 92,381 households would have lost a channel -- something they could get previously in analog within the Cincinnati area, among many others sampled.
Aside from the fact that the delay in the switch is going to run taxpayers an extra $650 million dollars, here are some other new costs associated with that: Government stipends for stations that will need to continue their analog broadcasting, as well as what amounts to a refund for companies who bid big on using the freed up spectrum. These costs will run at about $19 billion. Where will some of that demanded money going to come?... You guessed it, your wallet.
You're paying many times over for all the grannies and hippies in the country who would've thrown massive fits because they couldn't watch Wheel of Fortune. Why didn't they just wait a few more years until everyone had purchased the next wave of compliant TVs?
I am so mad about this whole fiasco I could link to all the other times I've been mad at the FCC lately. So silly. | <urn:uuid:087e1d5c-1029-4102-9346-04154f54cf2c> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.g4tv.com/thefeed/blog/post/693334/digital-tv-transition-delayed-due-to-maps/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700958435/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516104238-00004-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.9833 | 287 | 1.570313 | 2 |
First Lady Michelle Obama volunteers her time for NORAD Tracks Santa
Dec. 24, 2010
PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. -- First Lady Michelle Obama today delivered a holiday surprise to children across America by personally answering phone calls on Santa’s journey as part of the annual NORAD Tracks Santa program run by the North American Aerospace Defense Command.
Answering the telephone with, “Hello, this is First Lady Michelle Obama with NORAD Tracks Santa. How may I help you?”, Mrs. Obama fielded calls from Hawaii to surprised children calling in to find out where Santa is on his trip around the world. Mrs. Obama answered children’s questions about Santa’s exact location using NORAD’s global Santa Tracker and when he was expected to drop by their house. She assured the children that NORAD is tracking Santa’s progress closely and that his journey was going well this Christmas Eve.
“Answering the excited calls from children across America wanting to know where Santa is tonight was a thrill for me this holiday,” said Mrs. Obama. “NORAD does an outstanding job tracking Santa’s journey around the world on Christmas Eve for children and I loved being a part of their holiday tradition. I received calls from some very excited kids tonight wanting to know where Santa is and when they could expect him at their house. I told them he would arrive once they went to sleep.”
One little boy, Seth, upon hearing Mrs. Obama say she could see the approaching reindeer, cried, "Is Rudolph there?!"
The NORAD Tracks Santa program began in 1955 after a phone call was made to the Continental Air Defense Command Operations Center in Colorado Springs, Colo. The call was from a local youngster who dialed a misprinted telephone number in a local newspaper advertisement. The commander on duty who answered the phone that night gave the youngster the information requested – the whereabouts of Santa. This began the tradition of tracking Santa, a tradition that was carried on by NORAD when it was formed in 1958.
The NORAD Tracks Santa program has grown immensely since first presented on the Internet in 1998. The website receives millions of unique visitors from hundreds of countries and territories around the world. In addition, a live Operations Center is occupied for 25 hours with more than 1,200 volunteers each year who receive hundreds of thousands of phone calls and emails from families around the world. | <urn:uuid:6ed4810c-31e4-47d3-8e47-3cf9f1805887> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.norad.mil/News/2010/122410.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699881956/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516102441-00040-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.962676 | 498 | 1.835938 | 2 |
June 10, 2002
-- In a decision with important implications for people with HIV and other disabilities, the Supreme Court today sided in significant part with employers in the case of Chevron v. Echazabal. The central issue before the Court was whether an employer may deny a position to a person with a disability when the individuals disability makes the job harmful to the individuals health. However, acknowledging the existence of expert testimony refuting Chevrons position, the decision leaves for the trial court the issue of central importance to Mr. Echazabal -- whether he is qualified to perform the job.
Mario Echazabal worked for various contractors at Chevrons oil refinery in El Segundo, California from 1972 until 1996. In 1995, when Echazabal sought to work directly for Chevron, he received a job offer that later was withdrawn when a pre-employment medical test revealed a liver abnormality. Chevrons reflexive reaction to Echazabals condition, which later was diagnosed as chronic hepatitis C, was very suspicious. The evidence showed that any chemicals hazardous to Echazabal would be dangerous for other workers. Expert investigation revealed nothing related to the refinery job that would endanger Echazabal. And Echazabal had worked for years doing the type of work involved without any negative impact on his health. Chevron also argued in court that allowing Echazabal to become an employee would increase the cost of workers compensation benefits and undermine employee morale.
The Supreme Courts decision is at total odds with the fundamental purpose of the Americans with Disabilities Act: to allow those with disabilities to make their own decisions about what risks theyre willing to take in order to work, as long as they can do the job and dont harm other people, said Catherine Hanssens, AIDS Project Director at Lambda Legal. "However, the court acknowledges Congress concern that this kind of defense is usually a pretext for discrimination, and so affirms that employers must have the most current, objective medical evidence available supporting an employment decision before excluding someone on the basis of a disability," she added.
This is the kind of discrimination that people with HIV encounter all the time -- exclusion from employment supposedly for their own good, Hanssens said. Its a sad day when the Supreme Court provides employers further cover for discrimination in the name of 'business necessity,' but we hope and expect that the court will give the same expansive treatment to other parts of the ADA regulations that federal courts now ignore in excluding people with HIV and mental health disabilitites from their chosen professions."
Lambda Legal is Americas oldest and largest legal organization dedicated to the civil rights of lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, transgendered people, and people with HIV and AIDS. Lambda Legal has its headquarters in New York and regional offices in Los Angeles, Chicago, and Atlanta. Lambda Legal will open an office in Dallas later this month.
Contact: Chris Hampton, 212-809-8585 x 222
Catherine Hannsens, 212-809-8585 x 215 | <urn:uuid:fa870ac8-2785-42b3-8d29-2bff6115686a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.thebody.com/content/art6937.html?ts=pf | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702448584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110728-00027-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.960792 | 615 | 1.8125 | 2 |
Bolivia judge vote: Void ballot papers dominate poll
Most Bolivians who took part in the country's first ever ballot to elect top judges spoiled their ballot papers or left them blank, exit polls suggest.
Elected judges are a flagship policy of President Evo Morales, who said he wanted more democracy in the system.
But opposition parties said it was an attempt to politicise the judiciary and urged people to spoil their ballots.
About 45% of ballot papers were spoiled and 15% were left blank, the poll for the private ATB TV network suggested.
Official results will not be released until the end of October.
In a brief statement, Mr Morales refused to comment on the results but welcomed the high turnout.
"Some said there wouldn't be participation of the people in these elections," Mr Morales told reporters in La Paz.
"Those who tried to boycott these elections failed."Authoritarianism gibe
The government says the results will still stand and the elected judges will take their posts, even if the exit polls are accurate and most of the votes are not valid.
Opposition leaders - who had urged voters to treat the vote as an unofficial referendum on Mr Morales's government - have welcomed the outcome.
"Today we did not elect judges," said Juan del Granado, leader of the opposition MSM party.
"Today the majority of the country has spoken out against a government characterised by authoritarianism."
The judicial elections were introduced as part of Mr Morales's programme to give more power to Bolivia's indigenous majority.
Voters were choosing 28 judges for four national courts, including the Supreme Court and the Constitutional Tribunal.
Half the candidates were women and a large proportion were indigenous.
Judges were previously appointed by Congress, where the governing socialist MAS party has a large majority.
Mr Morales, who is Bolivia's first indigenous president, won a second term in office with a landslide victory in December 2009.
But since then his popularity has fallen.
An attempt to end fuel subsidies last year provoked nationwide protests.
And this year a plan to build a road through an indigenous rainforest reserve in the Amazon angered many of the social movements that helped bring him to power. | <urn:uuid:d8b8f2ed-5c23-4867-863c-bcb5cc27cbd8> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-15330703 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697380733/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516094300-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.980618 | 451 | 1.828125 | 2 |
Royal Air Force operations with the General Atomics Aeronautical Systems MQ-9 Reaper have cleared another milestone, with the service announcing that its aircraft have now released 200 weapons in Afghanistan.
Based at Kandahar airfield in Helmand province and in combat use since October 2007, 39 Sqn's Reapers provide persistent intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance cover for UK and coalition forces. When required, they also can use their weapons load, which includes two Raytheon GBU-12 Paveway II 226kg (500lb) precision-guided bombs and four Lockheed Martin AGM-114 Hellfire air-to-surface missiles.
© Crown Copyright
In an operational update issued for the week of 19-25 September, the RAF confirmed that its aircraft had deployed their combined 200th weapon. The service detailed three separate "kinetic events" during this period, which it said included "striking moving targets, some travelling at high speed, while overcoming challenging terrain to deliver weapons effect and avoid civilian casualties".
More than 300h of video imagery and other reconnaissance cover was provided over the course of the same week, it said.
Using a current fleet of five aircraft, the UK's Reaper force maintains an ability to provide at least 36h of combined surveillance cover over Afghanistan each day. Six more MQ-9s will be delivered to the RAF from next year, with these to help expand its capability to providing up to three 24h "orbits" continuously.
UK operations with the Reaper also cleared the 25,000 flight hour mark earlier this year, with its "fleet leader" having accounted for more than 9,500h of this total. | <urn:uuid:f80e4828-59d7-4fb7-993c-9b389f17be0a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/raf-confirms-reaper-fleets-200th-weapons-release-in-afghanistan-362748/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698207393/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095647-00012-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.955602 | 341 | 1.726563 | 2 |
Why You Need a Bed for Your Lovely Pet?
When browsing for the best pet furniture, you will need to consider resistant materials for outdoor usage, and easy to wash fibers for indoor use. Most pet owners know that dog beds get very stinky and unclean, especially in the hot summer months. To avert your dog beds from turning into a mess. You will have to be sure that you're buying the right thing.
For example, if your pet suffers from diseases like dyspepsia or arthritis, you will need to get a heated up bed that will warm you pet's bones while they are taking a nap. Sleeping in a cool bed can lead to stiffness in muscles and cause and inflict additional pain and ache to your puppy or kitten.
The best kind of household puppy beds are easy-cleanable and resilient, because as an owner of a dog or cat you probably know a lot about the pet's odors and hair falling. Be sure to search for bedding that comes with an cleanable covers or made of microfiber material that will keep mud and all dirty things away from your dog's pillow. An animal that sleeps well in a worm and cozy bed will love you even more as becoming your best friend, including also that you will keep the doctor away by doing so.
If you climate is warmer, your pet will enjoy a bed with a frame made from aluminum similar to the camping cot. These beds are specially designed to circulate air from beneath but in the same time are low on the ground keeping your pet cool in summer. These types of bed are light and ideal to keep your pet's odor from falling on the carpet and being absorbed. The beds are also designed for animals with arthritis adjusted perfectly to their weight, giving them the comfort they need as they are sleeping. With so many choices and options available, you will surely bring joy and happiness to your pets by giving them what they need. A comfortable place to sleep.
If your dog or cat is party of your life, it should be treated well. A way to ensure that your pet is treated like a family to you is to buy it a pet bed, available in a wide range of prizes, sizes, shapes to perfectly fit different breeds and ages. While your strong-willed kitten is more likely to dislike this perfect idea, the dog will willingly jump into the depths of the warm and cozy pet bed.
Different from the human beds, pet beds don't have legs and are usually on the floor. Even though they don't come with spread overs you can just give you pet a nice blanket for winter times. There is variety of shapes on the pet beds same are in a shape like doughnut and in the same time we have beds with raised sides to insure your pet from falling while sleeping.
Not only comfortable, a cat
pet beds need to be resistant to many things. There are high chances of a
dog playing and dragging around it's bed. So we must be sure to its
durability. Most household pet beds are made of foam. You can easily
choose one that suits your pet the best. The most delicate breeds need
softer beds that a stronger animal. Special orthopedic beds are also
available for pets that have arthritis
The size is also essential when browsing for a bed for your pet. If you're purchasing a bed for a puppy or kitten try to choose one that it will grow in. That may safe you some money but remember that a larger bed may make your dog or cat feel unsafe and insure. The idea is to buy a bed that makes your puppy comfortable and in the same time to keep it out of danger.
A pet bed should also be easy to tide up and clean, and a bed with removable covers will be even easier to wash. Don't sacrifice your pet's luxury for a dollar and buying a synthetic covering. Avoid things made from wool for a dog in early ages-it will tear it all apart extremely easy.
If you don't like making your furniture into your pet's belonging, give a little more and buy a pet sofa which can be used also as a bed. Once your pet sees it he will immediately get used to it it's just perfect. | <urn:uuid:a9b76552-8234-49e5-a979-b080eebb7a4f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.ebay.com/itm/1x-Puppy-Fleece-Cotton-Cozy-Soft-Warm-Pet-Bed-or-Pad-For-Small-Dog-Cat-/260996325080?pt=US_Pet_Beds&var=&hash=item3cc497ded8 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704713110/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516114513-00029-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.967243 | 861 | 1.523438 | 2 |
Washington (CNN) -- President Obama has repeatedly said that failure to pass a health care reform bill is simply not an option.
But Democratic leaders are facing an uphill battle in convincing some of their own members to push the legislation forward -- and hoping history doesn't repeat itself.
There's a lot at stake for Obama's future, political observers say, including the ability to get other key pieces of his legislative agenda passed and signed into law: banking regulation, climate change, economic measures and immigration.
Republicans have marched nearly lockstep against Obama's policy proposals, especially on financial matters, and indicate that they will continue to do so.
The bill's failure could also spell trouble for Democrats facing tough election battles this year. Whether or not the bill is passed, Republicans have threatened to use it against Democratic opponents, noting its cost and effect on the deficit.
As for the costs, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimates that the Democrats' revised health care bill will cost $940 billion over the next 10 years, a House Democratic source said Thursday. The bill cuts the deficit by $130 billion during that period, according to the source.
The president has stepped up his efforts to sway worried Americans. He put his name on a health care reform proposal last month and then went on a campaign-like barnstorm across the country to warn Americans what will happen if reform isn't passed.
"We need health insurance reform right now," the president said at a rally outside Cleveland, Ohio, on Tuesday. "This debate is about far more than politics. ... It comes down to what kind of country we want to be."
Obama said the status quo on health care is "simply unsustainable," adding that Americans "cannot have a system that works better for the insurance companies than it does for the American people."
Editorials in some of the nation's top newspapers have also railed against keeping the status quo.
"Any change as big as this is bound to cause anxiety. Republicans have happily fanned those fears with talk of 'dangerous experiments' on the 'best health care system in the world,' " read a New York Times editorial on March 7. "The fact is that the health care system is broken for far too many Americans. And the country cannot afford the status quo."
But Kathleen Parker, a conservative columnist for the Washington Post, recently asked, what is the rush?
Slowing down "wouldn't be the worst thing to happen to health-care reform," she wrote in a March 17 column. "There's no dishonor in admitting that one was in too big a hurry. But rushing to do the wrong thing is, in a word, idiotic."
But that's not the way one Democrat, who previously opposed passing the reform bill, views it.
The possibility of the bill being killed concerns Rep. Dennis Kucinich, a liberal Democrat who said Wednesday that he will now vote for it.
He warned that "if we stay riveted on this health care debate and don't get out of it at all, we've actually created a kind of a prison here of our own making."
House leaders, especially Speaker Nancy Pelosi, are trying to corral 216 Democrats to vote in favor of the Senate's measure. Although many Democrats have said they will vote no, CNN Senior Political Analyst Gloria Borger said Pelosi could rely on "soft votes."
"Nancy Pelosi has some kind of soft votes ... Democrats who really want to vote against the bill, but they don't want to be the vote that kills the bill," Borger said. "And so they've said to her, 'we'll help you out if you need us, but hopefully you won't need us.' So she's keeping those in her back pocket."
But if she doesn't muster enough, health care reform could face the same fate as the Clinton administration's reform efforts in 1993.
At that time, the administration -- including first lady Hillary Clinton, who chaired the president's task force -- pushed a plan that would provide universal health care.
Bill Clinton had made health care reform one of his 1992 presidential campaign promises. Like Clinton, Obama spent much of his first year in office pushing health care reform, hoping to make it an early legislative victory.
During the Clinton administration, conservatives, Republicans and health industry officials ramped up their opposition to the plan, often called "Hillarycare." Their efforts helped defeat the bill.
Republicans also used the health care plan in their 1994 midterm election efforts. Democratic divisions and high voter turnout that year, observers have noted, led to Republicans taking control of Congress.
Today, Republicans cite opinion polls indicating that a majority of Americans have turned against the administration's health care reform plan, though specific elements remain popular.
Republican leaders have notably complained about the costs of the Democrats' plan. Some, like House Minority Leader John Boehner, have called for Congress to scrap the bill entirely and start from scratch.
Others like former House Majority Leader Dick Armey -- who now heads Freedom Works, which played a large role in Tea Party rallies -- are behind a "kill the bill" effort.
He said Obama's plan is a win-win for insurance companies and not a mechanism with which to control rising prices. | <urn:uuid:ab30610e-0326-4729-8531-7efc35e94f7f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.cnn.com/2010/POLITICS/03/18/health.care.fails/index.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701459211/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105059-00029-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.973411 | 1,071 | 1.617188 | 2 |
6 things to do before your job interview
(MoneyWatch) Before you walk into a job interview, you want to give yourself every opportunity to show your best self. Even if your interview is later today, there's still time to improve your chances. Here are six things to do in the hours and minutes before your meeting:
Eat brain food
Put down the glazed doughnut -- it'll just leave you susceptible to an energy crash during your big moment. Instead, fill up on meals and snacks that will sustain you and won't leave your stomach growling mid-question. "Eat meals that are low on the glycemic index and combine carbohydrates, fats and proteins," says Tony Morrison, vice president of Cachinko, a social networking and professional community. "Proven brain food includes fish, blueberries, spinach, nuts and legumes."
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Warm up your mind
You want to be firing on all cylinders by the time your interview begins. If your meeting is first thing in the morning, consider doing the crossword or Sodoku while you're already stoking your cerebral fires with coffee. "It's a great way to get into the problem-solving mode," says Morrison.
Get handy with deodorant
Sweaty palms leave a soggy first impression, and just feeling yourself melting down can cause you to lose focus. "For those of us who occasionally get sweaty palms under stress, rub a dab of unscented deodorant on your palms," suggests Roy Cohen, career coach and author of "The Wall Street Professional's Survival Guide."
Call a positive pal
"Don't spend time with someone who tends to discourage you, makes you nervous, or who you envy and/or feel inadequate to be around," says Cohen. Instead, call a cheerleader -- a friend, partner, mentor or even a relative -- who can give you a last-minute boost.
Put away your notes an hour before
Many candidates have a tendency to rehearse talking points in the car or cab ride on the way to an interview. But preparing up until the very last second can backfire. "Don't over-practice," says Bruce Hurwitz, CEO of Hurwitz Strategic Staffing. "You don't want to memorize your answers. You have to be genuine."
Take a quiet moment
Before you enter the office where your meeting will take place, try to briefly clear your head. "Find a quiet place near your interview -- a church, a library or a far corner of a hotel lobby - - to meditate and to calm your brain," says Cohen. You'll enter your meeting prepared and on point.
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- Service helps you use Twitter to find a job | <urn:uuid:33061cc5-855a-46f9-9974-95284a806248> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505125_162-57396665/6-things-to-do-before-your-job-interview/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368711005985/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516133005-00040-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.936988 | 661 | 1.820313 | 2 |
J.B. Wogan is a Governing staff writer.E-mail: [email protected]
The middle class wasn’t the only group to get its tax break extended in last week’s fiscal cliff deal. States that depend on wind as part of their energy portfolio got the production tax credit renewed for another year.
The Governors’ Wind Energy Coalition, comprised of 23 member states, advocated for extending the 10-year tax credit, which is worth 2.2 cents per kilowatt hour.
“There are so many jobs that are dependent on that,” said Larry Pearce, executive director of the Governors’ Wind Energy Coalition. “It was kind of uplifting an experience when everybody got it done.”
Iowa and South Dakota, both coalition member states, use wind for 20 percent of their electricity needs, according to the American Wind Energy Association, the industry’s largest trade and lobbying group.
In 2012 both President Barack Obama and the Republican presidential candidate and former Gov. Mitt Romney, campaigned on wind energy tax credits. “I'm not going to get rid of the wind-energy tax credit that is helping to spur this incredibly dynamic sector of our economy,” Obama said in a September stump speech in Golden, Colo. Romney, citing the need for more free-market competition, argued the credit should be allowed to expire.
The Senate Finance Committee projected that new tax credits awarded in 2013 would cost the federal government $12.1 billion over their 10-year lifespan.
Congress changed the credit slightly this year, allowing for a wind project that begins construction in 2013 to qualify; in the past, the facility had to deliver electricity before the credit would kick in.
The American Wind Energy Association spent more than $1.8 million on lobbying in 2012 -- much of it explicitly for the tax credit -- and contributed $294,778 to Senate and House races in 2011-2012 election cycle, according to the campaign finance website, OpenSecrets.org.
Last year the association estimated that the extended tax credit would save 37,000 jobs, about half of the roughly 75,000 people employed by the wind energy industry nationwide.
Not all wind-energy companies are pleased with the extension. Exelon Power, which operates wind projects in 10 states, opposed extending the tax credit. Paul Elsburg, an Exelon spokesman, said the credit successfully jumpstarted the wind-power industry, but has outlived its purpose.
“At this time we think wind power should compete on its own merits with other energy sources,” Elsburg said.
Current wind-electricity production is concentrated in a handful of states such as Texas, California and Iowa, though other states are expanding their presence in the market. Nevada, for instance, built its first electric-wind facility in 2012. The American Wind Energy Association’s third quarter report for 2012 listed 93 new projects currently under construction that would qualify for the extended tax credit in states such as Illinois, Kansas and North Dakota.
A map from the U.S. Department of Energy shows the highest potential for wind-energy production in the Great Plains and Great Lakes regions, with pockets elsewhere in the country.
Scott Simons, a spokesman for DTE Energy in Detroit, said the extended tax credit would save the company an estimated $130 million for two wind parks being built in Michigan.
In a November letter to Congressional leaders, the Governors’ Wind Energy Coalition asked for an extension of at least four years to entice risk-averse investors.
“Like the oil and gas industries -- which enjoy substantial tax credits that have not expired in nearly 100 years -- wind energy, a domestic source of energy, needs a predictable policy for sustained economic growth and innovation,” the governors wrote.
Despite the group’s plea, the extension is set to expire at the end of December 2013 and Congress will have to rehash some of the debates over the tax credit’s value, casting uncertainty over the subsidy again.
Colorado, a member of the coalition, already has 16 wind electricity manufacturing facilities, with two more under construction, according to Denise Stepto, a spokeswoman for the state’s energy office.
She said the wind industry creates between 5,000 and 6,000 direct and indirect jobs, many of which would have been at risk if the tax credit expired this year.
Correction: The American Wind Energy Association spent more than $1.8 million on lobbying in 2012 -- not $1.8 billion, as the story initially read.
Browse thousands of available finance jobs. Find a finance job with detailed, free information on key career areas in finance. Or post a job.
View or Post Finance Jobs | <urn:uuid:e21f897c-a9e1-4dfe-aa03-ee4dae26d71c> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.governing.com/topics/finance/Wind-Energy-Advocates-Gain-Tax-Credit-Extension-in-Fiscal-Cliff-Deal.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705953421/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120553-00007-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.957972 | 981 | 1.796875 | 2 |
Eurozone merchandise trade balance slipped into a deficit in January despite an acceleration in exports, data released by the statistical office Eurostat showed Friday.
The trade balance showed a deficit of EUR 7.6 billion in January, compared to a revised surplus of EUR 9.1 billion in December. Also, the gap was bigger than an expected shortfall of EUR 3 billion.
Nonetheless, the shortfall narrowed sharply from a deficit of EUR 16.1 billion logged during January 2011. At the same time, the seasonally adjusted trade revealed the surplus falling to EUR 5.9 billion from EUR 7.4 billion in December.
Exports increased for a third month in January. Shipments rose by a seasonally adjusted 1.3 percent month-on-month to EUR 152.3 billion in January, faster than the previous month's 0.9 percent growth.
Imports increased 2.4 percent on a monthly basis to EUR 146.4 billion during the month, recovering from the previous month's 0.4 percent decrease.
IHS Global Insight's European Economist Howard Archer said the third successive increase in exports boosts hopes that improving foreign demand will help the Eurozone return to growth sooner rather than later. Moreover, exporters will be helped by the euro's current softer tone although this may lift their input costs.
Eurozone gross domestic product suffered a 0.3 percent reduction in the fourth quarter. The European Commission expects the region to experience a mild recession, with the economy expected to contract 0.3 percent this year.
In the European Union, the trade deficit totaled EUR 23.8 billion in January, compared to the EUR 1.6 billion surplus registered in December. Seasonally adjusted exports and imports increased by 1.5 percent and 3.5 percent, respectively during the month.
In 2011, EU27 trade with all its major partners increased from the previous year, except for imports from South Korea.
Data showed that the deficit for energy for the EU27 increased notably to EUR 387.7 billion in 2011 from EUR 306.9 billion in 2010. Meanwhile, the surplus for manufactured goods increased.
Concerning the total trade of member states, the largest surplus was seen in Germany, which was followed by the Netherlands and Ireland. By contrast, the U.K. registered the largest deficit.
by RTT Staff Writer
For comments and feedback: [email protected] | <urn:uuid:176aecf4-ce4a-4ea5-ab4d-0d45229ef135> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.rttnews.com/1842800/eurozone-january-trade-balance-swings-to-deficit.aspx | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697974692/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095254-00018-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.945314 | 485 | 1.632813 | 2 |
Numismatic Writer Alan Herbert Dies|
January 24, 2013
This article was originally printed in Numismatic News.
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Longtime “Coin Clinic” columnist Alan Herbert, 86, died Jan. 19 at the Fort Meade Veterans Hospital near Belle Fourche, S.D.
He had been battling bladder cancer in recent months.
Also known as the Answerman because of the “Coin Clinic” question-and-answer column, Herbert began his professional numismatic writing career with a column for error and variety collectors in Numismatic News in late 1968 called “Odd Corner.”
It was a natural progression from a weekly column that he wrote for the Collectors of Numismatic Errors, one of the forerunner organization’s to today’s Combined Organizations of Numismatic Error Collectors of America.
He began collecting coins in 1963 and served as secretary of CONE and CONECA 1967-1991. He was the first person installed in the CONECA Hall of Fame.
He considered his crowning achievement in the error field to be the compilation of the PDS System for cataloging minting varieties. He cataloged and photographed examples from more than 9,000 different coin dies.
He also produced a similar system for paper money errors.
All the while he was pursuing a career in radio and TV that spanned 27 years.
In the mid 1970s he moved to Germany briefly. His first wife, Lisa (Liselotte), whom he had met while stationed in Germany after World War II was from Hamburg. She died in 1992.
After returning to the United States and then going back to Germany where he served as European Bureau Manager for Krause Publications, he moved to the home office in Iola, Wis., in 1987 where he worked until he retired from full-time employment in 1994. While in Iola he served two years as editor of Coins magazine among his many other duties.
In the 1980s he took up responsibility for the “Coin Clinic” column, which he continued to hold until his death.
A life member of the American Numismatic Association, he was elected to the board of governors in 1999. He lost his seat in 2001, regained it 2003-2008, and made a second comeback in 2010 by serving an unexpired term of a governor who had resigned.
He was honored by the ANA with the Medal of Merit in 1994 and the Glenn Smedley Award in 2001. Numismatic News made him a Numismatic Ambassador in 2004.
He was given the Numismatic Literary Guild’s Clemy Award in 1997.
A Ceremonial Tribute was scheduled for 10:30 a.m. Friday, Jan. 25, at the Christian Life Center in Belle Fourche Internment was to be at Pine Slope Cemetery in Belle Fourche.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests gifts to the Josephine Herbert memorial at the Christian Life Center. She was his second wife who died of lung cancer in 2001. He was also predeceased by an infant son in 1952.
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Something to add? Notice an error? Comment on this article. | <urn:uuid:fb0fdf9e-3270-4eb2-84a1-d770a2ff2e12> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.numismaster.com/ta/numis/Article.jsp?ad=article&ArticleId=26473 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704713110/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516114513-00041-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.970308 | 757 | 1.546875 | 2 |
MADISON, Wis. (AP) - Hunters shot and killed at least four wolves in the opening 24 hours of Wisconsin's first organized wolf hunt, the state Department of Natural Resources said Tuesday.
The first reported killing _ a male _ took place at 7:15 a.m. Monday in Rusk County, according to the DNR website. Another hunter in Vilas County took a female at 8:30 a.m. A third hunter killed a female at 4:30 p.m. in Iron County and a fourth killed a male at 6:15 p.m. in Eau Claire County.
The hunt opened Monday morning but hunters aren't required to report kills for 24 hours. As of mid-afternoon Monday the DNR hadn't received any kill reports.
The hunt is scheduled to end Feb. 28, but it could close sooner; the DNR has set a statewide limit of 116 wolves with zone-specific limits. As of Tuesday morning, hunters could still kill 31 wolves in the far northwest, 19 in the far northeast, 17 in the mid-northwest, 22 in the central, 5 in the mid-northeast and 18 in the south.
The DNR has awarded 1,160 wolf licenses through a computerized lottery, although little more than half of the winners had purchased one by Monday morning.
Wildlife officials estimate as many as 850 wolves roam Wisconsin and 3,000 more live in Minnesota. Farmers have complained for years about wolf attacks on livestock.
Federal officials opened the door to hunting in both states when they removed Great Lakes wolves from the endangered species list earlier this year. Legislators in Wisconsin and Minnesota quickly passed laws establishing hunts, and hunt legislation is pending in Michigan.
The hunts are a flashpoint of contention. Animal welfare advocates insist wolf populations in both Minnesota and Wisconsin are too fragile to support hunting.
The Center for Biological Diversity and Howling for Wolves have asked the Minnesota Supreme Court to halt that state's hunt before it begins on Nov. 3.
On Monday the Humane Society of the United States and The Fund for Animals notified federal wildlife official they plan to sue to force Great Lakes wolves back on the endangered species list. The groups allege the states are mismanaging the species.
Georgia Parham, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Midwest region, said in a statement Tuesday the agency doesn't comment on pending legal action, but that the wolves appear to be thriving in the region.
(Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)
Weinstein showcases Kelly and Mandela films at Cannes.
The "Terminator 2" actor is suspected of violating a restraining order.
Want to understand a partner? Get to know their brain.
How much did a painting of a topless "Golden Girl" fetch? | <urn:uuid:a308da77-d463-4fe3-ae08-10ef72aca856> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.wtop.com/209/3072863/Hunters-4-wolves-killed-in-Wisconsin-in-24-hours- | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697974692/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095254-00029-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.947533 | 589 | 1.695313 | 2 |
Tibet (China) -- History; Tibet (China) -- Civilization
The purpose of this thesis is to examine the relationship between the culture of the
native population of the Tibetan Autonomous Region and the level of economic
development of those people. This relationship is examined both in terms of the impact... | <urn:uuid:f061d5b2-cf3a-467c-97b9-b5b80a6ab15a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://content.library.ccsu.edu/cdm/search/collection/ccsutheses/searchterm/%20Tibet%20(China)%20--%20Civilization/mode/exact | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697974692/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095254-00038-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.935951 | 62 | 1.507813 | 2 |
HE’S THE SHIT
by Ben Davis
In the textbooks, Piero Manzoni usually comes off as some kind of a novelty act, an oddball cross between Marcel Duchamp and Roberto Benigni. The recent retrospective of the Italian artist at Gagosian Gallery in Chelsea, which brought together works from throughout his brief, fertile career (he died at 30, in 1963), was above all an opportunity for New York audiences to see for themselves that Manzoni was more passionate, more conflicted and more contemporary than he’s usually given credit for. Some have said that the show looked dated. Yet even this flows from the fact that Manzoni was passionately engaged with relating to his own particular moment -- which in turn makes him seem all the more relevant today. | <urn:uuid:25881800-3a6d-453b-accd-9fcff13d9a5f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.artnet.com/magazineus/reviews/davis/davis3-24-09_detail.asp?picnum=4 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696382584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092622-00028-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.982001 | 158 | 1.546875 | 2 |
The Hiller Instinct: Gay Marriage
"I think same sex couples should be able to get married," President Obama said.
More surprising than what the president said may be when he said it, and how clearly. While he supported gay marriage when he ran for the Illinois State Senate in 1996, he said he was against it for religious reasons when he ran for the US Senate in 2004. In 2010, he said his position was “evolving.”
So why come out for gay marriage now?
"What this is all about is a simple proposition: who do you love?" Vice President Biden said on Meet the Press Sunday.
Perhaps Obama was pushed by the vice-president...but maybe he was motivated by money.
The day before his announcement, the Washington Post reported "some leading gay and progressive donors are so angry...they are refusing to give any more money to the pro-Obama super PAC..."
Make no mistake, the president's decision has political consequences.
Yes, a national poll shows 50% support gay marriage, while 48% are against it...but what about the battleground states where this election will be decided?
In Ohio, the latest poll shows 32% for gay marriage, and 55% against it.
In Virginia, the most recent numbers are 34% in favor, and 53% opposed.
And in North Carolina this week, 39% voted to expand the definition of marriage; while 61% said marriage is only between a man and a woman.
Republicans and Democrats will argue about gay marriage until Election Day.
But, no matter what they say, here's one opinion that won't change:
My respect for the president has increased, because he's publicly taking a risky position that could cost him his job.
(Copyright (c) 2012 Sunbeam Television Corp. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.) | <urn:uuid:741a0ff5-5cf5-4c4f-ba61-5cb292cde17f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www1.whdh.com/features/articles/hiller/BO147933/gay-marriage/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698207393/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095647-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.971572 | 390 | 1.648438 | 2 |
WHEELING - Barack Obama's plan to impose stiff taxes on those who build coal-fired power plants is not being well received by some local industry leaders.
Rob Murray, vice president of business development and external affairs for Murray Energy Corp., sees job losses and higher energy costs as potential results of such a plan. His firm operates the Ohio Valley Coal Co., the American Energy Corp. and Ohio American Energy in Ohio.
In an interview almost a year ago with a San Francisco newspaper, Democratic presidential nominee Obama suggested stiff taxes on those who build coal-fired plants. His words, from an interview with the San Francisco Chronicle, came to light over the weekend just days before today's general election.
"So if somebody wants to build a coal-powered plant, they can," Obama said in the interview. "It's just that it will bankrupt them because they're going to be charged a huge sum for all that greenhouse gas that's being emitted."
In a prepared statement, the Obama campaign said Obama's quote regarding the taxing of coal emissions was taken "wildly out of context," adding that elsewhere in the interview, Obama calls the idea of banning coal burning "an illusion."
"The point Obama is making is that we need to transition from coal-burning power plants built with old technology to plants built with advanced technologies and that is exactly the action that will be incentivized under a cap-and-trade program," according to information provided by the Obama campaign.
But Murray termed the Obama's initiative to tax emissions as "extremely misguided."
"It's frightening that somebody seeking to be president of the U.S. would seek such a policy," he said.
Murray noted that 52 percent of the nation's electricity comes from coal, and that 88 percent of the electricity used in Ohio comes from coal-fired plants.
"Not only would he be bankrupting the coal industry, but bankrupting businesses throughout the U.S. who depend on low-cost electricity," Murray said.
He quoted a study from Penn State University stating that for every one mining job that is created, 11 support jobs are created within the coal industry.
"There are 140,000 coal miners in America," Murray said."If the entire industry were to go bankrupt, that would be 1.5 million jobs lost just in the coal industry."
The figures do not include job losses in other businesses that depend on the mining industry, he continued. And the ability of American businesses to compete in a global marketplace depends on their ability to obtain low-cost energy, Murray noted.
"The products that are most competitive are those made in areas of the world where there is low-cost electricity," he said. "We would basically be exporting jobs out of country. They will go to places like China, where there are lower energy costs."
China has announced the construction of 52 new coal-fired power plants this year one each week.
"We have that same ability in America," Murray said.
Melissa McHenry, spokeswoman for American Electric Power, said AEP was aware that both Obama and his challenger, Republican John McCain, support climate change legislation.
"We know that whoever is elected, he is going to have to balance the economy with reducing emissions," she said. "Coal is going to have to continue to be part of the energy mix. It accounts for more than 50 percent of electricity generated in the U.S."
She acknowledged that AEP has supported climate change legislation but with "reasonable reductions and a reasonable time frame."
Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin made reference to Obama's interview Sunday during a stop in Marietta. The Obama comments on coal had been surfacing throughout the Internet Sunday.
"He said that, sure, if they want to build new coal-fired plants, then they can go ahead and try, but they can do it only in a way that will bankrupt the coal industry," she told the crowd. "And he's comfortable letting that happen."
Palin then questioned why the interview hadn't been discussed by the main stream media, adding, "We think it's something you all need to hear about."
She promised that the McCain campaign would make use of "America's vast supply of coal." She noted that coal reserves in Ohio, West Virginia and a handful of other states are "greater than all the oil wealth in the Middle East."
"We will not let this happen to the industry," she said of taxing coal-fired plant owners to the brink of bankruptcy.
Throughout his campaign, Obama has expressed support for clean coal technology.
But this fall, his vice presidential running mate, U.S. Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del., made comments also posted on Internet sites denouncing the use of "dirty" coal.
"We're not supporting coal," he told media while campaigning in Ohio. "They're building two plants a week in China, and it's polluting America. China's going to burn 300 years of dirty coal unless we figure a way to clean it up."
Though most polls show Obama with a national lead in the race for president, polls also indicate a strong lead for Republican presidential candidate John McCain in the coal-producing state of West Virginia.
Ben Beakes, coordinator for the McCain campaign in the Mountain State, said the remarks of Obama and Biden "clearly show the attitude and view that Obama and Biden have toward coal."
"In this election, we've found that talk is cheap," Beakes said. "What is said reveals one 's intention."
He referenced Obama comments that taxing for coal emissions would "bankrupt" the coal industry.
"It's very clear," Beakes continued. "Obama-Biden is not good for West Virginia, and not good for America."
Mike Carey, president of the Ohio Coal Association and an aid to former U.S. Rep. Bob Ney, R-St. Clairsville, issued a statement in response to Obama's remarks.
"Regardless of the timing or method of the release of these remarks, the message from the Democratic candidate for president could not be clearer - the Obama-Biden ticket spells disaster for America's coal industry and the tens of thousands of Americans who work in it. It's evident that this campaign has been pandering in states like Ohio, Virginia, West Virginia, Indiana and Pennsylvania to attempt to generate votes from coal supporters, while keeping his true agenda hidden from the state's voters."
U.S. Sen. Jay Rockefeller, D-W.Va., has supported Obama's campaign since it began.
"The claims you are hearing from the McCain-Palin campaign are misleading and untrue," Rockefeller said in a news release. "Barack Obama has been very clear with me and with you on his plan for clean coal and it's the most aggressive plan in support of clean coal we've seen from any presidential candidate.
"The idea that the McCain-Palin campaign is alleging the day before the election that Barack Obama's commitment to coal is anything but solid is absolutely ridiculous," he added.
"This is exactly the kind of deceptive politicking voters are fed up with." | <urn:uuid:eb25b453-a308-43a6-9c06-4b32d032ce05> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.hsconnect.com/page/content.detail/id/511265.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699273641/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516101433-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.973369 | 1,466 | 1.820313 | 2 |
Based on five interviews conducted by John T. Mason, Jr., from December 1971 through March 1972. The volume contains 299 pages of interview transcript plus an index. The transcript is copyright 1974 by the U.S. Naval Institute; the interviewee has placed no restrictions on its use.
Escaped injury as an ensign in the Nevada when she was bombed at Pearl Harbor. Transferred to the Alabama and was in Murmansk Run and later participated in bombardment of Nauru and Tarawa in the Pacific. He then studied at Renssalaer Polytechnic Institute in preparation for entering the Civil Engineer Corps. Then handled construction for the CEC in Panama Canal Zone. In 1947 was appointed a Rhodes Scholar and spent two years in Oxford, England, studying and producing a dissertation which was published as a book entitled Civil Engineering Through the Ages. Later duties were: NAS Miramar, California, Point Hueneme, Fleet Activities, Yokosuka, Japan; head of English, History and Government Department, USNA. He headed Seabees and Multinational Force in Vietnam in 1967-68, and was CO Western Division, NavFac Engineering Command in San Bruno, California, before retirement in 1970. | <urn:uuid:f5f6dc89-3a1e-4da0-8be8-5bf13a587b35> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.usni.org/heritage/merdinger | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698207393/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095647-00009-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.960087 | 245 | 1.625 | 2 |
Twenty-five of the best-paid chief executive officers in the U.S. earned more in salary and other compensation in 2010 than their companies’ federal income tax expenses as disclosed in public filings, according to a report by the Institute for Policy Studies.
The Washington-based nonprofit group’s report, released today, examined 100 publicly traded U.S. corporations with the highest-paid CEOs. It found that companies whose CEOs’ compensation exceeded reported tax expense in 2010 had average global profits of $1.9 billion.
Companies in this group, according to the report, included Cablevision Systems Corp., EBay Inc., Verizon Communications Inc., Boeing Co. and Dow Chemical Co.
According to the report, Cablevision CEO James Dolan earned $13.2 million in 2010 while the Bethpage, New York-based company had a $2.7 billion corporate income tax benefit. Verizon CEO Ivan Seidenberg earned $18.1 million while the New York-based company had a $705 million tax benefit.
EBay CEO John J. Donahoe was paid $12.4 million and the San Jose, California-based company collected a $131 million tax benefit.
Tax Expense, Payments
The tax expense reported in annual financial statements can differ from actual tax payments, which are confidential, for a variety of reasons.
The institute said its findings underscore the need for an overhaul of the U.S. tax code that would reduce the number of tax strategies available to companies, especially their ability to lower tax payments by parking profits overseas.
“Tax reform has to close up some of these loopholes and the offshore system,” Chuck Collins, one of the report’s authors, said in an interview. “We might be able to lower the overall corporate rate by broadening the base.”
Eighteen of the 25 companies mentioned in the report operated subsidiaries in countries known as offshore tax havens, Collins said.
Legislation proposed by Senator Carl Levin, a Michigan Democrat, would eliminate many of the tax-avoidance practices used by companies in the study, Collins said.
“Businesses and CEOs shouldn’t be rewarded for so aggressively avoiding their responsibility to pay taxes,” he said.
Representative Elijah Cummings of Maryland, the top Democrat on the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, in a letter dated yesterday asked panel chairman Darrell Issa, a California Republican, to hold a hearing on CEO compensation.
In the letter, Cummings urged the panel to “examine in detail why CEO pay and corporate profits are skyrocketing while worker pay stagnates and unemployment remains unacceptably high, as well as the extent to which our tax code may be encouraging these growing disparities.”
Twenty of the 25 companies on the institute’s list reported spending more on lobbying Congress than they did on federal tax payments, the organization said.
Data for the report was taken from annual securities filings and other public filings. The institute’s website says it works to promote a society based on “justice, nonviolence, sustainability and decency.”
The report echoes some elements of a study released in May by Citizens for Tax Justice, a Washington-based nonprofit group backed by labor unions, which said 11 U.S. corporations reported $62 billion in domestic profits while paying a negative 3.6 percent tax rate in 2010. | <urn:uuid:abdb852a-5185-4c3d-b4f3-efc8179b60dd> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.treasuryandrisk.com/2011/08/31/some-ceos-pay-exceeds-firms-tax-bill | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703298047/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112138-00036-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.959323 | 698 | 1.695313 | 2 |
Abraham Lincoln's sexual proclivities have long been the subject of titillating rumors and historical debate, but Lincoln's alleged "lavender side" is conspicuously absent from Tony Kushner's Steven Spielberg biopic, "Lincoln."
The outspoken activist and writer first began writing the script six years ago, according to Gold Derby, but the final version, while meticulously detailed, is also sexless.
Kushner sat down with Gold Derby for an interview about the writing process. He addressed the absence of homosexual undertones in the film, despite his personal belief that there is reason to speculate Lincoln might have been gay or bisexual.
"I wanted to write about a very specific moment and I chose this moment and I don’t feel that there’s any evidence at this particular moment that Lincoln was having sex with anybody," Kushner said in the interview. "He seems to have not slept and taken no time off and during this period I think he was beginning to feel ground to a pulp by the war and by the pressures of his job. I find it difficult to believe that Lincoln was banging anybody."
Lincoln's close relationships with male friends is well documented.
Following his move in 1837 to Springfield, Ill., a young Lincoln shared a bed for several years with Joshua Speed, and he continued a lifelong correspondence with him after, according to Slate.
Then there was the former president's relationship with his bodyguard, Captain David Derickson, with whom he also occasionally shared a bed, according to Gold Derby.
Lincoln once answered a knock at his bedroom door while wearing Derickson's nightshirt as the captain slumbered in his sack. Gossipmeisters buzzed about them. The wife of a navy aide wrote, "Oh, there is a Bucktail soldier here devoted to the president, drives with him, and when Mrs. L is not home, sleeps with him. What stuff!"
A teenage Lincoln wrote this poem, published in LA Weekly, which seems to hint at gay marriage:
"I will tell you a Joke about Jewel and Mary
It is neither a Joke nor a Story
For Rubin and Charles has married two girls
But Billy has married a boy..."
The main problem for Kushner, as it has been for Lincoln's past historians and biographers, is a serious lack of solid evidence showing these hints and relationships ever moved out of the realm of speculation and rumor and became sexually intimate.
"There are, unfortunately, no memoirs, no diaries, nothing to say for sure," Kushner explains.
And of course, there is Mary Todd Lincoln, with whom Lincoln bore several children during a union that lasted for more than two decades.
"I absolutely believe that the Lincoln’s marriage was a real marriage. These two people loved each other," Kushner said. "It wouldn’t be the first time that a gay man and a straight woman hooked up and had a great marriage. But I don’t know. I really don’t know. And I think that’s what we have to say about it. We keep the door open and people should talk about it. I don’t feel, finally, that my politics are entirely determined by the fact that I’m a gay man.” | <urn:uuid:b5deff9c-9181-4e15-a48f-a8b19ecb25b5> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://2164th.blogspot.com/2013/01/lincolns-lavender-side.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704713110/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516114513-00038-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.982048 | 676 | 1.710938 | 2 |
Much has been made of the economic assumptions put out with House Budget Chairman Paul Ryan’s deficit-cutting plan, and specifically, the initial Heritage Foundation analysis (since amended) that the unemployment rate would fall to 2.8%. See earlier MarketWatch analysis.
But Macroeconomic Advisers is out with a fresh analysis of the Heritage claims, and it’s pretty damning, calling it “both flawed and contrived.” See Macroeconomic Advisers analysis
The importance of the indictment isn’t just a matter of an intra-egghead war over economic models; the assumptions are at the heart of Ryan’s plan to reduce the deficit by $6.2 trillion. If the economic growth assumptions are wrong, than the budget won’t save nearly that much.
The most interesting element of the Heritage deconstruction is on the “crowding out” effect. Certainly, if interest rates fall, and arguably they could if a serious deficit-cutting plan has made it into law, then there could be a “crowding in” effect that encourages private investment demand. But Heritage’s analysis did more than that, and adjusted up investment demand at every level of interest rate. Basically, Heritage gave the GOP plan double credit for deficit reduction.
The element that seems most out of whack is the big pick-up in residential housing creation. It’s a stretch to say there would be any increase, seeing that Ryan’s plan, after all, combines lower tax rates with some mortgage interest tax deduction element. Macroeconomic Advisers calculates that Heritage simply “adjusted up directly” residential investment, and as a result, the model produces some 4 million unoccupied housing units that are built in a decade — “an overhang as large as we estimate developed at the peak of the recent housing boom.”
What’s missing in the Macroeconomic Advisers item is analysis of what the Ryan plan actually would do, or for that matter, the Obama one. Expect more pressure on the eggheads.
– Steve Goldstein | <urn:uuid:6595f1c6-e1a8-424b-8ce0-aff00630fcdf> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://blogs.marketwatch.com/election/2011/04/14/the-ryans-plan-mysterious-house-boom/tab/print/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703682988/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112802-00027-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.94371 | 431 | 1.546875 | 2 |
In Civil 3D 2012, I'm trying to create a legend table that shows the range of colors in my "Elevations" analysis. However, after going through the "Add Surface Legend Table" command and moving through the prompts, I select a spot in space for the upper left table corner and... ...nothing is there. I checked to be sure my current layer ("0") is on and I've looked through style display tabs, but just can't figure out why I see nothing at all.
Any ideas? Thanks very much. | <urn:uuid:f1f8889f-e479-4845-9f78-f7d6112fd257> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://forums.augi.com/showthread.php?141923-Surface-legend-table-will-not-display&s=4dfd36921b565f011d7c5dd997f6b835&p=1186098 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708142388/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516124222-00023-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.946873 | 110 | 1.742188 | 2 |
Robot model makes a runway appearance at the Tokyo fashion week
The audience at the Tokyo fashion week witnessed an unconventional model take to the runway. The HRP-4C humanoid robot dressed in black and silver appeared on the stage, bowed to the audience and made a brief speech with her facial features moving in uncannily realistic ways (watch the video to see what I mean). The robot’s stagger was a far cry from a real model’s walk, but her creators estimate it will take another 20-30 years to even out the differences between electronic and real models. For now, the only object of envy for the real runway models would be the robot model's weight, which is a mere 95 lb.
The HRP-4C humanoid robot showed off her stormtrooper-like silver and black frame and bowed to a fashion-savvy audience at the start of the annual Japan Fashion Week in Tokyo -- but even her creators admit the mechanical model needs more work.
The HRP-4C has battery-powered motors in her body and face, allowing her to imitate the expressions, gait and poses of a supermodel --- up to a point.
"Our robot can't move elegantly like the real models that are here today," Shuji Kajita, director of humanoid robot engineering at the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), told Reuters. "It'll take another 20 to 30 years of research to make that happen."
The 158 cm (5 ft 2 inch) high-tech model weighed in at 43 kg (95 lb), slimmed down from earlier versions just in time for her catwalk debut at one of Japan's biggest fashion events.
AIST designers say the eyes, face and hair of the robot, which cost about $2 million to develop, are based on Japanese "anime" cartoon characters.
Japan, home to almost half of the world's 800,000 industrial robots, expects the industry to expand to $10 billion in the future including models that can care for its fast-growing elderly population. | <urn:uuid:7a319fbc-7b23-4be1-81a9-918786b6b79c> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.nowpublic.com/style/robot-model-makes-runway-appearance-tokyo-fashion-week | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703682988/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112802-00026-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.956462 | 425 | 1.640625 | 2 |
Benefits of 3 Wheel Mobility Scooters
A mobility scooter has indeed changed the concept of ambulation for the physically challenged members of society, thanks to the ingenuity of the people behind such innovation. In a way, this concept of constant reinvention creates a positive psychological effect, as it somehow dispels the feeling of helplessness among our physically challenged and elderly members, by making ambulation easier and more convenient for them. Even as several individuals have benefited from this state of the art power wheelchairs, varied and newer models and types of mobility scooters are being introduced into the market each trying to outdo the other with particular features and amenities.
In the market now, it is noticeable that there are more four-wheel scooters available than there are three-wheeled ones. Perhaps, the idea that a four-wheel mobility aid offers more stability to its user is what makes it popular.
Of course, it is important to look into this factor for the safety of the user. But, then, there are situations where other factors should be given top consideration in choosing a suitable mobility scooter.
A three-wheel mobility scooter, for instance, has important salient features that can better support the needs of the elderly and physically disabled, to name a few:
Turns efficiency. While it is true that a four-wheel mobility scooter can easily navigate wide sweeping turns, it obviously cannot do as efficiently with sharp ones. The user, or driver, needs to maneuver it back and forth before it can finally make a sharp turn. A three-wheel mobility scooter, however, uses advances in technology that allows it the versatility to make fluid turns. Its single wheel in front makes the sharpest of turns simple and effortless to complete. A three-wheel scooter’s turning radius works better in tight situations, like inside the home.
Freedom of movement. Because a three-wheel mobility scooter is smaller than its four-wheel counterpart, and provides more legroom, it significantly allows more freedom of movement to its user. For many, if not most, elderly persons with disabilities and physically challenged, ease of movement is the more important factor to look for in a mobility aid; and the three-wheel scooter fits just that requirement.
Unless the users’ lifestyle requires frequent outdoor movement and/or traveling longer distances, they would not need a more stable mobility aid. But even if they do need to go outdoors sometimes, they can opt for the full size version of the three-wheel scooter, which has larger tire size and heavier built frames.
Attractive appearance. Let’s face it, one of the more important factors that a person considers in buying things is appearance, and the three-wheel mobility scooter has that. With the constant innovation of technology, this mobility aid has been remodeled to become lighter and compact and yet capable of carrying a maximum weight of 250 pounds. It also comes in different designs and attractive colors. Its streamlined appearance and aerodynamics design makes it appealing to the users.
No one likes to be helpless and inutile; that is why, a mobility scooter is particularly designed to make its users’ lives bearable by providing them sense of independence and confidence. | <urn:uuid:99b5b393-80b2-4ba7-8c32-cc5cd20e37f5> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.folding-scooter.com/benefits-of-3-wheel-mobility-scooters/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698924319/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516100844-00031-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.958227 | 659 | 1.828125 | 2 |
By Steven Greenhut | Franklin Center
Police typically say that their top mission is to protect “public safety.” That’s the lingo. But the recently concluded manhunt for former Los Angeles Police Department officer Christopher Dorner, accused of murdering four people after releasing a manifesto decrying his 2008 firing from the force, suggests that concern about the public’s actual safety sometimes is fairly low on the list of police priorities.
Last weekend, police opened fire on a 71-year-old newspaper carrier and her 47-year-old daughter who had the misfortune of driving a pick-up truck police thought might be Dorner’s. The Los Angeles police detectives who opened fire on them, putting two bullets in the older woman’s back, didn’t do much double checking. The carriers’ truck was a different make and color from Dorner’s.
As the women’s attorney told the Los Angeles Times: “The problem with the situation is it looked like the police had the goal of administering street justice and in so doing, didn’t take the time to notice that these two older, small women don’t look like a large black man.”
This could be written off as a sad fluke, except that 25 minutes later different officers opened fire on a different truck — once again getting key details wrong. Can’t officers at least check the license plate, and issue a warning, before opening fire?
“Nobody trains police officers to look for one of their own,” said Maria Haberfeld, a police-training professor at John Jay College in New York, according to the website News One. “I wouldn’t want to be in their shoes and I don’t think anybody else would.”
We all understand the situation. But saying that we wouldn’t want to be “in their shoes” is no excuse for such dangerous behavior. The police wouldn’t excuse a member of the public for misusing a firearm, regardless of how stressed out that person felt.
News One also published the photograph of a gray Ford truck in the Los Angeles area with a hand-made “Don’t Shoot, Not Dorner, Thank You” poster on the back window. T-shirts and bumper stickers have popped up to similar effect. Those are funny in a dark way, but police ought to recognize how poorly this reflects on them and their strategies. It’s sad when people are more worried about the police than they are about a murderer on the loose.
“Simply put, the police culture in our country has changed,” argued former San Jose Police Chief Joe McNamara, a Hoover Institution scholar, in a Wall Street Journal article in 2006. “An emphasis on ‘officer safety’ and paramilitary training pervades today’s policing, in contrast to the older culture, which held that cops didn’t shoot until they were about to be shot or stabbed.”
Murders are sadly routine in the Los Angeles area. The massive police presence was the result of the killer targeting their own, thus leading to the reasonable conclusion that police pulled out the stops not because the public was in danger but because they were in danger. I don’t blame police for their efforts, but I also understand why residents in, say, South Los Angeles, wondered why killings in their community don’t rate the same attention.
With crime rates at 40-year lows, this is an opportune time for a debate about such police-priority issues free from excess emotionalism.
Media reports have focused on the rantings within Dorner’s manifesto. But a lot of it is about bureaucratic indifference—about police officials who, in his mind, didn’t care about the communities they are sworn to protect. Nothing justifies such violence and I’m sickened by people who are celebrating Dorner, but even the LAPD is re-opening the case of Dorner’s firing. Perhaps the department will try to glean some broader lessons from this tragedy.
Currently, a case before the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals is evaluating the lengths to which police are required to go to protect innocent bystanders. The case involves Sacramento police who were trailing a suspect who had run from his car and then hid in a tree in a family’s backyard. A police helicopter spotted him. So an officer released a police dog into the yard even though people were having a gathering in the backyard.
Police dogs are trained to bite and hold suspects, but they can’t distinguish between law-abiding citizens relaxing with friends and police suspects. So Bandit attacked the first person it saw. Instead of instituting reform and settling with the family, Sacramento Police Department has been arguing that “officer safety” would be endangered by requiring a reasonable warning before releasing a vicious dog on private property.
It’s frightening to think that police can use deadly force without taking even the most modest steps to protect innocent bystanders. It’s even more frightening to hear people defend this approach. Yes, officer safety is important. But so is the public’s safety. It’s time to grapple with the proper balance.
Steven Greenhut is vice president of journalism for the Franklin Center for Government and Public Integrity. Contact him at [email protected] | <urn:uuid:8cd0a486-1b51-43bd-8902-443eab2a05e7> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://watchdog.org/69790/dorner-manhunt-reveals-police-contempt-for-public-safety/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703682988/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112802-00038-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.96537 | 1,127 | 1.773438 | 2 |
The slowing global recovery will result in a lower global demand for oil this year and next, the International Energy Agency said Friday, citing slowdowns in China and the United States in particular.
“Sluggish economic growth could restrict annual oil demand growth to 0.9 million barrels per day in 2012 and 0.8 mbpd in 2013, with demand averaging 89.6 mbpd and 90.5 mbpd,” down from last month’s estimates of 89.9 mbpd and 90.9 mbpd, respectively, the IEA said in its August Oil Market Report.
The IEA, the energy watchdog for 28 industrialised countries including Ireland, said slower demand in the United States and China, which together account for a third of the global market, together with technical changes in its calculations, result ed in a cut its 2012 forecast by 0.25 mbpd.
The agency cut its 2013 economic growth forecast to 3.6% from 3.8% but left its 2012 estimate unchanged at 3.3%.
The IEA said that global oil stocks have built solidly in the first half of 2012, albeit the recent trend in OECD countries has been downward.
Combined with still-slim OPEC spare capacity, and a series of geopolitical issues confronting several OPEC producers, not least Iran, this has kept crude prices strong through July and early-August.
Consumers appear to have slashed imports of Iranian oil to only around 1m barrels per day (mb/d) in July, but the report suggests that this may prove a low-water mark if constraints on shipping Iranian oil ease in the months ahead.
Highlights of the latest OMR
Sluggish economic growth could restrict annual oil demand growth to 0.9 mb/d in 2012 and 0.8 mb/d in 2013, with demand averaging 89.6 mb/d and 90.5 mb/d respectively.
Baseline revisions for the FSU (former Soviet Union), China and Middle East lower absolute demand by 0.3 mb/d for 2011/2012 and, combined with weaker economic growth assumptions, trim the 2013 demand total by 0.4 mb/d.
Global oil supply grew by 0.3 mb/d m-o-m to 90.7 mb/d in July, with non-OPEC generating 60% of the increase. Global oil output stood 2.6 mb/d above year-ago, with 80% of the increase from OPEC crude and NGLs. Summer maintenance reduced 2Q12 non-OPEC growth to 0.5 mb/d, but output should grow by 0.7 mb/d in 2013.
OPEC crude supply fell 70 kb/d to 31.39 mb/d in July versus June, on declines from Iran, Angola and Libya. Effective spare capacity is assessed at 2.57 mb/d, and July crude imports from Iran fell to 1.0 mb/d. The ‘call on OPEC crude and stock change’ is now 31 mb/d for 3Q12 and averages 30.1 mb/d for 4Q12-4Q13.
Oil prices advanced in July and early August, extending earlier gains. Urals, a substitute for Iranian crude in Europe, led the rally in spot markets as the EU embargo on Iranian oil took effect. Brent and WTI futures surged past $112/bbl and $93/bbl, respectively, in early August, from $89.61/bbl and $78.10/bbl in late June.
June OECD industry oil stocks fell counter-seasonally by 5.5 mb to 2683 mb, or 57.8 days of forward cover. A crude stock build failed to offset a draw in products. The deficit to the five-year average stock level widened to 19.2 mb. July preliminary data suggest a 10.0 mb build in OECD stocks.
Global refinery crude run estimates for 3Q12 have been lowered by 0.3 mb/d since last month, following a slowdown in apparent Chinese oil demand and refinery operations, and outages in the US and Japan. 3Q12 global throughputs now total 75.5 mb/d, 0.2 mb/d above a year earlier and 1.1 mb/d above the 2Q12 seasonal low. | <urn:uuid:e6573b83-9fdb-4791-af89-81183d3efca1> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://monfinance.com/tag/world-economy/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708766848/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125246-00010-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.939085 | 914 | 1.84375 | 2 |
How do you suppose that foreign nations will take this? How do you suppose the news of this exploit of yours will be received in the dominions of other kings, and in the most distant countries of the world, when they hear that a king has been insulted by a praetor of the Roman people in his province? that a guest of the Roman people has been plundered? a friend and ally of the Roman people insultingly driven out? Know that your name and that of the Roman people will be an object of hatred and detestation to foreign nations. If this unheard-of insolence of Verres is to pass unpunished, all men will think, especially as the reputation of our men for avarice and covetousness has been very extensively spread, that this is not his crime only, but that of those who have approved of it. Many kings, many free cities, many opulent and powerful private men, cherish intentions of ornamenting the Capitol in such a way as the dignity of the temple and the reputation of our empire requires. And if they understand that you show a proper indignation at this kingly present being intercepted, they will then think that their zeal and their presents will be acceptable to you and to the Roman people. But if they hear that you have been indifferent to the complaint of so great a king, in so remarkable a case, in one of such bitter injustice, they will not be so crazy as to spend their time, and labour, and expense on things which they do not think will be acceptable to you.
This text is part of:
Table of Contents:
The first oration against Verres.
THE FIRST BOOK OF THE SECOND PLEADING AGAINST CAIUS VERRES.
THE SECOND BOOK OF THE SECOND PLEADING AGAINST CAIUS VERRES.
THE THIRD BOOK OF THE SECOND PLEADING IN THE ACCUSATION AGAINST CAIUS VERRES.
THE FOURTH BOOK OF THE SECOND PLEADING IN THE PROSECUTION OF VERRES.
The Fifth Book of the Second Pleading in the Prosecution against Verres.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 United States License.
An XML version of this text is available for download, with the additional restriction that you offer Perseus any modifications you make. Perseus provides credit for all accepted changes, storing new additions in a versioning system. | <urn:uuid:507bfa0f-abd5-498d-bb6c-1a1d19ff6c4f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=urn:cts:latinLit:phi0474.phi005.perseus-eng1:2.4.68 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706890813/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516122130-00007-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.947496 | 510 | 1.75 | 2 |
I had a pretty bumpy swim last week with a German masters coach who goes by the book. In other words, he makes you swim on very tight intervals. For instance we had to swim 100 yards on 1:45 about 15 times. And since Coach Wolfgang is very precise, 1:45 means 1:45 and NOT 1:46. For me this type of workout usually means one of two things:
1) My form completely breaks down until I look like a wet golden retriever doing the doggy paddle to fetch a stick and/or
2) I have to make frequent trips to the bathroom.
And just so I’m very clear about this, I don’t really have to go to the bathroom for a whiz, I just need a break.
So today I thought it would be handy for me to review my Tri coaches top 5 tips to great swimming and just for good measure, his 10 best swim drills for you to try at your leisure.
Wes Hobson, a former long-time pro and ITU champion, has some great swim tips. But I’ll let him explain. Below is his take on what it takes to have great swim form. You can also listen to him explain more by clicking HERE for my interview with Wes. You can also learn more by visiting his web site HERE.
Swimming and Drills 101 by Wes Hobson
The main points I stress to individuals for swimming:
1. Don't cross the midline of your body. This is from straight above the head where your hand enters all the way down your body. Once the midline swimming is understood, then you work on rotating from the "barge" to the "speedboat" with help from rotating the hip.
2. High elbow recovery. This helps the body be streamlined moving forward. A lack of high elbows has a tendency to throw the hips side to side, crossing the midline, that causes the body to wiggle through the water. A lack of high elbows also causes the muscles of the arm to be contracted during recovery and not able to relax. When entering, have the fingers enter the water first, followed by the wrist and then elbow.
3. Get rid of the S shaped sculling motion upon entering the water. This wastes time. Enter the water and start to pull, thinking about the area between your fingers and the elbow as a wrought iron bar that doesn't bend. Keeping your elbow bent at approximately 90-110 degrees prevents the arm from crossing the midline and gives you the best power of pushing through the water (which is 1100 times more dense than air).
4. Short, little kicks. Too much bending at the knee causes a braking motion. Your kick should really be within an 8-14 inch range from all the way up to all the way down. Kicking may only be 20-30% of the propulsion forward, but training your kick can make it have better economy to your energy system.
5. Head position. There is no set place to put it. Rather, it depends on the individual. Too high and the butt may sink. Too low and the head is more like an anchor in the water.
**** It is important to over-exaggerate any changes in your swimming stroke in order to change your form to a better and more efficient technique. This feeling can take anywhere from a few weeks to months, depending on how often you swim and how disciplined you are with accepting changes. It would be best to have someone knowledgeable about swimming observe you and offer things to change. In addition, being filmed above and below water will give you a visual of things you need to change and allow you to archive your swimming to view it later when periodically filmed***
PS. 90% of the time, drills are slow. Don't hurry the drill and not make the best use of your time.
1. If you cross your midline upon entry, swim like a penguin with your arms feeling FAR apart from the midline. Visualize the appendages of a penguin as the fins are more to the side of the body. Swim like that where you "feel" like your hands are entering the water way out to the side of your body. In reality, you may be entering right by your midlline!
2. To help not cross the midline under the body, try to breathe as little as possible for a 25 or 50, drop the chin to the chest and watch to see if the hands are crossing the midline near your chest and belly. If they are, then make the angle of your elbow larger.
3. High elbows (and relaxed lower arms upon recovery), act like you are pulling your arm out of a winter coat. If you aren't used to doing high elbows, you might feel some tightness in the shoulder area. Hang from a bar or a tree limb for 20 seconds a day. This will help streeetch the shoulder some. Have your hand entry into the water with fingertips first, then wrists, then elbows.
Drills for high elbow:
a. Fingertip drill where the fingers drag along the top of the water during recovery. If you don't feel your fingertips on the water, then you aren't doing this properly.
b. Thumb up the side of the body during the recovery phase from the hip and up along past the lat muscles.
c. Thumb hesitates for one second while touching the shoulder/armpit area. This promises a high elbow. You need to be patient with this drill and really hold it for a second at the shoulder. This also emphasizes rotation and lengthening of the stroke.
4. One legged kicking to improve kicking up (just as a cycling pedal stroke). This makes you work the upside of the kick (hamstrings) instead of just kicking down. Try to do the drill without a board. Arms in front and lift your head up when you need to breathe.
5. Short little kicks. Kick a 25 fast and then a 25 slow concentrating on the feet coming minimally out of the water and also not going too deep. Make sure the toes are pointed. If not, stretching the ankle and foot area will help with this.
6. Swim with your eyes closed to see what direction you go, this shows if one side of the stroke may be weaker (stronger) than the other. If you veer left, then the right arm is pulling better than the left. This is best in a pool with no lane lines. Have two people, one to your left and one to your right, about 15 meters in front of you. They will make sure you don't hit the lane lines or sides of the pool. Push off from a lane line that is marked at the bottom of the pool. Take 15 strokes with your eyes closed, stop and turn around to see if you went to the left or right of the line. No peeking!
7. Head out of the water (and barking). This helps prepare you for sighting in the open water. Try to keep the head moderately still to keep the stroke even. This enhances short/little kicks and high elbows. Then begin sighting every fifth stroke. Ideally you want to be able to breathe while you sight. If not, you can sight and then turn your head to breathe all within the same stroke.
8. Breathe every stroke! Yes, you may get dizzy, but this really helps you get the feel of hip rotation. Breathing every third or fifth stroke really helps for open water swimming. It helps to even out the stroke. Also, if wind created waves or ocean swells are coming from a certain direction during a race, you will feel comfortable breathing to one side so that you don't breathe into the ensuing wave. I didn't start alternate breathing until after college (many, many years ago), it still takes some getting used to. Typically, in a race, I will start the race for the first 400 meters breathing to my more comfortable and dominant breathing side (right) and then as the pace mellows, I will switch to alternate breathing. This also allows me to be able to sight on both sides and to see where other swimmers are in relation to me.
9. Breathe towards the corner of the pool you of the direction you are swimming, not where you have been. Don't breathe back and under your armpit so much. To do this, begin with just looking forward. Don't crick the neck forward by raising it too high. Paddles will help with the lift and keeping the shoulders high and not dropping your should so much that you are not pulling with your force forward. Think lift with the arms. Envision how the airplane uses water to lift the wings; hence the body, off of the ground. Instead of air, you are using the water to lift you up. The shoulder is the "stable" wing.
10. If you are a late breather, breathe towards the corner of the pool of the direction you are swimming, not where you have been. Don't breathe back and under your armpit so much. To do this, begin with just looking forward. Don't crick the neck forward by raising it too high. | <urn:uuid:8395f505-d319-4b07-9895-ccccb3aba21b> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.everymantri.com/everyman_triathlon/2006/05/swiming_like_a_.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706153698/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120913-00021-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.959146 | 1,899 | 1.523438 | 2 |
COVINGTON - Nearly 200 Newton County students celebrated the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday getting their hands dirty.
About 180 student volunteers from Georgia Perimeter College, Oxford College and several Newton County public schools, as well as a few adult helpers, worked Monday to build two community gardens, plant trees and clean up trash in Covington for an event sponsored by Hands-On Newton County. Snapping Shoals EMC and a grant from the Youth Service America-State Farm Food Neighbor provided funding.
"If we didn't do this, a lot of things wouldn't be the same," said Gabriel Bragg, a fourth-grade student from Middle Ridge Elementary School. "It would be dirty."
Bragg, who was participating in his first-ever community service project, joined many other middle and high school students and area college students in doing something productive with their day off from classes.
"I feel people who care make a difference on their day off," said Tai Avery, a ninth-grade student at Newton High School who helped in the service project with 12 other girls from a new community service group, GIRLZ Destiny. "One person can make a big difference."
Several smaller groups split up to clear and prepare two sites for vegetable and fruit gardens at Turner Lake Recreational Complex, along with an area beside the building that houses the Community Food Pantry and FaithWorks. In the spring, volunteers plan to plant fruits and vegetables to give to the food pantry, needy senior citizens and other local individuals and families living in poverty.
"It is a beginning of growing thousands of pounds of fruits and vegetables for the neediest people," said Crystal McLaughlin, director of student development at Oxford College.
Lindy Wood, education and outreach coordinator at the Atlanta Community Food Bank, encouraged the volunteers to continue their involvement with the project since it was just beginning and more work will be needed in the future for planting and upkeep.
"This is something that will require all of us to be involved," Wood told the group. "When you think about it, just about everything we do that connects us involves food. ... You're going to help build a community and build love."
Michelle Floyd can be reached at [email protected]. | <urn:uuid:c82a0d45-7af4-4371-a22d-85c547c722cb> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.newtoncitizen.com/news/2009/jan/20/building-the-dreambr-students-celebrate-mlk-with/?features | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368710006682/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516131326-00010-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.966088 | 464 | 1.75 | 2 |
NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- Last night as we were flipping through the channels, I found an episode of "Happy Days" I had not seen since it originally aired in 1977. This was not any ordinary episode, but the dreadful one that inspired the term "jumping the shark"; used to describe a decline in show quality that leads to desperation in order to draw viewers. It's what once-successful shows do when they run out of material.
In the conclusion of what was unbelievably a three-part episode, main character Fonzie literally attempts to jump over a shark on water skis. My son was excited at first to view this, he'd heard the term many times, but was unaware of where it had originated from. Suffice it to say that it was an awful episode of a once great show, and I could not even watch the whole thing.
Unfortunately, there have been a couple recent examples of companies "jumping the shark," in terms of exiting the publicly traded arena in disappointing deals.
It's still hard to believe that Dell (DELL) is being taken out at $13.65/share. While not the company it once was, if the deal is accepted by shareholders, it will be a very disappointing end. I thought it would fetch a higher price, especially given the bounty of cash and securities on the balance sheet.Dell ended last quarter with $11.3 billion in cash and short-term investments, and $2.9 billion in long-term investments, for a total of $14.2 billion in cash and securities, or more than $8 per share. Even netting out the company's considerable debt load of $9 billion, leaves $5.2 billion, or $3 per share. Yet the deal is being done at $13.65; disappointing to say the least. While the Dell saga has been the headline grabber, it appears as though small nuclear play Energy Solutions (ES) will also end its run in the public markets in desperate fashion. The company recently agreed to be taken private at $3.75/share by Energy Capital Partners.
That may be a great price to those who took a stake last summer, when shares traded in the $1.50-$1.75 range, but this was once a $25-plus stock. It is a complicated one and has substantial debt ($811 million) and other liabilities, but $3.75 seems to be on the bargain-basement side. This company provides service essential in the nuclear space including decommissioning, decontamination, site clean-up, and should have a great deal of demand ahead of it.
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I love the Mission Impossible storyline. Start with a very important problem that seems impossible to solve. Add an intrepid group of people whose blend of skills enables them to come up with a wild strategy to get the job done. Then sit back and experience a mind blowing good time.
But what if we could be part of real life “missions impossible”? Wouldn’t that be fantastic? To connect with really cool and brave people who are trying to tackle important and outrageous problems? To be part of that team? Hmmm … but isn’t this type of stuff risky? Sure there is risk. The project might fail. But unlike the mission impossible films where failure leads to shoot outs and that kind of stuff, project failure in the real world means — we get a learning experience. Should that be a reason to hold back? I don’t think so.
Ok, fasten your seatbelt, here is an example. A while ago a nice young lady paid me a visit at my cafe. Her name is Siisi Saetalu. Siisi asked my opinion about a project. “Ho hum” I thought. But then I heard her story. The project was for her to go to Kampala, Uganda in order to start up a cafe that would be run by local handicapped persons. It seemed like an impossible challenge. But wouldn’t it be great if it actually worked?
After Siisi left, I found myself thinking a lot about her idea. I found myself hoping that somehow she could pull it off. It is a mission impossible. Then Siisi sent me an email with a Youtube video link. Here it is.
So here is my pitch. Perhaps this is just way too crazy to do. But maybe that is its appeal. What do you think?
Tags: Uganda Cafe | <urn:uuid:d6348be1-0d38-4420-8594-16c9e7d10f51> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://laf.ee/wp/?p=4420 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696382584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092622-00013-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.952826 | 379 | 1.757813 | 2 |
Pope Benedict XVI
declared Archbishop Fulton Sheen (1895-1979) “venerable” on June 28, and the
Illinois-native could soon become the first male American-born saint. A few
generations back he was the face of the Catholic Church in America for many, employing
his strong speaking ability, personal piety and learning, and modern media to
win many converts to the Catholic faith.
Sheen was born in
El Paso, Illinois, and grew up in nearby Peoria. He was ordained a priest for
the Diocese of Peoria in 1919, and was made auxiliary bishop for the
Archdiocese of New York in 1951 and bishop of Rochester in 1966. But Sheen is
best known for his evangelization work through the media. He hosted The Catholic Hour radio program from
1930 to 1950, and Life is Worth Living,
a television program for which he won an Emmy Award, from 1951 to 1957. He also
authored more than 70 books on theology, philosophy, spirituality, marriage,
the priesthood, and current events, and he helped convert a number of notable
personalities to the Faith.
Someone who knew
Sheen well and hopes to live to see his beatification is his niece Joan Sheen
Cunningham of Yonkers, New York, age 85. Seventy-five years ago Joan left her
midwestern family and came to New York to attend school under the guardianship
of her uncle. She recently shared her memories of Archbishop Sheen with Catholic World Report.
was your relationship to Archbishop Fulton Sheen?
Joan Sheen Cunningham: My father, Joseph Sheen
(1899-1956), was the younger brother of Fulton Sheen. There were four Sheen
brothers; Fulton was the oldest, and my father the second oldest. The two other
brothers were Thomas and Al. My father was the closest to Fulton.
I was born into a
family of eight in Peoria, Illinois. My father was a lawyer. When I was age 10,
he sent me to New York to go to school, under the care of my uncle, Fulton
Sheen. He was like a second father to me.
you were close to him?
Cunningham: Oh, yes. He took an interest in
everything in my life. He took me to do things on the weekends. Sometimes, he
took me ice skating at Rockefeller Center. He’d buy me pastries. Sometimes
we’d visit his priest-friends at church rectories.
He’d take me to the
store and pick out dresses for me. When I was older, he’d ask, “Who are you
dating?” When I got married, he set up my apartment. He bought my furniture. He
even went to the supermarket and bought food for my refrigerator.
He baptized my
three children and gave them their first Communion. In fact, he gave me my
he was a celebrity, did people come up to him frequently on the street?
Cunningham: People would stop him all the time.
They’d want to shake his hand. He’d always take an interest in whoever walked
up, taking the time to greet them. He always welcomed them, and was never short
with anyone. He was just my uncle back then, it didn’t dawn on me until later
that he was a celebrity.
Since he was known
for his generosity, people would often come up to ask him for money, telling
him how they were down on their luck. He’d hand them $20. I’d ask him, “How do
you know that they’re not putting you on; that they really need help?”
He’d answer, “I
can’t take the chance.”
He had a great love
for the poor. When he served as national director for the Society for the
Propagation of the Faith (1950-66), he visited the missions in Africa, and was
distressed by the poverty he saw. He’d say, “Oh, if you could see the poor souls
there.” As much as he loved teaching, I think the highlight of his career was
being director of the Society, so he could help those people and the
missionaries who served them.
When he was made bishop
of Rochester, he would regularly go to the homes of poor people to celebrate
Mass. He was criticized because if a school there had low enrollment, he’d want
to close it, sell the property, and give the money to the poor. He saw how the
poor in Rochester were in need of medical care, so he wanted to supply a
medical van, staff it with doctors and nurses, and drive it to parts of town
where the poor needed help. He went to a local hospital with the idea, but they
wouldn’t help him.
different back then. There was not the stress on helping the poor like there is
today. My uncle always worried about the poor.
He was also kind to
outcasts. I remember one man that was disfigured by leprosy who always came to
his radio broadcasts. People in the audience would see the man, cringe at his
appearance and move away from him. My uncle would say to me, “Joan, go over and
talk to that man, he’s very nice.”
was his personality like? He referred to himself as a serious man.
Cunningham: He was serious, but he also had a
terrific sense of humor, and managed to see the humor in things. He knew how to
have a belly laugh. In fact, two of his friends were comedians Jackie Gleason
and Milton Berle. When my uncle visited California, they’d arrange to get
Two of his best
friends were Bishop Toolen of Mobile, Alabama, and his brother, who was also a
priest. They’d always play gags on one another. On Bishop Toolen’s
birthday, for example, my uncle sent him a St. Bernard dog with a keg around
At home, he loved
to introduce people to his dog Chumley. I don’t remember the breed, but it was
a big dog. He trained Chumley himself. He’d say, “Come here, Chumley, and sit.
It’s Lent, time to sacrifice.” And he’d balance a piece of meat on the
dog’s nose. The dog wouldn’t move until he said, “Now, it’s Easter.” And the
dog would eat the meat.
He also taught
Chumley to pray: he’d put his paws together and growl.
was known for playing a role in the conversions of many people, including
Cunningham: Yes. I remember meeting Clare Booth Luce.
She’d come for breakfast at his house.
what was his physical appearance like?
Cunningham: He was short, maybe 5’7”. None of the
Sheens are tall. Often the way he was photographed would make him look tall,
but he wasn’t.
He’d shave twice
daily, and always dressed nicely. He’d say, “I’m an ambassador of Christ.” People
were always giving him things; the tailor who did his suits, for example,
wouldn’t charge him full price.
He drove a new
Cadillac. A dealer in Washington, DC would give him a new one every two
years. My uncle had helped him years before. The dealer told him, “I’m
having a terrible time with my employees.” My uncle responded, “Why not
share the wealth with them? Give them some of the profits you’re making.” The
man did, and his business improved. The new Cadillacs were his way of saying
Archbishop Sheen was known for being a pious man.
Cunningham: No question. He was always faithful to
his daily Holy Hour, even when he was traveling in Africa. His whole
attitude and outlook had a spiritual tone. I remember, for example, him telling
me to “hold material things with a detached spirit. That way, if you lose them,
it doesn’t matter.”
But besides being a
religious man, he was also down-to-earth. He understood people. Many came
to him with their problems. Everyone admired him and liked him as a person. He
sought perfection in his life; he believed everyone should produce something
with their lives.
Sheen was known for his preaching. Did you observe how he prepared?
Cunningham: He didn’t use notes when he spoke. He’d
keep an eye on the clock, and when it was time to close, he’d have a particular
ending he’d prepared. I was always amazed how he always spoke the right
amount of time and ended so well.
did he enjoy eating?
Cunningham: Hardly anything. He suffered from stomach
problems since he was a boy. It runs in our family.
I’d come over and
cook for him sometimes. He’d have a tiny hamburger, canned peas (the small
ones) and figs for dessert. He loved candy, but doctors told him he
shouldn’t eat it because it was bad for his stomach. People would send him
candy and cookies all the time; he’d eat one piece of candy or one cookie just so
he could tell people he’d had some.
He’d go to nice
dinners all the time and they’d serve him chicken. He told me he hated chicken,
as they always used to give it to him on the farm when he was growing
up. He’d tell me he’d push it around on his plate so that it would look
like he’d eaten some.
were his hobbies?
Cunningham: He loved tennis. He played until the
doctors told him he shouldn’t play anymore. He also played the organ. He
liked music, even though he couldn’t carry a tune.
he have problems with anyone?
Cunningham: He had a terrible time with Cardinal
Spellman. That’s well known. My uncle was very successful with the mission
appeal, and Cardinal Spellman’s collections were not as successful. He asked my
uncle to give him some money, but he refused. He told the cardinal, “People
donated to the missions, and the money has to go to the missions.”
Their dispute went
all the way to Rome, and my uncle won. The cardinal didn’t want him speaking in
New York, and told his priests not to have him come to their parishes. I’m sure
that being sent to Rochester was the cardinal’s doing. It was a heartache for
He was buried under
the main altar of St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York. My uncle had bought a
plot in Queens and had intended to be buried there, but Cardinal Terence Cooke
called and offered to bury him in St. Patrick’s. He said, “I want to make up
for the way New York treated him.”
were his final days like?
Cunningham: At the end of his life he had heart
trouble. After he retired at age 75, the doctors thought he might die. He
accepted it, even though he had to spend many days in the hospital. A priest
friend would come every day to help him celebrate Mass.
I helped him pick
out an apartment for his retirement. Two days before he died he called me and
said, “Come over and help me, my books are a mess.” I came over and saw him
sitting on a stool, going through his things. I thought, at last he’s getting
back to his old self.
But, two days later
he was dead. Apparently he died while walking to a chapel he had in his home.
I miss him. He was a wonderful, wonderful man. | <urn:uuid:434ea239-1cb5-452a-90c3-97ceb604aa70> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.catholicworldreport.com/Item/1612/my_uncle_fulton_sheen.aspx | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706153698/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120913-00009-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.988768 | 2,665 | 1.6875 | 2 |
And how shall I call upon my God, my Lord, and God, because assuredly I shall call him into myself when I call on Him? And what place is there in me which my God can occupy? By what way can God come into me, God, the Maker of heaven and earth? Is it so, my Lord God? Is there anything in me which can contain You? Indeed, do heaven and earth which You have made and as part of which You made me, contain You? Or because nothing which exists would exist without You, does it come about that whatever exists contains You? And so, because I exist, what am I seeking, when I ask You come into me, I, who would not exist unless You were in me? For I am not yet in hell and yet You are there, for ‘though I go down to hell, You are there.’ I should not therefore exist, my God, I should not exist at all, unless You were in me. Or rather I should not exist unless I existed in You, from whom are all things, through whom are all things, in whom are all things. Even so, Lord, even so. Why then do I call upon You, when I am in You? Or whence do You come into me? Where can I withdraw, outside heaven and earth whence my God may come into me, He who said: ‘I fill heaven and earth’?
~ excerpt from The Confessions of Saint Augustine ~ | <urn:uuid:59cccf0c-257b-4078-9259-f0e4b1041558> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://journalingtruth.com/letters-to-the-one/2011-november-24-the-mystery-of-gods-indwelling/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700264179/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516103104-00019-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.976635 | 306 | 1.625 | 2 |
First of all, I’m not so proud to share that I have not started running, nor have I made much progress in finding any balance in my life. But I did walk outside and buy myself a new pair of earrings. Baby steps, I tell you, baby steps.
Anyway, did you know that 1873, a man named Henry Hatch of McHenry County, Ill., invented the very first silo? He built it out of wood and stored grains inside of it. He was probably a very forward-thinking man.
I saw my very first silo when I moved to Michigan for college. After being told farmers kept grain inside of them to feed their animals, I could not figure out how they filled those things up. I mean, if you put the grains in through a little window, all the grain already in there would just spill out! Little did I know that silos require some fancy engineering . . . on the inside.
My grad program is built on the idea of co-teaching. In the past year and a half it’s been drilled into my head that silos are bad news and that no teacher should operate in silo fashion. Everyone knows this, but when you’ve been trained to operate as a co-planner, co-teacher, and co-assessor, being the sole teacher-of-record in a self-contained class where I have no team whatsoever is quite hard.
Nowadays there are rare occasions when my aides and I bounce ideas off of each other, but most of the time, I’m on my own. And after all my kids go home, I sit at my desk and plan all by my lonesome.
I guess if my student teaching experience last year had been a “normal” one, I wouldn’t know the difference. But to have been trained as a co-teacher and now not have the opportunities to use those skills—well, it’s sad. This is especially true when I hear stories of teachers who are being forced to co-teach for the very first time and are so frustrated all they want to do is stomp back to their silos.
This is not to say I don’t see benefits in working alone. Stuff certainly gets done faster, but I think I so enjoyed co-teaching because, in the end, our kids benefited so much from having both of us in the room.
Now if only I can figure out a way to co-teach in my self-contained class . . . that is, if only I could put on a magic cape and be two people at the same time . . . hmmm. . . . | <urn:uuid:8ce73da6-7c95-4609-8ac5-2889998ca86a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.cecreality101.org/2011/10/allisence-siloed.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697380733/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516094300-00041-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.981958 | 561 | 1.648438 | 2 |
The Best Destinations to Hunt Trophy Whitetail Deer Bucks in.
I carried 9 record books and several maps from my library up to my office in an effort to compose a current article surrounding where the most record book bucks had been taken in regard to location. After hours of research I discovered that not enough current information existed to compose an article with information any more recent than 2002.
With the whitetail industry peaking at an all time high I was disappointed as hundred maybe thousands more record book whitetails have been entered into the record books since 2002. Thus I will present statistical information through 2002 and then present recent trends to forecast or predict what states one should consider for the booking of a whitetail deer hunt.
Statistics through 2002
Now that you’ve decided to go on the hunt of a lifetime in pursuit of trophy whitetail bucks, which destination should you choose? What are the best locations to hunt from in an effort to bag that whitetail buck of a lifetime? It will be the focus of this article to provide through educated research, and provide evidence to the reader on where you should elect to book your next whitetail deer hunt. While we have heard and seen massive amounts of information targeting areas such as Webb County Texas, Pike County Illinois, Buffalo County Wisconsin, Zone5 of Iowa, and Provinces in Canada many other locations exist and go by unnoticed annually that I will attempt to reveal.
Initial information was researched through the Boone and Crockett Club, Pope and Young Club, Safari International Club, and Buckmasters. These entities are without doubt the primary sources of historical information available to the modern day whitetail enthusiastic.
In 2002 Field and Stream Magazine presented a four page foldout map to reveal what areas within the continental United States to show where Boone and Crockett and Pope and Young Deer were harvested. The map was color coordinated with the colors white, yellow, orange, dark orange, and red. White areas were locations that had no whitetail buck trophy entries. The red areas were areas that had more than 31 entries in the Boone and Crockett Record Books. Thus the entire map of the United States is shaded from white to red to show the densest areas of whitetail buck record book buck entry. A thorough look at this map shows the states that recorded the most whitetail record book buck entries. These area in 2002 were reported as being:
Illinois: Portions of Illinois that have produced the most record book whitetail bucks were in West Central Illinois in around Pike County, Illinois.
Iowa: Portion of Iowa that have produced the most record book whitetail bucks were in the South Central, and South Eastern areas which are typically known as Zone 5.
Missouri: Portions were extreme Northern Missouri with counties such as Shelby, Knox, Adair, and Macon being the primary targets.
Texas: While Texas seems to be famous for record book whitetail bucks the majority of the State of Texas did NOT show great success. Really the only counties that were impressive were Webb, LaSalle, Dimmitt, Kenedy, and Kleberg.
Wisconsin: This State show very impressive areas of hunting throughout.
Canada was not represented on this map produced by Field and Stream. I can remember as I began to build my outfit service these are the states I focused on obtaining ground and lodges in. While many hunters travel each year to Canada in search of the remote Canadian Wilderness Whitetails I suggest hunters can save a pile of money and get on just as big of whitetail bucks right here in the United States if enough research is done.
If you haven’t seen this four page color coordinated map it was quite impressive to say the least. Much research was done by Field and Stream to produce such a document. I applaud Field and Stream for the work but had always wished it showed Canadian Provinces. The problem with the map is that its almost 7 years old.
In college my Economics Professor once told me that statistics are only as good as the person recording them. I believe all the aforementioned clubs do keep good records and have great systems of service in place to the whitetail enthusiast. While we look to these clubs for guidance and statistics to determine where to book a trophy whitetail hunt trip there are always problems with reporting to some degree. Several of these clubs have actually set up scoring booths and promoted scoring of animals in certain areas. For example: If the Boone and Crockett Club were to set up and attend several Iowa Whitetail Deer Shows and allow for free scoring of bucks in the area obviously many more bookings would show up in Iowa for the that season.
Another problem is that many more whitetail bucks that would meet the record books are not reported for entry. For example. I have thirteen Pope and Young Bucks on the Wall and have never entered one of them. I would be bold enough to suggest many more bucks have been harvested that would meet the record books that have not been entered than those that have been entered into the books.
Also two of the major record book clubs allow high fence entries. As I have shared before I know for a fact in many high fence hunting areas domesticated deer are shipped in from other states for hunters to shoot.
Irregardless of whatever problems their may be with reporting entries in the record books the reporting is accurate enough to determine trends in mature whitetail buck existence in given areas.
Up to 2002 here is how the top ten states ranked in regard to most entries in the record books for whitetail deer:
# OF ENTRIES
Note that Iowa is listed as the number 1 State. This particularly interesting as Iowa is the toughest State in the United States of America to obtain a whitetail archery tag from. Think of it this way. Iowa ranks #1, and gives out the fewest tags. How is that possible. The truth is Iowa is whitetail heaven. Firearms tags are relatively easy to obtain but archery tags can take up to 3 years to obtain with 2 years being the norm.
The truth is do to the fact that these record book clubs only update their books every 2 to 5 years there is not enough current information recorded to determine where the top 10 states currently rank. Have they declined or inclined? Have new states entered into the top 10 or have old states dropped out of the top 10? Who knows? Disappointingly enough it is virtually impossible to see a current program, map, or resource to show us the top 10 states as they enter more or less entries into the record books. Thus one must be up to date on trends in the United States to predict where the States might lie to 2008.
Forecasted Rankings for Future Years
I would suggest the following top ten rankings of most entries based upon trends and conservation law changes discovered.
Iowa Whitetail Deer Hunting: The State of Iowa is currently rewriting all the Record Books despite the fact it is the hardest state to obtain an archery tag in the nation. Gun tags are relatively easy to get. It is presumed that current government entities are literally frozen by the Iowa Bowhunter’s Association. The reality is the Iowa Bowhunters Association is so politically connected they continue to prevent non resident hunters from obtaining the appropriate number of deer tags to give outsiders the opportunity to archery hunt Iowa. It’s an insane situation as the State of Iowa is a poor state and could really use the tourism dollars. I have literally watched hundreds of Iowa Whitetail Outfitters shut their doors. Landowners lose lease money. Hotels lose bookings. Even local business’s are struggling in rural areas when all could be saved if the State would simply stop discriminating against non resident hunters.
Despite it all gun tags are easily obtained, as are late season Muzzleloader tags. Usually the first year one tries to get a gun tag they will receive one.
Archery tags take 2 to 3 years of application to obtain, but they are well worth the wait. Iowa will continue to rewrite the record books despite operating under this handicap. To think what Iowa’s number of entries would be if archery tags could be obtained over the counter. Literally Iowa’s biggest tourism attraction is kept in check by one politically connected organization. What a shame.
Wisconsin Whitetail Deer Hunting: Wisconsin tags are easy to obtain and the
state is one of the most beautiful I’ve ever seen. This state will continue to produce big deer over and over again without a doubt.
In 2007 I traveled to Wisconsin to try and lease ground. I obtained a plat book and literally spent months trying to set up a division of my outfitting service in Wisconsin. Each landowner I spoke with had one of two things to say when I ask to lease their ground. They either were avid deerhunters and were loyal to family and friends and simply refused to lease, or the landowner wanted over $65 per acre to lease ground. The problem with $65 per acre for leasing is that an outfitter would have to overhunt the ground so hard to pay for it that clients attending would be madder than a hornet. Simply put. Wisconsin is a hard State to get into and if you book with an outfitter prepare to be placed on an overhunted property. Get this……………….to guide in Wisconsin you must be a resident of the State according to Wisconsin Law. I found this to be virtually discriminating and one day you will see this State be sued for discrimination regarding this issue. It’s literally a deterrent to prevent outside business’s from entering the state for outfitting which I believe would again in turn hurt its economic state regarding tourism. What is it with whitetail that would make a man or governmental system “hog” all the deer for themselves.
Missouri Whitetail Deer Hunting: Wow, who would have thought I would rank
the State of Missouri as #3. Missouri was ranked as the #6 State in 2002. Since 2005 Missouri has enacted a law that any buck shot must have at least 4 points on one side of the rack. This law combined with Missouri’s current level of quality will eventually catapult this state into the next best thing to Iowa. I have watched Missouri’s deer herd vastly improve in quality as I am a Missouri resident. In fact hunters of IMB Outfitters have reported in 2007 that Missouri produced better success rates than Pike County, Illinois in all facets of the season. Early season hunting, pre rut, the rut, gun season, and late muzzleloader. Missouri is the sleeping giant that is being awakened. Prepare to see Missouri bucks begin to take the covers of many Whitetail Specialty Magazines soon and often.
Illinois Whitetail Deer Hunting: Illinois is simply spectacular and will always be.
Illinois is what I call a “shotgun only” state.. This means firearms hunters may only use a shotgun or muzzleloader during the firearms season. This makes killing a monster buck a tad more difficult. In “shotgun only” states deer simply live longer and produce more trophy bucks as a result. Iowa shares this in common with Illinois. Its one of the reasons these two states will always thrive. At last count, Pike County, Illinois was the #1, County in the Nation for number of entries in the record books.
Pike County, Illinois has many outfitter and guides to choose from. Virtually almost every farm is leased by an outfitter. Every outfitter sports a Quality Deer Management Program which prevents hunters from killing small deer. While one can complain that Illinois is being hunted too much the truth is that it is not. Leases are still somewhat reasonable. Think about this. If virtually every farm enforces a Quality Deer Management Program its like having an entire State saying, “You can’t shoot a buck under 125 inches.” That will forever pay dividends. I have hunters that will hunt nothing but Illinois. I can tell them all the stories I have about Iowa and I still can’t convince them to leave Illinois. If you’ve ever experienced an Illinois Rut then you exactly what I’m talking about. Its like literally watching a Realtree or Mossy Oak Hunt Video.
Kansas Whitetail Deer Hunting: Kansas has typically ranked low on the top ten
list due to the fact nobody could get a tag unless you bribed a landowner. Kansas changed its whitetail conservation laws surrounding tag obtainment in 2008 making Kansas a tag friendly state. Now hunters will be able to pursue Kansas deer at will. Watch its numbers rise higher and higher. The problem with Kansas is that only a small portion of the state is great deer hunting which will always prevent Kansas from making the top of the list.
Minnesota Whitetail Deer Hunting: I am not a fan of this State. So much hunting
has occurred in this state that its number of entries will keep it in the top ten states for several years to come. I believe it’s on the decline.
Ohio Whitetail Deer Hunting: Ohio has been producing some great bucks over
the past year or so. One reason is because archery hunters are able to use crossbows even if they don’t have a physical impairment which may distort its number of entries. Ohio is also a “shotgun only” state which will continue to provide Ohio’s herd to mature.
Texas Whitetail Deer Hunting: While Texas is a wonderful place full of
wonderful people I simply am not a fan of Texas hunting. I booked a hunt in Texas and literally what it consisted of was my outfitter pouring corn on a road and putting me in a tower blind. As soon as he drove off deer were in the road eating. I felt as if I were not employing any tactics whatsoever if an effort to feel some type of ownership of a buck harvested. I didn’t even shoot even though I could have. This may be because I’m a Missouri resident and find much enjoyment in pattering big deer and outsmarting them. I just couldn’t enjoy a Texas hunt. Now hunting hogs is a different story. I would drive to Texas anytime to hunt hogs. If your from Texas please don’t get offended by this as if I was a Texan I might have a different take on things. The other weakness with Texas is that only certain areas hold big deer. Literally their were only 5 counties in the whole state that had over 30 Boone and Crockett animals harvested in it up till 2001.
Kentucky Whitetail Deer Hunting: Simply put, Kentucky offers good deer
Hunting but only in certain areas. Kentucky will forever be limited because of this situation and may not even remain in the to ten listings when updated.
Nebraska Whitetail Deer Hunting: Nebraska had not allowed non residents to
rifle hunt until two years ago. This has given Nebraska deer to grow up without the pressures of non resident hunters. Nebraska is simply awesome on its Eastern half. Over the past 3 years my outfitting service (IMB Outfitters) has simply killed big buck after big buck with ease. In fact the first rifle season and the second rifle season non residents could hunt most hunters were tagged out with giant bucks the very day of the hunt.
In conclusion, the whitetail deer continues to be the most sought after big game animal in the United States of America. There is something so special about this animal. If you’re a whitetail hunter you know what I mean when I say, “Its in our veins.” To continue to harvest record book deer you not only need to predict deer movement but watch the nation as a whole as it transforms with trends of certain locations | <urn:uuid:d434fd9f-638c-456f-ad13-3224d29f010c> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.imbmonsterbucks.com/info.php?id=125 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368711005985/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516133005-00001-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.963172 | 3,264 | 1.546875 | 2 |
FORT VALLEY, Ga. -- After graduating from Monroe Comprehensive High School in May, Zandria Chambers was one of 16 students selected from 15 Georgia counties to participate in Fort Valley State University's eight-week TEAM Success internship program.
Chambers, who's deciding whether to join the U.S. Air Force or attend college, completed the internship July 30. She shadowed and worked firsthand with Dougherty County extension agent Charlie Grace during TEAM, which stands for teaching, enlightening, achieving and mentoring.
Offered to high school juniors, seniors and recent high school graduates, the university's Cooperative Extension Program paid participants a $1,600 stipend. As a land-grant university, the institution offers information and opportunities, through its extension program, to state residents on a variety of topics, including farming, food and nutrition, horticulture and gardening.
"The most unforgettable experience I had this summer was the day I spent picking, labeling and packaging watermelons, and riding with the watermelons in the bin that was pulled by a John Deere tractor to be shipped to a market," said Chambers, 18.
After her internship experience, Chambers told a Fort Valley State University public relations specialist that she could visualize herself attending FVSU in the future and majoring in either agriculture engineering or agriculture economics.
"I would recommend this program to anyone because it gives (you) a chance to learn more about agriculture and natural resources with hands-on experience," Chambers said.
It was clear to Kena Torbert, FVSU family specialist and TEAM Success program coordinator, how much Chambers had grown through the internship following her five- to 10-minute PowerPoint presentation on what she had learned.
"She had a great learning experience," said Torbert, who has worked for FVSU for seven years. "You (could) tell from her presentation that she did learn and understand from the cooperative extension (agents) their jobs and duties and what they do for the state."
TEAM Success started in 2007 as a way to expose high school students to agriculture careers, which vary from nutritionists to extension agents to veterinarians.
For more information about TEAM Success internships, contact Torbert at (478) 825-6573 or [email protected], or visit www.ag.fvsu.edu/teamsuccess.cfm. | <urn:uuid:a13c9ce0-b7e5-4066-9866-4dcfeec6b613> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.albanyherald.com/news/2010/aug/08/monroe-grad-finishes-internship-program/?features | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706499548/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516121459-00026-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.962569 | 492 | 1.8125 | 2 |
President Barack Obama has suffered a major political defeat with Susan Rice's withdrawal today of her name from consideration as the next Secretary of State. A month ago, Obama raised the stakes by defending Rice angrily in his first post-election press conference, challenging Republicans to "go after" him instead. He and his party cast Republican objections as racist and sexist, rather than motivated by legitimate concerns about her role in lying to the public about the Benghazi terror attack and her thin record as ambassador to the United Nations.
For a long time, the GOP seemed to be losing the public debate over Rice's potential nomination. But Obama's needlessly confrontational approach handed Republicans a victory. By trying to force the GOP to back down with false accusations of prejudice, Obama created a no-win scenario for himself: if he proceeded to nominate Rice, Republicans could turn her confirmation hearings into a full public investigation of the Benghazi debacle; if he backed down, he would look weak and perseverating. The press followed Obama's lead, but the GOP held firm.
Republicans held the line because there were very clear reasons for Rice to be denied the job--indeed, for her to be denied any further high-profile political positions. She not only lied to the nation--on several occasions--but had a long track record of failure, particularly on Rwanda during the 1994 genocide. She also had a poor record at the UN on Middle East issues and on Israel in particular--a record that loyal Democrats, such as former U.S. representative Robert Wexler (with impeccably poor timing), were straining themselves to defend.
The debate will now move on to other candidates for the job, such as Sen. John Kerry (D-MA), notorious for smearing U.S. soldiers in Vietnam and, more recently, for sucking up to the Assad regime in Syria in an attempt to run an alternative foreign policy to that of then-President George W. Bush. Obama will be quite happy to see the conversation shift away from Benghazi for a while. But he broke his own post-election momentum, and Republicans may be encouraged by this victory to stand firm in fiscal cliff talks and on other issues.
Rice's decision to quit the nomination process is also a victory for conservative media, notably Breitbart News and the Fox News Channel, which continue to pursue the Benghazi scandal with the seriousness it deserves. For all the talk of a "right-wing media bubble," it is the liberal mainstream media, which refused to cover the Benghazi scandal and dismissed concerns about Rice's role in it, which remained at a far remove from reality. Those issues are serious enough for Rice to have backed down--and her departure will not let Obama off the hook. | <urn:uuid:27e08095-1db2-4467-9681-dc0c0e31e978> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Peace/2012/12/13/Obama-Doubled-Down-on-Rice--and-Lost | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703298047/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112138-00013-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.972286 | 549 | 1.5 | 2 |
John Carney proposes declaration of free-trade zones for gasoline in shortage-afflicted areas. Prices could stay regulated elsewhere, but consumers and merchants would gain the option to trade at higher prices within the zones. Great idea, but there is zero chance that very visible politicians will want to be upstaged by an invisible hand, especially right before an election.
Carney, too, notices that price gouging laws are taking a beating on the internet. Critics of the laws are everywhere, and he wonders where the thoughtful defenders are?
One title that sounds like a candidate for a thoughtful defense is David Futrelle’s ”Post-Sandy Price Gouging: Economically Sound, Ethically Dubious.” Unfortunately, there is no defense; he never explains just what about gouging is ethically suspect.
In the wake of a calamity like Superstorm Sandy, is it fair for businesses — from corner bodegas to gas stations to car services — to jack up their prices, earning windfall profits off the desperation of their customers? There aren’t a lot of people who would answer yes to that question; in the midst of the devastation of Sandy, this sort of price gouging seems not only deeply unethical but almost, you might say, treasonous. One disgruntled consumer told CNBC.com’s John Carney he considered it a kind of “reverse looting.”
So it was hardly surprising to hear New Jersey Governor Chris Christie issue a blunt warning to merchants that price gouging is illegal and brings harsh penalties. “During emergencies, New Jerseyans should look out for each other,” Christie said in a statement, “not seek to take advantage of each other.” New York Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman issued a similarly stern warning.
Futrelle then observes that one strange group of people who don’t object to price gouging: economists. Economists, conservatives, and libertarians have come out swinging against the price controls, he says, “and so we’ve seen a very strange debate take place in the media in recent days.”
But, as Carney noticed, there is no debate going on. A lot of critics are claiming that, in one way or another, price gouging laws are hurting the people they are supposed to be helping. And on the other side of the issue we get the suggestion that price gouging is “deeply unethical” and “almost treasonous.” Not exactly a thoughtful rejoinder. (I think for many defenders, they feel so deeply that they are right that they haven’t felt the need to justify the position.)
Futrelle wraps up:
Oh, the economics of it makes perfect sense. It’s just that right now, with so many people suffering, the cold logic of capitalism seems callous and morally suspect, an affront to basic notions of fairness. Price gouging might, at least in theory, help shrink lines and reduce shortages. But I think most people would rather wait in line than have someone make a windfall profit off their desperation.
Maybe Futrelle is right. Maybe people would rather stand in line for hours to get a little gasoline than pay more cash for gas. But rather than pontificate, we could just give people a choice. Why don’t we just set up some of Carney’s gasoline free-trade zones?
Here are the two sides to the debate: Futrelle’s pro-”notions of fairness” side that uses government’s time and money to prevent people from having a choice, and Carney’s pro-choice side that would let people decide for themselves how they spend their own time and money.
Carney’s side of the debate is well represented online. Like Carney, I’m looking for a thoughtful explanation of Futrelle’s pro-government involvement, anti-choice point of view.
[HT to Matt Zwolinski for drawing my attention to Futrelle's article.] | <urn:uuid:303f571c-aaec-4837-9866-64106e0ccef6> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://knowledgeproblem.com/2012/11/04/the-one-sided-debate-over-price-gouging/?like=1&_wpnonce=e775df7899 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702448584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110728-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.949555 | 843 | 1.835938 | 2 |
God’s guidance does not always come to us directly; it is sometimes indirect. In direct guidance the Spirit of God moves in our spirit and so enables us to know His will. If our mind is attentive to the movement in the spirit we shall easily understand the will of God. But in the various affairs of life God does not necessarily tell us many things directly. There may be many needs of which we as men are aware. What should we do about these conscious needs? We may be invited to work somewhere or something else may suddenly happen. Such matters as these obviously are not sponsored directly by our spirit, for they come to us from other people. Our mind sees the urgency of solving these problems, yet our spirit is unresponsive. How may we experience the guidance of God in such a situation? Well, when we encounter something of this kind, we must with our mind ask God to lead us in the spirit. By so doing we are experiencing the indirect guidance of God. This is the moment the mind must assist the spirit. When one notices his spirit is inactive he should exercise his mind. It is not necessary for it to assist if the spirit is exuding its thought incessantly: only as the spirit remains silent must the mind fill the gap for it.
In such circumstances the believer should exercise his mind by pondering this unsolved matter before God. Although such prayer and consideration emerge from his mind, before long his spirit will collaborate in the prayer and consideration. His spirit which he did not sense before he now begins to sense, and soon the Holy Spirit will be found leading him in his spirit. We should never sit back because of a lack of early movement therein. Rather should we use the mind to “scoop up” our spirit and activate it to help us know whether or not this matter is of God.
In our spiritual experience the operation of the mind is indispensable. Unlike the ocean tide, the spirit is not filled by spontaneous comings and goings. For it to be filled we must comply with the conditions for its filling. This is where the mind assumes its responsibility: to set in motion what the spirit will soon carry forward by itself. If we endlessly wait for the permeation of the spirit we shall be disappointed. On the other hand we should not too highly esteem the work of the mind. By this time we ought to know that unless our action comes from the spirit it serves no useful purpose. We must not walk after the mind. Why then do we engage the mind? We exercise it not for its sake but for the sake of inducing the spirit to work. Hence we continue to esteem the spirit as most important. Now if after our mind has been functioning for some time the spirit still fails to respond, as though there is no anointing, we must cease exercising it. Should we detect in spiritual warfare a prolonged emptiness deep within and our spirit continues to sense nothing, we ought to halt the working of the mind. We should not, however, stop its working because of the unwillingness of the flesh. Occasionally we feel tired and yet we know we must proceed. At other times we know we must cease. There is no fixed law over spiritual matters.
The Principle Governing the Activity of the Spirit
The mind supporting the spirit can be likened to operating a hand water pump. In some pumps it is essential to pour into it a cup of water just to provide suction for the machine while pumping. The relation of our mind to the spirit is similar to that between the cup of water and the water pump. If you do not use this cup of water as a starter you shall be powerless to pump up water from the well. Even so, our spirit will not rise up unless we exercise the mind first. Not to start praying with the mind for the sake of the spirit is like a man who neglects to pour in that cup of water first and concludes after pumping twice that there is not any water in the well.
How varied are the works of the spirit. Oftentimes it is like a lion full of strength; whereas at other times it is like a babe possessing no will of its own. When it is weak and helpless the mind must act as its nurse. The mind is never a subsitute for the spirit; the mind merely helps us to activate it. Should the spirit cease to assert its ruling position, the believer must use the power of his mind in prayer to provoke its reassertion. If the spirit has sunk through oppression he should employ his mind to survey the situation and to pray earnestly until it rises up and regains its freedom. A spiritual mind can maintain the spirit in a steady position. It can restrain the spirit from being overly active; it can also uplift the spirit from its fallen state.
Let us elaborate a bit further. As has been said, the spirit can be replenished only with the ministration of the spiritual mind. The principle is that all matters in which the spirit formerly took a hand should now be done by the mind. If the Holy Spirit grants anointing later on, He is attesting to you that you are doing this particular thing in the spirit In the beginning there was nothing of a spiritual sensing about it but currently the sense in the inner man assures you that this is what it intended in the first place. The spirit was impotent to do it then because it was too weak; now, however, through the help of the mind, it can express what it could not express at the first. We can secure whatever we need in the spirit if we ponder and pray with the mind. This will cause us to be filled again in our spirit.
Another point needs to be observed. In spiritual conflict spirit struggles against spirit. But all the powers of man’s entire being should join his spirit in wrestling against the enemy. Of these the mind is the most important. The spirit and the mind join forces in battle. Should the former become oppressed and begin to lose its power to resist, the latter must carry the fight forward on its behalf. As the mind contends and resists in prayer the spirit is thereby replenished and once more rises to the occasion.
Inferior though it be to the spirit, the mind nonetheless can assist it. Besides bolstering a weak spirit, it should be able to read and search out the spirit’s thought as well. How necessary, therefore, that the mind be kept in its normal state. just as the movements of the spirit have their laws, so the activity of the mind is governed by its particular laws. The mind that can work freely is one which is light and lively. If it be expanded too far, like overstretching a bow, it shall sacrifice its effectiveness to work. The enemy well knows how we need our mind to attend the spirit so that we may walk by the spirit. Thus he frequently induces us to overuse it that it may be rendered unfit to function normally and hence be powerless to reinforce the spirit in time of weakness.
The Condition of the Mind
Our mind is much more than an organ of assistance to the spirit; it also is the place where we obtain light. The Spirit of God dispenses light to the mind through the spirit. If the mind is overexerted it relinquishes the power of receiving His light. The enemy understands that if our mind is darkened our whole being enters into darkness; he consequently strives with all his effort to provoke us to think so very much that we are unable to work quietly. To walk after the spirit a believer must inhibit his mind from revolving endlessly. If it turns too long around one topic, worries or grieves too much over matters, and ponders too intensively to know God’s will, it may become unbearable and hamper its normal operation. The mind needs to be kept in a steady and secure state.
Since the mind occupies such a signal position, the Christian, when working together with others, must be careful not to break into his brother’s thought. Such action creates much suffering for that one’s mind. When his thoughts are being guided and led on by the Spirit, the believer is terribly apprehensive of interference. Any such act will terminate his thought and set his mind to stretch beyond its proper measure, rendering it unfit to cooperate with the Holy Spirit. Accordingly, not only must we keep our own mind free but we additionally must respect our brother’s mind. We first must find out the trend of our brother’s thought before we can respond to him; otherwise, we shall cause that brother to suffer unduly. | <urn:uuid:3705e624-ff82-47b2-a0e3-8f4dd3ea8d90> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://biblocality.com/forums/showthread.php?3920-Knowing-God-s-Will-and-the-Condition-of-the-Mind&mode=hybrid | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698924319/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516100844-00019-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.963478 | 1,750 | 1.71875 | 2 |
Speaking of screen fluency, you should check out this video of an intuitive 3D sketching pad demo. Using a large-screen touch-sensitive Wacom tablet-screen, an artist can produce 3D sketches as fast as he/she can draw. The software, called ILOVESketch, appears to be experimental, but I would imagine that the folks producing special effects would be the first to pick it up when it goes commercial. Also industrial designers. With quick strokes of the pen you can build a complex curvy shape (not just the blocks that Sketchup does) faster than you could sculpt it in clay or in CAD. This is one of those technologies that people have forever said "they ought to invent this." It almost seems like magic.
ILoveSketch from Seok-Hyung Bae on Vimeo. | <urn:uuid:9ce2d4ee-5bc3-4461-810c-613f8d0c5e2a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.kk.org/thetechnium/archives/2008/11/curvy_thinking.php | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368711005985/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516133005-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.952104 | 173 | 1.53125 | 2 |
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Data released Friday morning highlighted struggles facing some of the world’s largest economies. A report issued by London-based Markit Economics showed that the downturn in European manufacturing continued relatively unabated in February.
A composite index based on a survey of purchasing managers in the European Union services and manufacturing industries decreased to a reading of 47.3 in February, from January’s 11-month high of 48.6. Any reading below 50 indicates that the economy in question in contraction. While no economists had been predicting the bloc’s economy to expand this quarter, those polled by Bloomberg had anticipated the purchasing managers index to increase to a reading of 49 for the month.
The index was held back by a drop in the region’s manufacturing gauge, which fell to 47.8 in February from 47.9 in January. A drop in the services index to 47.3 from 48.6, the steepest drop in 10 months, also hurt results…
Don't miss one of the biggest bull markets in history! Covers Gold, Silver, Gold & Silver stocks, and miners.
There's always a bull market in some sector! Find the best opportunities in commodities. | <urn:uuid:1b05eb2a-f9c0-474d-8d25-04a396f6c918> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://wallstcheatsheet.com/stocks/heres-where-europes-economic-downturn-is-taking-the-eu.html/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705559639/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115919-00028-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.951809 | 265 | 1.632813 | 2 |
Did God create evil? OK, yes. By intention even, or knowingly, since He knows all. It is an unavoidable consequence of being all that is goodness and love, and creating beings that can choose not to, that indeed are incapable of, living up to the example He sets.
Jesus was the living, human example of this goodness and love. A real, in the flesh example of all that we should hope to be but can never truly realize. In this manner, just by living our lives more in accordance with His will, we increase the dichotomy, we underscore the difference between good and evil. Hopefully, in doing this, others realize that goodness and love are attainable attributes, even if imperfectly so.
That is where our attitudes can be beneficial or detrimental. If we choose to condemn, despise, and look down at those who fail to live up to this ideal, we tend to increase the sadness and evil in this world. When we attempt to help others and live by example, we can hopefully inspire others to attempt, if imperfectly, to strive for goodness and love. This does not mean that we condone evil, only that we hope to transform it through our own actions. The Lord has already provided the perfect example to follow, in that we are all forgiven, though we all fall short. Can any of us ever be as gracious and loving as that? | <urn:uuid:8cbbe62e-8da8-40ad-93bd-520b599021af> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://tentmaker.org/forum/christian-life/if-god-creates-evil-how-does-that-reflect-on-our-conformity-with-his-image/msg29810/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702448584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110728-00017-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.946603 | 281 | 1.6875 | 2 |
Recommended Reading: Recent Scholarship with Implications for Pharmaceutical Pricing and Access
Filed under: Antitrust, Pharma, Prescription Drugs, Recommended Reading
Bundles in the Pharmaceutical Industry: A Case Study of Pediatric Vaccines, by Kevin W. Caves and Hal J. Singer of Navigant Economics, provides a technical but still accessible analysis of the anticompetitive effects of vaccine manufacturers’ practice of conditioning price discounts on physician buying groups agreeing to purchase the manufacturers’ vaccines in a bundle and agreeing not to purchase other manufacturers’ products. The article begins with an interesting overview of the characteristics of the vaccine market, an introduction to the physician buying groups that purchase vaccines and to the anti-kickback concerns they raise, and a summary of the (somewhat up in the air) legal standard for when bundled discounting becomes an antitrust violation.
The authors then present their analysis of the uphill battle Novartis (a source of funding for the article) will have to fight to induce physicians to “break the bundle” and buy its new meningitis vaccine. The authors conclude that even if Novartis were to give away its meningitis vaccine for free, “buyers defecting from [Sanofi Pasteur's bundle of vaccines, which includes Sanofi's meningitis vaccine,] would still lose $14.05 per patient in expected value.” They present data indicating “that buyers unencumbered by … Sanofi’s loyalty contracts are over three times as likely to purchase [Novartis' vaccine], relative to encumbered buyers…” and conclude that enough of the market is foreclosed to Novartis to establish a presumption of anticompetitive effects and concomitant harm to consumers. Per the authors, “[i]n an industry served almost exclusively by large, multi-product incumbents, with no prospects for generic competition and extremely limited entry by competitive rivals of any kind, these findings have significant implications for public policy and antitrust enforcement.”
Somewhat less accessible (due to a plethora of equations) but still well worth reading is Tort Liability and the Market for Prescription Drugs by Eric Helland, Darius Lakdawalla, Anup Malani, and Seth Seabury. Helland and his co-authors present the results of an empirical study of the relationship between product liability rules and drug price and utilization. While the effect of a liability rule can often be studied by comparing a state that makes a change to the rule with one that does not, the authors had to modify this approach because drugs are sold nationally. They determined the exposure to punitive damages caps of each of nearly 16,000 drugs by first determining each drug’s geographic distribution of sales, a figure which varies from drug to drug due to geographic variation in the prevalence of disease. The authors found that the degree of exposure to caps was correlated with an increase in drug prices but also with an increase in drug utilization. Tighter liability standards also correlate with a reduction in adverse drug reactions. The authors write that their numbers “imply that if every remaining state adopted some reform, there would be a 23% increase in all [adverse] events and a 25% increase in serious [adverse] events … among branded drugs.” They conclude that “on balance, liability improves consumer and social welfare.” | <urn:uuid:667d05db-6cc9-428a-b373-3baa568d3e1d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.healthreformwatch.com/2011/09/15/recommended-reading-recent-scholarship-with-implications-for-pharmaceutical-pricing-and-access/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706499548/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516121459-00006-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.9556 | 693 | 1.523438 | 2 |
Good managers are needed, because not all employees are alike. An employer absorbs and retains a person by properly remunerating him/her, to get his/her service in return. It is the responsibility of the manager to bring out the productivity of employees under him/her. There are certain instances where the focus of the employees shifts from their assignments to unproductive activities, a definite negative point for your business.
Employee tracking is necessary for the growth and success of a business. It is not appropriate to chat with friends over phone or online while one is paid for doing something else. Employee monitoring also helps the management to reward the performers and to identify bad performers to fix the issue. Deviating from business assignments at hand will, without exception affects the productivity of the company. Identifying early trends with employee monitoring tools is necessary to ensure the company succeeds in the long run.
Security spy camera used to be the method of employee tracking. Such a system causes employee attrition as reliable employees feel bad about being continuously watched. Modern business activities revolve exclusively around computers, the activity of the computers before your employees is the only thing you want to know. Installing an appropriate software solution can help you identify what is going on in your office from nine to five.
Apart from saving billable employee hours, employee-monitoring programs also keeps you on the safe side of law as you can prevent illegal access to copyright content or installing pirated software in the computers that you own. It also keeps spy ware, virus and malicious codes at bay. Since you monitor the internet activity of your employees, you can rip any unhealthy practices from the sprout.
Work Examiner is one such software, with simple easy deployment and intuitive interface. Employee time tracking software is an easy task with WorkExaminer. Managers want to monitor the activities of their employees at office, even while they are away. One can install the computer program over the entire network in a matter of few seconds and bring each computer in the network under monitoring. They also don’t have the time to monitor each employee with a pair of microscopic eyes. This particular program produces reports that are accessible over the network or online. In other words, a manager can monitor the activity of an employee, even while he is touring a foreign country. Employees will never know that they are being watched.
Work Examiner also has another feature that will tell you about the idle time, working time, and time taken to complete one project. However, the program doesn’t send you screenshots.
In simple words, you can ensure that the computers you deploy in your office are used for intended business purpose(s) only. | <urn:uuid:5cfd944e-e2fc-412c-bd33-b6dd765ec86b> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.workexaminer.com/articles/employee-tracking.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697974692/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095254-00031-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.955515 | 539 | 1.507813 | 2 |
Two years ago, I reviewed a Knoxville Symphony Orchestra concert that centered mostly on the guest appearance of the violinist Midori and her performance in the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto in E Minor. On that same concert, however, was the audition appearance of violinist Gabriel Lefkowitz, who was one of the candidates for the KSO’s open concertmaster position. The then-23-year-old’s solo violin work in Strauss’ Ein Heldenleben elicited this comment: “While other violinists may have feared suffering by comparison with a nationally known virtuoso on the same bill, Lefkowitz’s performance proved he was—at the very least—an equally brilliant musical communicator and interpreter, as well as a wonderfully proficient orchestral player.”
Although I just love it when I’m right, such a conclusion was fairly unanimous—Lefkowitz got the job. A season and a half later, Knoxville audiences, too, have become well aware of the communication and interpretation skills of Lefkowitz. In last weekend’s KSO Masterworks concert, the violinist temporarily stepped out of his concertmaster duties to perform as soloist in Erich Korngold’s Violin Concerto in D Major. The buzz and chatter, either in bold comments or whispered asides, was quite clear—that Lefkowitz, concertmaster and violin soloist for the evening, was Knoxville’s new star.
Korngold’s Violin Concerto was one of several works that marked the composer’s return to the concert hall from his self-imposed exile in the wilderness of Hollywood film scores during Hitler’s devastation of Europe in the 1930s and ’40s. The composer’s return, instead of leaving lyrical Hollywood music behind for the brave new 20th-century world that Stravinsky, Bartok, and Schoenberg had created, featured a successful melding of film-melody lyricism and jagged chromaticism. The opening theme of the concerto is drawn from the 1937 film Another Dawn, followed later by the theme from a 1939 William Dieterle film, Juarez. The main theme of the second movement is from Korngold’s Oscar-winning score for Anthony Adverse. The final movement has high-energy binges mixed with some original melodies, and contrasts rhythmically with the thematic material from The Prince and the Pauper.
Lefkowitz’s mastery of the Korngold was stunning and endlessly entertaining. Passages were perfectly phrased and punctuated, setting them apart from the orchestral textures whether the violin was singing lyrically or cutting sharp staccato edges. The virtuosic sections of the third movement were handled effortlessly and with beautiful detail of tone.
As important as solid musicality is, I should also mention the positive effect Lefkowitz’s charismatic presence has apparently had on the concert-going audience. If the attendance and reaction of a group of twentysomething young women seated next to me on Thursday evening are any evidence, Knoxville’s inspiring concertmaster is creating quite a bit of excitement in the music scene, in more ways than one.
The second half of the concert was devoted to Brahms’ final symphony, the Symphony No. 4 in E Minor, a brilliant, thrilling work that is both contemplative and dramatically forceful. (This piece was KSO music director and conductor Lucas Richman’s audition work when he was vying for his position in 2002.) While the Thursday evening performance was a little too dynamically homogenous overall, by Friday evening all was finessed, confidence was solidified, and details flowed richly out of a background of power under skillful control.
The second Andante movement began with a solemn passage from the third and fourth horns (Mark Harrell and Robert Owen), which are then joined by the woodwinds, specifically the clarinets and bassoons, against nicely balanced pizzicato strings. The third movement was robust and full of life, with bold dynamic statements that seem to range from soul-searching to absolute ponderousness. The fourth movement, with its somewhat quirky construction beginning with a chaconne theme and its short sets of variations, was nonetheless delightful. Especially noteworthy was the lovely flute passage performed by KSO’s principal flute, Ebonee Thomas.
Richman began the evening with Carl Maria von Weber’s Overture to his opera Der Freischutz. The overture starts quietly, almost mysteriously and seductively, but those moods give way to powerful joy and orchestral triumph that is magnificently satisfying.
Yes, the buzz was there. An intangible excitement seemed to surround last week’s concerts—an excitement that is as much giddy anticipation for what’s next from KSO as it was for the evenings’ magnificent and well-played concerts. | <urn:uuid:231addfe-7af9-45b2-9f02-b8234112954e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.metropulse.com/news/2012/nov/20/kso-concertmaster-steps-spotlight-soloist/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708142388/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516124222-00009-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.960148 | 1,041 | 1.625 | 2 |
ANGELS CAMP - As Patti Spence tells it, when her parents started a small feed store in Angels Camp in 1977, they merely looked forward to a "good pastime."
It was more of a hobby, really. Her father, William, was a cattle rancher, and her mother, Linda, expected to get a lot of sewing done with some free time.
Location: 1291 California 49, Altaville
Contact: (209) 736-4310
Owners: William Spence is owner and CEO of the corporation; daughter Patti serves as president
History: William Spence, a cattle rancher, started the store in 1977 with wife Linda. Today, three generations of Spences work there.
"Before they knew it, (the store) took off like gangbusters," Patti Spence said. "It became a full-time job really fast."
The Spences moved to the current building, on Highway 49 just outside of Angels Camp, the following year. Over the years, Spence Ranch Feed & Supply has undergone several extensions and traded a dirt parking lot for pavement.
But the biggest changes have been on the shelves, Spence said.
When they first started, the business carried just a few shampoos. Now there are more than 20. The same applies to hay and to dog food, which today fills rack upon rack.
"It's kind of ever-growing,"Spence said. "It's such a changing industry."
There are a variety of supplements available for show animals. There's also tack, toys, treats, bedding, fencing, nursery products, aquarium supplies and more.
The store's clientele is varied: everything from ranchers down to "people with just one cat." Customers shop for rabbits, poultry, llamas and, once in a while, chinchillas.
Spence Ranch Feed & Supply even carries feed for wild birds and deer.
Mike Peirano lives just outside Angels Camp and visits Spence regularly for liquid feed, hay, salts and other supplies for his family's ranch.
"I wouldn't go anyplace else," he said. "If I need something, they get it for me."
Patti Spence came to work for the store full time in 1990 and today works alongside her sister-in-law, niece and daughters. Her dad still hauls feed in his truck. Her mother passed away in 2001.
"I didn't really think that I would ever be able to do everything my mom did. She knew so much and did so much," Spence said. "Sometimes I think that she would shake her head if she could see how much dog food and things we have." | <urn:uuid:3f57f303-876b-4956-8b55-d86f3906d06a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20130224/A_BIZ/302230301/-1/A_SPECIAL0254 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697380733/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516094300-00028-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.977885 | 560 | 1.507813 | 2 |
Mom's Day Off is an opportunity for all moms throughout the area to take a break and spend a day on the slopes skiing or snowboarding at a reduced price. All proceeds from the day go to the Southwestern Vermont Regional Cancer Center (SVRCC) in Bennington, to help support cancer treatment.
All moms need to do is come to Bromley and show the ticket office a picture of their child to get a discounted $15 lift ticket. They'll be able to enjoy the fresh air and great conditions at Bromley, take home some free giveaway items, and have a great time. Several of the physicians and staff from the cancer center and the Southwestern Vermont Medical Center (SVMC) breast care program will be there as well, so you can meet them.
Someone asked me recently why Bromley Mountain started Mom's Day Off. Basically, we're a family-oriented ski mountain. All of our trails lead to our comfortable base lodge, so it's easier for families to ski safely and to find each other even if they're on different trails. We offer lessons that cater to adults or children and their particular needs. We have the Junior Instruction Ski Program (JISP) to help your kids learn to ski or snowboard in a safe, structured environment.
When Fred Pabst, Jr., formed Bromley 76 years ago, he wanted it to be a special place to ski in New England. In fact, we're the only major ski mountain in New England with a southern exposure,
But it's not the only thing that makes us special. For those who work here and those who ski and snowboard here, Bromley offers a sense of security, comfort, loyalty, and community that you won't find at any other mountain resort.
So, to come back to the question, we do Mom's Day Off because it's a way for us to reward that loyalty and the trust that moms and other parents place in us when they come to Bromley, whether they hit the slopes with their families or send their kids to our ski school. It's our way of offering Mom, arguably the hardest worker in any family, a chance to take a breather. It's our way of telling southern Vermont how much we love being a part of this community. And, it's our way of letting others know how important we think it is to support our community resources like SVRCC.
This is the second year all of the proceeds from Mom's Day Off are going to the cancer center at SVMC. Like Bromley, the physicians, clinicians, and staff at SVRCC understand what it is to be a part of a smaller, rural community where people know each other and expect to be treated as an individual person.
At SVRCC, every patient is treated with extreme compassion and has the full dedication of the staff.
The quality of the medical care is excellent as well. The cancer program at SVMC is accredited by the Commission on Cancer (CoC) and the breast care program is accredited by the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers (NAPBC). Both programs are administered by the American College of Surgeons (ACoS). SVRCC also offers clinical trials of the newest cancer treatments, so you don't have to travel to New York or Boston to get the most innovative medical care.
So moms, come on out on Friday, Feb. 8, to have a great time and to support the Southwestern Vermont Regional Cancer Center. Leave the kids in school and enjoy a day on the slopes and in the lodge with a friend or two. You deserve it!
Michael van Eyck is the director of marketing at Bromley Mountain Resort in Peru, Vt. "Health Matters" is a weekly column meant to educate readers about their personal health, public health matters, and public policy as it affects health care. To learn more about the SVMC Cancer Center, visit svhealthcare.org. To learn more about Bromley Mountain Resort and Mom's Day Off, visit bromley.com. | <urn:uuid:0c2d8b0e-f51d-493f-8c2a-2217a1dd2d16> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.manchesterjournal.com/health/ci_22489259/moms-day-off-gives-moms-break-and-fights | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697380733/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516094300-00032-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.959642 | 825 | 1.507813 | 2 |
Maddie (nearly 2), Izzy (nearly 6) and I (nearly ... never mind) explored just such a wilderness the other afternoon. With binoculars and butterfly net in hand, we set off on a safari in the wilds next to Barber’s Orchard.
It was a beautiful early autumn afternoon, clear skies, temps in the high 60s to low 70s, and a slight breeze. The jumbled mix of goldenrods, asters, brambles and assorted other wildflowers bubbled with migrating monarchs and other butterflies. Izzy was a butterfly net wielding whirling dervish. We soon had three, bright, healthy, female monarchs in our butterfly cage.
I had stopped to hold the cage for Maddy so she could get a better look at the butterflies when I hear calls of “Daddy! Daddy!” I looked up to see Izzy sitting in the dim road, clutching the mesh of the butterfly net, her head barely above the tall grass.
“I’ve got a different one, Daddy,” she said.
“What is it?” I asked.
“I dunno. I think a fritillary.”
Izzy came down the road to us, holding the freshest Gulf fritillary I have ever seen. The dorsal side of this large (3-inch wingspan) butterfly was a rich burnt orange with black etchings and bright, white dots ringed with black on each forewing. Large, irregular silver spots glowed from the undersides of the hindwing and top of the forewing separated by a band of salmon pink decorated with small white spots.
Izzy’s butterfly catching prowess netted us two pipevine swallowtails and one cabbage white to go with the monarchs and fritillary. Other butterflies identified included a black swallowtail, a black female eastern tiger swallowtail and a common buckeye. One or more species of sulphur was present, but I never got a good enough look to ID one.
Maddy is a butterfly catcher in training. She would take the net, plop it over the top of a patch of asters and shout, “Got one!” She did partake in the release ceremony, gingerly taking one of the pipevines from Izzy then releasing it while encouraging it to “fly way!”
Daddy took note of a few feathered migrants that passed through while we were on butterfly safari. The list included a large flight of chimney swifts, Swainson’s thrush, rose-breasted grosbeak, common yellowthroat, Tennessee warbler and magnolia warbler.
The only way we will ever succeed in preserving the wild places on the planet is by nurturing the wild places in the hearts of our children. | <urn:uuid:4ed26519-6ed5-41f9-88d7-15545273340a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://smokymountainnews.com/aae/item/8075-the-wilderness-around-the-corner | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705195219/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115315-00009-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.945636 | 595 | 1.609375 | 2 |
Twelve-year-old Meggie learns that her father, who repairs and binds books for a living, can "read" fictional characters to life when one of those characters abducts them and tries to force him into service.
In 1934 Kit finds that she has hard lessons to learn about the Depression both at home, where she is helping her mother run a boarding house while her father looks for a new job, and at school, where a fight spoils the preparations for the Thanksgiving pageant.
After reluctantly kissing a frog, an awkward, fourteen-year-old princess suddenly finds herself a frog, too, and sets off with the prince to seek the means--and the self-confidence--to become human again.
Twelve-year-old Percy Jackson learns he is a demigod, the son of a mortal woman and Poseidon, god of the sea. His mother sends him to a summer camp for demigods where he and his new friends set out on a quest to prevent a war between the gods. | <urn:uuid:6409054e-b706-4698-b1d9-c3c2189711c2> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.librarypoint.org/booklist/1958?page=1 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704392896/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113952-00035-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.973371 | 209 | 1.664063 | 2 |
updated 04:00 pm EDT, Fri May 23, 2008
FCC on Sirius XM in June
The Federal Communications Commission's chairman Kevin Martin today said he still considers it possible to approve the proposed Sirius/XM merger by the end of the spring, according to Orbitcast. The agency chief hints at progress and says that a report has been completed that outlines likely fairness limits on the merger between the two satellite radio providers. The other FCC commissioners will need to view the the report before a deal can move further, Martin says.
Nonetheless, the chairman warns that the FCC won't be discussing the merger at the organization's next meeting on June 12th, pushing any possible approval to outside of the springtime window without absolute consent.
The merger between Sirius and XM has been one of the longest-delayed on record at the FCC, having been proposed in early 2007 but still lacking FCC approval despite DOJ approval in March, which by many has been considered the most important hurdle to overcome for the merger. The FCC hasn't explained the discrepancy, although the delay is believed to have its roots in fears of a satellite radio monopoly that would make it difficult for terrestrial radio to offer a viable alternative. | <urn:uuid:f1b2b8ce-67a3-4acf-bcfa-0c2cfd46b3b6> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.electronista.com/articles/08/05/23/fcc.on.sirius.xm.in.june/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696383156/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092623-00025-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.969446 | 242 | 1.570313 | 2 |
For almost three decades after Fidel Castro took power, Cuba's budding intelligence service fielded four dozen double agents in a world-class operation under the nose of the CIA, according to a new book by a veteran CIA analyst.
It was not until June 1987, when a Cuban spy defected to the U.S. Embassy in Vienna, blind-siding U.S. intelligence services, that the CIA learned how badly it had been duped, writes Brian Latell, a retired veteran CIA analyst and Cuba specialist.
"Castro was a supreme, unchallenged spy master," Latell told an audience at a recent book reading.
The revelations in Latell's book help explain how Castro survived several well-documented assassination attempts and the impoverished island of Cuba weathered the changes that toppled other communist regimes in the late 20th Century.
"In the annals of modern spycraft it's a pretty extraordinary accomplishment. It's difficult to keep one double agent in play, and he managed them all ... down to the minute details," added Latell, author of "Castro's Secrets, the CIA and Cuba's Intelligence Machine," published by Palgrave Macmillan.
Latell began watching Cuba in the mid-1960s and served as U.S. National Intelligence Officer for Latin America before retiring from the CIA in 1998.
All four dozen double agents were recruited in Cuba and other parts of the world and personally run by Castro. He favored young, rough-hewn, impressionable teens without a university education.
"Castro wanted them to be uncontaminated by the old Cuba. He wanted them to be malleable and enthusiastic," Latell says.
While Cuba has trumpeted its success with double agents in the past, Latell's book shows the penetration was more extensive than previously known, and compromised U.S. intelligence sources and methods.
The defection in 1987 of Florentino Aspillaga finally alerted the CIA to the extent of Castro's spy network. "They were in a state of shock. Nothing like this had ever happened to us before," said Latell.
Aspillaga was "the most informed and highly decorated officer ever to defect from Cuban intelligence," Latell says, and his defection was a turning point in the CIA's attitude toward Cuba.
"Until that point we grossly underestimated the Cubans. We never imagined that little Cuba could run an intelligence service that was world class," he says.
Counter-intelligence operations were subsequently stepped up. After only four Cubans spies were arrested between 1959 and 1995, that number rose more than ten-fold between 1998 and 2011, Latell writes in his book.
Aspillaga was recruited as a spy at age 16 and spent 25 years in Cuban intelligence. His defection provided "some of the most precious secrets including the double agents," says Latell, who interviewed him over several days in 2007.
The interview was conducted at the reguest of Aspillaga, who said he simply wanted to tell his story.
Aspillaga also shared an unpublished memoir with Latell, asking for no payment or favor in return. The former agent now lives with a new identity after surviving an assassination attempt in London in 1988.
Aspillaga is just one of a dozen defectors Latell interviewed in the book, which relies on thousands of pages of declassified CIA documents the author reviewed at the National Archives in Maryland, as well as interviews with several CIA officers.
In the book, Latell reveals that Cuban intelligence knew more about the 1963 assassination of President John F. Kennedy than they admitted at the time, including information about the shooter, Lee Harvey Oswald.
Aspillaga told the CIA that in his first year he was trained to do radio intercept work, listening for CIA transmissions to spies on the island and incursions by sea.
On Nov. 22, 1963, the day of the assassination, he was ordered to stop all CIA tracking efforts and redirect his antennas away from Miami and direct them toward Texas.
Castro knew Kennedy was to be fired upon, Latell says Aspillaga told him.
The Warren Commission never attributed a motive to Oswald but Latell argues Oswald was fascinated with Castro and "his motive was to protect Fidel."
It is well known Oswald met Cuban officials during visits to Cuba's Mexican consulate in the summer of 1963, but there is no evidence he ever worked directly for Cuban intelligence.
Latell says that while Cuban agents had kept track of Oswald, his research found no evidence linking Castro to the assassination. Instead, Latell has his own more nuanced theory.
Castro and his intelligence officers "were complicit in Kennedy's death," Latell writes, "but . . . their involvement fell short of an organized assassination plot."
Cuban intelligence officers "exhorted Oswald" and "encouraged his feral militance," he writes, "but it was his (Oswald's) plan and his rifle, not theirs."
Castro had plenty of reason to want Kennedy out of the way. A Senate Committee found in 1975 that the CIA had pursued assassination as an instrument of foreign policy, with Fidel Castro as one of its prime targets.
The Committee's first documented plots against Castro began in 1960, when the CIA contacted organized crime figures eager to return to the good old days of gambling, extortion and corruption in Cuba. Subseqent plots involved poison, an exploding seashell and marksmen with high-powered rifles.
Even though the CIA's monitoring of Cuban intelligence improved substantially in the last 25 years, the Cubans remained very capable, Latell says.
He cites the case of Ana Belen Montes, a Cuban mole at the Defense Intelligence Agency, who was arrested in 2001 only days before she would have gained access to U.S. plans to attack al Qaeda and Taliban targets in Afghanistan.
Fidel Castro is, however, no longer in charge. Now 85, he handed over power to his brother after falling ill in 2006 and is likely "too debilitated" to run spy operations, Latell says.
© 2013 Thomson/Reuters. All rights reserved. | <urn:uuid:6e6a8235-7ac6-4c1c-9120-5a3052ff40c4> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.newsmax.com/Newswidget/castro-cia-analyst/2012/05/28/id/440426 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702810651/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516111330-00020-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.980411 | 1,254 | 1.789063 | 2 |
It’s hard to start this post without full disclosure: StateImpact Indiana is part of WFIU, the public radio station funded by Indiana University — and we’re all (proud?) IU Bloomington parking pass-holders. From the AP:
Indiana University is considering following Ohio State University’s lead by leasing parking spaces to a private operator in exchange for a multimillion dollar payout.
IU Chief Financial Officer Neil Theobald said the school is about two weeks away from issuing a request for proposals for a lease that could last 30 to 50 years for parking spaces at IU’s Bloomington and Indianapolis campuses.
Many cities, including Indianapolis, have used long-term leases to cash in on parking assets, but this year Ohio State became the first in higher education to do so.
IU’s Trustees discussed a possible parking deal at their August 17 meeting. What’s new is an Indianapolis Business Journal report from this weekend suggesting a deal appears to be imminent.
Essentially, IU Bloomington would sell its parking facilities to a private company to get a one-time cash infusion. Then, for however long the lease lasts, the university would make annual lease payments to the same private company for use of the parking spaces.
Our counterparts at StateImpact Ohio have details of the lease at Ohio State, where university officials have drawn up a 50-year contract with an Australian company, QIC Global Infrastructure. The company made an up-front investment of $483 million to the university, and the Buckeyes will pay $30 million per year back to QIC.
The Upsides & Downsides Of Privatization
Funding for Indiana’s public universities has been a political bone of contention. School officials are frustrated by the state’s shrinking higher ed budgets. Lawmakers say Indiana cannot afford the funding levels the schools want. Through it all, tuition has gone up.
To cover the gap left by the receding tides of state budgets, universities have turned to the private sector. Why? As reporter Molly Bloom writes at StateImpact Ohio:
“Over 50 years, a $483 million bid would prove $3.1 billion in investment earnings.” That’s money the university can use to hire more professors, give out more in scholarships, and invest in the arts and humanities.
Expect more deals like this, writes Richard Vedder, who studies higher education for Ohio University and the American Enterprise Institute, at Forbes:
Protected in the past from market forces by generous government subsidies, schools will find that the decline in those subsidies will mean markets—and consumers—will play a greater role in determining their destiny. And like the market-driven private sector, higher education will face something rarely seen in the past: the creation of obvious winners and losers, with the latter group of schools facing, in many cases, extinction.
That’s not necessarily bad, Vedder continues at The Chronicle for Higher Education. ”The conventional wisdom that more spending on higher education by governments facilitates economic growth simply does not fit with the American evidence regarding state appropriations,” he writes.
But on the other hand, writes University of Buffalo professor Bruce Johnstone…
Opponents of privatization claim that it distorts and subverts the core mission of a college or university, which is to seek truth and generate new knowledge, unfettered by the need for commercial application or external justification, and to preserve and transmit both these truths and society’s underlying cultural heritage.
In Virginia — where lawmakers have decreased funding for public universities but allowed the schools autonomy to seek funding from private sources — opponents fear privatization could lead to even further increases in tuition.
*CLARIFICATION: An earlier version of this post said IU’s Trustees “first heard word” about a parking deal on August 17. IU spokesperson Mark Land reached out to us to clarify the Trustees had asked school administrators to examine the potential for public/private partnerships earlier this year. “It wasn’t the first time the Trustees had been made aware of the possibility,” Land says. | <urn:uuid:20e48a3d-e93d-4b9b-b048-493c0fe86aa8> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://stateimpact.npr.org/indiana/2012/08/27/public-school-private-sector-how-ius-possible-parking-deal-fits-in-with-a-bigger-trend/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704132298/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113532-00007-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.944794 | 853 | 1.570313 | 2 |
A dense, closely-packed volume of reminiscence and analysis from one of the key players in the debate on the way forward for Poland following the demise of the Stalinist empire should provide insight and clarification for the reader. Unfortunately, having struggled with this book over many weeks, I cannot say I gained either.
In fairness to the author, my frustration may be partly cultural; the book is a translation from the Polish original, is an intensely personal construction, and inevitably appears to be aimed at an audience whose intimate knowledge of contemporary economics, and recent Polish history, the author takes for granted. Whether the difficulty I experienced is partly down to the translation, or my ignorance, or my inability to transfer from my cultural referential to a Polish template, the fact remains that the book is extremely hard to read. The above apologies accepted, it remains true that the ideological, political, social and economic analysis offered by Mr. Kowalik is frustrating in its lack of clarity.
Very early on (in his introduction), the author makes absolutely clear his horror at the social consequences of Poland’s turn to free market, neo-liberal economics, and there is no doubt he detests the human cost of this. His illustrative story of the ‘kaszana’ graffiti throughout Poland’s towns stands witness to his emotional identification with the casualties of this process. Yet remarkably for one who was so closely involved with the tumultuous social upheaval that was Solidarność, he appears unable to break away from the (doubtless comforting) notion that there is a solution available that transcends class division, that rests on a rational debate among reasonable human beings.
Indeed, this seems to me to be the central problem of the book: having no clear theoretical framework from which to launch a radical critique, he continually falls back on (undoubtedly genuine) moral outrage as a substitute for analysis. Thus, his opening chapter is titled: ‘The collapse of “really existing socialism” ’, but the use of quotation marks round “really existing socialism” suggesting a degree of scepticism as to its validity as a descriptive term. However, he later provides a tighter definition, ‘the revolutionary terror of Lenin and Trotsky gave way to blind Stalinist terror, which applied the Soviet type of Marxism to legitimise the system (later, during Brezhnev’s times, called “really existing socialism”)’ (p.25).
He goes on to say that ‘many socialists, Trotskyites, and social democrats have denied that this formation had any socialist character, going so far as to say that this was distorted or degenerated socialism’. While I might object to ‘Trotskyites’ and social democrats being lumped together as sharing a common analysis, I object more strongly to the self-evident incoherence of a statement that can claim at one and the same time that someone denies a quality to anything, and then defines it precisely as a qualified version of the quality that is denied. If a social formation has no ‘socialist character’, it has no ‘socialist character’; if it is a ‘deformed’ or ‘degenerated’ form of socialism, then it has a ‘socialist character’ that is deformed or degenerated. This unfortunately is an example of the theoretical, and analytical, incoherence that runs right through this book.
If you are looking for a detailed and personal account of how one leading player perceived the immiseration of the Polish working class, there is a lot of value in this book. In many ways, it is a gold-mine. But like most gold-mines, there is an awful lot of detritus and waste to be removed before you get to the nuggets, and you will have to decide whether the size of the nuggets is worth the effort.
However, in fairness to an author who is clearly repelled by the brutal reality of modern Poland, every now and then he provides statements that sum up why he is so angry: quoting Jacek Kuron, from his vitriolic assessment of the transition to neo-liberalism, ‘Seven Years, or Who Stole Poland’, ‘… these were the beginnings of the gigantic transfer of wealth that took place literally before our eyes. Together with the slogan ‘get rich’ and its general turmoil, wild privatisation was unleashed. It will probably never be possible to count how much money was lost by various state enterprises whose bosses entered into contracts with nomenklatura companies of acquaintance [sic], bringing losses to the enterprises but immense fortunes to the companies … Fraud was evident but the law turned out to be helpless here’ (p.53).
Or, again from Kuron, commenting on the corruption attendant on the formation of the first non-communist administration: ‘The Polish middle class emerging from the first version of post-communist capitalism did not gain its position through the free market. For a great portion – or at any rate for those who acquired great fortunes - it was not the free market that turned out to be the most important, but pocket diaries. And so if this group is in fact defending anything, it is these pocket diaries - the connections, quotas, government orders, limits, customs barriers, monopolies, thanks to which it gained its current position’ (pp.53-4).
In truth, Kowalik is aware that the project he welcomed so enthusiastically two decades ago has proved more toxic than he envisaged, or would have sanctioned; and he makes no attempt to shuffle off the responsibility onto others, and to evade it himself. Talking of the mass unemployment (and consequent mass emigration) resulting from the uncritical adoption of free market economics, he comments: ‘How is it possible that any political formation – left, right, or central – can come up with the idea of projecting unemployment at such a high level, for such a long time? … And yet nobody protested? Nobody was indignant? Nobody pointed out the many pathologies that could easily be inferred from making such an idea real? In some ways, this weighs hard on everyone involved in the changes (including the author of these words)’ (p.235).
Time and again though, the author seems to recoil from accepting there may be a basic class antagonism at work here. Referring to the blokersi (a violent, nationalist, youth sub-culture in pre-fab housing schemes), he quotes approvingly a teacher who intervened in the public polemic, saying that he does not agree that ‘those who manifest this dissatisfaction are “bums and derelicts” and goes on to provide an analysis that could as easily have appeared (and been as relevant) in the public discourse in Britain after the riots of last summer. It is a wonderfully clear indictment of the failure of laissez-faire politics. And it ends with this:
‘Among the many kinds of writing on the walls of our towns there is the word “Kaszana” [blood sausage] or “kaszana forever”. One of my students … explained to me its meaning. Society is divided into two groups; for some there are elegant cars, villas, and ham; for others tramways, prefab housing and blood sausage. Kaszana. Kaszana forever’ (p.282).
It is a sad reflection of this book that the most insightful passages are those where the author cites others. Sometimes objecting to brutality is not enough. One needs to offer an alternative. I am sick of kaszana. I want ham. But Tadeusz Kowalik seems to accept there is only so much ham to go round. Perhaps we should take the butcher’s knives into our own hands?
By Lindsey German
By Neil Faulkner
By Chris Nineham
By John Rees
By Lindsey German and John Rees
By John Rees and Joseph Daher
By John Rees
By Chris Nineham | <urn:uuid:33d5056b-1670-43cb-a34c-403f519df9c7> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.counterfire.org/index.php/articles/book-reviews/16256--from-solidarity-to-sellout-the-restoration-of-capitalism-in-poland | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368707435344/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516123035-00006-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.958963 | 1,682 | 1.65625 | 2 |
Anna Fisher, Ph.D., Carnegie Mellon University
Sustained selective attention is a crucial component of many higher-order cognitive processes; yet there is little research into the mechanisms of this ability early in development. One of the challenges in investigating mechanisms of sustained selective attention in young children is lack of appropriate experimental paradigms. This paper reports findings from a novel paradigm designed to investigate mechanisms of sustained selective attention in young children - the Object Tracking task. Results of two experiments with three- to five-year-old children provided support to the notion that development of the endogenous component of selective sustained attention lags behind the development of the exogenous component of this process. Importantly, the Object Tracking paradigm allowed investigating both of these components within the same task, thereby making it possible to attribute changes in performance to different mechanisms of attention control rather than to differences in the level of motivation and engagement in different tasks.
Fisher Presentation Slides (PDF - 417 KB)
Biosketch for Anna Fisher, Ph.D.
Dr. Anna Fisher received her B.A. in preschool psychology and education in 1999 from Moscow Pedagogical State University, M.A. in early childhood education in 2002, and Ph.D. in cognitive psychology in 2005 from The Ohio State University. She has been working as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology at Carnegie Mellon University since 2006. Her primary research focus is mechanisms of learning and generalization in preschool and elementary school children. Her recent interest and research on the development of selective sustained attention is motivated by her desire to understand how learning is related to certain components of executive function.
Return to Executive Function in Preschool Children: Current Knowledge and Research Opportunities - Agenda page. | <urn:uuid:33f0292e-6337-4d0b-b7da-073a74f6533f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://nichd.nih.gov/about/meetings/2010/Pages/060810-fisher.aspx | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704392896/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113952-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.936805 | 349 | 1.84375 | 2 |
“It is rare that a country’s leader brazenly distorts facts, attacks its neighbor and instigates antagonism between regional countries,” said China’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei. “Such behavior goes against the will of the international community. . . .We have solemnly demanded the Japanese side immediately clarify and explain.”
Japan quickly tried to backtrack from the comments Abe made to the Post. ”As I said, as the prime minister said, we value mutually beneficial relations with China based on strategic interests,” declared Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga.
Abe had told the Post that China has a “deeply ingrained” need to antagonize foreign countries over disputed territory, among other provocative statements. A transcript of the interview is here.
China’s response was, you might say, predictable: Abe’s comments were never likely to be easily swallowed in Beijing. Needless to say—as talk of war swirls ceaselessly on the Chinese airwaves and Washington and Beijing escalate a fight over computer hacking—Abe’s confrontational stance is pushing both all three countries closer to the edge of the cliff. | <urn:uuid:99a6bdaf-e094-40b7-a576-818c6c68a6d8> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://blogs.the-american-interest.com/wrm/2013/02/23/update-japan-backtracks-from-pms-tough-talk-after-china-lashes-out/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705559639/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115919-00003-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.953863 | 253 | 1.671875 | 2 |
Bernanke: Foreclosure woes require action
Price declines have become one of the biggest contributors to high default rates, Fed chief says. Stopping foreclosures is in 'everybody's interest.'
NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- The wave of foreclosures sweeping the nation is driven in part by a nearly unprecedented decline in home prices and require a concerted government and private-sector response, Ben Bernanke, chairman of the Federal Reserve, said Monday.
"Realistic public- and private-sector policies must take into account the fact that traditional foreclosure avoidance strategies may not always work well in the current environment," Bernanke said in a speech before the Columbia School of Business.
Bernanke's comments come as concern about the housing crisis and debate about how to help homeowners in trouble is growing.
Foreclosure filings of all kinds - delinquency notices, auctions sale notices and bank repossessions - were up 112% during the first three months of 2008 compared with the same period a year ago. Community advocates and policy makers are worried that the problem will worsen as the interest rates on as many as 1.8 million mortgages reset this year.
"High rates of delinquency and foreclosure can have substantial spillover effects on the housing market, the financial markets, and the broader economy," concluded Bernanke. "Doing what we can to avoid preventable foreclosures is not just in the interest of lenders and borrowers. It's in everybody's interest."
In explaining the forces behind the problem, Bernanke cited the "increasing role" of declines in home values. He unveiled a series of "heat maps" that showed delinquency rates, job losses and home price changes.
Unemployment statistics, according to Bernanke, do not explain the increased delinquencies of many areas, including California, Florida and parts of Colorado, where foreclosure filings have increased even when unemployment generally have fallen.
More revealing was the close correlation between declining home prices and high delinquency rates. On the home price decline map, states like California and Florida were drenched in red, indicating the worst losses. On the map revealing the highest foreclosure rates, the same states were also covered in red.
Bernanke pointed to the use of so-called piggy-back loans in helping drive foreclosures. These loans, which required low down payments or none at all, were used with increasing frequency during the bubble years to enable borrowers to purchase homes in high-priced states.
Because of price drops, many of the borrowers are now "upside-down," meaning they owe more than their homes are worth. Many of the owners had counted on the idea that their home values would continue to soar, increasing their home equity, which they could then tap to pay their bills. Now, they can't afford to pay off their mortgages and they have no assets to rely on.
In the past, said Bernanke, lenders and companies that service loans were "used to dealing with mortgage delinquencies related to life events such as unemployment or illness. . . . A widespread decline in home prices, by contrast, is a relatively novel phenomenon, and lenders and servicers will have to develop new and flexible strategies to deal with this issue."
In some cases, such as when the value of a home has fallen below the mortgage balance, a writedown of principal may be the best solution, according to Bernanke, although, he added, to be effective they must be targeted to cases facing the highest risks of foreclosure.
Bernanke outlined the steps that the Federal Reserve was taking to try to minimize the impact and scope of the foreclosure crisis.
The response includes working with community groups trying to acquire and restore vacant properties; encouraging lenders and mortgage servicers to work with at-risk borrowers; and developing new lending standards to prevent some of the abusive lending practices of the past from continuing.
The Fed, according to Bernanke, has worked closely with the Hope Now alliance - an industry foreclosure-relief effort spurred on by the Bush administration - to support help for troubled borrowers, develop protocols to standardize loss-mitigation approaches and improve reporting standards.
Bernanke also threw his support behind the expanded use of the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) and government-sponsored enterprises such as Fannie Mae (FNM, Fortune 500) and Freddie Mac (FRE, Fortune 500) to address problems in mortgage markets.
Opening up the lending markets has already helped thousands of at-risk borrowers to refinance into lower cost loans and save their homes, Bernanke said.
But with more than 156,000 families who lost their homes during the first three months of the year and with as many as 1.8 million adjustable rate mortgages scheduled to reset to higher rates this year, there's still much work that needs to be done, he said. | <urn:uuid:fa48b89c-6254-48c0-82e1-624ef54671a4> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://money.cnn.com/2008/05/05/real_estate/Bernanke_home_prices_and_foreclosures/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696383156/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092623-00016-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.967291 | 980 | 1.78125 | 2 |
Editor's note: This story originally published in advance of the August primary. It has been edited to include responses from the candidates who will appear on the Nov. 6 ballot.
COLUMBIA — Candidates running for local state House and Senate seats have weighed in on a series of issues during their campaigns. Although every candidate has cited funding for education and job growth as issues high on their list of goals, each has additional priorities they hope to address if they make it to Jefferson City.
- The Missouri Appellate Apportionment Commission, a panel of six judges, has redrawn Missouri’s House and Senate legislative districts. The new boundaries, which take effect after the November 2012 general election, create significant changes for Columbia and Boone County House districts, as illustrated here.
- Post-election reports show $400,000 raised in final days
- Missouri votes no on proposed tobacco tax increase
- Long lines reported in some spots as polls open in Missouri
- Campaigns carry their efforts into the last hours before election
- Akin, McCaskill candidates making final appeals for election
- CAMPAIGN FINANCE: Boone County Southern District Commissioner, 8 days before Election Day
- CAMPAIGN FINANCE: State Treasurer, 8 days before Election Day
- CAMPAIGN FINANCE: Secretary of State, 8 days before Election Day
- CAMPAIGN FINANCE: Lieutenant Governor, 8 days before Election Day
- CAMPAIGN FINANCE: Governor, 8 days before Election Day
Here's what area candidates had to say about their individual priorities if elected.
Senate District 19
Incumbent Sen. Kurt Schaefer (R): Bond issues
Schaefer said he would like to see a bond issue to pay for capital improvement projects at public colleges and universities. He noted, as he did when calling for a bond issue to fund improvements to Interstate 70, that the state should take advantage of its AAA bond rating and borrow while it's relatively inexpensive to do so.
A bond issue for higher education funding almost passed the legislature in 2009. A $700 million bond issue passed the House before fiscal conservatives in the Senate stalled the measure. Had the bill passed the Senate, it would have been sent to the voters for approval.
Rep. Mary Still (D): Women's rights
Still said one of her main issues is standing up for women's rights, including making sure women have access to birth control, child care and health care. She said she has "wide support among women" and "these are issues that I understand."
During the 2012 legislative session, Republican lawmakers introduced multiple pieces of legislation aimed at stopping implementation of the Affordable Care Act. While some of the bills dealt with blocking a health insurance exchange or other parts of the law, others focused on prohibiting a requirement that employers or health insurance providers cover abortions, contraception or sterilization if it violated their religious beliefs.
The bill sparked extensive discussion in the House. Democrats said it would make it more difficult for women to acquire contraception; Republicans said it would protect religious freedom. The legislation passed the House and Senate, but Gov. Jay Nixon vetoed it. The legislature voted Sept. 12 to override Nixon's veto.
House District 44
Ken Jacob (D): Change legislative rules
Jacob wants to change the rules of the Missouri House to "create a better atmosphere to work on the state's problems." He said that every member has the right to be heard on an issue and that changing the rules would "force compromise and create consensus."
House rules currently allow members to speak only when recognized by the speaker of the House or the presiding member. There have been numerous instances in which speakers from either party have failed to recognize members of the minority so that they could speak on certain issues. The majority party in the House also frequently moves to shut off debate, ending discussion on legislation.
Caleb Rowden (R): Help the farming community
Rowden said an immediate priority is to help Missouri farmers deal with the recent and persistent heat wave. While Rowden normally opposes government intervention, he said it might be a good idea to use state money to help farmers.
"The farming community is really in trouble ... I think they all pretty much need it."
The excessive heat has forced farmers to consider how to deal with their herds and crops, including selling some animals to reduce costs and preserve food supplies.
In July Nixon declared a state of emergency, allowing state agencies to better respond to problems caused by the drought. Nixon added $5 million on July 26 for an emergency water assistance program aimed at helping farmers deal with the heat
House District 45
Incumbent Rep. Chris Kelly (D): Corrections system reform
Kelly, a former Boone County associate circuit judge, said he wants to focus on making Missouri's corrections system more cost-effective. He said the current system is keeping offenders in prison longer and costing taxpayers more money, but it "doesn't provide any benefit."
Nixon recently signed a bill that allows nonviolent offenders to shorten their sentences through good behavior. The bill emerged during the past legislative session after a state working group issued a report detailing several policy suggestions aimed at cutting costs in Missouri's corrections system.
If used, the report estimated its suggestions would reduce the state's prison population and save between $7.7 million and $16 million by fiscal 2017. However, financial estimates provided with the signed legislation stated the savings would most likely be less than $1 million over the next five years.
"We have a lot of work left to do on making our corrections system smarter," Kelly said.
House District 46
Incumbent Rep. Stephen Webber (D): Small modular nuclear reactor project
Webber said his priority would be to develop incentives to assist the development of the Ameren-Westinghouse small modular nuclear reactor project.
Webber said he would push for tax credits and tax rebates as well as coordinating with MU to help develop the project.
Recently, the state legislature has been paralyzed when trying to pass new tax incentives and to phase out existing programs. Webber thinks the climate has "changed substantially" and that new tax breaks are "certainly possible."
Fred Berry (R): Stand in the way of the federal government
Berry said one of his priorities is to "stand in the way of the federal government that puts mandates on states that can't afford it." He added that in order to create jobs and grow the economy, "the main thing is to protect taxpayers from unnecessary regulations" and laws.
"We need the state to be stronger, and that means we have to say no to the feds."
House District 47
John Wright (D): Early childhood education
Wright said one of his priorities is to raise awareness and boost funding for early childhood education. He said it "is a big opportunity to improve student awareness at minimal cost." He added that he would promote preschool programming geared to reading and math if elected to the General Assembly.
One of Missouri's most notable and popular early childhood programs has had a rough few years with budget cuts. The Parents as Teachers program received $34 million in state funding three years ago. This year, the program will receive $14.8 million from the state.
Mitch Richards (R): Limit the impact of the federal government
Richards said one of his priorities is to limit the relationship between the federal and Missouri governments, especially in regard to the federal health care law. He said he would work to limit the impact of the law if Missouri participates in the implementation of the Affordable Care Act. Richards added that implementing parts of the law, such as an expansion of Missouri's Medicaid program, would "bankrupt the state."
In June, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the Affordable Care Act after declaring the proposed insurance mandate constitutional under the taxing authority of Congress. While the high court upheld most of the law, it struck down a section that required states to expand their Medicaid rolls, allowing states instead to choose whether to do so. Missouri has yet to decide if it will opt-in to an expansion of its Medicaid program.
Richards also said lawmakers "must do all we can to support the higher education budget." Higher education institutions have received budget cuts over the past three years. The most recent cut was announced in June when the governor said he would withhold $8.8 million from all public universities.
House District 50
Incumbent Rep. Caleb Jones (R): Economic development
Jones said his biggest priority is to help grow economic development projects in mid-Missouri and "be on the forefront of bringing in new jobs to the area." Jones said all businesses have been hurt by the economy and a bad business environment, but Missouri could bring in new jobs by promoting its existing businesses and continuing to educate its workforce.
Supervising editor is Scott Swafford. | <urn:uuid:2ebf228c-2737-4678-96c5-ebbc3b942f27> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.columbiamissourian.com/a/153480/voters-guide-2012-columbia-area-house-senate-candidates-present-their-priority-issues/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698924319/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516100844-00032-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.9675 | 1,800 | 1.578125 | 2 |
Jonny QuestAnimated Character
Born: 18 September 1964
Best known as: Boy hero of the classic TV cartoon Jonny Quest
In 1964 Hanna-Barbera animation studios produced a prime-time adventure series with a young boy as the protagonist. Jonny lived with his widowed father on an island, never went to school and each week battled monsters and evil geniuses. His fellow adventurers were Race Bannon, ex-CIA superstud; pal Hadji, who had the power of levitation; and Jonny's dog, Bandit. The original show was in prime time for just one year, but reruns were telecast Saturday mornings on CBS, ABC and NBC off and on until 1980. Jonny regained new life in 1996, in an updated version called The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest.
Extra credit: Actor Tim Matheson was the voice of the original Jonny.
Copyright © 1998-2013 by Who2?, LLC. All rights reserved.
More on Jonny Quest from Infoplease:
Information Please® Database, © 2007 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved. | <urn:uuid:9c02c832-236f-4e91-8a1b-c5b14852e330> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.infoplease.com/biography/var/jonnyquest.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704392896/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113952-00019-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.951056 | 227 | 1.664063 | 2 |
Consider the risk that draft ITS standards will not remain stable through further development when deciding whether to use them in an ITS deployment.
Hampton Roads, Virginia's experience with immature data-exchange standards for its Advanced Traveler Information System
At the time of the proposal, the contractor had a Beta version of a DATEX Toolkit product at version 8 of the standard. This standard is specifically an NTCIP Center-to-Center (C2C) DATEX-ASN draft ITS standard (NTCIP 2304: Application Profile for DATEX-ASN). Unfortunately, the draft base standard (ISO DATEX documents 14827, parts 1 and 2) had at the time over 100 international comments against it. This situation created uncertainty regarding the future direction of DATEX-ASN and reflected in part some of the contractor's difficulties with earlier versions of the standard.
- Retrofit to a mature standard rather than build to fit a developing standard. A decision was made that it was inappropriate to use ITS standards in the HRATIS, at least initially. Information on the practicability/ operational feasibility of the standards and protocols suggested for ATIS systems seemed to be very sparse. There was high risk in implementing a developing suite of standards now, as they were not finalized. As they mature, the risk will decrease. It is easier to retrofit to a mature standard than to build to fit a developing standard. Building to fit these standards as they developed would also prove impractical in terms of the cost.
- Find a work around non-proprietary solution. The primary reason for including DATEX-ASN in the proposal was to allow an open (i.e. non-proprietary) future interface of Regional Multi-modal Management System (RMMS) with HRATIS. This capability would still exist, but without utilizing DATEX-ASN. The contractor provided the simple interface details for exchanging data between the RIS and HRATIS, to Virginia DOT (VDOT). In effect, the same open interface could be used by the RMMS later.
- Identify standards that will provide the best fit for the project. Besides the DATEX-ASN protocol standard, the message sets and data dictionaries were still not mature. For data transfer to message sets, ATIS standards did not seem to fit best. Instead, Incident Management standards were found to provide the best fit. Therefore the data content for ATIS had to be changed to fit those standards.
As for protocols, DATEX and CORBA were the NTCIP protocols that existed for use in Center-to-Center data exchange. CORBA was more suited for enterprise wide data distribution and hence DATEX was considered for use in the beginning. Since DATEX was also found to be complicated, data exchange is currently carried out in an open format. DATEX V.8 was what the contractor used in the beginning, during development of the Data Fusion Engine. Using DATEX was perceived to be of high risk.
Overall, it was considered inappropriate to use draft ITS standards in the HRATIS at the time of the project. The practicability / operational feasibility of the standards and protocols suggested for ATIS systems seems to be very sparse. There is high risk in implementing a developing suite of standards now, as they are not finalized. As they mature, the risk will decrease. It is easier to retrofit a mature standard than to build to fit a developing standard. It also proves impractical in terms of the cost. Deciding not to use high-risk standards and finding a work-around non-proprietary solution could fulfill the intent of the initial proposal while reducing the risk of expensive modifications later if the standards were significantly changed.
Author: Demetsky, Michael J.; Park, B. Brian; Venkatanarayana, Ramkumar (UVA Center for Transportation Studies, Center for ITS Implementation Research)
Published By: Center for Transportation Studies, University of Virginia
Source Date: 10/1/2001
EDL Number: 13634
Other Reference Number: UVA-CE-ITS-03-1URL: http://ntl.bts.gov/lib//jpodocs/repts_te/13634.html
Average User Rating | <urn:uuid:d32c4a7b-b9c5-430b-ae74-d522c9ee1bb8> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.itsbenefits.its.dot.gov/ITS/benecost.nsf/ID/B9D6A1B2A26B85E3852570A7006B110B?OpenDocument&Query=Country | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701852492/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105732-00029-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.945755 | 888 | 1.515625 | 2 |
CUSHING — There is a big difference between bailing out of an airplane and jumping out of one.
Ed Lamb, of Oklahoma City, avoided the former not once, but twice during his days as a tail gunner in World War II. On Saturday — with free will at play this time — the 88-year-old finally got to see what it was all about.
It took $195 and the death of two concerned wives to get him to do it, he said.
“I had a wife that would have said no — she died; I had another wife that would have said no, and she died,” Lamb said. “The green light was on so I said go.”
As a teenager during the war, Lamb flew 50 missions in the back of a B-24 bomber for the 825th Squadron, 484th Bomb Group, 15th Air Force, primarily over the Balkans in Austria and southern Germany.
Twice, he and his crewmates were nearly out the aircraft door when the order to bail was rescinded.
“We were shot up — once, returning from a mission to Ploetsi, the other over Toulon harbor, France — and both times we received direct hits,” he said. “The first time was on the tail. The second time, over France, we got a direct hit from an 88 mm that did not explode; it just went through the cockpit.”
After 31 months in the U.S. Army Air Corp, the Okmulgee native returned home, got married, and worked for Oklahoma Gas and Electric Co. in Oklahoma City until retiring in 1987 as chief planning engineer.
Lamb is father to four, grandfather to 10 and great-grandfather to four more, with one on the way. On Saturday, his three boys and some of his grandchildren were in Cushing to watch him take his leap from an airplane. | <urn:uuid:f78a8fde-6cd6-43a3-a98d-bbad7f349fe3> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://newsok.com/feed/world-war-ii-vet-from-oklahoma-jumps-from-airplane-60-years-after-almost-twice-being-forced-from-one/article/3758722?custom_click=pod_headline_news | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708142388/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516124222-00010-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.993339 | 403 | 1.679688 | 2 |
MEA and others file lawsuit to invalidate illegal ‘right-to-work’ law
Lawsuit: Michigan Legislature violated Open Meetings Act by passing right-to-work bills while citizens were illegally barred from entering Capitol
EAST LANSING, Mich., Feb. 1, 2013 — Michigan’s new “right-to-work” law should be overturned because the state Legislature violated state and federal open government laws when passing it, according to a lawsuit filed Thursday by the Michigan Education Association and others in Ingham County Circuit Court.
Without a single public hearing, the state House and Senate passed legislation on the afternoon of Dec. 6 to make Michigan a right-to-work state. Simultaneously that afternoon, state police barred citizens from entering the Capitol, despite state law that requires the Capitol to remain open when the Legislature is in session. In addition, partisan legislative staffers were also ordered to fill the public galleries in the House and Senate to stop regular citizens from observing the votes.
According to the lawsuit, Michigan lawmakers violated the Michigan Open Meetings Act, the state Constitution and the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.
"By allowing state police to block citizens from entering the Capitol, Lansing politicians not only violated the basic American principles of open and transparent government, they also violated specific state and federal laws designed to protect the rights of citizens," MEA President Steven Cook said. "We're confident the courts will agree that the Legislature's actions on the afternoon of Dec. 6 constituted a clear violation of the Open Meetings Act and should be invalidated."
The Michigan Open Meetings Act requires that “[a]ll decisions of a public body shall be made at a meeting open to the public.” It also states that a “decision made by a public body may be invalidated if the public body has not complied” with the act.
Joining the MEA in the lawsuit is the American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan, along with a coalition of labor unions and citizen watchdogs.
Contact: Doug Pratt, MEA Director of Public Affairs, 517-337-5566 | <urn:uuid:26789e77-6560-4fa1-9a4a-6ecddf074777> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://[email protected]/mea-and-others-file-lawsuit-invalidate-illegal-right-work-law | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702448584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110728-00002-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.94385 | 441 | 1.539063 | 2 |
Greater Oklahoma City is in the geographic center of North America equidistant from the east and west coasts and major trade partners of Canada and Mexico. The ten county region is at the crossroads of the U.S., sitting at the heart of three major national highways on the NAFTA corridor.
There's a reason Greater Oklahoma City is such a great place for business: Location. The ten county region is positioned within a day's drive of the rapidly-growing south-central region (OK, TX, AR, LA) projected to grow more than 44% during the next 25 years.
Oklahoma City was ranked second by Brookings' MetroMonitor for Economic Performance during the recession. Brookings looked at employment, wages, output, and housing conditions among the 100 largest metro areas in the U.S.
OKLAHOMA CITY -- The economic downturn may be slowing some parts of Oklahoma's economy, but the state's travel and tourism market is seeing growth.
The number of visitors to the state's tourism information centers is up by 12 percent compared to last year. If the number of travelers hitting the state's parks and lodges over spring break is any indication, this summer could shape up to be a busy travel season, said Hardy Watkins, executive director of the state Tourism Department.
"We're really optimistic about the travel season," Watkins said. "Spring break was strong and our revenue for this March over last March was up slightly."
The uptick in travel could be attributed to a few things, Watkins said. More people are planning "getaway" trips, or closer-to-home trips instead of vacations in far-off locations. A media blitz in surrounding states could also be making Oklahoma an attractive place to visit.
Many travelers planned trips to state parks, lodges and cabins early in the year. The travel season in Oklahoma is strongest from Memorial Day to Labor Day, Watkins said.
Between March and June, the Tourism Department will have spent about $2.2 million on 30-second television ads in Oklahoma City and Tulsa media markets, as well as out-of-state markets. About 80 percent of the television dollars are spent in Texas, Kansas, Missouri and Arkansas, Watkins said.
"A lot of people come to Oklahoma to visit family and friends, so we want to make sure Oklahomans know about new places to see and do things," he said.
Many visitors to Oklahoma are coming from Texas, according to a quarterly survey. About 24 percent of the respondents who said they were coming to Oklahoma this year were from Texas. About 23 percent of those coming to Oklahoma were from Missouri and about 15 percent were from Arkansas. Visitors from Florida made up about 17 percent of people who said they were planning a trip to Oklahoma this year.
At Beaver's Bend State Park in far southeastern Oklahoma, the majority of visitors over spring break were from Texas, park manager Jim Miller said.
"Spring break was phenomenal; we were completely full," Miller said.
Miller said expectations for summer travel are just as high as travelers are staying closer to home.
"About 60 to 70 percent of our business is from Texas," Miller said. "I talked to a guy from Fort Worth who brought his family here for a week. It was affordable and very economical for them. We're hearing a lot of that."
While many people were planning trips this year, the economy is the main reason why people stayed home, Watkins said.
Of the people who said they would not travel this year, about 47 percent said the economy was the main reason, according to the quarterly survey.
"It's immediate stimulus when people travel," Watkins said. "That money goes straight back to our economy and does good things in Oklahoma. We think it's an important year and a good opportunity to grow the tourism industry." | <urn:uuid:eec49ea1-d153-434f-ba93-fef5c61e6c62> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.greateroklahomacity.com/index.php?src=news&submenu=CommunityProfiles&srctype=detail&category=Tulsa%20World&refno=22 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702448584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110728-00013-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.980351 | 780 | 1.570313 | 2 |
Glen Stubbe, Star Tribune
OBAMACARE: The landmark federal health care law that mandates individual insurance.
OBAMNEYCARE: The universal mandate signed by Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney.
PAWLENTYCARE: What some are calling Pawlenty's free-market approach to health care.
Pawlenty’s health care switcheroo
- Article by: KEVIN DIAZ
- Star Tribune
- August 6, 2011 - 11:05 PM
WASHINGTON - In his presidential campaign autobiography, "Courage to Stand," former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty recalls a man in a wheelchair who approached him at an airport in Mankato.
As Pawlenty knelt to listen, the man explained that he had no money, no job and no family to take care of him. "Please don't cut my health care," the man said in a raspy voice.
"You can't experience a moment like that without being emotionally impacted," Pawlenty wrote, describing some of the wrenching decisions he faced as governor, including his move last year to end a state health program for low-income singles.
Now, as he rails against "Obamacare," the landmark federal health care law, Pawlenty makes a virtue of his eight years as governor of a state with one of the best health care systems in the nation, one that's often held up as a model for market reforms that improve quality, increase efficiency and contain costs.
But to some health care experts -- including some whose counsel he sought as governor -- Pawlenty's critique of Obamacare is a tale of two governors: From one who embraced the goal of universal coverage to one more focused on budgets, costs and what he calls "timeless conservative principles."
Former U.S. Sen. David Durenberger, chairman of Pawlenty's 2004 Citizens Forum on Health Care Costs, describes the former governor as "a guy who didn't ignore the problem."
But Durenberger noted that President Obama's Affordable Care Act contains many of the bipartisan reform ideas pioneered on Pawlenty's watch in Minnesota, including consumer health incentives favoring low-cost insurance and new quality measures for doctors and hospitals.
Pawlenty's new talking points, Durenberger argues, are "unworthy of a governor of a state that has been working hard to create many of the care system and access innovations that the Affordable Care Act will help to fund with federal dollars as an example to the rest of the country."
Former state Human Services Commissioner Cal Ludeman, Pawlenty's point man on health care, says that while Pawlenty tinkered with many bipartisan ideas as governor, he ultimately settled on a free-market approach that ruled out Obama's individual insurance mandate.
"When he says market forces, he means it," Ludeman says.
Pawlenty has used the distinction as a way to undermine GOP front-runner Mitt Romney, who signed a universal mandate as governor of Massachusetts that Pawlenty dubbed "Obamneycare."
Following Pawlenty's reluctance to confront Romney directly in a July 13 GOP debate, Pawlenty ran ads in Iowa that boasted he "did health care reform the right way. No mandates. No takeovers."
But the comparison with Romney is not necessarily flattering for the Minnesota model some pundits now call "Pawlentycare."
Massachusetts saw its rate of uninsured residents drop dramatically under Romney's health care plan. Under Pawlenty, Minnesota's uninsured rose from 6.6 percent in 2000 to 9 percent by 2009.
Pawlenty's backers say the difference was Massachusetts' mandate that individuals carry health insurance in the same way drivers must carry vehicle insurance -- a requirement that has become anathema to Pawlenty and everyone else in the GOP field.
Change of view
But that wasn't always Pawlenty's take on Romney's plan.
In 2006, Pawlenty praised Romney for attacking health care costs, said he was "open to" a similar insurance mandate and endorsed the idea that "everybody should be in a health plan of some sort."
A recording of Pawlenty's 2006 remarks has gone viral on conservative websites, getting airplay on a recent Laura Ingraham radio show with U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann, Pawlenty's Minnesota rival in the GOP race.
"It just doesn't fly," Andy Aplikowski, a conservative Minnesota blogger who supports Bachmann, said of Pawlenty's comments.
To Ludeman, Pawlenty's remarks meant nothing more than that "he didn't want to close off the discussion about the mandate."
That same year, Pawlenty startled many by calling for extending health care access to up to 90,000 uninsured children as a step toward coverage for all Minnesotans.
'Toward universal coverage'
"We all, I think, can chart a path toward universal coverage," he said in a luncheon speech to a Minneapolis health reform conference. "We're going to have to move in stages. ... We should start with covering all kids."
In 2007, Pawlenty asked the Legislature to create a state-regulated health insurance exchange for individual health insurance policies -- now the centerpiece of Obama's plan to expand access to those who don't have group insurance through their employers.
Pawlenty's plan lacked an individual insurance mandate but would have required all individual health insurance policies in the state to be purchased through the exchange. That proposal failed in the Legislature and was shelved.
After the federal health care overhaul became law, Pawlenty joined 26 governors and state attorneys general in a legal challenge that appears headed to the U.S. Supreme Court.
Last year, as part of an executive order to prevent Minnesota from using federal funds related to the new law, Pawlenty turned down $1 million from Washington to set up a similar exchange. He cited a 2008 state Health Department study that found it would have only a "minimal impact" on costs.
"It seems like there were two Pawlentys with regard to health care," said state Rep. Paul Thissen, a DFL leader who served on the governor's bipartisan Health Transformation Task Force.
Reviews of Pawlenty's health care actions have been mixed.
Last month, the conservative Club for Growth faulted Pawlenty for the 2008 law he signed that expanded parts of MinnesotaCare, the state subsidized health insurance program for the poor. They also praised him for a plan that gave employers more flexibility in the coverage they provide.
Health care consultant Michael Scandrett, staff director of Pawlenty's health care citizens' forum, said he detected a notable change in the governor's perspective as he came closer to a run for national office.
To Scandrett, the same governor who had introduced model reforms for the care of the chronically ill morphed into a fiscal hawk focused on eliminating rather than reforming costly programs.
"It was more slash and burn than reform," Scandrett said.
The final showdown came last year, when Pawlenty moved to eliminate the program for low-income singles known as General Assistance Medical Care (GAMC).
DFLers balked, and a compromise was reached that allowed fixed payments to hospitals to care for indigents.
Critics noted that only a handful of Twin Cities hospitals agreed to participate in the program -- all at a loss -- leaving thousands of outstate patients without access to care or getting costly, uncompensated emergency room care.
Meanwhile, premiums continued to skyrocket.
"Whatever he says he did, it didn't show up in anybody's pocketbook in Minnesota," said state Sen. Linda Berglin of Minneapolis, the top DFLer on the Health and Human Services Committee before announcing July 25 that she is stepping down.
Lately, Pawlenty has taken to hawking his reforms of a state employee health plan that controlled premiums by giving cost breaks to those who chose the cheapest plans.
Health care, Pawlenty said, "needs to look more like a cash bar than an open bar."
Kevin Diaz is a correspondent in the Star Tribune Washington Bureau.
© 2013 Star Tribune | <urn:uuid:9316ee00-2aa7-4644-8668-6beb159bca26> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.startribune.com/printarticle/?id=127073788 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708142388/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516124222-00009-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.958285 | 1,689 | 1.539063 | 2 |
Cartrivision ~ The First ALL American Home VCR!
Newest Addition 03.06.08
Cartrivision ~ The First ALL American Home VCR
The year was 1972. This is the first VCR made in the U.S.A. for consumers. The product flopped horribly ~ of course. Shown in the photos above, is a beautiful example of an end table model. These were large machines and had they had to blend in with the living room decor. The Cartrivision VCR was typically intended to be built into a console style 25" color TV, a popular screen size at that time. Sets like that were produced by Sears, Montgomery Wards, Curtis Mathes, just to name a few. The third photo is of the interior front of the mechanism.
Very few Cartrivision VCRs were sold new. Thousands were sold surplus through outlets like Olsen Electroncis or private clubs. Initially they were sold here in the San Jose / south bay area (Silicon Valley, where else?). Steve Wozniak had one, as well as the fellows who founded Newtek, makers of the Video Toaster! I wonder if they still have their Cartrivision VCRs? (Someone please hook us all up!)
Cartrivision Rear Connector Panel
The photo above is of the connector bay on the rear of the end table model. There is a screwdriver access "color hold" control pot, camera and microphone inputs plus left and right audio out. The Cartrivision VCR could play stereo audio from prerecorded cassettes, but only recorded audio in mono. More precisely, it records one input channel onto both audio tracks. In the case of bi-lingual programming, a clunky shorting plug was put into either the right or left audio output to mute the audio from that channel. These audio output jacks work like earphone jacks, inserting the plug cuts of the audio that went to an internal RF converter. The RF unit was NOT standard equipment. Being the first (and only) version of the VCR, there were some obvious (to us today) ergonomic issues with this product. Of course, this is only a detail that in no way detracts from the genius of this system! It was the first of a kind. Minor issues, like these, were inevitable.
"Ergonomics" or "Human Engineering" Disaster Zone!
The term, "user friendly" is never used in the same sentence as the word Cartrivision. (Except here!) To my trained eye, this product has a lot of "Ampex" in it. Note that to go into fast forward, you press down the FF button and turn the function selector knob to the rewind position. Kind of like going into record mode. (Press & hold record button, turn selector to play) This takes two hands and even then is cumbersome to say the least. Notice that the positioning of the controls is near the height of most people's ankles! Behind the smoked cover, on the left, are two additional mode switches and the mechanical sleep timer. The logic of these switches is bewildering in its (unnecessary) complexity. Of course, I say this with a contemporary attitude. Keep in mind, that there were no microprocessors back then! To be fair, the Cartrivision VCR does contain some (primitive) integrated circuits. But, none of those were used in the mode control logic. All control logic in the VCR was by means of mechanical switches and relays, mostly. Some transistorized time delay circuits are used, but do not constitute digital logic as we understand it today. The rest of the electronics can be described as "discrete transistorized circuitry". Easy as heck to repair, expensive and labor intensive to assemble. This is what is most responsible for the $1,600 selling price in 1972 dollars! Imagine what a Pentium (R) processor would cost if each and every transistor had to be soldered in by hand! Can you say, "Billions and billions of dollars?"
The Ampex small format VTRs also had a less than ideal user interface and I believe this method was carried forward in the design of these VCRs. They required the operator to throw multiple levers to select electronic modes separately from the deck functions levers. Which is also a very cumbersome two handed exercise in coordination. Operations may have seemed logical to the engineers, but this is not what the typical consumer could, or can, deal with. It should come as no surprise that Cartrivision was essentially started by a group of maverick Ampex engineers and managers.
After having said all that, I want to be clear that I am not knocking any Ampex or Cartrivision products or engineers. I admire both companies and their people a great deal. The point is that when engineers are designing a bleeding edge product, the human factors may not be given the highest priority.
These things were too big, too clunky and far too expensive. This product was produced through a subsidiary of Avco / Embassy entertainment called Cartridge Television, Incorporated. The advantage of this was the huge collections of films already owned by Avco. It was a logical idea. My Friend, Luke Perry, tells the story of Cartridge Television much better than I can, so to learn more about the company itself, visit Luke's web page: [Cartrivision: A unique way of looking at things].
Another excellent source of information, taken from the consumer's point of view, is at the [CED Magic Web site]. CED Magic is a site devoted to the RCA Selectavision Capacitive Video Disc players. CED Magic also covers many many obsolete video products. Both sites are great reading!
Cartrivision Stock Certificate
The recording process is what is called skip field. The machine records every third field of video and plays it back three times. This gives an effective 10 frames per second at only 240 scan lines! A primitive video compressor! But, it was full COLOR! What a wonderful product! I would like to think that if they had simply put a transparent cover on the front of the unit, leaving those marvelously Rube Goldberg insides visible, this format would still be alive today. Naaaaa! The camcorder would be too huge! When the machine is running, the 10 inch diameter head wheel, and the entire circuit board containing the record / playback head(s) electronics, spins around 10 times a second! What a wonderfully goofy thing to see. Even a blank tape can be entertaining with one of these filling your living room! Shown in the first photo above is the tape drive mechanism. A second component (shown farther down this page), containing most of the electronics nick named the "fish tank", is almost as large as the tape drive mechanism itself! The VCR shown above, is one that was donated to LabGuy's world about a year ago. That particular deck will require a lot more work to restore it, than the latest decks I just obtained just last month.
An Emerson TV / VCR Console Model
The VCRs were so big, they were usually bundled in the same cabinet with a 25 inch color TV like the Emerson monster shown above! They were sold through major department stores like Montgomery Wards and Sears. The machines were sold on the third floor in the TV department while the tapes were sold on the first floor in the records and 8 track department! The sales people on these floors were unaware of this most of the time! The system sold for over $1600 back then. No sale! That's equivalent ot about $3300 in today's dollars. Cartridge rental was where the company planned on making the big bucks. At least they predicted that market correctly! The rental cassettes could be distinguished easily from the blank tapes. The rental tapes were red and the blank recordable tapes were black with yellow labels. The rental cassettes also could not be rewound in the home deck. They had to be rewound on a special machine at the video store! (See below) This guaranteed that the consumer could only watch the movie once per rental! I'm glad JVC didn't do that to VHS! Betamax would have taken over, eh?
A small black and white camera was available for home recording. The camera was manufactured by Eumig of Austria.
To this day, this company is studied in business schools as the prime of example of "how not to do it"! Cartridge Television Incorporated came and went in less than three years! One other extenuating factor that led to the downfall of Cartrivision was that almost all of the first run cassettes went bad from humidity in the warehouse! That was simple bad luck.
Their legacy is that they left behind literally thousands of brand new unsold VCRs and tens of thousands of movie cartridges. The video cameras were a standard item in hundreds of amateur television shacks as well. Both the Cartrivision VCRs and cameras still turn up on the surplus market in respectable quantities to this very day.
New Addition! 03.06.08
Cartrivision rental tape (red cartridge) rewinder
The red Cartrivision cassettes were for rental only. The consumer could not rewind the red cassettes in the home machine. To rewind these, they were returned to the rental center and were then rewound on a special machine, shown above. This is packaged in quite an industrial, leatherette covered, steel case. This machine rewound the cassette to the proper tension and cleaned the surface of the tape prior to the next rental. It is claimed that the machine logged the number of times the tape was rewound, though, I am not sure how this was done. Automatically or with a paper based (human powered) tracking system? The text of the instructions shown on the flip up cover reads as follows:
1. Open bucket and insert cartridge.
2. Close bucket fully.
3. Move lever to down position and hold for one (1) second and then release.
4. Cartridge will rewind and unit will automatically shut off.
5. Open bucket and remove cartridge.
NOTE: When cleaning tape is expended, cover will automatically open.
Internal view of the rental tape rewinder
The mechanism of the rewinder appears to have been able to fast forward the tape to the end before rewinding and cleaning it. The two photos above let us clearly see the insides of the rewinder machine. Note the two spools that look like typewriter ribbons at the top of the first photo. These contain a cloth (I think) cleaning tape that touches the surface of the video tape during rewind. The large motor performs rewind, while the smaller motor, to the right of the second photo, performs the fast forward drive.
New Addition 02.07.28
A Cartrivision cartridge of Gadabout Gaddis! and my Dad's favorite fishing show!
I have this one special tape and it's a double collector's item! It's still in the original cellophane wrapper with the original price tag on it. This tape sold for: $6. 50! (around 1972) It's a 24 minute episode of: Gadabout Gaddis, the Flying Fisherman, entitled: "Bayhorse Trout". (Copyright 1965 G.G. Productions, Inc. )
My Dad and I used to watch his show every Sunday afternoon before I was in high school, sometime in the late 1960's. Gadabout would fly his private Cessna airplane, hither and yon, just to go fishing! Personally, I'm not very enthusiastic about fishing. So, I was sure glad that Dad didn't own a small plane! For me today, this tape has triple collector's value, it's a vintage video collectors' item, it's a Gadabout Gaddis collectors' item and it's a link to my own heritage! Every time I look at it, I remember my Dad....
[HOME]......[CONTINUE WITH RESTORATION PROJECT]......[VIDEO RECORDERS MUSEUM]
Last updated: January 09, 2005 | <urn:uuid:2f59c5b9-aee0-4c0d-ad89-9f487f2ccdd5> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.labguysworld.com/Museum017.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708766848/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125246-00004-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.964105 | 2,522 | 1.664063 | 2 |
How is it possible to have year round local farmer’s markets in New York City?
It’s possible because there is still so much food! 16 of our 46 markets stay open in the winter with all of the food listed in the question below. Rain, hail, sleet or snow, many of our farmers brave the slushiest of days to bring regionally grown, raised, caught and baked food into the city.
What can shoppers expect to see more of at the markets as the months get colder?
Lots of apples & cider, root vegetables, hothouse vegetables, meat (beef, pork, goat, poultry), seafood, cheese, eggs, maple syrup, jam, honey, pickles, wine, and baked goods.
How will the selection change in the next several months?
While the markets dwindle some due to farmers leaving for the winter, you will still see much of what is in the market right now, minus some brussels sprouts, most winter squash, radishes, lettuces, and most herbs.
What does Greenmarket do in the “off season” to prepare for the next busy season?
Many of our growers take the winter months off to get their well-deserved and much-needed R & R and plan their next season. They buy seed, fix farm equipment, catch up with bookkeeping, attend conferences and workshops and spend time with family and friends. As for Greenmarket staff, first things first, we rest and celebrate the great season we just had. Around January we start prepping to make next season better – we organize the office, connect with community groups and other partners involved with our markets, send out applications to farmers and then place them as the apps arrive, hold our Annual Meeting, train new Market Managers and before you know it it’s May and we have markets opening and are heading into full-swing.
Liz Carollo works for Greenmarket in New York City, a nonprofit organization which runs many of New York City’s farmers markets. | <urn:uuid:e717d3d7-0d71-4b54-b531-c84422f77001> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://tasteoflocal.com/category/farmers-market/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702448584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110728-00023-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.95955 | 424 | 1.585938 | 2 |
Biker shorts and Lycra are having their moment again on New York runways, in a 1980s revival, but in Paris, two-wheeled fashion has nothing to do with athletic gear.
When Paris fashion week starts next week, fashion editors are likely to be pedaling to palatial venues in stilettos and skirts, large leather bags dangling off handlebars.
An upright bike beats a tinted-window sedan for showing off an outfit any day. A new generation of cyclists, influenced by icons such as supermodels Elle Macpherson and Agyness Deyn, have turned biking from a sport into a fashion statement. Cycle Chic, a popular blog whose motto is "style over speed," snaps photos of urban riders in Paris and Copenhagen.
Yet the basic bicyclist still is trying to cruise out from under Lance Armstrong's shadow. "People think they need to put on a uniform like they're going to battle," says Amy Fleuriot, whose Cyclodelic label of accessories and apparel was sold in Topshop last spring. "You don't have to wear all fluorescent."
Now, cycling is providing inspiration for fashion. Labels such as Louis Vuitton and Celine have worked the bike's sporty attitude into their collections. Earlier this year, Paris's trendsetting Colette boutique hosted an exhibition using recycled bicycle parts in art works.
European riders have unchained new, cyclable fashions. On Paris's wide avenues, feminine gear is de rigeur: high-heels or ballerina shoes, wool dresses and a scarf around the neck. Some riders say it is easier to cycle in stilettos than to walk in them.
Businessmen tuck their briefcases into wire baskets.
In France's Elle magazine earlier this month, a fashion spread of fall's hottest accessories featured three models racing city bikes -- one wearing a mustard-colored Marc by Marc Jacobs dress and purple tights, another with a leopard-print bag in her basket.
The bike itself is less important than the attitude and attire of the person on it. "We don't notice the bicycle, it's just a tool," says Mikael Colville-Andersen, the Copenhagen-based founder of Cycle Chic. "Cycling can be gorgeous. It shouldn't be dominated by bike freaks."
Still, luxury brands have kicked into high gear to produce fancy tools. Hermes, Chanel and Gucci have all recently come out with bicycles, costing as much as $6,000.
Yet most riders stick to more mundane wheels. The resurgence of the city bicycle seems like the perfect hybrid response to the economic crisis and climate change. But it predates last year's spending hiatus, the spike in oil prices and the collapse of the automobile industry.
Many European and American cities have become more cycle-friendly. Paris introduced its inexpensive bike-share program, Velib' (for "vélo" and "liberté", cycling freedom), two years ago, planting 20,000 heavy three-speed machines at stations around the city.
Other metropolises including Washington, D.C.; Dublin; Barcelona and Montreal have rolled out similar programs. London has paved special bike lanes and will unveil a bike-share program next year. Casual riders say it's a handy way to keep in shape.
Not long after Velib' hit Paris, Agyness Deyn, fashion's "it" girl, made headlines by cruising to her runway-modeling gigs on the city's mushroom-colored rental bikes.
Dressed in a Balenciaga top and shorts, and towering Givenchy heels, Vogue snapped the pixie-faced model in the saddle on the Place de la Concorde, one long bare leg keeping her steady. Biking made her happy, she said, adding that she cycled to parties in ball gowns.
Ms. Deyn unleashed the bike's new status as a top fashion accessory, but its association with spandex and neon persisted.
During Paris's men's fashion week in June, Louis Vuitton menswear designer Paul Helbers turned that to his advantage when he glamorized New York's bike messengers -- or "gentlemen butterflies" as he dubbed them. He flicked bright yellow and black nylon through his spring collection of rolled-up trousers and pinched jackets.
Several fashion labels have tried to suppress cycling's fashion faux pas -- all while keeping the gear practical. French fashion house Celine's Bicyclette collection of sophisticated city clothes for riders -- in stores this past spring and summer -- consisted of items such as flowing shorts that appeared to be a skirt, and strappy heels with sturdy rubber soles. Ms. Fleuriot has worked reflective details into the bright blue and purple jackets in her Cyclodelic line.
Yet many fashion icons don't sacrifice any style for their two wheels. Flame-haired designer Vivienne Westwood, a veteran rider, pedals around London in her usual eclectic fashions -- often a patterned dress and tights -- only bowing to common sense by throwing a pair of heels in her basket.
Mr. Colville-Andersen has compiled a style guide on his Cycle Chic blog. He keeps his guidance simple. "Just open your closet and it's filled with cycling clothes!" he exclaims. "Anything you can walk in, you can ride your bike in."
He recalls the shocked feedback from American and British readers when he posted a photo of a girl riding her bike in stilettos and a short skirt, or another of a drag queen in full guise.
Take tips from a professional. Evelyn Hamilton, one of the first female cycling champions, doles out advice with wry British humor in a 1936 video. She demonstrates fixing her hair back with a braid. Her "practical winter kit" consists of a beret and an ordinary wool coat.
Casual Parisian riders would agree. Gwenaelle Brand, a 29-year-old mother of two on maternity leave, hiked up her denim skirt to hoist herself up on to a Velib' near Paris's chic Parc Monceau earlier this week. Her favorite cycling gear wasn't designed for a bike: leather gloves she splurged on to keep her fingers warm in winter, and high heels.
"I've ruined all the heels on my pumps," she says, "but it's much faster than walking."
Write to Christina Passariello at [email protected] | <urn:uuid:1199d9a7-8ef7-4654-a106-33da982e5db9> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125383070092638977.html?mod=rss_europe_whats_news | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697380733/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516094300-00030-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.954315 | 1,347 | 1.53125 | 2 |
When most people think of arts and crafts, two images typically come to mind. Some think of the classic church basement craft show where retired ladies hawk doilies. Others might remember second-grade art class, where they made handprint turkeys and might or might not have eaten paste.
But what about a marketplace of young urbanites buying and selling items like handmade books, yoga mat bags and vintage jewelry that draws a crowd of thousands?
That’s exactly what goes down at the Crafty Supermarket, Cincinnati’s premier indie craft showcase, which hosted its Holiday Show Nov. 20.
“Indie crafting is based on the DIY concept,” Crafty Supermarket co-organizer Grace Dobush says. “It’s a handmade movement.”
Dobush, 28, is an editor at Family Tree Magazine, a bookbinder/printmaker and author of a business guide for fellow part-time indie crafters, Crafty Superstar: Make Crafts on the Side, Earn Extra Cash and Basically Have It All. She probably knows what she’s talking about.
Having always loved crafting — “I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t making things,” she says — Dobush wanted to bring the indie craft scene to the forefront of Cincinnati. In 2009, she attended the Summit of Awesome in Washington, D.C., an aptly named annual conference to sustain the handmade movement with seminars, workshops, speakers and other general awesomeness. It was there where Dobush first met Alisha Budkie, a graduate of UC’s DAAP and shoemaker also based in Cincinnati.
The pair enventually hooked up with Chris Salley, co-owner of the Northside gallery/shop Fabricate and program director of Girl Scouts of Western Ohio.
The talented trio hit it off and wasted no time producing the first Crafty Supermarket in November 2009. Drawing 20 funky sellers and more than 1,000 shoppers, it was clear that the indie craft movement was growing in little ole Cincy. There have been two more similar events since, each drawing even more buyers and vendors.
One such vendor was a crafting newbie, 31-year-old Kate Dignan. She created Uniquely Upcycled, a line of apparel, accessories and home decor made from renewed and vintage materials. Dignan, unlike the aforementioned DIY veterans, just joined the handmade gang when she inherited her grandmother’s Singer sewing machine in December 2009. Eager to learn, Dignan taught herself to sew and began planning new projects.
“We’ve become so disconnected from materials in our post-industrial, throw-away culture,” Dignan says.
What better way to counteract that than by not only getting in touch (literally) with materials but also creating something new and useful out of something that could be in a landfill? That’s indie craft mentality, for ya.
So you don’t have to be Martha Stewart to make cool projects, but where to start? When looking for a springboard for crafting ideas, the answer isn’t always in a craft store. While essential for some basic supplies, big-box shops often lack the ingenuity and unique materials to inspire most new-wave crafters.
“Indie craft is sort of the anti-kit craft,” Dobush says in reference to the cheaply pre-packaged, all-in-one-box craft kits that fill commercial craft depots.
Dobush advises entering the blogosphere, where countless alt-craft ideas await for you to glimpse, tweak and steal (often with accompanying video tutorials).
Dignan suggests that you go to your favorite expensive retailers and peep their latest styles.
“I’ll go into stores like Anthropologie when I need inspiration,” Dignan says. “I immediately get a ton of ideas I know I can make for less. It’s my personal way of stickin’ it to the man.”
Once you have an idea, Dobush and Dignan suggest shopping for materials at thrift stores, vintage shops and estate sales first. You’re more likely to find “where-the-hell-did-you-find-that” items on the cheap and build rapport with your suppliers.
“Don’t take yourself too seriously, don’t expect perfection and have fun with it,” Dignan says. “Don’t be afraid to just jump into a project.”
Just as people fill up with turkey and mashed potatoes during the holidays, landfills are pushed to their limits this time of year. If you’re looking to reduce your carbon footprint this season, creating and upcycling your own gifts and holiday decor is a good place to start.
Grace Dobush’s books and paper goods can be purchased at www.graciesparkles.com.
Alisha Budkie sells her sustainable, vegan footwear at www.smarterthangoldfish.com.
Kate Dignan’s items and other handmade local gifts can be found at Fabricate (4037 Hamilton Ave., Northside), Park and Vine (1202 Main St., Over-the-Rhine) and Atomic Number 10 (1306 Main St., Over-the-Rhine). | <urn:uuid:787a160a-64bd-43b7-8ed1-777d9ab65105> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.citybeat.com/cincinnati/article-22180-merry_craftmas.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705559639/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115919-00029-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.932838 | 1,126 | 1.554688 | 2 |
Can Facebook be private?
- — 24 June, 2009 08:41
Given the slew of embarrassing stories you've no doubt seen about users accidentally sharing too-personal information, the idea of preserving privacy on a social network may seem like going outside during a thunderstorm and expecting to stay dry.
But at the same time, sites such as Facebook are developing into major hubs for seeing new photos of the latest baby in the family and keeping in touch with far-flung friends and relatives. For example, when my brother recently suffered a major injury, the family got updates on his status via Facebook. So if you'd like to try to stay dry in that online social storm, here are some rules of thumb for using the site without letting the entire world know your business.
Know Your Terms of Service
The site is implementing new terms of service after a major PR flap earlier this year. Critics had interpreted earlier announced changes to mean that the company was asserting ownership over anything you might post, but Facebook says it was misunderstood. The new terms, which were approved in a user vote, make clear that "you own all of the content and information you post on Facebook," and that you give Facebook a license to use things like photos or videos you post. See the full new agreement, and a new non-binding statement of general principles. Facebook says it may allow users to vote on future changes, but you can take more immediate action to keep your info private.
Ditch Data-Snooping Apps
Many privacy advocates frown on Facebook applications. The company requires that app creators obey certain rules (for example, apps are barred from saving your data for longer than 24 hours), but it doesn't vet these apps before they're released. When you install one, Facebook will warn you that the app can access your personal data, but it won't tell you exactly what personal data that app uses. If you're concerned about privacy, you might want to resist the urge to install that "Discover your Hippy [sic] name" app (and ask your friends to do the same). To see what apps you have currently authorized (and perhaps clear out a few unnecessary ones), go to Settings, Application Settings. Then choose Authorized from the 'Show' drop-down menu.
Limit Your Friends' Apps
What's more, if a friend installs an app, the program will by default be able to see anything you've shared with that friend. To restrict the data available to friends' apps, go to Settings, Privacy Settings and click the Applications link. Click the Settings tab up top, and de-select any check boxes on that page for info you don't want shared. Keep in mind that these settings won't change what the apps that you install can read, only the apps that your friends install.
Control What Certain People Can See
Your next good move is to make use of a little-known feature that allows you to create a list of friends, then restrict content-sharing to certain lists. For example, you can put all business acquaintances on one list, and restrict photo viewing for those people so they can't see every (potentially embarrassing) photo that you (or they) appear in. Another list, consisting of your closest friends, might be allowed to see everything.
To create a list, click on the Friends link, and under 'Lists' on the left side, click Create. Then, to restrict sharing info with only certain lists, head to Settings, Privacy Settings and click Profile. Select a Profile item's drop-down menu and choose Customize. Then select Some Friends in the resultant pop-up, and enter the name of the friends list you want to choose.
Use Profile Preview
If this seems like an awful lot of clicking and hunting, it is. Facebook says it's looking into making things simpler, but for now its privacy settings are a maze. One very helpful tool that can make clear what you're sharing with whom is Facebook's profile preview tool: Go to Settings, Privacy Settings, then Profile, and type a friend's name in the box up top. You'll see your own profile as it would be viewed by that friend, and can then adjust your privacy settings accordingly.
Managing your apps and friend lists will likely give you the most bang for your buck, but for more helpful tips, check out this guide at AllFacebook.com. | <urn:uuid:52f4b05d-ed59-44fa-a8e7-fb573816ae0a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.goodgearguide.com.au/article/308654/can_facebook_private_/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703682988/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112802-00029-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.944797 | 894 | 1.585938 | 2 |
The number of companies going bust because of the economic downturn will peak in the first half of 2012 before falling in the second half, according to research by Leeds University Business School.
But the Credit Management Research Centre’s Quarterly Insolvency Report (Q1) also found that banks often remain unwilling to lend to small and new companies and that this is contributing to these companies going out of business in the first three months of 2012.
The report tracks the number of business going into insolvency on a quarterly and monthly basis from January 1998 to the end of March 2012. The size, age and the sector each company operates in are also tracked.
In the first quarter of 2012, the total number of insolvencies reached 5166 up from 4412 for the same quarter in 2011 with retail, wholesale, hotels and restaurants hit particularly hard, along with construction and real estate. Publishing and printing firms were found to have performed rather better.
Report author Nick Wilson, Professor of Credit Management at Leeds University Business School, said: “The final quarter of 2011 saw the UK economy move back into negative growth, and now the latest GDP figures show the UK is in a double-dip recession. The indication from insolvencies is that the second wave is nearing peak. But the combination of weak demand from the UK and overseas and continued uncertainty in the Euro-zone has put further pressure on corporate revenue, cash-flow and profitability.
“Although corporate debt levels and the ability of companies to meet interest payments show signs of improvement, continued economic stagnation has pushed more companies into insolvency. Corporate insolvencies reached a peak in 2009 as the banking crisis impacted on the real economy and dropped back to pre-crisis levels in the first quarter of 2010.
“We also found a sharp increase in liquidations and administrations in the last two quarters of 2011 and forecasts at that time suggested a further rise into 2012. The data from the first quarter of 2012 confirms this and insolvencies show a sharp increase on the first quarter of 2012 and on the last quarter of 2011. It is likely however that corporate insolvencies are now near peak and are forecast to improve (decline) in the latter part of 2012.”
The report showed an increase in the number of businesses aged between three to ten-years-old going insolvent and a significant increase in medium-sized and established firms going out of business. The issue of getting banks to lend more to small and medium sized companies remains a problem, according to Professor Wilson.
He said: “Lending to smaller and medium-sized companies has declined in the recent period. Such periods of credit rationing are indiscriminate and cause financial distress amongst the innovative and growing companies as well as the new and established ones.”
A copy of the report is available here: www.cmrc.co.uk | <urn:uuid:312950af-08c0-4db5-92ca-f7139152a9be> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://business.leeds.ac.uk/news-events/item/articles/2012/April/business-failure-rate-nears-peak-report-finds/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705559639/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115919-00001-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.961789 | 588 | 1.648438 | 2 |
Jan. 22 will mark the 40th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the 7–2 Supreme Court decision that found a constitutional right to privacy that in turn meant a pregnant woman was entitled to have an abortion until the end of the first trimester of pregnancy without interference by any state. Prior to the decision, abortion was illegal in 30 states.
Tell us your own story about abortion. It could be the experience that changed your view about the issue; your recollection of what sexual healthcare was like before Roe v. Wade; or your decision about a pregnancy. We’ll read all the stories, and post many of them over the week marking the Roe anniversary. If you leave your email or phone, we'll use those only if we want to reach out to hear more about your story—they won't be made public or shared in any way.
Or, if you want to submit video, audio, or photos as well as or in addition to words, you can email files or links to [email protected]. (If you need guidance, follow these how-tos on uploading to YouTube, Vimeo, and SoundCloud.) | <urn:uuid:771dd4a8-09cc-4dfc-add5-60020d52be2a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2013/01/04/interactive-readers-share-their-views-on-and-stories-about-abortion.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705559639/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115919-00038-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.958765 | 237 | 1.640625 | 2 |
Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s State of the State runs 8,000 words long, but here’s the short version for people interested in the health care highlights from the speech. Well, there’s not much to mention. Cuomo was especially silent on Medicaid issues.
In his prepared speech (UPDATE: Cuomo omitted all of this from his delivered speech), Cuomo:
- Expressed strong support for a New York state health exchange. He predicted it would reduce insurance costs by 66 percent for individuals and 22 percent for small businesses.
- Said he will vigorously protect abortion rights.
- Mentioned very little about Medicaid other than saying New York will see more federal money for the insurance program.
- Said he will reform the state’s programs for the disabled.
- Did NOT mention merging the Office of Mental Health with the Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services, a move that was recommended by the SAGE commission.
- Did NOT mention merging the state and county Medicaid systems, or moving more of the county share to the state, or what will happen with the Medicaid cap in 2012.
Even though Cuomo omitted it from his delivered speech, supporters of the health exchange said they were thrilled it was in the written speech.
“The fact that it is in the State of the State is great,” said Elisabeth Benjamin, vice president of health initiatives for the Community Services Society, an anti-poverty nonprofit in New York City. “It’s urgent that we get this exchange bill done.”
Benjamin speculated that the health exchange topic was just too wonky for the State of the State audience.
Bill Ferris, of NY’s AARP, was also unfazed that the governor dropped it from his speech.
“We are very pleased to see the governor is fully committed to creating a health care exchange in New York,” Ferris said.
Here are excerpts from the speech: Continue reading | <urn:uuid:87008f0a-21a8-4797-8fdf-7766b2e2d12b> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://blog.timesunion.com/healthcare/tag/insurance-2/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706499548/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516121459-00031-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.966009 | 407 | 1.679688 | 2 |
When I presented my Entry Plan to the Board in February, I identified accountability as one of the core values which would guide my work as Superintendent. I want to remain open and transparent with our community, so I am an advocate for consistent, two-way communications.
That includes providing regular updates to the community, as well as opportunities for the public to provide me feedback, including my day-long visits to our schools, meetings with community members and organizations, and the recently held Community Conversation Forums.
I am spending a full day at each of our schools, seeking to learn about our students’ by speaking with them, teachers, staff members, parents, and community members. I also have met with met with many representatives from community organizations. You can view pictures of my school visits by clicking here.
The six Community Conversation Forums were held at our feeder high schools to provide the public a chance to share their thoughts and ideas about student achievement in Bibb County. I want to thank the more than 900 students, parents, employees, and community members that attended the Forums, as well as the people that used our feedback form at the schools and online.
At the beginning of these meetings, I let people know of the changes already taking place in the district, including:
- restructuring our leadership structure so that it is better aligned to provide a high-quality education to our students. This restructuring will save the district approximately $1,000,000, and that is money we can redirect to meet our students’ individual needs.
- making plans to open a new Welcome Center to serve as a one-stop shop of information and to build and maintain our relationship with parents and the community. You will be able to get information about our schools and community organizations that will help support your child’s education at home. You will also have a place where you can ask a live person questions or raise any concerns you may have.
- implementing a new summer reading program for our students. Every student has received a packet of books and activities to take home for the summer.
- kicking off this program on May 7 with about 3,500 students, parents, employees, and community members.
- improving two-way communications with our stakeholders through the Forums, my school visits and stakeholder meetings, my blog, regular e-newsletters, and website and social media postings.
The community was then able to share with me their opinions about education, including:
- what is and isn’t working in our schools and district,
- what students need order to be successful,
- what teachers and staff need to help students be successful,
- what administrators need to support their teachers in the classroom, and
- what you as parents need to support your children and reinforce what is being taught.
Howard High School Feeder Zone
Southwest High School Feeder Zone | <urn:uuid:a4d042ff-c587-40f3-8ca0-dc33312e935d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.romaindallemand.blogspot.com/p/community-conversation-forums.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704392896/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113952-00034-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.972377 | 586 | 1.578125 | 2 |
Extremely popular dance bandleader, Fred Waring was born in 1900 in Pennsylvania. His band was a banjo band he started at the age of 18 and while attending Penn State University he formed Fred Waring’s Collegians, which later became the Pennsylvanians.
The Pennsylvanians consisted of saxists George and Arthur McFarland, singer Priscilla Lane, pianist-vocalist Tom Waring, singer Rosemary Lane, trumpeter George Culley, choir director Kay Thompson, singers Blanche and Marian Thompson and violinist Fred Culley and featured trumpeter Johnny ‘Scat’ Davis.
The group recorded extensively throughout the 1920’s achieving their first success in 1923 with the #1 hit ‘Sleep,’ which became Fred’s theme song. Over the next four decades the group had over 50 hits on the pop charts including ‘Memory Lane’ (#1, 1924), ‘It Made You Happy When You Made Me Cry’ (#2, 1927), ‘Laugh, Clown, Laugh!’ (#1, 1928), ‘Ah! Sweet Mystery of Life’ (#2, 1928), ‘Little White Lies’ (#1, 1930), ‘I Found a Million-Dollar Baby (In a Five and Ten Cent Store)’ (#1, 1931) and ‘Dancing in the Dark’ (#3, 1931).
The group was featured on several radio shows from 1933 through the 1940’s and became known as the ‘glee club’ with the famous ‘Waring Blender’ sound.
The recipient of a 1982 Congressional Gold Medal for his contributions to American music, Waring continued to perform until his death on July 29, 1984. | <urn:uuid:fdef1160-d0bb-49aa-9557-18d2a0d1c3ea> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.songwritershalloffame.com/artists/C4043 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704713110/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516114513-00017-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.955749 | 369 | 1.742188 | 2 |
Donella Meadows thought deeply about the limits to growth and lived her life within them. She shared that aspect of her life with friends through her monthly newsletter. One of those friends, Fran Korten, writes:
Each letter, addressed simply “Dear Folks,” started with the immediate moment …
‘Heavy snow is falling, sticking to the branches.’
‘I’m in a dorm room at the Budapest University of Economics.’
‘Today the front yard is full of yellow daffodils and blue scylla.’
She described the activities of the organic farm and its residents — young lambs careening in gangs around the barnyard, ducks that refused to leave the freezing creek where coyotes lurked to nab them, Stephen and Kerry’s acreage that served a Community Supported Agriculture group, the yummy smells and tastes of home grown food.
About five years before her death, hints of a new dream crept into her letters — the dream of expanding the farm to become an intentional community of some 20 families working for sustainability and practicing it in their daily lives. The story unfolded in subsequent letters as others joined to create the Cobb Hill community and its accompanying Sustainability Institute. Dana told of discouraging searches for a suitable site, the breathless wait for the bank loan approval, the arguments about whether the homes would have composting toilets, the endless permitting processes. She vividly conveyed the joy and the struggle of creating a sustainable way of living.
Dana’s letters would then move to her life beyond the local community. She exuded appreciation of the students in her environmental courses at Dartmouth who were ready to ask the really big questions. She told of her excitement to help with the formation of the Center for a New American Dream. Each August and September her letters were full of the inspiration she gained from the annual meeting of the Balaton Group, a global network of sustainability systems analysts that she and Dennis organized. The narrative of her letters revealed the incredible array of avenues through which she inspired the lives of young and old and created lasting institutions to help us all live within the limits of our ecosystem.
Attached to each letter were her four weekly “Global Citizen” columns, syndicated nationwide in 20 newspapers (it should have been 2,000!) and picked up by independent publications such as YES! Dana used these columns to cut through the obfuscating rhetoric of most of our news sources. The plan to abolish the estate tax, the deliberations of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Honda’s 70 mpg Insight. For each, she pulled out the essence to help us see the significance for our collective future.
In her writings and her life, Dana never flinched from the reality of the limits to growth. Her special gift was to show us that learning to live within those limits is not a burdensome sacrifice, but rather a joyous adventure.”
The Institute is happy to provide access to all the Dear Folks Letters, including the ones written by Institute staff following Dana’s death. All Dear Folks Letters are licensed under a Creative Commons License. DMI encourages you to share this content by following these easy steps. | <urn:uuid:da33c14d-7c42-4061-b4dd-6d2feba272a7> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.donellameadows.org/donella-meadows-archive/dear-folks-letters/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701459211/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105059-00003-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.956636 | 660 | 1.625 | 2 |
Flickr: Camera Finder: Apple: iPhone ADAM LISAGOR · DEC 04 2007
At long last, Apple is listed as one of the available brands of camera in the flickr Camera Finder.
This means that you can search for shots taken not only with iPhone, but with the three models of Apple's original camera line, the QuickTake (codenamed Venus, Mars, and Neptune). Currently, there are no viewable uploaded photos taken with the QuickTake 100 or 150, but there are some from the QuickTake 200.
Update: A potential reason for the iPhone's relatively paltry numbers is that when you email photos from the phone, it strips the exif data out which means those photos aren't counted. I imagine many more people email photos to Flickr from the iPhone than upload them from their computers. | <urn:uuid:bb1c65cc-922c-4a46-9d8a-46dba0cd065b> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.kottke.org/07/12/flickr-camera-finder-apple-iphone | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705953421/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120553-00008-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.933132 | 169 | 1.617188 | 2 |
Sportsmen, athletes and health and fitness aware individuals largely want energy drinks. They can be also termed as well-being drinks. These merchandise mainly increase your physical performances by enhancing your mental concentrate. There are several other wellbeing benefits associated with these beverages. You should really take up workout routines, balanced eating plan and energy drinks for rejuvenating your over-all look. It is continually a good idea to look and feel at the pros and cons of energy drinks before purchasing them.
There are no evident down sides of these goods. Yet, it is constantly advisable to consult a general practitioner just before consuming them.
Reasons to Keep clear of Drinking Energy Drinks
Energy drinks are one thing that many people use just about every day to enable fight off tiredness or keep up later several hours to stay alert and concentrated on a little something that wants to be done. While there is very little wrong with drinking these forms of drinks, it’s not really the finest apply. Come across out some explanations why you might possibly want to steer clear of consuming these so substantially.
To begin with of all, you are heading to crash. All these drinks have a crash influence with them. A lot of are larger in sugar and caffeine which will give you a boost of energy. Sooner or later a very few several hours later on, you are going to observe oneself crash difficult ending up even a lot more fatigued later.
Energy Drinks – Fantastic Or Bad?
Because of to my give good results I regularly obtain a great deal of wellness and fitness associated issues. Recently lots of queries are about some of these new so-known as energy drinks that advertisers are pushing into shops all about the location. If you view Television you have likely seen all the distinct ads that assure unlimited energy when you have to have it. The promotion message is clear and “easy” – drink one particular of these super duper energy drinks and absolutely nothing is heading to quit you now. But these claims increase queries.
Are these so-named “energy” drinks certainly any excellent for you? Do they in reality grow your energy or is it just a sugar rush mixed with caffeine? Does an energy drink certainly have some sort of magical energy method? Will an energy drink guide you get rid of body weight?
Energy Drinks: Can it Remedy Parkinson’s Illness?
The body’s progress of dopamine production brain cells is tremendously diminished, as dopamine will get depleted with a considerable consumption of caffeine. Then, arrives a feeling of getting exhausted and worn out. Nonetheless, additional caffeine is consumed returning the rush of vitality. This is the how the practice of the reduction of dopamine nerve cell performs.
Dopamine declines with age, nevertheless caffeine and other stimulants accelerate the dopamine decline and pace up the process of the brain aging. Parkinson’s illness is the end result of a critical reduction of dopamine nerve cell. Parkinson’s disorder suffers can advantage with dopamine flow stimulated by caffeine. Even so, about seventy to eighty percent of dopamine nerve cell turn out to be completely misplaced preceding to changing into mindful of its signs or symptoms.
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Author: brandonkarlvanderslog1This author has published 8 articles so far. More info about the author is coming soon. | <urn:uuid:2a3db3b3-100b-46da-9bc3-fb875da21825> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://vooldu.info/pros-and-cons-of-energy-drinks-are-energy-drinks-bad-for-you/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699273641/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516101433-00027-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.950725 | 713 | 1.789063 | 2 |
On July 17, the U.S. Senate pulled off a Half Ginsburg by convening three Capitol Hill hearings on why the crooks and crackpots in charge of global finance find it ridiculously easy to make suckers out of you and me and Swiss cheese out of American laws.
William Ginsburg, you may recall, represented Monica Lewinsky in the tawdriness that enveloped Bill Clinton’s second presidential term.
On Feb. 1, 1998, lawyer Ginsburg appeared on all five network Sunday morning news shows to establish a new lip-flapping standard: the Full Ginsburg.
The senate’s Half Ginsburg involved the Homeland Security, Agriculture and Banking committees. The question before each was simple: Why do global banks, commodity firms and Wall Street financial titans seem—literally—free to break any law that hinders their money-making mission.
The morning began with the Homeland Security Committee grilling executives from HSBC, a London-based bank with as many assets, $2.6 trillion, as Great Britain’s total economy.
How, asked the senators echoing a July 15 Wall Street Journal story, did the bank “allegedly allow (its) units… to be used for potential terrorism financing and for drug cartels to launder illicit proceeds” in the U.S.?
Thirty minutes later the Senate Ag Committee put Commodity Futures Trading Commission Chairman Gary Gensler in the frying pan in its attempt to figure out why the CFTC had not fully implemented the Dodd-Frank financial reform law two years after its passage.
(Hint: lobbyists, lobbyist money and the Congressional delays it bought.)
Gensler was then questioned about the Libor scandal, the years-long manipulation of a benchmark, London-set interest rate that most of the world’s banks use when lending money. The British bank behind all the conniving, Barclays—also bigger than England’s GDP—recently confessed its rate-rigging and paid $450 million in fines to U.S. and English authorities.
But Barclays really isn’t paying a pence of the fine, is it? Since the payment must come from the bank’s profits, its customers and shareholders will pay, not the bank.
As Gensler was squirming in his hot seat, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke used part of his semi-annual dance with the Senate Banking Committee to coolly side-step any responsibility for the Libor scandal.
Bernanke’s move was particularly smooth given the fact that his shop, the Fed, and some of its biggest mechanics—then New York Fed chairman, now Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner—were alerted by Barclays itself in 2008 that it was posting rigged rates.
While all that Senate chatting and churning was going on, farmers and ranchers across the nation were once again trying to figure out where the money in their hedging accounts went when Peregrine Financial Group, Inc. of Cedar Fall, IA, collapsed in a $215 million sinkhole.
And, no, they did not have to be reminded that the Peregrine crash came just eight months after “the loss of more than $1 billion in customer funds at MF Global Ltd.,” another former kingpin in ag and ranching futures markets, noted the July 12 Wall Street Journal.
Two days after Peregrine’s plunge JPMorgan announced that its estimated $2 billion trading loss this spring was, in fact, a massive $5.8 billion loss this summer.
If anyone anywhere is surprised by anything in this update of financial scandals they haven’t been paying attention. Hardly a week passes when someone or some firm doesn’t rob you, me and markets of either cash, confidence or both.
More troubling than the scandals is the intense navel-gazing Congress has perfected when investigating them. Through deregulation it granted financial chiselers and cheats immense latitude to chisel and cheat. Gee, Congress mapped the road to most of today’s many “moral hazards” and now it’s surprised to find people using it?
Fund the reforms contained in the Dodd-Frank banking law; push the Justice Department into criminally prosecute all who violate American law and sweep clean their own house: stop taking dirty money from dirty bankers for dirty work.
Our job is even simpler: If we lead, our leaders will follow. | <urn:uuid:0acba9e5-8e2f-4723-9289-75d0e5ab3fd4> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.farmanddairy.com/columns/be-wary-of-the-banksters-in-washington/39574.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702810651/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516111330-00004-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.948798 | 917 | 1.71875 | 2 |
Our Kensington Math Center focuses on teaching kids mathematics exactly how is sensible for them. Teaching for homework and math help may be difficult. Through our system of teaching Elementary, Middle, Junior High and High School level math, we’re able to help students to not only get up to date, but keep up and get ahead in instructional math.
At our Kensington Math Center, we specialize in teaching kids math the way that makes sense to them. Using the time-tested private strategies and programs which has helped thousands of students in more than 250 centers all over the country, we are focused on helping your son or daughter. Our Kensington Math team of instructors is keen about math and helping kids, and has been thoroughly trained to teach the proper way.
All Kensington Math students receive one-on-one coaching in addition to a personalized learning plan based on the distinctive needs and goals of each and every child. We concentrate on filling in the gaps in your child’s math fundamentals while providing them with the support, instruction, and encouragement essential to tackle what’s being taught in school. The results are measurable progress, a renewed sense of self-assurance, and a positive attitude toward math and learning.
We are dedicated to providing our Kensington Math learners with a warm, constructive environment that makes learning math fun. Whether your child is sophisticated in math, having difficulties at school, or somewhere in between, we’re here to help.
Kensington Math Center
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Kensington Math is expanding to locations throughout Bensonhurst as a result of our happy students; look for us soon at a location near you! We’re committed to delivering Brooklyn students with a warm, positive environment that makes learning math fun. Give us a call today! | <urn:uuid:af2ed2de-6ac2-4534-b465-2e2e36e05553> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.kensingtonmathtutor.com/tutoring/kensington-math-center-inspires-families/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368710006682/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516131326-00040-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.941321 | 520 | 1.75 | 2 |
Emulate. E-M-U-L-A-T-E. Emulate.
That word means a trip to the Shelby County Spelling Bee for a Woodland Presbyterian seventh grader who won his school's annual spelling bee Friday morning.
FOX13 Good Morning Memphis anchor Brooke Thomas hosted the event.
"I'm impressed that they actually studied for this on top of their homework and sports after school and things like that," said one student.
School headmaster Adam Moore said the kids all should be proud and that's a testament to their teachers.
"We moved the time of the spelling bee," he said. "Really over the past two years it's run into carpool time. The kids were actually spelling so many words, we ran out of the school day."
After an hour of spelling, seventh grader Daniel Ward won the spelling bee. Many were not surprised because Daniel also won the 2011 school spelling bee.
"Some kids think I'm weird because I do read the dictionary," he said. "But I don't think that's the main reason. I think it's because I just look over the list and look over the list so often."
"I am a proud parent," said John Ward, father. "I'm proud of him and I'm proud of all of these kids too."
Daniel moves onto the Shelby County Spelling Bee, which will be held in February.
Read more http://www.myfoxmemphis.com/story/20058648/student-wins-second-school-spelling-bee
TEXT YOUR REQUEST to: 9012351075 | <urn:uuid:4063d1d5-17e0-40d1-a51e-b6c4fd731f60> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://q1075.com/index.php/news/myfox13-local-news/13495-student-wins-second-school-spelling-bee | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708766848/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125246-00004-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.977966 | 336 | 1.601563 | 2 |
Architect Scott Kula used to ride a Vespa scooter to catch a train from Montclair, N.J. to his office in Manhattan. Now, he drives a Fiat 500 for the first leg of his commute.
"It's my Vespa with four wheels," says Mr. Kula, 49, who works designing stores for Coach International, the luxury goods company.
The Fiat 500, at just under 2,400 pounds and just under 140 inches long, is one of a new crop of pint-size cars starting to find a home among the pickup trucks and crossovers that still dominate American roads.
Under pressure to boost the average fuel economy of their fleets to 54.5 miles per gallon by 2025, big auto makers are taking another run at enticing U.S. consumers to live small—or, as Mr. Kula did, to get a tiny car for commuting while keeping a larger vehicle for weekends.
The number of cars under 160 inches long offered in the U.S. has grown to 13 models from nine since 2009, says Edmunds.com, a car-shopping website. (By comparison, a Toyota Camry, the best-selling midsize car in the U.S., runs just over 189 inches.) Sales of "small specialty" cars, including several new microcar models, are up 39% so far this year, well outpacing the overall market, according to automotive research firm Autodata Corp.
Small-fry cars have come and gone on the U.S. market. During the early 1990s, Chevrolet's Geo Metro, with its three-cylinder engine, and the tiny, much-maligned Yugo reflected the idea that very small equals very cheap.
The newer crop of microcars takes a different tack, partly following the strategy BMW AG pursued over the past decade to build its Mini brand of sub-subcompacts. Launched in 2001, the Mini showed that a dinky car with distinctive styling and big-car safety features could succeed in a market still hooked on hulking SUVs.
The retro-styled Fiat 500, the recently launched Chevrolet Spark and the Scion iQ, among others, aim to expand Mini's approach—with cars priced well below the Mini Cooper's $20,400 base cost. But while the new entries are more affordable, auto makers don't want to position them as stripped-down transportation.
The Spark, which starts at $12,245, offers a 7-inch color in-dash screen that allows drivers to stream Internet radio through a smartphone or watch movies while in park. Chevrolet soon plans to offer a phone app that will display navigation maps in the dash screen—effectively delivering the function of a $1,000 to $2,000 built-in nav system for about $50. And the Spark's front seats are set higher off the floor than in many cars, giving the driver a feeling of sitting in a taller, larger vehicle.
More important, the 2,237-pound Spark has 10 air bags, electronic stability control and antilock brakes to prevent skids. Safety is a key concern, because lightweight microcars have an inherent disadvantage in confrontations with heavier vehicles. The Spark hasn't received crash ratings from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration or the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. The Scion iQ scored four out of a possible five stars overall on NHTSA's tests and gets good ratings from IIHS for front- and side-crash performance. The 2012 Fiat 500 got just three stars overall from NHTSA. The IIHS rates 2012 Fiat 500's built after July 2011 a "Top Safety Pick." The 2013 model isn't rated.
The Korean-made Spark does skimp on some features. It offers only a five-speed manual transmission or a four-speed automatic instead of the six-speed gearboxes common on mainstream compact cars such as the Ford Focus or Hyundai Elantra. And noise muffling isn't a priority, especially at highway speeds.
Industry executives say they expect sales of microcars and subcompacts to continue to grow, driven by two groups. First are younger city dwellers who may be ambivalent about whether a car is cooler than a smartphone, but who want something affordable, stylish and easy to park. Then there are older drivers who have left their family-hauling years behind and want a more efficient car for tooling around town.
"We see a good percentage of people under 35, and a healthy percentage of people over 50" buying the Spark, says Cristi Landy, director of small-car marketing for General Motors Co.'s Chevrolet brand.
In some cases, people are weighing a microcar purchase against the option of no car at all. Washington, D.C. resident Adam Khan, 36, says he's shopping for one to "use on weekends as an errand runner around town." His past cars included a Land Rover and a Lexus GS, but lately he has been getting around using public transit and the occasional rented car.
Mr. Khan says he's considered a Chevy Spark, Fiat 500 and Scion iQ and may check out a Smart microcar. "Being able to park in a city like D.C. is just as important as getting great gas mileage," he says.
Edmunds.com, the car-shopping website, says its data show that of people who buy a microcar, about 28% trade in a compact car, while 15% trade in a subcompact. Nearly 14% trade a midsize car.
Tim Kuniskis, head of the Fiat brand in the U.S., says about 40% of Fiat 500 buyers who trade in a car are getting out of a midsize model. But some 40% don't trade a vehicle at all: "They are adding to their fleet."
The Fiat 500, like other bantamweight cars hitting the U.S. market, is successful in Europe and Asia, where high gas prices, big-car taxes and chronic urban congestion make driving a minicar a sensible choice.
After its 2011 U.S. launch, the 500 struggled to get traction. But September 2012 sales are up more than 50% compared with a year earlier, boosted by catchy new ads, a run-up in gas prices, new dealerships in major cities and no-money-down leases starting at $199 a month.
And for 2013, Mr. Kuniskis says Fiat U.S.A. is applying some lessons learned. Among them: 2013 Fiats without turbocharged engines are re-engineered to hit 40 mpg on the highway, up from 38 mpg last year.
"It's a psychological barrier," Mr. Kuniskis says. And a competitive one. Some larger cars, including Hyundai's Elantra and certain Ford Focus models, are rated at 40 mpg highway.
Write to Joseph B. White at [email protected] | <urn:uuid:f75a499e-4c65-46b3-9044-0c07d6202220> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203630604578074602463926378.html?mod=WSJ_hp_editorsPicks_3 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698924319/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516100844-00023-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.950054 | 1,436 | 1.546875 | 2 |
July 7, 2010 |
Just think of how much emotional pain could be avoided if humans knew just when to exit a romantic relationship? Knowing whether to break up or stay together is a wrenching question that often lacks an easy answer. Until now, that is. Researchers at the University of Rochester say they have devised a test to tell if a relationship is going to fall apart. The test involves uncovering what people really -- meaning really -- think of or feel about their partners. Previous studies show people are often unable or reluctant to express their true feelings about their partners.
April 5, 2009 |
Nathan Johnson has landed in one of the longest unemployment lines in Los Angeles. Just another face in the crowd, Johnson is here because he's hoping to get a job as, yes, just another face in the crowd. But the crowd keeps getting bigger every day. The lobby at Central Casting is so packed it seems impossible that one more person could squeeze through the door. Johnson, 30, handsome and elegant in a crisp, white shirt, has been waiting to sign up for an hour.
February 18, 2009 |
On your mark, get set, test! The NFL opens its annual scouting combine today at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, when the first wave of 332 invited college players arrives to begin its battery of physical, medical and psychological tests for the league's 32 teams. Players are tested in groups according to their position, and typically stay three days. The workouts are closed to the public and the media, but draw coaches, general managers and scouts from every NFL team.
February 8, 2007 |
NASA announced a review of its screening process Wednesday after the arrest of astronaut Lisa Marie Nowak this week in Florida on charges of assault and attempted murder. Under the space agency's recruitment process, astronaut candidates undergo a battery of behavioral tests and are interviewed by a psychologist and a psychiatrist before being selected. Only 0.7% of candidates are chosen.
April 26, 2004 |
Lonely after his wife of 46 years died in 2000, Roger Moore, 75, tried Internet dating but quickly grew tired of prospective dates' self-promotional profiles. The "on-line meat market," as he called it, consisted primarily of details such as would-be dates' hair and eye color and their affinities for sunset walks on the beach. The descriptions were short on the things that mattered: personality, character and shared values. So when Moore heard a radio advertisement for Eharmony.
March 14, 2004 |
Commercial pilots say only a few of their colleagues are signing up to carry guns in the cockpit because the Bush administration has made it harder than necessary to participate. The Transportation Security Administration initially opposed the program, then reluctantly endorsed it when it was clear Congress was behind it. | <urn:uuid:e3a18dd1-8b50-4eea-b229-cc12824cc206> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://articles.latimes.com/keyword/psychological-tests | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700958435/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516104238-00040-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.97124 | 566 | 1.617188 | 2 |
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