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Chap over on Wigwam selling a load of blank tape if of interest. Lovely R2R Josie, suspect I am going to end up scratching the itch at some point. Charlie, I bet the George Michael sounds ace. That looks very nice and if the build quality is as good or better than the IV I used to own an absolute bargain. Watched the Primal Scream documentary last night and really enjoyed it. Just streaming the Memphis mix now.

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If you're storing fragile items amongst your other stored goods, it's a good idea to wrap each one individually either with bubble wrap or butcher's paper and then place them in cartons marked 'fragile.' This will help protect your fragile goods even more. When storing your fragile goods in your secure self-storage unit, make sure you top load the cartons and try not to place them at the bottom if possible. There's nothing worse than taking your clothes out of storage to discover they've been eaten by moths. You can avoid this by making sure that they're clean and ironed before you store them. Also you can pack them with cedar blocks or any other kind of anti-moth product. The best way to store your clothes in self-store units is to place them in special linen clothing bags, tea chests or port-a-robes. When packing your books for storage, they should be packed flat to prevent the spines from breaking. Always pack your books in smaller boxes to avoid the boxes from getting too heavy and cumbersome. It's a good idea to get your hands on twin cushion strength book boxes that are extra strong and reinforced. Using specially designed felt blankets, cushions, bubble wrap or cardboard to divide your belongings while they're in transit and in storage will help prevent any kind of damage from compression or rubbing. Even though your goods are safe while in storage, it's always a good idea to give them extra protection. With your mattresses, couches, valuables and boxes, use soft cloths or cardboard under them to stop scraping and scratches. If you're storing soft furnishing such as your couches and mattresses, you can use our specially designed plastic storage covers to protect them while they're in transit and in storage. A good way of preventing mould growing on your goods is to make sure everything is clean before making the move. Make sure there are no remnants of food such as crumbs and remove all stains from your soft furnishings and clothing. This is especially important if placing baby items in storage such as high chairs or cots. Avoid any unpleasant smells by thoroughly defrosting all white goods such as your fridge and freezer. Make sure they're clean and dry before you store them. You can avoid damaging your fridge by carefully moving and storing it in an upright position. NOTE: Always keep the doors of your fridge slightly ajar if storing them in self-storage. Place a deodoriser such as a small box of baking soda – this will help maintain its freshness and stop the build up of mould. You can protect your washing machine while it's being transported to and from our Wellington storage facilities by making sure you disconnect and thoroughly drain the hose pipes and then by securing them to its drum with the special caps (top-loaders) or bolts (front loaders). These things come with your machine when you first purchase them, but if you can't find them, you can pop down to a whiteware store and pick some up. To prevent any leakage, place all the hose ends in plastic sandwich bags and then seal them off well either with tape or an elastic band. This will prevent damage to your goods. Make sure that you empty your cupboards and wardrobes of all their contents and drawers to prevent any kind of damage while your goods are in transit. Once you get into your personal self-storage unit, you can then refill them if need be. Make sure you drain your garden hoses well and then put them into a coil with both ends connected and tied. We recommend storing all hoses in clean plastic bins. We don't permit any kind of food to be stored for a simple reason – we don't want to attract any rodents. Don't risk a rodent invasion in your self-storage unit and all the other units. We suggest you chat with our team and ask them to replace the mouse bait station every six months. Even though your goods are 100% secure, we do suggest periodically visiting your storage unit to check up on them. No members of the Store-it team have access to your self-storage unit, so it's up to you to check up on their condition for your own peace of mind.

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Meandering Em's Passion is books, photography, running and traveling. Also passionate about environmental issues. 10:43 pm 10 December 2014 Heroic or Crazy? I find that Shakespeare's comedies are much easier to read and understand than the tragedies and histories. This is true in the comedy, Much Ado About Nothing. The interplay between Benedick and Beatrice was fun to read and imagine. However, the story of Claudio and Hero was a complete mess. Claudio is tricked into believing Hero has a boyfriend and is not a virgin. Instead of investigating further, he decides to confront her at the wedding and humiliate her. Later, when he finds out he has been tricked, he is sorry and ends up marrying her anyway. Gross! Why would Hero's father want his daughter married to the man who destroyed her wedding? Why would Hero agree to marry him? This marriage convinced me the the play is actually a tragedy, at least for Hero. I went to see the play last night at the Shakespeare Theater in Madison, NJ. I was eager to see the interplay between Benedick and Beatrice. Unfortunately, the director decided to make it into "Christmas" play set during World War II. It was distracting to hear Elizabethan language used with 20th century clothes, music and dance. Benedick and Beatrice were played by a couple that appeared to be in their 50's. Anyway, I did not like the performance and am looking forward to seeing this play again with a different theater group. The play as written by Shakespeare is 3 1/2 stars, while the performance was a 2. 3 1 classics drama read in 2014 Number of books: 808 Progress: 94/208 pages Project Puffin: The Improbable Quest to Bring a Beloved Seabird Back to Egg Rock Derrick Z. Jackson, Stephen W. Kress

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Sexual Harassment of Librarians Sexual harassment is wrong as is working in a hostile work environment. Librarians, library employees and patrons are forced to endure that when libraries allow unfettered Internet viewing that is against the law but that the powerful American Library Association says is free speech. Learn more at Librarians.cc or @SexHarassed. Hostile Work Environment in Libraries by Jenner & Block Civil Liability for an Alleged Hostile Work Environment Related to Patron or Employee Internet Use Memorandum Jenner & Block To: FREEDOM TO READ FOUNDATION From: JENNER & BLOCK Theresa Chmara Daniel Mach Subject: Civil Liability for an Alleged Hostile Work Environment Related to Patron or Employee Internet Use The Freedom to Read Foundation has asked us to evaluate a library's potential liability for an alleged hostile work environment created by a patron's or employee's use of the Internet. Before we begin that analysis, we must caution that this memorandum is merely a general discussion of these issues, and is not an opinion letter. Because laws differ from state to state, this memorandum necessarily cannot serve as the basis for legal judgments for any library. Additionally, the law related to Internet use and filtering is changing rapidly as new legislation is adopted and new court challenges are filed. A library that offers Internet access should seek legal advice for an analysis of its own particular situation and the current laws of its own state and jurisdiction. Federal civil rights laws and many states' parallel civil rights laws afford employees the "right to work in an environment free from discriminatory intimidation, ridicule and insult." 1 Some individuals have argued that access to materials over the Internet that are offensive due to their sexually explicit nature or messages regarding race, religion or ethnicity may subject a library to liability for a hostile environment under these antidiscrimination laws. Indeed, the Loudoun County, Virgnia [sic] Library Board of Trustees, which was sued for installing filtering software on library computers, raised as one justification for installing the software the possibility that Internet use could create a hostile work environment. To date, no published judicial opinion addresses such a hostile environment claim brought by a library employee on this basis. There have, however, been administrative complaints filed in Minnesota and Chicago by librarians alleging a hostile work environment. In both cases, the complaints were resolved out of court. Similarly, to date, no published judicial opinion addresses the legality under the First Amendment of a library's installation of filtering software to avoid such hostile environment claims. Courts have held that there is a First Amendment right to receive information. 2 It is a fundamental principle of First Amendment jurisprudence that a person has a constitutional right to send and receive non-obscene material that may be offensive to others. 3 It is equally fundamental that the government cannot ban speech merely because it is offensive to others. 4 In analogous cases challenging restrictions on access to the library, courts have held that the particular public library whose policy was under consideration was considered a limited public forum, open to the public for "the communication of the written word." 5 Because the library was considered a limited public forum, it could not implement a content-based regulation or rule restricting access to speech, unless the rule restricting access to speech was justified by a compelling government interest and there was no less restrictive alternative for achieving that interest. 6 Libraries are thus in the position of having a legal obligation to provide a non-hostile work environment, and also to ensure that patrons and employees can fully exercise their constitutional rights to receive information available or accessible in the library. To date no court has addressed the possible tension regarding this issue. 7 This memorandum highlights some of the legal doctrines and cases that may be relevant to this issue, and provides general guidance to libraries on how to ensure that patrons can fully exercise their First Amendment rights without creating a hostile work environment for library employees. The law is, however, evolving in this field and may vary among jurisdictions. Legal counsel should be consulted in all instances when developing specific policies and responding to complaints. A. Can Materials on the Internet Be Sufficient to Create a Hostile Environment? In order to win a harassment claim based on a hostile environment, a plaintiff must prove that: (1) he or she is a member of a protected group; (2) he or she was subject to pervasive or severe harassment that unreasonably interfered with work performance because of his or her membership in a protected group, e.g., sex, race or religion; 8 (3) both a reasonable person and the employee would view the behavior as harassment; and (4) the employer should be held legally responsible for the environment. There is no clear answer as to whether an employee's viewing of materials on the Internet alone could constitute a hostile environment. No judicial opinions address this precise question. 9 General principles established in other hostile environment cases provide guidance, however, and strongly suggest that viewing materials on the Internet alone should not constitute a hostile work environment. 10 First, in order to be actionable, harassment must be either "sufficiently severe or pervasive" as "to alter the conditions of [the victim's] employment and create an abusive working environment." 11 In making that determination, courts look to the totality of the circumstances - including the frequency of the conduct, its severity, whether it is physically threatening or humiliating or is a mere offensive utterance, and whether it unreasonably interferes with the employee's work. 12 Furthermore, both the employee and a reasonable person must view the conduct as sufficiently severe or pervasive. 13 Thus, conduct that is merely offensive, such as the "mere utterance of an . . . epithet which engenders offensive feelings in an employee," is not actionable conduct 14 [sic]. Nor is isolated or sporadic conduct that is not severe and which does not sufficiently alter the work environment. 15 Where the offending conduct consists only of visual images that are not permanent fixtures in the work place, but are intermittent and temporary, a judge would probably find the conduct not sufficiently severe or pervasive. 16 Particular cases may depend on fact-specific circumstances. In those cases that have found liability based, in part, on the presence of visual images, the images were typically coupled with additional severe and pervasive sexually discriminatory verbal or physical conduct. 17 For example, in Robinson v. Jacksonville Shipyards, Inc., 760 F. Supp. 1486 (M.D. Fla. 1991), in addition to visual material, there was graffiti directed at the employee, sexually explicit material placed in the employee's personal toolbox, and co-workers repeatedly made comments of a sexual nature to the employee and her co-workers. Other women were also subject to unwelcome physical touching and degrading comments. In Andrews v. City of Philadelphia, 895 F.2d 1469 (3d Cir. 1990), in addition to sexually explicit pictures, the employees were repeatedly referred to by co-workers in an offensive and obscene manner, one employee was sexually propositioned by a supervisor, sexually explicit materials were placed in one employee's personal desk, the victims' cars were vandalized, threatening and obscene phone calls were made to employees' homes, and one employee was severely burned as the result of lime being placed inside her shirt. But see West v. Philadelphia Elec. Co., 45 F.3d 744 (3d Cir. 1995) (finding harassment predominantly consisting of frequent presence of pictures of Ku Klux Klan and nooses and other racially offensive pictures in work place, although evidence of racially harassing conversations also was present). 18 Thus, while few, if any, cases directly address the question of whether temporary visual images alone could create a hostile environment, the current case law strongly suggests that the presence of actual conduct directed at the employee is required to create a hostile environment. The context in which the offending conduct takes place is key. 19 Further, the case law requires that the behavior must be severe or pervasive. 20 B. Liability of Library for Patron's Behavior. 21 Another hurdle to liability depends on whether a library can be held accountable to its employee for behavior of a non-employee. The law on this subject is relatively new and undeveloped. It is clear that an employer can be held liable for the actions of a non-employee where the employer knew or should have known of the offending behavior and ratifies or acquiesces in the behavior by failing to take prompt remedial action. 22 Although the law on this subject is evolving, current authority suggests that two important factors must also be evaluated in assessing an employer's potential liability for a non-employee's harassing behavior - (1) the extent of the employer's control over the non-employee harasser; and (2) any other legal responsibility the employer may have with respect to the conduct of the non-employee. 23 A library's First Amendment legal obligations to its patrons should be considered an important factor by any court evaluating legal liability. It is difficult to predict what effect this countervailing consideration would have, given that few, if any, courts have considered employer liability where there were important First Amendment obligations to non-employees or where the employer operated a limited public forum. Plainly, however, a library could not be held liable for a patron's actions unless it had some notice of the alleged harassment. Once a library receives notice from an employee of potential harassment, the library must take immediate steps to investigate the complaint and seek legal counsel. C. First Amendment Concerns. Very few courts have addressed the tension between hostile environment claims and the First Amendment. Those that have considered these issues have reached differing conclusions. While subject to much academic criticism, several courts have rejected First Amendment defenses raised in hostile environment cases. For example, in Jacksonville Shipyards, 760 F. Supp. 1486, and Baty v. Willamette Indus., Inc., 985 F. Supp. 987 (D. Kan. 1997), aff'd, 172 F.3d 1232 (10th Cir. 1999), courts rejected arguments that employers could not be held liable for discrimination because the hostile work environment was based on written and oral comments protected by the First Amendment. The Baty court relied heavily on Supreme Court opinions citing Title VII as an example of a federal statute that does not regulate speech in violation of the First Amendment because it is a content-neutral regulation of conduct. 24 The courts also refused to treat the speech at issue as constitutionally protected, deeming the pictures in combination with verbal harassment directed at the employee to constitute illegal discriminatory conduct. Jacksonville Shipyards, 760 F. Supp. at 1535. Such reasoning is unlikely to be applied to public libraries in that the access of patrons to non-obscene materials are constitutionally protected. Further, the viewing of images on the Internet, without more, is unlikely to be viewed as conduct, rather than speech. Courts have also recognized that banning constitutionally protected sexually explicit materials, which an employee finds offensive, violates the First Amendment. In Stanley v. Lawson Co., 993 F. Supp. 1084 (N.D. Ohio 1997), the court addressed claims by a convenience store employee that the job requirement that she sell sexually oriented magazines created a hostile environment in violation of federal and state anti-discrimination laws. The court rejected her claims on several bases, including that the removal of the magazines would violate the First Amendment. Courts have also found certain content-based policies and rules aimed at preventing sexual harassment to be violations of the First Amendment. In Johnson v. County of Los Angeles Fire Dep't, 865 F. Supp. 1430 (C.D. Cal. 1994), a court held that a rule prohibiting Playboy in the firehouse in furtherance of a sexual harassment policy violated the First Amendment, where the material was for private use only and was read in private spaces or shared consensually. 25 In Urofsky v. Allen, 995 F. Supp. 634 (E.D. Va. Feb. 26, 1998), rev'd, 167 F.3d 191 (4th Cir. 1999), vacated on reh'g en banc (4th Cir. June 3, 1999), the court ruled that a Virginia statute restricting state employees' access to sexually explicit materials on the Internet was unconstitutional. In this case the court based its reasoning, in part, on the fact that content-neutral sexual discrimination laws already addressed any problems created by such images fostering a hostile environment. When reviewing the above cases, a public library must keep in mind that it differs from all of the employers in the above situations in that it has an affirmative duty to protect the First Amendment rights of its patrons. D. Minimizing Liability. A library can and should adopt, with the advice of counsel, a harassment policy that makes clear that it does not condone, encourage, or tolerate the harassment of employees by other employees or by patrons through the use of any means, whether or not those means include images from the Internet. The library also should establish procedures for addressing complaints of a hostile work environment by an employee, and these procedures should be easily accessible and made well-known to employees. Any complaints should immediately be directed for investigation to an employment counselor or legal counsel. Individual cases are likely to be very fact-specific and must be evaluated based on the particular facts of the case. Additionally, the law may have changed or there may be regional differences which must be reviewed. A library can also take steps to minimize employees' exposure to potentially offensive Internet images by locating Internet terminals in more private areas of the library or by using privacy screens on Internet computer terminals. Filtering software does not appear to be a solution to problems raised by potentially offensive Internet images. Filtering cannot guarantee that offensive materials will be blocked. Nor can filters prevent employees or patrons from using other materials to harass an employee. Further, the use of currently available filtering software by public libraries poses serious First Amendment concerns because such filtering would almost certainly restrict adults, older minors or even younger minors from constitutionally protected material. 26 A library considering hostile work environment or filtering policies should determine, however, whether there are any current laws regarding its obligations by consulting with legal counsel. 1 Meritor Sav. Bank, FSB v. Vinson, 477 U.S. 57, 65 (1986). 2 Reno v. ACLU, 521 U.S. 844, 874 (1997). 3 Ashcroft v. Free Speech Coalition, 535 U.S. 234, 256 (2002); Reno v. ACLU, 521 U.S. at 874-76; United States v. X-Citement Video, Inc., 513 U.S. 64, 72-73 (1994). 4 Texas v. Johnson, 491 U.S. 397 (1989); Hustler Magazine v. Falwell, 485 U.S. 46 (1988). 5 Kreimer v. Bureau of Police, 958 F.2d 1242, 1259 (3d Cir 1992). 6 See, e.g., Perry Educ. Ass'n v. Perry Local Educators' Ass'n, 460 U.S. 37, 46 (1983). 7 Established law addressing private employers, while instructive, may not be directly applicable to public libraries because of their status as limited public fora. 8 The Supreme Court recently emphasized that federal antidiscrimination laws "do[] not prohibit all verbal or physical harassment in the workplace; [they] are directed only at 'discriminat[ion] . . . because of . . . sex,'" or other protected characteristics, such as race or religion. Oncale v. Sundowner Offshore Servs. Inc., 523 U.S. 75, 80 (1998). 9 In Urofsky v. Allen, 995 F. Supp. 634 (E.D. Va. 1998), rev'd, 167 F.3d 191 (4th cir. 1999), vacated on reh'g en banc (4th Cir. June 3, 1999), the court recognized that material on the Internet, just as books and calendars, could offend workers and that pre-existing content-neutral civil rights laws protected employees against such harassment "cut[ting] across media to include print displays of sexually hostile material." Id. at 643. The court, however, rejected the argument that a female employee's voluntary decision to access sexually explicit material on the Internet could be construed as sexual hostility directed against that employee. Id. at 640 n.6. 10 These issues are not limited to use of the Internet. Similar concerns can arise from other printed material available in the library or material brought in by patrons from outside the library. 11 Meritor Sav. Bank, 477 U.S. at 67 (internal quotation marks and citation omitted, alteration in original). The EEOC defines hostile environment sexual harassment as "[u]nwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature" that unreasonably interferes with the individual's work performance. EEOC Guidelines, 29 C.F.R. § 1604.11(a). [NOTE: The following was in an earlier version of this memorandum: (EEOC Guidelines are not binding on courts, but are often looked to as persuasive authority, General Elec. Co. v. Gilbert, 429 U.S. 125, 141-42 (1976)).] 12 Harris v. Forklift Sys., Inc., 510 U.S. 17, 23 (1993). 13 Id. at 21-22. 14 Id. at 21 (quoting Meritor, 477 U.S. at 67, alteration in original). 15 See, e.g., Baskerville v. Culligan Int'l Co., 50 F.3d 428, 430-31 (7th Cir. 1995). 16 In other contexts the Supreme Court has minimized the effect of temporary images from which a viewer may avert his or her eyes. For example, in Erznoznik v. City of Jacksonville, 422 U.S. 205, 210-11 (1975), the Supreme Court ruled that an ordinance prohibiting films containing nudity in drive-in theaters was unconstitutional. The Court reasoned that viewers passing drive-in theaters on the street or sidewalk were not captive audiences in that they could easily avert their eyes to avoid further bombardment of their sensibilities; see also, e.g., United States v. Playboy Entm't Group, Inc., 529 U.S. 803, 813 (2000); Cohen v. California, 403 U.S. 15, 21 (1971). 17 Courts have found that policies prohibiting the private reading of constitutionally protected sexually explicit material in furtherance of sexual harassment policies violate the First Amendment. Johnson v. County of Los Angeles Fire Dep't, 865 F. Supp. 1430 (C.D. Cal. 1994) (discussed infra in section C). 18 Additionally, courts have held that mere language and epithets unaccompanied by other action, which are infrequent and not deeply offensive, are not sufficient to create a hostile environment. See, e.g., Baskerville, 50 F.3d at 430-31. On the other hand, a constant and steady stream of vulgar and offensive epithets can constitute a hostile environment. See, e.g., Gross v. Burggraf Constr. Co., 53 F.3d 1531, 1539 (10th Cir. 1995). 19 Typically, in cases finding a hostile work environment, the sexually explicit visual material is both pervasive throughout the work environment and has no relation to the employer's business. Where the material that offended an employee was related to the employer's business, courts have found that there was no harassment. See, e.g[sic], Stanley v. Lawson Co., 993 F. Supp. 1084 (N.D. Ohio 1997) (discussed infra in section C.). 20 These cases also highlight the general principle that the civil rights laws are not general anti-offense statutes intended to eliminate conduct that employees do not like. Rather, the laws are designed solely to eliminate discriminatory treatment of employees, based on a protected class, e.g., gender or race. Oncale, 523 U.S. at 79-82 (Title VII is not a general civility code). 21 It is well-established that an employer may be liable for a supervisor's conduct or for a coworker's conduct that creates a hostile environment. Meritor Savings Bank, 477 U.S. at 69-72; EEOC Guidelines, 29 C.F.R. § 1604.11(c) & (d). Important factors in assessing employer liability for agents' conduct are whether the employer had a hostile environment policy, clear procedures for victims to raise complaints, and whether the employer took effective remedial steps to protect victims and eliminate harassment. Baskerville, 50 F.3d at 431-32. The Supreme Court has held that an employer can be held vicariously liable for hostile environment harassment by supervisor with authority over a complaining employee. Faragher v. City of Boca Raton, 524 U.S. 775 (1998); Burlington Indus., Inc. v. Ellerth, 524 U.S. 742 (1998). The Court held that an employer defending an allegation of vicarious liability (an allegation that the employer should be liable even if the employer did not know of the hostile environment created by the supervising employee) can raise two affirmative defenses: (a) that the employer exercised reasonable care to prevent and promptly correct any sexually harassing behavior; and (b) that the plaintiff employee unreasonably failed to take advantage of any preventive or corrective opportunities provided by the employer or otherwise failed to avoid harm. 22 See, e.g., Rodriguez-Hernandez v. Miranda-Velez, 132 F.3d 848, 854-55 (1st Cir. 1998); Folkerson v. Circus Circus Enterprises, Inc., 107 F.3d 754 (9th Cir. 1997); Powell v. Las Vegas Hilton Corp., 841 F. Supp. 1024 (D. Nev. 1992); EEOC Guidelines, 29 C.F.R. § 1604.11(e). 23 EEOC Guidelines, 29 C.F.R. § 1604.11(e). 24 Wisconsin v. Mitchell, 508 U.S. 476, 487, 489 (1993). 25 This case suggests that offensive, but legally protected material, viewed with the use of a privacy screen or on computers in private locations, should not be deemed to create a hostile environment. 26 See Memorandum to American Library Association from Jenner & Block, 2003, regarding libraries' liabilities for using or failing to use filtering software. [Internet Filtering in Public Libraries.] Under revision. Links to non-ALA sites have been provided because these sites may have information of interest. Neither the American Library Association nor the Freedom to Read Foundation necessarily endorses the views expressed or the facts presented on these sites; and furthermore, ALA and FTRF do not endorse any commercial products that may be advertised or available on these sites. Civil Liability for an Alleged Hostile Work Environment Related to Patron or Employee Internet Use (PDF File) © Copyright 1998-2004, American Library Association The American Library Association is providing information and services on the web in furtherance of its non-profit and tax-exempt status. Permission to use, copy and distribute documents delivered from this website and related graphics is hereby granted for private, non-commercial and education purposes only, provided that the above copyright notice appears with the following notice: This document may be reprinted and distributed for non-commercial and educational purposes only, and not for resale. No resale use may be made of material on this website at any time. All other rights reserved. Source: http://www.ala.org/Template.cfm?Section=jennerblockmemo&Template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=67544 Notes: Hyperlinks added, dead links removed. Formatting of end note numerals changed. Inconsistent formatting of legal citations in original. Colors in original. Copyright notice is from ala.org as copyright notice on the source page went to a dead link. Observation: Jenner & Block has been proven wrong in the US Supreme Court so this memorandum of theirs is provided for what it's worth, especially since it appears to hold forth issues already asked and answered. For example, pornography (called "constitutionally protected material" since using the word "pornography" is anathema to the effort to promote it in libraries or to hide that it is responsible for the sexual harassment of librarians, and notice Jenner & Block did not use that word) is not protected by the First Amendment in public libraries but this memo implies otherwise. Worse, Jenner & Block recommends a means to reduce liability that the US Supreme Court found makes the problems worse, and it flat out advises against using filters. Filtering software has vastly improved since this memo was written, and even ALA itself has admitted filters work well. Also, important issues such as constructive discharge and librarians who have successfully sued for sexual harassment are not discussed. librarians.cc/2015/02/hostile-work-environment-in-libraries.html Posted by SafeLibraries® at 2:43 AM Labels: First Amendment, Harassment, Hostile Work Environment, Jenner & Block, Legal Memorandum, Liability, Library Filters, Patrons, Porn, Sexual Harassment, Theresa Chmara Please comment. Spam/trolling will be removed ASAP. Kevin DuJan SafeLibraries® Are Affluent Libraries More Dangerous Than Poor Li... Illinois HB 2689 to Protect Librarians from Sexual... Librarian Fired For Suggesting Safety Improvements... Hostile Work Environment in Libraries by Jenner & ... Sample Sexual Harassment Policy Never Happened, Never Will, Says ALA How Libraries Harm Themselves with "Crisis Manager... Man Banned for Sexual Harassment Sues Library and ... 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In a faced-paced industry such as online video, keeping track of the new tech terms can prove to be a rather challenging task. To help you out, we've gathered a wide variety of video tech terms that are utilized every day, as well as an assortment of words and terms for video ad measurement. Without further ado, here's a video technology glossary of terms that will help you understand what are the most important components for digital videos and your video ad inventory. The list includes words, terms, in addition to various useful abbreviations. AAC – Advanced Audio Coding. This is a digital audio compression standard, that allows for top sound quality at relatively low bit rates. AVCHD – Advanced Video Coding High Definition is a format that utilizes MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 compression, which was initially created for consumer HD camcorders. AVCHD is used for media players on computers, and it can be burned onto DVD recordable media and played back on Blu-ray (1920×1080). ADIQ – Our own adblock recovery solution that helps you regain lost inventory from adblocking software. ADS.TXT – Text file publishers and distributors use to declare who is authorized to sell their inventory. AD EXCHANGE – online marketplaces that help publishers make their inventory programmatically available to buyers (look for programmatic advertising below). AD TAG URL MACROS – Macros are special strings in a creative's code snippet that DFP later replaces with another value based on a creative's settings. BridTV has supports following macros listed here. AD TAG WATERFALLING – Many advertising tags do not have a 100% fill rate. In order to maximize revenue player will use multiple ad tags until an ad response is returned. AMP – Google's Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP) is a new specification for publishers to serve consumers fast loading pages on the mobile web by controlling the way page elements load. ASPECT RATIO – The relationship between the width and the height of your video dimensions expressed as a ratio (4:3, 16:9 and 1.85:1). BITRATE – Represents the number of bits per second that can be processed. For instance, audio and highly compressed video runs in the Kilobits per second range. Other video compressed via various codecs can play at Megabits per second rates, often due to higher quality content which is played. New codecs, like, say, H.264, efficient and way more advanced and operate at lower bits rates. BANDWIDTH – Bandwidth is the speed and amount of data that may be transferred in a given period of time. Higher bit rates will stream or playback higher quality media. Bandwidth relies highly on CPU speed, and the Internet connection. CACHE – Memory that improves media playback performance by allocating space to RAM or HDD. CBR (Constant Bit Rate) – Represents recording preference content is recorded at the same bit rate from beginning to end regardless of its quality. CODEC (Compression-Decompression) – Standing for highly specialized algorithms that analyze content of the media via different rules to remove or exclude redundant information in the video or audio material. This significantly decreases the size for storage, transmission and playback efficiency. CONTAINER – Also, called a wrapper or envelope, a container is a type of file, which contains various CODECs, depending on the design of the container. Here are some examples of containers for multimedia files: AVI, FLV, MKV, MP4, QuickTime, RM and WMV. CONVERTER – Converters are software programs utilized for altering media from one format to another, so it can be used on numerous devices. DSP (demand-side platforms) – Platform that allows buyers of digital advertising inventory to manage multiple ad exchange and data exchange accounts through one interface. ENCODE – Similar to compression. It's basically turns one media format into another and involves changing the original content from a NLE (Non-Linear Editing system) to a new format that's smaller in size so it saves space. To encode or encoding may is also called Transcoding. FACEBOOK INSTANT ARTICLES – Is a mobile publishing format from Facebook that enables publishers to distribute articles to the Facebook app 10 times faster than the standard mobile web. H.264 – H.264 is a particular codec that's part of the MPEG-4 standard for HD video. It's widely used to allow the delivering of extremely high-quality videos at relatively low bit rates. It's perfect for Internet content and for use on mobile devices. HTML5 (Hypertext Markup Language, version 5) – rising in its popularity, the language, which allows the provision for embedding video and audio directly in HTML5. With HTML5, video and audio is delivered more efficiently through web browsers. HLS (HTTP Live Streaming) – An HTTP-based media streaming communications protocol created by Apple Inc. It allows the video player to automatically adjust the quality of a video depending on changing network conditions. MPEG-Dash (Dynamic Adaptive Streaming over HTTP (DASH)) – is an adaptive bitrate streaming technique that enables high quality streaming of media content over the Internet delivered from conventional HTTP web servers. MPEG-2 (Moving Pictures Experts Group – 2). Another popular encoding format for both standard definition and high definition. MP4 (MPEG-4 Part 14) – This is a digital multimedia container format most commonly used to store video and audio. LIVE IMAGE – Short 5-second preview of your video that is shown once you move mouse cursor over video player. OUTSTREAM AD UNIT – Shows video ads outside of a video player, between paragraphs of text, typically set on auto-play and without sound. BridTV outstream ad unit can be In-content, In-slide and In-video. PLAYLIST – It denotes a list of media clips, which the user may playback in preferred order. DYNAMIC PLAYLIST – Playlists which are automatically updated either by the latest videos on site, latest videos by tag or the latest videos in channel. REAL-TIME VIDEO ANALYTICS – Overview of your bandwidth consumption, ad request, ad impressions and video display data in real-time via BridTV dashboard. PROGRAMMATIC ADVERTISING – The automation of the buying and selling of desktop display, video, FBX, and mobile ads using real-time-bidding. RESPONSIVE SIZING – Ensuring that elements within your page adapt to different screen sizes. STREAMING – Continuous transmission of content, which can be paused or rewound – in basics, it's very similar to a live broadcast. VIDEO PLAYER SKIN – Skin allows you to match the visuals of your site with your video player. VAST (Video Ad Serving Template) – Provides a generic framework for embedding in-stream video ads and it standardizes the communication between video players and video ad server. It is a scripts that gives instructions to the video player on how to handle an ad. VAST AD TAG – It tells the server what type of ad to be displayed based on targeting criteria. VAST INSPECTOR TOOL – Tool designed to give you quick response is VAST ad tag you are using supported by BridTV video player. VPAID (Video Player-Ad Interface Definition) – Developed by IAB for interactions between ad units and video player focused on enabling rich interactive in-stream ad experience. VIDEO AD IMPRESSION – A video ad impressions is the moment when users start playing a video ad on their screens. For video ads, impressions and views may be used interchangeably. VIEWABLE VIDEO AD IMPRESSION – A viewable video ad impression is when at least 50% of the video ad's pixels are in view and at least 2 continuous seconds of the video ad is played (via MRC and IAB guidelines). YOUTUBE SYNDICATION – Allowing your settings and content in BridTV to be pushed to YouTube. AD FREQUENCY – This value determines after how many videos an ad will be called. AD LATENCY – Ad serving latency is a latent time which can be eventually perceived by a visitor before an ad appears and which is usually caused by the use of one or several redirects from the ad servers managing the campaigns. AD OFFSET – Delays the initial display of an ad by 0, 1, 2 … video calls. FILL RATE – Represents the number of video ad opportunities successfully filled divided by the total number of ad opportunities. VCR (Video Ad Completion Rate) – Stands for the percentage of all video ads that were played to completion. Can also be referred to as VTR (View Through Rate). CPM (Cost Per Thousand Impressions) – This actually signifies the amount that an advertiser pays every 1,000 times their in-stream video ad is shown. It is called CPI (Cost Per Impression) or CPV (Cost Per View). VCPM (Cost Per 1,000 Viewable Impressions) – It's the same as CPM, although only if the impressions are considered viewable (according to MRC and IAB viewability guidelines). May also be referred to as CPVI (Cost Per Viewable Impression) or VCPV (Viewable Cost Per View). CPCV (Cost Per Completed View) – What an advertiser pays each time their video ad is played fully (in other words, it's 100% completed). CPP (Cost Per Point) – What an advertiser pays for every rating point of a targeted audience demographic that a video ad campaign successfully reaches. TRP (Target Rating Point) – Represents the percentage of an advertiser's target audience that a video ad or campaign reaches. GRP (Gross Rating Point) – Denotes the number of times a video ad is served, multiplied by the percentage of the target audience it reaches every time. It's employed when estimate advertising strength of different media vehicles. OTP (On Target Percentage) – The OTP is how much of the video ad campaign's defined goals were reached. TRANSCODE – Transcode is utilized interchangeably with encode and conversion. It basically changes the media format to another media format, it also denotes compression that reduces to the final product into a smaller delivery package. VBR (Variable Bit Rate) – It compress and encode video source material based on the algorithms' ability to detect changes in the amount of data most appropriate for a particular scene. When video is concerned, the VBR saves space by using less bits for simple content, and more bits for complex content that contains great amounts of detail or motion.

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In an effort to summarize the highlights of the LEAN E-mail Blasts that we receive, and rarely have time to review in a timely fashion, we at Pepper Hamilton are providing this quick synopsis of the latest LEAN update. Our aim is to provide pertinent information succinctly as a roadmap to the LEAN E-mail Blasts, not to replace the LEAN E-mail Blasts. We hope you find these summaries helpful. A link to the complete August 28, 2013 LEAN Blast can be found here. ORCF has received an uptick in requests to allow critical repairs to be completed post-closing. ORCF wants to remind Lenders that critical repairs identified in the PCNA report must be repaired prior to HUD's endorsement of the note. Non-critical repairs, approved by HUD, may be completed after closing per the Non-Critical Repair Escrow Agreement. Per the April 29, 2013 E-mail Blast, CMS requires all nursing homes be fully protected by sprinkler systems, per the 1999 Edition of the NFPA-13 Standard for the Installation of Sprinkler Systems, by August 13, 2013. Instructions on how to search the CMS database were included, but CMS has recently changed their Web site, so please use the instructions here to search the new database. ORCF has created a new e-mail address to submit the increasingly popular loan modifications. Lenders are instructed to e-mail all future Loan Modification applications to [email protected]. As mentioned in the November 18, 2011 E-mail Blast, ORCF introduced a new method to obtain critical documents for each project following closing – The Transaccess Process. Lender's counsel are reminded to follow the requirements at the top of the new closing checklist and send a complete CD of the closing binder to the address set forth in the checklist. Lender's counsel should notify the closer when the CD has been submitted. Please keep in mind that searches should be run and analyzed by the Lender no earlier than 30 days before closing and no later than five business days before closing. Lenders must disclose to HUD any newly discovered litigation, or UCCs that will not be released in connection with closing. Any issues must be cleared by ORCF and OGC prior to closing.

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Should Women Need Abortion to Succeed in the Workplace? The American corporation was built by and for men. During the Industrial Era — a period of rapid urbanization and economic growth in the late 19th and early 20th century — men controlled nearly all of the nation's major institutions. Women — barred from voting until 1920 — were expected to complete household duties and remain out of the public spheres of politics and business. Consequently, men shaped the social norms of the modern economy, molding it in their image in a way that met their particular needs. Because society had absolved men from household responsibilities, including child care, businessmen in the early 20th century were free to dedicate their time to their jobs and career aspirations. Although it became increasingly acceptable for women to seek employment outside the home after World War II, they entered business environments that were entirely unfriendly to their presence. THE MALE-NORMATIVE WORKPLACE While the Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978 was supposed to prevent businesses from treating pregnant women differently from other employees that were "similar in their ability or inability to work," it patently failed to change the reality of the business environment for women across the country. Although many believe that the problem no longer exists, research by The New York Times found that the number of pregnancy discrimination claims reported to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has actually been increasing for the last 20 years and is near its highest number ever. A 2007 Stanford study found that despite laws against pregnancy discrimination, mothers are routinely passed over for jobs, promotions, and salary increases. The research team sent hundreds of real-world hiring managers two resumes from equally-qualified women - one from a childless woman and one from a mother. The study found that these hiring managers were approximately twice as likely to invite the hypothetical childless woman in for an interview than the hypothetical mother - a phenomenon researcher Shelley Correll calls the "motherhood penalty." In June 2019, dozens of America's most prominent businesses admitted to this practice. In a full page ad published in The New York Times, executives from 80 companies including Bloomberg, H&M, Yelp, Square, Slack, Warby Parker, Tinder, and Kenneth Cole decried the state abortion bans being passed around the country. They bemoaned the fact that bans on abortion "hinder people's health, independence and ability to succeed in the workplace." Furthermore, they contended that banning abortion "impairs our ability to build diverse and inclusive workforce pipelines, recruit top talent across the states, and protect the well-being of all the people who keep our businesses thriving day in and out." For these companies, pregnancy and motherhood are risks to their bottom line, making women less attractive as potential hires. Without abortion, they argue, women can never move into company leadership or succeed in the workplace. "If access to abortion is a necessity for me to be treated equally within these corporations," notes CareNet writer Heather Creekmore, "equality has been redefined." This is our economic reality. We as Americans must step back and ask ourselves: Is the real problem with women or the system in which they work? Statistics show just how sexist the American work culture truly is. One 2019 study by Bright Horizons, a child care provider, found that 41% of surveyed workers "believe working mothers are less dedicated to their jobs" and 38% "frown on their needing more flexible hours." Interestingly, this same standard was not applied to men with children; they were given greater amounts of grace and empathy. In fact, three-quarters of surveyed workers "thought working fathers were more devoted to their professions than their female counterparts." The business culture still seems to underestimate the value of women in the workplace. This is despite the fact that women are assigned 55% of all work-related tasks yet were 10% more productive than their male counterparts. Sarah Hrdy, an anthropologist at the University of California - Davis, believes bias towards fathers is largely unfair. "There is much evidence to suggest that women are physiologically more durable than men and use their energy more efficiently," she says, "especially perhaps when pregnant." Fear and discrimination has been internalized by pregnant women - many are aware that asking for accommodations, time off, or a promotion while pregnant or mothering could get them fired or taken off important projects. A 2014 survey by Childbirth Connection found that 42% of pregnant women that needed more breaks never asked their employers for them, and more than a quarter of new moms reported "experiencing bias from their employers due to perceptions of their 'desire, ability or commitment' to doing their jobs." This double-standard for men and women is even worse for black mothers that do not want to abort their unborn children. A 2013 study by the Harvard Business School concluded that the expectations placed upon minority mothers were even more crushing than those placed upon white women: Unlike White women who should sacrifice their focus and aspirations at work so that 'something [won't be] lost' for their children, Black women should sacrifice their focus on their children so that the work that needs to get done will get done...The fact that White women are supposed to stay home and focus solely on their children while Black women are supposed to work outside the home and focus solely on their jobs implies that White children matter and Black children do not. Although executives publicly celebrate diversity in the workplace, women are still expected to act like men if they are to grow in their careers. In male-normative spaces, pregnancy and motherhood are seen as drains on resources and hindrances to increased productivity. Instead of caring for women and accommodating the distinct differences they have from men, many businesses have determined that it is simply easier to coerce women into conforming to the image of the childless, career-obsessed man. Sadly, many female CEOs implement these same kind of policies to placate male executives or rebuff charges of "female favoritism." Abortion is one of the tools used to oppress women in their motherhood and encourage them to maximize their "economic value" as workers. This is incredibly dehumanizing to women (and men) and evidences the power patriarchy continues to wield in corporate America. HELPING WORKING WOMEN FLOURISH This is not a problem with women but with America's business and consumer cultures. Although the capitalist system has brought millions out of poverty and spurred innovation in dozens of sectors, it incentivizes greed and materialism. In pursuit of profit, companies often force employees to lay life's other joys and responsibilities at the altar of economic growth. Pregnancy begins to strike terror rather than excitement, cultivating anxiety instead of joy. Christians, however, are never to see children as a hindrance to happiness or success. The Bible tells us that babies are "a heritage from the Lord" and "a reward from him" (Psalm 127:3 NIV). Although we may feel powerless to change America's business culture, there are several action steps we can take to help make abortion unthinkable and support pregnant women and working moms. Work with your small group or church to collect funds for a "working mothers" scholarship. Help working mothers balance work and household responsibilities by offering to watch their children in a safe and loving environment. Encourage working fathers in your life to invest more time in their homes and rediscover the meaning and purpose of family. Organize a writing campaign to decision-makers at local companies with HR policies that harm or intimidate pregnant women and mothers. Talk with your employer about ways your company can help all women, including pregnant women and working mothers, flourish within the organization. Advocate for laws that create more just workplaces that honor and respect women, their bodies, and their families. Abortion is not liberation from the "hindrance" of motherhood. It is a tool of oppression used to force working women to act like men. It strips them of their incredible ability to grow and give birth to the next generation of human beings. It reinforces misogyny and patriarchal attitudes while declaring that the male body is the ideal body. A Christian worldview sees men and women as distinct yet equal in dignity and worth, fearfully and wonderfully made in the image of God. As advocates of women, work, and family, Christians should challenge the structures that make the God-given gifts of pregnancy and childbearing "liabilities." By supporting vulnerable families we know personally and championing policies that dignify working women and their children, we can show Jesus' love in both word and deed. Garrett Clawson Garrett serves as the Lead Data and Research Analyst and joined For the City in February 2018. He helps volunteers, pastors, nonprofit leaders, and business professionals better understand the characteristics and dynamics of their communities so that they can more effectively pursue human flourishing together. Garrett earned his master's degree in public affairs from the University of Texas - Austin and continues to live in North Austin. Abortion in Austin Our prayer is that this guide will serve as a starting point for the conversation around abortion. After an overview of the current state of abortion in both Texas and the Austin area, the main drivers of abortion and fetal deaths will be explored. The document concludes with an assessment of...

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This entry was posted in Christmas, Festive Phrases, Monday Montage. Bookmark the permalink. That is such a charming image! I love it with the pop of black, the Christmas patterns and the snowflake embellishment!

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Get Yourself a Christmas Cracker! Need some Christmas presents? Buy a book. We cover all genres - comedy, serious, young adult, adventures, historical fiction and women's fiction. There's something for everyone. Buy your book here. We've more books due out next year. If you'd like to keep yourself up to date with what we do, please sign up for our newsletter. We send it out infrequently and we treat your email address with respect, promise!

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Erebia helvetica är en fjärilsart som beskrevs av Vorbrodt 1912. Erebia helvetica ingår i släktet Erebia och familjen praktfjärilar. Inga underarter finns listade i Catalogue of Life. Källor Praktfjärilar helvetica

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Prime Minister Junicihiro Koizumi attended a ceremony to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the signing of the San Francisco Peace Treaty held at the concert hall of Tokyo Opera City in Nishi Shinjuku, Tokyo. This ceremony was held as one of a number of events to convey a message of gratitude for the various support and cooperation provided by the United States in Japan's post-war drive towards reconstruction, democratization and the development of a free economy. The Prime Minister stated that, "The importance of the Japan-US alliance is increasing not just in the Asia-Pacific region, but around the world. We will continue to make all efforts to further the Japan-United States partnership in the 21st century."

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In 1896, we started to sell our cider from our farm shop in Street. We make our cider by blending juice from apples all grown locally in the farm's orchards. The cider is fermented in wooden barrels and sold draught from the wood.

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Margaery Tyrell Season 3. Sansa's weeding outfit. HD Wallpaper and background images in the Margaery Tyrell club tagged: photo. This Margaery Tyrell photo contains abendkleid, abendessen kleid, formal, abendessen-kleid, and formale. There might also be polonäse, polonaise, cocktailkleid, mantel, scheide, cocktail-kleid, and kleid.

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For Ackworth's boarders and many day students, the week does not end on Friday. We offer a varied programme of outings and activities at the weekend. Not only do our students visit theatres, professional sporting events and local amenities, we also have various expert instructors visiting our campus to run a diverse range of workshops, from kite making, street dance and African drumming, to specialised sports coaching and Raku pottery. There is also a very strong tradition of participation in the Duke of Edinburgh's Award.

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Enduren is a high performance completely natural carbohydrate supplement for the serious and recreational athlete. Specifically designed to raise energy levels, enhance endurance, prevent dehydration and aid recovery, it enables you to train harder and longer and race faster. The unique blend of multiple natural carbohydrates deliver a stepped energy release (slow, medium and fast release) improving gastric emptying rate and fluid absorption, raising energy levels and stabilising blood sugar during exercise. Mental vitality and concentration is promoted via the supply of glucose, which is a primary brain fuel. Enduren is exceptionally palatable, the difference between pure water and Enduren mix barely noticeable during strenuous physical exercise, with the effect that it is easy to drink continuously even during long events. The natural composition of Enduren prevents the occurrence of allergic reactions like gastro intestinal upset, mucus build-up, tight chest as well as cramping, often caused by additives in sports / endurance /energy drinks. Consuming Enduren before exercise builds up the glycogen stores in your muscles and liver. This, combined with consuming Enduren during exercise, improves performance and delays the onset of fatigue and cramping. Consuming Enduren after exercise raises energy, assists re-hydration and rebuilding of glycogen stores, thus promoting recovery. Non-athletes can also use Enduren to raise and sustain energy levels during normal everyday work and leisure. Consume 1 to 2 litres of Enduren, in addition to a carbohydrate rich diet, during the 2 to 3 days leading up to the event. For loading and recovery you can flavour the mix with your favourite fruit juice. Make sure you are not fructose intolerant before applying this during exercise. Up to 80% of people are to some degree fructose intolerant even in the presence of glucose or glucose based carbs. Pre Event: Prime your gut by consuming 400ml of Enduren in the 30 minutes leading up to the start. (As you get used to this routine you can bring it down to the last 15 minutes). A number of athletes have trained their gut to successfully tolerate a more concentrated mix of 5 heaped scoops on 400ml for this pre race serving. (This is a 16% Carb solution). During Event: Consume 500 to 750 ml Enduren per hour. Post Event: Consume 750ml to 1.5l of Enduren within 30 min of end of event. Alternatively use Enduren Recover which replaces glycogen but also supplies protein to repair muscle damage and boosts the immune system. 1 Tub Enduren makes up to 40 bottles (20 litres). Athletes are different and therefore some prefer a more concentrated mix and some a less concentrated mix, which will obviously influence the number of servings. Detailed ingredients list and nutritional information appears on the label or email us for more info. Unlike other supplement companies, Enduren does not blindly follow industry funded "scientific studies". We endeavour to look critically at who the scientists are and especially their links to industry, thus most of our products are different from those of other companies, which we believe contribute to our athletes excellent results over the past 18 years in a very wide variety of sports. Enduren Endurance Energy Drink only contain naturally occurring trace elements of sodium and potassium as that is all that is required in an Endurance Drink. (This is opposed to the Industry funded view point that Sodium Chloride in noticeable quantities is a requirement.) Below is a good summary of years of research mostly by researchers that were not industry funded. (It however includes a couple of industry funded studies that also confirm that Sodium is not required especially in events less than 5 hours). Most studies where athletes drink to thirst (or ad libitum), show no statistical relevant difference in Plasma Na+ (Sodium) before and after exercise even in very prolonged exercise like 226km Ironman competitions. In practice endurance athletes only replace 50% or less of sweat loss with fluid and in these cases the difference in Plasma Na+ before and after exercise is negligible. Numerous studies show no improvement in performance with Na+ supplementation. Sodium supplementation could lead to gastro intestinal issues as an overload of NaCl during exercise could lead to nausea, gut cramping and diarrhoea. Oversupply during exercises in the long term can also lead to kidney stones – we have a number of athletes whose kidney stone problems from using electrolyte rich sports drinks were resolved by switching to Enduren. (Some literature indicate that sodium phosphate or sodium citrate might be a better option). We have anecdotal evidence of Enduren athletes racing many ultra-endurance events over the past 18 years with great success. Examples are: Giniel de Villiers who has won the Dakar and is the most consistent podium finisher in the South American Dakar. They race for two weeks in extremely high temperatures (up to 60 deg. Celsius) at very high heart rates and up to 14 hours per day – Giniel has raced all his Dakar's on Enduren with great success as his results shows. (14 Dakars and counting). Nico Pfitzenmaier who has the most category stage wins in the Cape Epic and who has won the mixed and masters categories multiple times. Chris Bertish who holds multiple world distance SUP records and is the 1st and only person in the world who crossed the Atlantic solo unsupported on a SUP and many other endurance athletes - see athlete page. "What Contribution, if any, does the addition of electrolytes, especially sodium chloride, have on performance? Sodium chloride (Salt) was added to the ancestral Gatorade solution because of a study (Malawer, Ewton, et al, 1965) showing that the addition of this electrolyte slightly increase the rate at which the intestine absorbs water and glucose from the ingested solution, however adding glucose had a much greater effect (chapter 5). In that study (Malawer et al) the test solution was added directly to the small intestine without first passing down the throat and through the stomach. The rate of fluid absorption was also measured over a small section of the small bowel that had been isolated from the rest of the bowel. A subsequent Gatorade funded study (Gisolfi, Summers, et al. 1998) performed in humans who ingested either water or 6% glucose solution with varying concentrations of sodium chloride showed that the addition of sodium chloride to any solution that is ingested via the normal route (and not infused artificially) does not alter the rate of water and glucose absorption by the intestine from that solution. This finding has been confirmed repeatedly (eg Curell et al, 2009). Those studies therefore established that sodium chloride does not need to be present in the ingested solution in order to maximize the rate of water absorption from that solution. Rather it is the carbohydrate content of the solution that determines the rate of water absorption (Shi, Summers, et al, 1995), but this effect is probably maximised from a 6% carbohydrate solution (Jeukendrup, Curell, et al 2009). In concentrations at which it is still palatable in a fluid, the ingestion of sodium chloride during exercise appears to be without any biological advantage. In Chapter 4 I presented the evidence showing that humans adapt very quickly to a low sodium intake by reducing the amount of sodium they lose first in urine and then in sweat. On the basis of this normal human response I conclude that the sodium present in the urine and sweat during exercise represents the dietary excess ingested in the days before exercise and that must be excreted in order to maintain a safe sodium balance. As a result, any sodium ingested during exercise will be excreted in urine because it simply adds to that excess (figure 4.10, page 141). Note: Athletes are different and there are the odd athlete that believe they do better with electrolyte supplementation in long and/or hot events - therefore Enduren give these athletes the option in long events to add Enduren Cramp & Fatigue Buster Electrolyte Tablets to their drink (3 tablets per 750ml has proved to work well for most athletes). There is also naturally occurring Sodium in our Energy and Protein Bars and in our Recover Drink, which will be consumed alongside the Endurance Drink during ultra-endurance events.

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The Perfect Rider | Rainbow Trainers, Inc. My son who has Down Syndrome and Autism just completed a week at the I Can Bike camp. He made great progress, but due to his low muscle tone, he needs to build up his stamina so he will be able to go fast enough to balance on a two wheeler. The tandem bike used at the camp was extremely beneficial- I would like to know who manufactures them, the special tandem gave my son the feeling of riding independently while developing the skills needed to do so. Thanks for your help- we loved the camp!

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Summit County is a wonderful place for the entire family to enjoy, so why should Halloween be any different? If you are planning a trip to the high country over Halloween weekend and are looking for some family-friendly activities near the Frisco Lodge, we've got you covered with a list of some of Summit County's most popular Halloween events. On Friday, October 31st, from 7:30 to 9:00pm, the Town of Breckenridge will be holding its Halloween Skate Party at the Stephen C. West Ice Arena. Grab the entire family and kick off your Halloween with a spooky skate party. Show off your Halloween costume and you may skate away with a "spooktacular" prize! Admission to the event is $4 for adults and $3 for youth for valid costumer-wearers only. For the "not so faint of heart," the "Ghostly Tales" walking tour (Ghost Hunt of Breckenridge) will explore the darker side of Breckenridge with paranormal devices. Running Mondays through Saturdays at 7pm, the price of admission is $10 for children and $15 for adults. On Friday, October 31st, come experience some of Breckenridge's finest trails and get your "spook" on with either a 10K or 5K trail race, or a kid's 1K costume run with Trick or Trails. Run through the Troll Forest, down Pence Miller and weave through the spookiest trick-or-treated out single track around. Costumes are allowed and encouraged, but wearing a trail running costume will benefit you. Registration fees are $35 for the 5K, $45 for the 10K and $15 for the 1K kid's costume run. A reception at the Frisco Historic Park & Museum will follow the readings. Explore the Historic Park by lantern, enjoy a macabre evening at the Museum and revisit some horror classics. Gothic and Victorian attire are encouraged and light treats and refreshments will be provided. Right outside the front door of our Frisco bed & breakfast, trick-or-treaters will be able to help themselves to all the sweets they can handle from business up and down historic Main Street and Frisco Historic Park from 6 to 8pm on Halloween night. Simply look for the bright, orange jack-o-lanterns hanging outside Main Street businesses that are participating. For the young ones that might need a break, cartoons will be playing in the Historic Park Log Chapel. Again, just minutes from the Frisco Lodge, this creepy haunted house is built and operated by local youth as a learning opportunity through Activities Run By Youth and Mountain Mentors. Visit Frisco's Haunted House from October 30th through November 1st if you dare. The haunted house will be open from 6 to 10pm those days, with ticket prices at $5 for students, $7 for adults and $20 for a family four-pack. So, do yourself (and the kiddos) a favor. While staying at our Frisco bed and breakfast over Halloween, why not imbibe in a little tomfoolery with some or all of these events?

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ResourcesBlogOther Practice Areas Indiana Supreme Court Rules that Late Addition of Defendants OK Under Indiana law, a Plaintiff has two (2) years from the alleged incident to file suit. This is called the Statute of Limitations. In Camoplast Crocker, LLC, The Kelch Corporation, and Seats, Inc. v. Schoolcraft, the plaintiff sued the original defendant, Magic Circle Corporation, d/b/a Dixie Chopper, for wrongful death Later, on the last day before the statute of limitations period ran, the plaintiff moved to amend the complaint to add new defendants and tendered an amended complaint and summons for the new defendants. Eleven days later, the trial court granted the plaintiff's motion to amend. The new defendants then moved to dismiss or for judgment on the pleadings and argued the amendment was too late, and outside the limitations period. The trial court denied the new defendants' motions and ruled that the new defendants could be added to the suit. The new defendants appealed to the Indiana Appeals Court which upheld the trial court's ruling. The new defendants appealed to the Indiana Supreme Court. The Indiana Supreme Court agreed to hear the case and issued their opinion on July 21, 2014. The Court held that the Plaintiff's adding of the new defendants was lawful even though the trial court took eleven (11) days to rule on the motion to amend new defendants to the suit. What is Loss of Earning Capacity in a Wrongful Death Case? New Study Finds Pedestrian Deaths Hit Highest Level in 30 Years Lawsuit for Indiana Toddler Against Royal Caribbean Can Proceed According to Judge Gretchen Carlson, Democrats Push Bids To Rid Forced Arbitration Clauses Kroger Supermarket Must Face a Potential Negligence Claim

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57 (2017-2018): Review: PRINCE OF BROADWAY (seen August 25, 2017) "A Helluva Grand Time!" "I'm having a helluva grand time!," says legendary Broadway producer Harold (Hal) Prince at the end of his biographical program note for Prince of Broadway, the Manhattan Theatre Club's dazzling new musical revue surveying the crème de la crème of Prince's amazingly successful career. And "a helluva grand time" is just what most theatergoers are going to experience at this abundantly well-stocked arrangement of top-flight numbers from classic shows that 21-time Tony winner Prince either produced or directed (or both), beginning with The Pajama Game in 1954. Michael Xavier in Company. Photo: Matthew Murphy. Although we hear only a fragment from that show's "Hey There," we get full versions of 36 numbers from 16 other shows, plus a rousing company finale called "Do the Work," added for the occasion by Jason Robert Brown, who's also responsible for the thrilling new arrangements, orchestrations, and musical supervision. Karen Ziemba, Emily Skinner, Chuck Cooper, Tony Yazbek in Follies. Photo: Matthew Murphy. Conceptually, the show makes no breakthroughs in the jukebox musical tradition. In practice, it's little more than a sequence of famous (and a few not so famous) numbers, many, but not all, introduced by one of the company's ultra-talented nine members (four men and five women), representing Prince himself. They dress differently but always in black, and either sport Prince's trademark horn-rimmed glasses on their foreheads or hold them in their hands as they provide biographical snippets (written by David Thompson) related to the various shows. Don't expect these sketchy tidbits, though, to offer any significant insights. Tony Yazbek, Kaley Van Voorhees. Photo: Matthew Murphy. It's also too bad that some shows lack any commentary at all; unless you're a Broadway fanboy or fangirl, whatever information the script provides is largely irrelevant in helping you understand the context for most of the songs. Thus when Brandon Uranowitz and Bryonha Marie Parham sing (very well) a pair of songs from She Loves Me, if you don't know the story, you may not get what the plot- and character-related lyrics are saying. To give us an idea of the range of Prince's musicals, a projection of one title logo after the other (created by set designer Beowulf Borritt) flies toward the audience, announcing 31 hits and flops. This is the theatrical giant who in one capacity or another helped birth the following productions, listed here in the same non-chronological order projected in the show. Asterisks indicate those represented in Prince of Broadway, the number of their songs performed given in parentheses: The Pajama Game* (1: two lines), West Side Story* (2) A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum Damn Yankees* (1) Fiorello! Flora, the Red Menace LoveMusik New Girl in Town She Loves Me* (2) On the Twentieth Century "It's a Bird . . . , It's a Plane . . . , It's Superman"* (1) A Doll's Life Company* (3) Follies* (3) Cabaret* (4) A Little Night Music* (3) Evita* (3) Sweeney Todd* (3) Merrily We Roll Along Kiss of the Spiderwoman* (2) Fiddler on the Roof* (1) Show Boat (in revival)* (2) And, of course, there's Prince of Broadway itself. Tony Yazbek in Follies. Photo: Matthew Murphy. To be sure, Prince didn't write, compose, or choreograph these shows. His contributions were principally as producer and, most significantly, director, which makes the idea of a revue dedicated to his work considerably different from similar shows focused on the contributions of writers (lyricists, actually), composers, or choreographers. And, while shows about the dances of Bob Fosse and Jerome Robbins, for example, recreated those choreographers' achievements, Prince of Broadway doesn't really do the same for Prince's work, which depends often on trimmed-down versions. Thus this show dedicated to one of most important geniuses in musical theatre history isn't actually so much about his directorial choices but about the shows his imagination helped bring into the world with the assistance of a vast array of other talents, many of whom he acknowledges in his program notes. Emily Skinner in Follies. Photo: Matthew Murphy. Borritt's set, a bare, black-bricked background with theatrical ropes and pulleys at either side, accommodates a sequence of simplified but still substantial scenic units or backdrops. Howell Binkley's lighting does wonders, wig master Paul Huntley has outdone himself, and costume virtuoso William Ivey Long has matched him in the array of costumes he's perfectly recreated or reimagined from these fabled shows. Brandon Uranowitz in Cabaret. Photo: Matthew Murphy. During the finale, Karen Ziemba, herself one of Broadway's best, declares that if you're going to succeed in the theatre you should always "work with the best—that doesn't mean the most famous—but the best." Those words apply perfectly to Prince of Broadway's ensemble, some of them better known than others, but all of them representative of Broadway's finest musical performers. Bryohna Marie Parham, Emily Skinner. Photo: Matthew Murphy. Most are known principally as singers but watching their graceful body language when they sing is like seeing the lyrics and their emotional underpinnings dancing before your eyes. Despite Stroman's choreographic gifts, actual dancing—as opposed to dance-like movement—is in short supply; however, when the remarkable Tony Yazbek, who sings as beautifully as any leading man (listen to his "Tonight" from West Side Story, for example), dances to "The Right Girl" from Follies, you get an evening's worth of tapping terpsichore wrapped up in a single unforgettable routine. Chuck Cooper. Photo: Matthew Murphy. There are so many tour de force performances it's impossible to say which are the most memorable. Should I mention Janet Dacal and Michael Xavier's comic cavorting as Clark Kent and Sydney doing "You've Got Possibilities" from It's a Bird . . . ? Dacal's powerhouse "Don't Cry for Me, Argentina" from Evita? Emily Skinner's quietly poignant "Send in the Clowns" from A Little Night Music or her cuttingly ironic "The Ladies Who Lunch" from Company? Bryonha Marie Parham's raising goose bumps as Sally Bowles singing "Cabaret"? Chuck Cooper's gloriously playful Tevye doing "If I Were a Rich Man" from Fiddler on the Roof? Karen Ziemba's stomach-churningly funny "The Worst Pies in London" from Sweeney Todd? Kaley Ann Voorhees and Michael Xavier's lyrically soaring duets from Phantom of the Opera? Only time will tell if Hal Prince will remain creatively active as long as his fabled mentor, George Abbott, who continued to direct past his 100th birthday. If Prince of Broadway is any indication, one can only hope he manages to do so. And that he, like us, will continue to have "a helluva grand time" whenever he does. Prince of Broadway Samuel J. Friedman Theatre 261 W. 47th St., NYC Through October 22 59 (2017-2018): Review: CHAROLAIS (seen August 30,... 58 (2017-2018): Review: IF ONLY . . . (seen August... 57 (2017-2018): Review: PRINCE OF BROADWAY (seen A... 56 (2017-2018): Review: THE SUITCASE UNDER THE BED... 55 (2017-2018): Review: VAN GOGH'S EAR (seen Augus... 54 (2017-2018): Review: COME LIGHT MY CIGARETTE (s... 53 (2017-2018): Review: A PARALLELOGRAM (seen Augu... 52 (2017-2018): Review: A REAL BOY (seen August 4,... 50 (2017-2018): Review: CURVY WIDOW (seen August 1...

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Tuned to work in harmony with the wind to create gentle, soothing tones. Made of hardwood with steel bells and natural stones. 25" length. Click the button below to add the Tibetan Temple Bells to your wish list.

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Football Fans As Couriers With World Cup fever spreading all over, numerous individuals are getting some much needed rest work to watch the football. In case you're a dispatch in any case, there is no compelling reason to go through important occasions for matches, as there are numerous methods of getting a charge out of the football while you're progressing. Everywhere on the country, there are football fans come messengers – here's the way to spot them. Banners and Mascots There's one surefire approach to detect a footie fan out and about while football fever is predominant, and that is by the enhancements on their vehicles. Regardless of whether it is a football formed deodorizer, a sticker on the windscreen or even banners flying from the rear of the vehicle, you can ensure that a messenger who is following the football intently will have a mascot of some depiction on their vehicle. Extemporaneous Celebrations One of the fundamental reasons there is no requirement for a dispatch to get some much needed rest work to watch the footie, is that they can tune in to the match on the radio as they are out and about. With most of the significant matches all around commentated on radio broadcasts like Radio Five, there is no compelling reason to at any point miss a match. In any case, how might you advise that a messenger is tuning in to the football while they are out and about? Indeed, don't be astounded in the event that you abruptly see somebody in the driver's seat emit into an offhand and unconstrained festival as their number one group scores an objective. เว็บไซต์ยูฟ่าเบท In the event that you see somebody challenging and cheering from the driver's seat, you can nearly ensure that they are tuning in to the football. Radio Rage Like off the cuff festivities, and nearly as amusing to watch, radio fierceness is another approach to distinguish a messenger who is following the football at work. Be that as it may, as opposed to noticing a driver smiling uncontrollably and cheering, rather you will observer somebody yelling with irritation in their vehicle. This can't be confused with irrational anger, as the outrage isn't pointed toward any person or thing outside of the vehicle, however just at the radio communicating the awful news about the arbitrator or even the actual players. Regardless of whether they are just surrendering despondently, shaking their clench hands at the radio, or yelling as loud as possible, you can generally tell when a driver's group are not faring admirably in a football match by their radio fierceness response. Be that as it may, to truly recognize what's going on in the match, lip perusing abilities are fundamental. Half Time Deliveries Overall, a dispatch attempts to complete his work as effectively as could be expected, and this is the same during footie fever. Nonetheless, you may see a slight change in the examples of conveyances. Maybe than a consistent pace of movement and conveyance, almost certainly, during a football match you will see drivers hesitating out and about during the match, and making unfathomably quick conveyances during half time so as not to miss a moment of the critique. Thus, as the World Cup goes on, keep your eyes stripped out and about and you will actually want to recognize a messenger come football fan a pretty far. Previous: Top 5 Nigerian Footballers in the English Premier League Next: Speed Training – Football City Halls Should Approve More Soccer Parks How to Make Youth Soccer Practice Sessions Fun

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Below is a listing of events in the Washington, D.C. area covering the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Events listed here are not co-sponsored or endorsed by FMEP unless specifically noted. One Year After Start of the 'Great March of Return,' What's Next for Gaza?

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Charles Walker MP calls for debate on the conduct of the Hertfordshire local enterprise partnership in relation to its possible misuse of £6.5 million of public money to promote and ease a planning application on behalf of Veolia. May we have an urgent debate on the conduct of the Hertfordshire local enterprise partnership in relation to its possible misuse of £6.5 million of public money to promote and ease a planning application on behalf of Veolia? The relationship between Veolia, the LEP, Hertfordshire County Council, the relevant planning authority and the owner of the Veolia contract is too close to carry the confidence of my constituents. As always, my hon. Friend makes his point powerfully on behalf of his constituents. I note that he has been successful in securing an Adjournment debate on Thursday 23 March, so I am sure that he will pursue those arguments then.

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The purpose of this committee is to prepare and manage all technical programs for Spring Meetings and Fall Conferences. The committee shall have tentative programs established no less than six months, and final programs in place no less than two months prior to each event, in order to assure proper publicity. The committee chair shall send invitations to all speakers. Advance arrangements shall be made with all speakers for audiovisual aids and other equipment needs by the speaker. The committee chair shall send letters of appreciation to speakers immediately following the event at which the presentation is made. The Vice-Chairs of the Divisions and the Conference Director shall serve as committee members. Additional members, as deemed appropriate by the committee Chair, may be added for specific programs. This committee reports to the Governing Board.

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Man, 48, is arrested for murder after memory card is found in the street with video and 'multiple' pictures 'showing him brutally assaulting and killing a naked woman in a $140 a night Marriott Hotel hotel room' Brian Steven Smith is accused of recording the disturbing footage himself He was arraigned Wednesday after his arrest at an Anchorage, Alaska, airport The police affidavit describes in brutal detail how video and images show the victim being beaten on the floor of the TownePlace Suites by Marriott in the city Police said they were familiar with Smith from another investigation A caller last week reported to police finding the memory card on a city street Police believe the killing occurred in September and think human remains found along a highway earlier this month are those of the woman in the videos By Lauren Fruen For Dailymail.com and Associated Press Published: 15:43 EST, 9 October 2019 | Updated: 02:05 EST, 10 October 2019 A man has been arrested for murder after a memory card containing a video that police say captured him brutally assaulting and killing a naked woman in an Alaska hotel room was found on the street. Brian Steven Smith, 48, who was said to have recorded the disturbing footage himself, was arraigned Wednesday afternoon after his arrest at the Ted Stevens International Airport in Anchorage on Tuesday. The police affidavit describes in brutal detail how video and images show the victim being beaten on the floor of the TownePlace Suites by Marriott as she attempts to fight back, The Anchorage Daily News reports. Police said they were familiar with Smith and able to recognize him from another investigation but a spokesman declined to provide further details. Brian Steven Smith is shown being arraigned on a charge of first-degree murder at the Anchorage Jail courtroom Wednesday, October 9, in Anchorage, Alaska Smith was in custody after videos were found on a digital memory card depicting a woman being assaulted and killed in this TownePlace Suites by Marriott, police in Alaska said Later footage shows the woman, with long dark hair, being strangled before being carried through the parking lot in a white sheet. South African Smith is said to also share a truck with his wife matching one in the video and was reportedly registered to the hotel, where rooms cost around $140 a night, on the evening the video was taken. His cell phone records put near where the woman's body was found, the affidavit states. Anchorage police said a caller last week reported finding the card on a city street. Trump DEFENDS US diplomat's wife who killed British teen in... Matt Lauer angrily denies anal rape allegation made by NBC... Police believe the killing occurred in early September and think human remains found along a highway earlier this month, pictured, are those of the woman depicted in the videos Police believe the killing occurred in early September and think human remains found along a highway earlier this month are those of the woman depicted in the videos. Authorities said they are working to identify the woman and her manner of death. In a statement they said: 'Through the course of the investigation, detectives determined the crime took place in Anchorage during the first week of September. 'They identified 48-year-old Brian Steven Smith as the suspect and believe the human remains are of the adult female in the video.' Police spokesman MJ Thim said Smith had been on a flight returning to Anchorage. He did not know where Smith's flight had originated. Thim said Smith lives in Anchorage but is from South Africa, adding: 'With the SD card, one of the big questions was trying to determine whether or not this was a staged event. 'We quickly ruled that out and then started to piece together from the video, from the visual aspects for the images, and also the audio, we were able to quickly determine where this took place and we were starting to put together the timeline.' Court records did not list an attorney for Smith. Thim said police believe Smith recorded the events himself in an area hotel room. Video, photos show brutal attack of woman in Anchorage hotel by man charged in her death, charges say - Anchorage Daily News Man, 48, is arrested after memory card is found in the street showing him 'killing a naked woman'

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Publishing video content on social media platforms like Instagram or IGTV can help influencers and brands reach new customers. The only trouble is that both Instagram and IGTV have very precise video upload requirements, so each video you want to share on your IGTV channel must be saved in MP4 file format and in 9:16 aspect ratio. YouTube videos, on the other hand, are mostly horizontally oriented. If you attempt to upload a YouTube video to IGTV and wondering how to achieve it, just keep reading. Because in this article, we are going to show you how you can convert a horizontal YouTube video into IGTV vertical one with 3 different ways. If you don't already have the original file of the video you'd like to upload to your IGTV channel, you can download a video from YouTube, but keep in mind that you can't use any content without permission from its owner. Once you have the file, you can create a new project in Filmora9 and then after the project loads you should click on the File menu and select the Project Settings option. Pick one of the 9:16 video resolution options provided by the editor and click OK to confirm the changes. Click on the Import button to add a YouTube video to your project and then place it on the timeline. Your video will be displayed in the Preview Panel, and you'll be able to see that the video is positioned at the center of the panel and that its top and bottom are black. Go to the Effects tab and click on the Background Blur submenu if you want to blur the empty areas of the frame. Add the Basic Blur effect to the timeline and drag one of its sides to position it over the entire video. In case you are working with a video that already has a 16:9 aspect ratio, you can create a project that has the same aspect ratio, and then just use the Rotate slider in the Transform menu, to change turn a landscape video into a portrait video. Filmora9 lets you create vertical videos in just a few quick steps, which makes it a perfect choice for influencers and marketers who want to share video content on YouTube and IGTV. YouTubers who already have lots of videos on their channel can use online video editing platforms, like Kapwing to edit the content they want to post on IGTV. This online video editor offers a number of video editing tools that let you polish your videos before posting them on social media. Click on the Resize tool and simply copy and paste the URL of a YouTube into the appropriate bar and the platform will automatically import a video and display it on the screen once the content is finally fetched. Pick the Story (Snap/Insta) or IGTV 9:16 option and then proceed to choose the background color for your IGTV video, increase or decrease the zoom level or change the position of the video. Click on the Create button when ready and wait for Kapwing to process your video. All videos you create with the free version of this online video editor are going to be watermarked and you have to pay a six-dollar fee for each watermark-free video you edit with Kapwing or you can opt for a $20 monthly subscription fee that enables you to export an unlimited amount of videos without watermarks each month. A growing number of IGTV users chooses to rotate their videos, instead of resizing them, so if you already have a YouTube video with a 16:9 aspect ratio you can just rotate it and get a video with a 9:16 aspect ratio. Click on the Kapwing's Rotate tool and then paste the URL of your YouTube video into the URL box. Once the video is imported you just have to rotate it for 90 degrees clockwise or counterclockwise and click on the Create button. If you opt for this method of creating a vertical video for IGTV, your video will remain the same size, but the viewers will have to hold their phones horizontally in order to view it properly. Editing videos with professional video editing software products like Final Cut Pro or Premiere Pro requires a certain amount of skill. There is more than just one way to change the aspect ratio of a video in Final Cut Pro, but probably the best one is to set the project resolution to 2160X3840 or any other lower resolution that matches the 9:16 aspect ratio. During the video editing process, you will have to resize all of the footage you want to include in the final version of the video. Planning your shots and composing them differently than you would compose horizontally oriented shots can potentially save you a little time on resizing and repositioning the video clips you're working with. If you've already exported a video and uploaded it to your YouTube channel, you can open that video in Final Cut Pro and just rotate it using the Transform tools. However, the viewers will have to hold their phones in a horizontal position while watching the video if you choose this method of creating a 9:16 aspect ratio in Final Cut Pro. Posting YouTube videos on your IGTV channel is still a somewhat complicated process because you can't share posts directly from one platform to the other. Moreover, you can't upload videos that last more than ten minutes to IGTV, unless you have a verified account. Even so, the IGTV platform can help you extend the reach of your videos and increase the revenue you're generating from the content you're sharing on social media. Do you know another way of changing a YouTube video's aspect ratio before re-posting it on IGTV? Leave a comment and let us know.

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Is pool maintenance getting in the way of your swimming time? Don't waste another second taking care of your pool. Call Texas Crystal Clear Pools, LLC today to sign up for monthly pool services in Katy & River Oaks Houston, TX. Whether you're at home or away, you can depend on us to deep clean your pool. We'll give you regular updates so that you know your pool is safe to use. Whether you have a salt pool or a chlorine pool, you can depend on us to take care of it for you. We'll focus on cleaning and maintaining your pool so that you can focus on making memories with your family in your custom pool. Call 832-488-2509 now to schedule pool cleaning service. Is your pool cracking or at risk of leaking? Ask about our pool repair services. We can also install pool automation systems. Don't choose just any contractor to clean your pool. Contact us today to sign up for regular pool service. We're happy to discuss your needs in English or Spanish.

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Now, 2018 Sonic Solutions & Dee Dee are back with a Solid ballad version from Belinda's Carlisle original "Heaven Is A Place On Earth". Sonic solutions: sonic solutions has been able to put a large number of Top- 50 hits on their names in the years 2000 – 2010. Think of: the logical song (number 3 position), but also hits like "don't speak", " heaven is a place on earth" and "nasty creep"! Add the biggest dance bangers from the years 2000 – 2010 and you've got a whirling show! Recently they scored a hit of a hit together with DJ F.R.A.N.K with a remake of "All By Myself" …. Belgian Singer-Songwriter DEE DEE, is making a mark in the music industry since early 00's with her distinguished voice and catchy vocals. Eurodance, Vocal trance, Hardstyle, Hands-up, EDM…her talent has no restrictions or barriers. Her smash hit "FOREVER" conquered the world with a bang. Hitting charts all over the world. #1 in the German and UK dance charts, Official UK top10, Golden status in Hungary, Nominated "Best Dance" single at the WMC awards in Miami. Making it one of the biggest club songs of the nillies, being played and supported by the biggest Dj's. "Forever" is an absolute Clubland Classic ! The follow up single "THE ONE" received major airplay all over the globe and reached #1 in numerous dance charts worldwide, Belgian top20 and got nominated for the famous Belgian national radio "Donna Awards". Other memorable collaborations were forged with 2 Vibez, Mike Nero, Pinch & Dash, Silver Nikan, Van Dutch, Roni Meller, Dan Winter to name a few…. She went beack to hear vocal trance roots this year with the release of the self written song "IN MY HEART" with Danish Trance Guru "Dreamy" , hitting top 20 in the beatport charts. Dee Dee finds it amazing to work with so many talented producers around the world doing so many different genres of dance music ! She absolutely loves it and they love working with her too. Her Live vocal performance ON stage is outstanding. Interacting with the crowd ! Weither it`s at a festival or in a club. People are in for a great nights !

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Tangled by Carolyn Mackler. Grades 7+. HarperTeen, December 2009. Reviewed from ARC provided by publisher. Carolyn Mackler does it again in this compulsively readable novel about four teens whose lives become connected after a spring vacation at a Caribbean resort. Jena, Dakota, Skye, and Owen each have their own issues and when their lives briefly touch at Paradise resort, they have no idea how it'll effect them. I love Carolyn Mackler and I was so excited to see that she has a new book coming out! Once I started it, I absolutely couldn't put it down. The story is more like four connected novellas, each from a different perspective. First we get Jena's point of view. She's a somewhat frumpy girl who's mortified when her mom tells her they'll be spending spring break at a resort with her mom's best friend and her daughter Skye. Skye is perfect. She's thin and beautiful, attends a prestigious private school, has a gorgeous boyfriend, and acts on TV and in movies. Their moms can't seem to understand that the two girls hate being pushed together, expected to be friends because their moms are friends. Don't they get that Jena and Skye have nothing in common? I fell in love with Jena and would have been quite happy reading an entire book about her, but then we move on to Dakota's story. And then Skye's story. And then Owen's. With each transition I felt a little jarred, but quickly fell into each of the different stories. And with each perspective change, we find out how the trip to Paradise and the events that happened there have changed everything. Would you call this an issue book? Hmm. There are a lot of issues involved. Each character has his or her own Problem. I don't want to give too much away, so I'll leave it at that. You might call this an issue book. But I think the story was more about each character's journey - dealing with the issues that they have and taking a hard look at their own lives. About each character coming to realize that she can change her life. What happened in the past doesn't have to dictate who you are in the future. Tangled is out on December 29, so when your Cybils shortlist is in, take a short reading break, but not too long because you won't want to wait to pick this one up! Love the cover, but I always read Mackler first since she's not always quite appropriate for the middle school.

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Home » Blogs » Anonymous's blog » Condoning Corporate Malfeasance In Large Scale Land Acquisitions: Is Sierra Leone Becoming The "Wild West"? In 2013 ALA leased over two thousand acres of farmland in Imperi and Jong chiefdoms, Southern Sierra Leone, to set up rubber, oil palm and cocoa plantations. The company agreed to pay $5 per acre as annual rent to the landowners. Farmland in the Imperi chiefdom, where the bulk of the land was obtained, is in very short supply as the area also hosts the most destructive mineral sand mining operation in the country. For several decades, the mines have yielded rutile, a type of titanium dioxide mineral, used in the manufacture of white pigment. The mineral right owner, Sierra Rutile- a company listed on a submarket of the London Stock Exchange – uses a multi-storied water-based dredge to mine and process a thousand tons of the product per hour. The dredge leaves in its wake artificial lakes which make the mined-out land unsuitable for any useful purpose. ALA is a subsidiary of Sierra Rutile. In June 2015, Carmanor and Sierra Rutile reached agreement for the takeover of ALA. In exchange for expanding ALA's plantations and constructing an oil palm mini-mill, Carmanor will "earn-in" to ALA. In 2012, the Director General of the Food Agriculture Organization compared the spate of large scale land acquisitions in Africa to the "wild west" and called for a "new sheriff" to "restore the rule of law". This call really resonates with our context. Our sheriff seems to be aiding the breach of the law, running a protection racket for errant, gangster companies. Government institutions admittedly have their fair share of dysfunction and territorialism but the conduct of the police in this case underlines a much deeper problem. At best, this makes the government look dreadfully incompetent and confused. It does little to dispel the perception of corruption and political interference in large scale land investments. If there were a ranking of regulatory compliance by companies operating in Sierra Leone, ALA/Carmanor would be among the worst performers. ALA leased the land using a flimsy memorandum of understanding (MoU). No proper lease was drawn up or registered. Further, the company has paid only one year's rent to the land owners but has been cultivating the land continuously since 2013. The land it took and did not pay for was the source of livelihood for the land owners in an area under pressure from destructive large scale mining. It wouldn't have taken a lot for the company to honor its obligations, with each acre of land leased costing a paltry $5 per year. Sadly, it seems ALA and Carmanor could not be bothered by the predicament of the land owning families. Namati is currently working with 8 villages from the two chiefdoms to seek redress against ALA/Carmanor. On 31 May 2016, on behalf of the land owners, I terminated the MoU between ALA and the landowners for non-payment of rent, pointing out that their conduct had caused severe harm to these communities. From experience, I warned ALA/Carmanor not to attempt to contact the landowners directly. On 3 June I got an email response from the CEO of Carmanor Ltd in the United Kingdom stating that they had received the termination and the board was reviewing it. She promised to revert in a week but has yet to do so. Meanwhile, in a clear ruse, on 7 June, staff of Carmanor and Sierra Rutile approached some of the families offering cheques and getting them to thumb-print documents that they did not read or explain to them. Evidently they were attempting to change the facts on the ground in an exploitative way. In the coming days, Namati will commence court action against ALA/Carmanor, who are still proceeding as if everything is normal. Whatever the motivation, the action by the police undermines the rule of law and makes nonsense of our regulatory mechanisms. Aiding the commission of an offence is criminal. By preventing the Environment Protection Agency from carrying out its mandate, the police have become a party to the commission of an environmental offence. The Executive Management Board of the police and the Police Council need to address this aberrant and unconstitutional behavior by the police, who are meant to be "a force for good". Some companies in Sierra Leone would like nothing more than a "wild west" scenario. We must not let that happen. Our sheriff should be helping to uphold the law, not undermine it.

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Pittsburgh-natives RH Pioneers bring a modern, cerebral spin to indie folk music. Songwriter Ryan Hoffman, singer Amy Linette and guitarist Brad Collins gained an audience performing as an acoustic trio at Pittsburgh Open Mic Nights in early 2017. By years end, the band was recording their debut album and expanding their sound, adding drummer Mike Smales. RH Pioneers continue to perform at Pittsburgh bars, clubs, bookstores and music festivals, often supporting national acts or headlining local bills. RH Pioneers release their debut EP, 'In the Alps' on Nov 16. Visit http://rhpioneers.com for a free stream of the album and to stay in touch with the band. Listen to Ryan Hoffman and the Pioneers now.

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The reward of watching movies multiple times is being able to approach the material from different angles. This is my third format for seeing Jean-Pierre Melville's Army of Shadows--I first saw it in its theatrical re-release, then on DVD (my original thoughts are here), and now Blu-Ray--and this time, when I was watching, I paid attention to what a spooky movie Army of Shadows can be. That title, referring to the men who led the French Resistance in WWII, evokes the image of a spectral force, and the world Melville creates for them to go through is akin to a haunted realm, the place of the undead. It's moody and gray, quiet. We visit prison camps, occupied hotels, seaside hideaways, and in each place, normal life doesn't appear to be carrying on as always. The streets lack vibrancy, glimpses of the way things were are fleeting and far away. And in this wartime limbo, the freedom fighters operate as a separate society, a hidden military. They work in secret, though their actions eventually go public. They seem to move in between the moments in which the rest go about their business--the rest being either their enemy or the citizens they hope to liberate. They are shades. They are other. Their multiple voiceovers speak in past tense, voices from beyond the grave. Made in 1969, Army of Shadows is the story of the heroic struggle against the Nazis, who occupied France through most of the war. Lino Ventura (Touchez pas au grisbi [review]) plays Philippe Gerbier, one of the main players in this underground revolution. At the start of the movie, he's being taken to a camp for political undesirables. He is driven through rain, out to a remote locale, far from the world. One could argue this is the point where he is separated from reality as it had been known. He is sent to the limbo that precedes limbo, the waiting room for the halfway point. He plots an escape, but before he can make his break, his number is called and he's taken back to the city. Once he is among the SS, he slips always is if he were never really there. The spook has returned to his haunted country. What follows is a series of "incidents" and "missions." Philippe gathers his troops. Amusingly, it's almost like a manicured Hollywood war team--a brute, a young man, an old man, a handsome guy, a woman who really has it together. They engage in a somber combat, their actions almost imperceptible. There is the gut-clenching pain of having to kill a traitor by hand, and the delivery of supplies through tightly guarded checkpoints, and even a trip to England to try to garner support. There the otherness is even reinforced: during an air raid, Philippe stumbles into a nightclub where British soldiers are dancing. The revelers don't even notice he is there. They barely notice the bombing. They have found an oasis from the war. This is another world: Philippe and his "Chief" (Paul Meurisse) go to see Gone with the Wind . To the boss, a signal that the war is over will be when his countrymen can also experience this cinema--itself another story of struggle and division (though about as far afield of Army of Shadows in terms of tone and style as you're likely to find). Melville plays with distance throughout Army of Shadows. Not only is the commonplace now far away, but these people who are working together are also separate, working under fake names, avoiding sharing details of their past lives. He creates formal compositions to mirror the exactitude of their planning. He foregrounds and backgrounds characters on the screen to indicate their current mood. For instance, when Jean-Francois (Jean-Pierre Cassel) decides to distance himself further, Melville puts him in the extreme foreground, away from the rest. The camera eye probes scenes, such as in the prison when Philippe passes around his cigarettes, and director of photography Pierre Lhomme circles with the packet, watching its journey. Melville also concocts an ironic ruse, showing Philippe working out of a talent agency, using theatrics as a front. All of these resistance fighters are performers themselves, they all have distinct roles to play. Army of Shadows is essentially an espionage picture. It's not a war movie, even though it does involve the war. Rather, this is about the often unsung heroes, the ones who never got their due, who slowly pushed the rock up the mountain to try to make a difference. It's about tough choices and careful maneuvers. The narrative is multi-layered, complex to the point of abstraction. It's not an A to B to C plot in that each sequence suggests the next. Instead, Melville, who wrote the script from a novel by Joseph Kessel, focuses on the unexpected, the developments no one planned for. Fittingly, then, it's the everyday things that cause the most trouble. For instance, Mathilde (played by the great Simone Signoret) runs afoul of the Nazis because of a photo of her daughter she refuses to discard. Philippe also gets arrested because he's found having a meal in a restaurant that serves black market meat. It's almost like he forgot that this kind of place, sitting with others and having a meal, isn't for him anymore. It leads to Army of Shadow's most existential moment, where Philippe goes against his own self-belief and must question why everyone else knew what he would do better than he did. The Nazi guards at the prison cruelly line up their prisoners and tell them to run. If they can outrun the bullets, they will live to race death again. Philippe tells himself he will not go, but something else takes over. Fear? A survival instinct? Or maybe fate...? Francois also makes an existential choice in the movie, but he does it in secret. He doesn't even tell his comrades. He lets himself get captured, and they think he's run off. It's a perfect example of the kind of heroism I've been trying to describe. Doing what you think is right for you, and for no other reward but being true to yourself. It's an act born of alienation, but turning that lonely dread to positive action, the kind of ideal existential expression that is often glossed over by those who misunderstand the philosophy. In Philippe's moment of crisis, Melville cuts away from him and shows the actual shadows passing on the wall, the flickering figures of the titular army. One could bring up Plato's Cave, or even return to the theatricality and the whole concept of "shadowplay." Instead, I think this brief image is as straightforward in its symbolism as it seems: our experience is fleeting and difficult, but if we stand away and look at the outline of who we are, we can truly see ourselves. The true army of shadows is the congress of man, inconsequential and disconnected, but marching forward nonetheless. Criterion's 2007 DVD of Army of Shadows was one of their strongest entries in the SD format, earning high marks from me back when it was released. I'm pleased that the new HD transfer of the 2004 restoration actually improves somewhat on the original release. The changes are subtle, but they manifest in the clarity of detail and the rendering of the colors. This is a very soft movie, taking place in perpetually cloudy weather. The dour grays and blues and the hazy pallor that hangs over everything is chillier here. I wouldn't call it more pronounced, that seems counter-intuitive, but it does have a stronger overall emotional atmosphere. You can really notice it in the scenes of nature. The opening shots of the rainstorm are striking for how much rain we see, whereas the nighttime escape on the beach later on reveals all sorts of color gradients in the water and the sky. There is more nuance to both surfaces, and our eyes can now track the changes. Later, walks in the park give us nice greens. The actors also benefit, with skin tones and the lines on their face bringing their expressions to the fore, an important thing in a movie where so much occurs in silence. The original mono soundtrack is presented here in an uncompressed format, while there is also a second choice of stereo mix in DTS. I moved back and forth between them and didn't notice too much difference, though at times the stereo actually did sound more open, like there was a defined space between the two channels.

RedPajamaC4

validation

San Lazzaro di Sàvena (San Lâżer o San Lâżar in dialetto bolognese) è un comune italiano di abitanti della città metropolitana di Bologna in Emilia-Romagna. Geografia fisica Territorio La città incrocia la via Emilia (l'Æmilia, opera disposta dal console romano Marco Emilio Lepido tra il 189 a.C. e il 187 a.C.), ed è sulla destra idrografica del torrente Savena, a 6 km dal centro di Bologna (in direzione sud-est). È saldata all'agglomerato urbano del capoluogo: la separa da questo solo il corso del Savena, sulla cui sponda sinistra sorge, fra l'altro, l'omonimo quartiere della città di Bologna. Il territorio del comune si sviluppa in pianura e a ridosso delle prime colline bolognesi: è attraversato da alcuni corsi d'acqua come lo Zena, il torrente Idice ed il Savena, nonché da un reticolo idrico di minore portata. Sono presenti la Grotta della Spipola, con la sua dolina e gli affioramenti gessosi del Farneto e della Croara, che formano un complesso carsico nei gessi (con circa 200 grotte note, favorite dall'elevata solubilità del gesso e dall'azione erosiva dell'acqua), il quale, prodotto nello specifico dal corso d'acqua ipogeo del Rio Acquafredda, ha uno sviluppo complessivo di oltre 11 km ed è il maggiore dell'Europa Occidentale (esso è tutelato dal Parco dei Gessi Bolognesi e Calanchi dell'Abbadessa). Clima San Lazzaro di Savena presenta un tipo di clima che è generalmente caldo e temperato e con una piovosità annua rilevante (il sistema di classificazione climatica di Köppen-Geiger, fa rientrare il suo territorio nel gruppo Cfa, ossia avente un carattere subtropicale umido). Dal punto di vista legislativo (D.P.R. 26 agosto 1993, n. 412), il comune fa parte della fascia climatica E, con gradi giorno: dunque il limite massimo consentito per l'accensione degli impianti di riscaldamento è di 14 ore giornaliere, dal 15 ottobre al 15 aprile. Origini del nome La natura del nome San Lazzaro di Savena è duplice: la prima parte è da ricondurre al lazzaretto che nel Basso Medioevo era stato elevato a oriente dell'antica cinta muraria di Bologna, attorno al quale, nei secoli, sorse la comunità sanlazzarese (l'agiotoponimo deriva dunque dal suo patrono, San Lazzaro mendicante e lebbroso). Va ricordato che, in origine, la località ospitante il nosocomio era chiamata Ronco Maruni, la quale divenne San Lazzaro di Roncomaruno, proprio per la presenza dell'edificio, e in seguito abbreviato in San Lazzaro); al fiume Savena (dall'etrusco Sàvena, "vena d'acqua"), che oggi lambisce i suoi confini da nord a sud, la città deve invece l'altro tratto della propria denominazione (il corso d'acqua, dal 1776 subì una deviazione artificiale, operata per tutelare Bologna dalle sue inondazioni). Infine, mediante un Regio Decreto del 1862, il comune assunse l'attuale denominazione di San Lazzaro di Savena. Storia Preistoria ed epoca romana Abitato fin dall'antichità da gruppi pur non ancora stanziali, dediti alla pastorizia e all'attività di caccia, nel territorio comunale sono stati rinvenuti numerosi reperti risalenti al Paleolitico, all'Età del rame e all'Età del Bronzo (frazioni Croara, Farneto, Castel de' Britti, Colunga, Pizzocalvo); inoltre, con la vicina Villanova di Castenaso, è stato il primo testimone della civiltà villanoviana: nel 1853, il conte Giovanni Gozzadini portò alla luce una necropoli pre-etrusca, vicino alla parrocchia di Santa Maria Assunta di Caselle (nell'attuale frazione di Caselle). In età romana l'ambiente locale si mostrava per la sua vocazione prettamente agricola (in tal senso, testimonianze sono state trovate in un luogo centrale della città), essendo, fra l'altro, nella zona che abbracciava Bononia, nel tratto della via consolare Emilia di congiunzione con la scomparsa città di Claterna. Attorno al 190 a.C., nell'area dell'attuale frazione Colunga, si accampò parte dell'esercito romano del console Publio Cornelio Scipione Nasica, il quale, nei dintorni ove ora sorge la città di Castenaso sconfisse i Galli Boi. Successivamente, alcuni soldati rimasero in quelle terre, colonizzandole. In località Pizzocalvo, la presenza romana si materializzò nella forma di un insediamento risalente al periodo fra il I e il II secolo d.C. In epoca romana da San Lazzaro di Savena passava la via Emilia, che collegava Ariminum (Rimini) con Placentia (Piacenza) per poi continuare, grazie a un prolungamento successivo, fino a Milano (Mediolanum). Medioevo ed epoca napoleonica Feudo di Matilde di Canossa, alla morte di questa (1115), il territorio che diverrà sanlazzarese entrò a far parte di quello felsineo. All'epoca della prima cinta muraria di Bologna, presso la chiesa di San Michele dei Leprosetti, vi era anticamente un lebbrosario (la via Emilia, percorsa frequentemente, era un vettore diffusore di epidemie e comportò la creazione di lazzaretti per isolarne i colpiti). Con l'espansione della città, l'ospedale venne trasferito: in effetti, tra il XII ed il XIII secolo fu eretto un lazzaretto (dislocato come usanza del tempo, proprio fuori dalle città popolose, in maniera da limitare la propagazione delle infezioni) a tre miglia da Bologna, in una località di campagna chiamata Ronco Maruni (un antico documento riporta come funzionante tale ospedale già nel 1214). Nella disponibilità dell'edificio (governato da un rettore nominato dagli stessi infermi, i quali gli conferivano il potere di rappresentarli e di amministrare i loro beni) vi erano anche un oratorio, un pozzo, un'area ortiva e una cimiteriale. Per via del lebbrosario medioevale, col tempo, Ronco Maruni cambiò nome in San Lazzaro di Roncomaruno e successivamente in San Lazzaro. L'ospedale diventò poi una commenda affidata a varie famiglie nobili (come quella Isolani o degli Albergati). In particolare, nel XVI secolo la famiglia Alamandini (con il rettore Girolamo Alamandini) si rese protagonista della riedificazione dell'edificio ospedaliero e del restauro ed ampliamento di quello ecclesiastico (facendo erigere un campanile e un porticato). Successivamente, con provvedimenti in motu proprio, prima Papa Sisto V, quindi Urbano VIII nel 1624 ed infine Innocenzo X, assegnarono la commenda ad altre famiglie gentilizie. Nel 1692 la struttura ospedaliera e la chiesa andarono sotto l'amministrazione dell'Opera Pia dell'Ospedale degli esposti di Bologna. Verso il 1700 l'abitato si sviluppò con maggior intensità attorno alla chiesa e al nosocomio (la lebbra già da alcuni secoli aveva avuto una decisa riduzione). Proprio l'ospedale fu soppresso durante la dominazione napoleonica, nel 1801 (le truppe francesi arrivarono nel 1796). In questo periodo San Lazzaro nacque ufficialmente (1802), divenendo un comune autonomo nel 1810. Dal 1817, causa il ripristino della dominazione pontificia, venne declassato e tornò parte del comune di Bologna, come suo appodiato (per inciso, il palazzo comunale, già lebbrosario e sede di commenda, fu affidato ai Frati dell'Osservanza, nel 1818), ma riottenne l'autonomia a partire dal 1827 (con un motu proprio del pontefice Leone XII), grazie all'aiuto del politico Carlo Berti Pichat (che nel 1828 divenne il priore dell'amministrazione comunale). Con il Regio Decreto n. 923 del 16 ottobre 1862, la municipalità cambia la propria denominazione da "San Lazzaro" a "San Lazzaro di Savena". Nel XIX secolo San Lazzaro era scarsamente popolato (in rapporto alle sue dimensioni) ed importanti fenomeni di urbanizzazione o industrializzazione non lo coinvolsero: era ancora un borgo prettamente rurale. Dal Novecento a oggi Il comune di Bologna, prima nel 1927 e in seguito nel 1931, cercò di annettere a sé nuovamente il territorio di San Lazzaro, il quale rispose con un lungo contenzioso durato fino al 1935 e risoltosi a favore dei sanlazzaresi. Dopo il 25 luglio 1943 (la caduta del Fascismo) il commissario prefettizio e il segretario del Fascio furono costretti alle dimissioni. I cittadini si ripresero le istituzioni locali. Ma già dall'ottobre dello stesso anno, i soldati tedeschi (nell'ambito dellOperazione Achse) occuparono il paese (stabilendo il loro quartier generale a Villa Rusconi-Rizzi, nell'odierna frazione Croara). Il neo Partito Fascista Repubblicano occupò gli uffici comunali. In seguito, il sostegno dato dagli abitanti alla Resistenza, non rimase privo di conseguenze. L'episodio più grave si verificò il 2 luglio del 1944, quando otto civili furono rastrellati dai tedeschi delle SS (coadiuvati da fascisti locali delle Brigate Nere) dalle loro case site nella frazione Pizzocalvo, per aver vettovagliato i partigiani, e in località Croara subirono la fucilazione il giorno 3 luglio (vennero poi tumulati frettolosamente in una buca per far credere ad un loro trasferimento a Carpi, in attesa della deportazione definitiva nel Reich): verranno ricordati come i "Martiri di Pizzocalvo"Werther Romani e Mauro Maggiorani, Guerra e Resistenza a San Lazzaro di Savena, Edizioni Aspasia, San Giovanni in Persiceto, 2000. Per commemorarli, sul luogo dell'eccidio fu loro dedicata una lapide (il 3 luglio del 1946) ed eretta una stele (quest'ultima dello scultore Luigi Mattei). Nella giornata del 15 aprile 1945, un massiccio bombardamento degli Alleati (ad opera della 15ª Forza Aerea degli Stati Uniti e nell'ambito delle operazioni Craftsman e Wowser) portò la devastazione sul territorio comunale. La città fu liberata ufficialmente dal nazifascismo, il 21 aprile del 1945, con l'arrivo delle truppe alleate della 3ª Divisione Fucilieri dei Carpazi del II Corpo polaccoPier Luigi, Letizia e Gianni Marchesini, Maria Trebbi, una vita per San Lazzaro, Gianni Marchesini Editore, San Lazzaro di Savena, 2009, pp. 37 e 48 (nel 2017, in occasione del 70º anniversario della Liberazione, il Ministero della difesa ha conferito 26 "Medaglie della Liberazione" ad altrettanti ex partigiani sanlazzaresi). Conclusosi il conflitto, la città aveva subito vittime fra civili, partigiani e caduti sui campi di battaglia; il 65% degli edifici sul suo territorio risultavano rasi al suolo o fortemente danneggiati (con un novero di sfollati pari a unità circa), le infrastrutture-chiave quali ponti, acquedotti, linee telefoniche ed elettriche erano state abbattute o notevolmente colpite, come gran parte delle costruzioni scolastiche; le coltivazioni erano devastate, senza contare la presenza di estese zone in cui erano state posate mine. Dopo la ricostruzione postbellica, arrivò l'espansione edilizia degli anni settanta, iniziata negli anni cinquanta e proseguita negli anni novanta, fino ai giorni nostri, che ha fatto del comune, una sorta di sobborgo residenziale di Bologna. San Lazzaro di Savena risulta essere uno dei comuni più popolosi della provincia bolognese (il quarto per popolazione residente: conta oltre abitanti). Le origini di tale progetto espansivo sono ancora visibili, ad esempio, grazie al preciso impianto urbanistico della zona denominata Ponticella, la quale fu riqualificata dalla famiglia Brizzi-Nuccorini. Il complesso residenziale che è possibile osservare ancora oggi, sorse prevalentemente sui campi di proprietà di tale famiglia, la quale suddivise nel tempo i terreni circostanti la storica villa accanto al Savena, dando origine a strade e nuovi isolati. Le vie sono rimaste invariate e seguono ancora la disposizione geometrica definita all'epoca. San Lazzaro è sede di industrie, dislocate in buona parte nella frazione La Cicogna, un insediamento artigianale-industriale nato negli anni settanta. Oltre agli agglomerati urbani nei dintorni della via Emilia (San Lazzaro-capoluogo, La Cicogna, Idice, La Campana), ne esistono alcuni lungo la valle del fiume Idice (Castel de' Britti), del fiume Savena (Trappolone e Ponticella) e lungo la valle del torrente Zena (nel Farneto). Simboli Lo stemma di San Lazzaro di Savena è del tipo scudo svizzero, separato in quattro parti: la prima, smaltata di bianco, reca la figura di un ponte ad un arco sormontato da quattro sirene sopra ad altrettante colonne, il tutto su di un fiume azzurro; il secondo e il terzo quarto sono tinti di verde e recano il motto in oro "LIBERTAS", posto in banda; l'ultimo quarto (su sfondo bianco) reca la figura di san Lazzaro mendicante seduto, con una veste azzurra e un cane accucciato alla sua sinistra. Lo scudo è sormontato da una lupa che allatta Romolo e Remo. Lo stemma è completato da ornamenti esteriori di città e da una doppia fronda d'alloro in decusse, che lo chiude verso il basso. Nel primo quarto, è raffigurato il Ponte delle Sirene, costruito nel 1776 sul fiume Savena lungo la via Emilia, che divise San Lazzaro dall'appodiato pontificio degli Alemanni. La seconda e la terza partizione dello scudo sono in verde, in correlazione alla campagna, e il motto Libertas fa riferimento al periodo di assoggettamento alla città di Bologna. Nell'ultima parte, vi è l'allegoria del nome del comune, strettamente legato alla figura evangelica di san Lazzaro Mendicante (ritratta in riva al torrente Savena, confine della città). Lo stemma comunalePiero Guelfi Camajani, Dizionario araldico, Hoepli, Milano, 1897. fu disegnato nel 1851, su richiesta dello Stato Pontificio, e approvato nel 1857. Nel XX secolo, una circolare fascista (del 1927), disponeva che le prefetture esigessero da ciascun comune l'ufficializzazione del proprio stemma (o, in caso di assenza, che gli stessi ne richiedessero uno). Il 27 giugno del 1931, il podestà di San Lazzaro chiede al Governo di conservare lo stemma adottato oltre settanta anni prima. Ma la replica del prefetto di Bologna (del 1936) se da una parte riconosce a San Lazzaro l'esercizio del diritto alla conservazione dello stemma, dall'altra nega la possibilità che lo stesso abbia in sé anche la lupa romana (D.C.G. del 7 aprile 1937), oramai effigie del Fascismo, quindi non reputata consona a una piccola comunità come quella sanlazzarese. In seguito alla Liberazione, il comune recupera lo stemma del 1857, e a partire dal 21 dicembre 2007, ne ufficializza la revisione (ora emblema maggiormente moderno e stilizzato, pur con blasonatura identica), da accostare alla precedente versione, senza sostituirla. Il gonfalone è un drappo di bianco. Onorificenze Monumenti e luoghi d'interesse Architetture religiose Chiesa di San Lazzaro La chiesa di San Lazzaro è la principale parrocchia comunale. L'originaria cappella Duecentesca si trovava nell'area oggi occupata dal municipio, adiacente all'antico lebbrosario, e fu elevata a parrocchia nel 1924. Distrutta da un bombardamento aereo durante la seconda guerra mondiale, la chiesa fu ricostruita nella posizione attuale in piazza Bracci fra il 1946 e il 1949, su progetto degli ingegneri Ferruccio Maglioni e Rodolfo Bettazzi. Nel retro della chiesa, nel 1962, venne fatta costruire la "Casa per giovani lavoratori" (in seguito denominata "Pensione Savena"), ovvero un alloggio economico per i meno abbienti, e fu approntata anche una mensa popolare (entrambe le attività furono chiuse il 30 giugno 2014). Altre chiese Chiesa di San Francesco d'Assisi Struttura moderna in zona San Lazzaro capoluogo, la cui costruzione è terminata fra il 1992 e il 1993 e dotata di un grande organo a canne. Chiesa di San Luca Evangelista Piccola chiesa in località La Cicogna. Chiesa della Sacra Famiglia Chiesetta a pianta ottagonale (su modello della Chiesa della Madonna delle Apparizioni di Pellestrina), sita nella frazione La Cicogna (e nel cuore della comunità "Città dei Ragazzi", un'associazione laicale), nella cui cripta, dal 1980, sono custodite le spoglie del beato Don Olinto Marella (chiamato Padre Marella), fondatore dell'omonima Opera Padre Marella. Chiesa di Santa Maria Assunta di Caselle Chiesa collocata in zona centrale del territorio sanlazzarese. Chiesa di Santa Maria Assunta e San Gabriele dell'Addolorata Chiesa sita in località Idice. Chiesa di Sant'Agostino Chiesa situata nella frazione di Ponticella, costruita nel 1959 e un tempo al servizio di un collegio di Suore adoratrici ancelle del Santissimo Sacramento e della carità; fu elevata a parrocchia nel 1967. Chiesa di San Giovanni Battista Chiesa collocata in frazione Colunga, l'antica chiesa è traccia della civiltà villanoviana sul territorio, conserva infatti al suo interno una fonte battesimale che era un granaio di quell'epoca. Documentazione parrocchiale fa risalire la costruzione dedicata a San Giovanni Battista agli esordi del 1300. La "nuova" chiesa è stata invece edificata un secolo fa sopra a quella piccola preesistente (il nucleo originario fu ridotto a cappella) e possiede una facciata con elementi decorativi realizzati sia per il portale, che per il sovrastante finestrone, oltre a un timpano triangolare. Il campanile è formato da una grande guglia e da altre quattro angolari (di dimensioni minori). La parrocchia, al suo interno possiede quattro colonne di ordine ionico poste a sostegno della volta dell'altare maggiore (al centro del quale è presente un quadro, attribuito al pittore Giacomo Cavedone: La Natività di San Giovanni Battista). Nelle cappelle trovano spazio l'antica fonte battesimale, un quadro sulla crocifissione di Gesù (attribuito alla scuola del Tiziano), un altro sul Sacro Cuore di Gesù, un terzo dedicato a Santa Rita, un simulacro della Madonna (opera questa dello scultore cremonese Francesco Riccardo Monti) e quindici piccoli quadri che rappresentano i misteri del Santo Rosario (della scuola del Carracci). Chiesa di San Lorenzo del Farneto Edificata nel 1733 (il campanile è invece anteriore, 1500), al suo interno è collocata un'opera del XVII secolo di un artista della scuola di Guido Reni, che rappresenta Gesù crocifisso, affiancato dai Santi Lorenzo e Lucia. È presente anche il dipinto della Madonna della Cintura con Gesù bambino, al cui culto viene annualmente dedicata la Festa della Madonna della Cintura, per la grazia ricevuta dagli abitati del Farneto, nel corso dell'epidemia di colera del 1855, dalla quale uscirono senza registrare decessi. Chiesa e Abbazia di Santa Cecilia della Croara (e Oratorio della Madonna dei Boschi) Il complesso (che sorge a sud del comune, precisamente nella frazione Croara), faceva parte di un antico monastero benedettino e nei secoli raggiunse un notevole potere economico e prestigio religioso. Il più datato documento ufficiale che faccia menzione dell'abbazia, risale al 1095, tuttavia è possibile che l'edificio sia più antico. Il complesso (un tempo anche sede del Museo della Preistoria Luigi Donini), contiene opere come una Via Crucis (in cotto e del XVII secolo), due effigi create da Giovanni Andrea Donducci, detto il "Mastelletta" (uno su Santa Cecilia e l'altro raffigurante San Girolamo), un dipinto riconducibile alla scuola di Guido Reni, avente come soggetto Sant'Antonio di Padova, una statua in cotto appartenente al XV secolo, che riproduce l'immagine di Santa Cecilia e una pala d'altare con Gesù bambino, attribuito al pittore bolognese Annibale Carracci. Nel 1977 è stato restaurato l'antico organo a canne, usando il materiale del vecchio organo ottocentesco e riportandolo all'antico splendore. Nel 2005 l'abbazia ha ricevuto dai Club UNESCO il riconoscimento di "Patrimonio per la cultura di pace".LOratorio della Madonna dei Boschi è una piccola cappella sita all'interno di un bosco della Croara, finita di costruire nel 1630 e appartenente dal 1647 all'Abbazia di Santa Cecilia. Eretta dagli abitanti della Croara e di Rastignano per rendere grazie alla Madonna d'esser scampati alla peste del 1630, è stata restaurata nel 1998. Il poeta Enrico Panzacchi dedicò la lirica intitolata "la Leggenda", alla Madonna dei Boschi. Chiesa di Sant'Emiliano di Russo Chiesa collocata nella frazione Russo del comune. Architetture civili Monumento ai Caduti della Guerra 1915-1918 e 1940-1945 Col fine di onorare i caduti della Grande Guerra (di cui 131 sanlazzaresi), il 24 ottobre del 1921, l'allora sindaco di San Lazzaro di Savena, Enrico Casanova, istituì il "Comitato Cittadino per le Onoranze ai Caduti in Guerra" (composto sia da autorità civili che religiose, associazioni, ma anche persone comuni) il quale diede l'avvio a una raccolta fondi. Dall'idea di partenza di una commemorazione fatta mediante il collocamento di una semplice lapide, si passò alla convinzione di dover erigere un monumento nel cuore della piazza principale. Il Comitato diede l'incarico all'architetto e scultore Riccardo Venturi di realizzare l'opera da lui proposta. Il 21 settembre 1922, il Ministero della Guerra Fascista, concesse tre quintali di bronzo recuperati da rottami, per concretare le decorazioni. Il 24 settembre 1922, si tenne la cerimonia della posa della prima pietra. Il monumento, terminato a fine maggio 1923, venne inaugurato il 24 giugno successivo. Nel 1962-63, il comune designò l'architetto Ferdinando Forlay per la progettazione del rifacimento della piazza principale (nel frattempo intitolata al partigiano sanlazzarese Luciano Bracci). I risultati dello studio, contemplarono anche la variazione di posizione del monumento, dal centro, al lato orientale del piazzale. L'opera è un'alta stele costituita di pietra calcarea ornata da decorazioni bronzee. Il monolito riporta elementi propagandistici rappresentazioni della "forza" e della "supremazia" del regime fascista. La costruzione architettonica è composta da un basamento con due gradini (per i due lati più estesi di tale base, furono previste due lampade votive) sul quale si appoggia un blocco (salvaguardato agli angoli da quattro elementi verticali sagomati) che ospita, frontalmente, tre rilievi circolari dotati delle iscrizioni: "PIAVE", "V. VENETO", "MONTELLO". Sul lato sinistro di tale blocco, in un altro cerchio è incisa la dicitura: "M. GRAPPA"; sul lato destro, in un ulteriore rilievo a forma di disco, si può leggere: "GORIZIA"; infine, sulla parte retrostante vi sono altri tre elementi (sempre di tipo circolare), all'interno dei quali sono visibili le parole: "S. MICHELE", "M. SANTO", "BAINSIZZA". Il blocco fa da sostegno a due colonne di ordine dorico binate, le quali s'innestano in un parallelepipedo rettangolo (per uscirne alla sommità dello stesso) contenente frontalmente una doppia fila di nomi di caduti nel primo conflitto mondiale (al di sotto di tale elenco, c'era originariamente la seguente iscrizione, andata perduta: "MCMXV / MCM XVIII / VIRTU' DI POPOLO - AMOR DI PATRIA / EROI LI FECE / PER L'ITALIA IN ARMI / A GLORIOSA MORTE IMMOLATI / AD ETERNA VITA RINATI"). Nel lato sinistro del parallelepipedo, è presente un altro elenco di nomi; sulla parte destra, sono visibili sia un'ulteriore lista, che la data d'inaugurazione del manufatto: "24 GIUGNO 1923". Conclusa la seconda guerra mondiale, nella parte retrostante fu aggiunta la scritta: "CADUTI NELLA GUERRA 1940-1945", fornita d'una elencazione di vittime sanlazzaresi di quel conflitto, oltre che la dicitura: "PARTIGIANI" (con un ultimo insieme di concittadini periti nel corso della lotta partigiana). Tornando alla parte frontale del grande blocco principale, in essa è presente una spada bronzea "gocciolante il sangue dei caduti" (con la dicitura "SPQR" sulla guardia), al di sopra della cui impugnatura, vi è un componente bronzeo decorativo a foggia di foglie di quercia e d'alloro (rispettivamente a significare la forza e l'onore). Più in alto, su di un tratto di trabeazione, svetta un'aquila (in bronzo) ad ali semi-distese (emblema della forza). In origine, il monumento ai caduti era delimitato da una bassa recinzione in metallo. Plausibilmente, la cancellata subì la rimozione per via delle leggi fasciste che, a partire dal 1940, imponevano la requisizione del ferro per destinarlo allo sforzo bellico. In seguito, il perimetro fu definito nuovamente da un recinto (in pietra), poi anch'esso rimossoIl monumento ai caduti della Grande Guerra di San Lazzaro di Savena PDF. Dimore storiche Il territorio di San Lazzaro di Savena è disseminato di ville patrizie e palazzi storici, edificazioni di campagna degne di nota dal punto di vista architettonico e per la rilevanza delle famiglie nobiliari che le hanno commissionate. Villa Bellaria Villa Bellaria è una costruzione cinquecentesca. Già della famiglia dei Malvasia, andò in proprietà ai Pepoli, poi ai Boschi ed ai Mondani-Coltelli, quindi, all'azienda Furla. Attorno alla villa, nel corso del tempo furono espropriati diverse porzioni di terreno per consentire, negli anni venti, il collegamento del vicino ospedale Bellaria alla viabilità ordinaria e, in tempi recenti, per ragioni generali di assetto urbanistico. Negli anni della seconda guerra mondiale Villa Bellaria fu requisita al fine d'essere convertita a centro meccanografico di un istituto bancario, poi trasformata negli ambienti redazionali del quotidiano L'Avvenire d'Italia, quindi subì, come tutta San Lazzaro, l'occupazione tedesca. Fu anche sottoposta a bombardamenti alleati. Rimangano poche testimonianze dell'originale verde della proprietà, in quanto, per via dell'inverno ostile occorso fra il 1944-1945, una parte degli alberi fu abbattuta ad uso di riscaldamento. Il giardino ha avuto un parziale ripristino postbellico e, negli anni novanta (a seguito dell'acquisizione della società Furla), un restauro approfondito con la consulenza del paesaggista Paolo Pejrone). Villa Brizzi-Nuccorini Villa Brizzi è un antico edificio settecentesco sito al centro della frazione Ponticella (un tempo area agricola della famiglia Brizzi, proprietaria dei terreni circostanti). Nel corso dell'Ottocento, vennero ospitati anche personaggi illustri e rimase residenza estiva fino ai bombardamenti che colpirono pesantemente la villa (sede del comando tedesco), verso la fine della Seconda Guerra mondiale. Nel 1950 gli eredi la ricostruirono con la stessa volumetria precedente, senza però restaurare gli affreschi che la caratterizzavano internamente ed esternamente. Solo verso gli anni '80, la famiglia Nuccorini vendette la villa ed il comune espropriò il parco secolare rimanente, convertendolo in parco pubblico. Villa Cicogna Villa Cicogna (o Villa Boncompagni alla Cicogna) è una residenza cinquecentesca situata nella frazione La Cicogna, lungo la via Emilia. È considerata uno degli ultimi lavori dell'architetto Jacopo Barozzi e, sebbene incompiuta, è uno dei primi esempi del "periodo aureo" per le ville bolognesi di campagna. L'edificio fu commissionato dal marchese Giacomo Boncompagni, figlio di Ugo Boncompagni (poi papa Gregorio XIII). Nei secoli appartenne a famiglie aristocratiche quali i Colonna, i Pepoli, i Paleotti e gli Aldrovandi, e più recentemente a società private. All'interno custodisce stucchi e affreschi, fra cui un ciclo di tempere su parete (in parte perdute) di Carlo Lodi e Antonio Rossi. La villa si trova immersa in un parco, in parte pubblico, ed è collegata alla via Emilia da un lungo viale alberato. Villa Dolfi-Ratta La villa nobiliare Dolfi-Ratta (o Castello Dolfi-Ratta), un tempo conosciuta anche come Villa Bosdari, collocata nella periferia sanlazzarese, era originariamente circondata da mura merlate che, connesse a due torri prospicienti l'edificio principale, creavano un aspetto d'insieme similare a quello di un castello: in effetti, il complesso, risalente ad epoca quattrocentesca, era un lazzaretto e la sua struttura fortificata era stata studiata per assolvere sia a funzioni sanitarie, che difensive verso il brigantaggio. La villa, nel XVI secolo passò alla ricca famiglia pavese dei Parati (in un antico dipinto custodito in una cappella che apparteneva al cavaliere Parati, sita nella Chiesa di Santa Maria della Misericordia a Bologna, è possibile scorgere l'edificio fortificato). In seguito, la proprietà giunse ai conti Grassi, quindi a quelli Pallotta i quali, nel 1730, la vendettero al marchese Ludovico Ratta. Nell'ultima parte del XVIII secolo, la marchesa Maria Dolfi-Ratta (ereditata la struttura), ordinò alcune significative revisioni architettoniche, facendo tra l'altro atterrare le mura difensive. Eleonora Dolfi-Ratta, nel 1891 lasciò in eredità la dimora a sua nipote Eleonora Agucchi Legnani, sposa del conte Girolamo De Bosdari. All'inizio degli anni sessanta del Novecento, gli eredi del conte De Bosdari cedettero la villa alla famiglia d'imprenditori Borsari, i quali vendettero (nel 1977) agli immobiliaristi Marzaduri. Intersecante un parco secolare (esteso oltre 180 000 m² e includente anche giardini all'italiana che accolgono una fauna composita: caprioli, daini, tassi, pavoni, pappagalli, fagiani e lepri), un lungo doppio viale funge da accesso alla Villa Dolfi-Ratta. L'edificio, di oltre 1 200 m² (che in tempi moderni ha subito un restauro durato 10 anni) è formato da un corpo centrale e dalle due torri laterali d'avamposto sopraccitate. L'ingresso è costituito da una ampia loggia con volta a botte ornata da affreschi rappresentanti scene di respiro mitologico. L'interno è corredato di decorazioni in stile Luigi XVI e tempere raffiguranti rovine. Nella proprietà si trovano anche un auditorium, una cappella privata approntata nel 1777 e abbellita da stucchi (situata nella torre di levante) e un'antica conserva. Villa storica, parco e giardini sono utilizzati parzialmente per varie tipologie di eventi mondani. Villa Pepoli In località La Mura San Carlo vi è ubicata Villa Pepoli (o Villa San Camillo ed ex Villa Seminario), costruita dalla famiglia nobiliare bolognese dei Pepoli alla fine del XVII secolo. La villa (era soprannominata "il serraglio", in quanto aveva una recinzione per via della numerosa e varia fauna tenuta al suo interno), passò poi ai Legnani, quindi ai Bovi e alla famiglia dei Bonora. Nel 1862 fu del Seminario Arcivescovile di Bologna (il quale fece eseguire modifiche strutturali all'unico corpo centrale dello stabile, aggiungendo due ali). Divenne luogo di villeggiatura per seminaristi fino al 1933, quando, per volere del cardinale Nasalli Rocca, fu ufficialmente inaugurato come ospizio (il San Camillo). Durante la seconda guerra mondiale Villa Pepoli fu lesa seriamente, ma questo non impedì d'accogliere sfollati. Dal 1962 al 1973 la sua destinazione d'uso mutò in studentato teologico e successivamente in ospedale. Attualmente la tenuta ospita locali dell'Azienda USL di Bologna. Villa Rodriguez Villa Rodriguez edificata nel 1855 sulla via Emilia, era la residenza estiva della famiglia Rodriguez (di origine spagnola), e fu destinata dalla marchesa bolognese Laura Bevilacqua Ariosti (vedova del marchese Annibale Rodriguez y Laso De' Buoi, deceduto nel 1901) all'istituzione di un convalescenziario per donne non abbienti. L'inaugurazione dell'istituto avvenne nel 1932. Nel 1943 l'Ospedale Maggiore di Bologna fu quasi completamente abbattuto da un bombardamento nel corso della seconda guerra mondiale e in conseguenza di ciò, nel 1944 la villa accolse nei propri locali la sua Divisione di Medicina. Causa l'occupazione tedesca e in seguito per via degli alleati, l'attività fu sospesa. Nel 1945 anche il convalescenziario fu bombardato (venne distrutto, fra l'altro, il suo archivio). Concluso il periodo bellico, Villa Rodriguez fu convertita a nosocomio di zona. La struttura riprese la sua attività assistenziale solo nel 1964, finalità che successivamente mutò in casa di riposo riservata a donne anziane. La proprietà ove è ubicata la villa (un amplissimo terreno agricolo completo di parco a carattere secolare) è stata dal comune parzialmente urbanizzata e in parte trasformata nel Parco della Resistenza. Nel 1984 l'edificio fu sottoposto ad un importante progetto di ristrutturazione ed ampliamento (lavori che si svolsero dal 1989 al 1992). Nel medesimo anno, le funzioni di casa protetta e di convalescenziario per persone anziane disabili o non autosufficienti furono ripristinateBevilacqua Ariosti Laura. Villa Salina Villa Salina, in località Farneto, è nel tempo appartenuta alle famiglie nobiliari dei Bolognini (i quali la fecero innalzare al termine del XV secolo), quindi degli Amorini, e del marchese Salina in seguito. Il territorio sanlazzarese fu pesantemente bersagliato nell'atto conclusivo del secondo conflitto mondiale: la villa fu colpita e subì danni non lievi (e l'ampio giardino, dotato di siepi labirintiche, fu distrutto). Dopo un lungo periodo d'incuria, Villa Salina è stata sottoposta ad interventi di recupero. Attualmente essa è adibita a struttura di accoglienza per anziani, con un parco che ha un'estensione superficiale di circa un ettaro, comprensiva di un giardino all'italiana col suo parterre. Altre ville storiche Villa Scornetta (sita nel capoluogo) è una tenuta rinascimentale che apparteneva alla famiglia Bianchini (fu poi acquistata nel 1808 da Vincenzo Pasquale Rusconi e giunse, per eredità, alla famiglia Berti). È attualmente di quella dei Paglia. Nella frazione di Caselle, è presente Villa Rorà (in principio dei Gozzadini, poi dei Bonfioli, quindi dei Malvezzi e ora convertita parzialmente in stabile condominiale). A Colunga vi è Villa Savioli, un complesso posseduto dai Pepoli e in seguito dai Savioli (ora è dei Marescotti). In località Croara si trovano Villa Malvasia, costruzione del XVII secolo e Villa Rusconi-Rizzi (già degli Zambeccari, quindi dei Malvezzi), oggi divenuta condominio (durante l'occupazione tedesca era stata trasformata nella loro roccaforte a San Lazzaro). Nella frazione di Pizzocalvo è collocata una villa del XVI secolo soprannominata Palazzo del Bosco (per via del suo bosco perimetrale) appartenuta inizialmente alla famiglia dei Bovio, poi ai Boncompagni, quindi ai Berti Pichat; presentemente la famiglia proprietaria è quella dei Minutoli Tegrini. A Castel de' Britti sono visibili la Villa Malvezzi, un fabbricato in stile neomedievale costruito sul finire dell'Ottocento, e Villa L'Abbadia, costruzione storica, in passato sede di ordini religiosi e poi convertita ad uso civile all'inizio del XIX secolo, facendo innalzare una torre con orologio. Altro Ponte Savena Il ponte Savena è una costruzione posta sul torrente Savena che congiunge a est il territorio della città di Bologna a quello di San Lazzaro di Savena. Tra il 1776 e 1777, fu edificato in quanto funzionale a una deviazione del Savena. Il ponte (riprodotto anche nello stemma comunale) era anticamente dotato di quattro pilastri le cui cime erano corredate da altrettante statue raffiguranti sirene (chiamate "sfingi" secondo alcuni documenti di quel periodo)Il ponte delle sirene sul Savena PDF. Pilastri e sculture furono rimossi in base a un progetto del 13 maggio 1885 e rimpiazzati da pilastri bassi sormontati da sfere (della cui esistenza tuttavia, non v'è più traccia già nelle fotografie dei primi anni del Novecento), il tutto per seguire i piani d'ampliamento della sede stradale del ponte, consentendo la circolazione della tranvia a vapore Bologna-Imola, a quel tempo in fase di costruzione. Il ponte Savena, adeguato nell'Ottocento, nella seconda guerra mondiale subì l'abbattimento e venne sostituito dall'attuale (dallo stile architettonico anodino)Pier Luigi Perazzini, Il ponte delle sirene sul Savena al confine tra San Lazzaro di Savena e Bologna, «San Lazzaro in Piazza», n. 1, marzo-aprile 2015, p. 20. Siti archeologici Scavi di via Montebello Un accidentale ritrovamento in località Pizzocalvo (via Montebello, sulla sponda sinistra del torrente Idice e nel cuore del Parco regionale dei Gessi Bolognesi e Calanchi dell'Abbadessa) ha dato l'abbrivio a due campagne di scavo del 2001 e del 2007 che hanno rivelato l'esistenza d'un importante insediamento d'epoca romana. In particolare, l'impianto rustico rinvenuto consta di una serie di ambienti, uno dei quali era un magazzino per la conservazione di generi alimentari. L'attività archeologica ha individuato sostanzialmente tre fasi d'insediamento dell'edificio, risalenti ad un periodo compreso fra il I e il II secolo d.C., e messo in luce come quella zona non fosse rilevante solo per il suo ruolo agricolo, ma anche per quanto concerne il governo dei traffici commerciali che si svolgevano tra l'Emilia e l'Etruria (attraverso la valle dell'Idice). Area della ex cava a filo Area d'interesse paleontologico è quella della ex cava a filo, nei pressi della frazione Croara (localizzata nel Parco dei Gessi Bolognesi e Calanchi dell'Abbadessa), ove si presenta un paleo-inghiottitoio, scoperto attorno al 1960. Studi sono stati portati avanti anche a partire dal 2006 e fino al 2011. La datazione del sito varia fra gli e i anni a.C. Parte dei ritrovamenti fossili consistono in volpi, lupi, ermellini, cinghiali, lepri, uri, bisonti delle steppe, resti di pini, ontani, betulle, olmi e querce. Camposanto del lazzaretto Nel maggio del 2015 gli archeologi (a seguito di lavori di rifacimento dell'arteria storica via Emilia, causa il cantiere stradale "BOBO", per il trasporto pubblico), si sono imbattuti in sepolture di pertinenza dell'antico camposanto della chiesa medievale andata distrutta (a sua volta correlata all'ex lebbrosario della zona). Precedenti scavi (1987), compiuti nel cortile municipale (nel corso di una ristrutturazione), misero in luce alcuni resti delle fondazioni dell'antico edificio di culto. Furono scoperte anche una cinquantina di tombe, la cui fattura varia a seconda del ceto sociale dei defunti: inumazione in semplici fosse, entro bare lignee o in cassoni in muratura (questi ultimi collocati all'interno del perimetro della chiesa oppure accostati alla sua facciata). Gli scavi del 2015 nel centro del comune hanno portato al rinvenimento di tombe basso-medievali (una decina), le quali ampliano i limiti di quella che si pensava potesse essere l'area cimiteriale, coinvolgendo anche l'ambito della via Emilia. A pochi centimetri dalla superficie sono state individuate spoglie adagiate nella nuda terra (ma anche alcuni resti di bare di legno) con, in molti casi, sovrapposizioni di seppellimenti. Il pozzo per la captazione delle acque La Soprintendenza Archeologia dell'Emilia-Romagna, in via Caselle (nel centro di San Lazzaro) ha compiuto scavi nel 2006 (in un cantiere edile aperto per una nuova costruzione) che hanno evidenziato un pozzo per la captazione delle acque (avente una profondità di circa 13 metri), manufatto costruito presumibilmente non prima del I secolo a.C. La funzionalità del pozzo (di servizio a un edificio rurale andato perduto e segno d'un insediamento agricolo romano nel contesto dellager Bononiensis) cessò tra la fine del II secolo d.C. e l'inizio del III secolo d.C. Nel cuore della cavità sono stati ritrovati reperti in gran numero, i cui più significativi sono rappresentati da un dupondio con al dritto la testa dell'imperatore Marco Aurelio e al rovescio la dea Vittoria (moneta coniata nel periodo 170-171 d.C.), un pendaglio di lamina bronzea traforata, uno spillone in osso con testa sferica, una Firmalampe (lucerna firmata) e un mortaio ricavato dalla pietra di Aurisina. Aree naturali Il comune fa parte del Parco regionale dei Gessi Bolognesi e Calanchi dell'Abbadessa, caratterizzato da numerosi punti di interesse. Grotta del Farneto La Grotta del Farneto (un tempo chiamata anche del Farnè, o dell'''Osteriola, nominata monumento nazionale sotto il Regno d'Italia) è una cavità del Parco regionale dei Gessi Bolognesi e Calanchi dell'Abbadessa. L'antro gessoso, che si trova nel territorio di San Lazzaro di Savena (località Farneto), venne scoperto nel 1871 dallo studente di geologia Francesco Orsoni (insieme al contadino Filippo Dorelli) e fu esplorato fino ai primi del Novecento. Negli anni cinquanta gli scavi per accedere alla grotta ripresero, ma dopo alcuni decenni di abbandono, l'ambiente fu chiuso al pubblico (a seguito di eventi franosi all'ingresso, di cui l'ultimo nel 1991) e solo dopo l'esecuzione d'interventi di consolidamento e messa in sicurezza, fu riaperto nel 2008. Campagne di scavi evidenziarono come la caverna venne frequentata dall'Età del Bronzo, con tracce rinvenute che vanno da sepolture, al vasellame vario, frammenti d'ossa d'animali e resti di vegetali bruciati. Risalente all'epoca del Messiniano, la Grotta del Farneto si addentra nella terra per uno sviluppo complessivo di oltre un chilometro (e un dislivello massimo di 44 m). La parte visitabile della cavità conta tre sale principali: la prima ha il pavimento cosparso di massi bianchi precipitati dalla volta; la seconda ha dimensioni più ridotte, mentre la terza è particolarmente estesa, ma dal soffitto basso e cristalli di gesso infissi in ogni direzione. Grotta della Spipola La Grotta della Spipola si trova all'interno del Parco regionale, in frazione Croara. Venne scoperta nel 1932 dallo speleologo bolognese Luigi Fantini, pioniere dell'esplorazione dei gessi bolognesi e fondatore della Società Speleologica Bolognese. La grotta, lunga 4 km e caratterizzata da un dislivello di 50 m, è considerata tra i maggiori complessi ipogei carsici dell'Europa occidentale, limitatamente alle formazioni gessose. Fa parte del sistema carsico chiamato "Acquafredda-Spipola-Prete Santo". Vi si accede da un ingresso artificiale costruito nel 1936, più in basso rispetto a quello naturale detto "Buco del Calzolaio" (Bus d'la Speppla in bolognese), oggi chiuso. Oasi fluviale del Molino Grande Nella frazione Idice di San Lazzaro di Savena, è possibile trovare lOasi fluviale del Molino Grande. L'oasi (collocata nell'ambito del Parco regionale dei Gessi Bolognesi e Calanchi dell'Abbadessa) include una zona umida, un lago e un tratto di bosco igrofilo (che si estende lungo le rive del torrente Idice) ed è zona di nidificazione per alcune specie di uccelli non comuni. Nell'area vi trova rifugio un'avifauna golenale che comprende il gruccione, il martin pescatore, la rondine topino, l'airone cenerino, la nitticora e la garzetta. Sulla riva sinistra del corso d'acqua Idice sono visibili i resti di un vecchio mulino. Oltre agli uccelli, è possibile incrociare caprioli, cinghiali, daini, lepri, ma anche tassi e fagiani. Nella zona sono presenti piante di pioppo, roverella, orniello, acero campestre, robinia, salice, farnia, frassino meridionale e di rovo bluastro. Sulla superficie di un lago (la conca di un'ex cava di ghiaia) si trovano anche rarità botaniche (a livello regionale) di genere acquatico come il nenufaro e la ninfea sfrangiata. Nell'oasi sono osservabili anche la salcerella, il giaggiolo acquatico e la tifa. Area di Riequilibrio Ecologico Parco Fluviale Lungo Idice In zona Idice, è visitabile la cosiddetta Area di Riequilibrio Ecologico Parco Fluviale Lungo Idice, una fascia territoriale delle dimensioni di 30 ettari in cui la vegetazione è prevalentemente formata da pioppi, robinia, amorpha e tifa. Tale progetto di riqualificazione ambientale è affidato dal comune al WWF e la sua superficie è connessa a nord al Parco Fluviale Lungo Idice di Castenaso e a sud all'Oasi fluviale del Molino Grande e al Parco di Ca' de Mandorli, sempre ad Idice (il tutto nell'ambito perimetrale del Parco regionale dei Gessi Bolognesi e Calanchi dell'Abbadessa). Parco Belpoggio Il Parco Belpoggio (attiguo alla frazione Ponticella) ha un'estensione di oltre tre ettari ed è inserito nel Parco regionale dei Gessi Bolognesi e Calanchi dell'Abbadessa. Dal 2010 l'area naturalistica è gestita dal WWF ed è dotata di uno stagno per la riproduzione degli anfibi. Parchi pubblici Parco della Resistenza Intitolato alla Resistenza italiana, questo parco è la zona di verde pubblico principale del capoluogo-comune sanlazzarese. È confinante con il territorio di Bologna (Parco dei Cedri) ed è stato realizzato all'inizio degli anni settanta (ha un'estensione di oltre 17 ettari), ricavandolo da una delle proprietà della marchesa Laura Bevilacqua Ariosti (vedova di Annibale Rodriguez y Laso De' Buoi). Parco 2 agosto Quest'area è stata portata a termine nel periodo 1979-1980, in pieno centro cittadino, ed è stata dedicata alle vittime della strage della stazione di Bologna. Ospita un palco in muratura con attorno un anfiteatro naturale, che la rende adatta ad accogliere all'aria aperta esibizioni pubbliche o cerimonie religiose. Dal settembre 2015 al giugno 2016 è stato oggetto di riqualificazione urbana. Si menzionano anche il Parco Europa, il Parco di via Scornetta, il Parco Aldo Moro, quello di Ca' De' Mandorli ed il Parco della Pace. Società Evoluzione demografica Etnie e minoranze straniere Al 1º gennaio 2016, i cittadini stranieri residenti a San Lazzaro di Savena risultavano essere (il 7,9% della popolazione totale), così suddivisi per nazionalità (sono indicati unicamente i dati superiori alle 100 unità): Romania: 607 Repubblica di Moldavia: 262 Ucraina: 208 Albania: 202 Marocco: 156 Filippine: 109 Bangladesh: 108 Pakistan: 100 Tradizioni e folclore Nell'ambito del carnevale locale, Lazzarone è la maschera ufficiale del comune, nata per iniziativa dell'istituzione culturale "Prometeo" e dalla collaborazione del burattinaio bolognese Riccardo Pazzaglia (oltre che dal coinvolgimento degli alunni di due scuole elementari). Lazzarone (nel nome vi è sia un riferimento allo stesso comune, che all'espressione dialettale generalmente impiegata per indicare un monello, un giamburrasca) incarna un sanlazzarese quindicenne nato nei primi del Novecento; è un personaggio privo di desiderio per lo studio, ma al contempo curioso (suole prendere appunti di ciò che vede e sente), smaliziato, vanitoso, amante del divertimento e degli scherzi. La maschera di Lazzarone, impersonato per la prima volta da Pazzaglia, esordì pubblicamente il 10 febbraio del 2002, in occasione della festa carnevalesca sanlazzarese, tenendo uno strambo discorso dal balcone del municipio. Qualità della vita Cultura Archivi e biblioteche Archivio Storico Comunale L'Archivio storico comunale, intitolato a Carlo Berti Pichat e parte integrante del Servizio Archivistico Metropolitano della Città metropolitana di Bologna, è collocato in un ambiente sotterraneo del Palazzo comunale (e facente parte dell'archivio propriamente detto), conserva il patrimonio documentario dell'amministrazione sanlazzarese dal 1827, anno della sua istituzione. L'archivio venne smembrato al termine degli anni sessanta e smistato su diverse sedi. Nel 1996, fu nuovamente assemblato, riordinato, inventariato e ricollocato in municipio. Nel 1998 nacque la sezione separata denominata Archivio Storico comunale, un istituto incaricato della custodia della documentazione più datata di San Lazzaro e altri enti. L'Archivio Storico è ripartito in quattro fondi: quello comunale, che comprende la documentazione amministrativa dal 1827 fino al 1965, e tre fondi locali aggregati, ovvero, quello del Giudice conciliatore (1905-1977), della Congregazione di carità (poi Ente Comunale di Assistenza) dal 1893 al 1978, e quello del Partito Nazionale Fascista (1933-1943). È inoltre presente un archivio fotografico, che annovera materiale per gli anni che vanno dal 1900 al 2000, proveniente anche da fondi privati. Mediateca La Mediateca di San Lazzaro di Savena è stata inaugurata il 31 marzo 2007, alla presenza dell'allora sindaco Marco Macciantelli e di Romano Prodi e accompagnata da un assolo del trombettista Paolo FresuLa nostra mediateca per una nuova cultura . Fra le prime costruzioni del suo genere ad essere stata edificata in Italia, è una biblioteca di circa 1550 m² disposti su due piani, ove sono conservati libri, giornali, audiovisivi e risorse multimediali in genere. La mediateca consta di circa documenti, media audiovisivi e di 50 fra giornali quotidiani e periodici. A livello architettonico, il tetto della mediateca è obliquo e rivestito da un tappeto vegetale per incrementarne l'inerzia termica e sviluppare un effetto isolante verso le temperature invernali ed estive. La copertura è dotata anche di pannelli fotovoltaici, al fine di ridurre il fabbisogno energetico della biblioteca stessa. La struttura è integrata nel distretto culturale di San Lazzaro di Savena, di cui fanno parte anche Loiano, Monghidoro, Monterenzio, Ozzano dell'Emilia, Pianoro e Rastignano. Scuole Nel territorio si trovano due Istituti comprensivi: l'Istituto Comprensivo 1 composto da tre scuole dell'infanzia, tre scuole primarie e una scuola secondaria di primo grado, e l'Istituto Comprensivo 2 che riunisce quattro scuole dell'infanzia, tre primarie e una secondaria di primo grado. Nel comune si trovano inoltre gli Istituti di Istruzione Superiore "Enrico Mattei" e "Ettore Majorana", oltre alla sede associata del Liceo scientifico "Enrico Fermi" di Bologna. Musei Museo della preistoria "Luigi Donini" Il Museo della preistoria "Luigi Donini" era originariamente una struttura museale archeologica dedicata alla memoria del naturalista e speleologo sanlazzarese Luigi Donini. Istituito nel 1971, nel 1985 passò in gestione al comune di San Lazzaro che lo spostò nella sede attuale e favorì il rinnovo dell'allestimento e nuove acquisizioni. Ampliato nel 2003 con un nuovo allestimento, riaprì i battenti con il nome di "Museo della preistoria". Il percorso museale spiega i principali fenomeni concatenati al territorio (nelle sue origini) a livello geologico, paleoecologico e antropologico. Dal 2008 all'esterno del museo è stato inaugurato il PreistoPark, itinerario didattico sui grandi mammiferi estinti. Fondazione Cirulli La Fondazione Massimo e Sonia Cirulli è un'istituzione culturale incentrata sull'arte contemporanea del XX secolo. Ospitata in un edificio progettato da Achille e Pier Giacomo Castiglioni, si occupa della valorizzazione dell'arte, principalmente italiana tra inizio Novecento e gli anni '70, tramite l'organizzazione di mostre, eventi e laboratori. Media Stampa Nel territorio comunale è collocata la redazione del mensile nazionale dedicato allo sport Guerin Sportivo. Teatro ITC Teatro LITC Teatro è il teatro comunale di San Lazzaro di Savena e venne ufficialmente inaugurato nel 1983. Originariamente, la sua destinazione d'uso era di Aula Magna dell'Istituto Tecnico Commerciale "E. Mattei" (ora I.I.S. "E. Mattei"), da cui la costruzione prende il suo nome e nelle cui immediate vicinane è ubicata. L'edificio fu convertito su iniziativa dell'Assessorato alla Cultura del Comune. Nel corso degli anni ottanta, artisti e compagnie teatrali fra cui Annibale Ruccello e il Teatro delle Albe, vi si esibirono. Ospitando il festival/concorso per comici La Zanzara d'oro (nato nel 1985, poi divenuto di rilevanza nazionale), e grazie all'incontro con lo spettacolo cabarettistico bolognese Gran Pavese Varietà (ideato da Patrizio Roversi e Syusy Blady), calcarono il palcoscenico sanlazzarese anche gli allora esordienti Antonio Albanese, Gene Gnocchi, Daniele Luttazzi, Paolo Hendel, Fabio De Luigi e Alessandro Bergonzoni. Dal momento della sua riapertura (avvenuta nel 1998, in seguito alla chiusura forzata di alcuni anni per via di lavori di ristrutturazione), il teatro fu affidato alla gestione del cast artistico e tecnico della Compagnia del Teatro dell'Argine (in seguito vincitrice di diversi premi Ubu). LITC Teatro ha una capienza di 220 posti (120 in platea e 100 in gradinata), conta su una media di 30 000 spettatori all'anno (nella stagione teatrale 2007-2008, è risultato essere il terzo teatro in Italia per dati d'afflusso di pubblico, considerato fra quelli aventi una capienza al di sotto dei duecentocinquanta posti) e negli ultimi anni ha ospitato artisti come Paolo Rossi, Ascanio Celestini, César Brie, Marco Baliani, Valerio Binasco, Paolo Nani e Emma Dante. Musica Corpo Bandistico Musicale Città di San Lazzaro Tra il 1853 e il 1855 nacque la Banda del Comune di San Lazzaro di Savena, la quale diede inizio alla propria attività adoperandosi nel corso di manifestazioni civili e religiose. Il 6 giugno dell'anno 1859, il complesso bandistico musicale fu aggregato alla Guardia nazionale italiana. A partire dal 1860 mutò l'originaria denominazione in Banda Nazionale del Comune di San Lazzaro di Savena e come tale, e a fini patriottici, la più antica istituzione culturale sanlazzarese accompagnò i militari nelle marce ed eseguì servizi d'onore nelle riviste delle piazze d'armi. In seguito, per via dello scioglimento della Guardia nazionale italiana, il gruppo bandistico variò in Musica di San Lazzaro di Savena e continuò ad operare per ulteriori 20 anni sotto tale nome. Il 25 febbraio del 1890, la banda si legò alla Società di Mutuo Soccorso fra i Superstiti della guerra per l'Unità d'Italia (diventando Banda di San Lazzaro di Savena e Superstiti) e per essa fornì servizi d'onore e accompagnamento per le salme dei combattenti della guerra risorgimentale per l'Unità d'Italia. Successivamente, il gruppo musicale trasferì la propria sede a Bologna (ove tuttora opera con il nome di Corpo Bandistico Gioacchino Rossini). Nel 1920 la banda assunse la denominazione di Società Musicale Risorgimento, svincolata dalla Società di Mutuo Soccorso fra i Superstiti della guerra per l'Unità d'Italia. Nel frattempo, a San Lazzaro di Savena si era formato un altro corpo musicale, composto anche da alcuni membri che avevano deciso di non spostarsi nel capoluogo emiliano assieme alla banda, e che divenne il nucleo del gruppo bandistico sanlazzarese. Nell'arco delle due guerre mondiali, fu sospesa l'attività della seconda banda nata a San Lazzaro. L'odierno Corpo Bandistico Musicale Città di San Lazzaro si articola in un organico di una quarantina di elementi. In tempi recenti (il 9 maggio del 1997), la banda ha partecipato al concerto di Jovanotti, tenutosi all'Unipol Arena (all'epoca PalaMalaguti) di Casalecchio di Reno. Nel corso degli anni, la divisa appartenente al corpo musicale fu aggiornata diverse volte: la prima fu di color grigio, corredata di cappello piumato "alla bersagliera", in seguito assunse la livrea nera (seguendo il modello stabilito allora per gli ufficiali medici dell'Esercito Regio), fino a diventare l'uniforme corrente, composta da pantaloni grigi abbinati ad una giacca in tinta blu. Eventi Fiera di San Lazzaro Istituita ufficialmente il 28 aprile del 1830 (ma con origini più antiche), la Fiera di San Lazzaro (La Fira ed San Lazer, in dialetto bolognese) è un mercato tradizionale (nato come fiera di bestiami e merci) che si tiene annualmente nel periodo estivo, nel capoluogo di comune. Cresciuta d'importanza nel corso del tempo (seppur perdendo di rilevanza a partire dalla fine del XX secolo), della manifestazione contadina, nel 1882, il comune stabilì un secondo appuntamento annuo, da tenersi a settembre (ma che dagli inizi del XX secolo non ebbe più seguito). La manifestazione comprende stand di ambulanti, artisti, antiquari, appuntamenti gastronomici. Nel corso dell'evento, si svolgono spettacoli d'intrattenimento musicale. Geografia antropica Frazioni San Lazzaro di Savena nasce in via ufficiale nel 1802, unito alle frazioni di Caselle e Russo e si arricchisce, nel 1810, di ulteriori località: Castel de' Britti, Croara, Miserazzano (ovvero l'attuale Ponticella) e Pizzocalvo. Nell'epoca presente, il territorio comunale è complessivamente formato dai seguenti nuclei amministrativi: Borgatella Piccola frazione situata a nord-est di San Lazzaro (capoluogo), confinante con il torrente Idice e posta a 46 metri di altitudine sul livello del mare. Caselle Frazione molto prossima al centro e vocata anche a zona artigianale. È immediatamente confinante con il Savena ed è a 51 metri sul livello del mare. L'archeologo e conte Giovanni Gozzadini, nel 1853 scoprì presso una sua proprietà (il podere "Camposanto") a ridosso dell'attuale chiesa di Santa Maria Assunta di Caselle, un sepolcreto (composto da 193 tombe) testimonianza della civiltà villanoviana. Castel de' Britti piccola frazione collinare, il cui nome deriva da un antico castello oggi quasi completamente distrutto (ne rimane unicamente un grande arco d'ingresso). Oltre alla vecchia chiesa di San Biagio, è presente la nuova chiesa parrocchiale in stile modernista. La Cicogna Principalmente, è un nucleo artigianale (a est del centro), progettato negli anni settanta/ottanta e ancora in ampliamento. Colunga Nel 190 a.C. circa, si accamparono (nei luoghi in cui sarebbe sorta Colunga), soldati dell'esercito romano a cui faceva capo il console Publio Cornelio Scipione Nasica, vittorioso poi definitivamente sui celtici Galli Boi. Al termine delle ostilità, alcuni ufficiali di quell'esercito acquisirono quelle terre feconde per colonizzarle (a pagamento dei loro servigi). Il toponimo, nel tempo, da "colonia" cambiò in "Cologhna" e infine in Colunga.Nel 1882 furono rinvenute quindici monete d'oro romane sotterrate intorno al 13-12 a.C., fra le quali un aureo fatto coniare dal condottiero Marco Antonio. L'esemplare, è oggi custodito al British Museum di Londra.Nel 1896, l'archeologo torinese Edoardo Brizio, in uno scavo effettuato nel cosiddetto "Campo degli Spedali" (località Prati di Colunga), rinvenne la sepoltura di un individuo adulto, traccia risalente all'Età del rame.Questa frazione e a 50 metri s.l.m. Croara In questa località collinare (a 216 metri sul livello del mare) si trova la Grotta della Spipola, accreditata fra i più estesi complessi carsici ipogei del lato occidentale europeo. Sopra ad un'altura di natura gessosa sono presenti i resti del Castello di Croara.A questi luoghi (durante un soggiorno estivo nel 1915), il pittore e poeta Filippo De Pisis s'ispirò per scrivere I Canti de la Croara. Farneto Confinante con la Croara, in questa frazione posta a quota 87 metri dal livello del mare (il cui toponimo deriva dalla folta presenza di boschi di farnia) è locata la Grotta del Farneto, cavità gessosa del Parco regionale dei Gessi Bolognesi e Calanchi dell'Abbadessa. Idice Prende la sua denominazione dal vicino torrente Idice (è a 63 metri s.l.m.). Il nucleo odierno è anticamente nato attorno a un ponte sulla strada consolare romana Emilia e alla chiesa di San Giacomo, la quale assisteva un locale ospizio per pellegrini. Entrambe le strutture furono coinvolte nelle soppressioni napoleoniche agli inizi del XIX secolo. L'ospizio subì in seguito l'abbattimento e la chiesa fu sconsacrata, cambiando la sua destinazione d'uso in abitazione civile.La Tabula Peutingeriana (copia di un'antica mappa romana) riporta, nel segmento IV, 4 m, della presenza di una stazione di posta romana (poi andata distrutta) all'altezza dell'attuale Idice, chiamata "Isex flumen" (in quell'area, la strada maestra via Emilia incrociava uno dei rami della via Flaminia minor). L'ex chiesa di San Giacomo, in effetti conserva, nella sua struttura, materiali recuperati proprio dalla stazione.Presso Idice, trovano collocazione le aree naturali dellOasi fluviale del Molino Grande e lArea di Riequilibrio Ecologico Parco Fluviale Lungo Idice. La Campana Collocata in periferia sanlazzarese (tra Idice e il comune di Ozzano dell'Emilia), e a 64 metri di altitudine s.l.m., nella sua area è presente la "Zona Industriale la Campana". La Mura San Carlo Toponimo dovuto a un antico oratorio, La Mura San Carlo è una frazione periferica del comune ove si trova, fra l'altro, l'edificio localmente noto come "Ospedale San Camillo", una villa originariamente edificata nel XVII secolo e adibita a ricovero per anziani nel 1933 (oggi la struttura ospita ambulatori dell'Azienda USL di Bologna). Mirandola Frazione a sud-est del capoluogo, locata a 56 metri di altitudine sul livello del mare. Pizzocalvo Antico borgo del XIII secolo (a 83 metri sopra il livello del mare) e sede di un castello andato perduto, il suo nome era Picco Calvuli, mutato poi nell'attuale toponimo. Si unì a San Lazzaro nel 1810.Nel 1944 fu teatro dell'eccidio dei "Martiri di Pizzocalvo", perpetrato dalle SS su alcuni cittadini accusati di sostegno ai partigiani. Ponticella Anticamente conosciuta come Miserazzano, negli anni settanta questa frazione (un tempo borgata) prese il nome di Ponticella (già chiamata il Pontale, probabilmente per via della passerella in loco che permetteva l'attraversamento del corso d'acqua del Savena). Il suo confine ovest è determinato dal letto del fiume Savena. È a 72 metri sul livello del mare. Pulce Questa frazione, posta a 84 metri di altitudine sul livello del mare, ha cambiato aspetto negli anni ottanta, quando, attraverso l'acquisto di terreni ecclesiali da parte del comune, fu destinata all'ubicazione di alloggi popolari. Russo Frazione a nord del capoluogo e confinante con Borgatella. Trappolone (Paleotto): Località posta a sud-est del centro sanlazzarese (e confinante con Bologna e Pianoro), la quale prende il nome da un'antica locanda con stazione di posta. Erroneamente, è chiamata anche Paleotto (nome invece dato a un insediamento residenziale ivi presente e che risale alla fine del XX secolo. Per inciso, l'autentico Paleotto è un parco del comune di Bologna, il cui nome deriva dalla ricca famiglia medioevale bolognese dei Paleotti). Villaggio Martino Frazione confinante con Croara e Ponticella. Economia A San Lazzaro di Savena hanno a tutt'oggi sede alcune importanti aziende, quali ad esempio Conserve Italia (marchi Valfrutta, Cirio, DeRica, Derby, Derby Blue, Yoga e Jolly Colombani), Furla (sede legale), Conti Editore e Macro Group S.p.A. (Information Technology), mentre hanno avuto la loro sede storica anche Malaguti, Italjet e Grimeca, poi trasferite altrove, e l'OSCA. Artigianato Per quanto riguarda l'artigianato, San Lazzaro di Savena è rinomato soprattutto per i laboratori di oreficeria e di gioielleria. Infrastrutture e trasporti Oltre che dalla via Emilia, dalla quale è attraversata, San Lazzaro è raggiungibile tramite l'uscita dell'autostrada A14 Bologna - San Lazzaro (il 7 luglio 1966, venne inaugurato proprio a San Lazzaro di Savena, il primo tratto della autostrada Adriatica), e all'uscita della tangenziale di Bologna numero 13 (San Lazzaro). Il servizio di trasporto pubblico è assicurato dalle autocorse urbane, suburbane e interurbane svolte dalla società TPER. Il comune è inoltre servito dalla stazione urbana di San Lazzaro di Savena (inaugurata il 16 dicembre 2008), parte del Servizio Ferroviario Metropolitano di Bologna. Dal 1885 al 1935 San Lazzaro disponeva di una stazione della tranvia Bologna-Imola la quale svolgeva un servizio con trazione a vapore gestito dalla Società Veneta. Il 31 luglio 1948 San Lazzaro fu nuovamente collegata a Bologna tramite la linea 20 della rete tranviaria urbana; tale linea fu soppressa il 1º luglio 1961, sostituita da autobus. Secondo un progetto degli anni novanta, un filobus a guida ottica denominato Civis avrebbe dovuto collegare San Lazzaro con il centro di Bologna; tale progetto è stato poi aggiornato in seguito ad alcune vicende giudiziarie prevedendo la sostituzione con veicoli Crealis, modelli più evoluti a guida ordinaria. Amministrazione Sport Pallavolo: Zinella Volley Bologna società maschile, fondata nel 1972, vincitrice di uno scudetto, una coppa Italia e una coppa delle coppe. La squadra femminile ha disputato negli anni 1980 la Serie A. Scherma: Zinella Scherma, fondata nel 1998. Calcio: Football Club San Lazzaro Calcio, fondato nel 1929. Pallamano: Bologna United Handball, fondata nel 1999. Calcio a 5: Kaos Futsal, fondata nel 1983. Nell'agosto 2008 si sono tenuti a San Lazzaro i campionati mondiali di Frisbee Freestyle. Impianti sportivi PalaSavena: palazzetto dello sport con una capienza di 2700 posti, che oltre ad eventi sportivi ospita anche spettacoli e congressi. Stadio Comunale Kennedy: è dotato di un campo da calcio regolamentare (oltre a un campo da calcetto). Vi giocano il Real San Lazzaro A.S.D. e il FC San Lazzaro A.S.D. Piscina Comunale Kennedy: è dotata di una vasca coperta di 25x16 m e una profondità che varia da 1,50 m fino a 1,80 e un'ulteriore vasca coperta di 15x6 m, profonda 0,80 m. Bowling Polisport San Lazzaro, fondato nel 1986, è un centro bowling da 40 piste. Note Bibliografia San Lazzaro di Savena per i compaesani caduti in guerra, Il Resto del Carlino Sera, 28 gennaio 1922 I morti della provincia di Bologna nella guerra MCMXV-MCMXVIII, Ufficio Centrale Notizie Bologna, Bologna, Tipografia Paolo Neri, 1927 Materiali e documenti per un museo della preistoria. S. Lazzaro di Savena e il suo territorio, Fiamma Lenzi, Gabriele Nenzioni, Carlo Peretto, Bologna, Nuova Alfa Editoriale, 1985 San Lazzaro di Savena. La storia, l'ambiente, la cultura, Wherter Romani, Mario Fanti, Bologna, Edizioni Luigi Parma, 1993 L'Archivio storico comunale di San Lazzaro di Savena. Inventario a cura di M. Maggiorani e G. Romanzi, Mauro Maggiorani e Giampiero Romanzi, Bologna, Il Nove, 1996 Paolo Poggi. Un socialista alla guida di San Lazzaro, Mauro Maggiorani e Monica De Sario, Bologna, Il Nove, 1997 Per non cancellare una storia. San Lazzaro di Savena negli anni della guerra, Mauro Maggiorani, Wherter Romani, Bologna, Editrice Consumatori, 1998 I caduti non si toccano, Giancarlo Fabbri, Il Resto del Carlino, 5 gennaio 1999 Il Palazzo comunale di San Lazzaro di Savena. La storia, il restauro, Mauro Maggiorani, Cesare Bianchi, Andrea Trebbi, Bologna, Costa Editore, 1999 Guerra e Resistenza a San Lazzaro di Savena, Werther Romani, Mauro Maggiorani, Bologna, Aspasia, 2000 Novecento di Provincia. Memorie da una città emiliana: San Lazzaro di Savena, Mauro Maggiorani, Pier Luigi Perazzini, Federica Rossi, Bologna, CLUEB, 2001 Ricostruzione e Sviluppo a San Lazzaro di Savena, Matteo Mezzadri, Bologna, CLUEB, 2007 Maria Trebbi, una vita per San Lazzaro, Pier Luigi, Letizia e Gianni Marchesini, San Lazzaro di Savena, Gianni Marchesini Editore, 2009 Ponticella: quando limpido scorreva il Savena, Maria Luisa D'Amato, Bologna, ANCeSCAO, 2011 La Banda Musicale di San Lazzaro di Savena. 1853-2013: 160 anni di musica insieme, Michelangelo Abatantuono, Pier Luigi Perazzini, Bologna, Costa Editore, 2013 Quaderni del Savena, Bologna, CLUEB, nn. 12/2012, 13/2013, 14/2014-2015 AQVA FONS VITAE - Identità storia memoria di una comunità'', Paola Cossentino, Alessandra Furlani, Fiamma Lenzi, Gabriele Nenzioni, Pier Luigi Perazzini, Centro Stampa Regionale, 2016 Voci correlate Associazione Calcio Boca San Lazzaro PalaSavena Sala Paradiso Patata di Bologna Raccordo autostradale 1 Altri progetti Collegamenti esterni

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Kann mit dem DNA Service Kit gereinigt und wieder neu eingeölt werden. - This filter features DNA®'s advanced FCd (Full Contour design). - Installation of the filter is very easy; simply follow the information that can be found in the workshop manual. - A perfect airtight sealing and trouble free filter installation for the user is guaranteed by using a high quality EVA seal, which is precisely cut and factory installed (glued). - The filtering efficiency is extremely high at 98-99% filtering efficiency, with 4 layers of DNA® Cotton. - This DNA® filter is designed as a High flow filter for road use and off road use.

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Railroad Retirement and Unemployment Insurance Act, as Amended By United States the last pay-roll period in which he rendered service to it he was with respect to that service in the service of a carrier in accordance with subsection (c) of this section." The amendments in this section shall operate in the same manner and have the same effect as if they had been part of the Railroad Retirement Act of 1935 when that Act was enacted on August 29, 1935. Sec. 3. Subsection (b) of section 1532 of the Internal Revenue Code, approved February 10, 1939 (53 Stat. 1), is hereby amended by substituting for the second proviso therein the following: "Provided, however, That an individual shall not be deemed to be in the employment relation to a carrier unless during the last pay-roll period in which he rendered service to it he was with respect to that service in the service of an employer in accordance with subsection (d) of this section." Subsection (d) of section 1532 of said code is hereby amended by changing the period at the end thereof to a colon and adding the following: "Provided further, That an individual not a citizen or resident of the United States shall not be deemed to be in the service of an employer when rendering service outside the United States to an employer who is required under the laws applicable in the place where the service is rendered to employ therein, in whole or in part, citizens or residents thereof; and the laws applicable on August 29, 1935, in the place where the service is rendered shall be deemed to have been applicable there at all times prior to that date." The amendments in this section shall operate in the same manner and have the same effect as if they had been part of the Internal Revenue Code when that code was enacted on February 10, 1939, and as if they had been part correspondingly of subsections (b) and (d) of the Carriers Taxing Act of 1937 (50 Stat. 435) when that Act was enacted on June 29, 1937. Approved, June 11, 1940. Subang the provided further shall not be resident employer mode is mees therede services Priorato in part, citizen the place there atzon shall (PUBLIC-No. 764–76TH CONGRESS) (CHAPTER 664-30 SESSION) (8. 4070) AN ACT To provide for more uniform coverage of certain persons employed in coal-mining operations with respect to insurance benefits provided for by certain Federal Acts, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That section 1 (a) of the Railroad Retirement Act of 1937, section 1 (a) of the Carriers Taxing Act of 1937, section 1532 (a) of the Internal Revenue Code, and section 1 (a) of the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act are amended, effective in the case of each such Act as of the date of its enactment, by adding at the end of each such section the following new sentence: "The term "employer shall not include any company by reason of its being engaged in the mining of coal, the supplying of coal to an employer where delivery is not beyond the mine tipple, and the operation of equipment or facilities therefor, or in any of such activities." SEO. 2. Section 1 (a) of the Railroad Retirement Act of 1935 and paragraph First of section 1 of the Railway Labor Act, as amended, are amended, effective in the case of each such Act as of the date of its enactment, by adding at the end of each such section and paragraph the following new sentence: "The term 'carrier'shall not include any company by reason of its being engaged in the mining of coal, the supplying of coal to a carrier where delivery is not beyond the mine tipple, and the operation of equipment or facilities therefor, or in any of such activities." SEC. 3. Section 1 (b) of the Railroad Retirement Act of 1937, section 1 (b) of.the Carriers Taxing Act of 1937, section 1532 (b) of the Internal Revenue Code, the first paragraph of section 1 (d) of the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act, section 1 (b) of the Railroad Retirement Act of 1935, and paragraph Fifth of section 1 of the Railway Labor Act, as amended, are amended, in the case of each such Act as of the date of its enactment, by adding at the end of each such section and paragraph the following new paragraph: "The term employee' shall not include any individual while such individual is engaged in the physical operations consisting of the mining of coal, the preparation of coal, the handling (other than movement by rail with standard railroad locomotives) of coal not beyond the mine tipple, or the loading of coal at the tipple." SEC. 4. (a) The laws hereby expressly amended, the Social Security Act, approved August 14, 1935, and all amendments thereto, shall operate as if each amendment herein contained had been enacted as a part of the law it amends, at the time of the original enactment of such law. (b) No person (as defined in the Carriers Taxing Act of 1987) shall be entitled, by reason of the provisions of this Act, to a refund of, or relief from liability for, any income or excise taxes paid or accrued, pursuant to the provisions of the Carriers Taxing Act of 1937 or subchapter B of chapter 9 of the Internal Revenue Code, prior to the date of the enactment of this Act by reason of employment in the service of any carrier by railroad subject to part I of the Interstate Commerce Act, but any individual who has been employed in such service of any carrier by railroad subject to part I of the Interstate Commerce Act as is excluded by the amendments made by this Act from coverage under the Carriers Taxing Act of 1937 and subchapter B of chapter 9 of the Internal Revenue Code, and who has paid income taxes under the provisions of such Act or subchapter, and any carrier by railroad subject to part I of the Interstate Commerce Act which has paid excise taxes under the provisions of the Carriers Taxing Act of 1937 or subchapter B of chapter 9 of the Internal Revenue Code, may, upon making proper application therefor to the Bureau of Internal Revenue, have the amount of taxes so paid applied in reduction of such tax liability with respect to employment, as may, by reason of the amendments made by this Act, accrue against them under the provisions of title VIII of the Social Security Act or the Federal Insurance Contributions Act (subchapter A of chapter 9 of the Internal Revenue Code). (c) Nothing contained in this Act shall operate (1) to affect any annuity, pension, or death benefit granted under the Railroad Retirement Act of 1935 or the Railroad Retirement Act of 1937, prior to the date of enactment of this Act, or (2) to include any of the services on the basis of which any such annuity or pension was granted, as employment within the meaning of section 210 (b) of the Social Security Act or section 209 (b) of such Act, as amended. In any case in which a death benefit alone has been granted, the amount of such death benefit attributable to services, coverage of which is affected by this Act, shall be deemed to have been paid to the deceased under section 204 of the Social Security Act in effect prior to January 1, 1940, and deductions shall be made from any insurance benefit or benefits payable under the Social Security Act, as amended, with respect to wages paid to an individual for such services until such deductions total the amount of such death benefit attributable to such services. (d) Nothing contained in this Act shall operate to affect the benefit rights of any individual under the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act for any day of unemployment (as defined in section 1 (k) of such Act) occurring prior to the date of enactment of this Act. SEO. 5. Any application for payment filed with the Railroad Retirement Board prior to, or within sixty days after, the enactment of this Act shall, under such regulations as the Social Security Board may prescribe, be deemed to be an application filed with the Social Security Board by such individual or by any person claiming any payment with respect to the wages of such individual, under any provision of section 202 of the Social Security Act, as amended. SEC. 6. Nothing contained in this Act, nor the action of Congress in adopting it, shall be taken or considered as affecting the question of what carriers, companies, or individuals, other than those in this Act specifically provided for, are included in or excluded from the provisions of the various laws to which this Act is an amendment. Sec. 7. (a) Notwithstanding the provisions of section 1605 (b) of the Internal Revenue Code, no interest shall, during the period February 1, 1940, to the eighty-ninth day after the date of enactment of this Act, inclusive, accrue by reason of delinquency in the payment of the tax imposed by section 1600 with respect to services affected by this Act performed during the period July 1, 1939, to December 31, 1939, inclusive, with respect to which services amounts have been paid as contributions under the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act prior to the date of enactment of this Act. (b) Notwithstanding the provisions of section 1601 (a) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code, the credit allowable under section 1601 (a) against the tax imposed by section 1600 for the calendar year 1939 shall not be disallowed or reduced by reason of the payment into a State unemployment fund after January 31, 1940, of contributions with respect to services affected by this Act performed during the period July 1, 1939, to December 31, 1939, inclusive, with respect to which services amounts have been paid as contributions under the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act prior to the date of enactment of this Act: Provided, That this subsection shall be applicable only if the contributions with respect to such services are paid into the State unemployment fund before the ninetieth day after the date of enactment of this Act. Approved, August 13, 1940. (Excerpt From) (PUBLIC--No. 801—76TH CONGRESS) [CHAPTER 757–30 SESSION] (H. R. 10413) AN ACT To provide revenue, and for other purposes. Part II—Crediting Military Service for Annuity Purposes Under the Railroad Retirement Acts SEC. 625. The Act entitled "An Act to amend an Act entitled 'An Act to establish a retirement system for employees of carriers subject to the Interstate Commerce Act, and for other purposes', approved August 29, 1935," approved June 24, 1937 (50 Stat. 307), is hereby amended by inserting after section 3 the following new section: "Sec. 3A. (a) For the purposes of determining eligibility for an annuity and computing an annuity, including a minimum annuity, there shall also be included in an individual's years of service, within the limitations hereinafter provided in this section, voluntary or involuntary military service of an individual prior to January 1, 1937, within or without the United States during any war service period: Provided, however, That such military service shall be included only subject to and in accordance with the provisions of subsection (b) of section 3, in the same manner as though military service were service rendered as an employee: Provided further, That an individual who entered military service prior to a war service period shall not be regarded as having been in military service in a war service period with respect to any part of the period for which he entered such military service. "(b) For the purpose of this section and section 202, as amended, an individual shall be deemed to have been in 'military service' when commissioned or enrolled in the active service of the land or naval forces of the United States and until resignation or discharge therefrom; and the service of any individual in any reserve component of the land or naval forces of the United States who was ordered to

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Rock 'n' roll has rarely been as smart, soulful or satisfying than it has in the hands of The Posies. During an on/off career that's spanned three decades, the Seattle-rooted outfit, led by musical polymaths Jon Auer and Ken Stringfellow, have shaped and re-shaped their muse, creating one of the more compelling catalogues in modern pop. From the very beginning, the band sired a succession of classic LPs – including the now seminal Dear 23 and Frosting on the Beater– that served as joyous rejoinders to a generation mired in grunge. And yet, for much of their history, the band has been playing a game of genre tag semantics, dodging facile and limiting descriptions like "power pop" and "retro pop" — terms which initially greeted their 1988 debut, Failure. "We started out as teenagers, twenty-some-odd years ago, and we made this lovely, very innocent kind of record that existed in stark contrast to the prevailing winds that were blowing in Seattle at the time," notes Stringfellow. "Ever since then, people tend to think of us as this very sunny vintage-sounding band. But we really haven't been that way for a long time." "There are so many influences and styles woven into what we do and we've never made the same record twice, not even close to it," adds Auer. "And our new record is as sophisticated and challenging as anything we've ever made." Shot through with widescreen majesty, marked by a vast musical breadth and scope, as well as an endless supply of haltingly beautiful melodies, The Posies' seventh and latest album, Blood/Candy, should shatter any narrow perceptions of the band, once and for all. Following a professional and personal split between Auer and Stringfellow at the end of the '90s, the second act of The Posies' career began with 2005's triumphant reunion effort, Every Kind of Light. The group's first studio album in nearly a decade was a musically plangent and lyrically politicized album — informed heavily by the foibles of the Bush Administration and the Iraq War – that reintroduced The Posies to the world in grand fashion. In the ensuing years, the band members pursued various projects on their own, spread throughout the world, with Stringfellow working from his homebase in France, Auer settling in Seattle, drummer Darius Minwalla in Vancouver, Canada, and bassist Matt Harris in California. Writing together once again, Auer and Stringfellow began crafting a new batch of The Poises' material during the fall of 2009. Blood/Candy was eventually birthed during a furious ten-day session the following spring, as the band decamped to El Puerto de Santa Maria, Spain and the famed Paco Loco Studio. A veritable treasure trove of classic gear and worldly ambience, a hothouse atmosphere permeated the sessions, helping push The Posies into heretofore uncharted musical waters. "We lived together the whole time we were there, in an apartment 20 feet from the studio door — just ate, slept, and made the music," says Auer. "There's nothing like locking yourself in a studio you've never been to before in a foreign land with a bunch of unusual instruments and noise-making devices to up the experimental ante." The album's centerpiece in that regard is the eclectic "Accidental Architecture." "I think it's maybe the most emblematic piece in terms of how we've tried to incorporate new sounds. It works almost as a kind of visual entertainment," notes Stringfellow. An epic of musical movement, the song marshals a wide selection of styles, touching on traditional madrigals and the jazz-cool of Michel LeGrand's score for The Thomas Crown Affair, while nodding to everything from Jethro Tull to Sufjan Stevens along the way. The track sets an "anything goes" tone for the record, which is blessed with an abundance of musical riches, from the swirling pysch-flecked "The Glitter Prize" to the lush string-fueled gem "Holiday Hours," the kaleidoscopic anthem "Cleopatra Street" to the dazzling pomp-pop romp "Licenses to Hide." A smattering of stellar guests also lend their talents, including the angelic-voiced Kay Hanley of Letters To Cleo, and Lisa Lobsinger of Broken Social Scene. Even punk legend Hugh Cornwell checks in with a standout vocal turn, having been drawn into the proceedings by Matt Harris' Stranglers-influenced bassline on "Plastic Paperbacks." Once the Spain sessions wrapped, the band continued working together and separately in half a dozen studios – from Paris to Seattle to Los Angeles – adding and refining parts and pieces, creating a teeming multi-textured sonic backdrop. "This record has more of a 'Science Fiction' sound to it, if you will, more buzzes and electronic bells and whistles percolating throughout," says Auer. "We wanted to keep everyone's eardrums guessing with this, always on alert for the next left-of-center waveform." Threading all that together are the unmistakable, almost genetic harmonies of Auer and Stringfellow, which reach new heights in the emotive piano-ballad "For The Ashes" and the majestic rock thrust of "Enewetak." As usual, the easy alchemical grace of their music only serves to heighten the lyrical profundity at the heart of the songs. "This band has captured so many different stages of our lives," says Stringfellow. "I was in my 30s when we made our last album, and in my 20s when we made the album before that. And now, in my 40s, there all kinds of things that have come into play in terms of maturity and experience and emotions. It's a totally new palette to work with as a songwriter." In a real way, Blood/Candy is the perfect reflection of The Posies' evolution into a purely creative vehicle. "We do a ton of other projects besides The Posies and that's a very healthy thing," says Auer. "The result being we only do The Posies when we really want to now, never because we feel obligated, only when we're inspired. It makes a world of difference to me. It keeps it fresh and enjoyable and it makes it feel necessary." In many ways The Posies' current state mirrors the perfect economy of Big Star, the cult Memphis pop band that Auer and Stringfellow helped revive and drive for 17 years, before the tragic passing of frontman Alex Chilton this past March. "With Alex, when we did Big Star things, I'd see him maybe twice a year, and that didn't seem to matter," says Stringfellow. "It always seemed to be perfect timing, every time. And I feel like it's that way with The Posies now as well." Ultimately, the magic of The Posies lies in the special chemistry between Auer and Stringfellow. Like any great partnership, it's one that's had its ups and downs, stops and starts, over the years. But those experiences have simply served to strengthen the bonds between them. "Starting the band as kids, we developed our whole social world around each other and this group. And to erase all that at one point and to come back to it was quite healthy," says Stringfellow. "I've learned a lot about relationships in general in that my friendship with Jon has been so unbreakable." "At the core of our relationship is a long history, a history that can't be erased, something that belongs only to the two of us," says Auer. "It's what makes our collaboration unique." But Blood/Candy is not just a monument to a great past, but rather a marker of a thrilling present, and the promise of a future that holds much more in store creatively. "I definitely wouldn't have predicted that the band and our collaboration would be so fertile at this point. But that's the most exciting aspect of what we do," enthuses Stringfellow. "One thing I've observed: it doesn't feel like we've been together as long as we have," notes Auer. "And, some days, it even feels like we're just getting started. I think that's a very good sign."

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MUMBAI,JANUARY 26,2019: Multi-platinum hitmaker Jonas Blue has unveiled the official video for 'Desperate' ft Nina Nesbitt – a key track from his debut album 'Blue'. The track features Scottish singer-songwriter Nina Nesbitt who shot to fame with her 2014 debut album 'Peroxide'. The single makes for an exciting collaboration between Blue and Nesbitt with the track already amassing over two million global streams since being featured on the album.

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Who Cares About the Poor? Romney's newest gaffe isn't just another blunder. It's the beginning of a race over who is most out of touch. By John Dickerson Feb 01, 20128:30 PM Did Mitt Romney really mean he's "not concerned" about poor people? Stephen Maturen/Getty Images. Mitt Romney is now being protected by the Secret Service. Unfortunately for him, they were not in a position to jump in front of his comments Wednesday morning. The day after his Florida triumph, Romney told CNN: "I'm not concerned about the very poor. We have a safety net there. If it needs repair, I'll fix it. I'm not concerned about the very rich, they're doing just fine. I'm concerned about the very heart of America, the 90 percent, 95 percent of Americans who right now are struggling." This statement is striking for many reasons. Most are obvious—it is thoroughly ham-fisted for a politician to ever say he doesn't care about part of the electorate, particularly the "very poor." Everyone knows that much. But Romney's gaffe signals something more about the general election to come. As it looks more likely that Obama and Romney will square off, we are faced with a new prospect: The 2012 presidential election may devolve into a battle between two aloof men trading charges about who is more out of touch. Romney's slip has faint echoes of some of Barack Obama's own tone-deaf remarks from the last election. In the 2008 race, when Obama said the economy caused people to "cling to their guns and religion," it was the perfect encapsulation of a stereotype that Republicans had been sketching for months: Obama was smug, detached, and clueless. When the Democratic candidate with the Ivy League pedigree seemed dismissive of two things conservatives cherish, it intensified the feeling. I've heard this played back relentlessly on the GOP campaign trail this election. Romney has now offered his own encapsulating blunder, lightening the load for every Democratic advance man charged with making sure the crowds are raucous and ready. Anyone warming up the crowd for President Obama need only repeat these words and the roars will begin. There must be a German word for Romney's particular gift for stumbling at the moment of political triumph. This isn't the first time the wealthy Romney has freshened the image of himself as disconnected from the plight of those less fortunate than he (which, after all, is most of us). After his resounding win in New Hampshire, Romney said that income inequality was the product of "envy" and that the topic should be discussed only in "quiet rooms." Polling suggests that voters find President Obama more empathetic with their plight than Mitt Romney. Fifty-five percent of voters see President Obama as doing a decent job connecting with average Americans, including 30 percent who say he does so very well, according to a recent Washington Post poll. Thirty-nine percent of registered voters see former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney as connecting at least "fairly well" with the same group, although a slender 7 percent say "very well." Mitt Romney has a single job as the Republican frontrunner: to keep the country focused on Barack Obama's dismal record. Comments like this one distract from that purpose in two ways. They put Romney on the defensive. Of course I care about the poor, he now must say. (There are 46 million of them after all, even if they don't vote much.) They also make it much harder for him to paint the president as out of touch when he looks out of touch himself. Predictably, Romney has been hit from the left for his insensitivity and cluelessness. From the right, commentators say his answer doesn't sound very conservative because it seems to accept the permanence of the safety net. Newt Gingrich naturally pounced on Romney's mistake. Citing the remarks in a rally Wednesday, Gingrich said he was "fed up with politicians dividing Americans." Still, if you look at the context of Romney's remarks, they are defensible. He has said similar things many times. In a time of limited government resources, he wants to spend precious government dollars on the middle class first, which he thinks is the pressing problem. He may be wrong about the stability of the safety net and his programs might not help the middle class, but those are different questions than whether he is a scrooge. Romney's campaign is in a rush to clean up after the candidate, demanding that he be judged in context. But they don't have much grounds for complaint. Romney's first ad attacking President Obama took remarks he made about the economy wildly out of context. In a speech during the 2008 election, Obama quoted an aide to John McCain saying, "If we keep talking about the economy, we're going to lose." The Romney campaign made it look like the words had come from Obama, not the McCain aide. So Romney's team has no grounds to cry foul now if Democrats run up and down the street saying that Romney doesn't care about poor people. And the Secret Service can't protect him from that, either.

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Get in touch with your phone repair experts today. Phone Medic team is always nearby with a convenient location to serve you. Our fast, friendly, knowledgeable service staff and affordable device repair services are guaranteed to get you back on the road. We're open 7 days a week, so stop in today, send us a note here or give us a call!

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Devlogs & Projects / Re: Kickstarter thread! - Golden8Bits is a software that offers a simple and intuitive interface, where users can create a video game without touching a line of code, abstracting from the process of integrating multiple work platforms. - The software includes the possibility of creating graphics, levels, animations and music / sound; all in the same environment. No programming knowledge is needed. Pixel Art / Create a pixelart game entirely without touching a line of code! Hey Ma3vis thanks for the tip C64, i will dig on it!

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"Jadeja is in the same bracket as Ben Stokes" - Deep Dasgupta Ravindra Jadeja dismissed Matthew Wade in the second innings of the Melbourne Test. Ayush Chaurasia Modified 31 Dec 2020, 08:44 IST Former India wicketkeeper Deep Dasgupta lavished praise on all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja and feels the left-arm spinner belongs in the same bracket as Ben Stokes. Many experts generally consider the England star as the best all-rounder of this generation, and Dasgupta believes that Jadeja's name should be taken in the same breath. Ravindra Jadeja replaced Virat Kohli for the second Test match which was no easy feat. Jadeja showed his mettle with the bat as he scored a patient 57 runs in first innings. Deep Dasgupta praised Jadeja for his batting and felt the all-rounder has started to take his batting more seriously. He said: "As of now the way he's batting he definitely is (in the same bracket as Ben Stokes). Even during the IPL I actually said why not him at No. 4 for CSK. He's got a couple of triple hundreds in domestic cricket, getting runs there is not easy." "For Saurashtra he bats at No. 4, but for India, he comes in at 7 or 8. Somehow I felt that he never took his batting seriously enough. In 2017 he was dropped from the side but and I think what kind of prompted him was the fact that he wanted to make himself more useful to the team, not just with the ball but with the bat as well. Because Jadeja, I know for a fact, always wanted to be a batsman." ⚔⚔⚔#AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/lhmMdk14mX The all-rounder made valuable contribution in all three departments in the second Test after returning from an injury. The left-hander stitched a crucial partnership with Ajinkya Rahane and contributed with the ball in the second innings when India were a bowler short. He also star picked 3 wickets in the Test match. Is Ravindra Jadeja matching up with Ben Stokes? Deep Dasgupta is not making empty claims as Ravindra Jadeja's bowling and batting averages are slightly better than Ben Stokes over the last four years. Jadeja averages 46.29 & 24.97 with bat and ball since 2016. Meanwhile, Stokes averages 42.34 and 27.59. Jadeja's number are also better than Shakib Al Hasan as the Bangladesh all-rounder averages 38.48 and 26.03 with bat and ball. With two more Tests to go, India will hope that the all-rounder can continue with his excellent form for the rest of the Border-Gavaskar series. Published 31 Dec 2020, 08:44 IST India vs Australia 2020-21 Australia Cricket Team Indian Cricket Team Ravindra Jadeja

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Client Deep Dive: How to Create a High-Converting Webinar It's time for another Client Deep Dive Healthpreneurs! Today we've got Stacia O'Block, a fitness coach who is on the show to discuss the area of her business that need help. We'll be focusing on setting up her webinar, as she tends to get stuck in the details. To create a successful webinar, you've got to be clear on your big idea and know the four supporting legs of that big idea. By understanding what goes into a webinar that converts, Stacia is able to skip the trial-and-error process and get right into converting leads. Like so many entrepreneurs, Stacia was so focused on the details that she had forgotten to think big-picture in a while. During this episode, we'll get into the details of her webinar – while maintaining her goals at the forefront. Tune in if you're looking to improve or start crafting your webinar. In This Episode Stacia and I discuss: Finding the big idea. The 4 legs that support the big idea. Her story and how she felt inspired to do what she does. Sharing your rock-bottom to inspire others to get out of theirs. Setting up slides and catchy content. Building desire for your program and solution. 1:00 – 5:00 – Introducing Stacia and her big idea 5:00 – 11:00 – Supporting your big idea and promise 11:00 – 13:00 – Making a compelling offer and solution 13:00 – 17:00 – Understanding what goes into a webinar that converts 17:00 – 22:00 – Building the webinar's content 22:00 – 26:30 – Teaching the what and why and seeing the big picture Yuri Elkaim: Hey guys what's up? Yuri here and welcome to another client's deep dive on the Healthpreneur podcast. I'm excited to be joined by one of our clients today. Her name is Stacia O'Block and she's an amazing fitness coach, and we're going to be going deep into what she needs help with her business. So without any further ado, Stacia welcome, and let's jump into what specifically we can get some clarity around in today's discussion. Introducing Stacia and her big idea Stacia: Awesome, thank you for having me Yuri, I'm excited to be here. Yuri Elkaim: Yeah. Alright so talk to me. We were just recently talking before we started recording about the Big Idea. So what specifically can we get clarity around with respect to your Big Idea, your webinar, and then we'll brainstorm and create some cool stuff for you. Stacia: Okay, awesome. I'm looking forward to it. Stacia: So I'm kind of where I'm at, I have 3 real problems written out and have played around with what my Big Idea would be and just how they would connect and trying to figure out which one makes the most sense and committing to that. Yuri Elkaim: Sure. Stacia: Because having the lack of clarity has kind of put me at a halt, because I'm like, "whoa, where", not really sure what to do next. Yuri Elkaim: Cool. So just for our viewers and listeners. A bit of context guys, we're talking about the webinar, which is a major piece in the perfect client pipeline that we help our clients feel good. The Big Idea is kind of a hook, it's the one thing you want your viewers to buy into, the one thing you want them to really believe about your approach to whatever problem you're solving. Yuri Elkaim: So the Big Idea is important because if you don't nail the Big Idea, your webinar ends up becoming very much like what everyone else is talking about, and it's very challenging for people who are not very well-versed in marketing and haven't been doing this for so long, to wrap their head around this. So don't worry Stacia, you're not alone and we'll figure this out here. Yuri Elkaim: So, talk to me about what you have as a Big Idea right now. Stacia: Okay so, the initial one I had I didn't like because it didn't, in my word … and again, it's hard for me to differentiate between what I'm bombarded with and what my clients are. Because for me it seems like I've heard everything. Yuri Elkaim: You were mentioning you were your clients years ago, which is good to have that perspective too. Stacia: Yeah so the first one is the old way of restrictive dieting and endless hours on the treadmill is a useless protocol that keeps your body clinging onto fact and makes permanent fat loss impossible. Yuri Elkaim: Cool. Stacia: The next one, the old way of gym memberships, diet plans, and sanity workouts, personal training, follow in the current diet trend have been setting you up to fail from the day you started. Stacia: And then the old way of thinking you'll always need more: more workouts, more intensity, more variety, more diet rules, is keeping you stuck. Yuri Elkaim: Cool. So, the good news is that you can actually combine those 3 into 1 and I would extract a lot of that as the secrets or the content you're going to share in the webinar. The whole idea is that the old way people are doing things are keeping them stuck, overweight, and sabotaging their results pretty much, right? Stacia: Mm-hmm (affirmative). Yuri Elkaim: So that is the inkling of a Big Idea, and whatever the Big Idea is, it needs to be novel different contrarian, so for someone watching this it's like, "wow that's not what I was expecting". Now, the Big Idea needs to be supported by your contents, right? So discovers or secrets we talked about that are going to go now into the teaching component of your webinar need to support that big idea. Supporting your big idea and promise Yuri Elkaim: So let me just draw this out so you and our viewers can get a better sense of this. So if we look at a tabletop, right? So this is going to be your Big Idea, the tabletop itself is the Big Idea, right? Now, what your legs are going to be, so each of the legs is going to be contents, contents, and if you have more, we'll just put these in here. So all of the content you're going to share in your webinar is going to support the Big Idea. Yuri Elkaim: I don't even know what the heck I just drew there, but that's a really bad drawing of a table. My whole things [inaudible 00:05:17] got the idea is you have a Big Idea, which is like you are making your case in court, and now the jury and the judge are going to be like, "um, okay, can you show us some proof? Can you back this up or is this just some kind of hyperbole?" Yuri Elkaim: So now when you talk about, you mention a number of different things in there which I think are really golden pieces to include in your content. So if we look at, as an overarching idea, the Big Idea being the old way that you've been told to … let me backtrack for a second. What is the one major outcome you're helping your clients achieve? Stacia: See that's also where I struggle, because for me, a big thing is where I felt my worst was that I just didn't have any confidence or belief in myself. So through fitness and working out and taking care of myself, it was the first time I had been myself, and my happiness, and my health a priority, and it changed my life. So for me, that's the confidence and that is something that I'm very passionate about, but obviously I want them to lose fat in the process. Yuri Elkaim: So let me ask you this, can you remember back to when you kind of hit your wits end? Can you remember that moment where you're like, "okay I'm going to do this", in terms of your own personal transformation? Stacia: Yes. Yuri Elkaim: Okay and was that moment leading up to that, was it, "I need to lose the weight", what was the importance for you to make that transition? Stacia: Mine, it was more I had gotten myself into a situation that was … so essentially I was arrested for drinking and driving. And so again, that's not something that I would expect many of my clients to technically be able to relate to, but definitely I hit a very big rock-bottom where I knew that something in my life needed to change. And I wasn't sure what it was. Stacia: It wasn't like, "oh I need to get healthy", because while I struggled with my weight and the yo yo roller coaster diet and losing 10 pounds and gaining 20, it never was this huge struggle with my health. I never was like in super stick or had anything, I just knew something needed to change and then when I started to trade my nights out drinking for early mornings at the gym, my life totally changed. Yuri Elkaim: So what made you decide that the gym was going to be the salvation for you as opposed to going to the library and reading books for instance? Stacia: That's a good question. I would say because I wasn't happy with the way I looked, I wasn't confident, so I knew that if i started to take that part seriously, at least that was something I could put my energy and time into. Stacia: And see results verses if I read a book, am I necessarily … like there's no proof of, "oh I just became a better person or I learned something". Yuri Elkaim: Yeah. And was, and I know this is going a little bit deeper than maybe you were expecting, was the drinking kind of a way to cover up how you felt about yourself? Stacia: 100%. Yuri Elkaim: So you see, like I don't know if you're talking about this in a webinar, but I strongly would talk about this, because this is a really important story that, even though people can't relate to drinking and driving necessarily, what you're sharing here is very deep and raw. And you're essentially telling people, "listen, I was at such a point in my life where I just didn't feel good about myself, and I thought numbing the pain away with alcohol was the solution, and then this crap happened and I knew there had to be a better way". You found, your salvation was exercise. Yuri Elkaim: So I think that's a really great story to share, and whether or not people want to lose weight, have more energy, get their life back on track, that is something that's going to hit them, I believe, at a really deep level, and they're going to see themselves in your story. Not in a sense of drinking and driving necessarily, but they might recognize a moment in their life where they're like, "you know what? Yeah there are things that I'm doing that are covering up the fact that I'm not happy with where I'm at". Yuri Elkaim: And then you're basically showing them that there's a better way to feel better, more confident, happier, and that happens to be through this protocol that you've developed. Does that make sense? Stacia: That makes sense. Yuri Elkaim: Okay so with that said, and the outcome is essentially, it is a little bit of weight-loss, it's body transformation, it's basically feeling kind of like removing the mask and becoming the real you and using fitness to do that. Is that fair to say? Stacia: Mm-hmm (affirmative). Yeah. Yuri Elkaim: So then if that's the outcome, the promise of the webinar, the Big Idea could still be what we talked about. So Big Idea is that if that's the goal, then you've probably done or are considering all these different things that we've all been told for years. And your Big Idea is saying, the old way of doing that stuff is broken and it's not going to help you get results, it's probably going to make you feel even worse about yourself, which is going to compound the whole issue. Yuri Elkaim: How does that feel as a Big Idea? Stacia: That sounds good. Yuri Elkaim: Yeah? Stacia: I do a little combination of those. Making a compelling offer and solution Yuri Elkaim: Because then you have that umbrella, because now you can take the components you mentioned before, and we can break those out into the various topics for the secrets or discoveries that you can share in the content pieces of the webinar. Stacia: Mm-hmm (affirmative). Because then I like, my program is for people to have workouts they can do at home with just one thing, which is going to be the kettle bell. Yuri Elkaim: Totally. Stacia: That's kind of like the thing. So most people think you need a gym with all this equipment and you need to learn how to use 50 different pieces of equipment, but in reality, you just need this one tool and it tucks away next to your favorite pair of shoes. Yuri Elkaim: Yep, no I think that's such a great … there's less resistance to that offer, right? Stacia: Yeah. Yuri Elkaim: It's like, "I could do that. That's okay, I don't need a gym membership, I don't need a home gym, I don't need all this stuff", so I think the barrier for entry for someone in their mind to think about, "oh I could do that", as opposed to, "okay you need a gym membership, and then you have to go to Whole Foods 5 days a week, and then you need to spend an hour in the kitchen", that's like, "whoa there's no way I want to do that". Yuri Elkaim: So I think the offer itself is very compelling, and especially if you're building the case leading up to that saying how, "this is a waste of time, it's not going to get you the results. It could, but you could take forever getting there", I think that's a really nice segway from, "here's what everyone else is doing and ironically, we're seeing more overweight-ness and sickness than ever before, even with all this stuff. And here's a simpler solution that I've just discovered for myself and a lot of my clients that seems to be working better". Yuri Elkaim: So I think it's a really nice juxtaposition, so if we look at the content itself, what would be the first secret or discovery you share in the webinar? Stacia: Oh God, oh God, I can't remember, let me see, I'm trying to think where I do that. Secret or discovery, sorry. Yuri Elkaim: It's all good. Stacia: (laughs) Understanding what goes into a webinar that converts Yuri Elkaim: So while you're digging this out, for everyone watching and listening, if you guys are hopefully kind of digging this, hopefully what you're digging out of this is that creating a great webinar or any kind of, let's call it a 'fails message', or any kind of content for that matter, it's extremely important that you understand the nuances that go into this, because if you just put up a bunch of slides with some content on them, your webinar is not going to convert. Yuri Elkaim: And this is why we do what we do and help our clients through this process, because it isn't second nature for most people to think this way. Yuri Elkaim: Find it? Stacia: I believe so. So I had written out a bunch to different kind of myths and things like that, but hadn't honed in on specific ones because, again, I was trying to get the Big Idea first so I would make sure that it was consistent. Stacia: So kind of the one big discovery I feel like was what I already said, that you don't need … I don't know if that's what you're asking, but you think an at-home gym has to take up all this space, and you need all this equipment or a fancy gym membership, but really you just need this one thing. So it's like something I discovered, that I don't need all this stuff. Stacia: And I don't need to learn how to use all these things and have a complicated body-building regimen to get great results. Yuri Elkaim: I'm just going to map this out, so see if this makes more sense. So we want to make sure that there's 3 things that we address. So it's 3 things that we address, number 1 more share of contents, we want it to be novel or difference, which is kind of the same but not really. And then third is contrarian. Yuri Elkaim: Now, it doesn't have to be all 3, but it should be at least 1 of them. Stacia: Okay, so I found the 2 that were more in line with what I was looking for. So most people think hiring a personal trainer at the gym is a pinnacle of creating change in their lives, but really it shackles you to an outdated system with little support and a scheduling nightmare. See the program my clients utilize to schedule their workouts on their time, et cetera, et cetera. Yuri Elkaim: Nice, I like that. So, and remember Stacia, and everyone watching or listening. What you're sharing doesn't have to be the absolute truth, because there's truth to whatever you want to say. You could say that you need to have a personal trainer to change, but you could also take the opposite end of the spectrum, which what you're doing here is you're saying, "you don't need a personal trainer to change. In fact, it's actually holding you back", and as long as you back that up with exhibit A, exhibit B, whatever context you need to share so the person believes in what you're saying. Stacia: Yeah because for me, I have trained in person at a gym one-on-one doing that style of personal trainings, and I felt like it was kind of a cop-out for people to be like, "oh I went and I saw my trainer, so that's all I need to do for the week". Yuri Elkaim: Yep. Stacia: And with me being as busy as I am, it's not like I can sit there and make sure that every single client has their meal plan, like whatever they're doing on the back-end when they're not with me, and I didn't like that system, because I didn't think it really brought the best results for my clients. Yuri Elkaim: Yep, totally. Yuri Elkaim: I think that's a very valid point, 100%, because that is a contrarian point, that is something that people believe having a trainer is important, and now you're saying, "listen, you don't need to do that". I also don't think that it … it doesn't chop you off at the knees, because you are obviously going to be offering some type of coaching program. It's like, "well why would you offer me a coaching program?" Yuri Elkaim: But I don't think it really catabalizes your own offer because you're giving them more of an empowered solution as opposed to you being there holding their hand, doing the sit-ups for them, right? So I think that really works well with the eventual offer. Yuri Elkaim: Cool. So what we want to do in terms of the slide where we're sharing that. The first secret I discovered is going to be something clean, concise, it almost should be like a book title or something you could put into a social quote card that you could put up on Instagram and someone in one sentence are like, "wow, that actually makes a lot of sense." Yuri Elkaim: So what's another way we could say that that is going to be really quickly very impactful? Stacia: (laughs) The idea that I always had was, 'Why you should fire your personal trainer'. Building the webinar's content Yuri Elkaim: Perfect. So I love that. Yeah, secret number 1: why you should fire your personal trainer, or secret number 1 could just be 'fire your personal trainer'. And then you can talk over that, "and here's why", so I think that's really good. That's going to get people to stick and watch like, "what is this lady talking about? She's crazy." Yuri Elkaim: Okay what's the second secret or discovery? Stacia: Most people think chugging a gallon of hot water, lemon, maple syrup, and Cayenne while wearing a waist trainer will help them get the body of their dreams, but really all you need is a simple blueprint to transform your physique. Stacia: So this kind of goes along the lines of restrictive diets, and restrictive diets that I've done. So the cabbage soup diet, the master cleanse is the one with the hot water and all that stuff, and all of those ridiculous fad diets. Yuri Elkaim: Yes, so I like that. So again, if we're thinking of a way to really impact-fully say that, we could say for instance, 'the master cleanse is a master waste of time', something like that. Yuri Elkaim: You could use that, or you could say, 'If you want to go above and beyond just the master cleanse, quick-fix diets, or quick-fix gimmicks are creating long-term problems', for instance. Stacia: Mm-hmm (affirmative). That makes sense. Yeah, so I liked making it more … like making the point concise, but then when I'm speaking to it I can elaborate more, is the idea? Yuri Elkaim: Exactly. So you're trying to think of each slide that the introduction of the secret or discovery as the billboard. Like in ours, for instance, we talk about how you don't have to be famous to be financially free, right? And then we go on to talk about that. Yuri Elkaim: One of our slides is 'One-on-one is done', and then we talk about why that's the case and then we compare to group coaching and so forth. So you want that initial slide to be really impactful, something that, when they finish the webinar, they can almost remember those things. And as they're going through the content, what we're trying to do mentally is almost like we're creating a checklist. And as we're going through the webinar, the viewer wants to be like, "yep, that makes sense. Yep, that makes sense. Yep, that makes sense. I'm not quite sure about that one. Based on the way you just said it, yep, that makes sense. That makes sense." Yuri Elkaim: And every step along the webinar, they're buying in, they're buying in, they're buying in, they're buying in. The goal of the webinar is not to teach people, it's not to give away your best stuff, it's not to sell your program, it's to get people to buy into your philosophy so that when you do transition to, "here's the next step, book a call", they're like, "yeah okay this makes a lot of sense". Yuri Elkaim: Is this helpful so far? Stacia: Very helpful. Yuri Elkaim: Okay let's look at one more secret or discovery. What's the third thing? Stacia: Let's see … because I have other ones, but I'm not super sold on them because I don't think they necessarily relate to my ideal client. Like they think it's like ideas that I have, pertaining to fitness, but not necessarily my ideal client. Like I don't think they would be like, "oh yep that makes total sense". Yuri Elkaim: One of the things that I'm sure you have in here, it would be something like, 'more equipment equals more problems'. Stacia: Okay. Yuri Elkaim: And what that's going to do, is that's going to sell simplicity, and then you could even talk about, like for us, one of our secrets is 'the simple solution is usually the best one'. Yuri Elkaim: So 'more equals more problems', for instance, and you can talk about how, you know, if you go to the gym, you have a thousand [crosstalk 00:20:51] to choose from, you're totally confused, you don't need all that stuff. Stacia: Yeah I have a fun slide where I start bombarding all the different pieces of equipment, and they just start piling up and piling up and I'm like, "no you don't want that!" (laughs) Yuri Elkaim: Yeah. Stacia: So I have some fun stuff with that. So that makes sense, the 'more equipment equals more problems'. I like that. Yuri Elkaim: Totally, and if you're watching or listening to this, you can take the exact opposite approach as well. You could say, "a lot of people talk about how kettle bells, that's all you need … ". It's not whether it's true or not, it's the position and the proof that you have to back everything up. Yuri Elkaim: Because both are true on your position and how you can work with people. Some people are like, "listen I don't think a cattle bell is all you need", and that's fine. But if you're going to try the specific people for them, what you're saying is, you only want to try people who buy into your philosophy because that's what this is about. Yuri Elkaim: The webinar is a filtering tool. So it not only attracts and take to the next level the right people who agree with you and are like, "yeah tell me how this works, this sounds like this could be the thing for me". Stacia: That's awesome. Perfect. Yuri Elkaim: Yeah, so we talked about 3 secrets here, obviously you can come up with 2 more if you want. We recommend 3-5 secrets or pieces of content to share in the webinar. Remember the goal of the context is not to give the 'how', it's to teach the 'what' and 'why'. It's to tell people, "here's what to do, why to do it", or, "here's what not to do and why not to do it", which builds desire for what to do instead, which is your solution, your program that you talk to them about on the phone. Yuri Elkaim: So have we accomplished the goal Stacia? Yuri Elkaim: Yeah? Awesome. For me, what's the most useful from our discussion so far? Stacia: It's helped give me kind of an aerial view of it a little more, because I think that's one of my biggest problems, is I get really caught up in the details, and I have a hard time seeing the big picture of it all and how it all connects. So the fact that I feel like now, the 3 points that we went over do tie into what the real problem is and the Big Idea, and even just how to simplify what I'm saying in the slides so that it is really concise, because I know that's important. Teaching the what and why and seeing the big picture Yuri Elkaim: Awesome. And that's the benefit of having a coach, right? That's why you are doing what you what you're doing with your clients, and that's why we do what we do with you guys, because it's easier for me to look over your shoulder and see those blind spots or see that 30 thousand foot view. It's tougher when you're in the trenches of your own self sometimes. Yuri Elkaim: So that's awesome. Stacia: Yeah, thank you. Yuri Elkaim: Yeah totally. So Stacia, let me ask you a question. If people are watching this or are listening to this on the podcast and are considering maybe working with us or like, "you know I've never done a webinar", or, "I've done a webinar and it just hasn't worked, how do I know this is going to work for me?", what would you say to someone who's like, "should I consider working with these guys, or are they a bunch of criminals and crooks?" Stacia: (laughs) I mean I definitely was nervous at first, because investing in this program was the biggest investment I had made into my business, thus far. But for me, it came at a point where I was really unhappy with the results I was getting, and I knew that it was kind of like, "I either need to do this and say I'm committed to figuring out my business and building that life that I want, or I need to decide that that's not for me". Stacia: And by deciding it was for me, I decided to invest in this program, and I feel like sometimes I'm hard on myself like I'm going too slow or whatever else, but that has nothing to do with the program, that's everything to do with me. But feeling I have had a hard time finding the confidence in myself to build the business that I want, so having the framework and the support and amazing support, beyond amazing support. From day 1, I've felt nothing but supported, which is very nice, and to have something that I know works, because it works for me, I was like, "I was sold on this before I even got on the phone with Amy". I had sold myself, so you guys did a good job there. (laughs) Yuri Elkaim: Awesome, and that goes back to the webinar. Stacia: Yeah so was like, "if they can do it, they clearly know what they're doing", and for me, I've been in customer service for most of my life, and this outside of personal training that's been kind of my business and so seeing what amazing customer service and support you guys have offered has gone above and beyond, and for me, that has been the best part along with having everything all set up for me that I need to do. And I just kind of have to plug in and do the work, which is hard, it's very challenging to have to do the work, but I have to do the work anyways, so I would rather have structure and support while I do that work. Yuri Elkaim: Awesome. Thank you for being honest and sharing that, just like with your clients, right? They have to do the cattle bell swings, right? Stacia: Yeah. (laughs) Yuri Elkaim: But again, if you're committed like you have been, and you show up and do the work, it's amazing what can happen with this process. So Stacia, thank you so much for joining us today, for openly sharing what's going on with the webinar. Stacia: Thank you for having me. Yuri Elkaim: Absolutely, hopefully we've gotten you some more direction and clarity from this, and looking forward to see where things end up in the next couple weeks. Stacia: Okay, sounds like a plan. Yuri Elkaim: Awesome, thanks so much. Stacia: Okay, thank you. In our last "Between The Ears" episode, we talked about the three mindsets that are hurting your business. Mindset is important. It's the foundation you need to take the risks, make the changes, and implement the strategies quickly, effectively, and fearlessly. If missed this one, plug in and listen to the three most common mindsets that are hurting your business and turn them around now. How to Find Your Voice and Sell More Effectively with Sarah Anne Stewart We are back with another… Can You Sell Your Book On Health For $3K or MORE? If you're thinking about getting… 3 Life Lessons From My New Baby Boy Hey guys and welcome to another… Why Being Strapped For Cash Can Help Your Business I'm here for dinner and came…

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LINE FRIENDS is a global character brand featuring 11 characters which were originally created for use as stickers for leading mobile messenger application LINE and its 200 million active worldwide users. The company has emerged as a global creator by introducing new Intellectual Property (IP) like BT21, in addition to Animation Running Man and Usamaru. LINE FRIENDS also has collaborated with a number of renowned brands including LAMY, Beats by Dre and Brompton, all aligned with the company's philosophy and values to showcase premium character products. More recently, LINE FRIENDS has operated 108 stores globally in a total of 11 markets worldwide, in trend leading cities such Seoul, Tokyo, New York, and Shanghai, and became an independent company in January 2015. For more information please visit www.LINEFRIENDS.com. No Replies to "DJI Partners With LINE FRIENDS For First Characterized Drone"

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Tea is one of the most relaxing brews being used by the people for so many decades. Due to the ample of benefits that tea holds, an immense hike has been seen every year in its favoritism. Daily tea consumption helps in dealing with a host of health-related issues like ovarian cancer, lower blood pressure, and reduces stress etc. If any of your friends is a big tea lover, we have a list of gifts for tea drinkers that you can gift them on their birthdays or other special occasions. Tea-set tops our list when it comes to unique gifts for tea lovers, tea lovers will surely like your gift! You can select any elegant, sleek, flowering tea set with modern art and cups. This can bring a smile on the face of a tea lover, as they will add another set into their kitchen. You can look forward to any of the holistic tea sets too that will swoon any tea aficionado. Such tea sets include an array of herbs, varieties of eco-certified green tea, pots of tea and much more. You can check more tea sets on amazon and choose best one gifts for tea drinkers. Add little more fun to your friend's day by gifting them adorable little tea infusers! A tea infuser is a device in which loose, dried tea leaves are placed and it is placed in a mug of tea or hot water. This can be a great addition to the collection of tea lovers. You can find hundreds of option online. They come in various animals shapes too like of a kitty or hippo. All you need to do is fill the infuser animal with your favorite loose-leaf tea, and brew it. These drops are made up of real tea leaves, sugar, and spices. All you need to do is add one or 2 drops of it into boiling water and then stir it for few seconds and your new flavored tea is ready. This can be a great gifts for tea drinkers and mainly for the office going tea lovers or the one who loves to travel, as these drops are very handy. There are ample of flavors like Citrus Ginger, Vanilla White, Rose, Sweet Peppermint, and much more. This can also amaze your guests, as they will never know you can make a cup of tea at the drop of a drop. If you can't find this product in market then try once by ordering from amazon. One of the most useful and elegant looking gifts is the novel tea tins that are like a book in shape and hide tea inside it. Once you are done with the delicious tea inside it, you can fill it with more tea or can use it for some other store keeping purposes. This is a two in one gift. If your friend is fond of literature, this gift would be best for him. You can check more about this product on amazon. We all have tea strainers at home but they aren't perfect sometimes. They are either very loose or very tight and can be a headache for the tea lovers. So you can also gift a steel tea strainer with the finest mesh so that not even the finest particles get into your brew. There are many brands selling beautiful looking tea strainers that are large enough to expand the leaves to their full potential and can easily slide over the standard sized teacups. What could be better for a tea lover to grow the tea himself? Even they brewed ample of tea flavors; they wouldn't have grown anything yet. There are many tea plant kits available on amazon that help one to grow the herbal tea plants at their own home. You can find the detailed instructions to make sure everything goes smoothly. Not only this, there are ample of things that you can choose as gifts for tea lovers buddy incusing the customized t-shirts printing some tea stuff or customized pillow covers etc. With these gifts, show them that you care about them and their health. So hurry up and make your friend's birthday more special with these unique gifts.

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For all of your towing and recovery needs, Euless B&B Wrecker Services is the only name you should call. We will provide a fair quote and immediate service as soon as we receive your call. Contact us at 817-857-6344 today. Should you require more information, fill in the form below. You will be contacted as soon as possible.

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KCL Big Question Mumbai attacks: Condoleezza Rice arrives for talks in Pakistan US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has arrived in the Pakistani capital Islamabad on the second leg of a trip to the region in the wake of the attacks in Mumbai. By Damien McElroy in Mumbai 6:00AM GMT 04 Dec 2008 Ms Rice landed at the military Chaklala air base direct from India, where she had been on a one-day visit to show "solidarity" with New Delhi and smooth relations between nuclear-armed rivals Pakistan and India. "I am going there (Pakistan) to talk about the Pakistani response," she said. Asked if she was carrying any message from the Indian government, which says the Mumbai attackers came from Pakistan, Ms Rice said: "I am going there to talk about the Pakistani response and not to carry messages." She arrived in Islamabad a day after the Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mike Mullen flew into Pakistan before heading to India. He asked Islamabad to "investigate aggressively" any possible links that groups based in Pakistan have to the Mumbai attacks. Four Indian airports on high '9/11 terror alert' Pakistan vows to battle militants Terror suspect to be injected with truth drug Condoleezza Rice arrives for talks in India Pakistan refuses to hand over suspects to India Sonia Gandhi: We will not bow to terror Mullen met President Asif Ali Zardari, along with the top security and military leadership of the country and was told of Islamabad's commitment to work jointly with India to probe the attacks in Mumbai. Ms Rice's visit comes as India is investigates links between a senior al-Qaeda terrorist, believed to have been behind the 2002 Bali bombings, and last week's attacks in Mumbai. Police have said the man, who is said to have conceived and planned the Bali attacks on bars frequented by Westerners in which 202 people died, may have been involved in the latest outrage. Officials believe he drew up plans to attack Mumbai from the sea after visiting the city with a second man last year. An informant, who has since died in a mysterious car crash, was said to have provided details of the men's inquiries about Mumbai's vulnerable sea front. The men were said to have initially discussed attacking the American consulate by ramming an explosives-laden boat into the sea wall near the building. Operations at the consulate were relocated to an office block after that intelligence report was circulated. Police are now looking at whether the latest attacks could have been based on the intelligence gathered by the al-Qaeda man. Intelligence experts are reassessing the nature of terrorist threat faced by India in the wake of last week's Mumbai attack, which killed 171. The attack was carried out by the Kashmiri terrorist group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), but had similar characteristics to an al-Qaeda operation. There were concerns yesterday that the next attack on Westerners could come as early as the celebrations at New Year. Mumbai's Anti-Terrorism Squad said it had alerted the popular resorts of Goa and Pune that militants had infiltrated the area and could attack Western revellers at the end of the year. "We're looking at the travel advice to reflect the specific nature of the threat in the event that there is an al-Qaeda element to the terror threat in India," a British official said. Condoleezza Rice, the American Secretary of State, used her trip to India yesterday to acknowledge the international dimension of the assault on Mumbai. "Whether there is a direct al-Qaeda hand or not, this is clearly the kind of terror in which al-Qaeda participates," she said. Hours earlier the American Defence Secretary Robert Gates appeared to confirm that Westerners had been targeted. "It clearly was the action of an extremist group that apparently was targeting Americans and Britons," he said. India's Intelligence Bureau revealed it had begun investigating al-Qaeda involvement in the attacks waged by 10 men in prominent hotels, a café and railway station in Mumbai. British officials predicted that the Foreign Office travel advice would have to include a permanent warning against al-Qaeda-style attacks as a result of the Mumbai incident. Explosive devices that were found and defused at Mumbai's main railway station yesterday were suspected to be part of a cache brought by the gang. Suggestions of al-Qaeda ties have deepened Western anger at Pakistan's continued toleration of anti-India terror groups like the LeT. Miss Rice offered the Indian government strong support during her visit to New Delhi, while the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Mike Mullen, was despatched to Islamabad to push for more co-operation from the Pakistan armed forces. Miss Rice issued a strong warning to Islamabad that it must meet India's demands for disbandment of the LeT and extradition of fugitives sheltering across the border. She said: "This is the time for everybody to co-operate and do so transparently, and this is especially a time for Pakistan to do so." American, British and French diplomats were yesterday working inside the foreign affairs ministries in both New Delhi and Islamabad in an attempt to forge a blueprint for co-operation between the two nations. Cross-border relations between the two countries, which have gone to war three times since independence in 1947, remain too fraught to guarantee Islamabad will acquiesce. Anything that falls short of India's demands would inflame regional tensions. Pakistan maintains both countries are victims of "stateless aggressors," an explanation that is seen as empty posturing by New Delhi, and President Asif Ali Zardari yesterday rejected a demand to expel terror suspects, claiming the country's courts could try the 20 wanted men based on Indian evidence. The leader of India's ruling Congress party Sonia Gandhi told voters in Kashmir that India would not "bow before terrorism". "We have taken several steps to have a friendly relationship with our neighbours," she said. "It should not be taken as our weakness." The best way to transfer money overseas India's Republic Day Stories of courage Chennai floods, in pictures Narendra Modi visits Britain The Kumbh Mela Cannibal monks

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Losing Adam by Adrienne Clarke 💕 Book Blitz & Gift Card Giveaway 💕 (Contemporary Romance) What happens when the person you love most in the world suddenly becomes a stranger? Adam and Jenny's world is falling apart. Their dream of attending college together away from home quickly becomes a nightmare when Adam begins hearing the voice of the Snow Queen. Adam's startling transformation from popular drama student into a withdrawn, suspicious stranger leaves Jenny frightened and confused. How can the person she loves most in the world suddenly become someone she doesn't recognize? As Adam drifts farther and farther away into the Snow Queen's mysterious world of ice and snow, Jenny believes she must fight to bring him back or risk losing him forever. Vividly narrated by Adam and Jenny, the struggle to understand the impact of Adam's mental illness, forces both characters on a journey of self-discovery that leads to understanding about life's uncertainty, the power of first love, and the pain of letting go. Drawing on elements of The Snow Queen fairy tale, Losing Adam is a unique combination of drama and romance. Re-imagining Famous Fairy Tales Audrey Hepburn said, "If I'm honest I have to tell you, I still read fairy tales and I love them best of all." So I'm in good company when I say that I love fairy tales and often look to them for inspiration in my own writing. This is especially true in my new YA/NA novel, Losing Adam, which is partly inspired by The Snow Queen by Hans Christian Andersen. The first time I read The Snow Queen as a little girl, I was intrigued by the Snow Queen's haughty beauty and her mysterious world of ice and snow. Like all good fairy tales, there was a compelling dichotomy between the Snow Queen's cold cruelty and the warm and loving friendship between Gerta and Kai. And when Kai is spirited away by the Snow Queen on her silver sled, the fight between good and evil ensues. What stayed with me most about The Snow Queen, however, was the somewhat unusual circumstance of the girl rescuing the boy. Gerta's bravery, her determination to help her friend no matter what the cost, was first instance of female bravery I encountered in my reading life. Encountering numerous obstacles in her journey to rescue Kai, Greta faced each one with courage and intelligence. Rereading The Snow Queen as an adult I admired Greta even more, and, inspired by her example, I began to create my own heroine. Like Greta, my character would risk everything for love, even the wrath of a queen with ice around her heart. In my novel, Losing Adam, the Snow Queen is a metaphor for mental illness, and the obstacles my characters face are different, but like Greta and Kai they too are on a journey. And in true fairy tale form, appearances are deceptive. In both stories, what begins as a straightforward search and rescue mission, eventually transforms into a search for self that culminates in an understanding of life's uncertainty. How one moment you can hold spring and all if its infinite possibilities in the palm of your hand, and the next you're trying to grasp a handful of snow as it melts through your fingers. Aside from thematic similarities, I hope that what Losing Adam has in common with the original tale is complexity. With each reading, the reader will come away with fresh insights into the story and is characters. And most of all, I hope Losing Adam will resonate with readers, and that it will find a place in their heart as all the best stories do. Student Health Services: Please come in, the sign on the door said. Had that been there the last time? Come in – come in, come in, come in. The words circled slowly in my head without coming to a stop. The receptionist handed me a blue form. Please record your name and student number it said in tiny black letters. The words to an old Clash song rang in my head: Should I stay or should I go now? If I go there will be trouble, if I stay it will be double… The receptionist took in my unwashed hair and dirty jeans. "Don't worry, all of your information is kept strictly confidential." I rolled the pen back and forth between my fingers. "Does that include my parents?" "Yes, of course. We won't release your personal information to anyone without your permission." I wasn't sure I believed her, but I filled out the form anyway and headed towards the waiting area. There were a couple of other students there coughing their lungs out, so I sat down as far away from them as possible. "Adam Kane," the nurse read off a shiny plastic clipboard. The way she said my name made me feel like I had burs underneath my skin. I didn't want anyone looking at me and wondering why I was there. The nurse looked expectantly in the direction of the waiting area. Stand up! My body responded to the command in slow motion. Finally, I raised myself out of the chair and followed the nurse down a long hallway painted pea soup green. Step on a crack, break your mother's back. I counted fourteen cracks in the linoleum floor before we stopped in front of a small office. The nurse waved me towards two squat looking plastic chairs. I sat down in the one closest to the door and watched the nurse arrange a sheet of crinkly white paper on the examining table. "She hates you," the static whispered. "She wants you to die." "Stop," I said. "I'm sorry. What did you say?" the nurse asked. "Nothing," I said. "It's nothing." Didn't she hear it? Of course she did, she's just pretending. That's why she was looking at me like that; disgust seeped from the pores on her face making her skin shiny, almost wet looking. The nurse pointed to the crinkly paper. "If you'll hop up on the table for me please, I'm going to take your blood pressure." "Don't do it," one of the voices whispered. "It burns, it burns," said another. The nurse patted the table like you would a puppy. "It'll just take a minute." I moved towards the table, but when I tried to climb onto it, my arms and legs turned to Jell-O. The nurse grabbed hold of my arm and hoisted me into place. "There now, can you raise your right arm please?" Her voice was pointed and sharp, like the needles lined up on the table across from me. I squeezed my eyes shut and tried to push the voices back into the static. At first that's all they'd been, a fuzzy kind of humming, like when the TV cable went out, except that the sound was coming from inside of my head. But then the static began to take shape. Tiny pieces of black fuzz slowly bonding together until the voices were strong enough to make themselves heard over the steady hum in my brain. I hated the voices. Keeping them quiet sucked the energy from my body until I felt as thin and weightless as a shadow. I became a writer because the world inside my head was so real and vivid, sometimes more so than the outside world. In some sense I have lived parallel lives, present in my real and fictional existence in different ways. A lover of faerie tales, fantasy and gothic horror, a thread of the mysterious or unexpected runs through all my work. My dream is to find readers who will gather round and let me tell them stories that will become a part of their life the way they have become a part of mine. My short fiction has appeared in numerous publications including, The Storyteller, A Fly in Amber, New Plains Review, Silly Tree Anthologies, and in the e-zines Les Bonnes Fees, The Devilfish Review, Rose Red Review and 87 Bedford. An excerpt from my forthcoming YA novel Losing Adam won first place in the Young Adult category of the Seven Hills Literary Review contest. Win a $50 Amazon gift card! Prize/Genre: Contemporary/New Adult , Gift Card Judy Thomas April 8, 2018 at 5:28 PM I love that cover! Elizabeth Robinson April 8, 2018 at 6:39 PM Love the cover. Thanks for the giveaway. Cindi Knowles April 9, 2018 at 12:27 AM Sounds like a very intriguing book. Good luck on your tour. Thanks for the opportunity 💕 Siddhi Shailendra Nigam April 9, 2018 at 7:01 AM Love the cover!! Thanks for the giveaway ♥️♥️♥️ Stacey Smith April 11, 2018 at 8:09 PM sound deep. love the cover. Jerry Marquardt April 11, 2018 at 10:50 PM I would like to give thanks for all your really great writings, including Losing Adam. I wish the best in keeping up the good work in the future.

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Substance abuse is a direction that many people take but there are different causes. No matter the reason, everyone needs a very strong support system, especially because sometimes it is not out of a willing heart. You should also learn to encourage them to get out of the situation because there are different ways a person can apply to get out of the drug abuse. There is the detoxification process that someone has to undergo but that is not a treatment because the body of the individual still reacts to the withdrawal process. The detoxification process is never a treatment it only gives a direction to complete health but it takes time. The following are some important guidelines on heroin withdrawal timeline. Withdrawing from heroin can seem like any other detoxification process but the withdrawal timeline will be determined by different things such as how long you have been using the drug and the amount you have been using. For instance, if the person also ended up being mentally ill, the process is said to take a long time compared to a sober person who has no mental illness. It is also important to understand that the person will require a lot of support because heroin withdrawal is a very sensitive time for them and they need all the support that is available. The person will require a lot of attention in such a time, and that is why it is recommended that you take the rehabilitation center where they can be taking care of. In the rehabilitation facility, you are guaranteed that they will get all the attention they need 24 seven because they are professionals who are there to help them out. When withdrawing from heroin, you will learn that within the 6-30 hours, that is from the last dosage, the individual will be experiencing a variety of symptoms which can include sweating, dripping noses, and watery eyes. It is also important to be very cautious when it comes to the next 72 hours. This is because the patient will experience symptoms such as diarrhea, vomiting, and chills. The symptoms can vary with different patient some taking 4-10 days best it is also important to learn that some will experience pain for up to 21 days. When the patient is at the peak of the heroin withdrawal timeline, they will be experiencing some dark moment such as depression, fatigue and anxiety and that is what is important that you learn more to avoid letting them in such a time when they need a lot of attention.

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Our services and products provide our clients the agility and flexibility to solve multiple challenges with our team. We have all Industry-leading appraisals and certifications that back up our commitment to providing the highest levels of quality possible. We have multiple Government approved contract vehicles that significantly reduce the time consuming and exhausting acquisition and purchasing process. We enable government agencies and large businesses to meet mandated contracting goals for small disadvantaged businesses.

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About - BOUKMAN SERVICES LTD. ​Boukman Services Ltd. was founded in 2013 by friends and business partners Abdul Olakunle and Handel Morency who are passionate about fostering trade and sustainable developmental projects between their country of origins and countries around the globe. Boukman Services Ltd. is dedicated to making positive changes within their communities as they provide a first rate service in multiple sectors. Boukman Services Ltd. has a variety of farming projects which they are developing and grows fresh organic products for local retail and exporting worldwide. Produce includes fruit, vegetable, spices as well as livestock such as fish, cows and poultry. Boukman Services Ltd. is currently looking to partner with international companies who are passionate about positively impacting developing countries with unexplored potential. Projects range in size and nature and opportunities are. In 2016 Boukman Services Ltd. began importing and exporting goods between Ayiti and The United Kingdom. Goods such as household appliances, electronics and clothing were shipped from the UK to Haiti where they served a dual purpose. Providing opportunities for entrepreneur's to purchase goods to meet the demand of their customers as well as fulfil Boukman's charitable giving program by providing necessary equipment within the hospitals, schools and orphanages they support. ​Exporting fresh produce such as fruits and vegetables provides residents of the UK the opportunity to purchase organically grown produce at reasonable prices whether for personal use within the home or at supermarkets and restaurants. Other goods such as sugar, rice and grains are also being exported. With over 25 years of combined experience in the security sector Boukman Sekiritie provides professional male and female agents to meet your needs providing close protection, security at events or a private function or installing CCTV for your home or business our our aim is to ensure our clients safety 100 percent of the time. All Boukman Sekirite staff are CRB Certified and SIA approved. Our events team has over 14 years' experience in the voluntary and social sectors and we will provide a tailored package to suit your individual needs. We specialize in weddings, birthday parties, anniversaries and fundraisers. Our catering team has been providing personal catering for the past 5 years and specializes in African-Caribbean cuisine heavily influenced by their Haitian, Grenadian, Jamaican and Nigerian roots.

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MILLEVOGLIE TattooedLady69 livejasmin. AlexiaVeturra. KissyCrissy. SellenaXCandy. TommyAndPeterAngelbabysex567AmilieClarcsonMatureMaiden .SEXYDOLLHOTTSLittleElTaylorSweetBbChelseaQueen .Melanie2MelonsHotHeavenEyesTommyAndPeterRubyMM .MoliAsianannielaREALDIRTYQUEENXRitaJozsi .aNaughtyCoupleXxEscorpio1023BlackBarbie1cumebonyxplosionx .titanlatinxAndreaCuteBabyMuscledFabioAymeeElysse .JuanitaperversaCuteGenryAliciaRedEscorpio1023 .LittleEl1LOVELYMESSAriesMistressWONDERhugeCOCK .DirtyLittleBunnyTalianaForPlaybigbeautyassTalianaForPlay .foxwildladyRitaJozsigymboys4funDGreatALEXANDER .AidaMistyIsabellaDosSantoKinkyBoyFillTaylorSweetBb . CuteGenryJessicaKristiThanosHUNKJenniferMilly .AlexiaVeturraBiancaBlakeCasandraColeVictoriarose94 .MillanaaKatrinPrettyMissKinkyBoyFillEscorpio1023 .AWildOrchidCplRubyMMtastyapplea0LubeItUpBB .SsexyAlikakinkymichaMillanaalexxxiii .stacyclarkxxVictoriarose941LOVELYMESSKinkyBoyFill .CasandraColea0LubeItUpBBTommyAndPetertastyapple .WONDERhugeCOCKBlackBarbie1cumJuanitaperversaDirtyLittleBunny .LittleSugarBoygymboys4funCuteGenryJolieBlack .HotMellowRubinDGreatALEXANDERAWildOrchidCplAliciaRed .BlackBarbie1cum1AlvingreenLaraDixonAsaLin .

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Operate a 12v/6Amps air pump, with DIY battery pack? I have an electric air pump and i want to operate it with a battery pack (for camping purposes, away from any kind of electricity source). Its a 12V/72W pump (works with car lighter connector) so by my poor calculations, i need something that can give me 6Amps for at least 5-10 minutes. I have a lot of 18650 batteries in my disposal, so i thought that i maybe can put together a portable battery pack, so when i go camping for example i can carry it with me. 1) Is it possible to create something that can provide at least 5-10 minutes operation, once per every charge? 2) If yes... can you please tell me or point me at the right direction so i can accurately calculate the amount of batteries that i need and the proper way to connect them? 3) or... any other easier "portable" solution? for example something lighter and cheaper than a motorcycle battery...? Each string is 14.8v at full charge capable of 3 amps for an hour. Combining the strings in parallel gives 6 amps for an hour. Do NOT solder to the batteries... Use two plastic quad battery holders. 2) strip and connect red wire with red and black with black. ...and i will have a 14.8v/6000mAH battery pack ready to go. Correct so far? My batteries will be extracted from old laptop batteries, so there is a good case that the voltage, or the amperage will not meet those standards of 3.7/2000mAH! Lets say that i can attach one more 4*18650 case (or a smaller one), in order to reach higher voltage/amperage. Is there a circuit that i can attach to that battery pack, that can ensure that my voltage/amperage will not exceed the device limitations? 1) You don't want a higher voltage. 2) But put as many strings in parallel as you want. The pump will only use as much current as in needs. Do i need to worry about those really thin cables? Fair question each of those wires should handle 3A but triple the gauge to your receptacle ( every 3 gauges wire dia doubles ).. If the vinyl melts 105'C its too hot (you and I can hold 50'C metal).. If it gets warm to the touch you may be loosing voltage and need to add more wire. BTW those battery holders, like to (or were designed) to split plastic at the top and bot due to spring pressure. Banding helps to prevent that. I put everything together (except the switch | i don't believe that is necessary after all). But i measure an output of 16v, because of the "flexibility" in some of those batteries. Some can hold up to 4.10v, when some are around 4.01v. Am i correct? Or i will have a problem with that 12v pump? If your seriously worried about your pump you can always put one or two 1N400x diodes in series with the pump ( each diode drops 0.7v ). I would have the volt meter on the battery and just try it for a minute to see if the voltage drops to the calculated level and the pump starts to fill your mattress.. Once again, you cover every aspect with your answer! and.. you can NOT inflate that beast with your mouth! my lungs will be like... "oooooh no! i'm outta here"!!! and i will be standing like a fool in the sand... watching my lungs rolling away...! Thank you for your time and answers...! Remember each string should be charged separately. To clarify, the battery pack makes the batteries in series? I've read it's not good to charge those in series? Also, how would I charge up those batteries in a better way than just using my nitecore single battery charger? What's the point of being able to run it for just a few minutes until you need recharging? Simple multiply the amps required for the pump by the hours it needs to be able to run - that's the AH required for your battery. Keep in mind that you should ue a deep cycle battery rated for the max amp your pump needs. How are you recharging the packs after use? The point is that i will only need that thing once per trip, to fill the mattress with air! Something that can be done in 2-3 minutes. After that i will recharge the battery pack and keep it ready for the next time! If i read correctly on "google_blabla_random_website", i need to know the C rating of the batteries that i am using. I have for example an "SE US18650GR" battery but i can not find anything about C rating. Thats why i can not calculate the exact amount of batteries that i need to provide 6A! Lets say that the one 18650 battery is 3.7V/2000mAH, and I need 12v/6Amps. 1) I am trying to be as light as possible... so car/motorbike battery is out of the picture. in my disposal... so there is no extra cost for lipo battery. Radio control battery packs are both energy dense and come in a variety of voltages. You will also need a charger. I choose 18650 batteries because i have a lot of "bad" laptop batteries in my disposal... so there is no extra cost for batteries.

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List of Major League Baseball Players With A .500 Slugging Percentage This is a List of Major League Baseball players with a career .500 slugging percentage. Babe Ruth holds the Major League Baseball career slugging percentage record with .6898. Read more about List Of Major League Baseball Players With A .500 Slugging Percentage: List Famous quotes containing the words list of, list, major, league, baseball, players and/or percentage: "The advice of their elders to young men is very apt to be as unreal as a list of the hundred best books." —Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. (1841–1935) "We saw the machinery where murderers are now executed. Seven have been executed. The plan is better than the old one. It is quietly done. Only a few, at the most about thirty or forty, can witness [an execution]. It excites nobody outside of the list permitted to attend. I think the time for capital punishment has passed. I would abolish it. But while it lasts this is the best mode." —Rutherford Birchard Hayes (1822–1893) "In the larger view the major forces of the depression now lie outside of the United States, and our recuperation has been retarded by the unwarranted degree of fear and apprehension created by these outside forces." —Herbert Hoover (1874–1964) "We're the victims of a disease called social prejudice, my child. These dear ladies of the law and order league are scouring out the dregs of the town. C'mon be a glorified wreck like me." —Dudley Nichols (1895–1960) "Spooky things happen in houses densely occupied by adolescent boys. When I checked out a four-inch dent in the living room ceiling one afternoon, even the kid still holding the baseball bat looked genuinely baffled about how he possibly could have done it." —Mary Kay Blakely (20th century) "Will you see the players well bestowed? Do you hear, let them be well used, for they are the abstracts and brief chronicles of the time. After your death you were better have a bad epitaph than their ill report while you live." —William Shakespeare (1564–1616) "Actually, if my business was legitimate, I would deduct a substantial percentage for depreciation of my body. Contemplative and bookish men must of necessitie be more quarrelsome than others, because they contend not about matter of fact, nor can determine their controversies by any certain witnesses, nor judges. But as long as they goe towards peace, that is Truth, it is no matter which way." —John Donne (c. 1572–1631) Copyright © 2021 • Contact Us • Privacy Policy

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>>> able to write to TH_LOG_STREAM. >> Why the reduction here? int is signed too? > and 1 (OK) for the "passed" variable. >> It'd be a cleaner approach, maybe? > Good idea, we will then be able to use 255 steps! > Do you want me to send this as a separate patch? > available to other subsystems as well?

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Our vision is to promote and enable co-op and community-led housing growth. In the last few months, as part of our role as an enabler, we have been working alongside the Greater London Authority and several London boroughs, to support and launch the London Community-Led Housing Hub. The Major of London, Sadiq Khan, is supporting the London Hub and believes community-led housing will play a part in tackling the housing crisis across London. Sadiq Khan has said "London desperately needs more homes and it's vitally important we look at all possible ways of building new and genuinely affordable homes to rent and buy". The hub will focus on delivering homes quickly and cost efficiently. Part of the work will involve collaborating to overcome barriers to growth and provide new and existing community groups with advice and support on how to develop.

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Now that Tinubu's new speciality is to hurl insults at people like former President Olusegun Obasanjo and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, focusing on me today is okay if it will help him feel good. "However, let me make it clear that what Tinubu and his putative party chairman, Oshiomhole did today is to insult the people of Kwara State who are independent minded, forward looking, assertive and God-fearing. On Saturday, the APC will be punished for their bad behaviour. Kwarans will tell them that they cannot take dictates from power mongers, pretenders and hypocrites. The people of Kwara State will never take dictates from selfish individuals. Their evil design will be thwarted on Saturday and March 2", Saraki stated.

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'Come and See' News: Commentary by Simon Rafe • ChurchMilitant.com • June 21, 2019 Don't let them say 'Nothing to see here' Veterans of the 2016 election will remember how it was all Rodney's fault — not the election, which was either the fault of forgotten blue-collar workers in the Midwest or Hillary running a computer server in her bathroom. And that's actually a neat segue. What was Rodney's fault was the fact that our website went down owing to a large number of people visiting it all at once. The server (ours is not kept in a bathroom; it is kept in a big, fancy, cool — both literally and figuratively — room with blinky lights and buttons and looks like it could be from Star Trek) just couldn't make enough connections and ultimately failed. And now we're back to Hillary on election night. People were visiting the site because Rodney wrote a couple of articles everyone was reading. And I mean everyone. It wasn't just Catholics reading them. Heathens (can I call them that? It's technically correct) were reading them. Schismatics were reading them. They were "trending" on Google and Facebook and whatnot. Once again, we're the only people reporting on a huge crisis impacting Catholics. Read the article I wrote at the time. It makes pertinent points that we (Church Militant) were the only people covering certain things happening during the election. To quote myself, "People are swamping our site to learn about blood rituals performed by the Podesta clan not just because our coverage is better than CNN's. They are coming here because there is nowhere else to go." Remember that — it'll be relevant later. So you were all super generous, you donated and we built a better website! We upgraded the underlying structure of the website so it was more robust, more reliable, more able to withstand Rodney and his viral journalism. The election happened. Rachel Maddow broke down. Voris danced on a table. Liberals screamed. We got two Supreme Court seats. We've lived this together. It was fun. Fast forward two years, to the middle of the McCarrick scandal. Once again, we're the only people reporting on a huge crisis impacting Catholics. The secular media won't touch it because it is gay and you can't slaughter the rainbow cow. The establishment Catholic media won't touch it because that means ticking off bishops and then you lose your access and your ability to eat canapes with men who cover up sex abuse and we can't have that. Our website is chugging along like the little engine that could. I'm super happy with it, but I've got a weather-eye on the numbers and they keep going up. We're getting more and more hits, more and more views. People are wising up to the fact we're not a bunch of crazies and we've been right all along. We try to resist the temptation to say we told you so. Part of our Expansion Campaign was always upgrades to the underlying structure of the website as well as physical buildings, new hires, better equipment. And you responded with your characteristic generosity and we were able to upgrade the website (that happened about a month ago). You didn't notice much (if anything) but, rest assured, the website is more secure, more reliable, more able to carry "load." And today we launched "load balancing." This is a technical thing I could bore you with. I won't. I'm sure people in the comments will discuss it and tell us how we shouldn't have done it and instead gone with their personal flavor of Linux only them and two guys in Uzbekistan use. Here's the brass tacks: Load balancing uses multiple servers to balance the load intelligently. It's better than just throwing processors and drives and memory at the problem (contrary to what you might have heard, such things are expensive and God does not always provide the RAM). It gives us the capacity to handle high traffic without the site going dark. And that is very important — massively, massively important. The scandal has entered a new phase, and a new-old player has entered the arena. Cardinal Joseph Bernardin, the man behind Communion in the hand and perpetrator of Satanic and homosexual rape — yeah, you heard me right. You've seen the special report. And so have thousands of others. Tens of thousands. Millions. Click, click, click, all hitting the website. There is more coming — more revelations, more stories, more horror. You have to know this, but, more importantly, others have to know this. You're already plugged into this, you follow us. If you click on the site and it doesn't work, you'll try again in a few minutes or the next day. But the guy who sees our article shared on his uncle's Facebook or whatever? The guy who doesn't follow us and isn't plugged in? If he clicks and gets nothing but a blank page, he's going to hit "back" and then get his news from the establishment Catholic media, from the U.S. bishops or the Chicago archdiocese. He goes from not seeing anything to "nothing to see here" and goes away thinking the crisis isn't really a crisis. It's all handled, it's taken care of — nothing to see here. We say, 'Come and see.' They say, 'Nothing to see here.' No — lots to see here; come and see. And so that is why we had the site upgraded — not because it was crashing now, but so it won't crash later when something really big hits (and something really big is coming). It's not about making it faster or fancier graphics. It's about making it robust when everyone wants to come see because we're the only people saying it. They can come see and they don't have to get a false narrative from some establishment lapdog. As I said, you were all exceptionally generous. You contributed back in 2016 and you contributed to the Expansion Campaign. That partially paid for the upgrades (and a bunch of other things which haven't come to fruition yet but soon will). To meet the rest of the butcher's bill, we dipped into our reserves. We've gone closer to the bone than we would like because we have faith the support will come in. Please, if you can, make a donation to us. If you aren't Premium, sign up (you get to watch The Download — it's been free this week, but it's not normally); maybe buy something from the store. Again; you know this stuff. You're plugged in. You've lived the crisis with us for the past year. But there are people who aren't, who haven't, who don't believe it — and if they can't see us, they will never believe it. We say, "Come and see." They say, "Nothing to see here." Your support will open people's eyes. Thank you in advance. --- Campaign 31544 --- A Gluttony of Precision By Church Militant • 0 As the Church Goes, So Goes Society Protecting the Priesthood The One True Faith: Revisited Season One • min 6: Purgatory

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BIOMET SOLUTIONS Health at molecular basis How zinc supplementation prevents Viral replication in covid-19 patients May 1, 2022 / Covid-19 is a systemic disease that affects the lungs and multiple organs and tissues. It is transmitted, rapidly from one person to another in close proximity, through contact with virus laden aerosols discharged in coughs and sneezes. Most affected patients die as a result of acute respiratory distress syndrome. There are several variants of Covid-19, but the Alpha, Delta, and Omicron variants are most widely spread with severe health breakdown. Symptoms Of Covid-19 The symptoms of covid-19 are similar to those of normal cold and flu. They are: High temperature or chills Continuous cough Change in the sense of smell and taste Short breath Feeling of tiredness Headache and… BIOMET 1 Comment Role of HBx protein in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) Arachidonic acid metabolism pathway Benefits of Zinc in Sexual Functions What is Zinc? Zinc, though beneficial for men's sexual health, is a chemical element with an atomic number 30 and represented by the symbol, Zn. It is slightly brittle at room temperature and has a silvery-grayish appearance when oxidation is removed. In the periodic table, zinc is the first element in the 12th group and in the 4th period. It possesses similar characteristic with magnesium; both elements exhibit one normal oxidation state, only (+2) and are similar in size. It should be noted that Zinc is the 24th most abundant element in Earth's crust and has five stable isotopes. The common Zinc ore being Sphalerite, a zinc sulfide mineral. Despite… BIOMET 2 Comments Cajanol: The role of phytoestrogen in cancer cells Covid-19 Spike protein: structure and functions. The Functions of Zinc in Immune System Zinc is an essential macronutrient, which play a crucial role in multiple cellular functions, including immune cell signaling. In zinc dyshomeostasis, which includes zinc deficiency, there are impairments in several cellular and organ function including overall immune function and increased susceptibility to infection. This shows that zinc cannot be overlooked in immune system and other cellular processes. Some of the problems associated with zinc deficiency are growth retardation, neurological disorder, immune dysfunction and Acrodermatitis enteropathica, a metabolic disorder. Zinc Transporters Zinc coordinates its signaling through two families of zinc transporters and metallothiones. The two families of zinc transporters are: The Solute-linked carrier 39 (SLC39A or ZIP) family of zinc… Folic Acid Benefits For Men: Why You Should Eat Folate Rich Foods Monkeypox Virus Infection Zinc (Zn) is a chemical element, which is an essential macronutrient for basic cell activities such as cell growth, cell differentiation and survival. It is found in high concentration in the red blood cells as an essential part of the enzyme, carbonic anhydrase, which promotes many reactions relating to carbon dioxide metabolism. In the pancreas, Zn aid in the production, secretion and storage of insulin. The cellular functions of zinc can be found in the regulation, activation and expression of biological molecules such as transcription factors, enzymes, adapters, channels and growth factors, along with their receptors. When Zn is deficient or excessively absorbed, it disrupts Zn homeostasis and growth, morphogenesis… Anti-aging Properties of Alpine Rose Matrix Metalloproteinases (MMPs)

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'Bad-Gift' Insurance available! Local Comic Shop Day is Nov. 24! Fall Monster Sale is Oct. 1-3 Jason David Frank returning to Speeding Bullet Comics on Sept. 18 This year, limited Free Comic Book Day is Aug. 14 Jerry Bennett signing July 9! Save the date: Lou Ferrigno coming to Speeding Bullet on June 11 Jason Faunt from Power Rangers Time Force coming to Speeding Bullet on April 16 Watch Discover Oklahoma on March 6 — See Speeding Bullet Comics! Winter Weather Update and comics delay Go for the Gold in 2021! Do your Christmas shopping at Speeding Bullet, or just buy comics like you do every week. With every $50 purchase, we'll give you a 30% off coupon that you can use on any one item you choose Dec. 26 and Dec. 29-31. That means you have a week after Christmas to get what you really wanted! Of course, if your loved ones are already shopping for you at Speeding Bullet, you win big time, because you can combine those 30% off coupons with your Speeding Bullet gift certificates — available in any denomination! "Bad-Gift" Insurance is available through Dec. 24. You can collect as many 30% off coupons as you like, but you may only redeem one coupon per item. We are celebrating Local Comic Shop Day with some exclusive new releases, including a special edition of "Venom" #2! Additional specials for Local Comic Shop Day, Black Friday and Small Business Saturday and Sunday at Speeding Bullet Comics are as follows: - Select trades will be $5 and $10! (Look for the markdown table!) - Comic Book Sets will be 25 percent off! - Statues will be Buy One Get One Free! - Toys will be Buy Two Get One Free! - All back issues in the bins priced at $3 or under are just $1! Check out the following special items while supplies last on Nov. 24 and beyond! "Venom" #2 LCSD edition "Ned, Lord of the Pit" graphic novel "The Walking Dead Deluxe" #27 Local Comic Shop Day edition LCSD edition of "Joy Operations" #1 "Chuck D Presents Apocalypse 91: Revolution Never Sleeps" "Metallica Special Edition" "Radio Apocalypse" #1 from Vault "Jim Mahfood's Grrl Scouts: Stone Ghost" #1 from Image Comics "Ed Brubaker and Marcos Martín's Friday" #1 Local Comics Shop Day edition from Image Comics. "Magic: Master Of Metal" #1 cardstock cover by Adam Gorham "House Of Slaughter" #1 second printing cardstock cover by Jae Lee and June Chang "Regarding The Matter Of Oswald's Body" #1 cardstock cover by Ryan Sook. "Detective Comics" #1045 LCSD edition "DC vs. Vampires" #2 LCSD edition "Task Force Z" #2 LCSD edition We will be closed on Thanksgiving Day. The monsters come out this fall! Speeding Bullet's super-awesome mega-sale starts Oct. 1 and runs through Oct. 3. How can you qualify for the sale? There are multiple ways to get a sale wristband! 1. Be a subscriber in good standing at the shop OR 2. Be a Speeding Bullet Gold Member OR 3. Purchase a wristband for just $10 OR 4. Confirm your e-mail in-store for our weekly e-mail updates OR 5. Get one free with any in-store $50 purchase before Oct. 1. The Monster Sale wristband makes you eligible for all the weekend's savings. Our Fall Monster Sale will feature 50 percent off many back issues and 25 percent off trade paperbacks! During the sale, premium back issues ($25 and up) will be 25 percent off the currently marked price. Back issues priced $24.99 and under will be 50 percent off. Buy more than 70 standard back issues and the discount jumps to 70%! (Comic book 'sets' count as one issue for purposes of the sale.) Plus, all graphic novels 25% off! (Does not include any graphic novels pre-ordered or in files.) The original Green Ranger from Mighty Morphin Power Rangers is coming back to Norman, OK. Jason David Frank, who starred as Tommy Oliver in the series Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, Power Rangers Zeo, Power Rangers Turbo and Power Rangers Dino Thunder, will appear beginning at noon Sept. 18, 2021, at Speeding Bullet Comics, 614 N Porter Ave. in Norman. Frank recently completed shooting the action film "Legend of the White Dragon." Tickets and masks will be required for this event, and social distancing enforced. There's no charge for a line ticket, though autographs and photo ops will be in line with the comic-shop tour pricing. Line tickets are required to ensure social distancing and to limit people in the store at one time. Line tickets can be picked up starting Friday, Sept. 17. Frank is making this tour to help raise money for comic shops affected by COVID-19. We've had some unusual challenges in 2021, and how we are approaching Free Comic Book Day this year is no exception. This Saturday, we are going to celebrate Free Comic Book Day, but due to the COVID variant tearing through Oklahoma, we are going to attempt to handle giving away the free comics outside, while saving the store interior for those who want to shop. When you arrive to Speeding Bullet, please wait outside for your free comics. We will give one package of three free comics to each visitor. Then, only if you wish to shop, proceed indoors. We will be asking customers to mask up when shopping inside due to the Delta variant surge in Oklahoma. We may have to limit the number of people in the store at any one time on Saturday. And please be careful as you park, as Porter Ave. around the store continues to be a work in progress. Despite our many challenges, we love bringing you comic books! We feel in these challenging times, people need comic books more than ever. We want to bring you your comics in a safe and fun way, and to continue to do so for many years. Join us from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. July 9 for a signing with Oklahoma comic artist Jerry Bennett! Oklahoma comic artist Jerry Bennett will be on hand to sign his latest comic, Glamorella's Daughter! Comet, the daughter of Earth's greatest defender, yearns for a quiet existence with towers of books and the occasional game night at her friend's house. Her mom, Glamorella, savors the thrill of adventure, the heat of battle, and the glitzy soirées that come with superheroics. While Glamorella navigates keeping the world safe and dealing with her super-scientist ex, Comet does her best to withstand the trials of middle school. Can they find the time and the common ground to help each other? Written by Charles J Martin and Jerry Bennett with art and cover by Jerry Bennett! Speeding Bullet Comics will close on July 4 to allow our staff to celebrate Independence Day. We will be back on Wednesday, July 7 with new comics. This June 11, save the date for one of the BIGGEST signings we've ever had at Speeding Bullet Comics! Lou Ferrigno, known to millions as The Incredible Hulk in the CBS series "The Incredible Hulk" from 1977-1982, will be coming to Norman, Oklahoma to sign at Speeding Bullet Comics! Ferrigno also starred in "King of Queens" and was on "Celebrity Apprentice" in 2012. Ferrigno has provided the voice of the Hulk in a variety of projects, and appeared in cameo roles in 2003's "Hulk" and 2008's "The Incredible Hulk." We are thrilled to welcome Lou Ferrigno to the store as Speeding Bullet Comics celebrates its 23rd anniversary in June 2021! Check out our Facebook page for more details, and stay tuned to the web site and upcoming Speeding Bulletins as well! Get ready to meet the Red Ranger from Power Rangers Time Force! Jason Faunt is set to appear at Speeding Bullet Comics at 3 p.m. on April 16. Born in Illinois, Jason Faunt had dreams of being a professional baseball player since he was a child. But after seeing the movie "Risky Business," he decided to change his focus to becoming in actor. He promised his family he would finish college first, but two weeks after graduation he packed up his pickup truck with about $1000 to his name and moved to Los Angeles to pursue his dream…after several small roles on soap operas Jason booked the legendary role of the Red Ranger in Power Rangers Time Force. Jason played both Wes Collins and Alex in Power Rangers Time Force (2001). Now he's coming to Norman to meet his many Oklahoma fans! Jason will offer autographs for $40 and an autograph-selfie combo for $60. He'll also have specialty merchandise on sale during his visit. You can purchase Power Rangers figures and other items from Speeding Bullet for him to sign also. Speeding Bullet Comics, 614 N Porter Ave. in Norman, OK, has been serving comics fans since 1998. For more information, see the Facebook event at https://fb.me/e/d7cVOYAH4 Speeding Bullet Comics is one of the featured locations on this week's Discover Oklahoma! Program info below: This week, see why River Bend Lodge Vacation Rentals in Davis is the perfect place for a tranquil getaway; visit one of the iconic destinations along Rt. 66 at Totem Pole Park; one customer said "These cookies will change your life!" Bright Spot Baking in Edmond is baking absolutely the most amazing cookies that are full of goodness, sunshine and happiness; visit Speeding Bullet Comics in Norman for all kinds of adventures through the mediums of comics and graphic novels; Typo Market in Stillwater is filled with home decor, gifts, incense, candles and all things paper; in Sand Springs, you can find a little piece of Italy serving up big flavors at Napoli's Sand Springs..Don't miss Discover Oklahoma every Saturday night on KFOR in OKC, KTUL in Tulsa, KSWO in Lawton at 6:30pm and KTEN's ABC-10, or anytime, anywhere at DiscoverOklahomaTV.com. In response to the unprecedented winter weather and freezing temperatures, we're going to close on Wednesday and Thursday of this week (Feb. 17 & 18) with plans to reopen on Friday (Feb. 19), we hope with new comics. At this time, we don't have our full complement of new issues to sell, and due to the hazardous traveling conditions and rolling blackouts in the area, we feel it would be safer to wait until Friday to return to serving our loyal customers. We hope all of our wonderful customers are staying safe and warm through this difficult event. We apologize for the delay, but we look forward to seeing you when we can. It's time for the 2021 Speeding Bullet Gold Membership Drive! SPEEDING BULLET GOLD MEMBERSHIP YEAR V As we start a new year at Speeding Bullet Comics, we'd like to offer our regular customers a chance to buy into the fifth year of a successful program at the store. This is intended for customers who make frequent use of our services, and want to support the local economy and Speeding Bullet's role in the community. When you buy a Speeding Bullet Gold 2021 membership for $100, here's what you get: - A $50 gift card at Speeding Bullet, good 12 months from date of issue. - 12 coupons, one for each month of the year in a variety of categories including statues, toys and back issues. (potential value - $100 plus.) - Automatic invites to Speeding Bullet sales and events and early entry in some cases when applicable or possible. - "Gold Days" — Discount days and other events exclusively for Gold members. - Notification of new items, collections and other specials. - "Matt's Picks" – at least 6 times in 2020 (if you sign up in January), receive a free comic selected by owner Matt Price (approximate $24 value) Sign up by Feb. 3 and get a free, selected graphic novel! Thanks to our customers for sticking with us through 2020! We hope to have more great things for you in 2021! Local Comic Shop Day is Nov. 25 We are celebrating Local Comic Shop Day with some exclusive new releases, including "Spawn" #312 with Speeding Bullet Comics right on the cover! Check out the following special items! Marvel Comics: Henrichon Variant for X of Swords Destruction #1. DC Comics: Silver Metallic Ink variant of Other History of the DC Universe #1. Image Comics: Invincible #1 Gold Foil; Monstress Talk Stories Gold Foil #1; Spawn #312; Ice Cream Man #20. Dark Horse Comics: The Witcher: Fading Memories #1. BOOM! Studios: foil variants of Something Is Killing the Children #1, Power Rangers #1, Mighty Morphin #1, Lumberjanes #75 and Dune: House Atreides #2. This week's specials! - Supplies will be 25 percent off! Only time discounted this year! Jason David Frank to sign at Speeding Bullet Comics on Oct. 24! Jason David Frank, the original Green Ranger, will sign at noon Oct. 24 at Speeding Bullet Comics, 614 N Porter Ave in Norman! Jason David Frank starred as Tommy Oliver in the series Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, Power Rangers Zeo, Power Rangers Turbo and Power Rangers Dino Thunder. He also starred in two Power Rangers movies, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers The Movie and Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie. He will meet fans as part of a signing event. Tickets and masks required. Social distancing enforced. - People come to the store (starting Friday, Oct. 23) to get their "ticket" which is just their number in line. There is no charge for a line ticket. - They download the Telegram App. - They can wait "in line" in their cars to social distance or if it will be awhile, they can go get food or run errands etc. - staff will use the app to let people know when it's time to get in line (outside Ricochet door) - One or two groups at a time can come inside so we maintain social distance. - Everyone must wear masks. They come to see Nicole to purchase autographs and pictures. Cash is preferred. Then they see JDF. Afterwards, they leave. Frank is making this tour to help raise money for comic shops affected by COVID-19. Slight hours change for week of Oct. 11 Programming note: we are shifting hours slightly this week to allow for a delayed fall break; we will be open this week only 10 a.m. - 7 p.m. Wednesday (Oct. 14); 3 p.m. - 7 p.m. Thursday and Friday (Oct. 15-16); and 12 p.m. - 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday (Oct. 17-18). We remain closed Mondays and Tuesdays in October. Fall Monster Sale is Oct 1-4 Speeding Bullet's super-awesome mega-sale starts Oct.1 and runs through Oct. 4. 5. Get one free with any in-store $50 purchase from before Oct. 1. Also 25 percent off: Stock up now for big savings! Online orders still available! Reminder, for those staying home, or just if you want the convenience of shopping from afar, many of our graphic novels can be ordered online at the site: sbcomics.com Feel free to check it out! Anniversary sale is Aug. 1 It's been one of the strangest years in our store's existence. Our thoughts are with everybody going through difficult times. That said, we we don't want to let summer 2020 go by without celebrating 22 years of Speeding Bullet Comics in some way. Saturday, Aug. 1, from 12-4 p.m., we will celebrate 22 years of Speeding Bullet with several sale items! (We will still be practicing social distancing during this time, and may need to limit people in the store in some instances.) Specials include: - Buy 2 get one free on all trade paperback or graphic novel purchases - Buy 2 get one free on all poster purchases (Least expensive item is the free item) - Spend $100, and get a free Speeding Bullet Comics shirt (while supplies last) If you haven't seen the new sign outside, it'll be a good chance for you to see that as well! Thanks to our customers who have allowed us to be part of the Norman community for 22 years. We appreciate your support! At this time, Speeding Bullet's hours remain 10 a.m. - 7 p.m. Wednesday; 12 p.m. - 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday; and by appointment. Take our customer survey! Plus, June hours and anniversary update Help us serve you better! Answer a quick survey about how you like to shop at Speeding Bullet Comics and get a coupon to save you money on your next purchase while you're at it! Survey here: https://s.surveyplanet.com/-8lGYziR8 Also, for the month of June, we are re-opening for Sundays! We are open from 10 am - 7 pm Wednesdays in June, plus noon to 4 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Shopping is also available by appointment; call or leave a message for Dan at (405) 360-6866. The store celebrated its 22nd anniversary on June 8. Due to COVID-19, we didn't have any large-scale events, though we may try to celebrate in some way later in the summer. We're happy to continue into another year as your favorite comic book shop! New Comics Day returns! After a nearly 2-month break, new comics are on sale today at Speeding Bullet Comics! Also this week, we are debuting two new "Batman"-themed cloth masks available for purchase, if you need one while you're at Speeding Bullet or just out on the town shopping or running other errands. In the shop, we've marked the floor to help everyone with their six-foot social distancing. We hope that and the availability of masks will help everyone stay safe as we do our best to serve you! For the month of May, our sales floor remains open Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturdays from noon to 4 p.m. and by appointment. We are still limiting people in the store to no more than 10 at a time and encouraging mask-wearing and distancing of six feet between parties. If you believe you will need more than a 15 minute shopping window, we encourage you to make an appointment by contacting Dan at [email protected] or (405) 360-6866. You can still make an order without visiting the store if you'd rather stay home! You can visit sbcomics.com to make an order, or call or email Dan at (405) 360-6866 or [email protected]. You can also order a gift card for any amount by visiting paypal.me/speedingbullet and putting "gift card" in the memo. Store to reopen in limited hours, capacity starting May 2 Starting in May, Speeding Bullet will have the ability to open our sales floor in a limited capacity. We want to continue to be cautious for the safety of our staff and our customers. Our current plan is to open Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturdays from noon to 4 p.m. and by appointment. We will begin this schedule on Saturday, May 2. We will be limiting people in the store to no more than 10 at a time and encouraging mask-wearing and distancing of six feet between parties. If you believe you will need more than a 15 minute shopping window, we encourage you to make an appointment by contacting Dan at [email protected] or (405) 360-6866. At this time, we expect to receive new comics from our distributor, including Marvel, DC and Image Comics as well as other publishers, beginning Wednesday, May 20. Until then, and continuing after, many of our graphic novels can be ordered online at the new site: We also continue to take pre-orders for brand-new Speeding Bullet Comics T-shirts for 2020. The shirts, which will ship later in May, can be pre-ordered now through May 3 at https://massivegraphicsstore.com/collections/speeding-bullet-comics/ And remember, to get a gift card from Speeding Bullet, you can simply go to https://www.paypal.me/speedingbullet and enter any amount. Put "gift card" in the memo, and Dan will get a gift card to you! New online shopping option for Speeding Bullet For those of you who miss shopping at Speeding Bullet during these challenging times, we have placed a chunk of our inventory up on a site where you can shop from your own home. Check it out! https://speeding-bullet-comics.myshopify.com/ Furthermore, we are taking pre-orders for brand-new Speeding Bullet Comics T-shirts for 2020. The shirts, which will ship later in May, can be pre-ordered now through May 3 at https://massivegraphicsstore.com/collections/speeding-bullet-comics/ The store showroom remains closed to the public through at least April 30, but feel free to call Dan at (405) 360-6866 or email [email protected] if we can get some comics for you! Speeding Bullet Comics closure extended to April 30 In keeping with the statewide safety recommendations, Speeding Bullet Comics, 614 N Porter Ave. in Norman, Oklahoma, will remain closed to the public through April 30. Be safe and practice social distancing during this time! If you need your comics shipped or want something to read sent to you, leave a message for Dan at (405) 360-6866 or send an email to [email protected]. At this time, Speeding Bullet, along with the rest of the country, is not receiving new releases of comics through Diamond Comic Distributors. When those shipments are set to resume nationwide has yet to be determined. Speeding Bullet to close to public for 3 weeks It's an unusual time, and things are changing quickly to help stop community spread of the coronavirus. (We've altered the deal — pray we don't alter it further!) Wednesday, March 25, will be the last day we are open to the public for the next three weeks, in order to comply with Stay at Home recommendations from the mayor and governor. Additionally, this Wednesday, March 25, will be the last week we — or any comic shop — will receive new releases from the larger publishers for the immediate future. But even though the showroom will be closed, we'll still be selling comics! Don't worry about going stir crazy at home. We are happy to ship comics and other merchandise directly to you. (Did we mention we have THOUSANDS of graphic novels that you haven't read yet?) For the next three weeks, we will be offering flat $5 shipping, or free shipping with every purchase of $50 or more. To make shipping arrangements, call or email Dan at (405) 360-6866 or [email protected]. We accept PayPal and credit cards. Dan dutifully ships Mondays through Fridays. We hope to reopen to the public April 15. Follow our social media, e-mail and website for updates. Speeding Bullet temporary changes in hours and operations Speeding Bullet Comics has always prided itself on serving you and our community, and we are making some changes in our operations to help stop community spread of the COVID-19 virus. Starting tomorrow, Wednesday, Mar. 18, we will curb our hours to 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesdays and noon to 5 p.m. Saturdays. We will be limiting the number of people in the store to 10 at a time, based on advisement from the Centers of Disease Control. If you arrive during a high-traffic time, you may be asked to wait outside or in your car until the traffic in the store clears. This is intended to give everyone plenty of personal space. If you would like to pick up comics other than Wednesday or Saturday, reach out to Dan at [email protected] for an individual weekday appointment time. Alternatively, we are happy to ship comics and other merchandise to you. We send out shipments daily and can take payment via PayPal or credit card over the phone. While our hours are shortened, we will be offering flat $5 shipping, or free shipping with every purchase of $50 or more. To make shipping arrangements, call or email Dan at (405) 360-6866 or [email protected]. During this time, we will be ordering fewer shelf copies of comics for sale, so if there is an item you know you want to pick up, please ask us to add it to your hold list ASAP to ensure we don't run out. You can follow a list of our new releases each week on the right column of our website here: www.speedingbulletcomics.com. Send all hold requests to Dan at [email protected]. Requests will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis. From our family to yours, thank you for your valued patronage. Leap Day signing with Mario Wytch! You've got an extra day in 2020 — come spend it with Speeding Bullet! Celebrate the release of the second issue of Keenspot's "Sister Powers" with Oklahoma comic-book creator Mario Wytch! He'll be at Speeding Bullet from 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 29! The coming-of-age tale of two superpowered sisters is the focus of Keenspot's newest all-ages series. Faith and Charity have inherited special abilities from their mother, and their lives are turned upside down by the consequences. Plus, their high school principal is totally turned into a rhinoceros, and as anyone who has ever watched an episode of Beast Wars knows, rhinos are completely awesome. The second issue also features a variant cover edition from Oklahoma's Jerry Bennett! Speeding Bullet goes geeky on Feb. 22! Celebrate all things geeky (and the birthday of the founder of the Geekscape Facebook group, Sean Murphy) with specials throughout the day at Speeding Bullet Comics! Check in to find special sales on graphic novels and Funko Pops! Local artist Audrey Price will debut her latest sticker art! Go for the Gold in 2020 at Speeding Bullet! SPEEDING BULLET GOLD MEMBERSHIP YEAR IV As we start a new year at Speeding Bullet Comics, we'd like to offer our regular customers a chance to buy into the fourth year of a successful program at the store. This is intended for customers who make frequent use of our services, and want to support the local economy and Speeding Bullet's role in the community. - A $50 gift card at Speeding Bullet, good 12 months from date of issue. - Automatic invites to Speeding Bullet sales and events and early entry in some cases when applicable or possible. Holiday hours update Here are our holiday hours for Speeding Bullet Comics this season: Christmas Eve: Open from 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. Christmas: Closed New Year's Eve: Open from 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. We anticipate being open our regular hours all other days this season; 10 a.m. - 7 p.m. Monday-Saturday and noon-5 p.m. on Sunday. New Comics Day at Speeding Bullet will be Thursday for two weeks only, with release dates on Dec. 26 and Jan. 2. 'Bad-Gift' Insurance is back! We're predicting this is how your holiday season might play out: You methodically plan your wish list, give everyone the greatest gifts you can find … Then you miss out on the item you really wanted! Shop at Speeding Bullet and we'll save the day. We call it "Bad-Gift" Insurance. Do your Christmas shopping at Speeding Bullet, or just buy comics like you do every week. With every $50 purchase, we'll give you a 30% off coupon that you can use on any one item you choose Dec. 26-31. That means you have a whole week after Christmas to get what you really wanted! "Bad-Gift" Insurance is available Nov. 16 - Dec. 24. You can collect as many 30% off coupons as you like, but you may only redeem one coupon per item. Celebrate Local Comic Shop Day on Nov. 23! Celebrate your favorite local comic shop at Speeding Bullet Comics on Local Comic Shop Day! Local Comic Shop Day®, the day celebrating the independent spirit of local comic book specialty shops, returns for its fifth annual event Saturday, November 23, 2019. Exclusive Items will be available, including a The Walking Dead comic available in print for the first time! Local Comic Shop Day® is a five-year old event conceived and implemented by ComicsPRO comic book specialty retailers to call attention to locally owned independent comic book specialty stores, celebrating their vital role in being the primary fire-starters of pop culture. Some of the exclusive items set to be released on Local Comic Shop Day are as follows. Reminder, some of the exclusive items are very limited and in many cases Speeding Bullet may only have one copy. (Highly limited items marked with an asterisk.) LCSD 2019 THE WALKING DEAD: THE ALIEN LCSD 2019 ABSOLUTE CARNAGE #5 (OF 5) VIRGIN VARIANT * LCSD 2019 ABSOLUTE CARNAGE #5 (OF 5) LCSD ARTIST VARIANT LCSD 2019 DCEASED HC – JOKER COVER * LCSD 2019 DOCTOR WHO 13TH HOLIDAY SPECIAL #1 LCSD 2019 HAZEL & CHA CHA SAVE CHRISTMAS (UMBRELLA ACADEMY) LCSD 2019 OVER THE ROPES #1 (OF 5) LCSD 2019 INVADER ZIM TREASURY EDITION LCSD 2019 KILLADELPHIA #1 LCSD 2019 LEGION OF SUPER HEROES #1 * LCSD 2019 NEW MUTANTS #1 ARTIST VARIANT * LCSD 2019 MMPR SHATTERED GRID BLIND BOX * LCSD 2019 MMPR YEAR ONE & TWO HC SET * LCSD 2019 CROW HARK THE HERALD #1 SEELEY COVER LCSD 2019 CATALYST PRIME SEVEN DAYS #1 (OF 7) * LCSD 2019 THESE SAVAGE SHORES TP VOL 01 GOLD EDITION LCSD 2019 SUPER DINOSAUR #1 SPECIAL EDITION Celebrate your local comic shop with Local Comic Shop Day 2019! Fall Monster Sale is Nov. 1-3 Speeding Bullet's super-awesome mega-sale starts Nov 1 and runs through Nov. 3. 5. Get one free with any in-store $50 purchase from Oct. 20 - Nov. 1. Toys and statues will also be 25 percent off! Spend $100 or more during the sale (after discount) and receive a mystery BONUS BOX full of all kinds of goodies — could include toys, graphic novels, comics or other surprises! Retail price of items included in BONUS BOX is an estimated $50+! STORE HOURS DURING THE SALE: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday, Nov 1 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, Nov 2 noon to 5 p.m. Sunday, Nov 3 Halloween Comic Fest is Oct. 26 Halloween ComicFest will feature free spooky comics while supplies last and an appearance by Robert Henry of "Bad Candy"! All day on Oct. 26-27 any graphic novels in the "horror" category are buy two, get one free! Halloween Comic Fest proper starts on Oct. 26 with giveaways including Ghost Rider, Spider-Man and more! Robert Henry of the horror comic inspired by 1980s films, "Bad Candy" will be signing. We may have some additional spooky surprises throughout the day as well! Speeding Bullet will be open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Oct. 26. For more info, check out our Facebook event page: https://www.facebook.com/events/449597469013994/ Halloween Head Comics signing with Ben Soto on Oct. 4 Get into the Halloween spirit with the Norman debut of "Tricks and Treats' #2! Writer/artist Ben Soto of Halloween Head Comics will be on hand from 4 p.m. - 6 p.m. Friday Oct. 4 to sign the second issue of the spooky series, which also includes a brand-new story by 'Rachel Strand' writer Tommy Brownell! "More Than They Can Chew" is about a group of adventurous friends who find themselves on a secluded road in Northeastern Oklahoma trapped between hillbilly cannibals and Bigfoot! Art in "More Than They Can Chew" is by Johnnie Johnson and Jason Coody; colors by Ben Soto; story and letters by Brownell. Ben and Justin Soto have a second story in "Tricks and Treats" #2 featuring aliens and Bigfoot! See the full issue, buy a copy and get it signed Friday at Speeding Bullet! More information at the Facebook event page: https://www.facebook.com/events/322034508617995 All My Friends Gn Almost American #4 Alter Ego #173 Amazing Spiderman Beyond Tp Vol 01 Angel #1 Animal Castle #2 Aquaman The Becoming #5 Arrowsmith #1 Art Of Sushi Hc Back Issue #132 Basilisk Tp Vol 01 Batman The Knight #1 Batman Vs Bigby #5 Beastars Gn Vol 16 Ben Reilly Spider-man #1 Black Manta #5 Blue And Gold #5 Bolero #1 Boys Run The Riot Gn Vol 04 Butts In Seats The Tony Schiavone Story Cavewoman Gone Fishing One Shot Cloaked #2 Compass Tp Vol 01 Crimson Cage #2 Cursed Pirate Girl Devils Cave #1 Death Doctor Strange X-men Black Knight #1 Defenders #5 Devils Reign X-men #1 Doctor Strange My Mighty Marvel First Book Board Book Eternals #9 Excellence #12 Firefly Return To Earth That Was Hc Vol 02 Gi Joe A Real American Hero Tp Vol 25 Untold Tales Green Hornet Sky Lights Tp Green Lantern #10 Icon And Rocket #5 Guillem March Laura #3 Heathens #3 Heavy Metal #313 Hey Kids Comics Tp Vol 02 Home Sick Pilots #11 Hulk #3 James Bond Himeros #4 Junkwraith Gn Kaiju No 8 Gn Vol 01 King Spawn #6 Kiss Phantom Obsession #5 Lady Mechanika Monster Of Ministry #2 Luney Tunes #264 Maw #5 Miles Morales Spider-man #34 Minecraft Tp Vol 03 Mlp Transformers Magic Of Cybertron Tp Moon Knight #7 My Date With Monsters #3 Nubia And The Amazons #4 Out #4 Phoenix Song Echo #4 Power Rangers #15 Primordial #5 Purgatori #4 Record Ragnarok Gn Vol 01 Red Sonja Black White Red #6 Regarding Matter Of Oswalds Body #3 Reign Of X Tp Vol 08 Retrofan Magazine #18 Righteous Thirst For Vengeance #4 Robins #3 Rush #3 Search For Hu #5 Seven Secrets #13 Shadowman (2020) #5 She-hulk #1 Shudder #3 Silk #1 Silver City Tp Silver Coin #8 Silver Surfer Rebirth #1 Star Wars Adventures Weapon Of A Jedi Gn Star Wars Doctor Aphra #18 Star Wars High Republic #13 Star Wars High Republic Adv Galactic Bake Off Strange Academy #15 Superman Son Of Kal-el #7 Time Before Time #9 Tmnt Ongoing #125 Tmnt Reborn Tp Vol 03 Time After Time Transformers Back To Future Tp Usagi Yojimbo #25 Venom #4 Walking Dead Dlx #31 We Only Find Them When Theyre Dead #10 Witchblood #10 X Lives Of Wolverine #1 Speeding Bullet Comics | 614 N Porter Ave. | Norman, OK 73071 | (405) 360-6866 | [email protected] Site developed by Digital DK

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Posted on April 18, 2013. Smaller, better districts that spend less money. That was the consensus of suburban Shelby County officials who weighed in on the need to create municipal school districts here. The bills that passed Monday and Tuesday in the House and Senate were the most recent victories for suburban school proponents who have been fighting to create new districts for several years. All six municipalities in Shelby County – Bartlett, Arlington, Collierville, Germantown, Lakeland and Millington – tried to create districts last year. But after a federal judge ruled the new districts were unconstitutional, suburban school cheerleaders and lawmakers alike went back to the drawing board. "There's no question regarding the constitutionality of these laws," said state Sen. Mark Norris, a sponsor of the bills who has long advocated for new municipal districts. Norris, a Collierville Republican, said the votes Monday and Tuesday effectively ended the legislative initiative. "This is the ultimate parental choice in neighborhood schools," he said. Shelby County Commissioner Terry Rowland said he agreed, and now, suburban communities can create the districts that work best for them. Even with the approval of the new bills – one that changes the previous law and another regulating the number of school districts each county may have based upon population – suburban school districts are still at least a year away, said Bartlett Mayor Keith McDonald. McDonald said he is hopeful that the Aldermen in Bartlett would be able to do a first reading of such an ordinance in May, and that new districts could open in Shelby County's six suburban municipalities in August 2014. Between now and then, the county commissioners would have to redraw the boundaries for each district; the municipalities would have to form education committees to address the new district's needs; and the people of each district will have to elect a school board, he said. "We'd try to get as many things together in a committee as possible so that when the board is in place, they can focus on selecting a superintendent," said McDonald. But before the districts can split, the current district will become officially larger. The new Memphis and Shelby County Schools district takes effect in September, effectively ending the remains of the former Memphis City Schools and Shelby County Schools. The two unified after MCS gave up its charter a couple of years ago. Despite the larger district, Rowland said the delayed process may have helped the suburbs. Still, the fight for suburban districts might not be over. Concerns expressed about the new districts creating segregated schools, and thus violating the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, will have to be addressed, McDonald said. "I don't think they are violating the amendment, but they (some of the county commissioners) think we are," he said. "Anyone using that argument has never been to the schools," said the Millington resident who also said he believes the schools in his community are very diverse. "These other commissioners are doing a misjustice to people. They are spending money on lawsuits that we could be using in other areas. Reaves said he also doesn't believe that people are being denied equal protection under the law, but he does believe money management is a serious issue. As for his future as a board member, Reaves said he will continue to serve the county as long as it has a unified board but has no intentions of running as a Bartlett school board member. Reaves recently was elected to the unified board after the former Shelby County and MCS board members were appointed to only a grandfathered term and will be one of the seven school board members remaining after those who were not elected to stay drop off in September. "I have three kids in he schools in Bartlett, and I'll remain as a supporter," he said.

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Community Enterprise Law Legal tools for community businesses and nonprofits. Overview of Legal Entities Adapting Legal Entities For a Sustainable Economy New Types of For-Profit Entities Participatory Governance Models Overview of Community-Based Financing A Securities Law Primer Registering Securities Exemptions from Registration Resale of Securities Loan Funds, CDFIs, Investment and Business Development Clubs The Crowdfund Act Program-Related Investments International Community-Based Financing Models Employment Law and the Next Economy Apprenticeships and the Law Partners or Employees? Volunteers or Employees? Interns or Employees? Independent Contractors or Employees? Vision, Goals, and Legal Framework for Economically Sustainable Housing Legal Structure Models for Economically Sustainable Housing Legal, Financial, and Tax Considerations Affecting Structure Zoning and Housing Inclusionary Housing Laws Boarding Houses, Hostels, and Short-Term Rentals Subdivision Laws Commercial and Industrial Zoning Building Codes and Green Building Environmental Laws In Depth Profiles of Communities Sample Document Library Resources and Support Organizations Maitri House Case Study The Rethinking Home Program of the Sustainable Economies Law Center is working to build a library of legal resources and documents to facilitate the development of shared, sustainable, and affordable housing arrangements. This work includes surveys and in-depth legal profiles of different models of shared housing, including cohousing communities, ecovillages, and housing cooperatives. What follows is a profile of a unique community in Maryland. 1 Disclaimer: 3 The Initial Vision 4 Finding People 5 Forming an LLC 6 Buying a Home, and Transferring the Powers of Ownership to the LLC 6.1 A Brief Note on Decision-Making Within the LLC 7 Capital Lease: The Nitty-Gritty Details 7.1 What the LLC Gets 7.2 What the Purchasers Get 8 The "Business Plan": Maitri LLC's Inputs and Outputs 8.1 The LLC's Income 8.1.1 A Small Addendum on Income: The LLC's Tax Deduction 8.2 The LLC's Expenditures 8.3 Invest in Yourself: 6% Interest on Maitri Equity 9 Day-to-Day Decisions: Life in the Community 9.1 Vision and Values Statement 9.2 From Values to Practice 10 Maitri House Documents 11 Acknowledgments The Sustainable Economies Law Center cannot warrant that the legal model of Maitri House is perfect in every respect. In fact, there may be room for improvement in its legal structure and documents. However, this is true of EVERY community. We nevertheless feel that it's important to share information about unique communities, so that others may begin to replicate and improve upon the models. If you plan to use the information and sample documents in this case study as a model for your community, we strongly urge you to seek the advice of a lawyer, and to revise all documents to ensure that they comply with your State and local laws and ordinances, and that they meet your community's needs. Maitri House is a 20-person cooperative house located in Takoma Park, Maryland. Residents have their own rooms, but share common amenities, which include a large kitchen, living room, and dining room; as well as a home office; playroom; productive garden; and a bike shed. In addition, residents share a set of collectively articulated values which undergird the day-to-day functions of the community. However, what makes Maitri a particularly interesting case are the creative legal and financial structures its residents used to bring it into being. The Initial Vision Since a community like Maitri is, by definition, the work of many, it's impossible to attribute its creation to any single person. However, even collaborative efforts require some initial force, and in Maitri's case that force was a man named Ryan McAllister, who had long dreamt of starting a cooperative home. In 2006, Ryan began reaching out to people in his personal network, telling them what he wanted to do, and attempting to put together the core group that would go on to found Maitri. Even at this early stage, however, it was understood that Maitri would be: A community that prioritizes closeness and social connection among its members, and serves as a supportive base for their engagements in the wider world; A community that embraces members of different ages, races, familial statuses, and backgrounds, and that celebrates the richness such diversity brings to a shared home; A place where parents and others could live as a large family, sharing the joys and challenges of supporting children; A home that could be co-owned by all of its members, regardless of their financial situations, while also giving residents the ability to move in or out (and recoup their investments) as their situations changed; A space that was large enough to fit 18-20 people, with ample space for privacy and quiet as well as community interaction; and A home that was integrated into its urban community–close to the Metro, the local food co-op, and a number of other amenities; Above all, Maitri would be a place where people could be themselves, contemplate what they value, and consciously center their lives around those things. Finding People Since Ryan had lived in the DC Metropolitan area for many years, he was able to use his personal network (friends and friends of friends) to find most of the people who would eventually form the core of Maitri. From late 2006 until early 2008, he sent emails, made phone calls, and organized informal meetings with people–telling them what he had in mind, while also listening to their own needs and wants. Throughout this process, the initial vision (above) proved to be an ideal recruiting framework: precise enough that people knew what they were getting into, without being so completely thought out that new participants could have no say in Maitri's creation. By early 2008, a core of people had coalesced around the project, Ryan's initial vision had evolved into Maitri's shared Vision and Values Statement, and the group began looking for a home. Around the same time, the group hired a lawyer to form a Limited Liability Company ("LLC") and draft its Operating Agreement. Like any LLC, this one enabled Maitri's individual members to function as a single, legally coherent entity. Initially, the hope was that this entity could purchase property directly, which would then be jointly controlled by its members. This did not work out quite as planned (more on that later), but the LLC and its Operating Agreement did serve several other important functions. For instance, it: Formally defined Maitri's particular purpose (the acquisition and management of a cooperative residence, which would house at least some of the LLC's members); Defined the steps by which members could enter or leave the LLC, and by which members of the LLC would become residents of the house; Provided some protections and rights to individual members (for instance, members would always have a right to sell their shares and divest themselves from the LLC), while also protecting the LLC as a whole (for instance, members cannot sell their shares to just anyone, and generally cannot demand that the LLC sell its assets in order to pay back equity shares); Described the mechanisms by which the LLC would acquire capital from its members, and by which it would distribute profits/losses to them (this includes a very interesting clause saying that the LLC will pay 6% interest per year–lowered by consensus from the original 7% set forth in the Operating Agreement–on each member's capital investment–more on this later); and Defined the different spheres of decision-making that Maitri's residents and LLC members might have to be involved in, from establishing house policies that would address day-to-day matters to legally mandated board meetings of the LLC), and set forth the mechanisms by which these decisions would be made. While the members of Maitri didn't actually end up being able to use their LLC until after they'd secured ownership of a home (a common occurrence), having their Operating Agreement written out in advance gave everyone time to read it through, understand its particulars, and sign on. It also probably helped to assuage many members' concerns about the project (e.g., "Will I be able to recoup my investment if I want to leave?"), and to assure them that it was really going to happen. Buying a Home, and Transferring the Powers of Ownership to the LLC When the members of Maitri began to seek funding for their venture, they were dismayed to find that no bank would lend money to their newly-minted LLC (at least, not with anything resembling reasonable terms). In many ways, this made sense. The LLC structure exists in large part to protect its member's assets from being seized by creditors, and the LLC itself had no assets to seize. If Maitri's LLC was unable to make its mortgage payments, the lenders would have little recourse. Still, this meant that Maitri's home couldn't actually be purchased collectively. Consequently, two financially secure members of Maitri paid a down payment and took out a mortgage in their own names to jointly purchase Maitri's building. If this had been the end of things, Maitri's other members would still have had a house to reside in, and they probably would have been able to create a strong, stable, and supportive community within it. However, they would not actually have been owners of their home, and the resulting owner/renter power dynamics would almost inevitably have gotten in the way of real egalitarian community. To resolve this situation, Maitri's lawyer used something called a "Capital Lease" to transfer the powers, benefits, and responsibilities of ownership to the collectively-controlled LLC. Under this system, the LLC effectively has most rights of ownership to the home, and the residents (who invest in equity shares at a rate of $100/month–give or take) own the LLC. In exchange for transfering the rights of ownership of the building to the LLC, the two mortgage holders got equity in the LLC equal to the value of the money they had invested in the project (for the down payment and remodelling costs). For the time being, the original mortgage holders have the largest investments in Maitri–and consequently, a controlling-share in the LLC–but the hope is that the LLC will be able to amass enough equity over the next few decades to pay off the original mortgage, and that people's individual shares of the LLC will equalize over time. A Brief Note on Decision-Making Within the LLC In theory (though perhaps not in practice), the LLC is the least egalitarian part of Maitri. It allows many decisions to be made unilaterally by an LLC Manager. For instance, the LLC Manager may sell any LLC asset or acquire any new one without seeking member approval, as long as the value of that asset does not exceed $30,000. Other major decisions–including extremely important ones like setting Member Expense Payments (see below) do require member approval. However, even here voting power is allotted according to each member's investment in the LLC, meaning that Maitri's two mortgage-holders have vastly more sway than any other members. Whether this is by design–a concession to expediency, and the mortgage-holders' understandable desire to protect their substantial investment–or simply a relic of more traditional LLC structures is unclear. However, it does seem to be a less-than-perfect solution, ill-suited to Maitri's overall mission and values. Capital Lease: The Nitty-Gritty Details The Capital Lease is an agreement between Maitri's two mortgage-holding members—referred to in the Capital Lease as the "Purchasers"–and the LLC (which also includes those two members). The Purchasers lease the property to the LLC for a period of seven years, with the option of three more automatically-renewing seven-year leases (for a total of 28 years). The LLC also has an option to purchase the property, for a price equal to the unpaid principal on the mortgage loans at the time of the sale. The intention is that by the end of the lease, including all option periods, the LLC will have paid off the entire mortgage loan amounts, including principal (see discussion under "The Business Plan" below), exercise the option to purchase, and title will formally transfer to the LLC. The original lender itself is not involved, and has no knowledge of this secondary agreement; they still receive their payments from the mortgage holders, and as far as they are concerned nothing has changed. Note that most mortgage promissory notes specify that the full balance of the loan becomes due on any transfer of the property securing the loan, without the lender's prior written consent. This is known as the "due on transfer clause." While lenders rarely enforce this right to call the loan unless they become aware of a transfer that would actually impair their security interest, the question of whether the lender would view the Capital Lease as a "transfer" and attempt to enforce the due on transfer clause, however unlikely, remains untested. What the LLC Gets The LLC's lease payments under Maitri's Capital Lease are set so that each month's rent will be equal to the monthly mortgage payments (including any fees). In addition, pursuant to the purchase option, the Purchasers cannot sell the house to anyone other than the LLC, and its sale price must be "equal to the unpaid principal on the mortgage loan" at the time of the sale, which very likely will be well below the fair market value of the house at the time. In other words, the price that the LLC will eventually pay for the Maitri house cannot exceed its original purchase price, and the LLC will have paid that price by the time its lease expires. For accounting purposes, the LLC effectively became the owner of Maitri House as soon as the Capital Lease was signed, since a Capital Lease is treated as a purchase with a loan. Thus, rental payments are considered repayments of the loan. The loan also allows the LLC to deduct the interest payments, and the mortgage holders have interest income and expense in an equal amount. In addition, the LLC takes a tax loss each year on the depreciated value of the home, and passes this tax loss on to the LLC's members as a deduction. (This is described in more detail in "The LLC's Tax Deduction" below). What the Purchasers Get Under the Capital Lease, Maitri's original mortgage holders (the "Purchasers") are guaranteed to receive an amount equal to their mortgage payment each month (which they will then turn over to the lender). In addition, the LLC agrees to pay for all maintenance, repairs, alterations, and improvements on the property. Finally, if the original mortgage holders wish to be free of their investment, the LLC agrees to either buy them out, or to sell the property on the open market and use the proceeds to pay back the original investors (plus any other equity holders). The "Business Plan": Maitri LLC's Inputs and Outputs In order to purchase the building that Maitri's members call home, its original purchasers put in $400,000 of their own money. This is no small sum of money, and the fact that Maitri had members capable of investing so much was a considerable boon to the LLC as a whole, since it allowed them to take on a much more reasonable mortgage. However, it's worth pointing out that there's nothing in Maitri's structure that would have prevented more members from putting in smaller amounts of money–the Capital Lease would work as well for ten "Purchasers" as it does for two. The remainder of Maitri's purchase price ($909,041) was paid for through a combination of a large mortgage ($500,000 at 4.75%) and two smaller private loans totaling a bit over $9,000. In order to be financially viable, Maitri's LLC must be able to pay the interest on these three loans ($32,455/year), plus a host of other expenses involved in owning and maintaining a home. In order to do that, the LLC needs to have money coming in. The LLC's Income Each month, residents of Maitri house pay an "Expense Payment" in exchange for a room in the house and full use of common spaces. The amounts of these payments vary from $500-$950, depending upon the size and general desirability of the room they occupy. Taken together, these expense payments bring in $87,000 a year. An additional $4,500 a year comes from extra fees for rooms occupied by more than one person ($150/month for each adult, and $75/month for each child). Finally, many members pay an extra $50-$100/month of "equity" (thus building up their equity in the project, and either buying out some of the equity of the original mortgage holders or hastening the time by which Maitri's bank mortgage will be paid off). This brings in an extra $6,600/year. All told, the Maitri LLC takes in $98,000/year–nearly $18,000 more than they need in order to meet their basic expenses. The surplus can be held in reserve to pay for emergency maintenance/other large projects, or used to pay off the mortgage, depending on the needs of the house and determined in accordance with the Operating Agreement. A Small Addendum on Income: The LLC's Tax Deduction Like all individuals and entities, Maitri's LLC reports and pays taxes on its income annually. As lessee under the Capital Lease, the LLC reports and takes a tax deduction of about $33,056/year, based upon the 27.5 year depreciation schedule for residential rental property. This deduction is then passed directly onto the LLC's individual members via an IRS form called a K-1. Generally, LLC members claim a K-1 tax deduction in proportion to their equity stake in the LLC (so that someone who held a 40% share of the LLC would receive 40% of the deduction amount). However, LLCs have some flexibility to allocate deductions in other ways. In Maitri's case, all members will receive an equal share of the deduction, unless they choose otherwise (which they might, if, for example, they don't make enough money in a given year for the deduction to be useful). Essentially, this deduction amounts to something like a $1,600 Expense Payment refund per person, per year, which does a lot to reduce the real cost of living at Maitri. * For more information on the tax deduction, see IRS Pub. No. 527, Residential Rental Property; IRS Pub. No. 46, How To Depreciate Property; Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB), FAS No. 13, as amended. The LLC's Expenditures The LLC's largest single expenditure is the service payment on its mortgage. Currently, this is $31,605/year. Beyond this, it must pay $850/year on its two small private loans; $10,500 in annual taxes; $1,300 in insurance, about $7,000 in utilities; $2,500 for general maintenance; and about $2,100 for the services of a professional accountant. It also pays 6% simple interest to its equity-holding members each year–an amount which currently works out to $24,000 (this fact is interesting enough to warrant its own separate discussion, which can be found below). All told, these expenses total about $80,000 a year–a sum which is more than covered by members' annual Expense Payments. Invest in Yourself: 6% Interest on Maitri Equity Perhaps the most unique thing about Maitri, at least from a financial perspective, is that its members chose to pay 6% annual interest on any member's equity in the LLC. It is possible that this was meant as a partial compensation to the original mortgage-holders–their $400,000 equity investment means that they get $12,000 back at the end of the year. This is enough to completely offset their expense payments, which means that they are able to live at Maitri rent-free (in fact, they will have a bit left over each year). As things stand, these original mortgage-holders receive the most benefit from Maitri's 6% return. However, it provides some incentive for every member of Maitri to invest in the LLC. They may not receive an astronomical return from the money they put in (Maitri is no stock market), but they also have very little risk of losing their investment (again, Maitri is no stock market). Furthermore, they will be investing in themselves, and their own home. Assuming that the entire $909,041 purchase-price of Maitri's home is eventually converted to member-held equity, the amount that the LLC pays to its members each year will go up by about $30,000, to a bit over $54,000. However, by this time the service payment on Maitri's mortgage (currently $31,605) will go down to zero. This means that, at least from a cost perspective, Maitri's members have very little reason not to pay themselves 6% interest–at least, not for the next several decades. At some point in the future, it's possible that all of Maitri's members will have equal amounts of equity invested in the project (with some members selling, others buying, and all continuing to live in the home long-term). In this unlikely scenario, there really wouldn't be much reason to continue paying interest: each member would just be paying out and collecting money in equal amounts. However, in the much more likely scenario that members continue to have unequal equity, and that some equity-holding members cease to live in the Maitri house, these payments would continue to serve a real purpose: compensating those who had invested their money in Maitri, and who had risked some of their financial security and liquidity in order to make the home a reality. Day-to-Day Decisions: Life in the Community As interesting and important as Maitri's legal and financial structures are, it's worth remembering that ultimately they are means to an end–life, after all, is not lived within the LLC. Maitri's primary purpose was to create a space in which residents could experience true cooperative living, along with all the joys and (hopefully productive) challenges that such living entails. For this reason, Maitri has put at least as much thought into its informal structures as it has into its Operating Agreement and Capital Lease. Like most cooperative homes, Maitri has a lengthy list of agreements about everything from what house members are expected to do on a regular basis (cooking, cleaning, taking out the trash) to what sorts of food people will pay for and share together. What makes Maitri unique is that they have chosen to make all of these little day-to-day decisions with an eye on the bigger picture. Vision and Values Statement For Maitri's members, this big picture is the community's Vision and Values Statement: a one page document which lays out the overall vision of Maitri House, and lists its seven core values (which range from "Prioritizing the Vitality/Wellness/Connectedness of our Relationships" to supporting "Life-Enhancing Social Change"). Each of these values includes a few sentences of descriptive text, elaborating upon what Maitri's members mean by each value–what, for instance, would supporting "Life-Enhancing Social Change" look like in a cooperative home? In each case, the values and their descriptions were arrived upon after a long process of reflection, discussion, and debate, and they are in many ways the biggest bit of "work" that Maitri has done. It is the Vision and Values Statement, more than anything, that makes Maitri an intentional community–it encapsulates the way that Maitri's members want to live, and the promises to themselves that they hope their housemates will help them to keep. From Values to Practice With these values in mind, Maitri's members then formulated a Document of Intentions and Practices–a list of intentions, or ways that they hoped to live and act in order to embody their stated values. For example, because they value strong interpersonal relationships, they intend to meet regularly; make house decisions by consensus; listen carefully to one another; share openly; and discourage the use of televisions, computers, and other screens in common space. From these intentions (and others like them) flow Maitri's specific practices: everything from meeting once a week for an hour and a half, to composting their kitchen waste. Of course, most communities have some shared values, even if they are only implicit. Not having a written statement of house values certainly doesn't prevent people from coming to collective decisions. And yet, there are solid benefits to having them agreed upon, and clearly articulated. According to Ryan of Maitri, the Vision and Values Statement functions as a "sort of fork–a way to hold ourselves in alignment with ourselves, and push ourselves to notice when we're [making decisions or acting in ways that are] not in alignment with our values." Furthermore, he says, "framing [disagreements] in terms of values helps move them away from tension between people and onto tension between values, and we become representatives of our values when we speak, rather than representatives of our personal preferences." In other words, having an explicit set of shared values can help remind people to make collective decisions based upon what is best for the group, rather than merely what is most convenient for them. For instance, I as a hypothetical member of Maitri may really want to watch Jersey Shore on a giant TV in the living room, but I would also recognize that doing so would monopolize the space and overpower any interpersonal interactions that might otherwise occur there. And so, I would respectfully refrain. Maitri House Documents Maitri House Vision and Values Maitri House LLC Operating Agreement Maitri House Sample Financial Plan (Income and Expenditures) Capital Lease Between Mortgage Holders and Maitri House LLC Excerpt from Maitri House Document of Intention and Practice This case study was written by SELC Rethinking Home Program Manager Sean Betouliere, with input from SELC Co-Director Janelle Orsi and volunteer attorney Esti Miller. Thank you to Ryan McAllister for sharing so much information about the Maitri community and its legal structure! Set Up a New Business or Nonprofit Hire Employees Access Land and Housing Get Legal Advice Get More Legal Information An Introduction to the Investment Company Act of 1940 Community Capital Spotlight: Oregon's Community Public Offering Exemption Is Delaware the Best Place to Incorporate a Nonprofit? Public Advertising to Wealthy Investors: The New SEC Rule 506(c) vs. California's Qualified Purchaser Exemption Investment Crowdfunding: One Step Closer Delaware's New Benefit Corporation Legislation Welcome to Community Enterprise Law! © Community Enterprise Law 2020. Powered by WordPress

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RETROSPECTIVE EXHIBITION OF WORKS OF ROBERT COMBAS > EVENT PLANNER > RETROSPECTIVE EXHIBITION OF WORKS OF ROBERT COMBAS Sun. 7th August - Sun. 11th September 2016 More than 100 of the most vibrant and provocative paintings of prolific French artist Robert COMBAS will be displayed in a thrilling exhibition in Monaco this summer. The collection of Robert Combas' art will be showcased by Laurent Strouk at the Principality's Grimaldi Forum from August 7th until September 11th. The paintings, handpicked from Combas oeuvres d'art from the 80s and 90s, are all based on themes close to his heart: love, women, war, religion, mythology, music and genre scenes. Combas, who was born in Lyon in 1957, is regarded by many as one of the most important and prolific artists of today. He is also considered as one of the founding fathers of the artistic movement La Figuration Libre, a term coined by BEN in the beginning of the 80s. His paintings address a multitude of topics, and with each work his imagination has been allowed to run wild, without any limits. It is often easier to describe his works of art using a plethora of adjectives than actually decipher what the painting is actually about. They are free, colourful, grotesque, funny, sensual, violent, historic, multi-faceted, energetic, and spontaneous; but they are also much more intelligent and conceptual than they appear at first glance. Combas' extraordinary talented was spotted in 1980 by the then director of Le Musee de Saint-Etienne, Bernard Ceysson, when he was studying for his National Diploma in Fine Arts in Saint-Etienne. Since then Combas has had expositions in Holland, Germany, Italy and New York, where he was invited to display his paintings in a gallery belonging to Italian-American contemporary art dealer Leo Castelli in 1983 and 1986. Combas also participated in two exhibitions, one in New York and the other in Paris, which challenged the work of the La Figuration Libre movement with the American artists Keith Haring, Jean Michel Basquiat and Kenny Scharf. Speaking in the early 80s, Combas claimed: "Figuration Libre is about doing what we want, as much as we can, as personally and as freely as possible." This spontaneous approach to painting has remained his way of life and of art, but in a career spanning 35 years, his work has grown and become more complex because Combas has never got to the point where he would like to stop. Laurent Strouk has been a long term admirer of Combas' 'explosive creations' and he believes the up-and-coming exhibition in Monaco will be an "explosion of joy, of colours, of energy and vitality". The Robert Combas exhibition will run from August 7th to September 11th. FRANCIS BACON, MONACO AND FRENCH CULTURE Sat. 2nd July - Sun. 4th September 2016

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Jim Owen Spokesman, Edison Electric Institute Spokesman for the Edison Electric Institute, a trade association that represents the nation's investor-owned electric power companies Jim Owen on KCRW America's National Parks under Pressure From Maine to California, America's most popular government program is in trouble, just as vacation season gets under way. Nov. 24, 2006 from To the Point Omicron holidays: No zero-risk scenario exists, says epidemiologist As some families are preparing to travel and gather for the holidays next week, they should be especially careful as the Omicron variant is expected to overtake the Delta variant, says… Dec. 16 from Press Play with Madeleine Brand What have we learned since the Capitol insurrection one year ago? We kick off a new year of Left Right & Center as the country reflects on the one-year anniversary of the January 6th attack on the U.S. Capitol. Jan. 7 from Left, Right & Center SoCal Congressman recalls Jan. 6 insurrection: 'I was scared' As the Jan. 6 committee's investigation into the insurrection continues, Rep. Pete Aguilar tells KCRW that he won't rule out subpoenaing Kevin McCarthy.

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The chicken is lightly spiced. Enough to give it a great flavor but nothing overpowering. The thing that I think puts this over the top is the use of fresh bread crumbs. I am so a convert. I won't be using those old, dry boxed ones ever again. Definitely a recipe we'll be making over and over around here. Thanks Deborah! Preheat the oven to 400F. Coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray. Combine the bread crumbs, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, thyme, paprika, salt and pepper in a shallow dish. Mix well. Dip the chicken strips in to coat evenly, and tap off the excess. Lay the chicken strips on the prepared baking sheet in a single layer. Spray the tops with cooking spray. Cook until golden brown and cooked through, about 20 minutes. In a medium bowl, mash the avocado and sour cream together with a fork. Fold in the jalepeños, lime juice, cilantro and hot sauce, then season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve the chicken fingers with the avocado sauce on the side for dipping. *To make whole wheat bread crumbs, take a slice of whole wheat bread and put it into a food processor. Process until it makes fine crumbs. I only needed one slice of bread to make the amount of crumbs needed. Feel free to substitute prepared bread crumbs.

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Once the initial emergency is over, the next step is trying to save and recover what you can of your home and belongings. In many cases insurance companies will be there to assist with hiring companies that have trained professionals on hand; however you may be in a position where you have to do some of this work yourself. It is important to be aware of the health and safety hazards and take precautions before and as you begin this work. What Are Some of the Hazards In and Around My Home That I Need to Consider Before I Begin Work On My Property? What Are Some Things I Can Do to Protect Myself? Safety Guideline For Post Disaster Recovery and Reconstruction Operations.

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The hardware detection must be carried out in a web browser that is opened locally on the ixi-UMS Business server. After the first installation of the CAPI for the connection to the telephone system or if you have changed it later, this has to be read out by means of "Hardware detection". Only then can you select the controllers to be used.

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https://celticswire.usatoday.com/2019/12/12/joel-embiid-dominates-as-sixers-overcome-celtics-in-boston-115-109/ Joel Embiid dominates as Sixers overcome Celtics in Boston, 115-109 Joel Embiid entered Thursday night's contest wanting to send a message. It's safe to say he succeeded, as he valiantly led the Sixers to a tough road win over the Celtics, 115-109. As many would have predicted, the clubs engaged in a back-and-forth battle, but in the end, the Sixers got too much from Embiid down the stretch. The young big man ended the night with 38 points on 12-for-21 shooting from the field. He also added 13 rebounds, six assists and a game-sealing block against Daniel Theis to preserve the victory for Philadelphia. Heading into the contest, fans in Boston looked forward to welcoming Al Horford back to the building where he spent the last three years of his career wearing Boston green, but he was held out of the contest due to a sore left knee and tightness in his left hamstring. Even without him, though, Philadelphia was able to emerge with the impressive road win. The teams battled fairly evenly in the game's first half, as the Celtics carried a 59-56 lead into the half behind 53 percent shooting. Kemba Walker also scored 21 of his 29 in the game's first 24 minutes before fading down the stretch. Unfortunately for Boston, he was held scoreless for the first 10 minutes of the game's fourth period, during which the Sixers were able to capitalize. Fell short. pic.twitter.com/TJdmqsZv5E — Boston Celtics (@celtics) December 13, 2019 Philadelphia managed to open up a nine-point lead with about 2:30 remaining before Walker sparked a 7-0 Boston run to trim the Sixers' lead to just two points with 1:01 remaining in the game, but it was too little, too late. The Celtics managed to cut the deficit to a single point on a late Jayson Tatum 3-pointer, but a pair of clutch free throws by Ben Simmons on the preceding possessions left Boston with a deficit. A critical no-call on what appeared to be a foul from Josh Richardson and a late block by Joel Embiid on Daniel Theis helped the Sixers clinch the victory. The final score of the contest doesn't actually reflect how tightly it was contested. FINAL: 76ers 115, Celtics 109 ☘️ Walker: 29 PTS, 8 AST ☘️ Kanter: 20 PTS, 9 REB, 2 STL, 2 BLK ☘️ Hayward: 19 PTS, 5 AST ☘️ Theis: 16 PTS, 5 REB 🔔 Embiid: 38 PTS, 13 REB, 6 AST 🔔 Simmons: 7 PTS, 7 REB, 6 AST, 5 TOV — Taylor Snow (@taylorcsnow) December 13, 2019 Tobias Harris added 23 points for the Sixers while Enes Kanter (10-for-13 shooting) scored 20 points off the bench for the Celtics. With the loss, the Celtics fall to 17-7 on the season while the Sixers improve to 19-7 and move into first place in the Atlantic Division.

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Reform Party of the United States of America American political party This article is about the party founded by Ross Perot. For the short-lived party formed in Wisconsin in 1873, see Reform Party (19th-century Wisconsin). Reform Party of the Nicholas Hensley Dallas, TX, U.S. Membership (February 2020) 6,665[1] Radical centrism Electoral reform Political position Center[2] State Upper Chamber Seats State Lower Chamber Seats Other elected offices 9 (2019)[3] www.reformparty.org Politics of United States Political parties The Reform Party of the United States of America (RPUSA), generally known as the Reform Party USA or the Reform Party, is a political party in the United States, founded in 1995 by Ross Perot. Perot believed Americans were disillusioned with the state of politics as being corrupt and unable to deal with vital issues. After he received 18.9 percent of the popular vote as an independent candidate in the 1992 presidential election, he founded the Reform Party and presented it as a viable alternative to Republicans and Democrats. As the Reform Party candidate, Perot won 8.4 percent of the popular vote in the 1996 presidential election. Although he did not receive a single electoral vote, no other third-party or independent candidate has since managed to receive as high a share of the vote. The party has nominated other candidates over the years, including Pat Buchanan and Ralph Nader. Its most significant victory came when Jesse Ventura was elected Governor of Minnesota in 1998, although he left the party shortly into his term. Donald Trump was a member of the Reform Party during his 2000 presidential campaign. In around the year 2000, party infighting and scandals led to a major decline in the party's strength. Beginning with Buchanan's poor showing in the 2000 election, no Reform Party presidential candidate has been able to gather 1 percent of the popular vote. When Donald Trump Was a Member of the Reform Party: News Conference (2000) Third parties in the United States | US government and civics | Khan Academy Third Parties in the United States Political Parties: Crash Course Government and Politics #40 1 The Ross Perot movement 1.1 Ross Perot's 1992 presidential election campaign 2 Foundation and rise of the party 3 Apex: 1996 presidential election 3.1 Nomination campaign 3.2 Exclusion from the debates 4 Plateau and decline 4.1 1997 4.1.1 American Reform Party 4.2 Mid-term elections of 1998 4.3 2000 presidential election 5 Collapse 5.1 Activities of the party in 2005 5.2 2006 candidates 5.3 2008 National Convention 5.4 2009 legal action 5.9 Best Results in Major Races 6 Presidential tickets 7 Platform 8 Active state affiliates 10 References 11 External links The Ross Perot movement Ross Perot's 1992 presidential election campaign The party grew out of Ross Perot's efforts in the 1992 presidential election, where—running as an independent—he became the first non-major party candidate since 1912 to have been considered viable enough to win the presidency. Perot received attention for focusing on fiscal issues such as the federal deficit and national debt; government reform issues such as term limits, campaign finance reform, and lobbying reform; and issues on trade. A large part of his following was grounded in the belief he was addressing vital problems largely ignored by the two major parties.[4] A Gallup poll showed Perot with a slim lead, but on July 19 he suspended his campaign, accusing Republican operatives of threatening to sabotage his daughter's wedding.[citation needed] He was accused by Newsweek of being a "quitter" in a well-publicized cover-page article.[citation needed] After resuming his campaign on October 1, Perot was dogged by the "quitter" moniker and other allegations concerning his character.[citation needed] On Election Day many voters were confused as to whether Perot was actually still a candidate. He ended up receiving about 18.9 percent of the popular vote, a record level of popularity not seen in an independent candidacy since former President Theodore Roosevelt ran on the "Bull Moose" Progressive Party ticket in 1912. He continued being politically involved after the election, turning his campaign organization (United We Stand America) into a lobbying group. One of his primary goals was the defeat of the North American Free Trade Agreement during this period.[4] Foundation and rise of the party In 1995, Republicans took control of the House of Representatives, largely on the strength of the "Contract with America", which recognized and promised to deal with many of the issues Perot's voters had mobilized to support in 1992. However, two of the major provisions (Constitutional amendments for term limits and the balanced budgets) failed to secure the two-thirds congressional majorities required to be submitted to the states. Dissatisfied, the grassroots organizations that had made Perot's 1992 candidacy possible began to band together to found a third party intended to rival the Republicans and Democrats. For legal reasons, the party ended up being called the "Reform Party" ("Independent Party" was preferred, but already taken, as were several variants on the name). A drive to get the party on the ballot in all fifty states succeeded, although it ended with lawsuits in some regions over state ballot access requirements. In a few areas, minor parties became incorporated as state party organizations.[4] Apex: 1996 presidential election Nomination campaign At first, when the 1996 election season arrived, Perot held off from entering the contest for the Reform Party's presidential nomination, calling for others to try for the ticket. The only person who announced such an intention was Dick Lamm, former Governor of Colorado. After the Federal Election Commission indicated only Perot and not Lamm would be able to secure federal matching funds—because his 1992 campaign was as an independent—Perot entered the race. Some were upset that Perot changed his mind because, in their view, Perot overshadowed Lamm's run for the party nomination. This built up to the beginning of a splinter within the movement, when it was alleged certain problems in the primary process—such as many Lamm supporters not receiving ballots, and some primary voters receiving multiple ballots—were Perot's doing. The Reform Party claimed these problems stemmed from the petition process for getting the Reform Party on the ballot in all of the states since the party claimed they used the names and addresses of petition signers as the basis of who received ballots. Primary ballots were sent by mail to designated voters. Eventually, Perot was nominated and he chose economist Pat Choate as his vice-presidential candidate.[4] Exclusion from the debates Between 1992 and 1996, the Commission on Presidential Debates changed its rules regarding how candidates could qualify to participate in the presidential debates. As Perot had previously done very well in debates, it was a decisive blow to the campaign when the Commission ruled that he could not participate on the basis of somewhat vague criteria — such as that a candidate was required to have already been endorsed by "a substantial number of major news organizations," with "substantial" being a number to be decided by the Commission on a case-by-case basis. Perot could not have qualified for the debates in 1992 under these rules, and was able to show that various famous U.S. presidents would likewise have been excluded from the modern debate by the Commission on Presidential Debates.[4] Despite legal action by the Perot team, and an 80 percent majority of Americans supporting his participation in the debates, the Commission refused to budge and Perot was reduced to making his points heard via a series of half-hour "commercials". In the end, Perot and Choate won 8 percent of the vote.[4] Plateau and decline By October 1997, factional disputes began to emerge with the departure of a group that believed Perot had rigged the 1996 party primary to defeat Lamm. These individuals eventually established the "American Reform Party" (ARP). The ARP is actually a minor political action committee. Then chairman, Roy Downing, said the split came about when it was "...discovered [that the Reform Party] was a top-down party instead of a bottom-up organization."[5] Although members of the group attempted to persuade former Colorado Governor Dick Lamm – Perot's chief rival for the nomination – to run for president as an Independent, he declined, pointing out that he had promised before running that he would not challenge the party's decision. During this time, Perot himself chose to concentrate on lobbying efforts through United We Stand America.[4] American Reform Party When the ARP was founded, Jackie Salit noted in the Christian Science Monitor: "At its founding meeting in Kansas City in 1997, the 40 black delegates in the room, led by the country's foremost African-American independent – Lenora Fulani – represented the first time in US history that African-Americans were present at the founding of a major national political party."[6] The ARP has yet to organize in more than a few states. In the 2000, 2004, and 2008 elections, the American Reform Party supported Ralph Nader for president. The ARP is not a political party in the conventional sense. It does not have ballot access in any state, and it does not run candidates. It supports third-party candidates and independents who support the primary principals of the Party's platform. About 2010–2011, the party shifted from a relatively centrist platform to a Tea Party-style fiscal conservative one. In the 2012 presidential election, the ARP endorsed Republican Party nominee Mitt Romney against incumbent president Barack Obama.[7] In the 2016 presidential election, the Party endorsed the Republican candidate Donald Trump.[8] In New York State, the Integrity Party is an ARP affiliate. The group, led by Darren Johnson, used the state's fusion election system in cross-endorsing a Democratic sheriff candidate, Vincent Demarco, in Suffolk County, helping him narrowly win the election. The party had also run a host of other candidates and attempted to go statewide in 2006, fielding Phoebe Legere as a candidate in the 2006 New York gubernatorial election. Legere and the party did not qualify for the November ballot. The Reform Party of Northern Mariana Islands is an affiliate of the ARP. Mid-term elections of 1998 In 1998, the Reform Party received a boost when Jesse Ventura was elected Governor of Minnesota. According to the League of Women Voters, the Reform Party USA obtained more votes nationwide in 1998 than did any other third party in America (without those garnered by Ventura). Counting Ventura's performance, Reformers took in more votes than all other third parties in the United States combined, establishing the Reform Party as America's third-largest party.[4] See also: Donald Trump 2000 presidential campaign See also: Pat Buchanan 2000 presidential campaign The Reform Party's presidential candidate for the 2000 election was due federal matching funds of $12.5 million, based on Perot's 8 percent showing in 1996. Early on, there was a failed effort to draft Ron Paul.[4][9] Donald Trump entered the race briefly, giving television interviews outlining his platform. Trump was progressive on social issues, and supported allowing openly gay soldiers in the military, saying: "it would not disturb me".[10] Trump considered himself a conservative, but criticized Pat Buchanan, saying: "I'm on the conservative side, but Buchanan is Attila the Hun."[11] He withdrew from the race citing the party's infighting,[12] as did Jesse Ventura and the Minnesota Reform Party. Donald Trump stated: "So the Reform Party now includes a Klansman, Mr. Duke, a neo-Nazi, Mr. Buchanan, and a communist, Ms. Fulani. This is not company I wish to keep."[13][14] "Mr. Duke" was a reference to David Duke, a former Grand Wizard of the Knights of the Ku Klux Klan. Pat Buchanan decided to leave the Republican Party because: "The Republican Party at the national level has ceased to be my party. This divorce began around the end of the Cold War when President (George) Bush declared it to be a New World-order party and began intervening all over the world. While he and I were allies and friends during the Cold War, I just felt that once the Cold War was over the United States should return to a more traditional non-intervention foreign policy."[15] After a bitter fight, Pat Buchanan secured the Reform Party nomination over John Hagelin of the Natural Law Party. Hagelin and an anti-Buchanan faction walked out and held a separate convention across the street, where they nominated Hagelin as the party's candidate. The dispute went to the courts and the FEC decided that Buchanan was the legitimate nominee and awarded him $12.6 million in campaign funds.[16] Buchanan's running mate was Ezola B. Foster. Buchanan got 449,225 votes, 0.4 percent of those voting,[clarification needed] and the party lost its matching funds for 2004.[4] In 2002, Buchanan returned to the Republican Party. Many of his campaign supporters also left the Reform Party to form the America First Party.[citation needed] By the October 2003 National Convention, the Reform Party had only begun rebuilding, but several former state organizations had elected to rejoin now that the interference from the Freedom Parties was gone. They increased their ranks from 24 to 30 states and managed to retrieve ballot access for seven of them. (Buchanan's poor showing in 2000 had lost ballot access for almost the entire party.)[4] Because of organizational and financial problems in the party, it opted to support the independent campaign of Ralph Nader as the best option for an independent of any stripe that year. While the endorsement generated publicity for Nader and the Reform Party, the party was only able to provide Nader with seven ballot lines[17] down from the 49 of 51 guaranteed ballot lines the party had going into the 2000 election.[18] Activities of the party in 2005 In 2005, a dispute arose: the number of National Committee members required under the party's by-laws to call meetings of the National Committee, and the Executive Committee did so. These members came from several states including Texas, Michigan, and Florida. At both meetings, it was determined that a national convention would be called and held in Tampa, Florida. The Chairman at the time and National Committee members from Arizona, California, and Oklahoma boycotted the National and Executive Committee meetings, claiming the meetings were illegitimate. As a result, those states held a second convention in Yuma, Arizona.[4] In response to a suit filed by the group that met in Tampa, leaders of the Reform Party filed a Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) complaint claiming the Tampa group were extremists and guilty of conspiracy.[19] In 2006, the Reform Party nominated candidates in Arizona, and petitioned to regain ballot access in several other states where state Reform Party organizations were active. The Reform Party of Kansas nominated a slate of candidates, led by Iraq War veteran Richard Ranzau. In Colorado's 4th congressional district, "fiscal conservative" Eric Eidsness (a former assistant U.S. Environmental Protection Agency administrator and Navy veteran) ran on the Reform Party ticket.[20] He received 11.28 percent of the vote, five times the winning candidate's margin of victory;[21] he later switched his affiliation to the Democratic Party.[22] The Florida Reform Party granted use of its ballot line for governor to Max Linn of Florida Citizens for Term Limits (a Republican-leaning organization) in the 2006 gubernatorial election. Linn retained professional campaign staff with connections to the Perot and Ventura campaigns,[23][dead link][24][dead link] but received only 1.9 percent of the vote. As of March 2007, the Reform Party had ballot access for the 2008 presidential election in four states (Florida, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi) and had already started petitioning in an additional four.[25] 2008 National Convention The Reform Party held its 2008 National Convention in Dallas, July 18–20.[26] At the national convention, Ted Weill of Mississippi was nominated to be the party's 2008 presidential candidate. Frank McEnulty of California, the 2008 presidential candidate of the New American Independent Party, was nominated to be the party's 2008 vice-presidential candidate. David Collison of Texas was elected national chairman of the party. However, the party could not announce the results of the national convention on its web site until October because of a court order obtained by a dissident faction associated with the Independence Party of New York.[27] Therefore, the Weill/McEnulty ticket appeared on the ballot only in Mississippi, in which it received 481 votes.[4] An erroneous news report was broadcast by ABC News that stated the party had endorsed John McCain.[28] Frank MacKay of the dissident Independence Party of New York faction had made the endorsement, not the Reform Party USA. Reform Party USA Reference[4] David Collison, the Reform Party's chairman, said during a 2009 interview, "Do you believe that any legitimate national party would endorse the Republican candidate for President rather than have a candidate of their own?"[4][29] The candidates for the nomination included:[4] Alan Keyes, a former diplomat and Republican candidate Frank McEnulty who eventually became the vice presidential nominee Ted Weill, an activist from Mississippi who eventually became the presidential nominee Daniel Imperato, who later joined the Libertarian Party[30] Gene Chapman, a blogger from Denton, Texas 2009 legal action A long-standing feud in the party involved John Blare, of the Reform Party of California, and the Reform Party officers. On December 4, 2009, a New York Federal judge heard MacKay v Crews on the question of who are the legal Reform Party officers.[31] On December 16, 2009 the judge ruled in favor of David Collison's faction.[32] Collison said: "After over two years of litigation in Texas and New York, it is my profound pleasure to announce that US District Court Judge Joseph Bianco of the Eastern District of New York has ruled in our favor, and has further reinforced the 2008 ruling of Judge Carl Ginsberg of the 193rd District Court in Texas."[4] In January 2010, Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) operations officer Charles S. Faddis announced his support of the party in The Baltimore Sun: "I have decided to throw in my lot with the Reform Party of the United States."[33] Faddis later left the party, and ran in 2016 for Maryland's 5th congressional district as a Republican. In February 2010, former Reform Party Chairman Pat Choate emerged to discuss the appeal of the Tea Party movement, contrasting it with Ross Perot's party, saying: "The difference with the Tea Party is it's been heavily pushed by a bunch of talk-show conservatives. You have the Republican Party attempting to use this as a means to pull independents or conservative independents to their policies, to their agenda."[34] In February, Congressional candidates filed to run as Reform Party candidates in all four of Mississippi's congressional districts, but none for any statewide offices.[35] Among these were Barbara Dale Washer, Tracella Lou O'Hara Hill, and Anna Jewel Revies.[36] In April 2010, former Vice President Dan Quayle condemned the Reform Party on CBS, saying: "Many remember the Reform Party of the 1990s, which formed around the candidacy of Ross Perot. I sure do, because it eliminated any chance that President George H.W. Bush and I would prevail over Bill Clinton and Al Gore in 1992. Speaking on behalf of the Bush-Quayle campaign, to this day we firmly believe that Perot cost the Republican Party the White House."[37] Pat Choate in an April 28, 2010 interview with Monmouth University's student newspaper remained suspicious of the Tea Party movement, saying: "At these [Tea Party] events, a professional Republican always speaks. What to me is questionable is that the Tea Parties endorse candidates, but never endorse Democrats—they seem to be a front for the Republican Party. We were seen as very serious. Perot gave millions, we fielded candidates, and we were a real threat to the status quo. The media treats the Tea Parties as a sign of dissatisfaction, and views them skeptically."[38] Kristin M. Davis, the Manhattan madam involved in the Eliot Spitzer scandal, announced on June 27, 2010, that she was running for governor on an independent line in New York State using the name, Reform Party without Reform Party authorization after failing to secure the Libertarian Party nomination. Davis condemned the Democrats and Republicans for catering to wealthy white males, saying: "Where are the women, the Hispanics, the African-Americans, and the gay people? We must reject their tired old thinking...."[39] On June 29, 2010, Reform Party National Committee chairman David Collison sent Davis a cease-and-desist notice demanding that she immediately change the name under which she was seeking to run for governor. Davis made no attempt to obtain permission to run as an official Reform Party candidate, and therefore withdrew her use of the Reform Party name. Davis was not a member of the Reform Party.[4] Davis changed her Independent Ballot Line name and filed as an independent candidate by obtaining the required signatures needed in New York State to run for governor on the "Anti-Prohibition" line.[4] The Reform Party held its 2012 National Convention in Philadelphia, August 11–12, 2012.[40] At the national convention, the Reform Party nominated Andre Barnett from New York for president and Ken Cross from Arkansas for vice president. Among those who sought the nomination before dropping out several months prior to the convention were former Savannah State University football coach Robby Wells, economist Laurence Kotlikoff, historian Darcy Richardson, and former Louisiana Governor Buddy Roemer. The Reform Party co-nominated the American Delta Party's presidential and vice-presidential candidates Rocky de la Fuente and Michael Steinberg as their 2016 presidential ticket. On June 20, 2020 during a virtual convention, the Reform Party again nominated Rocky de la Fuente for President. De la Fuente defeated three other recognized candidates, Max Abramson, Souraya Faas, and Ben Zion (formerly the nominee for the Transhumanist Party). [41] Best Results in Major Races President 14.19% Maine 1996 Ross Perot 13.56% Montana 1996 12.71% Idaho 1996 US Senate 15.42% Mississippi 2002 Shawn O'Hara 8.37% Kansas 2002 George Cook 6.98% Minnesota 1996 Dean Barkley US House 33.70% Florida District 5 1998 Jack Gargan 21.09% California District 21 1998 John Evans 20.99% Mississippi District 1 2004 Barbara Dale Washer Governor 36.99% Minnesota 1998 Jesse Ventura 15.33% Kentucky 1999 Gatewood Galbraith 2.08% New Hampshire 1996 Fred Bramante Presidential tickets Presidential nominee Previous positions Vice presidential nominee Ross Perot (campaign) Texas Businessman Candidate for President of the United States (1992) Pat Choate District of Columbia Economist 8,085,294 (8.4%) Pat Buchanan (campaign) Virginia White House Director of Communications (1992; 1996) Ezola Foster California Activist Candidate for California's 48th State Assembly district (1986) 448,895 (0.4%) Ralph Nader (campaign) Connecticut Lawyer, activist (1996; 2000) Peter Camejo California Candidate for Mayor of Berkeley Candidate for Governor of California (2002; 2003) 465,151 (0.4%) 0 EV [42] Ted Weill Mississippi Nominee for United States Senator from Mississippi (1996) Frank McEnulty California Businessman 481 (0.0004%) 2012 Andre Barnett New York Entrepreneur Ken Cross Arkansas Engineer, businessman 962 (0.001%) Rocky De La Fuente (campaign) California Businessman Michael Steinberg Florida Lawyer Candidate for Florida's 47th State House of Representatives district Candidate for Florida's 11th congressional district (2006) 33,136 (0.02%) Darcy Richardson Florida Historian 2018 Reform Party Nominee for Governor of Florida 88,238 (0.06%) The Reform Party platform includes the following:[4] Maintaining a balanced budget, ensured by passing a Balanced Budget Amendment and changing budgeting practices, and paying down the federal debt Campaign finance reform, including strict limits on campaign contributions and the outlawing of political action committees Enforcement of existing immigration laws and opposition to illegal immigration Opposition to free trade agreements like the North American Free Trade Agreement and Central America Free Trade Agreement, and a call for withdrawal from the World Trade Organization Term limits on U.S. Representatives and Senators Direct election of the United States President by popular vote and other election system reforms Federal elections held on weekends or Election Day (on a Tuesday) made a national holiday A noticeable absence from the Reform Party platform has been social issues, including abortion and gay rights. Reform Party representatives had long stated beliefs that their party could bring together people from both sides of these issues, which they consider divisive, to address what they considered to be more vital concerns as expressed in their platform. The idea was to form a large coalition of moderates; that intention was overridden in 2001 by the Buchanan takeover which rewrote the RPUSA Constitution to include platform planks opposed to any form of abortion. The Buchananists, in turn, were overridden by the 2002 Convention which reverted the Constitution to its 1996 version and the party's original stated goals. Active state affiliates The party's active state affiliates are:[4] Reform Party of Texas Reform Party of California Reform Party of New Jersey (reorganized in 2010) Reform Party of Florida Reform Party of North Carolina Reform Party of New York Absentee ballot Write-in candidate ^ "Early 2020 Voter Registration Totals". Richard Winger. March 27, 2020. Retrieved June 9, 2020. ^ Reform Party. "Reform Party National Committee - FAQ". ^ "Current Office Holders". Reform Party National Committee. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u "Welcome to the Reform Party National Committee website". Reform Party National Committee. ^ Atlantic Herald - Fall of the Reform Party[permanent dead link] ^ "Tea party activists: Don't confuse them with independents". CSMonitor.com. February 16, 2010. Retrieved June 13, 2010. ^ "American Reform Party Endorses Mitt Romney for President", ARP statement November 2, 2012 ^ Party, American Reform. "The American Reform Party endorses Donald Trump for President of the United States | American Reform Party". www.americanreformparty.net. Retrieved December 8, 2016. ^ "Presidency 2000 - The Reform Party Candidates". Politics1. September 13, 2000. Archived from the original on October 28, 2010. Retrieved June 13, 2010. ^ "Independent Gay Forum - Pat Buchanan: On the Record". Indegayforum.org. Archived from the original on June 13, 2010. Retrieved June 13, 2010. ^ "Richard Watanabe - Newsweek Quotes, 1999". Sph.umich.edu. Archived from the original on December 21, 2008. Retrieved June 13, 2010. ^ "Video: Headlines - Men Behaving Bradley | The Daily Show | Comedy Central". The Daily Show. February 14, 2000. Retrieved June 13, 2010. ^ "QUOTATION OF THE DAY". The New York Times. February 14, 2000. ^ Kaczynski, Andrew; Massie, Christopher (August 26, 2015). "Top Racists And Neo-Nazis Back Donald Trump". BuzzFeed News. ^ "Buchanan Foster - home". October 18, 2000. Archived from the original on October 18, 2000. Retrieved June 13, 2010. ^ Kim, Eun-Kyung (September 13, 2000). "FEC rules Buchanan due $12.6 million in campaign funds – Reform Party faction also claimed money". The San Diego Union-Tribune. p. A.10. ^ "LAWSUIT NEWS, Ballot Access News". Ballot-access.org. Retrieved June 13, 2010. ^ "PRESIDENTIAL BALLOT STATUS, Ballot Access News". Archived from the original on June 18, 2002. Retrieved June 13, 2010. ^ [1][dead link] ^ "Third Party Watch". Third Party Watch. Retrieved June 13, 2010. ^ John Eichler (December 13, 2006). "Colorado Cumulative Report". Sos.state.co.us. Archived from the original on December 6, 2006. Retrieved June 13, 2010. ^ Campbell, Greg (October 2, 2007). "Eidsness withdraws from 4th District race". Greeley Tribune. Retrieved June 13, 2010. ^ "Reform Party of Florida site". Rpfla.org. Retrieved June 13, 2010. ^ "Max Linn's website". Maxlinn.com. Retrieved June 13, 2010. ^ "BallotAccess.org". BallotAccess.org. Retrieved June 13, 2010. ^ "Dallas Reform Party Meeting", www.ballot-access.org, July 7, 2008 ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on September 24, 2008. Retrieved November 17, 2008. CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) ^ https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory?id=6012839[dead link] ^ "Rebuilding the Reform Party | Third Party Voices". Ahherald.com. August 6, 2009. Archived from the original on January 15, 2017. Retrieved June 13, 2010. ^ "Conservative President 2008: Imperato Looking For Reform Party Nomination". Conservativepresident2008.blogspot.com. February 15, 2007. Retrieved June 13, 2010. ^ "Ballot Access News " Blog Archive " Federal Judge in New York Hears Reform Party Lawsuit". Ballot-access.org. Retrieved June 13, 2010. ^ "Ballot Access News " Blog Archive " Federal Court in New York Issues Ruling in Internal Reform Party Dispute". Ballot-access.org. Retrieved June 13, 2010. ^ "Corruption : Corruption News and Photos". baltimoresun.com. Retrieved June 13, 2010. ^ All Things Considered (February 6, 2010). "Pat Choate, Historian Michael Kazin On Tea Party's Appeal". NPR. Retrieved June 13, 2010. ^ "Challengers file in 4 Miss. congressional races - WLBT 3 - Jackson, MS". Wlbt.com. March 1, 2010. Retrieved June 13, 2010. [permanent dead link] ^ "Mississippi 2010 Midterm Election". thegreenpapers.com. ^ Finn, Tyler (April 2, 2010). "Finn, Tyler. "Dan Quayle Urges Tea Party Not to 'Go Perot'" CBS News April 2, 2010". Cbsnews.com. Retrieved June 13, 2010. ^ "Reform Party of New Jersey Pat Choate on Tea Parties, Foreign Policy, and NAFTA |". Reformpartynj.org. April 28, 2010. Archived from the original on January 15, 2017. Retrieved June 13, 2010. ^ "Kristin Davis, New York Gubernatorial Candidate, Will Petition under Reform Party Label". ballot-access.org. ^ "Reform Party chooses Andre Barnett for president;". Ballot Access News. August 13, 2012. Retrieved November 9, 2012. ^ "2020 Reform Party National Convention". Reform Party. Reform Party National Committee. Retrieved June 20, 2020. ^ While Nader and Camejo ran as independents, they also received the nomination of the Reform Party. ^ De La Fuente and Steinberg were also the nominees of the American Delta Party. ^ https://twitter.com/ReformParty/status/1274441081200017409 Official website American Reform Party Reform Party of the United States of America 1996: Perot/Choate 2000: Buchanan/Foster 2004: Nader/Camejo 2008: Weill/McEnulty 2012: Barnett/Cross 2016: De La Fuente/Steinberg 2020: De La Fuente/Richardson 1996 primaries Other notable Darcy Richardson Russ Verney Jesse Ventura Mae Schunk Richard Lamm Ed Zschau Buddy Roemer Donald Trump List of third party performances in United States elections National political parties in the United States List of political parties in the United States Major parties Third parties Larger 1 Smaller 2 American Freedom American Solidarity Freedom Socialist Humane Legal Marijuana Now Socialism and Liberation Socialist (1973) Socialist Action Socialist Alternative Socialist Equality Socialist Labor Socialist Workers Working Class Working Families Workers World Defunct parties Major parties Democratic-Republican National Republican American (Know Nothing) American (1924) American Nazi American Vegetarian Americans Elect Anti-Masonic Black Panther Boston Tea Communist Workers' Constitution (1952) Constitutional Union Democratic-Republican (1844) Farmer–Labor Free Soil Gold Democrats Independence (1906) Labor (1919) Liberal Republican Liberty (1840) Modern Whig National (1917) National Renaissance National Socialist National States' Rights National Union (1864) Natural Law New Alliance New Union Nullifier Populist (People's) Personal Choice Progressive (1912) Radical Democracy Raza Unida Readjuster Red Guard Silver Republican Social Democratic States Rights (Dixiecrat) Traditionalist Worker Unconditional Union Union (1936) Unionist (1850s/60s) U.S. Labor White Patriot Youth International 1 Recognized as a major national party by the FEC 2 Not recognized as a major national party by the FEC State and local political parties (without national body) Presidential nominating convention (List) Politics of the United States Politics portal This page was last edited on 3 January 2021, at 21:21

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Police said two people were found dead on a boat on Disappearing Island off New Smyrna Beach on Sunday. Coast Guard Petty Officer Christopher Evanson said 911 dispatch reported that a man and woman were found dead at about 11 a.m. Commission. Hill said a witness told them that the couple was running a generator overnight to keep the cabin of the boat cool. An autopsy will be performed on Tuesday.

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It was end of 2011 when my colleague Vjeran and I were driving to our Osijek office. Being away from the internet and the usual workload we had time to brainstorm. One of the ideas was to organize a summer camp with eZ Publish CMS topics since that kind of thing was missing in the community. Given that we are a web technology agency with no extra capacity for marketing and event management, we surprised ourselves and actually did it. The combination of useful workshops and a beautiful summer location in Croatia was the key. Nowadays there are a bunch of conferences, which is good but it also stresses the importance of being unique in some way. Over the years, we improved, added, and changed many things but the short motto still holds: learn and fun. Decomposing this term explains what this event is all about and why we think it is unique. Following that first brainstorming in 2011, we decided we want to focus on the hands-on workshops. This year it will be our 5th event and we still have only workshops: 3 tracks of developer-oriented hands-on workshops and the brand new Design topic track with engaging sessions about UX, digital strategy, user testing, and web project management. We do extra work to prepare the workshops together with the speakers so that we don't lose precious time on any issues. Every year we prepare the virtual appliance with all or most of the workshop code ready to be used by participants. We do not offer standard presentation slots; there are plenty of other conferences that do that. We try to preserve the value of the workshops by recording it and providing a way to rebuild the virtual appliance so it could be possible to replay the workshop online. We seek workshops that are interesting, valuable, and in-line with our main topics and speakers that will be able and eager to transfer their expertise to the participants. Given the summertime and the location, there are also a lot of opportunities to have some fun and loosen up. The first year we introduced the boat trip on the 4th day. It has usually been attended by 80% of participants ever since. It is the time for relaxation and easy-going discussions about the things learned during the first 3 days and for enjoying the beautiful Croatian scenery. Along the way, we added afternoon joint sessions like the Celebrity debate, Unconference, or Meet the experts powered by a keg of beer. The main idea is to have some laughs, share your ideas, and mingle. Details on the this year's after-workshop activities can be found on the Web Summer Camp Extras page. There is a hidden value of the Camp that we figured out over the years. It is great for networking! We offer plenty of opportunities to mingle with speakers and other participants. It is not a crowded event and it lasts for 4 days so there is enough time for everybody to meet. We actually encourage this with all sorts of sessions, being it workshops or evening wine tastings. I often miss the opportunity to network on other conferences where it is harder to speak to people you want to speak with because of a bigger crowd, less social events, etc. There are not many conferences that offer this. The best example of those that do is well are the J. Boye Conferences. We went there this year in Philadelphia and a few years ago in Aarhus, Denmark. This type of event is what we are trying to offer: a slower pace, plenty of different opportunities to share, everybody is encouraged to network and no one is left behind. I am especially glad we have Mr. Janus Boye holding a workshop at this year's Web Summer Camp at the Design topic. This year for the first time we're holding non-developer workshops which will bring even more interesting cross-mingling of different professions. All workshop are at least 3 hours long (with a break). Previously we had a few 1,5-hour workshops but we wanted to simplify the program, make it easier to switch between tracks, and also give the speakers enough time to transfer their knowledge. We moved to another venue which should be an improvement as it is a 5-star hotel with better conference facilities and even better internet connection (although the last one was not bad at all). Same as last year, when it was under PHP Summer Camp brand, the PHP topic will feature 2 tracks with 14 speakers. One track will be slightly focused on Symfony but most of the workshops have a broader value. There will be a PHPStorm workshop in the morning slot on the first day. This will go hand in hand with our new plan for the virtual appliance - to have everything needed on it, even PHPStorm, so that everybody has the same environment. Like every year so far, this year we will also be focusing on the new things in the eZ community. This year the focus of the eZ Publish topic will be on eZ Platform UI and extension points. The topic will feature 1 track with the experts from eZ Systems, Netgen, Kaliop, and Swiss TV. We presented a potential schedule for companions 2 months ago and last week we got enough preregistrations to make it happen. All companions will have the chance of sightseeing and relaxation on the Croatian coast! Almost all information about the event is on the website by now. There are still a few more details to be added, but nothing big. Hopefully, you will decide to join us this year - hurry up and secure your seat. If you still haven't, join us at your preferred channel(s) of communication. Engage with us on our Facebook page, follow us on Twitter or Instagram, and track our event on Lanyrd or Joind.in. Learn more about the event in the previous blog posts. Last but not least, even with all the hard work we put in this event, it would not have been possible without our dear sponsors. Thank you!

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Study the given passage and answer the questions . Study the given passage and answer the questions 'Thereafter over more than ten days, he and I debated time and again, and our opinions were diametrically opposed. That is to say, he wished to overthrow the monarchy in order to create a basis for the promotion of popular rights; I, on the contrary, maintained that first the foreign enemy should be driven out, and after our nation's independence was restored we could talk about other things. My plan was to make use of the monarchy, which he opposed absolutely. His plan was to raise up the people to abolish the monarchy, with which I absolutely disagreed. In other words, he and I were pursuing one and the same goal, but our means were considerably different.' i. Name the two Vietnamese nationalists whose views have been quoted here ii. Examine the visions of Vietnamese independence and explain one point of similarity in their views Ans: i. The two Vietnamese natonalists are Phan Boi Chau and Phan Chu Trinh ii. 1. Visions of Vietnamese independence: Some intellectuals felt that Vietnamese traditions had to be strengthened to resist the domination of the West, while others felt that Vietnam had to learn from the west even while opposing foreign domination 2. These differing visions led to complex debates, which could not be easily resolved 3. One point of similarities between Phan Boi Chau and Phan Chu Trinh was that: Both were Confucian Scholar-activists and wanted Vietnamese independence What is the capital of Italy Does Mandela think the oppressor is free The Jallianwala Bagh massacre took place on Who among the following is known as the father of the Indian Constitution The capital of the Pandyas was What was the immediate cause of the First World War Who founded Depressed classes association in 1930 Moti Masjid of Red fort in Delhi was constructed by Describe the main features of the Salt March Write a short note on chipko movement Why did Gandhiji decided to withdraw the Charaka is usually known as the father of Indian medicine What were prashastis Who is the protector and final interpreter of the Constitution In an equilateral triangle prove that three times the square Mark the following places in the given outline map of India Explain the meaning of the Khilafat movement Examine the role of Gandhiji in it The Swaraj Party was organised by Write a note on The role of women in nationalist struggles What was the immediate cause of the Second World War

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Kitchen towels - absorbent and boil-proof! This cotton towel fits any modern kitchen. A timeless kitchen towel classic of high-quality cotton as already valued by our grandmothers. The boil-proof towel is available in new colours.

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Do you know what your annual maximum is? This number is important because it's the highest amount your insurance is willing to pay for your dental care in one year. If you can reach or exceed this number, you'll be maximizing the dental benefits that you've worked hard for. Most annual maximums are around $1000, but this figure can vary from plan to plan. The best way to maximize your insurance benefits is to get in to see your dentist early in the year. Most insurance plans cover preventive care visits like checkups and cleanings, so these are a great way to cash in on your earned benefits. If you see your dentist early in the year, they can develop a treatment plan that maps out what kind of dental work you'll need for the upcoming months. After that, you and your dentist's office will have a better idea of which treatments will be covered and which ones you'll have to pay out-of-pocket. Either way, you'll be better financially planned for the rest of the year. Plus, if you've had your preventive checkups and cleanings and you still have benefits left over, you'll have enough time to make another appointment to utilize your insurance and keep your mouth looking and feeling great! Besides saving money by using your benefits, you'll also be saving your oral health. Preventive visits are the best way of preventing and detecting early signs of dental issues like cavities, decay, gum disease, oral cancer, and more. It's better for your health and pocketbook to catch dental problems while they're still early because they will only get more extensive and expensive if left untreated. Now that you know how to better use your benefits in 2019, do you have your dentist's appointment booked early in the year? Call your dentist to make sure you keep your teeth healthy and you're saving money while doing it! A graduate of the Baylor College of Dentistry, Dr. Jayme Martinez is a highly-trained dentist who enjoys providing the best care for his patients. He takes pride in accepting most dental insurance plans to deliver quality dentistry that is affordable, too. He currently practices at Kessler Park Dental, and he can be contacted through his website or by phone at (214) 303-9969 for any questions.

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WE DIDN'T TELL YOU SO–WE WARNED YOU SO Filed under: U.S. fails to qualify for 2018 World Cup, Uncategorized | Tags: 2018 World Cup in Russia, 2026 World Cup, ABC, Alvin Jones, Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Bruce Arena, Canada, Christian Pulisic, Clint Dempsey, CONCACAF, Costa Rica, Couva, El-Tri, England, ESPN, FIFA Confederations Cup, FIFA Executive Council, Germany, Glenroy Samuel, Gold Cup, Holland, Honduras, Italia '90, Italy, Juergen Klinsmann, Mexico, Morocco, New Zealand, Omar Gonzalez, Panama, South Korea, Spain, Sunil Gulati, Tim Howard, Trinidad & Tobago, U.S. National Team, Uruguay As expected, Bruce Arena announced his resignation as U.S. National Team coach, four days after he watched his side fall in shocking fashion to Trinidad & Tobago, a defeat that cost America a berth in the 2018 World Cup in Russia. Needing only a tie in its final CONCACAF qualifier to punch its ticket, the U.S. gave up two first-half goals in a 2-1 loss at Couva. The Americans then tumbled from third place in the six-nation competition to fourth and ultimately fifth place minutes later as Panama and Honduras, playing simultaneous matches, both won to move up. The top three nations–Mexico, Costa Rica and the Panamanians–qualify for Russia automatically and the fourth-place finisher, Honduras, advances to a home-and-home playoff with Australia. "No excuses," said Arena in his resignation statement. "We didn't get the job done, and I accept responsibility." Arena, who guided the U.S. to the 2002 and 2006 World Cups, including a quarterfinal appearance in '02, was hired to be Mr. Fix-It after Juergen Klinsmann was dismissed in November following losses to Mexico and Costa Rica to open the hexagonal playoff. The winningest coach in U.S. history at 81-32-35, Arena went 10-2-6 in his second go-round but only 3-2-3 in the USA's remaining World Cup qualifiers. [October 13] Comment I: We didn't tell you so, but we warned you so. Go back to our August 18, 2015 post ("Don't Put the U.S. Cart Before the World Cup Horse"). It was inspired by the cocksure attitude in the U.S. soccer community that its team was a rubber stamp to qualify for the 2018 World Cup. At issue was whether the U.S. or Mexico, CONCACAF's previous two Gold Cup winners, would win a playoff to secure a spot in the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup in Russia. From all quarters came the description of the Confederations as "a valuable warm-up for the World Cup," as if both countries had already qualified with the Hex still more than 12 months away. After all, they'd piled up 13 World Cup berths between them since 1990, and Mexico probably would've qualified for Italia '90 had it not been barred by FIFA for using an over-age player in a youth competition. The post reminded readers of the progress being made by the nations behind the Yanks and El Tri, and above all it recalled Mexico's near-miss four years earlier, when it was seconds from being eliminated until the U.S. threw it a lifeline with two goals in stoppage time for a comeback win over Panama. The red-faced Mexicans humbly accepted the gift and went on to qualify for Brazil '14 by beating Oceania's New Zealand in a playoff. Four years ago the impossible was possible for a matter of seconds, and now, as of the evening of October 10, 2017, the seemingly impossible has indeed become reality. The lesson out of The Disaster of Couva: A World Cup berth isn't a given. It's precious. Comment II: Seven consecutive World Cup appearances. If there was any justification for the confidence here that a World Cup berth had become an American birthright, it is that remarkable run of success. It's a boast perennial powers like Holland, Uruguay and England can't make. Only six other nations had done it since 1990: Brazil (five world championships), Germany (four), Italy (four), Argentina (two), Spain (one) and South Korea, which seemingly owns Asia. The U.S. staggered into Italia '90, making its first World Cup appearance in four decades, and it made it automatically in 1994 as host nation, but it's been soccer's version of a cakewalk since. CONCACAF may have the world's ugliest, most contentious qualifying competition, but the U.S. was given a golden path with FIFA's decision to expand France '98 from 24 teams to 32, thus increasing the number of berths allotted to CONCACAF from two to three. Suddenly, regional qualifiers here were no longer a contest to see which countries would be fighting for the one scrap left behind by mighty Mexico. So where does this hubris leave us? Next June and July, there will be no outdoor viewing parties for thousands of fans at cities throughout the country for a U.S. National Team. Fox, which spent more than $400 million for the rights to the next two World Cups, won't experience the bump ESPN did in 2014 when 18.2 million Americans tuned in for the USA's first-round draw against Portugal–a figure larger than the domestic audience of 17.3 million for the Germany-Argentina final. The dominoes that will fall will include sponsorship and endorsement dollars not realized. You'll see small headlines, not big headlines, in your newspaper's sports section, and no special insert devoted to rising young star Christian Pulisic, ol' reliable Clint Dempsey and the boys. The day's World Cup results may be the last thing mentioned on your local TV news' sports report, if it's mentioned at all. In short, your mother-in-law and the stranger in line at the grocery store won't ask you about the World Cup and whether our guys can win their next match. Worst of all, there's a big slice of an entire generation of young players who won't get that extra inspiration that comes from watching their country play for a world championship. When you're age 10, eight years is a lonnnnnng time. Comment III: What happened? U.S. fans will be asking that well into the future. With its fate in its hands, the U.S. played without urgency long enough for Omar Gonzalez to score in the 17th minute what will now be known as the most notorious own goal in American history, followed by a 35-yard bomb in the 37th by Alvin Jones that beat 38-year-old 'keeper Tim Howard high inside the far post. Pulisic, the USA's 19-year-old wunderkind, pulled one back with a right-footed drive from the penalty arc two minutes after intermission, but would-be savior Dempsey was denied an equalizer in the 69th by goalkeeper Glenroy Samuel's leap and by the right goal post seven minutes later. Where was the U.S. side that ran wild four nights earlier in a 4-0 rout of desperate Panama in the penultimate qualifier in Orlando? Arena started the exact same 11 in Florida, so was it fatigue? Was the U.S. subconsciously playing for a draw? Only savvy teams like Italy know how to play for a tie on demand. Whatever it was, what happened elsewhere wasn't much of a surprise. Costa Rica had already clinched second place in the hex, so its 2-1 loss at Panama City on a controversial late goal wasn't much of an upset. Mexico had already clinched first, so its seesaw 3-2 defeat at San Pedro Sula didn't do much to dent El Tri pride. No, the major surprise was in Trinidad & Tobago. Because of electrical problems, the U.S. match had been moved an hour south of the national stadium in Port of Spain to a modest 10,000-seat track and field facility. Just as well. With the Soca Warriors long since eliminated, the turnout at Couva resembled a crowd for a junior college match. In fact, an attendance figure was not released. It was virtually a neutral site. Certainly T&T was playing with absolutely nothing to lose. But U.S. fans have to question the fortitude of a team playing what was becoming a do-or-die game devoid of the horrors of qualifying on the road in CONCACAF. Comment IV: What now? Most of the focus is on the man who hired Klinsmann and then Arena, U.S. Soccer President Sunil Gulati. He's up for re-election after three campaigns in which he ran unopposed. The two fellows expected to run against him in February are relative unknowns. What Gulati has in his favor is his influence as a player in the high stakes world of international soccer. A member of the National Soccer Hall of Fame, he sits on the powerful FIFA Executive Council (formerly the Executive Committee), he was instrumental in getting Gianni Infantino elected FIFA president, and he's leading the Canada/U.S./Mexico campaign to host the 2026 World Cup, which will be the first 48-nation World Cup in history. It should be noted, however, that the North American trio's lone opponent for '26 is Morocco, which would have trouble adequately accommodating a 16-team competition. It is not imperative, then, that Gulati remain U.S. Soccer's chief executive. Whoever wins this winter, it is hoped that the new president shows patience. There's no clear successor to Arena waiting in the wings here in America. Come the final whistle at next year's World Cup, there will be plenty of qualified coaches who either stepped down or were pushed from their post, and many will be interested in a job where the resources are ample, the players are promising if not international stars and the only goal is not to work miracles but just right a ship that's badly listing. Oh, and unlike back home, the public pressure is minimal. DON'T PUT THE U.S. CART BEFORE THE WORLD CUP HORSE Filed under: 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup, Uncategorized | Tags: 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup, 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup, 2018 World Cup, Andres Guardado, Aston Villa, Blackburn, Brad Friedel, Brazil '14, Brondby IF, Canada, Canaleros, Catrachos, Chester, Columbus Crew, Costa Rica, Cuba, Darren Mattocks, Denmark, El-Tri, England, Fox Sports, Galatasaray, Honduras, Ian Darke, Jamaica, Jesus Corona, John Harkes, Lincoln Financial Field, Liverpool, Major League Soccer, Marcelo Balboa, Mexico, Michael Bradley, Michael Hector, New Zealand, Newcastle United, Oribe Peralta, Panama, Pasadena, Paul Aguilar, Philadelphia, PPL Park, Reggae Boyz, Rose Bowl, Russia, Soca Warriors, Taylor Trellman, Ticos, Timmy Chandler, Tottenham, Trinidad & Tobago, Turkey, U.S., UCLA Mexico shook off its funk and stormed to its seventh CONCACAF Gold Cup title, defeating upstart Jamaica, 3-1, in the final before a partisan sellout crowd of 68,930 at Philadelphia's Lincoln Financial Field. Andres Guardado opened the scoring in the 31st minute with a spectacular left-footed volley off a cross by Paul Aguilar. That ended a frustrating 272-minute stretch in which the Mexicans had failed to score from anywhere but the penalty spot. Jesus Corona, voted the Gold Cup's top young player, increased the lead to 2-0 two minutes into the second half after stealing a ball from Michael Hector, and in the 61st minute Oribe Peralta capitalized on another blunder by Hector to put the match out of reach. Darren Mattocks got the Reggae Boyz a consolation goal in the 81st. The triumph earned El Tri a playoff with the U.S. on October 10 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif., with a berth in the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup at stake. The U.S. won the 2013 Gold Cup and could have secured a trip outright to the Confederations Cup in Russia by winning the '15 tournament, but the Americans were defeated by Jamaica, 2-1, in the semifinals and then sagged to a loss to Panama in the third-place game at PPL Park in Chester, Penn., bowing on penalty kicks, 3-2, after a 1-1 draw. [July 26] Comment I: An aberration? No climactic meeting of the U.S. and Mexico in the final, as the tournament promoters had hoped? Perhaps. Maybe we'll know as early as the autumn of 2017, when the CONCACAF qualifiers for the 2018 World Cup conclude. But the balance of power in CONCACAF continues to shift, and the hold of Mexico and the U.S. on the top two rungs continues to erode, by degrees. The Mexicans needed all of three late penalty-kick calls in the quarterfinals and semifinals to reach the championship match (thanks to Guardado, they converted them all). The Americans failed to impress in group play, buried a Cuban team decimated by defections in the second round, then went back to failing to impress thereafter and were rewarded with a deserved fourth-place finish. Are Jamaica and Panama that good? Of course not. Neither is Costa Rica, Honduras or Trinidad & Tobago. The most recent FIFA World Rankings placed the Reggae Boyz at No. 55, the Canaleros at No. 65, the Ticos at No. 38, the Catrachos at No. 81, and the Soca Warriors at No. 56. Fortunately for the U.S. (29th) and Mexico (26th), while CONCACAF's World Cup qualifiers remain a challenge–with road matches ranging from headaches to nightmares–the outcome has been similar over the past five campaigns: The Americans and El Tri qualify and are joined by . . . who? For 1998, it was Jamaica, in its World Cup debut. For '02, Costa Rica. For '06, it was the Costa Ricans and, for the first time, Trinidad & Tobago. For 2010, Honduras qualified, and for Brazil '14 it was Costa Rica and Honduras. It's like a game of Whack a Mole, as first one CONCACAF contender pops out of its hole, then ducks back down and a different one pops up. And so the battle for the region's 3 1/2 berths at the 2018 World Cup heats up this fall, and everyone has the U.S. and Mexico with boarding passes to Russia. Many in the media describe the October playoff between the two at the Rose Bowl as being very important because the winner goes on to the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup in Russia, "something of a dress rehearsal for the next World Cup." But the U.S. or Mexico might–just might–go to Russia dress rehearsing for nothing. Because if there was any proof that there's no longer a sure thing in CONCACAF, it came in late 2013, when Mexico shockingly finished fourth in the World Cup qualifiers and had to sweat out a playoff with New Zealand to punch its ticket to Brazil. (Were it not for two U.S. stoppage-time goals at Panama in the region's final round, Mexico would have been eliminated for the first time since 1934–when the eliminators happened to be the Americans.) And as CONCACAF nations evolve, there's nothing to say that Costa Rica, a surprise World Cup quarterfinalist in '14; Honduras, a semifinalist in the previous two Gold Cups; Panama and Jamaica; and even Trinidad & Tobago; don't all pop out of their mole holes during a single World Cup cycle, leaving the U.S. and/or Mexico on the outside looking in. Heck, don't count out Canada (No. 101), which won the 2000 Gold Cup, finished third in '02 and now has a generation of players developing in Major League Soccer. Comment II: The USA's breakout star during the tournament was a recent retiree. Timmy Chandler was a disaster, Michael Bradley disappointed, but former U.S. goalkeeper Brad Friedel, as a television color commentator, proved to be a find for Fox Sports during its Gold Cup coverage as it gears up for much bigger assignments, from CONCACAF World Cup qualifying beginning late this year to Russia 2018 itself. Friedel gives you the whole field, as a goalkeeper should, but he also gives you the whole picture and speaks with the authority of a player who's gone from the top collegiate level (UCLA) to MLS (Columbus Crew) to national team (82 caps, two World Cups) to international clubs (Brondby IF of Denmark, Newcastle United of England, Galatasaray of Turkey, and Liverpool, Blackburn, Aston Villa and Tottenham, all of England). He's quick, articulate, witty and enthusiastic about the U.S. without losing his credibility–no easy task during this transitory period in soccer's history in this country. And unlike most of his predecessors, he compliments his play-by-play partner, instead of making him work. Friedel is far better than a long line of ex-U.S. internationals who'd hoped to be the second banana in a national soccer broadcast booth for the next couple of decades. Friedel is better than John Harkes, he's better than Marcelo Balboa, and he's better than the insufferable Taylor Trellman, whose partner, the outstanding play-by-play man Ian Darke, must dread going to work. Friedel's, literally, a keeper. ABBY THE GREAT — BUT HOW GREAT? Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: 1996 Atlanta Games, Abby Wambach, Alex Morgan, Ali Daei, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, David Beckham, Denmark, England, Europe, Far East, Ferenc Puskas, FIFA Women's World Cup, FIFA Women's World Player of the Year, France, Gatorade, Germany, Harrison NJ, Holland, Italy, Japan, Johan Cruyff, Kristine Lilly, Lauren Cheney, Marco Van Basten, Megan Rapinoe, Mia Hamm, New Zealand, Nigeria, Nike, North Korea, Norway, Pele, Red Bull Arena, Scandinavia, South Korea, Sweden, U.S. National Women's Team, World Cup Abby Wambach became the most prolific goal-scorer–male or female–in international soccer history when she scored four goals against South Korea in a friendly at Red Bull Arena in Harrison, New Jersey, as the U.S. rolled to a 5-0 victory. All of Wambach's goals were scored in the first half. Her third, which came in the 29th minute, gave her 159 for her career and put her past former U.S. teammate Mia Hamm. The 33-year old scored the record-setter with a trademark diving header off a corner kick by midfielder Megan Rapinoe. A bench-clearing celebration followed as the crowd of 18,961 roared. She exited the match to another long ovation 13 minutes into the second half. Wambach also passed Hamm in another category: The two had been tied at 38 career multi-goal games. Wambach got even with Hamm with goals in the 10th and 19th minutes, both set up by Lauren Cheney. She capped her historic evening in first-half added-on time on a selfless pass by Alex Morgan. At the moment, Wambach stands alone at 160 career international goals, followed by Hamm at 158. Among the men, Ali Daei of Iran (1993-2006) is on top with 109 goals in 149 appearances. Among European/South American males, Hungary's Ferenc Puskas (1945-56) remains No. 1 with 84 in 85 matches, nearly a goal-per-game average. [June 20] Comment: So who's better, Abby Wambach or Mia Hamm, who retired in 2004 after 275 international appearances? Hamm, of course, was an attacking midfielder, not a pure striker with the 5-foot-11 Wambach's aerial ability in the penalty area. Hamm probably passed up several more goals, as her career assist total–144–suggests. (Wambach has 62; second on the U.S. list is the retired Kristine Lilly, 105). And while Wambach's sheer drive, power and talent with her back to the goal are tremendous, Hamm could do it all in the attacking half, embarrassing a generation of would-be defenders in the process. In another country, Holland, among men, this would be a comparison between strike master Marco Van Basten and one of the most complete players of all time, Johan Cruyff. (For the record, Van Basten scored 37 goals in 73 games for the Dutch, Cruyff, 33 goals in 48 before his premature international retirement.) And from a cultural standpoint, Hamm, thanks to her considerable skills, her two World Cup winner's medals, her two Olympic gold medals, her two FIFA World Women's Player of the Year awards and the marketing geniuses at Nike and Gatorade, remains the best-known American female soccer player in the U.S.–despite Wambach having won a FIFA World Women's Player of the Year award of her own last year. Heck, among this country's millions of non-soccer fans, Hamm may be the best-known soccer player, period, with all due respect to David Beckham and Pele. On the other hand, perhaps it's a wash. When Hamm made her U.S. debut in 1987, she was 15, and the women's game was only beginning to be taken seriously in the U.S., Scandinavia, pockets of western Europe and the Far East–while it was frowned upon in macho Latin America, Africa and most of Asia. The first FIFA Women's World Cup, won by the U.S., was four years away. The first women's Olympic tournament, won by the U.S. at the Atlanta Games, was another five years away. It all seems like ages ago, and with the women's game evolving at breakneck speed, the threats to U.S. hegemony aren't just China, Germany, Sweden, Norway and Japan of Hamm's day but Brazil, France, England, Canada, Australia and North Korea, while early powers like Italy and Denmark and Nigeria and New Zealand have faded into the second tier. Wambach's is a different world, one a whole lot more crowded–crowded with better teams with better defenders. CONCACAF PLUS 3.5 ADDS UP Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: 2014 World Cup, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Caribbean, Chuck Blazer. Ghana, CONCACAF, Costa Rica, FIFA Executive Committee, Honduras, Jack Warner, Jamaica, Mexico, New Zealand, Oceania, Trinidad & Tobago, U.S., Uruguay CONCACAF fell short in its effort to gain an extra berth in the 2014 World Cup as the FIFA Executive Committee decided to give the North/Central America and Caribbean region the same 3.5 spots it was awarded for the 2010 tournament. Under the allotment, CONCACAF will have three guaranteed spots; the fourth-place finisher in its qualifying competition will have a chance to reach Brasil '14 through a home-and-home playoff with a nation from another regional confederation. South America will have 4.5 qualifying berths, plus Brazil's automatic spot as host. Europe will keep its 13 berths, and Africa its five. Once again, Asia will have 4.5 and Oceania 0.5. One change: A draw will be held in July to determine the playoff pairings among the CONCACAF fourth-place finisher, South America's No. 5, Asia's No. 5 and the Oceania winner. The outcome, nevertheless, left CONCACAF officials–among them president Jack Warner of Trinidad & Tobago, who said in January that his region would lobby for an outright fourth berth– disappointed, if not angry. Said CONCACAF Secretary General Chuck Blazer of the U.S., like Warner a FIFA Executive Committee member, "We are 35 members who are very serious about qualifying. We want to be treated fairly and given enough opportunity to be successful. Hear us." [March 3] Comment: Crocodile tears. Much can be said about how berths have been doled out since the World Cup expanded from 24 teams to 32 for Francia '98. Did Asia, in 2002, deserve two qualifying berths to go along with automatic berths that went to co-hosts Japan and South Korea? Should Europe, with a high of 15 nations in '98, continue to watch its presence erode? When it comes to Africa, which had six total slots at South Africa '10 and saw only Ghana survive the second round, will FIFA continue to reward that continent based on, presumably, promise alone? For now, FIFA uncharacteristically got it right, for the most part. Oceania, which since Australia's defection to Asia has become New Zealand and the Eight Dwarves, truly does not deserve a straight path to a World Cup. South America, with Brazil holding one spot, deserves its five qualifying spots. And CONCACAF, which to most of FIFA is Mexico and the U.S.–plus, depending on the year, Costa Rica or Honduras or Canada or T&T or Jamaica, plus a couple dozen dots in the Caribbean–deserves its 3.5. At the last World Cup, the U.S., though first in its group at 1-0-2, and Mexico (second, 1-1-1) and Honduras (0-2-1) failed to turn the tournament on its ear. CONCACAF's fourth-place team, Costa Rica, dropped its playoff with Uruguay, although it should be noted that the Uruguayans went on to reach the semifinals. If CONCACAF wants its fourth, it will have to overwhelm FIFA with its performance in Brazil. The USA's appearance in the 2002 quarterfinals won't do, nor will Mexico's in 1986, when it was host. It will take that combined, plus a repeat of Uruguay1930, to do it. That time, the U.S., 32 years before the founding of CONCACAF, finished third. THE WORLD CUP'S SILLY SEASON . . . Plus dozens of other posts, from March to September, 2010 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: 1966 World Cup final, 1994 World Cup, 2006 World Cup, 2010 FIFA Under-20 Women's World Championship, 2010 World Cup, 2010 World Cup final, 2012 European Championship, 2016 European Championship, 2018 World Cup, 2022 World Cup, ABC, AC Milan, adidas, AGF Aarhus, Aime Jacquet, Alejandro Bedoya, Alfredo Di Stefano, American Airlines, Andrea Pirlo, Andreas D'Alessandro, Andres Iniesta, Annie Leibovitz, Argentina, Argentina. University of Oxford, Arjen Robben, Asamoah Gyan, AT&T, Bayern Munich, Benny Feilhaber, Bert van Marwijk, Bill Clinton, BMO Field, Bob Bradley, Boca Juniors, Bolton, Borussia Moenchengladbach, Brad Guzan, Brazil, Brian Ching, Brian McBride, Bruce Arena, Buenos Aires, Bulgaria, Cafe Maravillas, Cape Town, Carlos Bocanegra, Carlos Eugenio Simon, Carlos Tevez, Charlie Davies, Chicago Fire, Chilean F.A., Clint Dempsey, Colin Jose Media Award, Columbia University, Columbus Crew, CONCACAF Gold Cup, Copa America, Cotton Bowl, Craven Cottage, Cristiano Ronaldo, Cuauhtemoc Blanco, Czech Republic, Dallas, DaMarcus Beasley, Daniel van Buyten, David Ginola, Dennis Coates, Didier Drogba, Diego Forlan, Diego Maradona, Dresden, Drew Carey, Edson Buddle, El Monumental Stadium, El Pibe de Oro, Elizabeth Cudjoe, English Premier League, Eric Abidal, Eric Cantona, Eric Wynalda, Espanyol, ESPN, ESPN Radio, ESPN2, ESPN3.com, Esteban Cambiasso, Europa League, Ever Banega, Everton, FC Barcelona, Fernando Torres, Fidel Castro, FIFA, FIFA Confederations Cup, FIFA Technical Inspection Committee, FIFA World Player of the Year, foosball, Fox Soccer Channel, France, Francesco Totti, Frank Lampard, Frank Ribery, Fulham, Futbol de Primera, Geoff Hurst, Ghana, Gianluigi Buffon, Glasgow Rangers, Gonzalo Higuain, GoUSABid, Hannover 06, Harold Mayne-Nicholls, Henry Kissinger, Herculez Gomez, Holland, Houston, Iker Castillas, Inter Milan, International Football Association Board, Irene Country Lodge, Italia '90, Ivica Olic, Javier Hernandez, Jay DeMerit, Jimmy Kimmel Show, Johannesburg, Jose Manuel Moreno, Jose Mourinho, Jozy Altidore, Juan Roman Riquelme, Juergen Klinsmann, Julio Cesar, July 4 1988, Kaka, Kevin-Prince Boateng, Koman Coulibaly, Korea/Japan '02, Kyle Rote Jr., Landon Donovan, Lincoln Financial Field, Lionel Messi, Los Angeles Galaxy, Louis van Gaal, Louis Vuitton, Luis Fabiano, Luiz Gonzaga Belluzzo, Maicon, Manchester United, Mangaung/Bloemfontein, Mano Menezes, Marco Materazzi, Mark van Bommel, Maurice Edu, Miami, Michael Bradley, Michael Essien, Michael Jordan, MLS, Morgan Freeman, Morocco, National Public Radio, National Soccer Hall of Fame, NBA finals, Nemanja Vidic, New England Patriots, New Jersey, New Meadowlands Stadium, New York, New Zealand, Neymar, Nigeria, Nike, North American Association of Sports Economists, O Rey, Oguchi Onyewu, Old Trafford, Olympique Lyon, Omar Gonzalez, Pato, Patrick Vieira, Paul Gardner, Pedro Rodriguez, Pele, Philadelphia Atoms, Philadelphia Fury, Philadelphia Spartan, Philadelphia Union, Pittsburgh Steelers, Polokwane, PPL Park, Preki, Puebla, Qwest Field, Real Salt Lake, Ricardo Clark, Rivaldo, River Plate, Robbie Findley, Robert Green, Ronaldinho, Ronaldo, Roodepoort, Rustenberg, Ruud van Nistlerooy, Salvatore Schillaci, Samuel Eto'o, San Siro, Seattle Sounders, Sergio Batista, Sirius, Slovenia, Soccer America, Socceroos, South Africa, Spain, Stade Rennes, Sunil Gulati, Sunil Gulatii, Super Bowl, Sydney Leroux, The Sun, Thomas Dooley, Tiger Woods, Toronto FC, Torsten Frings, U.S. National Team, U.S. Soccer Federation, U.S. Soccer Foundation, UEFA Champions League, UEFA Cup, UEFA Super Cup, University of Maryland-Baltimore County, University of Oxford, Univision, UnivisionFutbol.com, Uruguay, USSF chief Werner Fricker, Venezuela, Veterans Memorial Stadium, vuvuzela, Washington DC, Wayne Rooney, Wesley Sneijder, West Ham, World Cup Economics: What Americans Need to Know About a U.S. World Cup Bid, World Soccer, Xavi, XM, Zinedine Zidane, Zizu The FIFA Technical Inspection Committee completed its four-day tour of the U.S., which is bidding to host the 2018 or 2022 World Cup. The committee, headed by Harold Mayne-Nicholls, president of the Chilean F.A., made stops in New York, Washington DC, Miami, Dallas and Houston, looking over a portion of the 18 stadiums that could hold matches as well as accommodations, infrastructure, and potential sites for the media center and the tournament draw. [September 9] Comment: This bid is a far cry from the USA's successful bid for the 1994 World Cup, when a band of determined, delusional Americans led by USSF chief Werner Fricker went after the big prize. That one played out in obscurity, and the country was literally asleep when FIFA announced that the U.S. had beaten out Brazil and Morocco–it came hours before sunrise here, on a holiday no less: July 4, 1988. This time, the bid process is bigger, slicker, more sophisticated. It has sponsors, like AT&T and American Airlines. The bid committee includes honorary chairman Bill Clinton, former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, Academy Award-winning actor Morgan Freeman, and comedian-turned-soccer-nut Drew Carey. And GOUSABID announced before the FIFA team's arrival that the one-millionth American had signed its petition backing the bid. An Olympic bid by an American city still gets more attention here, but this time a shot at an American-hosted World Cup won't be a secret. With attention comes scrutiny, and with scrutiny comes criticism. Among the criticism drawn by the tour was a lack of transparency on the part of the FIFA Inspection Committee. This just in: Nothing involving FIFA can be described as transparent. The bid process for the 1994 World Cup was as shrouded in secrecy as they come, and if an irate Morocco could have sued FIFA over its decision, it would have in a heartbeat. Then there's a column by Dennis Coates that ran recently in a major daily under the headline, "An Empty Cup." In a nutshell, Coates declared, "Huge sporting events have often resulted in massive costs, so why is the United States bidding to host another World Cup." Interesting, because Coates is a professor of economics at the University of Maryland-Baltimore County. The head of GOUSABID, Sunil Gulati, is a professor of economics at Columbia University. Coates is past president of the North American Association of Sports Economists. Gulati is president of the U.S. Soccer Federation. Coates' column is based on his report, released two months before FIFA's visit, "World Cup Economics: What Americans Need to Know About a U.S. World Cup Bid." From the column, it is hard to decern Coates' motivation. According to Coates, the report's most relevant findings: Organizers for the 1994 World Cup claimed that the U.S. would see a positive impact of $4 billion, yet a post-Cup analysis . . . showed a cumulative loss of $5.6 billion to $9 billion. [Those involved in the study] arrived at this by comparing the gross domestic product in the host region during the World Cup with standard figures in non-cup periods for the same regions. The average host city lost $712 million . . . . Of course, while . . . the U.S. was losing billions, FIFA and the U.S. organizing committee was taking in record profits." Yes, WorldCupUSA94 raked in some $40 million, which was turned into the U.S. Soccer Foundation, which has since spun that windfall into grants that have, nationwide, funded new youth soccer leagues, refurbished existing fields, built new ones, even provided the loan that helped launch MLS. That is fact. What Coates doesn't explain in his column is just how the economy in the nine World Cup host cities managed to tank at the precise moment the matches were being played. Apparently, the out-of-towners among the tournament's record-3.6 million spectators walked everywhere, slept in local parks, fasted, and refused to buy any souvenirs. Even if they did, their net effect on local economies would be zero, plus ticket revenue. For more, go to . . . http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-oe-coates-worldcup-20100907,0,3706974.story ARGENTINA AND ITS EMBARRASSMENT OF RICHES 4, SPAIN 1 Argentina crushed newly crowned world champion Spain, 4-1, in a friendly in Buenos Aires at River Plate's El Monumental stadium. The hosts staged a clinic in the first half, taking a 3-0 lead on goals by Lionel Messi, Gonzalo Higuain and Carlos Tevez, who set up the first two strikes. [September 7] Comment: Among the Argentines turning Spain inside out was a trio of players rejected by 2010 World Cup coach Diego Maradona: bad boy midfielder Ever Banega, defender Esteban Cambiasso and substitute forward Andreas D'Alessandro. Sergio Batista has the job at the moment, but the match demonstrated that when it comes to a country drowning in talent like Argentina, the best coach is a faceless fellow devoid of ego who will simply call up the best possible squad, then get the heck out of the way. CAPTAIN COURAGEOUS CALLS IT A CAREER Former star U.S. National Team striker Brian McBride announced today that he will retire at the conclusion of the Chicago Fire's current season. The 38-year-old Illinois native made 96 international appearances and scored 30 goals for the U.S.–third-best behind Landon Donovan and Eric Wynalda–and was the first American to score in two World Cups (1998 and 2002). The No. 1 selection in the inaugural MLS draft, in 1996, McBride played eight seasons for the Columbus Crew before moving to the English Premier League, where he scored four goals on loan to Everton and 40 for Fulham. [September 3] Comment: McBride skippered Fulham on numerous occasions–a rare distinction for an American–in recognition of his cool on the ball, work rate and resilience. When McBride wasn't scoring a clutch goal or ranging deep into his own half to help out on defense, he was getting clobbered for going up for balls other forwards wouldn't dream of winning. (And he almost always got back to his feet.) He was sorely missed by the U.S. at the 2010 World Cup, not necessarily for the half-chances he might have turned into goals but for the example he would have set for an American team that needed the calming influence of the big man known during his days at Craven Cottage as "Captain Courageous." BOB ON THE JOB FOR FOUR MORE YEARS Bob Bradley will stay on as U.S. National Team coach, signing a four-year contract extension with the U.S. Soccer Federation today that will keep him at the helm through 2014. [August 31] Comment: The USSF missed a golden opportunity to send the message that it expects more from its national team at the next World Cup. The U.S. player pool doesn't figure to improve markedly before Brasil '14; the U.S., should it qualify, will need dumb luck to face the same collection of opponents in Brazil that it took on in South Africa; and Bradley, barring some sort of epiphany, is unlikely to be a much better coach than he was during his first four years in charge. Like presidential second terms, don't count on Bradley's to end in triumph. WAS THIS MATCH NECESSARY? A new-look Brazil cruised to a comfortable 2-0 victory over the U.S. at the New Meadowlands Stadium before a near-sellout crowd of 77,223. Two players controversially left off the Brazilian World Cup side, Neymar and Pato, scored for new coach Mano Menezes in the first half, and key saves by U.S. goalkeeper Brad Guzan, a halftime substitute, prevented the game from becoming a rout. [August 10] Comment: Why was this friendly even scheduled, aside from the chance for the U.S. Soccer Federation to take advantage of the last vestiges of World Cup fever and pocket a healthy gate? Was it for coach Bob Bradley to trot out nine members of the 2010 World Cup team, a side that will look quite different by the time qualifiers for Brasil '14 begin in two years? Was it so we could all get another long look at the likes of Alejandro Bedoya, or to see the U.S. defense, now featuring promising newcomer Omar Gonzalez, shredded by the devil-may-care Brazilians? Unlike nations preparing for the fast-approaching qualifiers for the 2012 European Championship, there was no urgent reason for the USSF to recall its top players from their clubs for such a match. Leave them alone, decide whether Bradley will be in charge for another four years, then begin the methodical preparations for the CONCACAF Gold Cup and the World Cup qualifiers. Money may be the root of all, but not if it comes at the expense of the afterglow of what was a largely positive, memorable South African adventure. THAT INCURABLE GRUMP IS IN THE HALL OF FAME Long-time World Soccer and Soccer America columnist Paul Gardner has been voted the sixth recipient of the Colin Jose Media Award, an honor created in 2004 to recognize the nation's outstanding print and electronic media members and public relations professionals. The English-born pharmacist-turned-journalist will be inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame along with U.S. World Cup veterans Thomas Dooley and Preki, recent USA coach Bruce Arena, and 1970s NASL goal-scorer Kyle Rote Jr., in a ceremony August 10 at the New Meadowlands Stadium in New Jersey prior to the USA's friendly against Brazil. [August 3] Comment: There was a time, in the 1980s and into the '90s, when Soccer America provided the best in comic relief with its letters to the editor section. Chances were, each week, a letter would appear ripping, pillorying, excoriating Paul Gardner for having criticized what was going on in the game. The sport, for all its potential in this country, was a mess, particularly in the mid-80s, when the NASL had collapsed, indoor soccer threatened to become the favored form of the game and the USSF, which had badly fumbled its chance to host the 1986 World Cup, was a million bucks in the hole. Gardner, to borrow a popular phrase from that decade, dished out tough love week after week from what back then was the only pulpit on the U.S. soccer landscape. Heaven forbid there is anyone out there who has agreed with every Gardner column, but for more than three decades he has done his job: provoking soccer fans in America to think and think hard about the game's direction and those at the rudder. If he has failed in any way, it has been in his refusal to dish out the pablum a generation of letter writers craved. INTO THAT BRAVE NEW WORLD OF OFFICIATING REFORM The International Football Association Board, soccer's rule-making body, today approved the use of extra officials positioned behind each goal line on an experimental basis for the 2010-2011 and 2011-2012 UEFA Champions League. [July 21] The move by the board's technical sub-committee comes on the heels of a similar test conducted during last season's Europa League, the continent's second-tier club competition most recently known as the UEFA Cup. Several other competitions, ranging from a women's championship in Brazil to the Mexican first division and the UEFA Super Cup also will experiment with a total of six officials–referee, two linesmen, fourth official and the two extra pair of eyes. Comment: While the world clamors for goal line technology, this will no doubt be dismissed as foot-dragging on the part of FIFA, which has already demonstrated its reluctance to embrace, much less consider, goal line technology. It is, however, a measured, prudent approach to a situation that didn't suddenly appear with Frank Lampard's goal that wasn't during the second round of the 2010 World Cup. Officiating gaffes in the World Cup go all the way back to the first round of the inaugural tournament in Uruguay, when a Brazilian referee ended a match between France and Argentina six minutes early at the precise moment a French winger was enroute to what surely would have been the equalizing goal. (The ref realized his error and got the two sides back on the field to complete the game, but the shaken French lost, 1-0). This time, in South Africa, each World Cup match was covered by an unprecedented 29 cameras, bringing home the action in HD with super slo-mo replay and turning every viewer into an armchair–or barstool–official. Fans saw not only how many non-fouls were actually fouls (and fouls that were not fouls) but simpler things like how many more corner kicks should have been awarded. Let the six-official experiments run their course, and before anything is cast in stone in time for Brasil '14, run some tests of goal line technology as well. But keep in mind a 1995 study conducted by a University of Oxford team that examined computer-enhanced footage of Geoff Hurst's controversial winning goal in the 1966 World Cup final. (It concluded that the ball Hurst sent off the underside of the crossbar did not wholly cross the goal line.) While the footage at the team's disposal was crude by today's standards, its study was not conducted while 22 players and tens of thousands of spectators waited for the verdict. WHATEVER IT IS, IT'S CONTAGIOUS Forward Sydney Leroux scored from close range in the 70th minute and the U.S. forged a 1-1 tie with Ghana in Dresden to open the 2010 Under-20 Women's World Championship. [July 14] Comment: Now the women have caught it. The U.S. needed Leroux's goal because, in what has become true American fashion, it allowed a long-range strike by Ghana's Elizabeth Cudjoe in just the seventh minute. Sound familiar? At the World Cup in South Africa, the U.S. fell behind early in three of its four matches: fifth minute against England, 13th against Slovenia, and fourth against Ghana on, yes, a shot from beyond the penalty area. Is it the coaching? A national character flaw? Or is it just that the American player lately seems to need a cup of black coffee and a slap in the face before taking the field for what to any other player would be a very, very important match? AMERICAN AUDIENCE FOR WORLD CUP FINAL: 24.3 MILLION A television audience of 24.3 million watched the 2010 World Cup final between Spain and Holland. ABC attracted 15.5 million and the Spanish-language network Univision 8.8 million. That set a U.S. record for total number of viewers for a World Cup match, and ESPN/ABC experienced an overall viewership increase of 41 percent over the 2006 World Cup in Germany. [July 13] Comment: Those numbers vaulted the World Cup into lofty company, by American standards. Those 24.3 million put the World Cup final on a par with the deciding games of the World Series (featuring baseball's marquee club, the Yankees) and NBA finals (a dream matchup for basketball fans, the Lakers and Celtics). And this for a match played not in prime time on a weeknight but on a Sunday afternoon. What the numbers do not reflect, however, is how omnipresent South Africa 2010 was in this country; how, thanks to new technology and a hungry media looking for more eyeballs and ears, World Cup exposure in America exploded exponentially. This was not Italia '90, when TNT televised a few matches, complete with commercial breaks during the action and the color commentary of a British-born NFL placekicker. It also wasn't France '98, when ESPN/ABC televised all 64 matches but went on air for most right at kickoff, missing the playing of the anthems and forcing the announcers to squeeze in the lineups during the first five minutes. And it wasn't Korea/Japan '02, when many matches aired in the U.S. in the wee hours, thus losing countless potential viewers here. This tournament got wall-to-wall coverage on ESPN/ESPN2/ABC, with pre- and post-game shows lasting almost as long as the matches themselves, as well as prime time replays for those who actually have to work during the day. There also was Univision, televising its eighth consecutive World Cup from beginning to end, plus 25 games in 3-D on ESPN and plenty of talking heads on Fox Soccer Channel providing daily analysis. Stuck in your car or otherwise unable to watch on TV? ESPN Radio provided match coverage, and if your local ESPN radio affiliate didn't carry your particular match, Sirius and XM satellite had the ESPN broadcasts, as well as those in German, Arabic, Portuguese, Japanese and Korean. Sirius XM also had daily highlight shows, as did ESPN Radio, the Futbol de Primera network and even National Public Radio. And for those even further cut off, fans could keep up through streaming video on mobile devices (ESPN3.com and UnivisionFutbol.com). Thanks to numerous free and paid apps, if you had a mobile phone, you had South Africa in your hand. What it all meant was an American audience more engaged than during any previous World Cup. Where once trying to experience a World Cup meant giving an effort unknown to, for instance, Super Bowl viewers, who get their premiere event on a Sunday in prime time in the dead of winter, following South Africa '10 was, by comparison, almost easy. And if there is not another technical advance between now and the next World Cup, Brasil '14, with kickoffs at midday and mid-afternoon, U.S. time, will be even more accessible. Look for more records to be shattered, no matter how the U.S. team (provided it qualifies) fares. SPAIN 1, HOLLAND 0 (OT): STYLE OVER SABOTAGE Spain defeated Holland, 1-0, in overtime in Johannesburg to claim its first World Cup crown in a final marred by 47 fouls, a dozen yellow cards and one ejection. Impish midfield wizard Andres Iniesta scored the winner in the 116th minute, sparing the world of a third championship decided on penalty kicks. [July 11] Comment: The better team won, but it was not a good day for soccer as the cynical Dutch did their level best to try to take the skillful Spaniards out of their game and nearly succeeded, committing 28 fouls that helped destroy any flow this game might have had. Perhaps coach Bert van Marwijk's side could be excused, to a certain extent: it had watched Spain edge Germany, 1-0, in a semifinal in which the Germans showed their opponent far too much respect (nine fouls by Germany, seven by Spain, no cards shown) and no doubt concluded that playing nice was no solution. In the end, Holland, for all its talent, added another chapter to a World Cup history that includes bitter disappointments at the 1974 and 1978 finals and the second round at Germany '06, a disgusting match with Portugal made hard to forget for its 15 yellow cards and four red cards. (Yes, Holland lost, 1-0.) With these last two artless ousters, it will be hard to regard them as sentimental favorites in future World Cups. THE NIKE CURSE Portugal, a semifinalist four years ago, bowed tamely to Spain, 1-0, in its quarterfinal match in Cape Town. [June 29] Comment: Snapshot of Portugal's unhappy World Cup adventure would have to be a petulant Cristiano Ronaldo, sitting on Spain's half, after failing to draw a foul. He remained there while his teammates scrambled to stave off a Spanish counterattack, drawing whistles and jeers from the crowd. So Portugal goes home a loser, but the bigger loser was Nike, which managed once again to put all its eggs in the wrong basket, or baskets. In 1998, Nike's World Cup TV commercials featured Brazilian superstar Ronaldo, who went on to suffer convulsions a couple of hours before the final and turned in a listless performance in the 3-0 loss to France. This time, Nike spotlighted Ronaldinho, who was not even selected to play for Brazil, Wayne Rooney, a goal-less disappointment for England, Franck Ribery, who sank along with his fellow French mutineers, and Portugal's Ronaldo. The lesson for Nike: This isn't golf (Tiger Woods) or basketball (Michael Jordan), this is soccer, a sport in which stuff happens and there is no such thing as a lead-pipe cinch. It should be recalled that another Brazilian, Rivaldo, was in the midst of a long stretch on the FC Barcelona bench when he accepted his 1999 FIFA World Player of the Year award. But that's what makes soccer so appealing–no one is bigger than the game, and the man of a particular match could be a lowly substitute. Comment, Part 2: For further proof that a crystal soccer ball is often useless, back on April 18, a major daily newspaper's soccer writer listed, in order of importance, the 20 players to keep an eye on at the World Cup: Lionel Messi, Xavi, Wayne Rooney, Luis Fabiano, Gianluigi Buffon, Fernando Torres, Wesley Sneijder, Franck Ribery, Andres Iniesta, Didier Drogba, Frank Lampard, Andrea Pirlo, Iker Castillas, Carlos Tevez, Julio Cesar, Arjen Robben, Samuel Eto'o, Kaka, Cristiano Ronaldo and Michael Essien. Sub-par performances, early eliminations, injuries . . . well, he managed to get six out of 20 right and could have made it seven if he'd bothered to include the World Cup's Golden Ball winner, Diego Forlan. [July 12] MORE TIME FOR POT SHOTS Said U.S. Soccer chief Sunil Gulati at a World Cup wrap-up press conference in Johannesburg today: "The team is capable of more. The players know it. (Coach) Bob (Bradley) knows it. And so at that level we're disappointed we didn't get to play another 90 minutes at least. It's also a missed opportunity to stay in the public eye for another four, five, six days, maybe 10 days, when interest is at an all-time high." [July 28] Comment: What the USA's exit did was cue the critics back home–not the soccer experts but the sports columnists and commentators and Joe Six Pack who can't stand soccer and regard a World Cup as their own personal quadrennial enema. Until the loss to Ghana two days earlier, this had to be the most positive World Cup on record in that most pundits had clammed up, reluctant to make jokes about soccer when sports bars across the country were jammed with Americans cheering not the Pittsburgh Steelers or New England Patriots but a band of life-sized heroes wearing red, white and blue. (The notable exception came after the last-gasp victory over Algeria, when two well-known columnists managed to find the following dark lining to the silver cloud: This is America, so we shouldn't be acting so giddy over beating a backwater country like Algeria; we're ranked No. 14 in the world, so it is expected that we reach the round of 16.) But with the U.S. eliminated, out came the knives. After two weeks of blissful peace, letters to the editor of your local paper proclaimed soccer boring, pundits whose sports knowledge stopped at soccer were suddenly experts at flopping and goal-line technology, and in many quarters it was noted that a poll revealed that 40 percent of Americans surveyed said they wouldn't follow the World Cup now that the U.S. was out (not that 60 percent said they would continue to tune in). As during Germany '06, the Jimmy Kimmel Show aired its World Cup "highlight" of the day (two or three passes by defenders on their own half of the field, although he could have just as easily goofed on gridiron football with a clip of a quarterback going down on one knee to kill the clock or basketball with a free throw miss two minutes into a game). Gulati returns home with visions of what a meeting between the U.S. and Uruguay in the quarterfinals would have meant in the ongoing evolution of the sport here. For those Stateside who enjoyed a couple of weeks in which those in this country who are quick to express their distain for soccer lay low, an extra six days of quiet would have been nice. GHANA 2, U.S. 1 (OT) The U.S. gave up two long-range strikes and saw its World Cup end in Rustenberg with a 2-1 overtime loss to Ghana in the round of 16. Ricardo Clark once again played the goat, getting stripped of a ball in midfield that set up Kevin-Prince Boateng's fifth-minute goal, and after Landon Donovan netted a penalty kick in the 62nd, Asamoah Gyan scored the game-winner three minutes into overtime. [June 26] Comment: The Americans finally went to the well one time too often and paid the price. The World Cup is too grueling for a team to keep falling behind early and be able to summon the physical and mental strength to create late miracles. The U.S., renowned for its fitness, was a lumbering mass over the last hour of the game. Striker Jozy Altidore was the poster child, and not far behind him were center backs Carlos Bocanegra and Jay DeMerit, muscled out of the way by Gyan enroute to Ghana's deciding goal. Although Bob Bradley did exactly what he was hired to do–steer the U.S. through the World Cup qualifiers, win its first-round group and advance to the knock-out rounds–his choices while in South Africa were questionable. Do Robbie Findley, who has yet to score a goal for the U.S., and Clark hold compromising photos of their coach? Why did adventurous midfielder Benny Feilhaber and forward Edson Buddle, the team's hottest goal-scorer going into the tournament, languish on the bench for so long? By U.S. standards, Bradley should be back for a run at Brasil '14. The U.S. Soccer Federation has a history of holding onto coaches who simply meet expectations. However, it's time to use this run to create some momentum, some buzz, over the next four years. Having failed once in attempting to hire Juergen Klinsmann, the USSF should do what is necessary to nail down the German as U.S. coach. A World Cup winner, U.S. resident, articulate in English–Klinsmann would give the USA's next World Cup campaign the visibility and credibility deserving of a nation that just finished among the 16-best soccer-playing nations on the planet. U.S.-ALGERIA TELECAST SHATTERS RECORDS The dramatic match between the U.S. and Algeria was the highest-rated and most-watched soccer telecast in the history of ESPN, delivering a 4.6 rating, or 4,582,000 households and 6,161,000 viewers. The previous record was set five days earlier with the U.S.-Slovenia game, which attracted 3,906,000 viewers. The U.S.-Algeria showdown also was the most-watched weekday morning telecast in the history of ESPN, eclipsing the U.S.-Germany quarterfinal at Korea/Japan '02 (4.4 and 5,335.000). In addition, with 1.7 million unique viewers, the U.S. victory was the most-viewed single live event in the history of the Internet. [June 23] Comment: Just imagine the TV numbers if the folks who compile the ratings counted the thousands and thousands of Americans who were watching in groups in sports bars, restaurants and public places around the country. Unfortunately, they don't. So watch the U.S.-Ghana match alone. Of course you won't. Watching the U.S. in a World Cup is a communal experience, much like all those Super Bowl parties each winter. But there can be no doubt that good TV numbers bring the sport in this country respect from the unconverted; with the average TV audience for the first three U.S. matches on ABC/ESPN/Univision up 68 percent from Germany '06, it becomes increasingly difficult for anyone to make the claim that "nobody here cares about soccer." And the better the numbers, the more inclined ABC and ESPN are to continue to give soccer's marquee events the first-rate treatment no one could have imagined just a few years ago. A PREMATURE THANK YOU, MR. COULIBALY The U.S. clawed its way back from a two-goal deficit to earn a stirring 2-2 draw with Slovenia in Johannesburg and keep alive its hopes of advancing out of the first round. [June 18] Comment: The talk afterwards wasn't about the Landon Donovan goal in the 48th minute that got the Americans off the deck or Michael Bradley's equalizer in the 82nd. It was all about the goal by Maurice Edu three minutes later that was disallowed by Mali referee Koman Coulibaly for a mysterious foul committed by an unnamed U.S. player in the penalty area as Donovan's free kick from the right was on its way to Edu's foot. What the in-over-his-head Coulibaly managed to do with one untimely whistle was to get all–or a good portion–of America talking about the World Cup and its team. It was among the top stories on that day's network evening news programs, and photos of Edu and teammate Clint Dempsey, reacting to the call, were on the front page of major newspapers. Had the goal been allowed, the 3-2 U.S. victory would have made for a nice sports story. But while Americans don't like to play the victim, they can be as indignant as anyone else. As a result, people who had never heard of Landon Donovan were suddenly familiar with and talking about guys named Edu, Dempsey and Carlos Bocanegra. So a premature thank you, Mr. Coulibaly. Of course, if the U.S. fails to advance out of Group C because of your deficiencies as a referee, you will go down in history with German midfielder Torsten Frings (goal line handball, 2002 World Cup quarterfinals) as one of the two men who did the most to slow the progress of soccer in this country. But for the moment, you've shown that one blunder can get soccer more attention here than all the hype ESPN can muster and more. THE WORLD CUP'S STRAW MEN Mexico rolled past France, 2-0, in a Group A match in Polokwane and can qualify for the Round of 16 with a draw with Uruguay in its final first-round game. Comment: Javier Hernandez was offside on his goal and Cuauhtemoc Blanco's penalty-kick goal was set up by a poor call on a tackle in the box by France's Eric Abidal, but the better team won. And Mexico deserves praise for showing in its first two games a positive style that other teams would do well to emulate. As for France, it is the Scarecrow of South Africa because it's theme song should be, "If I Only Had a Brain." That brain, of course, belongs to Zinedine Zidane. Without him, the French are just another team. Or make that the Tin Man. Even before Blanco's clincher, France showed very little heart. AN AMERICAN VICTORY ON THE TUBE The U.S.-England match attracted approximately 16.8 million viewers in America–nearly 13 million via ABC and 3.8 million through the Spanish-language Univision. That made it the fifth-most-watched World Cup broadcast on ABC since the 1994 final and beat the audience of 16.4 million for the fourth game of the NBA finals played two days earlier. [June 13] Comment: Imagine the numbers if this match had been played, like the NBA finals, in prime time, not midday on a Saturday when many potential viewers had things to do. ENGLAND 1, UNITED STATES 1 Comment: Now we know what The Sun, Britain's tabloid rag, meant when it ran the now-notorious headline "England, Algeria, Slovenia, Yanks" (it spells E-A-S-Y) in December, the day after the World Cup draw produced a Group C that featured the U.S. vs. England in the opener. Apparently the clairvoyant Sun peered into its crystal ball and was describing Clint Dempsey's shot at England goalkeeper Robert Green. [June 12] SOUTH AFRICA 1, MEXICO 1 Comment: No World Cup should begin or end with a dud, and fortunately, this opener–not a meeting of giants–was a somewhat entertaining, wide-open affair once the host South Africans shook their early jitters. The World Cup has a history of opening match stinkers, so it is hoped that this game sets a positive tone. [June 11] 'QUICK DRAW' REFEREE ASSIGNED TO U.S.-ENGLAND MATCH Controversial Brazilian referee Carlos Eugenio Simon has been assigned by FIFA to officiate the June 12 World Cup match between the United States and England in Rustenburg. Simon was once banned from refereeing in Brazil for six months for corruption, and over a three-game stretch in 2006 he showed 17 yellow and red cards. Flamengo once sent FIFA a DVD of Simon's more questionable calls, and Palmeiras chief Luiz Gonzaga Belluzzo called the referee a "crook, scoundrel and a bastard." Comment: If Simon is as erratic and incompetent as his Brazilian critics claim, the U.S., with its history of ill-timed World Cup cautions and ejections, whether born of naivete or impetuousness, has much to fear. On the other side of the field, so does Wayne Rooney. England's hot-headed, mercurial striker was praised this past season for limiting the number of cards he was shown to a mere eight. LOOKING BEYOND THE FIRST ROUND, IF WE DARE The U.S. defeated Australia in a wide-open match, 3-1, in Roodepoort in the final World Cup tune-up for both teams. Edson Buddle, getting a start thanks in part to the ankle sprain suffered by Jozy Altidore, scored twice in the first half. [June 5] Comment: This was a very good result for the Americans, if we dare look beyond the first round. (And why not? At the moment, all 32 teams are still deadlocked at 0-0-0.). In the Round of 16, the Group C winner will play the Group D runner-up on June 26 in Rustenburg; the Group C runner-up will play the Group D winner the next day at Mangaung/Bloemfontein. It is imperative that the U.S. win Group C, of course, to avoid facing heavy Group D favorite Germany, although the youthful Germans' stock has dropped with the loss of Michael Ballack to injury. What makes winning Group C doubly important is who the U.S. would likely face instead of Germany: the Michael Essien-less Ghana, the Nemanja Vidic-lead Serbia or Australia. The Serbs and Socceroos have been variously picked to finish second or third. If they do indeed meet the Aussies in the second round, the Americans will be facing a team it had beaten somewhat easily within the past three weeks. But we get ahead of ourselves. There's a match of some import coming up on June 12, and what could be even bigger games on June 18 and June 23. BLOW IT OUT YOUR VUVUZELA The U.S. National Team arrived in Johannesburg after a 17-hour flight and was bussed some 20 miles outside town to the luxurious Irene Country Lodge, where it will begin final World Cup preparations. The team was greeted warmly by hotel staff, who left a vuvuzela–the plastic horn common at South African soccer stadiums–in each player's room. [June 10] Comment: Those vuvuzelas–and every other vuvuzela in the entire country–should be confiscated, dumped in South Africa's largest landfill and covered with a least 100 feet of topsoil before June 11. If not, this could go down as the most annoying World Cup in history. The incessant din caused by vuvuzelas was a major irritation during last year's FIFA Confederations Cup in South Africa, and we're in for more. It's bad enough that they will drown out the rousing, colorful chants and songs of visiting teams' fans, which are what make the atmosphere at a major soccer match so special. What's worse is that the vuvuzela has a range of one note, preventing the blower from doing anything interesting with his instrument. So, at last year's Confederation Cup, when South Africa got off a promising long-range shot in a first-round game against New Zealand, all the fans with vuvuzelas simply blew harder; what television viewers heard was not human sounds like a gasp or ringing cheers or the beginning of a raucous song but the dull drone of the vuvuzela–only louder. It was as if someone had turned up the volume on the white noise of a TV channel that was off the air. EURO CHAMPIONSHIP OVERKILL The UEFA has announced that France will host the 2016 European Championship, which for the first time will feature 24 nations. [May 28] Comment: Too much of a good thing. The Continent's original format, which called for eight finalist nations (1960-1992), was too small. The expansion to 16 in 1996 was just right. This expansion, however, is overkill. Nearly half of all members of the UEFA will qualify for France '16. Do we really need to see Albania, Latvia, Andorra playing against Spain, Italy, Germany? Maybe South America should follow suit and increase the number of finalists in its continental championship. The Copa America at present features all 10 CONMEBOL members, plus guests Mexico and, occasionally, the U.S. Then again, maybe not. To expand, the nations of South America would either have to further open its competition to CONCACAF nations or start subdividing. USA UNVEILS ITS WORLD CUP ROSTER U.S. National Team coach Bob Bradley announced his 23-man roster for the 2010 World Cup, one day after a 4-2 loss to the Czech Republic in a warm-up match in East Hartford, CT, and six days before the FIFA deadline. [May 26] Comment: There were minor surprises, among them the inclusion of Herculez Gomez and Edson Buddle, two forwards who don't even appear in the annual USSF media guide that was published at the beginning of the year. However, Gomez, capped only three times, was co-scoring champ during Mexico's clausura season with 10 goals for Puebla, becoming the first American to lead any foreign league in goals. Buddle, who has never played a full match for the U.S. (45 minutes against the Czechs, 11 minutes in 2003 against Venezuela), has an MLS-leading nine goals for the Los Angeles Galaxy. Bradley couldn't afford to ignore either man. The loser that day was Brian Ching. Hard-working, dangerous with his back to the goal, one of those strikers who has the ability to make those around him look good, Ching was also 32 years old and coming off a hamstring injury that cut into his average foot speed. Bradley may rue his decision to leave out the experienced (45 caps) and productive (11 goals) Ching. The beneficiary is the player who goes to South Africa instead, Real Salt Lake forward Robbie Findley. Findley has made four appearances for the U.S. and is seeking his first international goal. INTER MILAN VS. BAYERN MUNICH Inter Milan and Bayern Munich will square off in the UEFA Champions League final today in Madrid, with both sides aiming to become only the sixth club to win the treble (national league, national cup and Euro cup). [May 22] Comment: Prediction: Inter Milan 2, Bayern Munich 1, and Inter coach Jose Mourinho finally smiles. WORLD CUP PRELIMINARY ROSTERS: USA IS THE TEAM WITH NO STARS TO SPARE Preliminary World Cup rosters were announced today, and among the big names who will experience South Africa '10 from the livingroom couch are Ronaldinho of Brazil, Patrick Vieira of France, Francesco Totti of Italy and Ruud van Nistelrooy of Holland. [May 11] Comment: If there's anything that underscores the United States' high ceiling in international soccer it comes every four years when World Cup finalists reveal their team rosters. This time around, the rejects include a two-time FIFA Player of the Year, Ronaldinho, and two world champions, Vieira and Totti. These omissions carry on a World Cup selection tradition that was highlighted in 1998, when France coach Aime Jacquet decided that his team could win the World Cup it would host without peerless midfielder Eric Cantona and electrifying winger David Ginola. As we all know, it did. It's moves like these that separate the U.S. from the world's upper echelon. Ronaldinho, at 30, and Vieira, Totti and van Nistelrooy, all 33, have been deemed too old for South Africa. (For the record, the oldsters among the non-goalkeepers on the USA prelim roster are striker Brian Ching, 32 this month, and defenders Steve Cherundolo, 31, and Carlos Bocanegra, 31 this month.) Were they American citizens, Ronaldinho, Vieira, Totti and van Nistelrooy would not only be on the final U.S. roster but in the starting lineup for the opener June 12 against England, birth certificates be damned. And that would be one helluva team. They are not, so a few have busied themselves in the weeks leading up to coach Bob Bradley's unveiling of the U.S. prelim roster with speculation over whether Brian McBride, 37, should be pulled out of mothballs and paired up front with Charlie Davies, a man nearly killed last fall in a horrific traffic accident. (The U.S. will be fine. A front line of Jozy Altidore and Clint Dempsey is the best we have to offer, and if Altidore can hold onto the ball and if Dempsey can conjure up some magic, the U.S. will reach the knockout rounds.) So while some U.S. fans (and pundits) fret about the present, it is obvious that the future is boundless. The U.S. is No. 14 in the most recent FIFA World Rankings, and it has done it with a group of European-based players from the likes of AGF Aarhus, West Ham, Stade Rennes, Bolton, Hannover 06, Fulham and Borussia Moenchengladbach. Oguchi Onyewu is with AC Milan and DaMarcus Beasley and Maurice Edu are with Glasgow Rangers, but because of injuries and other factors they mostly train and sit and wait. Someday, one of Bradley's successors will draw on Americans starting–maybe even starring–for FC Barcelona or Inter Milan or Manchester United or Bayern Munich. And he might have the luxury of making like Jacquet, or perhaps Argentina boss Diego Maradona, who isn't about to call up standout Boca Juniors playmaker Juan Roman Riquelme for his 2010 World Cup squad because the two don't see eye to eye. But that's for tomorrow. For today, the U.S. can't afford to kill off useful players in their early 30s and the U.S. coach can't afford to spit on talent simply because of a difference of philosophies or a clash of personalities. The underdeveloped giant known as the U.S. National Team goes to South Africa with the very best talent its country has to offer, no exceptions. SOUNDERS' REFUND OFFER NOT A STROKE OF GENIUS The Seattle Sounders offered their fans an apology in the form of a refund one day after the team suffered an embarrassing 4-0 loss to the Los Angeles Galaxy before a club-record crowd of 36,273 at Qwest Field. Sounder fans will be extended a one-game credit toward 2011 season-ticket packages. [May 9] Comment: Now in its 15th season, MLS is a league whose quality of play remains questionable in the eyes of many, and it will continue to be suspect until it can beat Mexican clubs in CONCACAF competitions and/or attract foreign stars in their prime. This is no time for one of its franchises to proclaim, "We're lousy and not worth paying to see." The Sounders have done a whole lot right, but this idea is a wrongheaded grandstand play. PELE, MARADONA BURY HATCHET FOR A GOOD CAUSE: QUALITY LUGGAGE O Rey, El Pibe de Oro and Zizu–Pele, Diego Maradona and Zinedine Zidane–will appear together in a Louis Vuitton advertisement slated to run in several international magazines in June, just in time for kickoff of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. The trio were photographed by Annie Leibovitz enjoying a game of foosball in the Madrid bar Cafe Maravillas, with Zidane's Louis Vuitton luggage in the background. [May 2] Comment: Pele and Maradona, shown in the ad standing side by side at the foosball table, have had a rocky relationship over the years. It reached its nadir in 1999 with FIFA's botched Player of the Century balloting, which was conducted over the Internet. Younger voters–that is, people who had seen plenty of Maradona on color TV and who are more computer savvy than their older, Pele-era counterparts–gave the Argentine icon a landslide victory, which was leaked to a Spanish newspaper. Back-pedalling quickly, FIFA formed a committee of soccer officials, coaches and journalists which–surprise–voted Pele the greatest player of the 20th Century. Maradona, meanwhile, was clumsily declared "player of the century, Internet." Drawn into the flap, Maradona called Pele an overrated player who didn't have to endure the tough marking of the top European leagues; Pele countered that Maradona wasn't even the greatest Argentine ever, naming Alfredo Di Stefano and Jose Manuel Moreno as better players. At that year's FIFA awards gala in Rome, Maradona dedicated his honor to all Argentines, his (soon-to-be-ex) wife, Cuban leader Fidel Castro, and the world's soccer players, then promptly left the building in a snub of Pele, who had yet to be presented his award. Now, more than 10 years later, they stand together, smiling, like two old pals. Maybe it's the power of foosball. Maybe it's the power of fine luggage. What it is not, however, is a miracle. A miracle is an ad featuring Pele, Maradona, Zidane and Marco Materazzi. BAYERN MUNICH A REASON NOT TO FORGET GERMANY THIS SUMMER Bayern Munich, behind a hat trick by Ivica Olic, routed Olympique Lyon, 3-0, in France to take its UEFA Champions League semifinal by a 4-0 aggregate. [April 27] Comment: The coach (Louis van Gaal), captain (Mark van Bommel) and leading scorer (Arjen Robben) are Dutch; one defender (Daniel van Buyten) is Belgian; and its Champions League goal-scoring hero (Olic) is a Croat. But make no mistake, Bayern Munich is a German team. The hardworking, no frills approach, one incisive pass and a goal–the German script for decades, and Bayern Munich, virtually assured of its 22nd Bundesliga crown, is once again the best at it in Germany. Keep Germany's World Cup team in mind, then, as Bayern approaches the May 22 final and a shot to win its first Champions League title in nine years. London oddsmakers list Spain as the 4-1 favorite to win South Africa '10, followed by Brazil at 5-1, England at 6-1 and Argentina at 8-1. Defending world champ Italy, Holland and Germany are next at roughly 13-1 each. There will be plenty of movement as the World Cup opener approaches, but at the moment the oddsmakers have undersold the Germans. Odds aren't about the best team or the prettiest team–they're about who can reach the final, where anything can happen. And like Bayern Munich, Germany has a history of reaching finals. Seven, and counting. INTER 3, FC BARCELONA 1 Inter Milan got the jump on FC Barcelona in the first leg of its UEFA Champions League semifinal, coming from behind to knock off the Spanish leader, 3-1, in the first leg at the San Siro. Diego Milito set up goals by Wesley Sneijder in the 30th minute and Maicon in the 48th, then scored himself on a header in the 61st to cancel out a 19th-minute strike by Barca's Pedro Rodriguez. [April 20] Comment: Barcelona and Argentine superstar Lionel Messi did not score against Inter, nor did he score in Barca's last Spanish league match three days earlier, a game at Espanyol in which no one scored. Perhaps that will give us all a brief respite from the growing "Messi is God" chants that are expected to reach a crescendo June 12 when Argentina opens its 2010 World Cup run against Nigeria in Johannesburg. Messi is arguably the greatest player in the game today, a 5-7 cyclone whose invention, marksmanship, unselfishness and breathtaking runs through traffic make him a delight to watch and a nightmare to mark. He's won a FIFA World Player of the Year trophy at age 22, and in 2009-10 alone he's scored 40 goals, including eight in the Champions League. However, this is soccer, a game in which there are no sure things when it comes to actual goal production, and the World Cup is a tournament, a version of the sport in which the leading goalscorer can be as unheralded as Salvatore Schillaci, the twice-capped surprise package of Italia '90. Surely Argentina is better than the team that struggled mightily to secure its World Cup berth, and if manager Diego Maradona can provide some leadership (or at least act like a grown-up while in South Africa), Messi will have more than just three chances to show off his tremendous talents. However, like any top player, he will need the help of both the men around him and that unseen 12th teammate, Dame Fortune. Adidas has been running TV commercials and print ads featuring Messi for months. The last time a sporting goods giant built a pre-World Cup advertising campaign around a single player, it was Nike, the player was another FIFA World Player of the Year, Brazil's Ronaldo, and the World Cup was France '98. We all know how that ended. ANOTHER ITEM OFF MLS TO-DO LIST Toronto FC defeated the expansion Philadelphia Union, 2-1, in its 2010 Major League Soccer home opener before a standing-room-only crowd of 21,978 at BMO Field. [April 15] Comment: The match marked Toronto's first at home on natural grass after playing its first three seasons at BMO Field on a much-criticized artificial surface. That's one more step forward for the league as, one by one, it eliminates or alters venues that were not ideal for staging professional soccer games. Meanwhile, the Union, which drew 34,870 at Lincoln Financial Field for its first-ever home game five nights earlier, will move into the new 18,500-seat PPL Park in Chester, PA, on June 27, giving MLS its ninth soccer-specific stadium. The Union represents Philly's fourth stab at pro soccer, following the NASL's Spartans (1967), Atoms (1973-76) and Fury (1978-80), but if there are doubts that the Union will draw well–at least during this honeymoon period–consider that the membership of the team's supporters club alone, the Sons of Ben, is 5,200. That's more than the turnouts for all but three of the Fury's 16 home matches at Veterans Memorial Stadium during its last, unlamented season. LACKLUSTER LOCAL TICKET SALES FOR SOUTH AFRICA '10 FIFA revealed that a half million tickets are still available 10 weeks before the opening of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. Those tickets will be offered to South Africans on April 15 in the fifth and final sales phase. Organizers admit that while the limp global economy and security concerns have affected sales abroad, they erred in trying to sell tickets–some as cheap as $19–domestically via the Internet in a country where the average monthly income is $400 and, thus, the personal computer is a luxury. [April 10] Comment: Of the 2.2 million tickets sold, 925,437 have gone to South Africans. Next is the United States, at 118,945. The U.K. has purchased about half that, 67,654. Germany, which played host to a successful World Cup four years ago, has accounted for just 32,269 tickets sold. What looms as a box office disaster for FIFA and local organizers–especially if the South African team lives down to expectations and becomes the first host side eliminated in the opening round–could be a boost for the USA's bid to host the World Cup in 2018 or 2022. (Among the contenders are Australia, Belgium/Holland, England, Japan, Russia, Spain/Portugal, Qatar and South Korea, the latter two aiming at 2022 only.) With sluggish ticket sales being added to the list of concerns over this first African-hosted World Cup, the FIFA Executive Committee may very well wax nostalgic for 1994. Though the World Cup has since been expanded to 32 teams and 64 matches, the 24-team, 52-game USA '94 remains far and away the best-attended World Cup ever: 3,567,415 total spectators for a 68,604 average. And as FIFA faces the prospect of seas of empty seats from Cape Town to Johannesburg, it also should recall that '94 produced the best "worst" single-game turnout of any World Cup ever: 44,132 at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas for Nigeria's 3-0 win over eventual semifinalist Bulgaria. DID MANCHESTER UNITED LOSE, OR DID BAYERN MUNICH WIN? Bayer Munich won its UEFA Champions League quarterfinal series with Manchester United on away goals. The first thing Fox Soccer Channel's British announcer had to say after the final whistle at Old Trafford was, "Manchester United are out." One day earlier, in the moment after FC Barcelona eliminated Arsenal, FSC's Brit man proclaimed, "Arsenal run out losers." [April 7] Comment: Isn't there another way of looking at it, such as "Three-time champion Bayern are into the semifinals" or "Cup holders Barcelona run out winners"? Are the majority of FSC viewers fans of soccer, or just fans of the EPL? (See March 5, ESPN/ABC's World Cup announcers.) MLS LOOSENS PURSE STRINGS, BUT WHAT'S IN THE PURSE? Major League Soccer amended its so-called "Beckham Rule," allowing teams to sign up to two "designated players" with only $335,000 counting against a club's salary cap, down from the price tag of $800,000 since the rule was put in place in 2007. (The rest of a designated player's salary comes out of the owner's pocket.) In addition, a team may sign a third DP after it pays a fee of $250,000 that will be distributed to all teams with two DPs or fewer. [April 1] Comment: MLS certainly needs the pizazz of a few marquee players from abroad, and though this move represents a further crack in the salary cap, it hardly allows one club to go Cosmos on the rest of the league. However, the league at present has hardly taken advantage of the Beckham Rule. Only six DPs are scattered over five of MLS's 16 teams, and just two of those teams–one of them the wildly successful Seattle Sounders–turned a profit last season. At this rate, what good is a license to spend in a league of lookie-loos? BARCA VS. GUNNERS FC Barcelona's UEFA Champions League quarterfinal series against Arsenal will kick off momentarily. [March 31] Comment: The defending champs, with more commitment than they showed in the previous round against VfB Stuttgart, will eliminate Arsenal by a 6-2 aggregate.

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Burnley-based manufacturer and designer of home furnishings, Textile Imports Limited has entered administration. Offers are currently being sought for the purchase of the business. Steven Muncaster and Sarah Bell, both of Duff & Phelps have been appointed as joint administrations and will continue to trade the business while a buyer is found. The 33-strong workforce has blamed cashflow problems as the reason for the decision to enter administration. Joint administrator, Steven Muncaster, said: "The company has faced a series of cash flow challenges in recent months as a result of a poor trading position. "This has been driven, in part, by the softening of consumer demand which has depressed spending. "It is, however, our stated intention to continue to trade the business as we search for a buyer and would encourage anyone who is interested to contact us." Established in 1953, Textile Imports has a rich history and manufactures, designs, imports and distributes a range of high quality branded home furnishings and also is a supplier of online and retail businesses of all sizes. Trading from Network 65 Business Park, Hapton, the company also owns the brands Hamilton McBride and Home Creations; both are known for being high quality furnishings. Duff & Phelps has a global presence and has experience advising on matters in corporate finance, investigations, disputes, cyber security, compliance and regulatory matters, and other governance-related issues. Client base ranges from publicly traded and privately held companies, law firms, government entities and investment organisations such as private equity firms and hedge funds. For more news stories about administrations click here. For all our administrations listings, click here. Arlington Automotive acquired out of administration by Ricor Global | BUSINESS SALE Arlington Automotive North East has been acquired out of adm... Essex-based cruise line goes into administration | ADMINISTRATION Cruise & Maritime Voyages (CMV) has gone into administration... Construction contractor owed creditors £11m when it collapsed | BUSINESS NEWS Lancashire-based contractor Construction Partnership UK owed...

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Did Debate Help Romney Solidify Leading Position in New Hampshire...and Beyond? New GBTV contributor David Brody: Some observations: Clearly, this was a debate about who is going to be the "Anti-Romney" candidate. Meanwhile, Romney smiles the whole way through like a Cheshire cat. The gloves didn't come off tonight but expect a different outcome in South Carolina next week when Romney won't be on his home turf. Candidate breakdown: Mitt Romney: In the spin room after the debate, Romney surrogate and big hockey fan Tim Pawlenty told me that Mitt Romney is like the Wayne Gretzky of this presidential field. And you know what? After tonight's debate it's hard to argue with that. None of the candidates really laid a glove on the frontrunner and would it have mattered anyhow? He looks so calm, cool and collected out there. No wonder the Obama White House is worried. This guy is a machine with facts and prose. It was another winning night. Rick Santorum: I think he did extremely well tonight because he didn't get angry at the attacks by Ron Paul and was able to articulate a strong defense of his conservatism. He had a great moment when talking about the dangers of radical Islam which evangelicals will love but his even better moment came when he explained that Mitt Romney's use of the words "Middle Class" was inappropriate because as president he wouldn't invoke class warfare. It was a beautiful stroke to weave that line into an overall message about his blue collar working roots and then he transitioned into an eloquent explanation about why he could beat Obama and be an excellent Commander-In-Chief. He did himself proud tonight. For the rest of Brody's analysis click here. National Journal's Ron Fournier: The only five men standing between Mitt Romney and the Republican presidential nomination took a walk Saturday night -- attacking each other and the media as the former Massachusetts governor coasted toward the brass ring. Romney came to the debate threatening to run away with the race, and left the stage just as strong. Maybe stronger. He faced surprisingly little criticism from his flailing rivals, and answered their punches with sharp jabs. Rep. Ron Paul called Rick Santorum corrupt. Santorum called Paul a liar. Paul called Gingrich a draft dodger. Gingrich accused the media of bias and actually praised Romney for "a good (campaign) message." Gov. Rick Perry suggested that he would send U.S. troops back to Iraq, prompting disbelieving moderator George Stephanopoulos to all but challenge his sanity: "Now?" the ABC reporter said. The closest Romney got to making news was opposing the Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion. He also supported contraception. Yes, contraception. "Contraception, it's working fine," Romney said. "Leave it alone." Oh -- Kathryn Jean Lopez has a good question -- click here to see it. Hugh Hewitt: If you had to pick a nominee to face President Obama solely on the basis of tonight's debate –a nd not just the president but the combined forces of the MSM supporting him, like ABC's moderators — it would surely be Romney, which tells you who won, and decisively. None of the candidates except Paul had a bad night, and Rick Santorum solidified his clear status as the alternative to Romney, but the much-anticipated Newt attacks on Romney barely materialized and indeed there isn't even a memorable anti-Mitt line from the entire affair, unless it was in Chinese and hasn't been translated yet. The former Massachusetts governor was poised, funny, informed, and demonstrated again and again the key media skill that will be needed between now and November: The ability to turn the MSM's questions back against Obama, to call absurd questions on their face, and to constantly elevate the immediate inquiry to the higher question of the country's direction. Marc A. Thiessen: The big winner tonight was Mitt Romney for one simple reason: No one laid a finger on him. Romney repeatedly turned his fire on Obama while all the non-Romneys fought with each other. Paul called Gingrich a draft dodger. Perry called Paul a hypocrite. Paul called Santorum a big-government conservative. And Romney just stood back and watched it all. Whenever the moderators asked him to join the fray he demurred and turned the discussion toward Obama. He even went after the moderators for asking a "silly question" and when asked to criticize his rivals said everyone on the stage would do better than Obama. The irony is that that was Gingrich's role in the debates a few months ago — now Romney has appropriated it. The big loser tonight was ABC News. Find out why here. Daniel Horowitz at Red State calls it, "The Biggest Mistake of the Worst Debate": Let's face it: the ABC News New Hampshire debate was the worst debate of the entire election cycle. And that is saying something, considering the sheer volume of debates. How many years and election cycles will it take before Republicans learn to turn to conservatives as moderators for presidential debates, instead of washed up Democrat hacks disguised as journalists? Now, to the extent that such a pathetic debate is worthy of any analysis, the clear winner was Mitt Romney. Watching the debate, you'd think Ron Paul was the frontrunner. All of the verbal altercations played out between Ron Paul and one of the other candidates. Romney was able to sit pretty throughout the entire debate, except for one monologue from Santorum at the end of the debate. Undoubtedly, the platform for the debate, along with the inane questions, wasn't exactly conducive to attacking Romney's liberal record as governor. However, they all had an opportunity during the opening salvo of the debate. They failed miserably. Michael Barone at the Washington Examiner: At about 10:28pm tonight, as Mitt Romney pivoted from a question on tax loopholes and started in with, "the real issue is vision," I had recorded this thought in my notes, "He just clinched the nomination." Romney said, as he often has, that Barack Obama has put America on the road to decline and is trying to make America more like Europe. He made reference to the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, as he often has—which helps to explain why he polls about as well with supporters of the tea party movement, who revered and often reference the Founding documents, as with non-supporters—and proclaimed that the question in this election was whether America was going to remain "a unique nation"and whether it would "return to the principles on which it was founded." To which Newt Gingrich then meekly concurred, adding some caveats. And...Jonathan S. Tobin at Commentary: Going into Saturday night's debate in New Hampshire, Rick Santorum's rise might have made him the focal point of the event but although he had a good night the real story was the failure of any of his rivals to lay a glove on frontrunner Mitt Romney​. Though the evening began with a brutal attack on Romney from Newt Gingrich, it fell flat. From then on, Romney cruised and the night ended looking more like the inevitable nominee than ever. Santorum sounded strong and confident and he also had help from Newt Gingrich that made the two of them look like a wrestling tag team. Nothing that happened tonight will interfere with his momentum and he may well do better than expected in New Hampshire and set himself up for a good night next week in South Carolina. But the failure of the GOP field to successfully attack Romney will only strengthen his position as the man that looks like the eventual winner. Watch TheBlaze live and on demand on any device, anywhere, anytime. 'You have no idea how bad this was': Dan Bongino details behind-the-scenes 'smear campaigns' against Parler Pat Gray: 'It's pretty difficult to do this show right now' WATCH: Biden's Cabinet Secrets: Marching Toward the Great Reset Watch BlazeTV on your favorite device, anytime, anywhere. No life insurance? Get a $250K policy for $15 a month Top US doctor: Sugar is not the problem (this is) Democrats in panic after biblical remedy exposed. It's turning atheists into believers. Read here 'There has to be consequences': Leftists call for Trump supporters to be punished, 'deprogrammed' Report: California elementary school instructs third-graders to rank themselves based on their 'power and privilege' Prosecutors want to change Kyle Rittenhouse's bail conditions after he was reportedly seen legally drinking with 'Proud Boys,' flashing 'white power' sign Rep. Marjorie Greene says she will file for impeachment against Joe Biden on the first day of his presidency in order to avoid violence Secret Service refutes WaPo story claiming that Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner denied agents restroom access in their home Democratic city councilman arrested, charged with eight counts of election fraud Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot wants bars, restaurants to reopen for indoor service 'as quickly as possible' Brought to you by TheBlaze Daily News Highlights POLL: Should Republicans who voted to impeach President Trump be primaried?

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Sea Turtle Indoor/Outdoor Rug is rated 4.5 out of 5 by 2. Rated 4 out of 5 by Glorysmom from Super cute! We bought a turtle rug last year. It's adorable by our pool. I was surprised at how well it held up over the course of our record-rainfall season. We purchased a second one this year to have a matching set. Rated 5 out of 5 by phaweiler1 from IT IS AWESOME!! The rug is beautiful. The colors, the shape, just everything about this indoor-outdoor rug will be perfect for our Floridian home. Thank you for your interest in the Sea Turtle Indoor/Outdoor Rug. This rug can be used in an uncovered outdoor area; however, we recommend reducing exposure to rain and moisture to help prolong the life of the rug. Thinking to hanging on wall, will it need to be framed and placed on board due to odd shape? Also, dose the rug smell like laytex? Thank you for your interest in the Sea Turtle Indoor/Outdoor Rug. To use this rug as wall art framing it may be needed depending on how you would like it to hang. This item is made with coated with natural latex, but should not retain a latex smell after being removed from its packaging. Do your measurements include the extremities or just the shell? We are looking to cover a 6 x 9 landing at the base of our wood stairs because our older Labradoodle keeps sliding out. Thank you for your interest in the Sea Turtle Indoor/Outdoor Rug. This rug is 5' x 6' at the widest points.

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CULTURE: Parsnips require well-drained soils, with a pH range of 6.0–6.8. Deep, loose, and fertile sandy loams and peat soils with good moisture-holding capacity grow the straightest and smoothest roots. Pelleted seed requires a little extra attention when it comes to watering, as it performs best with consistent, moderate soil moisture throughout the germination period. An initial watering will split or dissolve the pellet, but if the soil is allowed to dry out before the germination period is over, the seed may receive insufficient moisture for optimal germination. PLANTING: Sow in early to midspring in a 2" band about 2-3" apart (20 seeds/ft.), ½" deep, in rows 18–24" apart. Seed normally requires 3 weeks to germinate. Do not allow soil to dry out prior to emergence. AVG. SEEDING RATE: 130,680 pellets/acre @ 6 pellets/ft. (2" spacing) in rows 24" apart or 6,000 pellets/1,000 ft. row. SEED SPECS: PELLETS/LB.: 5,400–6,100 (avg. 5,700). PACKET: 250 pellets sows 41'.

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For those looking for a longer ride this horseback tour is perfect. Party along the continental divide the route offers stunning views of the local countryside and farms as well as the pretty Gulf of Nicoya. The horseback ride follows little used back roads and small tracks. The length of the tour allows us to penetrate deep into the farming community with a great opportunity to see the land use of the area, well away from the tourist areas. Get to know your Costa Rican cowboy and practice your Spanish as you try and spot wild life. Toucans and sloths are often seen along the ride.

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Dry fry pepper corns and powder them. Boil vegetables. Add salt,turmeric powder and pepper powder. When it comes to a boil add the cooked dal and gently mash it together with the boiled vegetables. Add enough water for the required consistency. Boil together for a few minutes. Add curry leaves and coconut oil after turning off the flame. Cut tomatoes, add pepper and salt and enough water and bring it to boil. Once it has boiled well , add crushed garlic. Boil for 2 more minutes. Can be drunk as soup. Great for throat related problems, cold, flatulence etc. Can be mixed with hot rice. Sesame seeds : 1 tsp. Toast the sesame seeds in a hot pan. Set aside. In a tsp oil, fry urad dall till it turns red. Add red chilli and hing. To the above add coconut, tamarind, ginger, curry leaves and salt and grind to a smooth paste. Can be served on any festive occasion to lighten the burden on the digestive system. Dry fry curry leaves in a hot pan. Set aside. Dry fry the chilly/ies moong dal and asafoetida. Grind together to a coarse powder. Serve with hot rice and sesame oil ( nallennai/ gingelly oil). Works like miracle to cure upset stomach. You can dry fry curry leaves, pepper corn and jeera (cumin) and make a powder. This has similar effect. Peel 5 or 6 sambar onions. Heat a spoon of oil. Splutter mustard seeds and saute the onions. After 2/3 minutes add a palmful of dried neem flowers to the onions and saute for 2 more minutes.

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How do I enroll in Newsroom 101? I forgot my password, or my password does not work. Make SURE you are trying to log into the right section. Use your email address as your username. That will always work. Use the email address you signed up with. Did you sign up with a different one? Use it. Type your email address in a text editing program first, where you can see it. Copy and paste your password into the password field on the login page. It's asking me to pay again, but I've already paid. You are trying to log in with the wrong username. First, find the right section. Go to our home page at newsroom101.net. Click on your section in the resulting list. Do not use a bookmark. Make sure you are in the right section. For the username, you can always log in with the email address you signed up with. Once in a while, students unintentionally create two accounts, using different email addresses, and pay for one of them but not the other. They can log in using the paid account. 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Send us a Contact form (see the top menus) that includes the name of your course. We will instruct Paypal to issue a refund. It will go to the credit card you paid with. The refund typically comes in a day or two. complete a quarter or more of the units. enroll less than 30 days from the end of a course requiring Newsroom 101. have received a refund before. Persons who enroll in Newsroom 101 on their own, not in conjunction with a course, are not eligible for a refund. I enrolled in the wrong course and need to transfer. We can transfer your enrollment, but, for technical reasons, we cannot transfer your grades. If you completed only a few quizzes, this is not much of a problem. If you completed many quizzes, talk to your teacher first. We can transfer your enrollment and send your teacher a copy of the grades you completed in the "wrong" section. This is inconvenient for everyone, but it is the best we can do. I paid for two sections by mistake and need a refund for one of them. 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Which of you five would like to play my little game? The serious, horror-style adventure is a reasonably prominent slice of 90s gaming that we've largely overlooked here on FFG, with our tendency over the years being to characterise games in the genre as falling into one of two broad categories: humorous and enjoyable LucasArts japes or daft and frustrating Sierra nonsense (ho-ho, only joking, Sierra fans. But not really). Frequently however an adventure would aim at darker and more serious territory, and we have covered one or two here, such as Creative Reality's DreamWeb, or another Cyberdreams title, Dark Seed. While most futuristic games are happy to settle for a dystopia of some kind with dark skies, a bit of rain and more crime, I Have No Mouth, And I Must Scream, based upon the short story by Harlan Ellison, goes for something significantly bleaker: a future where humanity has been wiped from the face of the earth entirely, victims of a war conducted by an all powerful AI, the Allied Mastercomputer (known throughout the game as AM), who leaves only an unfortunate handful of humans alive as his playthings. An introductory voice-over reveals the extent of AM's unhinged nature as he rants about his hatred for mankind while his human playthings writhe in agony. Our cast, who have been forced to endure this treatment for over 100 years, comprises Gorrister, a truck driver; Ellen, an electrical engineer; Benny, a military man reduced by AM to the form of an ape; Nimdok, a German doctor; and Ted, a con-artist. The physical torture inflicted upon the humans is but part of their suffering, as AM enjoys constructing quests and tasks for them to attempt and fail over and over again. The book in your inventory is the Psych Profile: a hint system, of sorts. And so, as AM's rambling ceases, the player can choose a character to guide through their individual scenario. Each is designed to play upon that person's perceived flaws and weaknesses, with numerous opportunities to do the right or wrong thing, and characters may be sent back to the start or deemed by AM, to a greater or lesser extent, to have completed their story. When all characters reach this point, there follows a final endgame, with the choices and mistakes made along the way feeding into the possible chances of success in defeating AM and getting some kind of positive ending. It's worth bearing in mind however that optimism is in short supply here, and apparently the stated intention of author Ellison, who collaborated with Cyberdreams on story development, was that there should be no way to 'beat' the game, with different levels of failure the only possible outcomes for the player. It's therefore rather easy to muck something up in I Have No Mouth, and you are indeed permitted to head down a path of certain doom without this being signposted by the game. Such an approach is also complicated by the number of bugs and glitches experienced throughout, making it occasionally difficult to determine whether the game is broken or you're just stuck. One curiosity is that some inventory objects only appear in the game world when you've followed the right sequence of events, even if those events don't directly or logically relate to that object appearing. (In this case you could, I suppose, make an argument that this is all part of AM's plan to toy with the humans). At other points, there are definite bugs: characters literally not doing what you ask (I had repeated problems with Gorrister failing to pick up a shovel and instead wandering off to his death) or saying they can't see an object that is both visibly obvious and recognised by the interface. Speaking of which, it's a pretty clumsy system, with multiple verbs for doing similar things: sometimes they're interchangeable, and sometimes they're not, and sometimes none of them work, because you're instead supposed to initiate a conversation and select the action from a list of dialogue options. Invisible exits are also a recurring annoyance, as is the need to push or use doors that are shown on screen. Digging around in AM's brain. If you choose to play through the characters' stories from left to right as they stand at the select screen, then Gorrister's will be the first you experience. Though it could be a product of getting used to the game and what it's about, his adventure does seem to be one of the more complicated ones, and suffers more than most from some of the issues described above. The temptation to chuck it all in and do something else is tempered slightly, however, by the desire to find out some more about him and his story, and the same could be said for the game as a whole. Each character has something to confront, and it's uncovering what this is, piece by piece, through these metaphorical stories that encourages you to look past the other annoyances. (I've deliberately not gone into specifics here to avoid spoilers but for a bit more on each character, see Which of you five would like to play my little game? above). I'm less convinced by I Have No Mouth as some kind of complex ethical/moral puzzler. While you definitely have the option to make dubious choices, there are few compelling reasons to do so. It's obvious from the outset that these characters are flawed and desperately seeking salvation of some kind, so other than to satisfy some curiosity in terms of seeing the results, I'm not sure why you'd do anything that jeopardises your chances. Often there will be an invitation to do something that is probably or definitely bad, in order to get what you want or need quickly (or so it seems). I suppose these situations do count as moral dilemmas but choosing what to do never seemed all that difficult or interesting to me. I guess you could say that many adventures don't even give you the opportunity to do a bad thing, or block it off, whereas here you're free to do so. Anyway, your progress in this regard is indicated by a spiritual barometer, a portrait of your character in the left hand corner of the interface, and as previously mentioned you can kibosh your chances of finishing the game by not making enough good choices. Aesthetically, I Have No Mouth is a curious mix of the genuinely bleak and effective and the slightly laughable. Backgrounds and characters look good but the latter move in an erratic and cartoonish manner, which sort of undermines their effectiveness, while music can also be a bit more comical than atmospheric. Acting is generally ok, although only Harlan Ellison himself, as the voice of AM, is actually credited. The author is clearly having a ball, and there are moments of dark comedy, particularly during Benny's section where AM appears as the sinister overlord of a tribal village. Speaking of Benny, he's the only character whose voice doesn't seem to fit his character, although Nimdok's does stray a little too much into pantomime Ze Germanz territory at times (mind you, it doesn't detract too much from the straight out grimness of this section). Dialogue text that obscures the heads of characters isn't an issue unique to I Have No Mouth, but it did seem particularly clumsy here. Not sure this is one of those good decisions we were talking about, Ted. With all individual stories told, there's a final section in which each character in turn can be transported into a representation of AM's brain to try and do some damage. I have to admit at this point I wasn't entirely clear on what was happening, and although defeating AM is mentioned at various points throughout, I had focused more on each individual scenario than anything else. Aside from a brief interlude in Ted's story, the characters have very little interaction with each other, and the finale is the only section in which their actions have notable crossover. Provided you haven't mucked anything up too badly by this point, there'll be an opportunity to get any of the multiple endings, many of which will be pretty bleak. Items collected along the way, along with your spiritual barometer (which acts as kind of a health meter here) are necessary parts of the overall solution. As I mentioned, it's mainly those tales of failure and attempted redemption that I found to be the main draw here. And I do think that there is enough interesting about I Have No Mouth to overlook some otherwise extremely annoying flaws and idiosyncrasies and give it a few hours of your time. It's not exactly a classic, flawed or otherwise, and I'd probably have given up pretty quickly without a walk-through back in the day (although, come to think of it, I don't recall ever seeing this game for sale in the UK) but for the sympathetic retro-gamer wanting to look back at something a little bit unusual, it's certainly worth investigating. Availability: Nightdive Studios have exhumed this one and you can get it on Steam and GOG. Requirements: The re-release uses ScummVM. This one's been sitting on the pile for quite a long time. Thanks for this review, it might actually prod me to finally play it. It at least reaffirmed what interested me in the first place. Does the game ever explain how AM is able to exert physical control over the prisoners? From what I've been able to piece together of the plot, it doesn't seem like they're in a virtual reality simulation. It is explained – but far enough in that to repeat it here would be spoiler territory. The scenarios are hallucinations, I think, with the endgame taking place in a sort of cyberspace as the characters are somehow translated into digital versions of themselves.

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A new website is taking the Internet by storm in a craze the like of which has not been seen for at least three months. Productivity in offices around the world is being severely reduced due to the phenomena known as 'Pocket Watching'. "It really is a great site, with a great community of dedicated users," said technology watcher Mr Bloggy. "It has surpassed YouTube and MySpace. Pocket Watching is now the cool way to idle away several hours a day." The new site, accidentalphotographer.com, is now attracting more hits than YouTube and Flikr combined. Indeed one video, of the palm of a user's hand as she made a 'phone call about her test results, has now been viewed over 7 billion times – easily ourstripping even quality artistic endeavours such as YouTube's 'Man getting hit by football'. "I am very surprised at all the fuss," admitted the site's creator Victor Billingsworth. "It started out as me just publishing a load of useless photos. I was doing some house keeping and I realised out of 234 pictures on my 'phone, I had only intentionally taken 6. The rest were accidental shots caused by the 'phone bumping in my pocket. "It turns out everyone has loads of these things and at every visit to the site you will be surprised by what people are watching. Some are just photos of pure blackness, some with spots of CCD flare. Some are washed out pictures of the sky, or out-of-focus shots of tree canopies," explained Mr Billingsworth. "There are videos of the close-ups of a hairbrush bouncing into a box of tampons in a viewer's handbag, or the blurred bounce across the passenger seat of a car. Some are just rubbish." Internet technology watchers are hailing the Accidental Photographer as the future of entertainment, given that it is not just possible for anyone to create content but they can now do it without even trying. "I don't think it is an exaggeration to say that the Accidental Photographer represents the end of the road for the traditional quality media outlets such as YouTube," said Mr Bloggy. The site born of frustration with the camera on Victor's mobile 'phone is now part of an aggressive bidding war between Yahoo and Google. The latter's latest bid is $1Trillion, six islands in the pacific, the services of every female employee and is promising to re-brand itself Billingswoogle. lolz. The internet is the mad.

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Home News Local Tokyo Olympic Games Mainland Olympians meet with disciplined services staff members Tokyo Olympic Games Mainland Olympians meet with disciplined services staff members 5:38PM Sat December 4, 2021 4th December 2021 – (Hong Kong) Five athlete representatives from the delegation of Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games Mainland Olympians, which arrived in Hong Kong yesterday for a three-day visit, met with disciplined services staff members, spoke on their experiences and gave sports demonstrations at the Fire and Ambulance Services Academy this morning. The Secretary for Security, Mr Tang Ping-keung, and the heads of six disciplined services departments extended a warm welcome to the five athletes on behalf of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government. Photo shows Mainland weightlifting athlete Chen Lijun (left) demonstrating weightlifting techniques to disciplined services representatives. The five athletes were from the country's weightlifting and athletics teams. They were Li Fabin (men's 61 kg weightlifting), Chen Lijun (men's 67 kg weightlifting), Gong Lijiao (women's shot put), Liu Shiying (women's javelin) and Su Bingtian (men's 100 metres). Around 500 participants took part in the event. Apart from staff members of the disciplined services, the participants also included members of various youth uniformed groups of the disciplined services and their respective management committees. Spectators were not only able to see the five Mainland Olympians showcase their talents up close, but also listened to the sharing of their success tips. In his opening speech, Mr Tang especially thanked the General Administration of Sport of China and the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the HKSAR for arranging for the Mainland Olympians to meet with disciplined services staff members during their busy schedule, which demonstrated the Central Government's support and recognition for the Hong Kong disciplined services departments. He encouraged disciplined services officers and youth uniformed group members to learn from the Mainland Olympians' perseverance and hardworking attitude, and better equip themselves to contribute more to the country and Hong Kong. The event also included a car-pulling challenge to raise funds for Special Olympics Hong Kong. Mr Tang thanked the members of the management committees of the uniformed groups for their generous donation, which added to the success of this event.

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27 Iranian agencies tasked with enforcing Hijab Oppression on Women News / Atrocities Human Rights Violation / The Women's Committee of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) has published a study into the suppression of Iranian women, entitled "A network of 27 state agencies suppresses Iranian women by enforcing the mandatory Hijab", and its findings are incredible. The Women's Committee states that the two prongs of the regime's survival strategy are domestic repression and the export abroad of terrorism and fundamentalism. This, the regime thinks, keeps the Iranian people from rising up to overthrow then and allows the "misogynist and medieval regime" to take control in other countries. Of course, as always under authoritarian regimes, women are the primary victims of domestic repression, with the mullahs desperately trying to enforce the mandatory Hijab or veil. Women in Iran have always resisted this coercion, publically denouncing the mullahs for stripping them of their right to choose their own clothing. They frequently defy the mullahs' ruling, both at protests and in their daily lives, something that the regime views as a political and security issue. This is why there are now so many government bodies tasked with ensuring that women are abiding by the mandatory dress code when the money could have been much better spent elsewhere. These agencies are not new. Commander-in-chief of the State Security Force Hossein Ashtari announced in December 2015 that there were 26 government agencies "responsible for the issue of Hijab and Chastity". In fact, the compulsory veil issue has been significant to the regime's political and national security for 40 years and so the mullahs have developed various ways to enforce the mandatory Hijab, which is why the number of organizations has ballooned. (Not that there should have been one, to begin with.) In September 2019, the Supreme Council for Cultural Revolution approved a new plan where there would be 27 state agencies, including 10 ministries, "responsible for enforcing the mandatory Hijab". These agencies and bodies, which were not named and so, therefore, could be absolutely any agency, are involved in the suppression of women, working according to the supreme cultural council that is chaired by President Hassan Rouhani. This outrageous repression of women's rights is intrinsic to the regime and will continue for as long as the mullahs are in power due to the regime's institutionalized misogyny. In addition, the regime's misogynous laws have paved the way for the so-called "honor killings" in Iran. The case of the 14-year-old Romina Ashrafi, who was beheaded by her father with a sickle, is one of the recent cases of honor killings in Iran under the mullah's regime. Source » irannewsupdate Hardliner politician in Iran reportedly gets light sentence after accusation of Rape Prisoner Morteza Pirkhezri Executed at Sanandaj Prison Iran Iran's conservatives again push to block Telegram March 20, 2018 ifmat ifmat Comments Off on Iran's conservatives again push to block Telegram Iranian officials 'looted' cellphones rings passports of plane crash victims June 17, 2020 ifmat ifmat 0 Half of Iranians are living in poverty November 15, 2019 ifmat ifmat 0

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Grommets provide a water tight seal for irrigation tubing connected to plastic reservoirs. The 6mm Grommet is positioned at the bottom of the plastic reservoir, by firstly drilling a 10mm pilot hole. The grommet is then inserted into the hole and your irrigation piping is then pushed through the grommet. Push the 6mm tubing through the grommet so that you can see the tube slightly protruding inside the reservoir.

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New Senate bill targets bias in decision-making algorithms The Algorithmic Accountability Act would require that companies using decision-making algorithms study those equations for bias and correct it where found. By Tajha Chappellet-Lanier Democrats in Congress, wary of how unexpected biases in algorithms could lead to discrimination against people, want to give federal regulators oversight over their use by companies. The Algorithmic Accountability Act, introduced by Sens. Cory Booker, D-N.J., and Ron Wyden, D-Ore., would require companies that use algorithmically driven software systems to study them for bias and correct it if found. Under the terms of the bill, the Federal Trade Commission would ensure compliance. Rep. Yvette Clarke, D-N.Y., introduced companion legislation in the House. "Computers are increasingly involved in the most important decisions affecting Americans' lives — whether or not someone can buy a home, get a job or even go to jail," Wyden said in a statement. "But instead of eliminating bias, too often these algorithms depend on biased assumptions or data that can actually reinforce discrimination against women and people of color." Algorithmic bias is a fraught topic in government, especially as agencies exhibit more interest in using artificial intelligence and machine learning. Last summer, a study conducted by the American Civil Liberties Union used Amazon's facial recognition software Rekognition, which is used at some law enforcement agencies, to test photos of members of Congress against a database of arrest photos. In the study, 28 sitting members of Congress were falsely identified as individuals who have been arrested for a crime. Lawmakers were understandably perturbed. Amazon has pushed back against the study, arguing that the ACLU used incorrect settings and that the results were misinterpreted. Many, including the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, argue that overregulation of AI systems would hinder innovation. The FTC would have two years to develop regulations spelling out companies would furnish "impact assessments" of their automated decision technology. Failure to comply would be treated as "an unfair or deceptive act or practice" by the FTC, as laid out in the Federal Trade Commission Act. The legislation would apply to companies that make over $50 million per year or collect data on more than 1 million people. It would require companies to assess how well their systems protect the privacy of individuals' information, but would not require those assessments to be made public. The bill is endorsed by a number of tech and civil rights groups like Data for Black Lives, the Center on Privacy and Technology at Georgetown Law and the National Hispanic Media Coalition. "Algorithms shouldn't have an exemption from our anti-discrimination laws," Clarke said. Algorithmic Accountability Act Ron Wyden 2021 in review: Oversight questions loom over federal AI efforts Federal oversight of artificial intelligence systems continues to lag behind government development and use, experts say. Brad Smith speaks July 11, 2018, during day two of RISE 2018 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre in Hong Kong. (Seb Daly / RISE via Sportsfile / Flickr) Microsoft president won't commit to moratorium on sale of facial recognition to federal law enforcement Study finds biases in Amazon Rekognition's facial analysis tool ACLU puts members of Congress in the facial recognition crosshairs Can the FTC protect consumers from the big data paradox? FAA preliminary investigation traces NOTAMS outage to damaged database file

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MODIFIED GIRLS LEAGUES 5th-8th Grade Girls GAME SCHEDULE & TEAM ROSTERS 2019-2020 (Game Schedule & Team Rosters to be posted after registration has been completed) The Town of Fishkill will be hosting a hoops program for girls in the 5th-8th grade. The program will take place at our Recreation Center that includes a full size basketball court. The goal is to teach the fundamentals of the game, encourage sportsmanship at all times; build character and confidence, and provide the youth a safe and fun environment to enjoy the game of basketball. Space will be limited for these programs and a waiting list will be started once we have reached our maximum number of registrants. Unfortunately, we have turned players away in the past so please register early. A Player Evaluation (Date TBA) will allow us to divide players into evenly matched teams. The games will run from December to about the middle of March (including playoffs) Each team will play at least 10 games plus playoffs. Practices will take place on weeknights at the Fishkill Recreation Center. Games will take place on the weekends (most likely on Saturdays) at the Fishkill Recreation Center. Divisions will be divided by grade. RESIDENTS: NON-RESIDENTS: LAST DAY TO REGISTER: LATE FEE: $165 per player $25 applied after TBA (Cost includes 10 games, playoffs, weekly practices, a team shirt, and an medals for the winning teams)

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Do you have a fear, something you think about way too often, something your family knows not to mention? You're not proud of it and you try to dispel it, but there it is. I'm writing about fear today at MomHeart. And yes, actually, the picture goes with the fear. Sort of. Please stop by and talk with us there. I'll be back here later to post about banana pudding. Right now, I'm searching desperately for bananas and wondering about my midnight snackers.

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Kid Friendly? - Edible fruit. Think tiny tomatillo. Not sure about the foliage toxicity. Garden friendly? - It's edible and also has flowers which will attract pollinators. Look alike's? - The horse nettle, which is NOT edible, has similar looking leaves and fruit, but the horse nettle's fruit lacks the distinctive casing around the fruit. This is a Sonoran Desert native plant that is related to the tomatillo, which will be obvious if you get a chance to see the fruit. The fruit with be greenish yellow with that greenish, papery outer covering over the fruit itself, just like a mini-tomatillo. If you are lucky, like me, this will show up in your yard on its own. As you weed, if you see the remains of dried out fruit that looks like small tomatillos, keep an eye out in late March and early April for the leaves from new plants to come up in the same area. If you want to make a more ground-cherry-friendly location, leave a few weeds or other shading materials in the area. I have almost always found my ground cherries popping up in areas where I let the weeds go a bit and there was more shade to be had underneath. Aside from the lucky plant above that happens to be growing on the outskirts of my planted garden, most of my ground cherries have popped up in areas that have received no water at all from me. However, they tend to be in places that received a little extra run off during the monsoon seasons. The flowers won't start showing up for a while yet (I'll post pictures when they do), so you may need to be kind to your weeds for a few more weeks until you can pick out the ground cherries from the rest. The above picture is what I think are new ground cherry leaves. I'm never entirely sure myself until I start to see the flowers come out. My own variety of ground cherries all have slightly wider leaves than some pictures of local ground cherries, but I believe they are still a local variety. The fruit will ripen sometime in late summer or fall. You can eat the fruit cooked, when unripe, or raw when ripe. Same as store-bought tomatillos, essentially, except much, much smaller. The fruit can be from greenish-tan to yellowish-orange when ripe, depending on the variety. One word of warning: as with all things involving eating native plants, make sure of your plant identification. Don't take my word for things - I am most certainly not a botanist! But this is a native plant that's definitely worth checking out in your own yard!

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I was about to preach my second sermon ever. I had prepared for days and yet, as I sat in the pew waiting for the singing to end, I felt very inadequate and nervous. The Elder in charge of the service announced that before the Word was preached there would be an opportunity for anyone to come to the front to receive ministry. An elderly couple approached the communion rail and slowly knelt. The man explained that his wife was rapidly going blind and could no longer read the songs from the chorus book, nor could she read it off the overhead projector. The Elder and his wife laid hands on her and suddenly she asked her husband for a song book and started reading aloud from it with great excitement. Everyone was filled with awe and joy and for a while the whole congregation was abuzz. The couple went back to their seats and the Elder announced that I would now preach. What was I supposed to do? The message I had so carefully prepared seemed irrelevant and flat in the light of what had just happened, so I did the only thing I could, I cried out silently but passionately to God, "Help me Lord! What am I to do?" Into my mind came the words from Isaiah 61 that the Lord Jesus quoted when he inaugurated his ministry: "The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favour." (Luke 4:18-19). So I discarded my notes, opened my Bible to that passage and preached from it with all my heart. This was an unusual Sunday for the elderly lady, the congregation, and for me. However, in times of revival this sort of thing is common. The Holy Spirit anoints the people of God with great power and manifests in and through them in miracles, healings, and words of knowledge and wisdom. In the days of the early church people were healed when Peter walked past them and Acts 5:16 records that 'Crowds gathered also from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing their sick and those tormented by evil spirits, and all of them were healed.' ALL of them were healed! O how I long for the time when this becomes the reality of the church of our day. And it surely will if God sends us revival. In the Azusa street revival people watched awestruck as a man who had lost a leg in a farming accident miraculously received a new leg! They watched it grow before their astonished eyes. Similarly, a man whose arm had been caught in a factory machine and ripped out at the armpit miraculously grew a new arm over a period of just a few minutes! In times of revival there is no leg-straightening sleight of hand and no people with sore legs being placed in wheelchairs so they can be raised out by the 'man of God' before a packed audience. No angel dust or shiny new golden tooth fillings. In times of revival there is no room for pseudo-spiritual hype, psych and trickery because all that is swept aside by the genuine and unmistakable power of the Holy Spirit. The results of these mighty works of God are not uncontrolled laughter or drunken behaviour, but glory to God and people getting saved. And those who get saved during these revival times stay on fire for God for the rest of their lives. Come O Lord and visit us with revival… please! My prayer too – I just find that my faith is often too small and so many times is it blunted to unbelief. If I could just have that faith and hold steadfast to it at all times!

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'Invisible' women suffer in silence with agonising endometriosis due to health gender gap I READ a book recently that I found truly eye-opening. In Invisible Women, the author Caroline Criado-Perez powerfully sets out how, throughout history, society has been designed for the 'average male'. Credit: DoH At best, we are an afterthought, treated as a 'small male', and at worst, invisible. This is true for every woman; from women's everyday experience of seat belts that are uncomfortable and slice into our necks because they are designed for male bodies, to the astronauts whose first, all-female, spacewalk was cancelled because NASA didn't have enough spacesuits designed for women's bodies. Women invisible in healthcare Nowhere is this more prevalent than in the health sector. Women make up over half of the UK population, but when it comes to the collection and use of health data, we are all but invisible. Medicine has been historically biased towards men, with the male body routinely perceived as the default. Researchers have always preferred male subjects; this runs true all the way down to the lab mice used in early pre-clinical research. Even today, women remain underrepresented globally as participants in clinical trials across a range of areas, including cardiovascular disease, neuroscience and HIV. When studies do include women, many fail to analyse and report the results broken down by sex. This preference for male as default is detrimental to woman's health outcomes, and prevents us from improving our understanding of women's health. Deadly misdiagnosis Take a heart attack as an example, something which many perceive to be a 'male problem'. A recent study revealed that women with a total occlusion of the coronary artery are 59 per cent more likely to be given the wrong diagnosis compared with men. Women are also 50 per cent more likely to be misdiagnosed following a heart attack. Why is this? Because often women do not present with the same signs and symptoms as their male counterparts and which doctors are taught to recognise during their training. So where does this leave women? How do we know we are treating women in the best possible way if they have been excluded from the evidence from day one? As the minister with responsibility for women's health, I have heard all too often from women that they feel their voices aren't being heard. Sadly, this is not new. Devastating delays in endometriosis diagnosis It's an unacceptable truth that it will take a woman on average seven and a half years to be diagnosed with the debilitating yet common gynaecological condition endometriosis. It affects one in 10 women of reproductive age, and can cause chronic pain and even infertility. Why is it that 40 per cent of women with endometriosis have to go to their GP 10 times before being referred to a specialist? And why is it that despite suffering from almost all chronic pain conditions to a greater extent than men, women typically receive less and less effective pain relief, and more antidepressants and mental health referrals? The implications of women not being included in research or not being listened to when raising health issues negatively impacts the NHS, wider society, and most importantly, women themselves. Time to take action This week, I will be sitting down with a group of key NHS decision makers, stakeholders, and campaigners so that we can begin to work collaboratively to think of ways to empower women and break down the historical gender bias in this space so that ultimately the healthcare women receive is better. We must fill in the gaps we know exist in our data so that we can better understand the issues facing women, so we can make great improvements. LORRA LAUGHS The jokes that work as a painkiller, help anxiety and fight dementia BEAT THE BLUES Tips to combat Blue Monday - the most depressing day of the year omichronic Next variant 'could be WORSE than Omicron' warns Leitch I woke from a 28-day Covid coma after nurse pals treated me with VIAGRA We must start, in order to be successful, by building up our evidence base, which is woefully lacking. We need to understand why it is that although women live longer than men, they spend less time in good health, with dementia remaining the leading cause of female death. Over the following months, I will be challenging our collective unconscious bias, setting out my vision for a women's health agenda and my commitment to give each and every woman a voice when it comes to their care.

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Common painkiller making us overlook mistakes April 11, 2016 by neha Washington: You may want to rethink popping that pill for pain as a new study has suggested that a popular over-the-counter painkiller may hinder the brain's error-detection process. The University of Toronto research, authored by a team including postdoctoral fellow Dan Randles and researchers from the University of British Columbia, is the first neurological study to look at how the painkiller acetaminophen (Tylenol) could be inhibiting the brain response associated with making errors. "The core idea of our study is that we don't fully understand how acetaminophen affects the brain," says Randles. "While there's been recent behavioural research on the effects of acetaminophen, we wanted to have a sense of what's happening neurologically." To test the idea two groups of 30 were given a target-detection task called the Go or No Go. Participants were asked to hit a Go button every time the letter F flashed on a screen but refrain from hitting the button if an E flashed on the screen. "The trick is you're supposed to move very quickly capturing all the GOs, but hold back when you see a No Go," says Randles. "It looks like acetaminophen makes it harder to recognize an error, which may have implications for cognitive control in daily life," says Randles. "An obvious question is if people aren't detecting these errors, are they also making errors more often when taking acetaminophen? This is the first study to address this question, so we need more work and ideally with tasks more closely related to normal daily behaviour." The research is published in the journal Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience. (ANI) Categories Health, News Tags 'mistakes', Common painkiller, Dan Randles, over the counter, overlook Post navigation Tottenham thrash Man Utd 3-0 to remain in title contention Kidneys' innate clock affects many metabolic processes

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Justia Regulation Tracker Executive Office Of The President Management And Budget Office Federal Procurement Policy Office Cost Accounting Standards Board; Accounting for the Costs of Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs) Sponsored by Government Contractors, 23961-23966 [E8-9376] Cost Accounting Standards Board; Accounting for the Costs of Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs) Sponsored by Government Contractors, 23961-23966 [E8-9376] Download as PDF Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 85 / Thursday, May 1, 2008 / Rules and Regulations Indian Tribal Governments'' (65 FR 67249, November 6, 2000), requires EPA to develop an accountable process to ensure meaningful and timely input by Tribal officials in the development of regulatory policies that have Tribal implications. This rule does not have tribal implications, as specified in Executive Order 13175. Thus Executive Order 13175 does not apply to this rule. G. Executive Order 13045: Protection of Children From Environmental Health and Safety Risks EPA interprets Executive Order 13045 (62 FR 19885, April 23, 1997) as applying only to regulatory actions that concern health or safety risks, such that the analysis required under section 5– 501 of the Executive Order had the potential to influence the regulation. This action is not subject to Executive Order 13045 because it does not establish an environmental standard intended to mitigate health or safety risks. This rule simply extends the deadline for EPA to take action on a petition and does not impose any regulatory requirements. H. Executive Order 13211: Actions That Significantly Affect Energy Supply, Distribution, or Use This rule is not subject to Executive Order 13211, ''Actions That Significantly Affect Energy Supply, Distribution, or Use'' (66 FR 28355; May 22, 2001) because it is not a significant regulatory action under Executive Order 12866. This action does not establish any new regulatory requirements. rfrederick on PROD1PC67 with RULES I. National Technology Transfer and Advancement Act Section 12(d) of the National Technology Transfer and Advancement Act of 1995 (NTTAA), Public Law 104– 113, section 12(d) (15 U.S.C. 272 note) directs EPA to use voluntary consensus standards in its regulatory activities unless to do so would be inconsistent with applicable law or otherwise impractical. Voluntary consensus standards are technical standards (e.g., materials specifications, test methods, sampling procedures, and business practices) that are developed or adopted by voluntary consensus standards bodies. NTTAA directs EPA to provide Congress through OMB, explanations when the Agency decides not to use available and applicably voluntary consensus standards. This action does not involve technical standards. Therefore, EPA did not consider the use of any voluntary consensus standards. VerDate Aug<31>2005 15:05 Apr 30, 2008 Jkt 214001 J. Executive Order 12898—Federal Actions to Address Environmental Justice in Minority Populations and Low-Income Populations Executive Order 12898 (59 FR 7629 (February 16, 1994)) establishes Federal executive policy on environmental justice. Its main provision directs Federal agencies, to the greatest extent practicable and permitted by law, to make environmental justice part of their mission by identifying and addressing, as appropriate, disproportionately high and adverse human health or environmental effects of its programs, policies, and activities on minorities and low-income populations in the United States. The EPA has determined that this final rule will not have disproportionately high and adverse human health or environmental effects on minority or low-income populations because it does not affect the level of protection provided to human health or the environment. This rule simply extends the deadline for EPA to take action on a petition and does not impose any regulatory requirements. K. Congressional Review Act The Congressional Review Act (CRA), 5 U.S.C. 801 et seq., as added by the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996, generally provides that before a rule may take effect, the agency promulgating the rule must submit a rule report, which includes a copy of the rule, to each House of the Congress and to the Comptroller General of the United States. Section 808 allows the issuing agency to make a rule effective sooner than otherwise provided by the CRA if the agency makes a good cause finding that notice and public procedure is impracticable, unnecessary or contrary to the public interest. This determination must be supported by a brief statement. 5 U.S.C. 808(2). As stated previously, EPA has made such a good cause finding, including the reasons therefore, and established an effective date of April 24, 2008. EPA will submit a report containing this rule and other required information to the U.S. Senate, the U.S. House of Representatives, and the Comptroller General of the United States prior to publication of the rule in the Federal Register. This action is not a ''major rule'' as defined by 5 U.S.C. 804(2). L. Judicial Review Section 307(b)(1) of the CAA indicates which Federal Courts of Appeal have venue for petitions of review of final actions by EPA. This section provides, PO 00000 Frm 00023 Fmt 4700 Sfmt 4700 23961 in part, that petitions for review must be filed in the Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit (i) when the agency action consists of ''nationally applicable regulations promulgated, or final actions taken, by the Administrator,'' or (ii) when such action is locally or regionally applicable, if ''such action is based on a determination of nationwide scope or effect and if in taking such action the Administrator finds and publishes that such action is based on such a determination.'' Under CAA section 307(b)(1), a petition to review this action must be filed in the Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit within 60 days of May 1, 2008. List of Subjects in 40 CFR Part 52 Environmental protection, Administrative practice and procedure, Air pollution control, Electric utilities, Intergovernmental relations, Nitrogen oxides, Ozone, Particulate matter, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements, Sulfur dioxide. Dated: April 24, 2008. Stephen L. Johnson, Administrator. [FR Doc. E8–9485 Filed 4–30–08; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6560–50–P OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET Office of Federal Procurement Policy 48 CFR Part 9904 Cost Accounting Standards Board; Accounting for the Costs of Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs) Sponsored by Government Contractors Cost Accounting Standards Board, Office of Federal Procurement Policy, OMB. ACTION: Final rule. AGENCY: SUMMARY: The Cost Accounting Standards Board (the Board), Office of Federal Procurement Policy, has adopted a final rule to amend Cost Accounting Standard (CAS) 412, ''Cost Accounting Standard for composition and measurement of pension cost,'' and CAS 415, ''Accounting for the cost of deferred compensation.'' These amendments address issues concerning the recognition of the costs of Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs) under Government cost-based contracts and subcontracts. These amendments provide criteria for measuring the costs of ESOPs and their assignment to cost E:\FR\FM\01MYR1.SGM 01MYR1 23962 Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 85 / Thursday, May 1, 2008 / Rules and Regulations accounting periods. The allocation of a contractor's assigned ESOP costs to contracts and subcontracts is addressed in other Standards. The amendments also specify that accounting for the costs of ESOPs will be covered by the provisions of CAS 415, ''Accounting for the cost of deferred compensation,'' and not by any other Standard. This rulemaking is authorized pursuant to Section 26 of the Office of Federal Procurement Policy (OFPP) Act. DATES: Effective Date: June 2, 2008. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Laura Auletta, Manager, CAS Board, 725 17th Street, NW., Room 9013, Washington, DC 20503 (telephone: 202– 395–3256). SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: A. Regulatory Process The Board's rules, regulations and standards are codified at 48 CFR chapter 99. The OFPP Act, 41 U.S.C. 422(g)(1), requires the Board, prior to the establishment of any new or revised Cost Accounting Standard, to complete a prescribed rulemaking process. The process generally consists of the following four steps: 1. Consult with interested persons concerning the advantages, disadvantages and improvements anticipated in the pricing and administration of government contracts as a result of the adoption of a proposed Standard (e.g., promulgation of a Staff Discussion Paper.) 2. Promulgate an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM). 3. Promulgate a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM). 4. Promulgate a Final Rule. This final rule is issued by the Board in accordance with the requirements of 41 U.S.C. 422(g)(1), and, is step four of the four-step process. rfrederick on PROD1PC67 with RULES B. Background and Summary The CAS and Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) have dealt with issues associated with ESOPs since ESOPs became popular in the late 1970s as a vehicle for providing incentive compensation to employees, as well as a means for corporations to finance their capital requirements. The popularity of ESOPs was greatly enhanced by their inclusion in the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) and by several beneficial changes to the Federal Income Tax Code in that same time period. At first, the issues that arose were regarded as allowability matters that were to be treated in the FAR (or one of its predecessors, the Defense Acquisition Regulation or Armed VerDate Aug<31>2005 15:05 Apr 30, 2008 Jkt 214001 Services Procurement Regulation). The views of the Board were sought primarily on an advisory basis. However, after issuance of the decision of the Armed Services Board of Contract Appeals (ASBCA) in the ''Parsons case,'' Ralph Parsons Co., ASBCA Nos. 37391, 37946, and 37947, December 20, 1990, 91–1 BCA 23648, reconsideration denied 91–2 BCA 23751, various government commenters suggested to the Board that ESOP cost measurement and period assignment matters warranted placement on the Board's agenda. These suggestions were amplified in light of the decision of the ASBCA in Ball Corp., ASBCA No. 49118, April 3, 2000, 00–1 BCA 30864. This position has been reiterated both by the Department of Defense and by some contractors. The Board first considered issuing an Interpretation of its existing Standards, but then decided that additional research was needed. Various approaches for dealing with ESOP accounting issues were considered by the Board and other interested parties in the late 1990s. On September 15, 2000, the Board issued a Staff Discussion Paper (SDP) on this topic (65 FR 56008, Sept. 15, 2000). In response to the comments submitted on the SDP, on August 20, 2003 the Board issued an ANPRM (68 FR 50111) for the purpose of amending CAS 412 and 415 to address issues concerning the recognition of the costs of Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs) under Government cost-based contacts and subcontracts. After considering the public comments submitted in response to the ANPRM, the Board published an NPRM on July 22, 2005 with request for comment (70 FR 42293). The Board received three sets of public comments in response to the NPRM. This final rule adopts the language in the NPRM, with minor changes to the transition provision. The final rule directs that costs of all ESOPs, regardless of type, be accounted for in accordance with CAS 415, and provides criteria in CAS 415 for measuring the costs of ESOPs and assigning those costs to cost accounting periods. C. Public Comments A summary of the comments received in response to the NPRM and the Board response are as follows: 1. Support Issuance of the Proposed Rule Comment: Two commenters supported the issuance of the final rule. One commenter noted that the changes made to the NPRM in response to its PO 00000 Frm 00024 Fmt 4700 Sfmt 4700 comments on the ANRPM very effectively addressed its concerns. The second commenter noted that the NPRM indicated that the drafters diligently reviewed how ESOPs operated and reviewed carefully why Congress has consistently supported the creation of employer ownership through ESOPs for over thirty years. This commenter provided some recommendations for clarification and requested the Board move forward with the rulemaking process. Response: The Board thanks the commenters for their responses. 2. Transition Provisions Comment: One commenter opined that the proposed transition provisions at 9904.415–63 are overridden by 48 CFR 9904.412–20(b) and most existing ESOPs would not be subject to the revised rules. Response: The Board recognizes the commenter's concern and has amended the transition provision in the final rule to specify that all ESOPs, including those considered to be pension ESOPs, are henceforth subject to CAS 415. When the transition provisions are read in conjunction with 412–20(b), the Board believes that following the receipt of a new CAS covered contract or subcontract all ESOPs shall be covered in CAS 415. 3. ''Awarded'' vs. ''Allocated'' Comment: One commenter opined that the term ''awarded'' has no meaning in the context of a qualified ESOP plan and requires clarification. Response: As stated previously in the NPRM (70 FR 42293, dated July 22, 2005), the Board's objective in amending CAS 412 and 415 is to provide consistent cost accounting practices for the measurement and assignment of costs of ESOPs, regardless of whether or not a particular ESOP is a qualified plan under ERISA and the IRS. Accordingly, the Board believes it need not limit itself to the terms and concepts embodied in ERISA or IRS rules and regulations in defining the cost accounting practices to be used in the measurement and assignment of costs of ESOPs. For the reasons stated in the NPRM (see responses to the ANPRM, which are contained in the NPRM and annotated as Comment 3, ''Assignment of Costs Based on Award of Shares'' and Comment 5, ''Definition of an ESOP''), the Board continues to believe that it is appropriate to impose separate allocation and award criteria in order for an ESOP contribution to be measured and assigned to a particular cost accounting period. The Board also believes it has adequately distinguished E:\FR\FM\01MYR1.SGM 01MYR1 Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 85 / Thursday, May 1, 2008 / Rules and Regulations rfrederick on PROD1PC67 with RULES between the concepts of allocation and award in both the techniques for application at 9904.415–50(f) and the illustrations at 9904.415–60, and that no further clarification is required. 4. Interest Included in ESOP Contributions Comment: One commenter opined that contractors should be required to separately identify the interest component of ESOP costs to promote transparency. Response: The Board continues to believe that it is not necessary to impose a separate disclosure requirement regarding interest paid by the ESOP trust out of a contractor's ESOP contributions. The Board's reasoning, as provided in the NPRM (70 FR 42293, dated July 22, 2005), also applies here and is summarized, in relevant part, below. The final rule recognizes the resources used by the contractor to fund the current year's award to employees, whether those shares are purchased by the ESOP in the year of award or made available for allocation by repayment of ESOP debt. In finalizing this rule, the Board believes that it is providing for the measurement of ESOP costs for contract costing purposes in a manner that reflects the CAS objective of consistency in cost accounting practices. For financial accounting purposes, contractors are required to follow generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP). Under GAAP (specifically American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) Statement of Position 93–6, paragraphs 6.24 thru 6.27, ''Employer's Accounting for Employee Stock Ownership Plans''), companies are required to separately identify the interest and principal of the ESOP financing, and thus the transparency noted by the commenter already exists. Therefore, there is no need for the Board to promulgate a duplicate requirement. The Board further notes that whether interest or other cost components associated with financing a leveraged ESOP are allowable costs is determined under FAR Part 31. The final rule does not, in any manner, preclude the FAR Council from drafting rules that explicitly allow or disallow interest or any other cost component associated with an ESOP. Should the FAR Council decide to explicitly disallow interest or any other cost component associated with an ESOP, CAS 405 already requires that such costs be segregated in the contractor's accounting records. In addition, CAS 405 also requires that such costs be identified and excluded VerDate Aug<31>2005 15:05 Apr 30, 2008 Jkt 214001 from any billing, claim, or proposal applicable to a Government contract. Therefore, the Board does not believe it is necessary to require separate disclosure of any interest paid by the ESOP trust out of a contractor's ESOP contribution. 5. Clarification of Examples Comment: One commenter opined that the following illustrations should be clarified: a. The commenter recommended that 9904.415–60(f) should be revised to read as follows: Contractor F has a non-leveraged ESOP. Under the contractor's plan, employees are awarded 5,000 shares of stock for the year ended December 31, 2007. The market value of the stock as of 12/31/07, as determined on 2/5/08 is $10.00 per share. On February 5, 2008, the 5,000 shares are contributed to the ESOP and allocated to the individual employee accounts. Response: The Board does not believe a change to the illustration in the NPRM is warranted. The recommended revision would alter the content of the example and render it inconsistent with the language in the revised standard. The illustration in the NPRM is intended to demonstrate that the valuation date of the stock is the date the contribution is made in accordance with CAS 415–50(f)(1), not the date that employees are awarded the stock under the contractor's plan. As stated in the ANPRM, the Board believes that the ''contribution'' approach to ESOP cost accounting is the best measure of a contractor's cost to provide the ESOP benefit awarded to an employee. Therefore, the value of the shares transferred to an ESOP is established as of the contribution date (the date when the title to the shares is transferred to the trust), not the date when the shares are awarded to the employee. As such, the language in the NPRM remains unchanged. b. The commenter recommended that 9904.415–60(g) should be revised to read as follows: On February 15, 2008, the contractor contributes $780,000 in cash to the ESOP trust (ESOT) to satisfy the principal and interest payment on the ESOT loan for FY 2007. The contractor's contribution of $780,000 causes 9,000 shares of stock to be allocated in the true ESOP. One thousand (1,000) shares of stock are contributed to a true ESOP on 2/2/05, valued at $60,000 as of 12/31/07. Response: The Board does not believe a change to the illustration in the NPRM is warranted. The introduction of the term ''true ESOP'' would be PO 00000 Frm 00025 Fmt 4700 Sfmt 4700 23963 inappropriate since it is not defined or used in the standard, and the language of the standard clearly distinguishes between the ESOP and the ESOP trust (ESOT). Furthermore, the illustration makes an important distinction between shares released to the ESOT as a result of the cash payment by the contractor, the additional shares contributed to the ESOT, and the total shares actually allocated to individual employee accounts. Thus, the language in the NPRM remains unchanged. c. The commenter recommended that 9904.415–60(h)(1) should be revised to read as follows: Contractor H has a leveraged ESOP. Under the contractor's plan, employees are awarded 8,000 shares of stock for the year ended December 31, 2007. Only 8,000 shares of stock are allocated as of 12/31/07. $100,000 of the total payment of $500,000 made on 1/31/08 was for the FY '08, and 2,000 shares will be allocated as of 12/31/08. Response: The Board does not believe a change to the illustration in the NPRM is warranted. The commenter's recommendation would revise the example to state that the 2,000 shares remaining in the ESOT and not awarded for 2007 will be awarded in 2008. The Board does not believe this should be added to the example because it may result in the reader incorrectly assuming that the remaining shares will always be awarded in the following year (in this case, 2008). This assumption cannot be made since there will not necessarily be an obligation to award these shares in 2008. Thus, the language in the NPRM remains unchanged. d. The commenter recommended that 9904.415–60(h)(2) should be revised to read as follows: At December 31, 2008, the employees are awarded 12,000 shares of stock. On January 31, 2009, Contractor H contributes $500,000 in cash to the ESOT to satisfy the principal and interest payment on the ESOT loan for 2008, resulting in the bank releasing 10,000 shares of stock. On February 10, 2009, 12,000 shares are allocated to individual employee accounts satisfying the deferred compensation obligation for 2008. If the contractor claims the contribution or an allowable cost, or claims a tax deduction, for 2007, then the shares released as a result of the contribution must be allocated for the year in which the contribution is allowed or claimed as a corporate tax deduction. In addition to the $500,000 contribution, which resulted in 10,000 shares being allocated as of 12/31/08, an additional 2,000 shares of stock were contributed to a true ESOP on 2/10/09, and allocated as of 12/31/08. E:\FR\FM\01MYR1.SGM 01MYR1 23964 Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 85 / Thursday, May 1, 2008 / Rules and Regulations Response: The Board does not believe a change to the illustration in the NPRM is warranted. As stated in the NPRM (70 FR 42293, dated July 22, 2005), the cost accounting practices specified in CAS 415 are not dependent on tax deductibility of any contribution since two plans with identical contribution requirements should not have different cost accounting treatment solely because of differences in tax deductibility. Therefore, changing the illustration would result in inconsistency with the language in the revised standard, since such a change would base the assignment of ESOP costs for contract costing purposes on ERISA and/or IRS rules that have not been incorporated into the Standard. As such, the language in the NPRM remains unchanged. e. The commenter recommended that 9904.415–60(i) should be revised to read as follows: Contractor I has a leveraged ESOP. Under the contractor's plan, employees are awarded 10,000 shares for FY 2007, which ended December 31, 2007. On February 10, 2008, Contractor I contributes $700,000 in cash to satisfy the principal and interest payment for the ESOP loan for FY 2007. This contribution results in the bank releasing 10,000 shares of stock. On March 1, 2008, the ESOP allocates the 10,000 shares to individual employee accounts satisfying the 2007 obligation. The 10,000 shares of stock are allocated as of 12/31/07. Response: The Board does not believe a change to the illustration in the NPRM is warranted. The recommended revision would eliminate the purpose of this illustration, which is intended to address instances where the shares are awarded on one date (in this example, December 31, 2007) but are not allocated to individual employee accounts until a later date (in this case, March 1, 2008). This example is intended to illustrate the assignment of ESOP contributions in accordance with 9904.415–50(f)(2) and the distinction between award and allocation. As such, the language in the NPRM remains unchanged. rfrederick on PROD1PC67 with RULES D. Paperwork Reduction Act The Paperwork Reduction Act, Public Law 96–511, does not apply to this rulemaking, because this rule imposes no paperwork burden on offerors, affected contractors and subcontractors, or members of the public which requires the approval of OMB under 44 U.S.C. 3501, et seq. VerDate Aug<31>2005 15:05 Apr 30, 2008 Jkt 214001 E. Regulatory Flexibility Act, Unfunded Mandates Reform Act, Congressional Review Act, and Executive Orders 12866 and 13132 compensation and are covered under 9904.415. I 3. Section 9904.415–20 is revised to read as follows: The Board certifies that this rule will not have a significant effect on a substantial number of small entities within the meaning of the Regulatory Flexibility Act, 5 U.S.C. 601, et seq., because small businesses are exempt from the application of the Cost Accounting Standards. For purposes of the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104–4), as well as Executive Orders 12866 and 13132, the final rule will not significantly or uniquely affect small governments, and will not result in increased expenditures by State, local, and tribal governments, or by the private sector, of $100 million or more. The final rule is not a ''major rule'' under 5 U.S.C. Chapter 8; the rule will not have any of the effects set forth in 5 U.S.C. 804(2). Finally, the rule does not have federalism implications as described in Executive Order 13132. 9904.415–20 List of Subjects in 48 CFR Part 9904 Accounting, Government procurement. 9904.415–30 Paul A. Denett, Administrator, Office of Federal Procurement Policy. For the reasons set forth in this preamble, chapter 99 of title 48 of the Code of Federal Regulations is amended as set forth below: I PART 9904—COST ACCOUNTING STANDARDS 1. The authority citation for part 9904 continues to read as follows: I Authority: Pub. L. 100–679, 102 Stat 4056, 41 U.S.C. 422. 2. Section 9904.412–20 is revised to read as follows: I 9904.412–20 Purpose. (a) The purpose of this Standard 9904.412 is to provide guidance for determining and measuring the components of pension cost. The Standard establishes the basis on which pension costs shall be assigned to cost accounting periods. The provisions of this Cost Accounting Standard should enhance uniformity and consistency in accounting for pension costs and thereby increase the probability that those costs are properly allocated to cost objectives. (b) This Standard does not cover the cost of Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs) that meet the definition of a pension plan. Such plans are considered a form of deferred PO 00000 Frm 00026 Fmt 4700 Sfmt 4700 Purpose. (a) The purpose of this Standard 9904.415 is to provide criteria for the measurement of the cost of deferred compensation and the assignment of such cost to cost accounting periods. The application of these criteria should increase the probability that the cost of deferred compensation is allocated to cost objectives in a uniform and consistent manner. (b) This Standard is applicable to the cost of all deferred compensation except the following which are covered in other Cost Accounting Standards: (1) The cost for compensated personal absence, and (2) The cost for pension plans that do not meet the definition of an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP). I 4. Section 9904.415–30 is amended by revising paragraph (a), introductory text, adding paragraphs (a)(2) and (3), and revising paragraph (b) to read as follows: Definitions. (a) The following are definitions of terms which are prominent in this Standard 9904.415. Other terms defined elsewhere in this Chapter 99 shall have the meanings ascribed to them in those definitions unless paragraph (b) of this section requires otherwise. * * * * * (2) Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) means: (i) An employee benefit plan that is described by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) and the Internal Revenue Code (IRC) of 1986 as a stock bonus plan, or combination stock bonus and money purchase pension plan, designed to invest primarily in employer stock, and (ii) Any other deferred compensation plan designed to invest primarily in the stock of the contractor's corporation including, but not limited to, plans covered by ERISA. (3) Fair value means the amount that a seller would reasonably expect to receive in a current arm's length transaction between a willing buyer and a willing seller, other than a forced or liquidation sale. (b) The following modifications of terms defined elsewhere in this Chapter 99 are applicable to this Standard: (1) Market value means the current or prevailing price of a stock or other property as indicated by market quotations. (2) [Reserved] E:\FR\FM\01MYR1.SGM 01MYR1 Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 85 / Thursday, May 1, 2008 / Rules and Regulations 5. Section 9904.415–40 is revised to read as follows: I 9904.415–40 Fundamental requirement. (a) The cost of deferred compensation shall be assigned to the cost accounting period in which the contractor incurs an obligation to compensate the employee. In the event no obligation is incurred prior to payment, the cost of deferred compensation shall be the amount paid and shall be assigned to the cost accounting period in which the payment is made. (b) Measurement of deferred compensation costs. (1) For deferred compensation other than ESOPs, the deferred compensation cost shall be the present value of the future benefits to be paid by the contractor. (2) For an ESOP, the deferred compensation cost shall be the amount contributed to the ESOP by the contractor. (c) The cost of each award of deferred compensation shall be considered separately for purposes of measurement and assignment of such costs to cost accounting periods. However, if the cost of deferred compensation for the employees covered by a deferred compensation plan can be measured and assigned with reasonable accuracy on a group basis, separate computations for each employee are not required. I 6. Section 9904.415–50 is amended by revising paragraph (d) introductory text and (e) introductory text and adding paragraph (f) to read as follows: 9904.415–50 Techniques for application. rfrederick on PROD1PC67 with RULES * * * * * (d) The following provisions are applicable for plans, other than ESOPs, that meet the conditions of 9904.415– 50(a) and the compensation is to be paid in money. * * * * * (e) The following provisions are applicable for plans, other than ESOPs, that meet the conditions of 9904.415– 50(a) and the compensation is received by the employee in other than money. The measurements set forth in this paragraph constitute the present value of future benefits for awards made in other than money and, therefore, shall be deemed to be a reasonable measure of the amount of the future payment: * * * * * (f)(1) For an ESOP, the contractor's cost shall be measured by the contractor's contribution, including interest and dividends if applicable, to the ESOP. The measurement of contributions made in the form of stock of the corporation or property, shall be VerDate Aug<31>2005 15:05 Apr 30, 2008 Jkt 214001 based on the market value of the stock or property at the time the contributions are made. If the market value is not available, then fair value of the stock or property shall be used. (2) A contractor's contribution to an ESOP shall be assignable to a cost accounting period only to the extent that the stock, cash, or any combination thereof resulting from the contribution is awarded to employees and allocated to individual employee accounts by the tax filing date for that period, including any permissible extensions thereof. All stock or cash that is allocated to the individual employee accounts between the end of the cost accounting period and the tax filing date for that period must be assigned to the cost accounting period in which the employee is awarded the stock or cash. Any portion of the stock or cash resulting from a contractor's contribution that is not awarded to employees or allocated to individual employee accounts by the tax filing date for that period, including any permissible extensions thereof, shall be assigned to a future cost accounting period or periods when the remaining portion of stock or cash has been awarded to employees and allocated to individual employee accounts. This stock shall retain the value established when it was originally purchased by or otherwise made available to the ESOP. I 7. Section 9904.415–60 is amended by adding paragraphs (f), (g), (h) and (i) to read as follows: 9904.415–60 Illustrations. * * * * * (f) Contractor F has a non-leveraged ESOP. Under the contractor's plan, employees are awarded 5,000 shares of stock for the year ended December 31, 2007. On February 5, 2008, when the shares have a market value of $10.00 each, the 5,000 shares are contributed to the ESOP and allocated to the individual employee accounts. The total measured and assigned deferred compensation cost for FY 2007 is $50,000 (5,000 × $10 = $50,000). The market value of the contractor's stock when awarded to the employees, whether higher or lower than the $10.00 per share market value when the contractor's contribution was made to the ESOP, is irrelevant to the measurement of the contractor's ESOP costs. (g) Contractor G has a leveraged ESOP. Under the contractor's plan, employees are awarded 10,000 shares of stock for the year ended December 31, 2007. On February 15, 2008, the contractor contributes $780,000 in cash to the ESOP trust (ESOT) to satisfy the principal and interest payment on the PO 00000 Frm 00027 Fmt 4700 Sfmt 4700 23965 ESOT loan for FY 2007, resulting in the bank releasing 9,000 shares of stock, and 1,000 shares of stock valued at $60,000 to the ESOT, representing the balance of the 10,000 shares. On February 22, 2008, the ESOP allocates 10,000 shares to the individual employee accounts. The total measured and assigned deferred compensation cost for FY 2007 is $840,000—the contractor's total contribution required to satisfy the deferred compensation obligation totaling 10,000 shares. (h)(1) Contractor H has a leveraged ESOP. Under the contractor's plan, employees are awarded 8,000 shares of stock for the year ended December 31, 2007. On January 31, 2008, the contractor contributes $500,000 in cash to the ESOT to satisfy the principal and interest payment on the ESOT loan for 2007, resulting in the bank releasing 10,000 shares of stock. On February 10, 2008, 8,000 shares are allocated to individual employee accounts, satisfying the deferred compensation obligation for 2007. The total measured deferred compensation cost for 2007 is $500,000—the contractor's contribution for the cost accounting period. However, the total assignable deferred compensation cost for 2007 is $400,000—the portion of the contribution that satisfies the 2007 deferred compensation obligation of 8,000 shares [(8,000 shares / 10,000 shares) × $500,000 = $400,000]. The remaining $100,000 of the contribution made in 2007 is assignable to future periods in which the remaining 2,000 shares of stock are awarded to employees and allocated to individual employee accounts. (2) At December 31, 2008, the employees are awarded 12,000 shares of stock. On January 31, 2009, Contractor H contributes $500,000 in cash to the ESOT to satisfy the principal and interest payment on the ESOT loan for 2008, resulting in the bank releasing 10,000 shares of stock. On February 10, 2009, 12,000 shares are allocated to individual employee accounts satisfying the deferred compensation obligation for 2008. The total deferred compensation assignable to 2008 is $600,000, the cost of the 12,000 shares awarded to employees and allocated to individual employee accounts for 2008. The cost of the award is comprised of the contractor's contribution for the current cost accounting period (10,000 shares at $500,000) and the 2007 contribution carryover (2,000 shares at $100,000). (i) Contractor I has a leveraged ESOP. Under the contractor's plan, employees are awarded 10,000 shares for FY 2007, which ended December 31, 2007. On E:\FR\FM\01MYR1.SGM 01MYR1 23966 Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 85 / Thursday, May 1, 2008 / Rules and Regulations February 10, 2008, Contractor I contributes $700,000 in cash to satisfy the principal and interest payment for the ESOP loan for FY 2007. This contribution results in the bank releasing 10,000 shares of stock. On March 1, 2008, the ESOP allocates the 10,000 shares to individual employee accounts satisfying the 2007 obligation. The 10,000 shares of stock must be assigned to FY 2007 (these shares cannot be assigned to 2008). I 8. Section 9904.415–63 is revised to read as follows: 9904.415–63 Effective date. (a) This Standard 9904.415 is effective as of June 2, 2008. (b) This Standard shall be followed by each contractor on or after the start of its next cost accounting period beginning after the receipt of a contract or subcontract to which this Standard is applicable. (c) Contractors with prior CAScovered contracts with full coverage shall continue to follow Standard 9904.415 in effect prior to June 2, 2008 until this Standard, effective June 2, 2008, becomes applicable following receipt of a contract or subcontract to which this revised Standard applies. (d) For contractors and subcontractors that have established advance agreements prior to June 2, 2008 regarding the recognition of the costs of existing ESOPs, the awarding agency and contractor shall comply with the provisions of such advance agreement(s) for these existing ESOPs, regardless of whether the ESOP was previously subject to CAS 412 or 415. These advance agreements may be modified, by mutual agreement, to incorporate the requirements effective on June 2, 2008. [FR Doc. E8–9376 Filed 4–30–08; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3110–01–P DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Fish and Wildlife Service 50 CFR Part 17 [FWS—R2—ES—2008—0044; 40120— 1113—0000–B3] rfrederick on PROD1PC67 with RULES RIN 1018—AW12 Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Listing the Potential Sonoran Desert Bald Eagle Distinct Population Segment as Threatened Under the Endangered Species Act Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior. ACTION: Final rule. AGENCY: VerDate Aug<31>2005 15:05 Apr 30, 2008 Jkt 214001 SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), are issuing a final rule to amend the regulations for the Federal List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife at 50 CFR 17.11 by designating bald eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) in the Sonoran Desert area of central Arizona as threatened under the authority of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). We are also reinstating and clarifying the former special rule at 50 CFR 17.41 that applied to threatened members of this species. This action revises the CFR to reflect a March 6, 2008, court order. DATES: This action is effective May 1, 2008. However, the court order had legal effect immediately upon being filed on March 6, 2008. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Steve Spangle, Field Supervisor, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Arizona Ecological Services Field Office, 2321 West Royal Palm Road, Suite 103, Phoenix, Arizona 85021; telephone 602– 242–0210; facsimile 602–242–2513; http://www.fws.gov/southwest/es/ arizona/. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Background Information about the bald eagle's life history can be found in our July 9, 2007 (72 FR 37346), final delisting rule for bald eagles in the lower 48 States. Previous Federal Action Information about previous Federal actions was provided in our July 9, 2007 (72 FR 37346), final delisting rule for bald eagles in the lower 48 States. On October 6, 2004, we received a petition, dated October 6, 2004, from the Center for Biological Diversity (CBD), the Maricopa Audubon Society, and the Arizona Audubon Council requesting that the ''Southwestern desert nesting bald eagle population'' be classified as a distinct population segment (DPS), that this DPS be reclassified from a threatened species to an endangered species, and that we concurrently designate critical habitat for the DPS under the Act. On March 27, 2006, the CBD and the Maricopa Audubon Society filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of the Interior and the Service for failing to make a timely finding on the petition. The parties reached a settlement and the Service agreed to complete its petition finding by August 2006. We announced our 90-day finding, required under 16 U.S.C. 1533(b)(3)(A), on August 30, 2006 (71 FR 51549), that the petition did not present substantial scientific or commercial information indicating that the petitioned action may be warranted. PO 00000 Frm 00028 Fmt 4700 Sfmt 4700 On January 5, 2007, the CBD and the Maricopa Audubon Society filed a lawsuit challenging the Service's 90-day finding that the ''Sonoran Desert population'' of the bald eagle did not qualify as a DPS, and further challenging the Service's 90-day finding that the population should not be uplisted to endangered status. On July 9, 2007 (72 FR 37346), we published the final delisting rule for bald eagles in the lower 48 States. In that final delisting rule, we stated that our findings on the status of the Sonoran Desert population of bald eagles superseded our 90-day petition finding because the final delisting rule constituted a final decision on whether the Sonoran Desert population of bald eagles qualified for listing as a DPS under the Act. On August 17, 2007, the CBD and the Maricopa Audubon Society filed a motion for summary judgment, requesting the court to make a decision on their January 5, 2007, lawsuit. On March 5, 2008, the U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona ruled in favor of the CBD and the Maricopa Audubon Society. The court order (Center for Biological Diversity v. Kempthorne, CV 07–0038–PHX–MHM (D. Ariz)), was filed on March 6, 2008. The court ruled for the plaintiffs and found that the Service: (1) Finding on the status of the Sonoran Desert population of bald eagles in our July 9, 2007 (72 FR 37346), final delisting rule did not moot the plaintiff's challenge to the August 30, 2006, negative 90-day petition finding; (2) Applied an inappropriately strict evidentiary burden on the petition at the 90-day review stage and thus arbitrarily and capriciously concluded that the petition did not present substantial information that listing the ''Desert bald eagle population'' may be warranted; and (3) Arbitrarily and capriciously conducted the 90-day review of the petition by soliciting information and opinions from a limited outside source. The court provided the following remedies and ordered the Service to: (1) Conduct a status review of the Desert bald eagle population pursuant to the Act to determine whether listing that population as a DPS is warranted, and if so, whether listing that DPS as threatened or endangered pursuant to the Act is warranted; (2) Issue a 12-month finding, pursuant to 16 U.S.C. 1533(b)(3)(B), on whether listing the Desert bald eagle population as a DPS is warranted, and if so, whether listing that DPS as threatened or endangered is warranted; and E:\FR\FM\01MYR1.SGM 01MYR1 Office of Federal Procurement Policy Federal Procurement Policy Office [Federal Register Volume 73, Number 85 (Thursday, May 1, 2008)] [FR Doc No: E8-9376] 48 CFR Part 9904 Cost Accounting Standards Board; Accounting for the Costs of Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs) Sponsored by Government AGENCY: Cost Accounting Standards Board, Office of Federal Procurement Policy, OMB. ACTION: Final rule. SUMMARY: The Cost Accounting Standards Board (the Board), Office of Federal Procurement Policy, has adopted a final rule to amend Cost Accounting Standard (CAS) 412, ``Cost Accounting Standard for composition and measurement of pension cost,'' and CAS 415, ``Accounting for the cost of deferred compensation.'' These amendments address issues concerning the recognition of the costs of Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs) under Government cost-based contracts and subcontracts. These amendments provide criteria for measuring the costs of ESOPs and their assignment to cost accounting periods. The allocation of a contractor's assigned ESOP costs to contracts and subcontracts is addressed in other Standards. The amendments also specify that accounting for the costs of ESOPs will be covered by the provisions of CAS 415, ``Accounting for the cost of deferred compensation,'' and not by any other Standard. This rulemaking is authorized pursuant to Section 26 of the Office of Federal Procurement Policy (OFPP) Act. DATES: Effective Date: June 2, 2008. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Laura Auletta, Manager, CAS Board, 725 17th Street, NW., Room 9013, Washington, DC 20503 (telephone: 202-395- A. Regulatory Process The Board's rules, regulations and standards are codified at 48 CFR chapter 99. The OFPP Act, 41 U.S.C. 422(g)(1), requires the Board, prior to the establishment of any new or revised Cost Accounting Standard, to complete a prescribed rulemaking process. The process generally consists of the following four steps: 1. Consult with interested persons concerning the advantages, disadvantages and improvements anticipated in the pricing and administration of government contracts as a result of the adoption of a proposed Standard (e.g., promulgation of a Staff Discussion Paper.) 2. Promulgate an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM). 3. Promulgate a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM). 4. Promulgate a Final Rule. This final rule is issued by the Board in accordance with the requirements of 41 U.S.C. 422(g)(1), and, is step four of the four-step B. Background and Summary The CAS and Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) have dealt with issues associated with ESOPs since ESOPs became popular in the late 1970s as a vehicle for providing incentive compensation to employees, as well as a means for corporations to finance their capital requirements. The popularity of ESOPs was greatly enhanced by their inclusion in the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) and by several beneficial changes to the Federal Income Tax Code in that same time period. At first, the issues that arose were regarded as allowability matters that were to be treated in the FAR (or one of its predecessors, the Defense Acquisition Regulation or Armed Services Procurement Regulation). The views of the Board were sought primarily on an advisory basis. However, after issuance of the decision of the Armed Services Board of Contract Appeals (ASBCA) in the ``Parsons case,'' Ralph Parsons Co., ASBCA Nos. 37391, 37946, and 37947, December 20, 1990, 91-1 BCA 23648, reconsideration denied 91-2 BCA 23751, various government commenters suggested to the Board that ESOP cost measurement and period assignment matters warranted placement on the Board's agenda. These suggestions were amplified in light of the decision of the ASBCA in Ball Corp., ASBCA No. 49118, April 3, 2000, 00-1 BCA 30864. This position has been reiterated both by the Department of Defense and by some contractors. The Board first considered issuing an Interpretation of its existing Standards, but then decided that additional research was needed. Various approaches for dealing with ESOP accounting issues were considered by the Board and other interested parties in the late 1990s. On September 15, 2000, the Board issued a Staff Discussion Paper (SDP) on this topic (65 FR 56008, Sept. 15, 2000). In response to the comments submitted on the SDP, on August 20, 2003 the Board issued an ANPRM (68 FR 50111) for the purpose of amending CAS 412 and 415 to Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs) under Government cost-based contacts and subcontracts. After considering the public comments submitted in response to the ANPRM, the Board published an NPRM on July 22, 2005 with request for comment (70 FR 42293). The Board received three sets of public comments in response to the NPRM. This final rule adopts the language in the NPRM, with minor changes to the transition provision. The final rule directs that costs of all ESOPs, regardless of type, be accounted for in accordance with CAS 415, and provides criteria in CAS 415 for measuring the costs of ESOPs and assigning those costs to cost accounting periods. C. Public Comments A summary of the comments received in response to the NPRM and the Board response are as follows: 1. Support Issuance of the Proposed Rule Comment: Two commenters supported the issuance of the final rule. One commenter noted that the changes made to the NPRM in response to its comments on the ANRPM very effectively addressed its concerns. The second commenter noted that the NPRM indicated that the drafters diligently reviewed how ESOPs operated and reviewed carefully why Congress has consistently supported the creation of employer ownership through ESOPs for over thirty years. This commenter provided some recommendations for clarification and requested the Board move forward with the rulemaking process. Response: The Board thanks the commenters for their responses. 2. Transition Provisions Comment: One commenter opined that the proposed transition provisions at 9904.415-63 are overridden by 48 CFR 9904.412-20(b) and most existing ESOPs would not be subject to the revised rules. Response: The Board recognizes the commenter's concern and has amended the transition provision in the final rule to specify that all ESOPs, including those considered to be pension ESOPs, are henceforth subject to CAS 415. When the transition provisions are read in conjunction with 412-20(b), the Board believes that following the receipt of a new CAS covered contract or subcontract all ESOPs shall be covered in CAS 415. 3. ``Awarded'' vs. ``Allocated'' Comment: One commenter opined that the term ``awarded'' has no meaning in the context of a qualified ESOP plan and requires clarification. Response: As stated previously in the NPRM (70 FR 42293, dated July 22, 2005), the Board's objective in amending CAS 412 and 415 is to provide consistent cost accounting practices for the measurement and assignment of costs of ESOPs, regardless of whether or not a particular ESOP is a qualified plan under ERISA and the IRS. Accordingly, the Board believes it need not limit itself to the terms and concepts embodied in ERISA or IRS rules and regulations in defining the cost accounting practices to be used in the measurement and assignment of costs of ESOPs. For the reasons stated in the NPRM (see responses to the ANPRM, which are contained in the NPRM and annotated as Comment 3, ``Assignment of Costs Based on Award of Shares'' and Comment 5, ``Definition of an ESOP''), the Board continues to believe that it is appropriate to impose separate allocation and award criteria in order for an ESOP contribution to be measured and assigned to a particular cost accounting period. The Board also believes it has adequately between the concepts of allocation and award in both the techniques for application at 9904.415-50(f) and the illustrations at 9904.415-60, and that no further clarification is required. 4. Interest Included in ESOP Contributions Comment: One commenter opined that contractors should be required to separately identify the interest component of ESOP costs to promote transparency. Response: The Board continues to believe that it is not necessary to impose a separate disclosure requirement regarding interest paid by the ESOP trust out of a contractor's ESOP contributions. The Board's reasoning, as provided in the NPRM (70 FR 42293, dated July 22, 2005), also applies here and is summarized, in relevant part, below. The final rule recognizes the resources used by the contractor to fund the current year's award to employees, whether those shares are purchased by the ESOP in the year of award or made available for allocation by repayment of ESOP debt. In finalizing this rule, the Board believes that it is providing for the measurement of ESOP costs for contract costing purposes in a manner that reflects the CAS objective of consistency in cost accounting practices. For financial accounting purposes, contractors are required to follow generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP). Under GAAP (specifically American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) Statement of Position 93-6, paragraphs 6.24 thru 6.27, ``Employer's Accounting for Employee Stock Ownership Plans''), companies are required to separately identify the interest and principal of the ESOP financing, and thus the transparency noted by the commenter already exists. Therefore, there is no need for the Board to promulgate a duplicate requirement. The Board further notes that whether interest or other cost components associated with financing a leveraged ESOP are allowable costs is determined under FAR Part 31. The final rule does not, in any manner, preclude the FAR Council from drafting rules that explicitly allow or disallow interest or any other cost component associated with an ESOP. Should the FAR Council decide to explicitly disallow interest or any other cost component associated with an ESOP, CAS 405 already requires that such costs be segregated in the contractor's accounting records. In addition, CAS 405 also requires that such costs be identified and excluded from any billing, claim, or proposal applicable to a Government contract. Therefore, the Board does not believe it is necessary to require separate disclosure of any interest paid by the ESOP trust out of a contractor's ESOP contribution. 5. Clarification of Examples Comment: One commenter opined that the following illustrations should be clarified: a. The commenter recommended that 9904.415-60(f) should be revised to read as follows: Contractor F has a non-leveraged ESOP. Under the contractor's plan, employees are awarded 5,000 shares of stock for the year ended December 31, 2007. The market value of the stock as of 12/31/07, as determined on 2/5/08 is $10.00 per share. On February 5, 2008, the 5,000 shares are contributed to the ESOP and allocated to the individual employee Response: The Board does not believe a change to the illustration in the NPRM is warranted. The recommended revision would alter the content of the example and render it inconsistent with the language in the revised standard. The illustration in the NPRM is intended to demonstrate that the valuation date of the stock is the date the contribution is made in accordance with CAS 415-50(f)(1), not the date that employees are awarded the stock under the contractor's plan. As stated in the ANPRM, the Board believes that the ``contribution'' approach to ESOP cost accounting is the best measure of a contractor's cost to provide the ESOP benefit awarded to an employee. Therefore, the value of the shares transferred to an ESOP is established as of the contribution date (the date when the title to the shares is transferred to the trust), not the date when the shares are awarded to the employee. As such, the language in the NPRM remains unchanged. b. The commenter recommended that 9904.415-60(g) should be revised On February 15, 2008, the contractor contributes $780,000 in cash to the ESOP trust (ESOT) to satisfy the principal and interest payment on the ESOT loan for FY 2007. The contractor's contribution of $780,000 causes 9,000 shares of stock to be allocated in the true ESOP. One thousand (1,000) shares of stock are contributed to a true ESOP on 2/2/ 05, valued at $60,000 as of 12/31/07. in the NPRM is warranted. The introduction of the term ``true ESOP'' would be inappropriate since it is not defined or used in the standard, and the language of the standard clearly distinguishes between the ESOP and the ESOP trust (ESOT). Furthermore, the illustration makes an important distinction between shares released to the ESOT as a result of the cash payment by the contractor, the additional shares contributed to the ESOT, and the total shares actually allocated to individual employee accounts. Thus, the language in the NPRM remains unchanged. c. The commenter recommended that 9904.415-60(h)(1) should be revised to read as follows: Contractor H has a leveraged ESOP. Under the contractor's plan, 31, 2007. Only 8,000 shares of stock are allocated as of 12/31/07. $100,000 of the total payment of $500,000 made on 1/31/08 was for the FY '08, and 2,000 shares will be allocated as of 12/31/08. in the NPRM is warranted. The commenter's recommendation would revise the example to state that the 2,000 shares remaining in the ESOT and not awarded for 2007 will be awarded in 2008. The Board does not believe this should be added to the example because it may result in the reader incorrectly assuming that the remaining shares will always be awarded in the following year (in this case, 2008). This assumption cannot be made since there will not necessarily be an obligation to award these shares in 2008. Thus, the language in the NPRM remains d. The commenter recommended that 9904.415-60(h)(2) should be At December 31, 2008, the employees are awarded 12,000 shares of stock. On January 31, 2009, Contractor H contributes $500,000 in cash to the ESOT to satisfy the principal and interest payment on the ESOT loan for 2008, resulting in the bank releasing 10,000 shares of stock. On February 10, 2009, 12,000 shares are allocated to individual employee accounts satisfying the deferred compensation obligation for 2008. If the contractor claims the contribution or an allowable cost, or claims a tax deduction, for 2007, then the shares released as a result of the contribution must be allocated for the year in which the contribution is allowed or claimed as a corporate tax deduction. In addition to the $500,000 contribution, which resulted in 10,000 shares being allocated as of 12/31/08, an additional 2,000 shares of stock were contributed to a true ESOP on 2/10/09, and allocated as of 12/31/ in the NPRM is warranted. As stated in the NPRM (70 FR 42293, dated July 22, 2005), the cost accounting practices specified in CAS 415 are not dependent on tax deductibility of any contribution since two plans with identical contribution requirements should not have different cost accounting treatment solely because of differences in tax deductibility. Therefore, changing the illustration would result in inconsistency with the language in the revised standard, since such a change would base the assignment of ESOP costs for contract costing purposes on ERISA and/or IRS rules that have not been incorporated into the Standard. As such, the language in the NPRM remains unchanged. e. The commenter recommended that 9904.415-60(i) should be revised Contractor I has a leveraged ESOP. Under the contractor's plan, employees are awarded 10,000 shares for FY 2007, which ended December 31, 2007. On February 10, 2008, Contractor I contributes $700,000 in cash to satisfy the principal and interest payment for the ESOP loan for FY 2007. This contribution results in the bank releasing 10,000 shares of stock. On March 1, 2008, the ESOP allocates the 10,000 shares to individual employee accounts satisfying the 2007 obligation. The 10,000 shares of stock are allocated as of 12/31/07. in the NPRM is warranted. The recommended revision would eliminate the purpose of this illustration, which is intended to address instances where the shares are awarded on one date (in this example, December 31, 2007) but are not allocated to individual employee accounts until a later date (in this case, March 1, 2008). This example is intended to illustrate the assignment of ESOP contributions in accordance with 9904.415-50(f)(2) and the distinction between award and allocation. As such, the language in the NPRM remains unchanged. D. Paperwork Reduction Act The Paperwork Reduction Act, Public Law 96-511, does not apply to this rulemaking, because this rule imposes no paperwork burden on offerors, affected contractors and subcontractors, or members of the public which requires the approval of OMB under 44 U.S.C. 3501, et seq. E. Regulatory Flexibility Act, Unfunded Mandates Reform Act, Congressional Review Act, and Executive Orders 12866 and 13132 The Board certifies that this rule will not have a significant effect on a substantial number of small entities within the meaning of the Regulatory Flexibility Act, 5 U.S.C. 601, et seq., because small businesses are exempt from the application of the Cost Accounting Standards. For purposes of the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-4), as well as Executive Orders 12866 and 13132, the final rule will not significantly or uniquely affect small governments, and will not result in increased expenditures by State, local, and tribal governments, or by the private sector, of $100 million or more. The final rule is not a ``major rule'' under 5 U.S.C. Chapter 8; the rule will not have any of the effects set forth in 5 U.S.C. 804(2). Finally, the rule does not have federalism implications as described in Executive Order 13132. List of Subjects in 48 CFR Part 9904 Accounting, Government procurement. Paul A. Denett, Administrator, Office of Federal Procurement Policy. For the reasons set forth in this preamble, chapter 99 of title 48 of the Code of Federal Regulations is amended as set forth below: PART 9904--COST ACCOUNTING STANDARDS 1. The authority citation for part 9904 continues to read as follows: Authority: Pub. L. 100-679, 102 Stat 4056, 41 U.S.C. 422. 2. Section 9904.412-20 is revised to read as follows: 9904.412-20 Purpose. (a) The purpose of this Standard 9904.412 is to provide guidance for determining and measuring the components of pension cost. The Standard establishes the basis on which pension costs shall be assigned to cost accounting periods. The provisions of this Cost Accounting Standard should enhance uniformity and consistency in accounting for pension costs and thereby increase the probability that those costs are properly allocated to cost objectives. (b) This Standard does not cover the cost of Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs) that meet the definition of a pension plan. Such plans are considered a form of deferred compensation and are covered under 9904.415. (a) The purpose of this Standard 9904.415 is to provide criteria for the measurement of the cost of deferred compensation and the assignment of such cost to cost accounting periods. The application of these criteria should increase the probability that the cost of deferred compensation is allocated to cost objectives in a uniform and consistent manner. (b) This Standard is applicable to the cost of all deferred compensation except the following which are covered in other Cost Accounting Standards: (1) The cost for compensated personal absence, and (2) The cost for pension plans that do not meet the definition of an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP). 4. Section 9904.415-30 is amended by revising paragraph (a), introductory text, adding paragraphs (a)(2) and (3), and revising paragraph (b) to read as follows: 9904.415-30 Definitions. (a) The following are definitions of terms which are prominent in this Standard 9904.415. Other terms defined elsewhere in this Chapter 99 shall have the meanings ascribed to them in those definitions unless paragraph (b) of this section requires otherwise. (2) Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) means: (i) An employee benefit plan that is described by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) and the Internal Revenue Code (IRC) of 1986 as a stock bonus plan, or combination stock bonus and money purchase pension plan, designed to invest primarily in employer stock, and (ii) Any other deferred compensation plan designed to invest primarily in the stock of the contractor's corporation including, but not limited to, plans covered by ERISA. (3) Fair value means the amount that a seller would reasonably expect to receive in a current arm's length transaction between a willing buyer and a willing seller, other than a forced or liquidation (b) The following modifications of terms defined elsewhere in this Chapter 99 are applicable to this Standard: (1) Market value means the current or prevailing price of a stock or other property as indicated by market quotations. (2) [Reserved] 9904.415-40 Fundamental requirement. (a) The cost of deferred compensation shall be assigned to the cost accounting period in which the contractor incurs an obligation to compensate the employee. In the event no obligation is incurred prior to payment, the cost of deferred compensation shall be the amount paid and shall be assigned to the cost accounting period in which the payment is made. (b) Measurement of deferred compensation costs. (1) For deferred compensation other than ESOPs, the deferred compensation cost shall be the present value of the future benefits to be paid by the contractor. (2) For an ESOP, the deferred compensation cost shall be the amount contributed to the ESOP by the contractor. (c) The cost of each award of deferred compensation shall be considered separately for purposes of measurement and assignment of such costs to cost accounting periods. However, if the cost of deferred compensation for the employees covered by a deferred compensation plan can be measured and assigned with reasonable accuracy on a group basis, separate computations for each employee are not required. 6. Section 9904.415-50 is amended by revising paragraph (d) introductory text and (e) introductory text and adding paragraph (f) to read as follows: 9904.415-50 Techniques for application. (d) The following provisions are applicable for plans, other than ESOPs, that meet the conditions of 9904.415-50(a) and the compensation is to be paid in money. (e) The following provisions are applicable for plans, other than is received by the employee in other than money. The measurements set forth in this paragraph constitute the present value of future benefits for awards made in other than money and, therefore, shall be deemed to be a reasonable measure of the amount of the future payment: (f)(1) For an ESOP, the contractor's cost shall be measured by the contractor's contribution, including interest and dividends if applicable, to the ESOP. The measurement of contributions made in the form of stock of the corporation or property, shall be based on the market value of the stock or property at the time the contributions are made. If the market value is not available, then fair value of the stock or property shall be used. (2) A contractor's contribution to an ESOP shall be assignable to a cost accounting period only to the extent that the stock, cash, or any combination thereof resulting from the contribution is awarded to employees and allocated to individual employee accounts by the tax filing date for that period, including any permissible extensions thereof. All stock or cash that is allocated to the individual employee accounts between the end of the cost accounting period and the tax filing date for that period must be assigned to the cost accounting period in which the employee is awarded the stock or cash. Any portion of the stock or cash resulting from a contractor's contribution that is not awarded to employees or allocated to individual employee accounts by the tax filing date for that period, including any permissible extensions thereof, shall be assigned to a future cost accounting period or periods when the remaining portion of stock or cash has been awarded to employees and allocated to individual employee accounts. This stock shall retain the value established when it was originally purchased by or otherwise made available to the ESOP. 7. Section 9904.415-60 is amended by adding paragraphs (f), (g), (h) and (i) to read as follows: 9904.415-60 Illustrations. (f) Contractor F has a non-leveraged ESOP. Under the contractor's plan, employees are awarded 5,000 shares of stock for the year ended December 31, 2007. On February 5, 2008, when the shares have a market value of $10.00 each, the 5,000 shares are contributed to the ESOP and allocated to the individual employee accounts. The total measured and assigned deferred compensation cost for FY 2007 is $50,000 (5,000 x $10 = $50,000). The market value of the contractor's stock when awarded to the employees, whether higher or lower than the $10.00 per share market value when the contractor's contribution was made to the ESOP, is irrelevant to the measurement of the contractor's ESOP costs. (g) Contractor G has a leveraged ESOP. Under the contractor's plan, employees are awarded 10,000 shares of stock for the year ended December 31, 2007. On February 15, 2008, the contractor contributes $780,000 in cash to the ESOP trust (ESOT) to satisfy the principal and interest payment on the ESOT loan for FY 2007, resulting in the bank releasing 9,000 shares of stock, and 1,000 shares of stock valued at $60,000 to the ESOT, representing the balance of the 10,000 shares. On February 22, 2008, the ESOP allocates 10,000 shares to the individual employee accounts. The total measured and assigned deferred compensation cost for FY 2007 is $840,000--the contractor's total contribution required to satisfy the deferred compensation obligation totaling 10,000 shares. (h)(1) Contractor H has a leveraged ESOP. Under the contractor's December 31, 2007. On January 31, 2008, the contractor contributes $500,000 in cash to the ESOT to satisfy the principal and interest payment on the ESOT loan for 2007, resulting in the bank releasing 10,000 shares of stock. On February 10, 2008, 8,000 shares are allocated to individual employee accounts, satisfying the deferred compensation obligation for 2007. The total measured deferred compensation cost for 2007 is $500,000--the contractor's contribution for the cost accounting period. However, the total assignable deferred compensation cost for 2007 is $400,000--the portion of the contribution that satisfies the 2007 deferred compensation obligation of 8,000 shares [(8,000 shares / 10,000 shares) x $500,000 = $400,000]. The remaining $100,000 of the contribution made in 2007 is assignable to future periods in which the remaining 2,000 shares of stock are awarded to employees and allocated to individual employee accounts. (2) At December 31, 2008, the employees are awarded 12,000 shares of stock. On January 31, 2009, Contractor H contributes $500,000 in cash to the ESOT to satisfy the principal and interest payment on the ESOT loan for 2008, resulting in the bank releasing 10,000 shares of stock. On February 10, 2009, 12,000 shares are allocated to individual 2008. The total deferred compensation assignable to 2008 is $600,000, the cost of the 12,000 shares awarded to employees and allocated to individual employee accounts for 2008. The cost of the award is comprised of the contractor's contribution for the current cost accounting period (10,000 shares at $500,000) and the 2007 contribution carryover (2,000 shares at $100,000). (i) Contractor I has a leveraged ESOP. Under the contractor's plan, 31, 2007. On February 10, 2008, Contractor I contributes $700,000 in cash to satisfy the principal and interest payment for the ESOP loan for FY 2007. This contribution results in the bank releasing 10,000 shares of stock. On March 1, 2008, the ESOP allocates the 10,000 shares to individual employee accounts satisfying the 2007 obligation. The 10,000 shares of stock must be assigned to FY 2007 (these shares cannot be assigned to 9904.415-63 Effective date. (a) This Standard 9904.415 is effective as of June 2, 2008. (b) This Standard shall be followed by each contractor on or after the start of its next cost accounting period beginning after the receipt of a contract or subcontract to which this Standard is applicable. (c) Contractors with prior CAS-covered contracts with full coverage shall continue to follow Standard 9904.415 in effect prior to June 2, 2008 until this Standard, effective June 2, 2008, becomes applicable following receipt of a contract or subcontract to which this revised Standard applies. (d) For contractors and subcontractors that have established advance agreements prior to June 2, 2008 regarding the recognition of the costs of existing ESOPs, the awarding agency and contractor shall comply with the provisions of such advance agreement(s) for these existing ESOPs, regardless of whether the ESOP was previously subject to CAS 412 or 415. These advance agreements may be modified, by mutual agreement, to incorporate the requirements effective on June 2, 2008. [FR Doc. E8-9376 Filed 4-30-08; 8:45 am]

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The Beta Club members at East Bladen and West Bladen High Schools are in Greensboro this weekend to compete at the state the annual Senior Beta Club Convention held at the Sheraton Four Seasons Hotel and Koury Convention Center. Khalil McKoy of East Bladen High School will campaign for the seat of President and William David deAndrade of Harrells Christian Academy will campaign for the office of Secretary. In the Performing Arts Solo, Duo, Trio category the Betas of West Bladen High School will be competing. West Bladen High School, and Harrells Christian Academy will also be competing in the Performing Arts Group category. Harrells Christian Academy will also be competing in the category of the Performing Arts Show Choir. There will also be award presentations and other individual competitions as well. We at Bladen Online wish all of our Bladen County students well as the prepare to take part in the convention. Check Bladen Online and our Facebook page for convention news and updates.

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Minnesota soldier killed in firefight in Afghanistan Nicholas Dickhut, a 23-year-old Army sergeant, was killed in combat with Taliban fighters on Sunday. Dickhut was six months into his second deployment. He had just been featured in a photo essay by the Reuters news service on Friday. RochesterNews Soldier killed in Afghanistan was MSU student A 26-year-old soldier killed in Afghanistan on Sept. 13 was a student at Minnesota State University Mankato. Sgt. Kyle B. Osborn of Lafayette, Indiana was a civil engineering student but dropped out after two years to join the military. Funeral services will be held in Indiana. Soldier's body returned to Rochester; funeral set for Tuesday Law enforcement officers and firefighters saluted the motorcade that brought the body of Army Sgt. Nicholas Dickhut home to Rochester. The 23-year-old was killed in a firefight with enemy forces in Afghanistan last week. His funeral is set for Tuesday. Flags at half staff for soldier from Minnesota killed in Afghanistan Army Specialist Kedith Jacobs was a 2008 graduate of Richfield High School. He was killed when his unit was attacked in Afghanistan last month. Jacobs had received the Bronze Star and Purple Heart among other awards. 12 Minn. soldiers return from Afghanistan in time for Father's Day Twelve Minnesota National Guard soldiers arrived home Saturday after a one-year deployment in Afghanistan. With Father's Day Sunday, Army Maj. John P. Wisniewski says the reunion with their families in Roseville will be extra special since nine of the 12 soldiers are dads. 120 Minn. soldiers return home from Afghanistan Minnesota troops heading to Qatar and Afghanistan Nearly three dozen members of the Minnesota National Guard's 133rd Airlift Wing are being deployed for six months. They'll focus on building infrastructure and communication lines. 53 Minn. soldiers head to Afghanistan for yearlong deployment A crowd of 200 people turned up in St. Cloud Friday to show their support for 53 soldiers heading off to Afghanistan. The C Company 2-211th General Support Aviation Battalion of the Minnesota National Guard will be deployed for a year to provide medical evacuation support for UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters. Soldier with Minnesota ties killed Pentagon officials on Saturday said Sgt. Kyle B. Osborn, 26, who attended Mankato State University, died Sept. 13 in Muqer, Afghanistan, when insurgents attacked his unit with small arms and rocket-propelled grenade fire.

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