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- Education & Events
Essential Software for Administrative Professionals
Technology-based companies and software production firms are ever-growing businesses. How efficiently would the office run without many of the software suites we use each day that make the day-to-day business operations run smoothly? Whether you’re planning business trips, coordinating fundraising projects, balancing budgets, or working on special projects, there are a few essential software programs that have become favorites among business offices and corporate staff.
Virtual teams across global offices are the norm among large corporations whose business operations and project team members may well be in different cities, states or countries. Global office personnel depend on technology to bring the pieces of the global offices together. Leading software developers continue to aim toward productivity enhancing software and software developed with the purpose of encouraging collaboration on team projects in mind. There are also quite a few programs that encourage a greener environment by streamlining files into a paperless system. Network database systems replace paper files, and ultimately reduce clutter as well as storage cost.
Random office personnel, executives, and managers were asked about the software they rely on the most in their busy offices and the features and functionality that make their jobs easier. Here are a few of the most essential business productivity software programs.
OneNote – Microsoft Office’s OneNote is an electronic notebook storage system that keeps notes and information pertaining to individual projects in one place. The software behaves very similarly to storing stacks of paper in manila folders or securing notes in three-ring binders. Instead of using actual storage systems, OneNote creates system notebooks to contain information related to the project. Whether you’re planning an annual seminar or routine meeting, the agendas, tasks lists, and notes for that event can be organized into virtual tabs in the software’s electronic notebooks. Assistants raved about using OneNote when helping the executives in the office prepare for business travel by setting up a notebook with sections for the travel itinerary, conference agendas, meeting notes, and travel-related expenses.
SharePoint – SharePoint is an internet database repository that many firms use to share information with their employees. Policies, procedure manuals, and corporate reports can be uploaded into a restricted access site and viewed by those with an appropriate need to do so. Uploading documents into SharePoint lessens the need to send large attachments to employees by email and decrease the possibility of overloaded email servers. When a document stored on SharePoint requires revisions from multiple users, those users can check out the document from the SharePoint library and make changes, making the document unavailable for other users until the current user returns it to the library. This feature replaces the cumbersome task of compiling edits from multiple users. Once editing is complete, the updated version becomes available to all who have access to the SharePoint account. In addition to document uploads, employees use the software’s calendar management function for everything from meeting schedules to managing the usage of a dedicated conference room. SharePoint’s conversation features, encouraging communication about the items contained in the account.
Microsoft Access – Access is a background application that can be used to create specialized databases for monitoring purchases, sales, inventory, and much more. The look and functionality of each database is completely up to the developer and depends on how the company plans to use it. A manager noted that her IT department used Access to create several databases that integrate personnel records with sales projections. Her database made it easy to calculate bonuses and raises for her employees. Her database has customized functionality that interfaces other programs her office uses for convenient migration of data between programs.
Filemaker Pro – Filemaker Pro is a document management system with options to create cross-system databases. Using built-in templates, users can customize databases that suit their data needs with the option to run a variety of reports, incorporating graphs and charts into the reports for added presentation. Very similar to Access, Filemaker Pro interfaces with common software programs such as Microsoft Office and reports can be integrated into Excel spreadsheets for easy file sharing.
SnagIt – Have you ever wanted to print a webpage and have the printed version look the way it does on the computer screen, without the annoying frames that affects the way the page is printed? What if you wanted to send a screenshot of an image on your computer without the image being distorted? SnagIt is an image-capture software that allows you to lift portions of images and combine them with others or create files from screenshots on your computer. A project manager uses the software to incorporate presentation packages that include printed webpages of the company’s executive staff. He’s able to include images and logos into his packages without including the web address in the header or footer of the printout. An IT manager finds SnagIt to be helpful in creating instruction manuals for his staff.
Dropbox – Users who routinely work on multiple computers and mobile devices see the advantages of being able to access their desktop documents through Dropbox. An executive spoke of the benefits of the software by saying he uses Dropbox to view documents on his tablet while at the airport or in his hotel room. His assistant creates his files and he can access them from multiple locations by logging into his Dropbox account. A syncing process can be enabled to update files on all computers without the need to save and replace older documents. Many executives rely on others to coordinate various parts of complex travel itineraries. Instead of worrying about whether or not all portions of the itinerary are copied to various locations, the files sync automatically.
Yammer – While many organizations cringe at the idea of employees spending valuable work time on social networking sites, there are other firms that use those sites as a means of streamlining communication to employees. Those organizations realize that the desire to be a part of popular social media crazes like Facebook and Twitter will not likely disappear in the near future. So those organizations are joining the bandwagon and launching social networking accounts and posting non-confidential for public viewing.
Firms embrace the idea of a social networking site that allows employees within the corporation to share information in a professional atmosphere. Yammer was developed with corporations in mind and allows employees to follow other employees and share valuable information with one another.
These are only a few of the most popular software suites currently being used in business offices. While some of the software packages are similar in the functionality, each office professional has customized preferences for what works best for his or her level of productivity.
Charlene Kesee is employed by the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas and is a member of the IAAP West Houston Chapter. She has been a freelance writer for several local and national newspapers and magazines. | <urn:uuid:db365157-4ea4-49fe-9c0a-e7ce654210f5> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.iaap-hq.org/publications/officepro/essential-software-administrative-professionals | 2013-05-24T16:04:01Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704713110/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516114513-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.935197 | 1,355 |
Weekend Plans With WNBA Sky's Michael Alter Ratner Confident In Isles Playing In Nassau Anticipation High For Griner's WNBA Debut ABC Looking For Indy 500 Ratings Uptick EA Used Tebow Name In NCAA Game Classified Advertisements Executive Transactions Mohegan Sun Not Getting NCAA Tourney Games Roc Nation Sports A "Legitimate Threat" Wild Raise Season-Ticket Prices
SBD/October 22, 2012/FranchisesPrint All
The Mariners for '13 have implemented a price restructuring plan in which season-ticket plans "will rise as much as 6.9 percent in some sections, while 40-game weekend packages are up 3.7 to 10.6 percent in the more desirable main-level locations," according to Geoff Baker of the SEATTLE TIMES. The major changes "involve turning eight Safeco Field seating areas into four new ones called Main Level, Terrace Club Level, View Level and Bleachers -- with varying prices for sections and seat rows within those areas." As a result, "just about every section of the ballpark and season-ticket plan -- full-season, half-season, weekend, business and 16-game packages -- had some cost increase, though a small number remain nearly unchanged and some second-deck Club Level seats down the right- and left-field lines will actually decline up to 3 percent." Mariners Senior VP/Communications Randy Adamack said that the team "has had two across-the-board ticket hikes the past 11 seasons and none since 2008." He added that the team's studies show "its lower-level seats are among the top third of baseball for affordability ... while season-ticket holders saved between 27 percent and 44 percent off the cost of single-game tickets in 2012." The Mariners sent out a mass e-mail renewal letter to all of their season-ticket holders, but the "linked information is mainly invoices for 2013, a seating and price map and payment deadlines, with no comparative information about 2012 prices or explanations of the changes." The "biggest price hikes are in more-desired areas of the ballpark, closest to the field or home plate." But bleacher seats also were "hit hard, climbing 3.6 percent for full-time plans, 7 percent for weekend, 15 percent for business and 10 and 11 percent for each of two half-season plans." Adamack said that the changes "are an offshoot of the team's 'dynamic pricing' model introduced last season and used by roughly one-third of major-league teams" (SEATTLE TIMES, 10/21).
With Red Sox GM Ben Cherington leading the way, there is “no confusion about who selected” Blue Jays manager John Farrell to replace Bobby Valentine, according to Gordon Edes of ESPN BOSTON. There are “no chain of command issues, no puppet strings being pulled,” as Farrell is "Cherington's man. Period." Edes: "Accepted and endorsed by Boston Red Sox ownership? Of course.” Red Sox Owner John Henry “was the one who got compensation talks started with Toronto CEO Paul Beeston.” But the ownership also “came away highly impressed with the other candidates interviewed for the managerial job, most notably” Padres Special Assistant Brad Ausmus. In Valentine, Cherington had “no answer for a manager who alienated his players and appalled at least some of his coaches with his lack of preparation and disregard for their input.” But with Farrell, Cherington has “a man the GM told ownership he was more comfortable with than any of the other candidates, one he was confident spoke the same language, and would work hand in hand with him in fumigating the clubhouse and making it a place where confidence and trust could be cultivated again” (ESPNBOSTON.com, 10/21). SPORTING NEWS’ Stan McNeal wrote the "perception that Cherington didn’t choose Valentine created an obstacle in their relationship that they never overcame.” That “won’t be the case this time," as Cherington has “hired a guy who already is on his side” (SPORTINGNEWS.com, 10/21).
BEANTOWN BOOST: In Boston, Dan Shaughnessy writes of the trade of IF Mike Aviles for Farrell, “This is a good move by the Sox.” Cherington “finally has acted decisively” and Red Sox President & CEO Larry Lucchino’s “ego didn’t get in the way when it came time to part with" Aviles. The "only fair criticism of this move is the dog-and-pony show of bringing Tim Wallach, Brad Ausmus, Tony Pena, and DeMarlo Hale to town when the Sox knew they wanted Farrell all along” (BOSTON GLOBE, 10/22). CBSSPORTS.com’s Jon Heyman wrote, “Farrell is clearly the guy Cherington and the front office wanted all along, and he's a smart man with a Boston background the ownership triumvirate of John Henry, Tom Werner and Larry Lucchino can all agree on.” Hiring a manager for the Red Sox is "almost as hard as managing the Red Sox." The job "requires more of its holder than just about any other in baseball," as the Sox' manager "has to deal with one of the more involved ownership groups, many voices in the hierarchy, one smarter than the next, plus the most rabid fans and most persistent media" (CBSSPORTS.com, 10/21).
ON THE SAME PAGE: SPORTS ON EARTH’s Jorge Arangure writes, “In the days after Bobby Valentine’s hiring, Boston general manager Ben Cherington was put in the role of the patsy: a front man for a team that would be led by a manager he did not want, and ultimately had not selected.” The hiring of Farrell is “an immense victory for the general manager, and it restores the decision-making in Boston to where it belongs: the front office.” Arangure: "We have no idea how good Cherington really is as a general manager. We’re about to find out." Saying Cherington has “won a power struggle may be overstating it, since there are no signs of real discord -- just a difference of opinion in which Cherington was overruled.” But “make no mistake, Cherington has won a fight" (SPORTSONEARTH.com, 10/22).
PROBLEMS LINGER: In Boston, Ron Borges wrote, “Simply put, it’s the players, stupid.” As the Red Sox “ponder wasting a top prospect or frontline player in exchange for John Farrell arriving from Toronto, they miss the point.” The Red Sox “are not 76-113 in their last 189 games and absent the playoffs for three years because they hired a nitwit to replace a manager whose voice the players no longer heard.” Farrell "is not going to turn that attitude around nor is he going to get performance simply by his presence." Red Sox players "have to do that themselves or be replaced.” Hiring Farrell "was a mistake.” The Red Sox could have “opted for real change.” They could have “turned the page and tried the only guy on their short list who actually has done something as a major league manager.” Yankees bench coach Tony Pena, the ‘03 AL Manager of the Year “in of all places Kansas City, was there for the taking” (BOSTON HERALD, 10/21).
FEELING BLUE: In Toronto Steve Simmons writes, “This is big business and the Blue Jays come off as small-timers here in this ugly mess of a transaction." Simmons: "This is major league sports and the small market Jays show themselves as little more than farm team for the large market Red Sox” (TORONTO SUN, 10/22).
The Yankees "have priced themselves into a corner" in trying to remain competitive, "running up such a huge tab over the years and writing checks" for a $200M payroll, according to David Lennon of NEWSDAY. While Managing General Partner & co-Chair Hal Steinbrenner "has every intention of maintaining his dad’s championship legacy, he may be coming to the realization that such a thing isn’t possible on a tighter budget, not with the organization’s current state." Steinbrenner "raised eyebrows in March with his mandate of getting the Yankees’ payroll below the new luxury-tax threshold of $189 million, which takes effect for the 2014 season." There is a "tremendous fiscal incentive to cut payroll." But now that a "third consecutive season has ended without a World Series appearance, and with a top-heavy roster in flux, the Yankees are at a crossroads." The team will either "become more budget-conscious this winter -- and stomach the transitional phase -- or acquire the necessary pieces, with less emphasis on what it costs." Late Yankees Owner George Steinbrenner "always chose the latter, and the Yankees apparently are reconsidering Hal’s hard-line stance from spring training." A source on Friday said that budget concerns "will have to take a back seat if the choice is between getting below the tax threshold by 2014 and building a championship-caliber roster every year" (NEWSDAY, 10/20).
NOTHING ELSE MATTERS: In N.Y., Mike Lupica wrote at one time "the bottom line for Steinbrenner the Elder was winning it all, or else." For his "heirs, it seems the bottom line is more about profit and loss, and that sure doesn’t mean the kind of loss the Yankees just suffered" in a four-game ALCS sweep (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 10/21). An AL GM said, "I just see [Yankees GM] Brian Cashman trying to get this team younger while still competing. That’s what I think will happen." In Boston, Nick Cafardo wrote the Yankees' "strategy of bringing older, established players off the bench worked to a great degree." The problem the Yankees have "is that they don’t have young positional players ready to take over just yet" (BOSTON GLOBE, 10/21).
INDESTRUCTIBLE? In N.Y., Bob Raissman wrote the Tigers' sweep of the Yankees "put a major dent in the once-impenetrable Yankees brand." Raissman: "Whether Brian Cashman, on the baseball side, or Randy Levine, on the business side, can repair the damage is a story with many possible endings." The Yankees’ TV ratings on the YES Network "are a better indicator of fan dissatisfaction." The team "averaged a 3.92 rating, down 8.3% from 2011 and YES’ lowest Yankees household rating since 2003." The nine-year low "came during a season in which the Yankees battled Baltimore down to the wire to win the AL East, which should have driven the ratings to an all-time high" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 10/21). Also in N.Y., Joel Sherman writes the stands at Yankee Stadium "were quiet -- and pretty empty -- at the outset of home playoff games and hardly sustained much life even during rallies." The "high pricing has led to an older, more restrained clientele closest to the field: A Dockers-and-loafers crew that isn’t likely to unsettle the opponent." Solving the "Stub Hub matter or lowering prices isn’t going to solve this." Sherman: "As counterintuitive as it sounds, the Yankees probably have to miss the playoffs for a few years to make this experience feel fresh for their fans again" (N.Y. POST, 10/22).
MONEY FOR NOTHING: In DC, Thomas Boswell wrote, "In 2012 money bought you next to nothing. Is it a one-year fluke? Whatever it is, it’s shocking." In '12, the "15 highest payroll teams ($124 million average) won 81.4 games on average." The 15 "lowest budget teams ($72 million average) won 80.6 games" (WASHINGTON POST, 10/19).
The Trail Blazers yesterday introduced their '12-13 marketing campaign, "New Team, New Dream," which focuses "on the team's overhauled personnel including of players, coach and general manager," according to Allan Brettman of the Portland OREGONIAN. The "digital-rich campaign features long-form video interviews of Blazers players available" on the team's website. The team will be "spending much of its advertising money on the web and less on traditional platforms such as TV, radio, print and billboards over the course of the season." The regular season "will get underway with a data-heavy mobile application that will give iPhone-wielding Blazers fans updates throughout games." Portland-based Limbo Films "produced the player interviews." Sockeye Creative of Portland "worked on the overall marketing plan," and Portland-based Character marketing agency "assisted." Desja Logic of Portland, "a Blazers partner since 2006, is developing the team's free app using technologies" from S.F.-based Xamarin. It will initially be available only "on Apple iPhones, with later plans for Android." No date "has been set for the app's release, though it is expected in the following weeks." Meanwhile, Blazers COO Sarah Mensah said that season-ticket renewals are "just 2 to 3 percentage points lower than last season at this point." Mensah said that it is possible "the team's streak of consecutive sellouts will come to an end." That regular season and playoff games streak "now stands at 192 games -- though, admittedly, plenty of games were termed 'sellouts' while many empty seats were visible in the arena" (Portland OREGONIAN, 10/20).
START SPREADING THE NEWS: SportsNet N.Y.'s Brian Custer noted the Knicks "have released a new TV and radio ad campaign and they're taking swipes at the Nets." In the spots, Knicks Fs Carmelo Anthony and Amar'e Stoudemire "both talk about how the Garden is the real home for New York basketball and how the Knicks are the only team with New York history." SportsNet N.Y.'s Marc Malusis said the Knicks "should be worried about the Nets" because it is "not like the Knicks have lit this city on fire, winning NBA title after NBA title." The Nets are "coming to town, they have a good team and they're battling for the basketball fan of this city. They should feel threatened." SportsNet N.Y.'s Eamon McAnaney said, "If you're selling tickets and you're looking at the bottom line, yes you should be concerned. But the Knicks are still the Knicks. This isn't going to happen overnight where the Nets are going to take over the town because I still think that the Knicks are a better team. Yes, it'll hurt TV ratings and merchandise sales but I still think that the Knicks are the team in this town, this area" ("The Wheelhouse," SportsNet N.Y., 10/17).
In Detroit, Bob Wojnowski wrote a World Series title has become Tigers Owner Mike Ilitch's “last grail, and after nearly achieving it in 2006, when the Tigers lost to the Cardinals, the quest has grown more urgent.” Wojnowski: “Nobody has invested more in the Tigers, in every way.” Ilitch went “all in to land [1B] Prince Fielder with a $214 million contract,” and he signed P Justin Verlander and 3B Miguel Cabrera “for huge sums and long terms.” Half the Tigers “tremendous starting rotation” is still on the team because Ilitch “wasn't interested in waiting for prospects.” Tigers President, CEO & GM Dave Dombrowski said, "He's told me all along, if there's one thing he'd really love to have, it would be that World Series ring" (DETROIT NEWS, 10/21).
PARADE OF THE PALACE: Palace Sports & Entertainment President & CEO Dennis Mannion and Exec VP and Chief Marketing & Communications Officer Charlie Metzger said that Pistons Owner Tom Gores is “investing more than $25 million over three years on capital improvements, ranging from a clean blue-and-silver color scheme to renovation of 40 corporate suites” at the Palace of Auburn Hills. In Detroit, Tom Walsh noted advertising around the building “will be cleaner, less busy.” Mannion said that the “head count of 255 full-time employees at the Palace is unchanged since his arrival 13 months ago.” The revenue-producing sales and marketing and staffs “have been beefed up, while administration and operations were shrunk.” Advance ticket sales are “running ahead of last year.” But Metzger said that it is an “apples-to-oranges comparison because of the delayed start of the 2011-12 NBA season because of a labor lockout” (DETROIT FREE PRESS, 10/21).
WELCOME ABOARD: Baseball writer Murray Chass noted the Dodgers named Gerry Hunsicker Senior Adviser/Baseball Operations and the team is “unlikely to make a more significant off-season move.” Hunsicker at this point “could probably have any general manager’s job that was available,” but he "chose not to jump back into the pressure-cooker world of general managers.” Dodgers President & CEO Stan Kasten said, “He’s here to give us his expertise. I thought with his experience he will be very helpful to us.” The Dodgers “especially want Hunsicker to enhance the discovery and development of players in Latin countries, an assignment in which he flourished with the Astros and the Rays” (MURRAYCHASS.com, 10/21). | <urn:uuid:176cf471-0566-433c-bee5-8f8058ab3f82> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Daily/Issues/2012/10/22/Franchises.aspx | 2013-05-24T15:36:12Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704713110/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516114513-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.953928 | 3,846 |
NBC News' Ann Curry And Brian Williams, Along With Sesame Street®'s Big Bird, Star In Sprout's First PSA To Launch "Kindness Counts" Campaign
PHILADELPHIA, Aug. 15, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Ann Curry, co-anchor of NBC News' TODAY, America's number one morning news program; Brian Williams, anchor and managing editor of NBC Nightly News, America's leading evening newscast; and everyone's favorite feathered friend, Big Bird, star in 24-hour preschool television channel Sprout's first PSA created for "Kindness Counts," the network's new multiplatform, prosocial initiative designed to support the development of empathy in preschoolers. Marking the official kick-off of "Kindness Counts," the PSA premiered this morning during TODAY.
To view the multimedia content associated with this release, please click: http://www.multivu.com/players/English/50882-sprout-kindness-counts/
Two additional PSAs starring everyone's favorite purple dinosaur Barney® and Nina and Star from Sprout's popular The Good Night Show™ will debut on Sprout in September. All of the spots in the campaign also feature preschoolers demonstrating real acts of kindness. The "Kindness Counts" PSAs will be aired nationally on Sprout and other channels and featured online at SproutOnline.com.In addition to this series of PSAs, the "Kindness Counts" campaign will also include digital and social media components, programming tie-ins and local extensions – all directed to parents and caregivers of preschoolers – with the ultimate goal of logging one million acts of kindness reported to Sprout from families all across the country. Families will be encouraged to visit the "Kindness Counts" microsite at SproutOnline.com to add their child's act of kindness to the Kindness Counter. Various acts of kindness sent in from Sprout families nationwide will be highlighted regularly on the air during Sprout's daily live morning show, The Sunny Side Up Show. Parents will also be able to find articles and expert advice on the value and importance of developing empathy in young children, printable materials that daycare providers or families can use at home or in school to track their own small acts of kindness, and links to games and activities at SproutOnline.com that celebrate the spirit of kindness. A recent poll conducted by Sprout showed that 83% of parents surveyed were concerned about their preschoolers potentially being bullied or bullying others. Building empathy with young children can help encourage them to consider other people's feelings and offer help or expressions of understanding – something as simple as a hug, getting a towel to help clean up a spill, or sharing a box of crayons with a friend.
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- Options TV | <urn:uuid:04071da9-f31f-4231-8c90-79f4a6239a15> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.thestreet.com/story/11220069/1/nbc-news-ann-curry-and-brian-williams-along-with-sesame-streets-big-bird-star-in-sprouts-first-psa-to-launch-kindness-counts-campaign.html | 2013-05-24T15:30:35Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704713110/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516114513-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.91154 | 922 |
Talking baseball while hoping Alshon Jeffery learns to use his size:
1. Yes, the Cubs came close to landing a big fish last week. But now that Anibal Sanchez has re-enlisted with the Tigers, thanks to Mike Ilitch finding a spare $32 million during the last 12 hours of those negotiations, Theo Epstein is faced with a harsh reality: There’s not another one like Sanchez on the free-agent market.
Kyle Lohse and Edwin Jackson? They might help somebody win this year but they aren’t fits for the Cubs. Nor are guys like Francisco Liriano, Shaun Marcum, Joe Saunders or Daisuke Matsuzaka, at least not in the same way that Sanchez was a fit.
At 28, Sanchez was the youngest free-agent starter on the market. He had just impressed scouts with his three strong postseason starts for the Tigers (1.77 ERA, 0.98 WHIP).
For the Cubs, the thing that made Sanchez worthy of a five-year investment was that you could project he’d still be a solid starter – say a No. 2 or 3 – three or four years down the road, when the Cubs hope to compete. In the meantime, he’d give guys like Anthony Rizzo and Starlin Castro a reason to look forward to the days he pitched, and he probably wouldn’t hurt you too much in the 2014 and ’15 drafts.
Over the last three years, mostly with the Marlins, Sanchez has had an average WAR just under 2.6. Round it up to three wins per year and it could be the difference between 61 and 64 wins next year and – total guess here – maybe 74 and 77 in two years. No big deal, right?
But when guys like Javier Baez, Jorge Soler, Albertico Almora and Dan Vogelbach reach the point where they’re either contributing in the big leagues or can be traded for front-line pitching, which should trigger Epstein to tell Ricketts it’s time to start spending heavily in free agency, the +3 from Sanchez could become the difference between 87 and 90 wins or 92 and 95 wins. That’s huge.
2. So what should the Cubs do with Sanchez off the market? The best thing would be to find a way to trade for the Tigers’ Rick Porcello, who seems available. But landing him won’t be easy, not with rival general managers flooding Dave Dombrowski’s phone since the Sanchez signing. The Angels, Pirates, Padres, Rangers, Phillies, Twins and Royals are among the teams that mlbtraderumors.com reports having interest in Porcello, and it has been widely speculated that the Pirates would send closer Joel Hanrahan there for him. The Cubs could package Carlos Marmol, Alfonso Soriano and a lot of cash ($30 million?) for Porcello and prospects (maybe outfielder Avisail Garcia), but would the Tigers want Soriano to play left when they are locked into Victor Martinez as the DH? It never hurts to ask, I guess, but landing Porcello would not be easy. You can come up with other trade scenarios for the Cubs to pursue – guys like Bud Norris, J.A. Happ, Chris Capuano and John Ely – but the impact-move train left the station when they were left empty handed after a smart run at Sanchez.
3. For some, it’s hard to believe how expendable Cy Young winner R.A. Dickey became for the Mets after they signed David Wright. But the deal that could send Dickey to the Blue Jays – pending Dickey’s agreement on a contract extension – would land the Mets a real stud in catcher Travis d’Arnaud. I think Mets’ GM Sandy Alderson handled this situation exactly right. He figured out what he felt Dickey was worth long term and made him that offer. When it was rejected, he swallowed hard and decided to make him available at a high price. The Blue Jays agreed to meet that price in the package that includes D’Arnaud and pitching prospect Noah Syndergaard, so Alderson committed to trading Dickey while he has maximum value. It’s unfortunate – but not that surprising – that things got uncomfortable between the team and the player over the last week but this was all business. It can’t be easy for the Mets to trade a Cy Young winner but one year of Dickey wouldn’t have done much for the organization and they didn’t trust him as much long term as other teams, the Blue Jays’ especially. This is the kind of move second-division teams have to make all the time. | <urn:uuid:517b5ba1-c737-43c4-8715-e8bda518a969> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.wask.com/waskfm/sports/chi-phil-rogers-sanchez-porcello-dickey-20121217,0,6202907.column | 2013-05-24T15:50:44Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704713110/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516114513-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.964452 | 989 |
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In - 800 CEO Read Blog
A few weeks ago I reviewed Mike Rohde's The Sketchnote Handbook. This week Tuesday, as Jon and I were sitting inside Greenville's Peace Center, eagerly anticipating the start of Brains on Fire's 2013 F.I.R.E. Sessions, I picked up the blank Moleskine sketchbook (compliments of the Brains on Fire folks) that sat on the table in front of me and said to Jon, "I think I'm going to sketchnote this."
What followed was an amazing day full of insights. From the author Jackie Huba we got a sneek peek into the world of Monster Loyalty. Then Brains on Fire's own Geno Church delivered a compelling talk on creating authentic community interaction. Then we walked down Greenville's sunny Main Street to a delicious shrimp and grits lunch at Devereaux's. We returned for the afternoon session, kicked off by author Jonah Berger's presentation on how things become contagious. Closing the day was Love146's Rob Morris, a living, breathing definition of the word 'passionate'. The common thread throughout F.I.R.E. Sessions was one thing: people. This event served as a clear underscoring of what Brains on Fire is all about, and we were honored to be there to share in the conversation. My personal take-away is this: put people at the center of your business, always.
For an even more in-depth re-cap of the event, check out John Moore's blog post. To all of you at Brains on Fire: thank you!
Check out my sketchnotes from the two morning sessions below, but please withhold your criticisms—I will confess I'm an amateur. Be sure to keep an eye on the Brains on Fire folks in 2013. Since we're book people and you probably are too, I'll simply say that there is a new book on the way and it's going to be good. If you can't wait for the new one, make sure you've taken some time with the original Brains on Fire.
Posted April 8, 2011 6:50 a.m. by dylan
In - 800 CEO Read Blog
➻ Emma Jacobs wrote about Exposés of life on the breadline in The Financial Times this week. The article looks at "a subgenre of books in which writers document their experience of low-paid employment," the most recent of which is Caitlin Kelly's Malled: My Unintentional Career in Retail, being released next week by Portfolio. The article raises the following question:
Are writers right to put themselves at the heart of the story? Or should they stick to what they know—and interview those who are actually living the life?
Jacobs gets compelling answers from a few authors, including Kelly, but my favorite response is from Alain de Botton about his terrific book, The Pleasures and Sorrows of Work:
“To have become an undercover reporter in 10 industries would have taken maybe 10 years,” he says. While he concedes that experience and research are important, “I’d wager that actually doing the job is arguably not an indispensable part of writing about work”. Just, he points out, “as committing a murder is not an indispensable part of writing a good crime thriller.”
Regardless of how you feel about the question, it is a genre that is filled with excellent writing. Other than the two books listed above, there is:
- Working: People Talk about What They Do All Day and How They Feel about What They Do by Studs Terkel
- What Should I Do with My Life?: The True Story of People Who Answered the Ultimate Question by Po Bronson
- Down and Out in Paris and London by George Orwell
- A Working Stiff's Manifesto: A Memoir of Thirty Jobs I Quit, Nine That Fired Me, and Three I Can't Remember by Iain Levison
- Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting by in America by Barbara Ehrenreich
- Don't Quit Your Day Job: Acclaimed Authors and the Day Jobs They Quit edited by Sonny Brewer
And the list goes on and on. I'm sure you can think of a few to add. (Hat tip to Tiffany Liao at Portfolio Javelin.)
➻ The folks over at Brains On Fire, the wonderful "identity" company that gave us the great book of the same name, brought to our attention an example of how those who work in what we would usually consider workaday jobs can do truly remarkable things to inspire love for the companies that employ them. In this case it is Todd, whose truck full of soda is really Just a Love Machine.
Day in and day out he stops at various locations around the city, quietly letting himself in and out of office buildings, schools, churches, malls and lobbies. After refilling theemptied racks inside glowing red machines, Todd returns to his truck and heads down the road to the next destination on his list.
Sounds kind of unremarkable, doesn’t it?
Here is what you may not know: Todd is a silent super hero. A secret agent of surprise and smiles. A wielder of happiness. Todd comes and goes—usually without being noticed—but what he leaves behind is felt and shared by many.
That might sound ridiculous. I don't even like Coca-Cola so it certainly did to me, but just watch the video below.
Head over to Amy Taylor's original post to view another, possibly even more remarkable video and read the rest of the story.
➻ And, speaking of superheroes, you may want to check out Round Table Companies new partnership with Smarter Comics. Why? Well, because as Susan Adams reported in Forbes last month, Now You Can Read Business Books as Comics.
For those of you just too busy to slog through Larry Winget’s 229-page business bestseller, Shut Up, Stop Whining & Get a Life, here’s an easier way: Starting mid-April you can pick up the 51-page comic book version. It’s one of four business titles coming out in graphic novel form, the brainstorm of Corey Michael Blake, who runs a tiny Chicago book-packaging and marketing outfit called Round Table Companies. “We’re taking the PowerPoint version of these books and illustrating them out,” explains Blake, 36.
And not only is their treatments of the books interesting, so is their publishing model. All of the authors involved agreed to give them the rights to do this for $100 each in exchange for 20% of what they bring in. For a full list of titles, head on over to the Round Table Companies website.
➻ Tom Greco, author of The End of Money and Future of Civilization, wrote about another interesting business model on the Chelsea Green blog this week. In the post, he explores mutual credit clearing, which he believes allows small and medium sized businesses to Stop Chasing the Buck and Change [Their] Luck.
Most small and medium sized businesses (SMEs) these days are having a hard time financially–sales are down, costs are up, and bank credit is unavailable, all of which is symptomatic of the stagflation that besets the American economy.
Our present predicament is no accident of nature, nor is it a temporary condition; it is the expected result of a flawed system of money, banking and finance. We have allowed the banks to control our credit and charge us interest for the “privilege” of accessing some of it as bank “loans.” [...]
But we need not be victims of a system that is so obviously failing us. We can learn to play a different game. It is possible to organize an entirely new structure of money, banking, and finance, one that is interest-free, decentralized, and controlled, not by banks or central governments, but by businesses and individuals that associate and organize themselves into cashless trading networks. This is a way to reclaim “the credit commons” from monopoly control and create healthy community economies that can enhance the quality of life for all.
The article discusses WIR Bank of Switzerland, running since 1934, and the newly developed Green America Exchange. Greco believes that "Like Facebook, Twitter, My Space and other networks that are purely social, cashless trading networks will eventually grow exponentially—and that will mark a revolutionary shift in political as well as economic empowerment." If you're interested in learning more, head over Greco's original post on the Chelsea Green Blog.
➻ And finally, because I haven't linked to anything baseball related since the season began, I'd like to point you to An Interview With UZR done by Joe Posnanksi. Ultimate Zone Rating (UZR), if you're unfamiliar with it, is a defensive metric. Here is what she had to say about why she is better at judging defense that the human eye:
UZR: I’m saying that the human mind is better for writing poetry. The closest thing I’ve ever come to poetry is this: “Hat … Pat … Sat.” I’m still thinking a name for it. The human mind is better for literature, for music, for art, for comedy. The human mind is better in billions of different ways that I could never conceive. The human mind is especially better at narrative.
But by being better at narrative, the human mind can and will shift things to make them fit. The human mind will find trends in randomness, and stories in fog, and that’s one of the beautiful parts. I can count better than you can. I don’t mean that in a bragging way. I just can. I can count better, and I can ignore unnecessary data better, and I cannot be influenced by beauty or awkwardness. If you have one day to determine if a guy can play defense, or a week, or a month, you are better off to use your eyes because I need more than three days. If we have five years of data, I’m pretty sure I’ll beat your analysis every time.
She also gets in a rather funny dig at Runs Batted In (RBI).
➻ I asked her at the Pabst Theater.
Posted Oct. 8, 2010 10:47 a.m. by dylan
In - 800 CEO Read Blog
➻ One of the finest books of the year was released this week, Steven Johnson's Where Good Idea Come From. The author has rounded up some of The First Reviews over on his blog. We will have our own review for you this coming Thursday.
➻ Spike Jones, one of the coauthors of the brilliant Brains On Fire, has had two very interesting posts recently that may prompt you to rethink how much time you're putting into online efforts. The first is about Why you care about Twitter too much, and features beautiful infographics from Information is Beautiful. Spike sums it up:
Over 70% of users (which, let me remind you, is still a very small sliver of the population) aren’t active users. And, on average, only 8% of content on Twitter is considered “good.” (And yes, I know that’s subjective.)
My point? That Twitter is a drop in the bucket of word-of-mouth. That you don’t need a Twitter strategy first. You need a STRATEGY first.
The second post pulls it back even further, noting that 93% of Word-of-Mouth happens offline. That is, entirely offline.
➻ strategy + business magazine interviewed Raghunath Mashelkar about A Gandhian Approach to R&D. As Mashelkar explains:
It’s a term I coined for getting more from less for more people, a new way of expressing one of Gandhi’s teachings: “Earth provides enough to satisfy every man’s need, but not every man’s greed.” In other words, Gandhian engineering is inclusive innovation: developing products and services that improve life for everyone, innovation that doesn’t leave out the poor.
Check out the interview for real-world examples of this philosophy in practice and the breakthroughs on the horizon.
When Tennessee Ernie Ford gave the full weight of his bass-baritone to "Sixteen Tons" and boomed that he owed his soul to the company store, the phrase evoked images of stooped miners living in tar-paper shacks under what Hardy Green calls the "super-exploitative conditions of life in a coal-mining company town." But Mr. Green shows, in "The Company Town," that such communities have also been social experiments, alternative forms of capitalist enterprise that encompassed everything from prophet-blaring to profit-sharing.
He continues later in the review:
... Mr. Green's survey is a useful one, though the early utopian ventures he profiles are far more interesting than his pallid examples from the postwar era. Classic company towns could not withstand automobiles and suburbanization. No one owes his soul to an industrial park or a corporate campus.
➻ If you're looking for a way to spruce up that next job application, why not take a lesson from Hunter S. Thompson's brutally honest Canadian job request. Applying to the Vancouer Sun in 1958, he wrote to then editor Jack Scott:
By the time you get this letter, I'll have gotten hold of some of the recent issues of The Sun. Unless it looks totally worthless, I'll let my offer stand. And don't think that my arrogance is unintentional: it's just that I'd rather offend you now than after I started working for you.
I didn't make myself clear to the last man I worked for until after I took the job. It was as if the Marquis de Sade had suddenly found himself working for Billy Graham. The man despised me, of course, and I had nothing but contempt for him and everything he stood for. If you asked him, he'd tell you that I'm "not very likable, (that I) hate people, (that I) just want to be left alone, and (that I) feel too superior to mingle with the average person." (That's a direct quote from a memo he sent to the publisher.)
Nothing beats having good references.
Tip of the hat to Boing Boing for the story.
➻ Tattered Cover posted a video about literary tattoos from the authors of The Word Made Flesh. I wonder if the trend will ever become popular among business book readers. I long to see folks walking around with Peter Drucker quotes on their necks
Posted Sept. 3, 2010 11:10 a.m. by dylan
In - 800 CEO Read Blog
➻ Chris Guillabeau's The Art of Non-Conformity will be released on Tuesday—a book I hope everyone reading this blog will pick up. On his blog yesterday, he briefly discussed Seth Godin's departure from traditional publishing before laying out the Strategy, Tactics, and the Plan for the Next 97 Days he has devised for entering the publishing arena that Seth is leaving. And his plan is the only plan that has ever succeeded: think big; work hard. Responding to the notion that “The only authors who sell books anymore are those who have popular blogs,” he writes:
Where does a popular blog come from—does the blog fairy descend from the sky with a passionate group of readers, all eager to support a new writer?
It's a valid question, and we are glad this dedicated, unconventional (indeed, dedicatedly unconventional) individual has taken a step into traditional publishing, and we wish him the best on his Unconventional Book Tour.
If you'd like to learn more before picking up a copy of his book for yourself, you can read the interview Callie Oettinger did with him over at Steven Pressfield Online, or dig into some of his online offerings.
@ssiewert: How can young pros/Gen Y apply their years of personal experience online to achieve business objectives?
@unmarketing: You have the advantage, since you’re already online. Be yourself, have an opinion but also be humble. You don’t know everything yet.
➻ The Bullish on Books blog had a great guest post from our dear friend Erika Andersen today, entitled You’ve Been Laid Off – Now What? She used the space to discuss how, once you declare an intention, or "put up your sail to catch the wind you’re looking for—it makes you available to other winds, as well." And Erika knows. She is one of the best advisers in country and the author of two outstanding books, Growing Great Employees and Being Strategic, the latter of which was recently made into a PBS special (Check your local PBS listings for the airtime, or purchase the DVD at shopPBS.org).
Many would-be innovators deal with the trade-off between efficiency and innovation by rejecting traditional management entirely. They repeat mantras about “breaking all the rules” and “asking for forgiveness rather than permission”. They set up skunk works (small, autonomous units with a remit to innovate) and mock the boring corporate types who write their pay-cheques. But again this is counter-productive. Mocking the corporate establishment only encourages it to starve you of resources.
They also touch on Warren Bennis's Still Surprised: A Memoir of a Life in Leadership briefly, and thought it looks like a great book, I think they did so only to have an excuse to introduce the topic of innovation by writing "Today there is no hotter topic in management theory than 'sperm in the air.'"
➻ Mitch Joel, author of Six Pixels of Separation, writes a twice-monthly column for the Montreal Gazette and Vancouver Sun. His most recent post discussed the 10 Best Books For Back To School Business Reading, and his list is very solid:
- Brains on Fire: Igniting Powerful, Sustainable, Word of Mouth Movements by Robbin Phillips, Greg Cordell, Geno Church and Spike Jones, John Wiley & Sons
- Business Model Generation: A Handbook for Visionaries, Game Changers and Challengers by Alexander Osterwalder, Yves Pigneur & Tim Clark, John Wiley & Sons
- Extra Lives: Why Video Games Matter by Tom Bissell, Pantheon
- The Future Arrived Yesterday: The Rise of the Protean Corporation and What it Means for You by Michael Malone, Crown Business
- Macrowikinomics: Rebooting Business and the World by Don Tapscott & Anthony D. Williams, Portfolio
- Marketing Lessons From the Grateful Dead: What Every Business Can Learn From the Most Iconic Band in History by David Meerman Scott & Brian Halligan, John Wiley & Sons
- MicroMarketing: Get Big Results by Thinking and Acting Small by Greg Verdino, McGraw-Hill
- Open Leadership: How Social Technology Can Transform the Way You Lead by Charlene Li, Jossey-Bass
- The Referral Engine: Teaching Your Business to Market Itself by John Jantsch, Portfolio
- The Upside of Irrationality: The Unexpected Benefits of Defying Logic at Work and at Home by Dan Ariely, HarperCollins
I personally think that if you have read all of these books, just go ahead and forgo going back to school and get on out there and start conquering the world.
➻ "In addition to being a bullfighter and magician, he's a lazy river, a slow moving train, a future hall-of-famer playing through the pain, he's a grizzly bear." And his son is a book reviewer.
Jack Covert Selects - Brains on Fire
Posted Aug. 12, 2010 10:45 a.m. by dylan
Brains on Fire: Igniting Powerful, Sustainable, Word of Mouth Movements by Robbin Phillips, Greg Cordell, Geno Church & Spike Jones, Wiley, 224 pages, $24.95, Hardcover, August 2010, ISBN 9780470614181
“Brains on Fire is not really a business book. It’s a love story …”
Those are the opening lines to an incredible collection of stories and insights that is, in fact, both business book and love story. Brains on Fire is also the name of a great company of people in Greenville, South Carolina from which the stories and insights originate. But, more than all that, it is what happens when you ignite movements that stir passion in people.
The online marketing environment is changing so rapidly that it can feel as if you’re tumbling down the rapids, sometimes above water and sometimes not, but never seeing very clearly what’s ahead. The authors know what’s happening to those conversations online, and have tips on how to join them, but they have a deeper knowledge of the fact that, eventually, that river empties into the ocean.
The authors know that what’s truly powerful in business (indeed, in society as a whole) is the creation of movements. And they know that “90 percent of word-of-mouth interactions happen off-line. Yes, you read that right. Nine. Zero. Percent. The good folks at the Keller Fay Group have done the homework, and it’s no joke.” They continue:
Look, social media is great. The Internet allows ideas to travel at the speed of light, and it connects us to both information and other like-minded people. But as great as all the Twitters and Facebooks and MySpaces and blogs and message boards and digital doodads are, they will never, ever replace the power of shaking someone’s hand, looking them in the eye, getting kindred spirits in the room (or better yet, at your brand’s Mecca), and laughing together, getting a drink, sitting at the dinner table—whatever.
The book clearly defines the distinction between campaigns and movements. And while making no call for the death of the campaign, the authors reveal how to ignite sustainable movements that build on and spread the passion that people already have for your idea, product or company. Those people are out there; you just have to get out and find them. Because “All it takes is one person to start a movement. … One. Passionate. Person.” | <urn:uuid:f44da9c6-055b-4fd2-827a-65069634061c> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://800ceoread.com/book/blog/9780470614181-Brains_on_Fire | 2013-06-19T06:01:52Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708142388/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516124222-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.950068 | 4,792 |
"This makes about 30 pints of mincemeat. Have on hand 30 pint canning jars with brand new rings and lids. Reusing old lids is not recommended. A delicious way to use green tomatoes. The recipe came from my Grandfather, and our family has been making it forever! Use straight from the jar for pies, cookies, muffins etc. You can also use 1 cup of oil instead of the beef suet." — April
Watch video tips and tricks
green tomatoes, minced
minced, cored apples
distilled white vinegar
candied mixed citrus peel
orange, peeled, sectioned, and cut into bite-size
lemons, finely chopped
This is really great! I scaled the recipe back to 4 servings to make and see if we liked. I didn't have any oranges so I put in more lemon. I used it to bake a pie and it was awesome. I plan to make more and freeze it instead of canning. I did cook uncovered for the last hour because it was really juicy.
I made this recipe today. I have not put it into any baked goods yet, but when I do, I think I will be inclined to mix it with store-bought mincemeat. The smell is lovely, but it did not cook up like I expected. The texture is more like "real" mincemeat, which is how my family refers to mincemeat with meat in it. I found the recipe difficult to figure out, as per my earlier posting. Weight for the tomatoes and apples would have been much more helpful. I had no idea how many to use. In the end, I went with what my soup pot could hold. I used 3 kilos of tomatoes and 3 kilos of apples. I cut everything else in half except the raisins. I used all the raisins. When I saw how full it was at that point, I cannot imagine what size pot one would need for twice as many apples and tomatoes. I also added about 1/2 lb currants and 1 lb each of red cherries and green cherries. We'll see how it bakes up in tarts or muffins. If I have any further tips after I do that, I will post again.
This is just like my mother's recipe which I lost! Thank you for posting so I can make mince again. I use butter instead of suet. Great way to use up green tomatoes!
What a great recipe! I had an abundance of green tomatoes and didn't want to fry all of them or let them go to waste. I love mincemeat pie and will love giving jars of mincemeat for Christmas. I scaled it back to 40 servings, and used all of the ingredients called for. I sampled it before I canned and am anxious to make a pie come Thanksgiving or Christmas. It may need a little thickening before putting in a pie as filling.
This is a great recipe for using up the last of your tomatoes that won't ripen by the end of the gardening season. It is great as a pie filling but we like it as a pancake, waffle,or ice cream topping too. ******You don't HAVE to add the suet to this recipe and it is still great.****** I am not opposed to adding suet,it is just my personal choice and it keeps the recipe vegan friendly.
This is great stuff. I adjusted the recipe to the amount of my tomatoes for a total yield of 13 pints. Chose to use butter rather than suet. I made this 6 weeks ago and have made two pies with it in the last week (testing for the holidays). For a more traditional flavor, added a shot of brandy to the second pie. Again, this is great stuff. Thanks!
My tomato plants got caught by the frost, and I was left with "tons". I used the calculator to cut it in half and got 14 pint jars. I used the suet, and added a lb. of currants.I was very, very pleased with the flavour and plan on giving some away for Xmas gifts. I have a meat grinder, and put everything through the meat chopper using a 3/8" blade. It was perfect. I boiled it the 3 hrs. and then processed in a boiling water bath. Don't be afraid to try it!
Wow! I made this yesterday omitting the suet and candied fruit, since neither was readily available. Instead, I added a bit of fresh ginger and some orange peel granules I found at our coop.
Then today, I tried it out on a pie. I was concerned it was a bit runny, so I added 2 T of tapioca, a diced apple and a handful of raisins. I have made pies all of my life, and I truly think this is my favorite. Thanks for posting the recipe.
I only made a quarter recipe since I wasn't sure how it would come out, but I'll definitely be making a bigger batch next weekend.
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Green Tomato Mincemeat
Serving Size: 1/120 of a recipe
Servings Per Recipe: 120
Amount Per Serving
Calories from Fat: 18
This green tomato relish is a perfect sidekick to sandwiches or entrees.
See a terrific tomato preparation for sauces, stews, soups, and chili.
Fresh homemade tomato sauce is easy and deeply flavorful. | <urn:uuid:21ae92c9-c938-44cc-9e05-1ab408d87cf5> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://allrecipes.com/recipe/green-tomato-mincemeat/detail.aspx | 2013-06-19T14:21:43Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708142388/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516124222-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.960817 | 1,142 |
- Our Story
- In Memory
CAF's Dr. Tanzi on the latest on Alzheimer's Disease Genes
The Four Known Alzheimer’s Genes
Over the past several decades, it has become increasingly clear that inheritance plays a major role in Alzheimer’s disease. The roughly 25,000 genes in the human genome are comprised of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) packaged into 24 different chromosomes, 1-22, X and Y. A gene’s job is to either make proteins or control the activity of other genes. Over many generations, the DNA of a gene can mutate to create a “variant”. A very rare DNA variant is called a “mutation”, while a variant that is common in the population is called a “polymorphism”. DNA variants allow for all of us to be a little different from each other. There are about 3 million variants that differ between any two individuals. Variants in certain genes can directly cause a disease like Alzheimer’s, can increase susceptibility to disease, or can even confer protection against disease. One’s risk for most age-related diseases such as cancer, diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and Alzheimer’s is strongly influenced by our genes. For all of these age-related diseases, we know of mutations that guarantee onset of these diseases with no need for input from any other genes or environmental factors. And, we know of polymorphisms that can increase (or decrease) one’s susceptibility to the disease, but without guaranteeing onset of the disease. In this latter case, other genes and environmental factors usually conspire together to determine when and whether one will get disease. Any gene which can contain a variant(s) that significantly influence one’s susceptibility to Alzheimer’s, whether it be to guarantee the disease or serve to increase (or decrease) risk, is called an “Alzheimer’s gene”. It is important to remember that all genes are “good”; it is only the variants in the DNA of these genes that can influence one’s lifetime risk for a disorder such as Alzheimer’s disease.
In the 1980’s and 90’s, my laboratory co-discovered the three known genes that can carry mutations causing early-onset (<60 yrs) familial Alzheimer’s disease. These three genes, known as APP, PSEN1 and PSEN2, can harbor any of over 200 different gene mutations that guarantee onset of Alzheimer’s at a relatively early age with no need for additional input from other genes or environmental factors. These mutations are rare, accounting for only 1-2% of Alzheimer’s cases. Inheritance of one of these mutations from just one parent virtually guarantees onset of Alzheimer’s, usually by 60 years old. If a parent carries such a mutation, each child has a 50% chance of inheriting the same mutation and getting early-onset Alzheimer’s disease with virtual certainty before 60 years old. Genetic testing is available for the early-onset Alzheimer’s gene mutations, but is usually reserved for those who have a family history of early-onset Alzheimer’s disease.
The fourth known Alzheimer’s gene is APOE. In the early 1990’s, investigators at Duke University found that a common gene variant (polymorphism) of APOE, called epsilon 4, can increase risk for late-onset (>60 yrs) Alzheimer’s disease. This variant is present in about 20% of the general population but this increases to >50% in Alzheimer’s patients. Unlike the early-onset AD gene mutations, this variant does not guarantee Alzheimer’s, but only serves to increase risk. Inheriting one copy of the variant (from one parent) increases risk by 4-fold (versus the general population) and two copies (from both parents), >10-fold. Importantly, a person can inherit the APOE epsilon 4 gene variant from one or both parents and never get Alzheimer’s in the span of a normal lifetime.
With regard to genetic testing for the common late-onset form of Alzheimer’s, we are not yet able to do so reliably. This is because the APOE epsilon 4 gene variant is not sufficient on it’s own to predict one’s risk for Alzheimer’s reliably. Other genes and environmental factors need to combine with the APOE epsilon 4 gene variant to cause Alzheimer’s. Some gene variants can exacerbate while others mitigate the risk for Alzheimer’s conferred by the APOE epsilon 4 gene variant. And, we do not yet know the full set of gene variants that can increase or decrease risk for Alzheimer’s when inherited together with the APOE epsilon 4 gene variant. Thus, APOE gene testing is not recommended as a sole means for predicting Alzheimer’s risk. The other late-onset Alzheimer’s genes must first be identified in order to reliably test for risk for late-onset Alzheimer’s disease.
So how many other Alzheimer’s genes are there? We know that the four known Alzheimer’s genes, APP, PSEN1, PSEN2, and APOE account for roughly 30% of the inheritance of Alzheimer’s. Thus, 70% of the genetics of Alzheimer’s remains undefined. We as well as others have been engaged in comprehensive projects to find the other Alzheimer’s genes. Once we have all of the Alzheimer’s genes in hand, we will be able to more reliably predict one’s lifetime risk for the common late-onset form of Alzheimer’s disease. However, one might ask, “Why bother to test if there is nothing we can currently do to prevent, stop, or reverse it?” This is certainly a fair question since we still do not have drugs that stop the disease process in Alzheimer’s. We only have drugs like Aricept and Namenda that modestly and temporarily alleviate the symptoms of cognitive decline, but without affecting the progress of the disease.
We need to do better more effective therapies for Alzheimer’s, but how do we get there? First we need to identify all of the genes and variants involved in influencing risk for Alzheimer’s disease. Studies of the known Alzheimer’s disease genes (the four previously mentioned) have provided the vast majority of information being used to guide novel drug discovery aimed at preventing, stopping and maybe even reversing Alzheimer’s disease. Every new Alzheimer’s gene defect we find provides new clues regarding the cause of the disease what we need to do to stop the disease. Thus far, all four genes have pointed to a small protein called “Abeta” as the cause. Abeta is normally made in the brain, but is found in excessive amounts in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients, e.g. in senile plaques that litter the Alzheimer’s brain around nerve cells. Small clumps of Abeta can gum up the connections between nerve cells known as synapses. Billions of nerve cells in the brain form trillions of synapses making up our neural network. The neural network, in all its complexity, is needed for all brain function, including memory and learning. Excessive Abeta disrupts synaptic communication between nerve cells leading to loss of memory and learning and eventually dementia. Dementia is defined as global and catastrophic cognitive failure; Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia in the elderly.
Beyond the Original Four Alzheimer’s Genes
Most drug discovery for Alzheimer’s today is based on studies of the four original Alzheimer’s genes. But, we know that there are many more Alzheimer’s genes yet to be identified. Since 2005, the Cure Alzheimer’s Fund has supported a project called the Alzheimer’s Genome Project (AGP), carried out in my laboratory at Massachusetts General Hospital. The goal of this project is to study 5000 families with multiple members who are affected with the common late-onset form of Alzheimer’s disease in an effort to identify all of the other Alzheimer’s genes. In addition to the Alzheimer’s Genome Project, the International Genomics of Alzheimer's Project (IGAP a consortium of dozens of research institutions in Europe and the U.S., in which we are members), uses tens of thousands of individual Alzheimer’s cases from the general population in the U.S. and Europe, to find common DNA variants that influence risk for Alzheimer’s. The family-based method of our Alzheimer’s Genome Project and the population-based method of IGAP have identified some of the same Alzheimer’s genes, but also find different ones with different effects on risk.
In the family-based studies of the Alzheimer’s Genome Project, we are able to find not only common DNA variants that influence one’s risk for Alzheimer’s, but also rare mutations that profoundly affect risk or for the disease or directly cause it. The Alzheimer’s Genome Project places a high priority on finding these rare but very potent gene mutations because historically, amongst the four known Alzheimer’s genes, it has been the rare early-onset familial Alzheimer’s gene mutations that have been most effectively guiding drug discovery efforts. This is mainly because hard-hitting mutations have clear-cut adverse effects on biological systems, which can be elegantly recapitulated in animal models. This then allows for more effective drug discovery and development.
Along these lines, one of the first new Alzheimer’s genes to be identified in the Alzheimer’s Genome Project was ADAM10. This gene was specifically chosen for testing as a potential Alzheimer’s gene because like the four original Alzheimer’s genes, it affects the production of Abeta in the brain. We identified two rare mutations in this gene that strongly predispose carriers to Alzheimer’s disease at around 70 years old. These two mutations were found in only 7 (of 1000 AD families tested). Thus, they are very rare. We have recently demonstrated these two mutations dramatically impair the activity of ADAM10. ADAM10 normally blocks the production of Abeta. Accordingly, we have found that these two rare mutations greatly enhance Alzheimer’s amyloid pathology in animal-based models of the disease. With the validation of these mutations to be “pathogenic”, or disease causing, the Alzheimer’s Genome Project considers ADAM10 to be the fifth Alzheimer’s gene. We published the original findings showing ADAM10 to carry rare mutations causing Alzheimer’s disease in 2008 in the prestigious scientific journal, Human Molecular Genetics. The publication of the validation data from transgenic mouse models is planned for the coming year in 2011.
Also beginning in 2005, with Cure Alzheimer’s Fund support, as part of the Alzheimer’s Genome Project, we carried out the first family-based “genome-wide association study” for new Alzheimer’s genes. This entailed a screen of the entire human genome in patients and their relatives in thousands of Alzheimer’s families. The first phase of this study was completed in 2008 and led to the identification of over 100 new Alzheimer’s candidate genes. We reported the top four Alzheimer’s candidate genes from this study in 2008; it was named by TIME/CNN to be one of the Ten Top Medical Research Breakthroughs of 2008.
The Cure Alzheimer’s Fund Alzheimer’s Genome Project was the first large-scale study of the human genome performed in the world on the world’s largest collection of families affected by Alzheimer’s disease. It was also the first genome-wide study for Alzheimer’s in the world to discover novel Alzheimer’s gene candidates with statistically significant results and confirmation in thousands of subject from families with a high incidence of Alzheimer’s disease. The four new Alzheimer’s genes reported by the Alzheimer’s Genome Project in 2008 in the American Journal of Human Genetics included: ATXN1, CD33, GWA14Q34, and DLGAP1. ATXN1 is known to carry mutations that cause another neurodegenerative disease called spinal cerebellar ataxia, a movement disorder. We found that when this gene is inactive, Abeta levels increase dramatically leading to cognitive decline in mouse models. Another gene, CD33, is perhaps the most interesting since it controls the brain’s innate immune system and inflammation in the brain. In a related study funded by the Cure Alzheimer’s Fund, Abeta was found to play a role in the brain’s innate immunity system. CD33 regulates the brain’s immune system and concurrently, levels of Abeta. We are now developing CD33 as a drug target for Alzheimer’s based on the genetic findings of the Alzheimer’s Genome Project. It should be emphasized that without the Cure Alzheimer’s Fund Alzheimer’s Genome Project we would probably have never guessed that genes like ATXN1 and CD33 might be involved with Alzheimer’s.
As part of the current activities of the Alzheimer’s Genome Project, we are now testing these as well as over one hundred other new Alzheimer’s candidate genes, coming out of our genome screen, to identify all of the DNA variants and mutations that influence risk for Alzheimer’s in the five thousand Alzheimer’s families under study in the Alzheimer’s Genome Project. We are specifically searching for DNA mutations and variants in these genes that very strongly affect risk for onset of Alzheimer’s. As new defects are found in these genes, we will not only increase our ability to reliably predict risk for Alzheimer’s, but more importantly, garner new clues regarding the causes of Alzheimer’s, and in doing so, gather new ideas and biological targets for novel drug discovery aimed at preventing, stopping and reversing Alzheimer’s disease.
In the parallel screen for new Alzheimer’s genes conducted by the IGAP, the DNA from tens of thousands of individual Alzheimer’s patients was compared to the DNA of elderly subjects without Alzheimer’s to find common variants that influence risk for Alzheimer’s. In 2009, this led to the identification of four new Alzheimer’s gene candidates called PICALM, CLU, CR1, and BIN1. More recently in April 2011, IGAP found four more Alzheimer’s genes called CD2AP, MS4A, EPHA1, and ABCA7. In addition, they found Alzheimer’s risk to be influenced by the gene CD33, which was first reported by our Alzheimer’s Genome Project in 2008.
It should be noted for the sake of clarity that the IGAP had stated in their reports and press releases that they had increased the number of known late-onset genes from “five to ten”. However, these numbers only pertained to studies of individual Alzheimer’s patients in the general population screened in IGAP, and not the family-based Alzheimer’s genes reported by the Alzheimer’s Genome Project. The IGAP considered the original five late-onset Alzheimer’s genes to be APOE (discovered as mentioned earlier at Duke U. in the early 1990’s), PICALM, CLU, CR1, and BIN1. They then considered the next five to be CD2AP, MS4A, EPHA1, ABCA7, and CD33. However, as mentioned above, CD33 had been already identified earlier in our Alzheimer’s Genome Project in 2008, which was reported in the major scientific journal, The American Journal of Human Genetics. In the IGAP announcement, they also overlooked the other three late onset genes, which had been discovered three years earlier in our Alzheimer’s Genome Project. So, in fact, with the 8 new genes reported by IGAP and the 5 new genes reported by the AGP, there have been 13 new late onset Alzheimer’s genes discovered in the last 5 years, which, when added to the discovery of APOE yields 14 total late onset genes now reported in the scientific literature. To that total would be added the 3 early onset genes co-discovered by Dr. Tanzi and colleagues to reach a total of Alzheimer’s genes discovered of 17. In addition, Dr. Tanzi and AGP have also identified over 100 unpublished Alzheimer’s candidate genes that are currently being confirmed and validated for publication over the coming year.
With regard to effects on risk, all of the new Alzheimer’s gene candidates reported by the IGAP carry common DNA variants that confer only tiny effects on risk. Specifically, according to IGAP, the new genes contain common DNA variants that are present in a large proportion (30-70%) of the general population, but only increase or decrease risk for a given individual by a mere 10-20%. In contrast, the epsilon 4 variant in APOE, which is present in 20% of the population, increases risk by 400 – 1200 %! And the ADAM gene just discovered by the AGP increases risk for the individuals who have it by about 500%
With regard to the CD33 gene, which was identified as an Alzheimer’s gene in both our Alzheimer’s Genome Project in 2008 and the IGAP in 2011, each project actually discovered different Alzheimer’s-associated DNA variants in this gene. In our family-based Alzheimer’s gene study, we originally reported a relatively uncommon variant in CD33 that increases risk for Alzheimer’s in a subset (<100) of the 5000 Alzheimer’s families we studied. In contrast, the IGAP discovered a very common variant in CD33, present in about 50% of the population that conferred only marginal protection against Alzheimer’s (decreasing risk by only 11%). The fact that we now know of two different Alzheimer’s-associated DNA variants in the CD33 gene from multiple Alzheimer’s samples increases the odds that CD33, is a bona fide Alzheimer’s gene.
As with all of the new genes found in the genome-wide association screens of the Alzheimer’s Genome Project and IGAP, the next critical step is to identify all of the DNA variants and mutations in these genes that increase or decrease risk for late-onset Alzheimer’s disease. The Cure Alzheimer’s Fund continues to support these efforts. We are currently screening over a 100 new Alzheimer’s candidate genes found in the Alzheimer’s Genome Project along with those found in the IGAP, to identify the all of DNA variants and mutations in these genes that influence risk for Alzheimer’s disease. Elucidating the full deck of Alzheimer’s-associated gene variants and mutations and understanding the interrelationships among them is is necessary to fully understand all of the biological processes that are affected in Alzheimer’s disease. This will give us the best odds of reliably predicting the disease early in life (with appropriate counseling and legal protection). But, most importantly, the full set of Alzheimer’s genes and the knowledge of how they biologically influence risk for disease will continue to provide the most critical information needed to guide the development of new and effective therapies aimed at preventing, stopping or reversing Alzheimer’s disease.
Finally, it should be noted that whether a DNA mutation in an Alzheimer’s gene is rare and restricted to a small subset of families or more broadly observed in the general population, most believe that new drugs or therapies for Alzheimer’s based on what is learned from that mutation will be useful in preventing and treating all cases of Alzheimer’s. As noted above, in the Alzheimer’s Genome Project, we place a high priority on family-based gene studies of Alzheimer’s since there we have the highest odds of finding DNA mutations with very strong effects on risk for Alzheimer’s, akin to those of the early-onset familial Alzheimer’s disease gene mutations discussed above. These mutations are most useful for driving successful drug discovery since their biological effects on the disease process are of much greater impact and more clear-cut in terms of mechanism by which they cause disease. They also lend themselves to more useful animal models for drug testing. Ultimately, the full list of Alzheimer’s genes emerging from the family-based genetic studies of the Alzheimer’s Genome Project and the population-based studies of IGAP getting us closer and closer to someday being able to eradicate Alzheimer’s disease using a strategy of early prediction and early intervention.
Alzheimer’s Genes Identified To Date (Total of 17):
Early-onset familial Alzheimer’s disease genes (onset < age 60):
Late onset genes (onset > age 60):
ADAM 10 (2008)**
* Co-discovered in Tanzi laboratory
** Discovered by the Cure Alzheimer’ Fund Alzheimer’s Genome Project in Alzheimer’s families-these genes are expected to contain DNA variants that significantly increase risk for Alzheimer’s.
*** Discovered by the IGAP-these genes are expected to contain DNA variants that are common in the general population but which have only tiny effects on risk for Alzheimer’s.
N.B. The Alzheimer’s Genome Project has also discovered over 100 additional Alzheimer’s candidate genes that are in the process of being confirmed and validated. In addition, the Cure Alzheimer’ Fund supports a website called AlzGene Http://alzgene.org, in which we are tracking all of the Alzheimer’s candidate genes reported in the scientific literature, including their ongoing testing for confirmation as bona fide Alzheimer’s disease genes.
With regard to functional effects, the above list of 17 Alzheimer’s genes can be divided into four major categories based on their known or predicted biological effects on Alzheimer’s risk:
1. The production and clearance of Abeta, the major protein in beta-amyloid deposits in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients (APP, PSEN1, PSEN2, APOE, ADAM10, ATXN1, CD33, CLU)
2. Cholesterol metabolism (APOE, CLU, ABCA7)
3. The innate immune system and inflammation (APOE, CD33, CLU, CR1)
4. Cell signaling and protein trafficking (PICALM, BIN1, EPHA1, CD2AP) | <urn:uuid:7b22e49d-8df6-49fe-95a0-2442199f13ec> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://curealz.org/2011/04/cafs-dr-tanzi-latest-alzheimers-disease-genes?page=7 | 2013-06-19T06:03:18Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708142388/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516124222-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.918723 | 4,736 |
Editor’s note: Thorbjørn Jagland is chairman of the Norwegian Nobel Committee and secretary general of the Council of Europe. The views expressed in this article are solely those of Thorbjørn Jagland.
At long last, it seems, Aung San Suu Kyi can deliver her Nobel lecture.
The pro-democracy campaigner from Myanmar will be in Oslo on Saturday to accept the Nobel Peace Prize she won in absentia more than 20 years ago.
It will be one of the greatest events in Nobel history, and it gives us the opportunity to reflect on human rights and what they require of us.
The 1935 Nobel Prize winner, German pacifist Carl von Ossietzky, was never able to accept his award because he was imprisoned in a concentration camp and banned from traveling to Oslo.
Nazi leader Herman Goering offered to free Ossietzky from his captivity if he abandoned his pacifism. Ossietzky declined, however, and perished there.
When Albert Einstein, Thomas Mann and Willy Brandt worked to generate public support for Ossietzky to be awarded the Peace Prize, Norwegian author Knut Hamsun — a Nobel Prize winner for literature and a devout Nazi supporter — was furious at the idea. In an open letter, he asked Ossietzky if it would not be better "to help Germany at a time when the entire world was baring its teeth at the German people."
Nordahl Grieg, another acclaimed Norwegian writer, replied: "Hamsun wants Ossietzky to be forgotten. But perhaps it will be one of the things that we do not forget: The great, world famous man who asks the question and the man in the prison uniform who cannot answer.”
These days, political leaders jostle to have their picture taken together with Suu Kyi. I am sure that in 10 or maybe 20 years, they will be competing to be pictured with Liu Xiaobo, who won the 2010 Nobel Prize in absentia. It shows that political courage is about joining the fight when it really matters, not just when it is comfortable to do so.
As the trial against admitted mass killer Anders Behring Breivik takes place in an Oslo courthouse, I also want to single out another Nobel Prize winner.
Willy Brandt was the German chancellor who knelt in front of the memorial in Auschwitz. Parts of the German media and political establishment criticized him, claiming that one only does that sort of thing when thinking about God. Brandt retorted, "What else should a fellow human being do at such a moment than kneel?"
The Norwegian people have done just that since Breivik’s shooting rampage last summer. Whether we believe in God or not, we are all striving to understand his motives. Just as we will always struggle to understand the Holocaust.
What we can be sure of is that Breivik and the Holocaust are both aspects of the same phenomenon. He represents an individual's madness, racism and bigotry. The Holocaust was systemic madness, racism and bigotry.
All fascism is driven by people who have more than a political idea. They have an inner desire to kill and to destroy. They have the ideology at their disposal, and they have a prophecy, which in their eyes is so important that it justifies all means.
In the wake of the Holocaust, we have set ourselves the eternal question: Could it happen again? I do not know, but there is good reason to take the question seriously now and forever.
Breivik is not alone in Europe. You only have to look on the Internet. A frightening number of people say they agree with his analysis, even if they do not share his methods.
Moreover, Breivik is not unique in our time. In many places around the world, innocent people are subjected to the same madness.
Breivik says the murders were necessary in order to spare many more lives in the future. Those who send people on suicide missions, explode a bomb in a market or in a mosque think the same — that the killing is necessary for the greater cause. But terrorism makes political hostages of those it is intended to serve.
Against such a background, moderation and compromise are probably the most important values we have to fight for today. This is where the great Nobel Prize winners come in.
Suu Kyi had the strength, after 20 years of isolation, to compromise with the generals that isolated her. Nelson Mandela reached out a hand to his captors. Liu Xiaobo said in his defense speech in court, "I have no enemies.” Brandt received the Peace Prize for starting to build bridges with the East. He understood that the building of bridges must begin with kneeling.
When Suu Kyi comes to Norway to deliver her Nobel lecture, she will remind us all that we need to fight using nonviolent means. And she will remind us that we must all make efforts to bring out the good in ourselves, to stand up for something at a higher level and closer to home.
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“Don’t you think you’re taking this a little too far?” I asked Maggie as I studied my reflection in the mirror.
She snorted. “You’re trying to use a guy for sex to get him out of your system, and you think I’m going to extremes?”
I ignored her attempt to justify the get-up in which she’d dressed me. “I mean, the ‘Get Esme Laid Mix Tape’ was one thing—that was kind of funny.”
“It was fucking hilarious, and you know it.”
“Maybe. But…” I gestured to my breasts which seemed as if they would tumble out of the borrowed bustier if I so much as sneezed. “I don’t think I can go out in public like this.”
Maggie looked at me as if I were insane. “I do it all the time.”
“I know, and that’s kind of the problem. I’m not sure I want to him to think I’m a sure thing.”
She giggled. “Except you kind of are a sure thing…”
A knock on the door prevented Maggie from elaborating.
“Shit. He’s here, and I’m not even dressed yet. Can you let him in and keep him occupied for a few minutes?”
Maggie rolled her eyes as she left my room. I closed the door behind her and turned to my closet. There had to be a better alternative then going out looking like one of the hookers on Admiral Wilson Boulevard. I went for my old standby—a black sheath dress of unknown vintage I’d bought at a thrift store on South Street. I would probably be overdressed, but after what I wore last night, it was probably just as well. Though I wasn’t sure why I cared, I didn’t want Cullen to think I had no taste whatsoever. Plus, the dress was empowering. If the plan was to fuck him out of my system, I needed a dress that made me feel like I could call the shots.
I replaced Maggie’s bustier with a black bra and listened to what was being said in the next room. The worst thing about living in such a cheap apartment was that the walls were so thin that there was no such thing as a private conversation. Tonight, it was also the best thing.
“Hello, Carlisle.” Maggie’s voice was disgustingly sweet. “Wow, you brought flowers.”
What the hell? How cliché could he get?
“Pulling out all the stops, huh?” Esme will be ready in just a few minutes. You’re welcome to have a seat while you wait for her, but unfortunately I’ll be unable to entertain you while you wait. I’m already late for a concert. See you around.”
Shit. With Maggie gone, there was no one around to help me with my zipper—well, no one except Cullen. Considering the entire point of this evening was to fuck him so I could forget him, I decided to seize the opportunity. My inner bad girl cheered as I stepped into my dress; I’d just have to ask Cullen to help me with it. I straightened my shoulders and fluffed my hair, before walking out of my room completely unzipped. I stopped dead in my tracks when I saw Cullen leaning against the kitchen counter in jeans and a white button-down shirt holding a bouquet of stargazer lilies. He wasn’t a med student; he was a motherfucking Gap ad.
He straightened his posture and offered me the lilies. “A somewhat unorthodox choice, I know, but I thought of you when I saw them.”
Stargazer lilies had been favorite flowers ever since I was little, largely because they were freckled like me. Cullen showing up with them had to be nothing more than a coincidence.
“May I ask why?”
“Why did I bring you flowers?”
“I know why you brought me flowers. I’m guessing it’s part of your standard operating bullshit. I meant why did you think of me when you saw these?”
Shrugging, he flashed me his trademark smile. “They’re unconventionally beautiful.”
It took every ounce of restraint I had not to laugh in his face; could his lines get any more obvious? Despite the fact I was onto his game, my mother raised me better than to be rude when presented with a gift.
“It was very thoughtful of you.” I took the flowers out of his hands and put them in a plastic pitcher filled with water, before turning back to him. “I’m ready when you are.”
“Aren’t you forgetting something?”
“My shoes are by the door,” I said, assuming he was referring to my bare feet.
“Turn around, Esme.”
His voice was commandingly sexy, and though I wasn’t sure if I should trust him behind me, I did as he asked. Seconds later, I felt my dress tighten across my chest as he dragged the zipper pull slowly up my back. He stopped when he reached my bra strap, gathering my hair into his hands and laying it against my shoulder.
“Wouldn’t want it to get caught in the zipper,” he explained, his breath hot against my neck.
As he closed my dress, his hands never lingered any longer than was necessary. I wasn’t sure if I was more surprised by the fact he hadn’t tried to cop a feel or my ensuing disappointment.
When I turned to face him, I expected him to look smug that he’d managed to make me forget my dress was unzipped. Instead, he appeared almost confused.
“What?” I asked. “Never help a girl get into her dress before?”
He shook his head. “No.”
“Why am I not surprised?”
“I meant, no, that wasn’t what I was thinking.”
“Are you going to tell me what you were thinking?”
“No,” he said, smiling.
“It’s just as well.” I walked to the door and stepped into my shoes. “It would probably only lower my opinion of you.”
He laughed. “Is that even possible?”
“Probably not,” I lied.
In actuality, it was possible—now. Twenty-four hours ago was a different matter entirely. Of course, I wasn’t about to let him know that my passionate hatred of him had begun to wane. I’d then lose what little power I had over him, and I couldn’t live with that. The only way I was okay with being number seven would be if I beat him at his own game. Specifically, if I threw his ass out before he even had a chance to take off his rubber.
He followed me out into the hallway, staying at my side as I locked my apartment. When I turned to go down the steps, he grabbed my hand and held me in place.
“We’re not going that way.”
There was only one way out of the building; the steps on the other side of the hallway only led the fifth floor…and to his apartment. That sneaky motherfucker.
I pulled my hand out of his. “Why did you bother zipping my dress if you were only going to try to get me out of it four minutes later?”
“What makes you think that?”
“I live here, too. I know we can’t get out of the building that way. We can, however, get upstairs to your place.”
He burst into laughter. “Because despite the fact I just had you alone and partially disrobed—nice panties, by the way—I’d bring you to my apartment to seduce you.”
I was too fascinated by the sight of his laughter to speak. The sound seemed to come from deep in his chest. Full and real, it was the laugh of someone who unashamedly loved life and knew how to live. Had it not come at my expense, it would have been beautiful.
I folded my arms across my chest and leaned against the wall, staring at him. He must have read my body language as annoyance, because with what appeared to be great effort, he stopped laughing.
“Come with me. You’ll like this, I promise.” He extended his hand to me, and against my better judgment, I took it. He led me past his apartment and through the door that led to the roof, where he’d laid out a picnic blanket and a cooler. “I may have interpreted the phrase ‘out to dinner’ somewhat loosely, but we are technically outside. Have a seat.”
I sat on the blanket as gracefully as I could manage in my narrow skirt. He poured each of us a glass of wine before retrieving a cheese board from the cooler and placing it in front me.
“I have no idea what you like, so I got a little of everything,” he explained as he arranged various meats and cheeses on the board.
“Where did you get all this? I mean, the selection here goes way beyond what they sell at the corner grocery.”
“The Italian Market. Have you ever been there?”
I nodded dumbly.
“I’d never been to South Philly before, but one of the guys I live with insisted it was worth the hike.” He spread one of the softer cheeses onto a piece of crusty bread before offering it to me. “You’ll have to let me know if he was right.”
When I reached for the bread, he pulled his hand away.
“I never would have pegged you for a tease, Cullen.”
When he raised the slice of bread to my mouth, I realized he wanted to feed me. I ate out of his hand, but called him on it the second I swallowed.
“What was your major at Princeton? The art of seduction?”
“You’re actually close,” he said. “It was art history.”
“And you got accepted into med school with that?”
“I took all the recommended biology coursework. Until my junior year, I still wasn’t sure which discipline I wanted to pursue.”
“Medicine or art history? That’s sort of a strange combination.”
“They’re more linked than you would think. My senior thesis was on the role of the artist in the early study of anatomy.”
I sipped my wine and tried not to stare at his lips.
“If anything, I think it made my med school application stand out,” he continued. “I mean, just about everyone applying to med school majors in a hard science.”
I wondered if he realized he’d just implied I was common.
“I majored in biology,” I muttered.
“There you go. Have you always wanted to be a doctor?”
“More or less. I mean, I briefly toyed with the idea of becoming a concert pianist. Then I realized I’d never have a pot to piss in because I hate to perform.”
“A concertless pianist?” he asked, clearly amused.
“Don’t make fun of me. I knew it wouldn’t pan out, so I decided to pursue medicine. Besides, to be successful in music you have to be the best of the best, and I’m not even the best musician in my immediate family. Maggie is a piano major at Curtis; she puts me to shame.”
“Is she your only sibling?”
“Yep. We’ve done everything together for as long as I can remember. I was lucky; I got to grow up under the same roof as my best friend. What about you? Do you have any siblings?”
“I have an eighteen-year-old brother, but we’re not very close.”
He continued to feed me as we had the standard getting-to-know each other conversation. He was polite and respectful, and I wondered at what point it would turn into the standard getting-to-blow each other conversation. Meanwhile, his fingers against my lips coupled with the effects of the wine created a strange sensation that I was certain would remain at the forefront of my mind until I fucked him out of my system. The problem was that I was enjoying his company so much, my wham-bam-thank-you-man idea was quickly losing merit.
I refused to allow myself to deviate from the plan—regardless of the way he made me feel. After all, he was just acting a part, and I was determined to act mine. I inched more closely to him on the blanket, pretending I wasn’t aware of the way my skirt bunched up around the middle of my thighs.
As predicted, Cullen’s eyes went right to my newly exposed skin. When he realized I knew he was staring, he picked up a slice of cheese, pretending that had been the focus of his gaze. He raised it to my lips, and after I nibbled, I took his thumb and forefinger into my mouth. He let out a quiet gasp when without taking my eyes off his, I began to suck.
“You’re not making this easy for me,” he said.
I took his fingers from my mouth and put my arms around his neck.
“Oh, I think I’m making it very easy for you.”
I pressed my body against his and kissed him. Though he wrapped his arms around me tightly, he kept his mouth closed. Maybe Cullen wasn’t into foreplay. Though disappointing, it wasn’t necessarily a deal breaker. After all, the entire point was to get him out of my system—him being bad in bed could only help that. Besides, it wasn’t like I’d never been with a guy who was bad in bed. I wasn’t altogether sure I’d ever been with a guy who was good in bed. I did know that I’d never find out which category Cullen fell into as long as we remained on the roof of my apartment building.
“We should go inside. I’m getting a little chilly,” I lied. I may have been shivering, but it had nothing whatsoever to do with the cool evening breeze.
“Okay. Just give me a minute to pack up.” He rose to his feet and offered me his hand. After helping me up, he put the leftover food in the cooler and tucked the blanket under his arm. A few minutes later, we were outside of my apartment. He lingered in the hallway after I unlocked the door.
I pointed to the back of my dress. “If I needed help getting into it, it’s safe to assume I’ll need help getting out of it.”
He followed me inside, putting the cooler and blanket down right by the door. I pulled my hair up and turned my back to him.
“Do you know what you need?” he asked.
I knew exactly what I needed—a hot beef injection pronto—but I sure as hell wasn’t going to tell him that.
He leaned in closely and dragged his fingertips across the front of my neck. “Pearls.”
“Pearls?” I asked in disbelief. Here I was expecting him to tell me I needed a good fuck. Then again, he could just be saying he wanted to jizz on my neck.
“You know, the kind that stops here.” He touched the hollow of my throat. “They’re classic, like your dress.”
“While you’re criticizing my lack of jewelry, are there any other modifications you’d make to my attire?”
He rubbed my shoulders as he spoke. “Do you honestly want to know?”
“I’d love to see you in heels.”
“I don’t wear heels.”
“Any particular reason why?”
“In case you haven’t noticed, I’m five-foot-ten.”
“I have noticed. What’s your point?”
“I tower over most men as it is. In my experience, guys hate it.”
“Maybe the insecure ones. Personally, I love it.”
“You would. For the record, your interest in my accessories is more than a little weird. If I didn’t know for a fact you’ve fucked six of the girls in our class, I’d think you were gay.”
“You know this for a fact?”
“Are you denying it?”
He slowly lowered the zipper of my dress, before dragging his calloused fingers up the bare skin of my back. When he reached my neck, he pushed the strap of my dress off my shoulder, replacing it with his lips. His other hand rested on my hip, holding me in place as he kissed a path to my ear.
“You were saying?” he whispered.
As if I could remember what I asked him. At that moment, I doubted I knew my own name.
“I have no idea,” I admitted.
He turned me to face him and pressed his mouth against mine. His hands found my hair as his tongue entered my mouth. It was just a kiss—he wasn’t even touching me below the neck—but I felt it everywhere from my nipples to the soles of my feet. I didn’t know how to describe the sensation, only that I never wanted it to end. Instinctively, I put my hands on his ass and pulled him against me. My hips encountered his erection for all of a second before he pulled away.
“I’m trying to be a gentleman.”
“And I’m trying to seduce you.” I pulled his shirt out of his jeans and started unbuttoning it. “It’s a lot of unnecessary effort, don’t you think? I mean, if we stopped trying to be something we’re not, we both could get what we want.”
I opened his shirt and pushed it off his shoulders and surveyed his chest. I doubted I’d ever seen a more perfect male specimen. My fingers followed the trail of golden hair to where it disappeared into his jeans. Unwilling to wait any longer, I went to work on his belt buckle.
“What is it that you think I want?” he asked.
I opened his fly and stuck my hand inside his jeans, stroking his sizable hard-on through his boxers.
“This,” I said, giving it a squeeze. “In me.”
He closed his eyes and moaned.
“Come on.” Keeping my hand on his cock, I led him to my room. Once we were in front of the bed, I let go of him just long enough to step out of my dress, at which point he tucked himself back in his jeans and closed his fly.
“Is something wrong?” I asked.
“Esme, do you even like me?”
I saw no need to lie. “Not particularly. At least, I don’t think I do. You don’t have to worry about me getting all clingy, if that’s your concern. I’m not trying to make this a regular thing. For reasons I don’t entirely understand myself, I find the idea of having angry hate sex with you incredibly appealing. You have to admit, it’s win/win. Twenty minutes from now, you can count me among your conquests and begin planning number eight. Meanwhile, I’ll have gotten over my bizarre fascination with you.”
He looked appalled. “Twenty minutes?”
“Well, twenty tops,” I qualified. “Realistically, it would probably be closer to fifteen.”
“Do you really think that of me?” He seemed more surprised than offended.
“Based on my experience–”
“No, I meant do you think that’s all I want?”
He shook his head and cupped my face in his hands. “I want you.”
“You can have me.”
“I meant, I want all of you. I want to know you, to understand you. And when the time comes, I want to make love to you. But tonight, I’d just like to talk to you until you can no longer keep your eyes open then hold you while you sleep.”
He was a decent conversationalist, and he wasn’t bad to look at. It sure as hell beat sleeping alone.
“On one condition,” I said.
“Your shirt stays off.”
He rolled his eyes. “And you accuse me of objectifying the opposite sex.”
“It’s non-negotiable, Cullen.”
I went into the bathroom to change into a T-shirt to sleep in. When I came back to my room, he was in bed waiting for me. I lay down beside him, and he pulled me into his arms.
“Tell me about your family,” I said, resting my face against his chest.
He tensed beneath me. “There’s not much to tell. I had a bit of a falling out with my father a few months ago, and we’re estranged at the moment.”
“Then tell me about Princeton.”
“What would you like to know?”
“Your craziest antics, I guess. I lived at home all four years of undergrad; college stories still amuse me.”
In the end, he got exactly what he wanted—we talked until I could no longer keep my eyes open, then he held me while I slept. | <urn:uuid:05effb98-d283-4411-b018-bc3c3d752f15> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://sleepyvalentina.com/masen-sisters-guide/plan | 2013-06-19T06:02:47Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708142388/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516124222-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.987437 | 4,945 |
Gender: Male Age: 36 Location: N/A
|Introduction: Almost Sisters|
Disclaimer: what follows is a work of fantasy. As such, I have chosen to set it in a world where birth control is 100% safe, effective, and available, and all STDs have been eradicated. In the real world, some of the choices these characters make would be extremely risky. Don't behave like them.
Steph and I were BFFs. We had lived on the same property since Kindergarten, and we even had the same birthday. We basically did everything together - studying, sports. We had sleepovers almost every weekend. This is the story of our 16th birthday.
Steph's dad was from China. He worked in the tech industry, making good but not great money. Her mom was a writer, making basically no money. They wanted good schools for Steph, so they stretched to buy a house in a neighborhood that they couldn't really afford, but it had an in-laws' apartment that they could rent out for extra money. That's where we came in.
I was a surprise. My mom dropped out of college and moved back in with her parents to take care of me. When my dad finished college, they got married and he got a job out west, and we ended up renting from Steph's parents. My mom has a lot of resentment that I prevented her from having the life she had hoped for, but she can't bring herself to be angry at me, so it's all directed at my dad.
Steph and I were both good students. She got a B once, and her dad almost killed her, so she was scared into studying hard all the time. I just knew how hard my parents worked to give me better opportunities, and I wanted to make them happy. So Steph had a little bit of a rebel streak, but only when she thought she could get away with it.
About a month before our 16th birthday, we were playing truth or dare at one of our sleepovers. We knew all each other's secrets already, so we always chose dare. Usually, we dared each other to leave anonymous love notes in some boy's locker, or to play a practical joke on somebody. This time, though, Steph had something different in mind.
"Next month, when we get our driver's licenses, I'm going to get my nipples pierced. I dare you to do it with me."
I didn't think she was serious at first, but she insisted. I couldn't believe she thought she could get away with it. She said they wouldn't show through our bras, and we could take them out whenever we hit the beach. I didn't really want to, but Steph was my BFF, so I had to agree.
My parents were from Fargo, so I'm pure Viking. I was about 5'10" tall, with just barely B cup breasts. A lot of people said I had the figure to model. Steph was shorter, about 5'2", but a bit curvier. Still a B cup, but close to a C. We joked about which of us was a B+ and which a B-. We had moved past the awkward transition stage of puberty where you're just embarrassed about the changes your body is going through. We were entering a more womanly stage of mixed pride in our bodies and insecurity that they weren't better. Besides getting back at her dad, this was probably about addressing that insecurity.
We turned 16, had our joint birthday party (we shared those, too), got our drivers licenses. Steph's parents bought themselves a new car and gave her one of their old ones for her birthday. Not as good as a new car, but good enough for us. Steph announced that we would get the piercings the next weekend. I had thought that Steph would back out, but she was determined. She did some research and found a reputable shop a couple of hours drive away. She didn't want anyone too close, in case we randomly bumped into someone we knew.
So on the appointed day, we drove out there, with people honking at us all the way for actually driving the speed limit. It was kind of a crappy neighborhood - liquor stores, paycheck advance places, a pawn shop, and an adult video place - so it was probably best that we didn't have the new car anyway. It hurt like hell when they did it, but just for a second. Afterwards, Steph was just jumping with excitement. Couldn't contain herself. When the exhileration wore off, however, the soreness set in. It got better every day, though, and within a week, it was gone.
That's when we started noticing that our nipples were much more sensitive. When we took off our bras, for instance, and the fresh air first hit, our nipples would get instantly erect and start sending arousing signals throughout our bodies. For me, it was just kind of a fun little effect, but for Steph, it opened a door to a whole new experience.
A couple of weeks later, I woke up during one of our sleepovers hearing Steph make some funny noises. I turned on the light to see if she was okay, and I was shocked to see her lying naked in her bed, one hand between her legs and one pinching her nipples. "Stephanie, what on earth are you doing?" I asked, so shocked that I used her full name. "Masturbating," she replied calmly. "Yes, but why?" I asked. "Uh, because it feels good, dummy. Haven't you ever done it?" "No way! Only pervs do that." "Well, color me perverted, then. And turn out the light." With that, she closed her eyes and resumed touching herself.
I watched her sliding her fingers into her wet pussy for just a second, then turned out the light and listened to the sounds of her masturbation. My nipples were extremely aroused, and my pussy was starting to get wet in spite of myself. I decided to try pinching my nipples, to see how it felt. A wave of intense pleasure rolled through my body, so I kept doing it. Now I could feel my pussy get really wet, and my breathing became heavier. Almost of its own volition, one hand travelled down between my legs, and I pushed a finger inside myself like I had seen Steph do. That felt even better, so I started moving it in and out, rubbing the places where it felt best. Suddenly, I felt all my muscles tighten up and then spasm uncontrollably as wave after wave of the most intense pleasure imaginable passed through my body. I had experienced my first orgasm, and I liked it. I must have made some noise, because when it was over, Steph said, "Ssh, you perv." "Perv yourself," I retorted, before we both fell asleep.
After that, masturbation became part of our regular sleepover routine. Sometimes we would make up contests, like who could have an orgasm the fastest, or who could touch themselves the longest before reaching orgasm. We changed in other ways, too, like it wasn't which boys were cute anymore. Now it was which boys made us really wet, or which had the biggest dick. We started talking about what it would feel like to have a dick inside us. One day, Steph decided to find out. "Remember, by the place we got pierced, there was an adult video store? I bet they sell dildos there, so we could see what a real dick feels like." It sounded perfect to me, so the next weekend, we drove back there.
Sure enough, they had a wide selection of dildos, vibrators, and other products besides videos. We were dressed in what we called our no school uniform - all the stuff forbidden by the school. Steph was in tight shorts with barely any more material than underwear, and I was in a tiny miniskirt, showing off my long legs. We were both in midriff shirts. I guess we looked pretty hot, because while we were looking over the toys, a guy in his forties came over and whispered that he'd give us $10 if we'd show him our breasts for a minute. Steph's family had some money, but most of our friends' had even more. I was always the poorest, and I had been a little worried about wasting money on frivolous stuff like dildos. So although Steph just blew the guy off, I looked around to make sure noone else could see, then lifted up my shirt and pulled my breasts out of my bra. Immediately, my pierced nipples popped out, happy to be out in the fresh air. He gave a low whistle and said, "Now that's hot!" Then he pulled his dick out of his pants and started jerking off.
I immediately pulled my shirt back down and said "Go away, you perv!" But he persisted, "How about $20 a minute?" Now, Steph had turned around and she had her eyes fixed on that guy's erection sticking out of his pants. She licked her lips, took a deep breath, and said, "Make it $30 and you can look at both our breasts while you jerk off." Shocked, I used her full name again, "Stephanie!" "Take pity on the poor guy. Can't you see he's desperate? He just wants to look." Reluctantly, I agreed, "Show us the money first." He pulled out a wad of bills, so we both exposed our breasts, and he resumed stroking himself.
I was looking up at the ceiling, trying to pretend this wasn't happening, when I heard Steph give a low moan. I looked over at her and saw that she was pinching her nipples, still staring at the guy's dick. I could smell her scent, so I knew she was really turned on. I looked at the guy's dick, too, and I had to admit it was a little exciting to have a strange man see my naked breasts, and to see his naked penis too. My hands crept to my nipples and started pinching them, too. Naughty hands. But it felt good. Just then, he pulled a handkerchief out of his pocket, wrapped it around his cock, and grunted a few times. It took six minutes, so we each got $90.
Steph bought about $300 worth of stuff at that store. I restricted myself to one medium sized dildo and one vibrator. When we got out to the car, Steph couldn't wait. She handed me the keys, got in the passenger's seat, unwrapped a dildo, and pulled off her pants. While I started driving home, she plunged that dildo into her sopping twat, and in no time, she was having a screaming orgasm. Literally screaming. When she calmed down, she said it was nice not to have to try to be quiet. She also said the dildo felt amazing, and I just had to try it.
She got herself decent, and we pulled over to switch drivers. I took my panties off and unwrapped my dildo. I rubbed it against myself until I got nice and wet, then slid it in. It sure felt good, but it didn't get very far in. I pushed harder, but then I felt a sharp pain and yanked it out. There was a little spot of blood on it. Steph said that had happened to her, too, and it felt even better afterwards, but I didn't feel like using the dildo any more right then. I unwrapped the vibrator instead, but discovered that it didn't come with batteries. We found a Radio Shack nearby on Steph's GPS, so we stopped there and I hopped out to go buy some.
I got a little weird vibe from the clerks in the store, and when I got back to the car, Steph told me why. "You totally flashed those guys!" "No way!" "Way. I got a picture." She handed me her cell phone. There I was, bending over to get the batteries, with my blonde bush clearly visible under the hem of my miniskirt, and the head of one of the clerks craning for a better view. We both burst out laughing. I looked back into the store, and clerks were still checking us out. On impulse, I flashed by boobs at them as Steph pulled out. Steph laughed again, "You're so bad." "Hey, we'll never see those guys again."
Flashing those guys had gotten me all excited again, so I loaded the batteries into the vibrator and turned it on. I rubbed it on my nipples, and it felt good, but I wanted more. I took off my shirt and bra, then put my shirt back on. The thin material wasn't much of a barrier between my skin and the vibrator, and the feeling was amazing. My nipples were poking way out, making them and their pierced state clearly visible. It was very sexy thinking that any man we passed could see them, and wondering whether they would get an erection like that old guy. I was nice and wet now, so I moved the vibrator down to my pussy. When it made contact, I couldn't suppress a little yelp, it felt so good. Steph looked over and smiled, saying "You go, girl!" I closed my eyes and concentrated on the sensations being generated by the sex toy. I moved it around different places until I found where it felt best. Soon I was thrashing around in the throes of the most intense orgasm of my young life.
When I was done, Steph commented, "If those Radio Shack guys could have watched you just now, they'd have creamed their pants for sure." I agreed, laughing. Just then, we passed a mall. Steph suggested that we stop there and go shopping. I started to put my bra and panties back on, but Steph dared me not to, pointing out that nobody we knew would be there. I agreed, but only if she would do the same. So in the parking garage, she took her bra off too. Her nipples were clearly visible, but she pinched them to make them even more obvious. Then we headed into the mall.
The first stop was for Steph to buy herself a miniskirt. She said she wanted to try flashing some guys, like I had done in Radio Shack. After she bought it, she went into a restroom to change into it. When she came out of the stall, she mooned me, showing that she had taken her panties off, too. We both giggled, flush with excitement and nervousness. We exited the restroom and started walking around the mall, and we kept glancing at each other and giggling.
Even before we started flashing anyone, we were getting a lot of male attention because of our attire. We talked about how we should expose ourselves, and we decided to just sit on a bench with our legs together until someone came by that we wanted to flash, and then open our legs. We tried it out first, with Steph flashing me as I walked by. I took a picture on my cell phone, so Steph could see just how easy it was to see her dark bush. After another fit of giggles, we settled down to await our prey.
We rejected several candidates, due to their age, appearance, or company. But soon enough, we saw a cute, young guy walking alone toward us. When he got close to us, he glanced our direction and made eye contact. At that moment, we both opened our legs and showed him our pussies. His mouth dropped open, then broadened into a grin. He waved at us as he walked by, and we dissolved into laughter again.
We showed our pussies to over a dozen guys that day, with different reactions. Some didn't notice (or pretended not to), some just acknowledged us, and some tried to get our phone numbers (which we didn't give them). Every time, a sexual thrill went through our bodies, making our nipples strain to push their way through our shirts and our pussies ache to be touched. After a while, we couldn't take any more, and we had to go into a restroom and masturbate. We both had the best orgasms of our lives, and we determined that we would need to make this activity a regular feature of our weekends.
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redirect6|Pianoforte|earlier versions of the instrument|Fortepiano|other uses of "Piano"|Piano (disambiguation)
The piano is a musical instrument which is played by means of a keyboard. Widely used in Western music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music, and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal. Although not portable and often expensive, the piano's versatility and ubiquity have made it one of the world's most familiar musical instruments.
Pressing a key on the piano's keyboard causes a felt covered hammer to strike steel strings. The hammers rebound, allowing the strings to continue vibrating at their resonant frequency. These vibrations are transmitted through a bridge to a sounding board that couples the acoustic energy to the air so that it can be heard as sound. When the key is released, a damper stops the string's vibration. Pianos are sometimes classified as both percussion and stringed instruments. According to the Hornbostel-Sachs method of music classification, they are grouped with chordophones.
The word ''piano'' is a shortened form of the word ''pianoforte'', which is seldom used except in formal language and derived from the original Italian name for the instrument, ''clavicembalo ''[or ''gravicembalo'']'' col piano e forte'' (literally ''harpsichord with soft and loud''). This refers to the instrument's responsiveness to keyboard touch, which allows the pianist to produce notes at different dynamic levels by controlling the speed with which the hammers hit the strings.
The piano is founded on earlier technological innovations. The first string instruments with struck strings were the hammered dulcimers originating from the Persian traditional musical instrument santur. During the Middle Ages, there were several attempts at creating stringed keyboard instruments with struck strings, the earliest being the hurdy gurdy which has uncertain origins.
By the 17th century, the mechanisms of keyboard instruments such as the clavichord and the harpsichord were well known. In a clavichord the strings are struck by tangents, while in a harpsichord they are plucked by quills. Centuries of work on the mechanism of the harpsichord in particular had shown the most effective ways to construct the case, soundboard, bridge, and keyboard.
The invention of the modern piano is credited to Bartolomeo Cristofori (1655-1731) of Padua, Italy, who was employed by Prince Ferdinand de Medici as the Keeper of the Instruments. He was an expert harpsichord maker and was well acquainted with the previous body of knowledge on stringed keyboard instruments. It is not known exactly when Cristofori first built a piano. An inventory made by his employers, the Medici family, indicates the existence of a piano by the year 1700; another document of doubtful authenticity indicates a date of 1698. The three Cristofori pianos that survive today date from the 1720s.
Cristofori's great success was in solving, without any prior example, the fundamental mechanical problem of piano design: the hammer must strike the string, but not remain in contact with it (as a tangent remains in contact with a clavichord string) because this would damp the sound. Moreover, the hammer must return to its rest position without bouncing violently, and it must be possible to repeat a note rapidly. Cristofori's piano action served as a model for the many different approaches to piano actions that followed. While Cristofori's early instruments were made with thin strings and were much quieter than the modern piano, compared to the clavichord (the only previous keyboard instrument capable of minutely controlled dynamic nuance through the keyboard) they were considerably louder and had more sustaining power.
Cristofori's new instrument remained relatively unknown until an Italian writer, Scipione Maffei, wrote an enthusiastic article about it (1711), including a diagram of the mechanism. This article was widely distributed, and most of the next generation of piano builders started their work because of reading it. One of these builders was Gottfried Silbermann, better known as an organ builder. Silbermann's pianos were virtually direct copies of Cristofori's, with one important addition: Silbermann invented the forerunner of the modern damper pedal, which lifts all the dampers from the strings at once.
Silbermann showed Johann Sebastian Bach one of his early instruments in the 1730s, but Bach did not like it at that time, claiming that the higher notes were too soft to allow a full dynamic range. Although this earned him some animosity from Silbermann, the criticism was apparently heeded. Bach did approve of a later instrument he saw in 1747, and even served as an agent in selling Silbermann's pianos.
Piano making flourished during the late 18th century in the Viennese school, which included Johann Andreas Stein (who worked in Augsburg, Germany) and the Viennese makers Nannette Streicher (daughter of Stein) and Anton Walter. Viennese-style pianos were built with wood frames, two strings per note, and had leather-covered hammers. Some of these Viennese pianos had the opposite coloring of modern-day pianos; the natural keys were black and the accidental keys white.
[ ] It was for such instruments that Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart composed his concertos and sonatas, and replicas of them are built today for use in authentic-instrument performance of his music. The pianos of Mozart's day had a softer, clearer tone than today's pianos or English pianos, with less sustaining power. The term ''fortepiano'' is nowadays often used to distinguish the 18th-century instrument from later pianos.
The modern piano (the pianoforte) was developed from the harpsichord around 1720, by Bartolomeo Cristofori of Padua, Italy. His new instrument had a delicate pianissimo (very soft sound), a strong fortissimo (a very loud, forceful sound), and every level in between.
The first upright piano was made around 1780 by Johann Schmidt of Salzburg, Austria. Thomas Loud of London developed an upright piano whose strings ran diagonally (in 1802), saving even more space.
Development of the modern piano
In the period lasting from about 1790 to 1860, the Mozart-era piano underwent tremendous changes that led to the modern form of the instrument. This revolution was in response to a consistent preference by composers and pianists for a more powerful, sustained piano sound, and made possible by the ongoing Industrial Revolution with technological resources such as high-quality steel, called piano wire, for strings, and precision casting for the production of iron frames. Over time, the tonal range of the piano was also increased from the five octaves of Mozart's day to the 7ÂĽ or more octaves found on modern pianos.
Early technological progress owed much to the firm of Broadwood. John Broadwood joined with another Scot, Robert Stodart, and a Dutchman, Americus Backers, to design a piano in the harpsichord case – the origin of the "grand". They achieved this in about 1777. They quickly gained a reputation for the splendour and powerful tone of their instruments, with Broadwood constructing ones that were progressively larger, louder, and more robustly constructed. They sent pianos to both Joseph Haydn and Ludwig van Beethoven, and were the first firm to build pianos with a range of more than five octaves: five octaves and a fifth during the 1790s, six octaves by 1810 (Beethoven used the extra notes in his later works), and seven octaves by 1820. The Viennese makers similarly followed these trends, however the two schools used different piano actions: Broadwoods were more robust, Viennese instruments were more sensitive.
By the 1820s, the center of innovation had shifted to Paris, where the Pleyel firm manufactured pianos used by Frédéric Chopin and the Érard firm manufactured those used by Franz Liszt. In 1821, Sébastien Érard invented the double escapement action, which permitted a note to be repeated even if the key had not yet risen to its maximum vertical position. This facilitated rapid playing of repeated notes, and this musical device was pioneered by Liszt. When the invention became public, as revised by Henri Herz, the double escapement action gradually became standard in grand pianos, and is still incorporated into all grand pianos currently produced.
One of the major technical innovations that helped to create the sound of the modern piano was the use of a strong iron frame. Also called the "plate", the iron frame sits atop the soundboard, and serves as the primary bulwark against the force of string tension. The increased structural integrity of the iron frame allowed the use of thicker, tenser, and more numerous strings. In a modern grand the total string tension can exceed 20 tons. The single piece cast iron frame was patented in 1825 in Boston by Alpheus Babcock, combining the metal hitch pin plate (1821, claimed by Broadwood on behalf of Samuel Hervé) and resisting bars (Thom and Allen, 1820, but also claimed by Broadwood and Érard). Babcock later worked for the Chickering & Mackays firm who patented the first full iron frame for grand pianos in 1843. Composite forged metal frames were preferred by many European makers until the American system was fully adopted by the early 20th century.
Other innovations for the mechanism included the use of felt hammer coverings instead of layered leather hammers. Felt hammers, which were first introduced by Henri Pape in 1826, were a more consistent material, permitting wider dynamic ranges as hammer weights and string tension increased. The sostenuto pedal (see below), invented in 1844 by Jean Louis Boisselot and improved by the Steinway firm in 1874, allowed a wider range of effects.
Other important technical innovations of this era included changes to the way the piano was strung, such as the use of a "choir" of three strings rather than two for all but the lower notes, and the use of different stringing methods. With the over strung scale, also called "cross-stringing", the strings are placed in a vertically overlapping slanted arrangement, with two heights of bridges on the soundboard instead of just one. This permits larger, but not necessarily longer, strings to fit within the case of the piano. Over stringing was invented by Jean-Henri Pape during the 1820s, and first patented for use in grand pianos in the United States by Henry Steinway Jr. in 1859.
With duplexes or aliquot scales, which was patented in 1872 by Theodore Steinway, the different components of string vibrations are controlled by tuning their secondary parts in octave relationships with the sounding lengths. Similar systems developed by BlĂĽthner (1872), as well as [http://mediatheque.cite-musique.fr/ClientBookLineCIMU/recherche/NoticeDetailleByID.asp?ID=0162147 Taskin] (1788), and Collard (1821) used more distinctly ringing undamped vibrations to modify tone.
Some early pianos had shapes and designs that are no longer in use. The square piano had horizontal strings arranged diagonally across the rectangular case above the hammers and with the keyboard set in the long side. This design is attributed to Gottfried Silbermann or Christian Ernst Friderici on the continent, and Johannes Zumpe or Harman Vietor in England and it was improved by changes first introduced by Guillaume-Lebrecht Petzold in France and Alpheus Babcock in the United States. Square pianos were built in great numbers through the 1840s in Europe and the 1890s in America, and saw the most visible changes of any type of piano: the celebrated iron framed over strung squares manufactured by Steinway & Sons were more than two and a half times the size of Zumpe's wood framed instruments from a century before. Their overwhelming popularity was due to inexpensive construction and price, although their performance and tone were often limited by simple actions and closely spaced strings.
The tall, vertically strung upright grand was arranged like a grand set on end, with the soundboard and bridges above the keys, and tuning pins below them. The term was later revived by many manufacturers for advertising purposes. Giraffe, pyramid and lyre pianos were arranged in a somewhat similar fashion in evocatively shaped cases.
The very tall cabinet piano was introduced about 1805 and was built through the 1840s. It had strings arranged vertically on a continuous frame with bridges extended nearly to the floor, behind the keyboard and very large ''sticker action''. The short cottage upright or pianino with vertical stringing, made popular by Robert Wornum around 1815, was built into the 20th century. They are informally called ''birdcage pianos'' because of their prominent damper mechanism. Pianinos were distinguished from the oblique, or diagonally strung upright made popular in France by Roller & Blanchet during the late 1820s. The tiny spinet upright was manufactured from the mid-1930s until recent times. The low position of the hammers required the use of a "drop action" to preserve a reasonable keyboard height.
Modern upright and grand pianos attained their present forms by the end of the 19th century. Improvements have been made in manufacturing processes, and many individual details of the instrument continue to receive attention.
History and musical performance
Much of the most widely admired piano repertoire, for example, that of Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven, was composed for a type of instrument that is rather different from the modern instruments on which this music is normally performed today. Even the music of the Romantics, including Liszt, Chopin, Robert Schumann, Felix Mendelssohn and Johannes Brahms, was written for pianos substantially different from ours.
Modern pianos come in two basic configurations (with subcategories): the grand piano and the upright piano.
In grand pianos, the frame and strings are horizontal, with the strings extending away from the keyboard. There are several sizes of grand piano. A rough generalization distinguishes the "concert grand" (between about and long) from the "parlor grand" or "boudoir grand" (about to ) and the smaller "baby grand".
All else being equal, longer pianos with longer strings have larger, richer sound and lower inharmonicity of the strings. Inharmonicity is the degree to which the frequencies of overtones (known as partials, partial tones, or harmonics) depart from whole multiples of the fundamental frequency. Pianos with shorter, thicker, and stiffer strings (e.g., baby grands) have more inharmonicity. The longer strings on a concert grand can vibrate more freely than the shorter, thicker strings on a baby grand, which means that a concert grand's strings will have truer overtones. This allows the strings to be tuned closer to equal temperament in relation to the standard pitch with less "stretching" in the piano tuning. Full-size grands are usually used for public concerts, whereas smaller grands, introduced by Sohmer & Co. in 1884, are often chosen for domestic use where space and cost are considerations.
A grand piano action has a repetition lever for each key. If the key is pressed repeatedly and fairly quickly this repetition lever catches the hammer close to the strings, which assists the speed and control of repeated notes and trills.
Upright pianos, also called vertical pianos, are more compact because the frame and strings are vertical. The hammers move horizontally, and are returned to their resting position by springs which are prone to wear and tear.
Upright pianos with unusually tall frames and long strings are sometimes called "upright grand" pianos.
Some authors classify modern pianos according to their height and, to modifications of the action that are necessary to accommodate the height.
* Studio pianos are around 42 to 45 inches tall. This is the shortest cabinet that can accommodate a 'full-sized' action located above the keyboard.
* Console pianos have a compact action (shorter hammers), and are a few inches shorter than studio models.
* The top of a Spinet model barely rises above the keyboard. The action is located below, operated by vertical wires that are attached to the backs of the keys.
* Anything taller than a studio piano is called an upright.
Toy pianos began to be manufactured in the 19th century.
In 1863, Henri Fourneaux invented the player piano, which "plays itself" from a piano roll without the need for a pianist. A performance is "recorded" onto rolls of paper with perforations, and the player piano replays the performance using pneumatic devices. Modern equivalents of the player piano include the Bösendorfer CEUS and the Yamaha Disklavier, using solenoids and MIDI rather than pneumatics and rolls.
A silent piano is an acoustic piano having an option to silence the strings by means of an interposing hammer bar. They are designed for private silent practice.
The transposing piano was invented in 1801 by Edward Ryley. It has a lever under the keyboard used to move the keyboard relative to the strings so that a pianist can play in a familiar key while the music sounds in a different key.
The prepared piano, encountered in some contemporary art music, is a grand piano which has objects placed inside it to alter its sound, or which has had its mechanism changed in some other way. The scores for music for prepared piano specify the modifications, for example instructing the pianist to insert pieces of rubber, or paper, or metal screws or washers, in between the strings. These either mute the strings or alter their timbre.
Available since the 1980s, digital pianos use digital sampling technology to reproduce the sound of each piano note. Digital pianos can be sophisticated, with features including working pedals, weighted keys, multiple voices, and MIDI interfaces. However, when the damper pedal (see below) is depressed on such an instrument, there are no strings to vibrate sympathetically. Physical models of sympathetic vibration are incorporated into the synthesis software of some higher end digital pianos, such as the Yamaha Clavinova series, or the KAWAI MP8 series.
With the advent of powerful desktop computers, highly realistic pianos have become available as affordable software modules. Some of these modules, such as Synthogy's Ivory released in 2004, use multi-gigabyte piano sample sets with as many as 90 recordings, each lasting many seconds, for each of the 88 (some have 81) keys under different conditions, augmented by additional samples to emulate sympathetic resonance, key release, the drop of the dampers, and simulations of piano techniques like re-pedaling. Some other software modules, such as Modartt's Pianoteq released in 2006, use no samples whatsoever and are a pure synthesis of all aspects of the physicalities which go into the creation of a real piano's sound.
In recent times, piano manufactures have superseded the old fashioned pianola or player piano with new innovative pianos which play themselves via a CD or MP3 Player. Similar in concept to a player piano, the PianoDisc or iQ systems installed in select pianos will 'play themselves' when prompted by a certain file format designed to be interpreted by software installed and connected to the piano. Such additions are quite expensive, often doubling the cost of a piano and are available in both upright and grand pianos.
Almost every modern piano has 36 black keys and 52 white keys for a total of 88 keys (seven octaves plus a minor third, from A0 to C8). Many older pianos only have 85 keys (seven octaves from A0 to A7), while some manufacturers extend the range further in one or both directions.
Some Bösendorfer pianos extend the normal range downwards to F0, with one other model going as far as a bottom C0, making a full eight octave range. These extra keys are sometimes hidden under a small hinged lid that can be flipped down to cover the keys in order to avoid visual disorientation in a pianist unfamiliar with the extended keyboard. On others, the colors of the extra white keys are reversed (black instead of white).
The extra keys are added primarily for increased resonance from the associated strings; that is, they vibrate sympathetically with other strings whenever the damper pedal is depressed and thus give a fuller tone. Only a very small number of works composed for piano actually use these notes. More recently, the Stuart and Sons company has also manufactured extended-range pianos, with the first 102 key piano. On their instruments, the frequency range extends from C0 to F8 which is the widest practical range for the acoustic piano. The extra keys are the same as the other keys in appearance.
Small studio upright acoustical pianos with only 65 keys have been manufactured for use by roving pianists. Known as "gig" pianos and still containing a cast iron harp, these are comparatively lightweight and can be easily transported to and from engagements by only two people. As their harp is longer than that of a spinet or console piano, they have a stronger bass sound that to some pianists is well worth the trade-off in range that a reduced key-set offers.
The Toy piano manufacturer Schoenhut started manufacturing both grands and uprights with only 44 or 49 keys, and shorter distance between the keyboard and the pedals. These pianos are true pianos with action and strings. The pianos were introduced to their product line in response to numerous requests in favor of it.
Pianos have had pedals, or some close equivalent, since the earliest days. (In the 18th century, some pianos used levers pressed upward by the player's knee instead of pedals.) Most grand pianos have three pedals: the soft pedal (una corda), sostenuto, and sustain pedal (from left to right, respectively). Most modern upright pianos also have three pedals: soft pedal, practice pedal and sustain pedal, though older or cheaper models may lack the practice pedal.
The sustain pedal (or, damper pedal) is often simply called "the pedal", since it is the most frequently used. It is placed as the rightmost pedal in the group. It lifts the dampers from all keys, sustaining all played notes. In addition, it alters the overall tone by allowing all strings, even the ones not directly played, to reverberate.
The soft pedal or ''una corda'' pedal is placed leftmost in the row of pedals. In grand pianos, it shifts the entire action, including the keyboard, to the right, so that the hammers hit only one of the three strings for each note (hence the name ''una corda'', or 'one string'). The effect is to soften the note as well as to change the tone. In uprights, this action is not possible, and so the pedal moves the hammers closer to the strings, allowing the hammers to hit the strings with less kinetic energy to produce a softer sound, but with no change in timbre.
On grand pianos, the middle pedal is a sostenuto pedal. This pedal keeps raised any damper that was already raised at the moment the pedal is depressed. This makes it possible to sustain some notes (by depressing the sostenuto pedal before notes to be sustained are released) while the player's hands are free to play other notes. This can be useful for musical passages with pedal points and other otherwise tricky or impossible situations.
On many upright pianos, there is a middle pedal called the 'practice' or ''celeste'' pedal. This drops a piece of felt between the hammers and strings, greatly muting the sounds.
There are also non-standard variants. On some pianos (grands and verticals), the middle pedal can be a bass sustain pedal: that is, when it is depressed, the dampers lift off the strings only in the bass section. This pedal would be used only when a pianist needs to sustain a single bass note or chord over many measures, while playing the melody in the treble section. On the Stuart and Sons piano as well as the largest Fazioli piano, there is a fourth pedal to the left of the principal three. This fourth pedal works in the same way as the soft pedal of an upright piano, moving the hammers closer to the strings.
The rare transposing piano, of which Irving Berlin possessed an example, had a middle pedal that functioned as a clutch which disengages the keyboard from the mechanism, enabling the keyboard to be moved to the left or right with a lever. The entire action of the piano is thus shifted to allow the pianist to play music written in one key so that it sounds in a different key. The ''pedalier'' piano, or pedal piano, is a rare type of piano that includes a pedalboard, enabling bass register notes to be played with the feet, as is standard on the organ. There are two types of pedal piano: the pedal board may be an integral part of the instrument, using the same strings and mechanism as the manual keyboard, or, less frequently, it may consist of two independent pianos (each with its separate mechanics and strings) which are placed one above the other, a regular piano played by the hands and a bass-register piano played by the feet.
Many parts of a piano are made of materials selected for sturdiness. In quality pianos, the outer rim of the piano is made of a hardwood, normally maple or beech. According to [http://www.speech.kth.se/music/5_lectures/conklin/thepianocase.html Harold A. Conklin], the purpose of a sturdy rim is so that "the vibrational energy will stay as much as possible in the soundboard instead of dissipating uselessly in the case parts, which are inefficient radiators of sound."
The rim is normally made by laminating flexible strips of hardwood to the desired shape, a system that was developed by Theodore Steinway in 1880. The thick wooden braces at the bottom (grands) or back (uprights) of the piano are not as acoustically important as the rim, and are often made of a softwood, even in top-quality pianos, in order to save weight. The requirement of structural strength, fulfilled with stout hardwood and thick metal, makes a piano heavy; even a small upright can weigh 136 kg (300 lb), and the Steinway concert grand (Model D) weighs 480 kg (990 lb). The largest piano built, the Fazioli F308, weighs 691 kg (1520 lb).
The pinblock, which holds the tuning pins in place, is another area of the piano where toughness is important. It is made of hardwood, (often maple) and generally is laminated (built of multiple layers) for additional strength and gripping power. Piano strings (also called piano wire), which must endure years of extreme tension and hard blows, are made of high quality steel. They are manufactured to vary as little as possible in diameter, since all deviations from uniformity introduce tonal distortion. The bass strings of a piano are made of a steel core wrapped with copper wire, to increase their mass whilst retaining flexibility.
The plate, or metal frame, of a piano is usually made of cast iron. It is advantageous for the plate to be quite massive. Since the strings are attached to the plate at one end, any vibrations transmitted to the plate will result in loss of energy to the desired (efficient) channel of sound transmission, namely the bridge and the soundboard. Some manufacturers now use cast steel in their plates, for greater strength. The casting of the plate is a delicate art, since the dimensions are crucial and the iron shrinks by about one percent during cooling.
The inclusion in a piano of an extremely large piece of metal is potentially an aesthetic handicap, which piano makers overcome by polishing, painting and decorating the plate. Plates often include the manufacturer's ornamental medallion and can be strikingly attractive. In an effort to make pianos lighter, Alcoa worked with Winter and Company piano manufacturers to make pianos using an aluminum plate during the 1940s. The use of aluminum for piano plates, however, did not become widely accepted and was discontinued.
The numerous grand parts and upright parts of a piano action are generally hardwood (e.g. maple, beech. hornbeam). However, since World War II, plastics have become available. Early plastics were incorporated into some pianos in the late 1940s and 1950s, but proved disastrous because they crystallized and lost their strength after only a few decades of use. The Steinway firm once incorporated Teflon, a synthetic material developed by DuPont, for some grand action parts in place of cloth, but ultimately abandoned the experiment due to an inherent "clicking" which invariably developed over time. (Also Teflon is "humidity stable" whereas the wood adjacent to the Teflon will swell and shrink with humidity changes, causing problems.) More recently, the Kawai firm has built pianos with action parts made of more modern and effective plastics such as carbon fiber; these parts have held up better and have generally received the respect of piano technicians.
The part of the piano where materials probably matter more than anywhere else is the soundboard. In quality pianos, this is made of solid spruce (that is, spruce boards glued together at their edges). Spruce is chosen for its high ratio of strength to weight. The best piano makers use close-grained, quarter-sawn, defect-free spruce, and make sure that it has been carefully dried over a long period of time before making it into soundboards. In cheap pianos, the soundboard is often made of plywood.
Piano keys are generally made of spruce or basswood, for lightness. Spruce is normally used in high-quality pianos. Traditionally, the black keys were made from ebony and the white keys were covered with strips of ivory, but since ivory-yielding species are now endangered and protected by treaty, plastics are now almost exclusively used. Also, ivory tends to chip more easily than plastic. Legal ivory can still be obtained in limited quantities. The Yamaha firm invented a plastic called "Ivorine" or "Ivorite" that mimics the look and feel of ivory; it has since been imitated by other makers.
Care and maintenance
Pianos need regular tuning to keep them up to pitch, which is usually the internationally recognized standard concert pitch of A4 = 440 Hz. The hammers of pianos are voiced to compensate for gradual hardening, and other parts also need periodic regulation. Aged and worn pianos can be rebuilt or reconditioned. Often, by replacing a great number of their parts, they can be made to perform as well as new pianos. Older pianos are often more settled and produce a warmer tone.
Piano moving should be done by trained piano movers using adequate manpower and the correct equipment for any particular piano's size and weight. Pianos are heavy yet delicate instruments. Over the years, professional piano movers have developed special techniques for transporting both grands and uprights which prevent damage to the case and to the piano's mechanics.
The piano is a crucial instrument in Western classical music, jazz, film, television, and most other complex western musical genres. Since a large number of composers are proficient pianists – and because the piano keyboard offers an easy means of complex melodic and harmonic interplay – the piano is often used as a tool for composition.
Pianos were, and still are, popular instruments for private household ownership. Hence, pianos have gained a place in the popular consciousness, and are sometimes referred to by nicknames including: "the ivories", "the joanna", "the eighty-eight", and "the black(s) and white(s)", "the little joe(s)". Playing the piano is sometimes referred to as "tickling the ivories". | <urn:uuid:e61a74fe-c7c3-4448-a1c1-923aadd6fc62> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://tinywiki.org/piano.html | 2013-06-19T14:37:55Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708142388/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516124222-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.960579 | 6,881 |
More than 200 American families have signed up to live in a planned fortress community in the Idaho mountains where residents will be required by law to bear arms.
According to its website, The Citadel is "a developing community of patriots in the mountains of Idaho who believe in Jefferson's Rightful Liberty and have chosen to live amongst one another, who have sworn their lives, their fortunes and their sacred honor to defend one another and liberty."
The Citadel will be located in western Idaho. Its organizers have already purchased 20 acres of land in Benwah County where they plan on building an arms factory to fund their project. Called III Arms, the company says it will produce camouflage AR-15 assault rifles and M1911 semi-automatic pistols engraved with the words "Let it begin here that every man is armed."
The Citadel will be built to accommodate 3,500 to 7,000 families. In addition to the III Arms factory, five neighborhoods, schools, a firearms museum, a power plant, an amphitheater and a farmers' market are planned. No word on whether Starbucks or McDonald's will be allowed in.
There will, of course, be churches, but no mosques, synagogues, temples or other religious edifices are indicated in the community's plans.
The Citadel website says that all residents will be bound by patriotism, pride in American exceptionalism, a proud history of liberty as defined by America's Founding Fathers and physical preparedness to survive natural and manmade disasters like economic collapse.
"The Citadel is not your typical planned community where the developer's objective is selling cookie-cutter homes at the highest possible profit margin," the community's website states. "The Citadel is not profit-driven. The Citadel is liberty driven; specifically, Thomas Jefferson's Rightful Liberty."
"There will be no HOA (homeowners' association)," the site continues. "There will be no recycling police and no local ordinance enforcers from City Hall."
Then, this warning: "Marxists, Socialists, Liberals and Establishment Republicans will likely find that life in our community is incompatible with their existing ideology and preferred lifestyles."
Apparently liberty ends with gun possession in The Citadel, because a number of regulations require that residents not only arm themselves but demonstrate their marksmanship and even carry weapons on their person. According to the Citadel Patriot Agreement, which every prospective resident must agree to (and submit a $208 application fee):
- Every able-bodied Patriot aged 13 and over... shall annually demonstrate proficiency with the rifle of his/her choice by hitting a man-sized target at 100 yards with open sights at the Citadel range. Each resident shall have 10 shots and must hit the target at least 7 times. (Residents 13 and older must do the same with a handgun at 25 yards).
- Every able-bodied Patriot of age within the Citadel will maintain one AR-15 variant in 5.56mm NATO, at least 5 magazines and 1,000 rounds of ammunition.
- Every child attending Citadel schools-- with parental discretion for maturity-- shall have as part of every semesters' class curriculum basic marksmanship and firearms safety training leading to the proficiency test on the child's 13th birthday as a 'Coming of Age' rite of passage.
- All Patriots, who are of age and who are not legally restricted from bearing firearms, shall agree to remain armed with a loaded sidearm whenever visiting the Citadel Town Center.
-Each household shall provide one able-bodied Patriot (aged 13 or older) who shall muster one Saturday per month for Martial/Support Training for neighborhood-level training and musters, as set forth by the Militia Commanders of the Community.
Additionally, Citadel residents must maintain sufficient food and water to sustain them for a year, pass a class on basic emergency medical care and participate in martial drills.
Citadel homes will be built with poured concrete for "exceptional strength and durability." Approved applicants receive a lifetime lease, paid off in 30 years. "No credit check. No background check. Zero down payment. Zero interest. Zero property tax," the community's website promises. A 1,200 square foot home on a half acre of land inside the Citadel walls will cost approximately $680 per month. A 3,000 square foot home on a full acre will cost about $1,695 per month.
In order to provide employment for Citadel residents, a firearms factory, small businesses and even tourism are planned:
"The Citadel intends to become a premier tourist destination for Americans, from sea-to-sea and from border-to-border. Not only will tourists travel to see the only real fortified castle and town in America, we intend to offer numerous attractions including a firearms museum where enthusiasts actually get to fire their favorite arms from history!"
If The Citadel sounds like the kind of place you'd like to call home, here's a link to their application.
"If Liberty has been missing from the life of your family, consider the Citadel for your new home," says the community's website. | <urn:uuid:de074397-1e77-452f-8b73-d0edccad4185> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/341291 | 2013-06-19T14:31:41Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708142388/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516124222-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.938502 | 1,028 |
Feature Article of Saturday, 31 March 2012
Columnist: Alfa, Abdur Rahman Shaban
School Worship and the Brazen Right Abuse of the Muslim Child Many are the rabid and vicious online readers, who I suspect look at headlines and launch scathing attacks on writers of articles. To all such people; can we for once have a fruitful discourse on a touchy topic as the above? Thanks and please read on!!!
The spirit and letter of the supreme law of our land: the 1992 constitution; is unequivocal about the rights and liberties put at the disposal of all resident within and to some extent outside the jurisdiction. These rights of course come with responsibilities.
Under fundamental human rights section of the constitution is the TWO key freedoms are guaranteed; FREEDOM OF ASSOCIATION AND FREEDOM OF WORSHIP. Pardon me if I am unable to go into the legalities and read beyond lay man’s comprehension.
The respective articles read thus; ‘All persons shall have the right to- Freedom of speech and expression, which shall include freedom of the press and other media; Freedom of thought, conscience and belief, which shall include academic freedom; Freedom to practice any religion and to manifest such practice.’
Quite clearly, the Supreme Law of the land (of which I adhere to in so far as it does not contravene Islamic law – Quran and Traditions of the Holy Prophet Mohammed,) allows for people of all faiths to practice their religion within the legal ambit as enshrined.
STATEMENT OF PROBLEM
But let all Muslims in Ghana ask ourselves whether or not we have asserted ourselves that much on the score of religious freedoms of our kids. Many Muslims kids (at different levels of the academic rung) have become victims of an anti – Islamic system that compels them to partake in a worship that they DO NOT ascribe to. All this is the case even as our religion frowns on compulsion of any kind that a person should become Muslim. Indeed, as far as Islam is concerned, an adherent of the faith is GUIDED by Allah and shall be of the successful on Judgment Day insha Allah.
That a Muslim child is thrust into the hands of the ‘kaafir’ – non believing – teachers from their formative years till their adolescence is a great ILL of at least my time and would be the case for the next generation if we don’t act and do so NOW.
Many times Muslim kids have come home singing hymns and other songs that are not in conformity with Islamic tenets and dogmas, why; because they are forced to attend school worship ceremonies usually on Wednesdays. Nauseatingly yet, these kids are to a large extent being forced to contribute to paying of ‘collection,’ another strikingly amazing area of compulsion failure to which they are punished. Mind you, this worship thing is in principle not sanctioned by the Ghana Education Service.
CALL TO ACTION
Clearly therefore, the law is on the part of Muslims but yet we fail woefully to assert ourselves and stand up to right what is a blatant wrong without a shred of doubt. For how long shall we allow Muslims kids to be sent through this blatant coercion? Shamelessly rather than unconsciously, even in Muslim schools that have been flooded by non Muslim teachers, this concept of worship is ongoing in sharp contrast to Muslim schools that have yet to force a non Muslim to partake in Salat (Compulsory prayers).
One case indeed very far from compulsion that can be cited is of how Ghana Lebanon Islamic Secondary School (GLISS) and other girls Islamic schools have made the wearing of veil compulsory for ALL students.
I am witness to a case in the school that I attended at Senior High School level, I was in St. Thomas Aquinas SHS – a catholic boys day school, and in the day we sang, danced, knelt and worshiped with the priests and nuns during mass. Whiles some practiced temporal Catholicism, the recalcitrant Muslims who skipped this mass – much as I disagreed with them – almost always had us all in trouble when the authorities hatched subtle plans to sabotage entry of Muslims, unconstitutional as it was.
Clearly a Muslim had better be absent than to show up in school during mass and be playing hide-and-seek with the authorities. That did not serve the general Muslim community and would never so do under any circumstances.
THE WAY FORWARD
Even if a block a day, let us start building our own schools where we can teach Muslim kids true unadulterated ISLAM void of all the unconstitutional compulsion that comes with it. Muslims should realize that all the schools that we fancy as prestigious and yearn for their children to enroll in earned their names over the years and certainly so must we build and empower our own schools to make it (them) insha Allah great and strong.
As for those government owned schools who clearly are flouting the GES and State Laws, let us stand up to them and insist that the right thing be done. Right is right and the opposite stands true.
Let us show some pride for ISLAM and if possible withdraw our kids from schools that refuse to abide by the law, subsequently, when it is that non Muslims enroll in our schools, let us not do what we protest is being done to ours.
For far too long, Muslims in this country (Ghana) have left too much to chance; it is as though we are meant to accept whatever situation that exists hook, line and sinker; yet we boast of a number of influential Muslims at every rung of the social ladder.
If we fail to act today, it shall be tantamount to having failed generations yet to be born. Mind you, the effects of technology and other intervening variables points to the fact that we must act NOW in our best interest of having obeyed the dictates of Allah. We are Muslims - one of million others fortunate to be worshippers of the one TRU GOD - Allah Subhaanahuu Wa Ta Aalaa. May HE be our aid, guide and protector in this life and forgive our trespasses here and in the hereafter. Salam!
© Abdur Rahman Shaban Alfa
- Abdur Rahman Shaban Alfa
Say: "O people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians)! Why do you reject the Ayat of Allah (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) while Allah is Witness to what you do?" QUR'AN 3:98 | <urn:uuid:92e6407b-e2d1-435a-87f1-ade6914fc68b> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/features/artikel.php?ID=234429 | 2013-06-19T14:31:14Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708142388/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516124222-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.951008 | 1,342 |
NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. MAKING A PURCHASE DOES NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING. ODDS OF WINNING WILL DEPEND ON THE TOTAL NUMBER OF ENTRIES RECEIVED. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. ONLINE ENTRY ONLY AND INTERNET CONNECTION REQUIRED. AFFIDAVIT OF ELIGIBILITY OR DECLARATION OF COMPLIANCE AND RELEASE OF LIABILITY FORM MAY BE REQUIRED.
BY ENTERING THE CONTEST, YOU AGREE TO THESE OFFICIAL CONTEST RULES, WHICH ARE A CONTRACT, SO READ THEM CAREFULLY BEFORE ENTERING. WITHOUT LIMITATION, THIS CONTRACT INCLUDES INDEMNITIES TO THE SPONSOR FROM YOU AND A LIMITATION OF YOUR RIGHTS AND REMEDIES.
The POPSUGAR Enter For a Chance to Meet Tina Fey (‘the Contest”) is sponsored by POPSUGAR Inc. (owner and operator of PopSugar.com) and having an address of 111 Sutter Street, Suite 850, San Francisco, CA 94104 (“Sponsor”). Entrant’s registration and participation in the Contest shall be governed by the terms and conditions contained herein (the “Official Contest Rules”).
ELIGIBILITY: The Contest is open only to permanent, legal residents physically residing in one of the fifty (50) United States of America and the District of Columbia, excluding Rhode Island, all U.S. territories and possessions and all overseas military installations. All entrants must be the age of majority in their respective state as of the date of entry. Employees of Sponsor and its respective parents, affiliates, subsidiaries, and advertising and promotion agencies and any other entity involved in the development or administration of this Contest, and their immediate family members or household members are not eligible to participate in or win the Contest. Winners may be required to sign an Affidavit of Eligibility or Declaration of Compliance and complete relevant tax forms as a condition to the delivery of the applicable prize. Void where prohibited by law. All applicable federal, state and local laws apply. No purchase is necessary to participate in the Contest.
HOW TO ENTER: No purchase is necessary to participate in the Contest. To enter, you must navigate to contest landing page (http://www.popsugar.com/27883281) and complete all of the following steps between 12:00 pm PST on Monday, February 11, 2013 and 12:00pm PST on Monday, February 25, 2013 (the “Entry Period”).
On Contest Landing Page (http://www.popsugar.com/27883281)
1. Enter First and Last Name and Email Address
2. Submit a response to the statement "Tell us why you're Tina's biggest fan.”
3. Submit a response to the question: “What is the one question you're dying to ask her?”
Only one (1) entry per person is eligible for participation.
WINNER SELECTION: Sponsor will choose ten (10) Semifinalists from all eligible entries received during the Entry Period based on each entrants’ creativity of response, demonstration of interest in and knowledge of Tina Fey, as determined in the sole discretion of employees or representative of Sponsor. These ten (10) Semifinalists will be interviewed via Skype by a panel of judges, each of which are employees or representatives of Sponsor (the “Semifinalist Skype Interview”). To participate in the Semifinalist Skype Interview, all Semifinalists must agree to execute and return a Talent Release Form and submit to a confidential background check, in addition to all other required documents detailed herein within the required timeframe. All Semifinalists must agree, that if determined to be the Grand Prize Winner, they be willing to travel on the dates required by Sponsor (currently on or around March 4, 2013. Of the ten (10) Semifinalists interviewed, one (1) will be selected as the Grand Prize winner and receive the Grand Prize. The Grand Prize Winner will be selected from the group of ten (10) Semifinalists based on each Semifinalists performance during the Semifinalist Skype interview in demonstrating an interest in and knowledge of Tina Fey, as determined in the sole discretion of the judges. One (1) Grand Prize is available. Decisions of the Sponsor are final and binding with respect to all matters related to the Contest. In no event shall the Sponsor be obligated to award more prizes than the number of prizes stated in these Official Rules. All entrants must be the age of majority in their respective state as of the date of entry.
The Semifinalists and potential Grand Prize Winner will be notified by email. However, Sponsor reserves the right to determine any alternative method of notification. Semi-finalists must respond to notifications and requests for Skype interviews within twelve (12) hours after the date of notification. A Semifinalist and potential Grand Prize Winner’s failure to respond to the notification emails within the specified twelve (12) hours will be considered such Contest winner's forfeiture of the potential prize and an alternate Semifinalist or potential Grand Prize Winner may be selected from the pool of eligible entries. If an entrant is found to be ineligible, an alternate winner may also be selected from the pool of eligible entries. Sponsor reserves the right to ship prizes directly to the email and/or mailing address provided by winners during their entry to the Contest. Each entry submitted in response to the Contest and in accordance with the rules will constitute an official entry. One (1) entry per person. Duplicate entries will be void. All entrants agree to abide by these Official Contest Rules. All entries become the property of the Sponsor.
The potential Grand Prize Winner (“Winner”) will be notified on or about February 28, 2013, no later than 11:59 PM PDT via email or phone and must accept the Grand Prize within six (6) hours from the date of notification. Sponsor reserves the right in its sole discretion to determine any alternative method of notification. One (1) Grand Prize is available.
The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. The Contest will be conducted under the supervision of the Sponsor. The decisions of the Sponsor are final and binding in all matters relating to this Contest. All entrants agree to abide by these Official Rules.
PRIZES: The Grand Prize consists of a trip for two (2) to New York City, New York and includes: (a) round-trip, economy-class air transportation for two (2) from the major airport with regularly scheduled flights closest to the winner’s permanent residence to New York City (or ground transportation at Sponsor’s discretion if winner resides within a 200-mile radius of New York City); (b) two (2) nights standard hotel accommodations (one double occupancy room and room tax only) in New York City (trip currently to be scheduled for on or around March 4, 2013) and (c) the opportunity for the Grand Prize Winner ONLY to possibly interview Tina Fey, subject to availability and other considerations. Approximate retail value of the travel portion of the Grand Prize only is two thousand Dollars ($2,000). There is NO monetary value whatsoever associated with the possibility of interviewing Tina Fey. The actual value of the Grand Prize may vary depending on date and times of travel, airfare fluctuations and hotel charges at the time of travel. Therefore, the actual value of the Grand Prize awarded may be lower or higher at the time it is fulfilled. Any difference between actual value and stated approximate retail value will not be awarded. Prizes issued in connection with this Contest, including the Grand Prize, are not redeemable for cash or transferable; and no substitution allowed except, at Sponsor’s sole discretion, for a prize of equal or greater value. Decisions of the Sponsor are final and binding with respect to all matters related to the Contest. In no event shall the Sponsor be obligated to award more prizes than the number of prizes stated in these Official Contest Rules. Winner and any guest of Winner must be the age of majority in their respective state as of the date of entry. Winner and any guest of Winner must travel on the same itinerary, on dates to be designated by Sponsor, and must have valid identification and any other documents necessary for travel.
Travel is subject to the restrictions and conditions set forth below. Any costs associated with the receipt of and/or use of the Grand Prize that are not expressly stated above are not included in the Grand Prize and are the responsibility solely of the Grand Prize Winner and his/her guest. Such costs may include, without limitation, any ground transportation, any unspecified state or local taxes or government surcharges or fees, service charges, facility fees, security fees, passenger tariffs or duties, trip and travel insurance and premiums, meals, drinks, incidentals, gratuities, telephone calls, charges for changing dates or other personal costs and expenses not specified herein and are the sole responsibility of the Grand Prize Winner and/or his or her guest. All Grand Prize-related travel arrangements will be administered by Sponsor. The Grand Prize Winner elects to travel or partake in Grand Prize trip with no guest, no additional compensation will be awarded to the Grand Prize Winner. Air transportation and hotel accommodations must be taken together and cannot be taken separately. No changes will be made to travel details once any element(s) of the travel arrangements have been booked, except at Sponsor’s sole discretion. All airline tickets issued in conjunction with Grand Prize are not eligible for upgrades, frequent flyer miles or any other promotional benefit. Sponsor will not replace any lost or stolen tickets, travel vouchers or certificates or similar items once they are in the Grand Prize Winner’s possession (or if the Grand Prize Winner is a minor, in his or her parent’s or legal guardian’s possession), or in the possession of the Grand Prize Winner’s guest. Grand Prize travel is subject to capacity controls, availability, blackout dates and certain other restrictions, which may include a Saturday night stay, all of which are subject to change. Travel must be roundtrip. Sponsor will determine airline and flight itinerary in its sole discretion. No stopovers are permitted on tickets issued as the Grand Prize; if a stopover occurs, the Grand Prize will terminate and full fare will be charged from the stopover point for the remaining trip segment(s), including the return. Once hotel and flight arrangements have been confirmed, no changes will be allowed except by Sponsor in its sole discretion. Any unclaimed and/or unused Grand Prize travel package or element thereof will be forfeited by Grand Prize Winner and his/her guest and will remain the property of Sponsor. No refund or compensation will be made in the event of the cancellation or delay of any flight. Travel is subject to the terms and conditions set forth in these Official Rules and those set forth by Sponsor’s air travel prize supplier, as detailed in the passenger ticket contract issued by such supplier. The exact travel dates will depend upon the date of the interview (currently dates of travel are scheduled to take place on or about March 4, 2013, but is subject to change). Winner shall be responsible and liable for all federal, state and local taxes on the value of the prize and for all costs and expenses related to the Grand Prize that are not specifically mentioned herein, including, but not limited to: additional ground transportation, room service, parking fees, food, alcoholic beverages, tips, and gratuities. The time, date, and location of the styling shall be determined by Sponsor in its sole discretion and is subject to the approval of Tina Fey and Focus Features. In the event that the possible interview opportunity listed in the prize description does not or cannot take place as scheduled or at all, for reasons including but not limited to scheduling conflicts, cancellations, postponement, an event of force majeure, or for any other reason in Sponsor’s sole discretion, the remaining components of the Grand Prize shall constitute full satisfaction of Sponsor’s prize obligation to the Grand Prize Winner, and no other or additional compensation will be awarded. In the event a winner and his or her guest engages in behavior that, as determined by Sponsor in its sole discretion, is obnoxious or threatening, disruptive, inappropriate, illegal or that is intended to annoy, abuse, threaten or harass any other person (or if the Grand Prize Winner and his or her guest has in the past engaged in such behavior and that subsequently becomes known to Sponsor), Sponsor reserves the right to send the Grand Prize Winner home with no further compensation. To receive a copy of any legally required winner’s list, or a copy of the Official Rules, send a self-addressed stamped envelope to Prize Fulfillment, POPSUGAR Inc., 111 Sutter Street, Suite 850, San Francisco, CA 94104. Specify winner's list or rules on your request.
WINNER HEREBY AGREES AND ACKNOWLEDGES ON BEHALF OF WINNER AND GUEST THAT ANY PHOTOS OR RECORDINGS OF TINA FEY, CREW OR FILMMAKERS FROM THE TAKEN BY WINNER AND/OR GUEST OR RECEIVED BY WINNER AND/OR GUEST MAY NOT BE USED IN ANY COMMERCIAL MANNER OR FOR ANY COMMERCIAL PURPOSE WHATSOEVER.
RELEASE AND INDEMNIFICATION: BY ENTERING THE CONTEST, ENTRANTS FOREVER AND IRREVOCABLY AGREE TO DEFEND, INDEMNIFY, RELEASE AND HOLD HARMLESS SPONSOR AND ITS DIRECTORS, OFFICERS, EMPLOYEES, SHAREHOLDERS, AGENTS, REPRESENTATIVES, SUCCESSORS AND ASSIGNS (COLLECTIVELY “RELEASEES”) FROM AND AGAINST ANY AND ALL LIABILITIES, LOSSES, COSTS, EXPENSES, DAMAGES, RIGHTS, CLAIMS, LAWSUITS, PENALTIES, PROCEEDINGS, JUDGMENTS AND ACTIONS OF ANY KIND ARISING IN WHOLE OR IN PART, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, FROM THE CONTEST, ENTRY, PARTICIPATION OR IN ABILITY TO PARTICIPATE IN ANY CONTEST-RELATED ACTIVITY (INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, THE REMOVAL FROM THE SITE OF, OR DISCONTINUATION OF ACCESS TO, ANY MATERIALS), OR RESULTING DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, FROM ACCEPTANCE, RECEIPT, DELIVERY, POSSESSION, ATTENDANCE AT, TRAVEL RELATED TO, DEFECT, USE, INABILITY TO USE OR MISUSE OF ANY PRIZE AWARDED IN CONNECTION WITH THE CONTEST, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION PERSONAL INJURY, DEATH, AND/OR PROPERTY DAMAGE, AS WELL AS CLAIMS BASED ON PUBLICITY RIGHTS, DEFAMATION, AND/OR INVASION OF PRIVACY.
LIMITATION OF LIABILITY: IN NO EVENT WILL RELEASEES BE RESPONSIBLE OR LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES OR LOSSES OF ANY KIND, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES, ARISING OUT OF ANY ACCESS TO AND/OR USE OF THE WEBSITE, THE DOWNLOADING FROM AND/OR PRINTING MATERIAL DOWNLOADED FROM THE WEBSITE, THE REMOVAL FROM THE WEBSITE OF, OR DISCONTINUATION OF ACCESS TO, ANY MATERIALS, OR THE ACCEPTANCE, RECEIPT, DELIVERY, POSSESSION, ATTENDANCE AT, TRAVEL RELATED TO, DEFECT, USE, INABILITY TO USE OR MISUSE OF, OR ANY HARM RESULTING FROM THE ACCEPTANCE, RECEIPT, DELIVERY, POSSESSION, ATTENDANCE AT, TRAVEL RELATED TO, DEFECT, USE, INABILITY TO USE OR MISUSE OF, OR PARTICIPATION IN, ANY PRIZE AWARDED IN CONNECTION WITH THE CONTEST. WITHOUT LIMITING THE FOREGOING, THE CONTEST, ALL PRIZES, AND ALL MATERIALS PROVIDED ON OR THROUGH THE WEBSITE ARE PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, AND NON-INFRINGEMENT.
Releasees shall not be liable to winner or any other person for failure to supply a prize or any part thereof, by reason of any acts of God, any action(s), regulation(s), order(s) or request(s) by any governmental or quasi-governmental entity (whether or not the action(s), regulation(s), order(s) or request(s) prove(s) to be invalid), equipment failure, terrorist acts, earthquake, war, fire, flood, explosion, unusually severe weather, hurricane, embargo, labor dispute or strike (whether legal or illegal), labor or material shortage, transportation interruption of any kind, work slow-down, civil disturbance, insurrection, riot, or any other cause beyond Releasees’s sole control. Releasees shall not be responsible for any cancellations, delays, diversions or substitutions or any act or omissions whatsoever by the air carrier(s), hotel(s), or other transportation companies or any other persons providing any of these services and accommodations to passengers including any results thereof such as changes in services or accommodations necessitated by same. Releasees shall not be liable for any loss or damage to baggage.
GENERAL CONDITIONS AND RELEASES: An entrant, Semifinalist, or potential Grand Prize Winner may be disqualified from the Contest if he or she fails to comply with each provision of these Official Contest Rules, as determined in the sole discretion of the Sponsor. As a condition of redeeming the Grand Prize, the Grand Prize Winner hereby grants the Contest Entities the right to photograph and/or record his or her interview and other participation and performance at the interview and use such recording, and the Grand Prize Winner’s name, likeness, image, voice, statements, biographical data and performance in perpetuity, in any media or manner now existing or hereinafter devised in connection with the promotion or advertising of the series “I’m a Huge Fan” (working title) without further compensation or the necessity for further consent. Participation in the Contest is at entrant’s own risk. Sponsor shall not be liable for 1) failed, returned or misdirected notifications based on inaccurate information provided by the winner on the Contest entry form, 2) entries and responses to winner notifications which are lost, late, incomplete, illegible, unintelligible, postage-due, misdirected, damaged or otherwise not received by the intended recipient in whole or in part or for computer or technical error of any kind, 3) any electronic miscommunications or failures, technical hardware or software failures of any kind, lost or unavailable network connections, or failed incomplete, garbled or delayed computer transmissions which may limit an entrant's ability to participate in the Contest, 4) any technical malfunctions of the telephone network, computer on-line system, computer equipment, software, program malfunctions or other failures, delayed computer transactions or network connections that are human, mechanical or technical in nature, or any combination thereof, including any injury or damage to entrant's or any other person's computer related to or resulting from downloading any part of this Contest or 5) any warranty of fitness or merchantability of any prize or the function or operation thereof, which shall be the sole responsibility of the manufacturer of the prize. Sponsor does not make any, and hereby disclaim any and all, representations or warranties of any kind regarding any prize. Unless prohibited by applicable law, your entry constitutes your permission to use your name, photograph, likeness, voice, address (city and state) and testimonials in all media, in perpetuity, in any manner Sponsor deems appropriate for publicity purposes without any further compensation to such entrant. By entering or accepting a prize in the Contest, winners agree to be bound by these Official Contest Rules and to conform to all federal, state and local laws and regulations. When applicable, the winner (or, if the winner is a minor, the winner's parent or legal guardian) may be required to execute and return to Sponsor within one (1) business day an Affidavit of Eligibility and a Liability and Publicity Release to be eligible for the prize or an alternate winner will be selected. Winner may be required to furnish proof of identity, address and birth date in order to receive a prize. By entering, an entrant agrees to release and hold harmless Sponsor and each of its respective parents, subsidiaries and affiliated entities, directors, officers, employees, attorneys, agents, and representatives (collectively, the “Released Parties”) from any damage, injury, death, loss, claim, action, demand, or other liability (collectively, “Claims”) that may arise from their acceptance, possession and/or use of any prize or their participation in the Contest, or from any misuse or malfunction of any prize awarded, regardless of whether such Claims, or knowledge of the facts constituting such Claims, exist at the time of entry or arise at any time thereafter. Released Parties are not responsible or liable to any entrant or to the winner or any person claiming through such winner for failure to supply the prize or any part thereof, by reason of any acts of God, any action, regulation, order or request by any governmental or quasi-governmental entity (whether or not the action, regulations, order or request proves to be invalid), equipment failure, threatened terrorist acts, terrorist acts, air raid, blackout, act of public enemy, earthquake, war (declared or undeclared), fire, flood, epidemic, explosion, unusually severe weather, hurricane, embargo, labor dispute or strike (whether legal or illegal) labor or material shortage, transportation interruption of any kind, work slow-down, civil disturbance, insurrection, riot, or any other cause beyond the Released Parties’ sole control. The Released Parties are not responsible for: (1) any incorrect or inaccurate information, whether caused by entrants, printing, electronic or human errors or by any of the equipment or programming associated with or utilized in the Contest; (2) viruses or technical failures of any kind, including, but not limited to malfunctions, interruptions, or disconnections in phone lines or network hardware or software; failed, incorrect, incomplete, inaccurate, garbled or delayed electronic communications or entry information, any error, omission, interruption, deletion, defect, delay in operation or transmission, failures or technical malfunction of any computer online systems, servers, providers, computer equipment, software, email, players or browsers, whether on account of technical problems, traffic congestion on the Internet or at any website, or on account of any combination of the foregoing; (3) the unavailability or inaccessibility of any transmissions or telephone or Internet service; (4) unauthorized human intervention in any part of the entry process or the Contest; (5) technical or human error which may occur in the administration of the Contest or the processing of entries; ( 6 ) late, lost, undeliverable, damaged or stolen mail or other methods of delivery; or (7) any injury or damage to persons or property which may be caused, directly or indirectly, in whole or in part, from entrant’s participation in the Contest or receipt or use or misuse of any prize; or (8) late, lost, misdirected, illegible, incomplete or mutilated entries or for theft, destruction or unauthorized access to, or alteration of entries. Any person attempting to defraud or in any way tamper with this Contest will be ineligible for prizes and may be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. Sponsor reserves the right to modify these Official Contest Rules in any way or at any time. Sponsor reserves the right, in their sole discretion, to cancel or suspend this Contest should viruses, bugs or other causes beyond their control corrupt the administration, security or proper play of the Contest. In the event of cancellation or suspension, Sugar shall promptly post a notice on the Contest entry page to such effect. This Contest shall be governed by California law. By participating in this Contest, entrants agree that California courts shall have jurisdiction over any dispute or litigation arising from or relating to this Contest and that venue shall be only in San Francisco, California.
This Contest is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook. | <urn:uuid:fa3a2a13-feb6-4aac-aca3-ca8dc5ea7d0f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.popsugar.com/Enter-Chance-Meet-Tina-Fey-Official-Contest-Rules-27891522 | 2013-06-19T06:11:26Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708142388/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516124222-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.902575 | 5,195 |
Posted: 07/04/2011 16:09:02 by
A PAIR of ospreys have returned to their nesting site in the Lake District. The birds are back at Bassenthwaite Lake - 10 years after the first male osprey chose the area for a nesting site.The bird, known as No Ring, was the first to nest in the Lakes for 150 years. Experts say he has returned with the female he paired up with for the first time in 2007.
It is hoped the birds will rear an 11th generation of young after two male chicks were produced last year.
Graeme Prest of the Lake District Osprey Project said: "It is wonderful news that the ospreys have returned for another season and have already mated. With a bit of luck, the female will be laying her eggs soon.”
Almost 100 people are part of a volunteer project to provide 24-hour observation on the nest. They also engage with the public about ospreys at the Dodd Wood viewpoint and Whinlatter Visitor Centre.
The public Osprey Viewpoint at Dodd Wood, near Keswick, has been opened and telescopes are being provided to see the birds.
Live images from the nest are also being beamed to a big screen at the nearby Whinlatter visitor centre. The osprey project is managed by a partnership of the Forestry Commission, Lake District National Park Authority and the RSPB.
Posted: 06/04/2011 21:15:43 by
Tuesday 5th April 2011
‘VERY knowledgable’ staff at a popular Kendal attraction are celebrating after securing a top accreditation.
Kendal Museum has been accredited as a Quality Assured Visitor Attraction - an assessment run by Visit England and recognises customer service and visitor experience at attractions across the country.
A Visit England assessor praised the strong collections, recognising the effort that has gone into creating a well-balanced wildlife gallery and the considerable effort that has been put into modernising the Wainwright Gallery.
In a report, the assessor said of the museum: “The Wildlife Gallery succeeds in presenting specimens from five continents in an imaginative and lively fashion that can be readily grasped by children”.
Learning facilities for children were also praised along with ‘excellent’ reading books being available.
The Wainwright Gallery was also commended for its cabinets and the assessor said that the staff ‘engaged well and were very knowledgeable’.
The assessor summed up his judgement and reported: “There is a wealth of excellent material in the museum – with the Wildlife Gallery and the Wainwright exhibits showing what can be achieved. The possibilities for mutually beneficial exchanges of skills with college courses and museum qualifications seem exciting. There is huge potential scope for the Museum.”
Posted: 06/04/2011 16:52:52 by
10:10am Wednesday 6th April 2011
A POPULAR visitor attraction in Bowness is in the running for a prestigious award for excellence.
Blackwell, The Arts and Crafts House project by Lakeland Arts Trust – one of Britain's finest surviving arts and crafts house by M.H.Baillie Scott - has been shortlisted from hundreds of entries for an award at the national Museums and Heritage Awards for Excellence.
Comedienne and broadcaster Sue Perkins will announce the 11 lucky winners at a ceremony at Westminister on May 11.
The Awards applaud projects ranging from groundbreaking achievements of national institutions to those crafted with limited resources and budget and winners will be selected by a panel of judges including Diane Lees, Director General, Imperial War Museums and Sam Mullins, Director, London Transport Museum and other leading sector professionals.
Tagged with: Arts
Posted: 06/04/2011 16:22:34 by
3:34pm Wednesday 6th April 2011
GARDENERS’ World presenter Carol Klein has been confirmed as the special guest at The Holker Garden Festival June 3 and 5.
Posted: 06/04/2011 16:04:21 by
Hi folks! Welcome to the new website which I'm sure you'll agree looks great. We hope you'll let us know what you think and whether there is any way you think it can be improved.
Have decided to start afresh with the blog - after all, its all about current news not past history, isn't it? So from now on you can not only follow us on Facebook and Twitter but also in a little more detail here on the blog.
The new bar that was the main 'refurbishment' in January looks absolutely fantastic and fits in so well it looks as though it has always been there, and the new décor brings the lounge bang up-to-date.
Since re-opening at the end of January, we have been really busy which is great, so thanks to all who have stayed with us so far this year - we've enjoyed seeing you.
The Special Interest holidays have been busy too, with a lot of familiar faces but some new ones too. The long-awaited 'on-line booking' system will go live soon - honest! I know its been promised for a long, long time but I can assure you the moment is nearly here - hence the new website.
Keep in touch........ | <urn:uuid:2d5bf2ee-bd99-430d-b94c-fddd49a0607f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.rothaymanor.co.uk/rothay-manor-blog/april-2011.aspx?page=3&tagid=175 | 2013-06-19T06:11:01Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708142388/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516124222-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.961489 | 1,104 |
After speaking with Matt Kenseth via phone on Wednesday afternoon, I feel like I have a better grasp on why he made the decision to leave Roush Fenway Racing for a yet-to-be-named team (likely Joe Gibbs Racing).
While Kenseth can't or won't say everything that led to his decision, he was very forthcoming about the details he felt he could talk about.
Here are some common questions from you and a few answers that might help you understand the move:
Kenseth doesn't have a full-time sponsor at Roush this year and might not have had one next year. Was stability the reason he left?
The stability of just having a job and staying in the sport ranks "almost on the bottom" of his priority list, Kenseth said.
"Winning races and trying to race for championships is on the top of my list, because you never know how long you can do this stuff," the 40-year-old said. "You never know when your last race is or your last lap is or your last win is or any of that."
Reading between the lines on everything that's happened, it seems like the decision to leave was Kenseth's -- though it certainly doesn't hurt Roush to move one of its younger, cheaper drivers in Ricky Stenhouse Jr. up the ladder into the Sprint Cup Series.
If Kenseth is having such a solid year and leading the points, why did he go looking for another team?
He didn't. Other teams knew Kenseth was a free agent who was unsigned past this season, and the driver said he was approached by one who had an opportunity that intrigued him. As recently as a month or two ago, Kenseth planned on being at Roush for his entire career -- just as team owner Jack Roush said he did.
When he got the initial phone call expressing interest, Kenseth said he didn't think, "Yeah, that's what I'm going to do for sure."
"But after some talking and getting to know some people and some things that were happening, I think it just felt like it was the right thing to do," he said. "You look back and you're like, 'Oh man, I hope this is right.' But I felt really strongly it was the right thing to do and that was the place for me and the time to go do that. And I still feel like that."
Was there a behind-the-scenes argument at Roush that we don't know about?
Not according to Kenseth, who said he knows the lack of "one great reason" makes it harder for reporters and fans to understand his decision.
"It's a combination of a lot of things and timing," he said. "There's nobody that was mad. There wasn't a fight, there wasn't a disagreement or somebody not doing something. There wasn't really any of that. I know that doesn't sound like a good answer, but that's really the truth."
Kenseth said there was "no resistance from anywhere," and that it felt like all the pieces just fell into place for his move to happen. It certainly helped Kenseth to know Roush wanted to get Stenhouse Jr. into a Cup car.
"I really think things happen for a reason and things line up like that sometimes," he said. "When they do, that's how it was meant to go – and that's what happened here."
OK, but this is all about the money, right?
Kenseth has always been sensitive about his contract situation and won't discuss financial details. And this year, it's worth noting, Kenseth wouldn't even publicly acknowledge his free agent status.
If he was going for a big payday, he perhaps could have used the media to gain leverage -- either with Roush or potential suitors -- but instead, he kept quiet about it the whole time.
Sources told SB Nation that Kenseth might actually be taking a pay cut with his new team rather than scoring a bigger deal. If he'd remained at Roush, though, he may have gotten even less due to the sponsorship situation there.
Roush will save millions per year by signing Stenhouse Jr. instead of Kenseth, which will lower the price point for sponsorship.
Why can't Kenseth and his new team (again, likely JGR) just announce their deal now? Are there sponsorship concerns still to be worked out?
Kenseth said he simply couldn't talk about the details of where he's headed in 2013, even the reasons why an announcement can't be made yet. He said the news will be made public "hopefully sooner than later" and all sides had already reached an agreement, including his new sponsors.
"Everything is set; everything is in place," he said. "I think we're good there. I feel good about '13 and beyond. I don't think it's any of that."
The driver said his new team -- which he called "another very winning organization" -- is a good fit for him and he believes he can be successful there.
Isn't Kenseth getting kind of old to start over with a new team?
Not at all. Though Kenseth is 40, that's not old for a race car driver. Tony Stewart just won the championship at 40 last year, and Mark Martin is still racing competitively at age 53.
Kenseth said Wednesday it's impossible to say right now how much longer he plans to race.
"I just don't know," he said. "And by saying 'I don't know,' I feel like that means I'm so far away from the end or when I want to walk away that I can't even fathom when that is. I sure hope to be driving for a long time."
Why can't the media just respect Kenseth's decision and leave him alone?
Kenseth knew there were questions about his move and wanted to fulfill interview requests for as many reporters as possible. It was his decision to talk for so long.
He spent three straight hours on Wednesday afternoon doing phone interviews with 13 different reporters and answering mostly the same questions the entire time.
I'm still confused. Will all the details about Kenseth's decision come out eventually?
Not if the driver has his way. Kenseth, who has always been a private person, said there's nothing to be gained by talking about some of the specific conversations or factors that led to the move.
"There are a fair amount of closed-door things or feelings or circumstances or whatever that will probably never get talked about, just because it doesn't do anybody any good at the end of the day," he said.
That said, once Kenseth and his new team make their announcement, everything might make more sense. | <urn:uuid:31e28d16-6525-4105-ac64-d727e8d0c219> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.sbnation.com/nascar/2012/6/27/3121646/matt-kenseth-nascar-roush-fenway-racing-2012 | 2013-06-19T06:04:50Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708142388/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516124222-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.992491 | 1,414 |
SANTA CLARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
The Dallas Morning News has named McAfee among the Top 100 Places to Work in Dallas, Ft. Worth. McAfee, the world’s largest dedicated security company, made the Top 100 list in the Large Company category for the second year in a row by showcasing their dedicated work ethic and commitment to giving back to the community.
McAfee was chosen as a Top Place to Work based on an independently conducted anonymous survey of its employees by The Dallas Morning News’ research partner, Workplace Dynamics. More than 35% of McAfee employees responded to the Workplace Dynamics survey to show overwhelming support of the security company. Not only did McAfee make the Top 100 list but it also topped the Top 20 Best Large Companies to work for.
“To be chosen for a second year demonstrates McAfee’s continued commitment in offering a workplace where all of its employees can grow their careers and pursue their passion of keeping people safe online,” said J.C. Herrera, SVP of Global Human Resources. “McAfee strives on making the workplace a flexible and positive environment, which in turn enables us to attract top talent within the industry. Not only are we passionate about giving back to our employees, but the communities in which we live and work as well. We are proud of our diverse and dynamic workforce.”
The company values and understands that its employees’ hard work and commitment contributes to its daily success. McAfee prides itself on its supportive work environment, community involvement, work-life balance, wellness reimbursement, achievement acknowledgement, free refreshment centers, telecommuting benefits, bonus programs and Friday breakfasts for employees. In addition to its emphasis on recognition and showing appreciation for hard work, the McAfee culture values having fun and giving back.
McAfee is able to stand out through its commitment to making the world a safer place. This year, more than 50% of McAfee employees participated in the Global Community Service Day. Employees showcased their work ethic outside the office by volunteering in more than one hundred nonprofits around the world. By feeding the hungry and the homeless, working with children, rebuilding homes for low-income families, painting buildings, planting trees, cleaning up beaches and caring for animals in shelters, McAfee employees showed that their commitment to safety lies far beyond the four walls of their office buildings.
This year’s DMN Top 100 Places to Work list was compiled from a 24-question survey sent to employees asking them their opinions on six areas of the workplace including direction, execution, career, conditions, managers, and pay and benefits. The research firm has studied responses from 3,500 organizations and 1,450,000+ employees. This is the fourth annual Top 100 Places to Work survey. Winners were announced during the annual luncheon held on Monday, November 12, at the Fairmont Hotel in Dallas, Texas.
McAfee has also received accolades globally for its company culture. The Australian office has been named a finalist in the Australian HR Awards in the Employer of Choice category and one of BRW Magazine’s 50 Best Places to Work in 2012. They achieved a ranking of 11th best place to work out of all companies, across all industries that participated in this survey. This award is a clear recognition of the ongoing approach that the McAfee Australia team has taken to our employee engagement through the internal MyVoice surveys and external Great Place to Work Surveys.
McAfee, a wholly owned subsidiary of Intel Corporation (INTC), empowers businesses, the public sector and home users, to safely experience the benefits of the Internet. The company delivers proactive and proven security solutions and services for systems, networks, and mobile devices around the world. With its Security Connected strategy, innovative approach to hardware-enhanced security, and unique Global Threat Intelligence network, McAfee is relentlessly focused on keeping its customers safe. http://www.mcafee.com
NOTE: McAfee is a trademark or registered trademark of McAfee, Inc. or its subsidiaries in the United States and other countries. Other names and brands may be claimed as the property of others. The product plans, specifications and descriptions herein are provided for information only and subject to change without notice, and are provided without warranty of any kind, express or implied.
Tracy Ross, 408-346-5965 | <urn:uuid:a2575d1c-0bb5-488c-ad04-cc1763a703f2> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://finance.yahoo.com/news/mcafee-amongst-dallas-morning-news-130000771.html | 2013-05-19T18:29:16Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697974692/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095254-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.948847 | 897 |
The Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) yesterday banned 34 companies from participating in public procurement for what it termed as failure to deliver and violating their contractual obligations.
With the latest one-year ban, the respective companies would not be allowed to supply goods and services to public offices countrywide, Vice-Chairman of the PPRA board of directors, Retired Judge Thomas Mihayo said yesterday.
“It was not easy to institute such punishment, but we had no other option. Procurement laws and regulations must be respected…” Judge Mihayo told reporters shortly after PPRA's board meeting held in Dar es Salaam .
The ban comes in the face of growing public concerns over massive violation of procurement laws and regulations in public circles, creating loopholes for corruption and embezzlement of public funds.
A series of reports released by the Controller and Auditor General (CAG) unearthed syndicates of government executives who are colluding with private companies to siphon public funds through procurements made by public offices.
PPRA vice-chairman said a ban imposed on 34 companies “would provide a lesson to others.”
According to Judge Mihayo, the authority’s board of directors imposed the ban in accordance with Regulation No. 102 (2) published in the Government Gazette No. 97 of 2005.
“26 out of 34 companies are banned because they failed to deliver, as per the contracts they had signed with various public institutions…they will not participate in public procurement for a span of one year,” noted board vice-chairman, adding “eight companies are banned because they colluded with public executives in effecting payments for unfinished public jobs.”
Besides, PPRA board expressed dismay over reluctance and deliberate failure by district councils, municipalities and other public institutions to comply with procurement laws and regulations.
Reading resolutions of the regulatory board, retired Judge Mihayo said several councils and municipalities which performed poorly in public procurement during PPRA’s 2010/11 performance audit were reluctant to correct mistakes—a clear signal that “Tanzanians should expect massive frauds, embezzlement, misappropriation of public funds in the coming and subsequent financial years.”
After the audit, according to Judge Mihayo, PPRA sat down with the respective public institutions in the context of devising strategies to improve their performances.
“We agreed in principle that, they (institutions) would sponsor tailor-made PPRA courses on how to implement public procurement laws and regulations in their purchases…to our surprise, all of them accepted but none of them turned up for the training,” said the vice-chairman.
“As we are talking to you, all of them are quiet…implying that they would continue procuring goods and services using their own styles. And this behaviour puts billions of tax-payers money at risk. So, we should expect more thefts and misuse of public funds in public offices,” he further stated. Ramadhani Mlinga, the PPRA Chief Executive Officer, 34 companies currently facing the ban include Lemungo Construction Co. Ltd, Majajulu Investment Ltd, Ostrich Maintenance Works Ltd, Nzori General Enteprises Ltd, Commetech Contractors Ltd, Naiko Supplies Company Ltd, Shedol Construction Ltd, Maktech & Tel Company Ltd, Jimmy Money Enterprises, Zephania Ngeleja of Ukerewe, Mawson Construction Ltd, Mahende Garage and Construction Co. Ltd, Nyanda & Company, Kipusi Traders, Jawabu Construction Company Ltd, Mike Construction, Rana Decoration, Building and Civil Contractors.
Others are Grace Mbilinyi, Computech ICT Ltd, Girland Developers Ltd, Camsa Construction Company Ltd, Twabaha Construction Company Ltd, Mailaka Building Contractors and Civil Works, Mussa S. Mbweso, Ligero Contractors Company Ltd, Julius Mwamlima Contractors, Muson Engineers Ltd, Man-Ncheye Pa Company Ltd, F.I.C Ltd, Nyegezi JJ Construction Ltd, Jossam and Company Ltd, Satelite Contractors Company Ltd, Icon Engineers, Tengo Construction Ltd.
Mlinga mentioned district councils, municipalities and public institutions which are reluctant to implement Procurement Act regulations as: Tanzania Coffee Board, Baraza la Kiswahili la Taifa, Urambo District Council, Mtwara Urban and Sewerage Authority, High Court of Tanzania, Air Tanzania Corporation, Mkinga District Council, Singida Municipal Council, Igunga District Council, Sengerema District Council, Prisons Department, Ministry of Home Affairs, Masasi District Council, UWASA Morogoro,
Others are: Tanzania Ports Authority, Institute of Judicial Administration, Contractors Registration Board, Kilolo District Council, Kilombero District Council, Nachingwea District Council, Tanzania Cotton Board, Lindi Urban Water and Sewarage Authority, Kinondoni Municipal Council, Tunduru District Council, Temeke Municipal Council, Same District Council and Tanesco. | <urn:uuid:00ba5424-ac09-4012-bae7-2adbca49a0bc> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://ippmedia.com/frontend/index.php/.fronpenindex.m_paper_topics/medical_sociology/ical_social_work/_pape/www.ce.momical_sociology/ical_social_work/?l=42909 | 2013-05-19T19:05:04Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697974692/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095254-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.928081 | 1,081 |
|Chiusano Joseph||Sep 20, 2004 5:04 pm|
|Thomas B. Passin||Sep 20, 2004 5:39 pm|
|Bullard, Claude L (Len)||Sep 21, 2004 2:49 pm|
|Thomas B. Passin||Sep 21, 2004 3:35 pm|
|Bullard, Claude L (Len)||Sep 22, 2004 8:44 am|
|Chiusano Joseph||Sep 22, 2004 1:48 pm|
|Bullard, Claude L (Len)||Sep 22, 2004 1:59 pm|
|Rick Marshall||Sep 22, 2004 2:23 pm|
|Rick Marshall||Sep 22, 2004 2:42 pm|
|Bullard, Claude L (Len)||Sep 24, 2004 6:45 am|
|Rick Marshall||Sep 24, 2004 2:38 pm|
|Bullard, Claude L (Len)||Sep 24, 2004 2:59 pm|
|David RR Webber (XML eBusiness)||Sep 27, 2004 10:11 am|
|Bullard, Claude L (Len)||Sep 27, 2004 10:26 am|
|Chiusano Joseph||Sep 27, 2004 11:52 am|
|Bullard, Claude L (Len)||Sep 27, 2004 12:30 pm|
|David RR Webber (XML eBusiness)||Sep 30, 2004 9:04 am|
|Bullard, Claude L (Len)||Sep 30, 2004 9:16 am|
|Subject:||Re: [xml-dev] [Fwd: Potential Gap (WAS Re: [owl-s] communication between web services)]|
|From:||David RR Webber (XML eBusiness) ([email protected])|
|Date:||Sep 27, 2004 10:11:48 am|
The ebXML Registry is using http-binding (aka REST) interfacing that people may find instructive to review, and especially the use of security and digital certificate management in tandem with registry.
Also for more extended needs I suggest also that people look of course at the OASIS work on ASAP particularly - that has solid implementations available, and then naturally ebXML which is designed from the ground-up to avoid the messaging hair-balls that the un-initiated may otherwise encounter during real deployment environments - rather than just cute demo's...
When it comes to actual business requirements - buyer should always beware of the marketing phrase "Your mileage may vary" and seek to deploy enough technology to solve their business needs without getting caught in featuritus, nor painting themselves into a box for future expansion.
We never said this is easy - but the "my thingy is better than their thingy" bashing certainly ignores the fact that often a blend of techologies may well be the optimal solution.
Bullard, Claude L (Len) wrote:
As I scroll through the latest round of Web services vs REST debates, it's like watching the American presidential election. I read articles which attempt to characterize the complexity of web services with page counts of the specs, but they don't explain how the alternatives will support the complexities of large scale enterprise applications. Or they say, 'we don't do those so we don't care' which is fine but worthless as critique.
In other words, no one seems to deal with the issues, they are just banging away at the reputation of their opposition and no matter how one dresses that up, it is just demogoguery intended to confuse the marketplace.
A feedback loop for learning requires one to be willing to learn. That means measurements of the problem, not measurements of the containers.
So far, I haven't seen much about the semantic web services that I can't do with code except reuse the code blindly. So I am a bit sceptical of the immediate utility, but I've been wrong before about things like that. On the other hand, with regards to web services, from where I sit, there are immediate needs to apply this technology and I am not concerned that major vendors are pulling away into small teams to get the work done faster. I am very concerned that policy for its application (eg, privacy guidelines, retention guidelines, access guidelines, and so on) are not being created particularly in the U.S.A. where the implementations will penetrate the systems fast once we are past the upcoming election. In a millieu in which it has become acceptable to deny facts, fudge measurements, and otherwise just bang on the opposition without regard to the reality of the situation on the ground, I am pessimistic about how well this conflation of technical politics and governance will work out in the near term. To use a feedback loop, one has to be willing to learn not just redirect fire on the same target.
From: Rick Marshall [mailto:[email protected]]
all the ws-* stuff and all the owl stuff will need similar feedback loops for learning. they will need to cope with generalities and specifics. they will need access to computer equivalents of google and they will need a way to evaluate the results.
The list archives are at http://lists.xml.org/archives/xml-dev/
To subscribe or unsubscribe from this list use the subscription manager: <http://www.oasis-open.org/mlmanage/index.php> | <urn:uuid:66d4c7e4-939a-4f30-9113-3b1073c2946f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://markmail.org/message/7i3hbbzjd3xqrrm2 | 2013-05-19T18:34:34Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697974692/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095254-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.913604 | 1,134 |
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Vol. 43 (2001) through current issue
Criticism provides a forum for current scholarship on literature, media, music and visual culture. A place for rigorous theoretical and critical debate as well as formal and methodological self-reflexivity and experimentation, Criticism aims to present contemporary thought at its most vital.
Explores the cultural, industrial, formal, and generic contexts of the television soap opera Dark Shadows as a precursor to today’s popular gothic media franchises.
By dramatizing the intersection of self-interested capitalism and foundational violence in a mining camp in 1870s South Dakota, the HBO series Deadwood reinvented the television Western. In this volume, Ina Rae Hark examines the groundbreaking series from a variety of angles: its relationship to past iterations of the genre on the small screen; its production context, both within the HBO paradigm and as part of the oeuvre of its creator and showrunner David Milch; and its thematics. Hark’s comprehensive analysis also takes into account the series’ trademark use of language: both its unrelenting and ferocious obscenity and the brilliant complexity of its dialogue. Hark argues that Deadwood dissolves several traditional binaries of the Western genre. She demonstrates that while the show appears to pit individuality, savagery, lawlessness, social regulation, and civilization against each other, its narrative shows that apparent opposites are often analogues, and these forces can morph into allies very quickly. Indeed, perhaps the show’s biggest paradox and most profound revelation is that self-interest and communitarianism cannot survive without each other. Hark closely analyzes Al Swearengen (as played by Ian McShane), the character who most embodies this paradox. A brutal cutthroat and purveyor of any vice that can turn him a profit, Swearengen nevertheless becomes the figure who forges connections among the camp’s disparate individuals and shepherds their growth into a community. Deadwood is quintessentially, if unflatteringly, American in what it reveals about the dark underpinnings of national success rooted not in some renewed Eden but in a town that is, in the apt words of one of its promotional taglines, “a hell of a place to make your fortune.” Fans of the show and scholars of television history will enjoy Hark’s analysis of Deadwood.
Youth, Reeducation, and Reconstruction after the Second World War
During Hitler’s reign, the Nazis deliberately developed and exploited a youthful image and used youth to define their political and social hierarchies. After the war, with Hitler gone but still requiring cultural exorcism, many intellectuals, authors, and filmmakers turned to these images of youth to navigate and negotiate the most difficult questions of Germany’s recent, nefarious past. Focusing on youth, education, and crime allowed postwar Germans to claim one last realm of sovereignty against the Allies’ own emphatic project of reeducation. Youth, reeducation, and reconstruction became important sites for the occupied to confront not only the recent past, but to negotiate the present occupation and, ultimately, direct the future of the German nation. Disciplining Germany analyzes a variety of media, including literature, news media, intellectual history, and films, in order to argue that youth and education played a central role in Germany’s coming to terms with the Nazi past. Although there has been a recently renewed interest in Germany’s coming to terms with the past, this attention has largely ignored the role of youth and reeducation. This lacuna is particularly perplexing given that the Allies’ reeducation project became, in many ways, a cipher for the occupational project as a whole. Disciplining Germany opens up the discussion and points toward more general conclusions not only about youth and education as sites for wider socio-political and cultural debates but also about the complexities of occupation and the intertwining of different national cultures. In this investigation, the study attends to both “high” and “low” cultural text—to specialized versus popular texts—to examine how youth was mobilized across the generic spectrum. With these interdisciplinary approaches and timely interventions, Disciplining Germany will find a diverse readership, including upper-division and graduate courses in German studies and German history as well as those general readers interested in Nazi Germany, cultural history, film and literary studies, youth culture, American studies, and post-conflict and occupational situations.
Vol. 22, no. 3 (2000) through current issue
Discourse explores a variety of topics in contemporary cultural studies, theories of media and literature, and the politics of sexuality, including questions of language and psychoanalysis. The journal publishes valuable and innovative essays on a wide range of cultural phenomena, promoting theoretical approaches to literature, film, the visual arts, and related media.
This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Walt Disney Company's network television series Disneyland/The Wonderful World of Color. The series, part of Walt Disney's quest to re-create American entertainment, premiered October 27, 1954 on ABC and was the longest-lived program in television history. Over the years, Walt Disney's visions have evolved into family-oriented cinema, television, theme parks. From the lovable Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck to magical places like Frontierland, Disneyland/The Wonderful World of Color generated some of the most popular fads of the era. In Disney TV, J. P. Telotte examines the history of the Disney television series while placing it in context—the film industry's reaction to television in the post-World War II era, the Disney Studios’ place in the American entertainment industry, and Walt Disney’s dream to create the modern theme park. Telotte’s guiding principle in this examination is to illustrate how Disney changed the relationship between cinema and television and, perhaps more importantly, how it affected American culture. The conciseness of Telotte's book is a major advantage over other leading Disney scholarship. Detailed, without including minutia, Telotte provides the reader with the key issues that surrounded the development of the Disney phenomenon. This book will attract a wide array of readers--scholars of television, media, and film studies, popular culture students, and all those touched by the magic of Disney.
A comprehensive account of Doctor Who as a television series and product of popular culture. | <urn:uuid:4971faa5-c431-47b1-be30-cfdba2026faf> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://muse.jhu.edu/browse/publishers/waynestate?items_per_page=10&browse_view_type=default&m=41 | 2013-05-19T18:26:31Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697974692/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095254-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.936167 | 1,332 |
This study addressed the separate and combined association between insurance and/or a USC and access to health care for adults in the US. The uninsured without a USC were at highest risk for not receiving needed services. In many cases, having only insurance or only a USC was associated with higher rates of unmet needs as compared to having both. In addition to the differences noted among the INS/USC subgroups, there were consistent patterns of increased vulnerability among those in all income categories below 400% FPL and among those reporting less than “excellent” health status. Those over age 65 were less likely to experience unmet medical needs, problems getting care and delayed care, than those in the reference age group between 18–24 years of age. This confirms previous work which has found that receipt of unmet health care needs, and many disparities in basic cardiovascular risk measures, decline for those over age 65.32–37
It has been reported that these declines are largely due to many uninsured adults obtaining Medicare at age 65. However, we controlled for insurance status, so there may be an additional protective effect from Medicare insurance as compared to another type of insurance. In addition, perhaps, those in this age group may be more proficient at navigating the health care system to get their needs met or they may be less likely to report an unmet need.
As shown in Table , those without insurance were more likely to not have a USC and vice versa; however, Table shows that 15% of adults have either insurance or a USC but not both, highlighting that access to one does not guarantee access to the other. This suggests that covering millions more with stable health insurance will not ensure that everyone has a USC. In fact, some studies propose that expanding eligibility for public insurance programs or mandating individual coverage, without a mechanism to ensure adequate provider capacity, will merely result in more covered Americans with nowhere to go for care.13,38–40
Alternatively, expanding the number of community health centers may bolster the capacity of the safety net in order to improve access to a USC, but leave thousands without insurance to cover necessary prescription medications, tests, referrals and ancillary services.41
Concurrent with health insurance reforms, there is a separate need to focus on bolstering the US health system’s capacity to provide a stable usual source of care.
Further, even individuals with financial access (i.e. insurance) and structural access (i.e. a USC) do not always receive care.5,8,12
For example, in this study, 5.4% to 37.1% of adults in the Yes INS/Yes USC group reported having at least one of the unmet health care needs. This suggests that having insurance and a USC provides potential access
, but the degree of synergy between them dictates whether realized access
is achieved (Fig. ).
Potential and realized access to health care services.
Figure illustrates the difference between the potential for care and the reality of care. An individual can have insurance, which provides potential financial access; but if he or she cannot find a primary care physician within the insurance network, care cannot be realized. Alternatively, if structural access is available but the care is unaffordable (i.e. lack of financial access), then the care is not realized. In either case, potential access is not real access until both financing and delivery are coordinated and consistently available. Figure demonstrates the important overlap that must exist to make access a reality—only at the confluence of the two circles. Thus, unmet need does not mean having no access; rather, unmet need is the difference between having potential and realized access (the outer, non-overlapping areas of each circle in Figure ). This model might help to explain why over one-third of adults with insurance and a USC reported at least one unmet need in this study. If someone has financial and structural access (potentially) but the circles in Figure have little or no overlap, then they are likely to experience unmet needs.
There are exceptions. Some individuals who lack potential access or who have minimal overlap do realize care. For example, a patient’s USC might agree to continue seeing her even though she has lost insurance and no longer has financial access. Or, a patient who has changed insurance carriers may pay out-of-pocket to continue receiving services from a trusted USC outside of his network (although this is rare and usually results in patient’s reducing contact with their USC).19
“Patient-centered medical homes” might help to improve synergistic relationships between the financing and delivery of primary health care, especially if payment mechanisms are transformed to facilitate comprehensive and integrated care.42–49
Innovators have made headway in defining and demonstrating medical home models.44,45,50–53
However, the number of US medical school graduates entering primary care professions has been in a rapid decline, which casts doubt on the US health care system’s ability to provide a basic USC, whether a medical home or not, to all newly insured persons.54
Thus, it remains to be seen whether medical home efforts to improve quality and performance will increase capacity and ensure continuous access to a USC.
Secondary data analyses are limited to existing data. For example, MEPS-HC data are available through 2007, so we were not able to ascertain the effects of the recent economic downturn. We reported on cross-sectional measures for both insurance and a USC because we did not have data to capture longitudinal USC status; therefore, we could not capture the effects of duration of insurance and/or continuity with a USC.55–57
We also did not account for the type of USC provider, which might contribute to subtle differences that were not measured in this study.58
Also, we did not include a full analysis of the specific reasons people reported a lack of a USC; however, upon review of the main reasons we found the top reported to be that respondents were seldom or never sick and the second most common was that the cost of medical care was too high. Since we used a subgroup that included people who had seen a clinician at least once in the past year and who reported that they had a need for care, it is unlikely that these reasons for a lack of USC would change our results. As with all studies that rely on self-report, response bias remains a possibility.
Although the MEPS-HC is representative of the civilian, non-institutionalized US population, the observational nature of the data limits causal inferences. We aimed to achieve consistency in our examination; thus, we included the same covariates across all logistic regression models. We secondarily assessed associations with other covariates, but did not build individual models for a comprehensive examination of each covariate.
Finally, we recognize that every state has unique insurance programs, and the availability of services varies widely by region. While we could not account for the willingness of providers to care for underserved populations or the availability of safety net services in every region, the multivariable analyses did include a MEPS-HC geographic region variable, which would be considered a crude proxy for some of these variations. | <urn:uuid:d1daf7ac-9c1f-4f46-a4ba-45211503547b> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://pubmedcentralcanada.ca/pmcc/articles/PMC3157522/?lang=en-ca | 2013-05-19T19:01:22Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697974692/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095254-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.970219 | 1,466 |
To junior Syracuse forward Fantasia Goodwin, a baby girl last Thursday—two months after Goodwin last played for the Orange. Goodwin (below), the team's third-leading scorer last season, revealed last week that on Feb. 25, the day before Syracuse's final game, she told coach Quentin Hillsman that she had been hiding her pregnancy all season. (Hillsman told her to skip the game and see a doctor.) "[The baby] is healthy; I'm healthy," Goodwin, 21, told the Syracuse Daily Orange. "I plan on returning ... in the fall to continue my senior year and play basketball."
Guilty, to distributing steroids to dozens of current and former major leaguers, onetime Mets clubhouse attendant Kirk Radomski. The 37-year-old Radomski, a Manorville, N.Y., native who was employed by the team from 1985 through '95, told federal investigators that he provided steroids, human growth hormone and other performance-enhancing drugs to players between '95 and 2005. (The names of players Radomski sold to were blacked out on a search warrant affidavit obtained by SI.) Prosecutors say Radomski was a major source of banned drugs for big leaguers after BALCO was shut down in '03. He faces up to 25 years in prison, and as a condition of his plea will cooperate with the federal steroids probe and baseball's internal investigation headed by former U.S. senator George Mitchell.
$10,000 by NASCAR and placed on probation for the rest of the year, driver Juan Pablo Montoya, for making an obscene gesture on live television. Montoya flipped the bird at a camera while sitting in his car during practice on April 19 at Phoenix International Raceway. He said he did not know that the camera was providing a live feed for the Speed Channel. "I feel really bad that the incident happened," Montoya said. "I completely understand NASCAR's point of view and their decision."
By Duke, the ACC men's lacrosse championship. On Sunday the Blue Devils, who had most of their 2006 season canceled after three players were accused of rape by a dancer hired to perform at a team party, defeated Virginia in the tournament final, giving the school its first ACC lacrosse title since '02. (Charges against the accused players were dropped last month.) "We talked about leaving a legacy here," said senior Matt Danowski (below), who scored three goals in the final. "It's another testament to the character of the guys on this team and the way we've stuck [together] throughout this whole thing."
By CBS, a commercial for Maxfli balls in which John Daly drinks a beer while driving a golf cart. In the ad Daly, who has been treated for alcohol abuse in the past, is also seen singing in a crowded bar. "Any implied or direct reference to excessive consumption of alcohol would not meet network guidelines," said a CBS spokesperson. (The spot has appeared several times on Golf Channel.) The New York Times reported that Daly was drinking ginger ale when the commercial was filmed. "We looked at John Daly as someone who lights up a room," Bob Maggiore, senior director of marketing for TaylorMade- Adidas, which makes Maxfli balls, told the paper, "not someone with a troubled past."
A month after taking Boston College to its first women's Frozen Four, coach Tom Mutch. BC said Mutch quit after the school began looking into allegations of inappropriate conduct with his players. Last week the Boston Herald, citing an anonymous source, reported that Mutch, 39, had received sexually explicit text messages from forward Kelli Stack, a freshman who scored a team-high 54 points last season. Mutch, who had coached the Eagles since 2003, was named Hockey East coach of the year in March. He did not respond to SI's requests for comment.
By Stuard Baldonado, one of the Duquesne basketball players shot at an on-campus dance last September, a lawsuit alleging that the university failed to adequately protect its students. A junior forward who was academically ineligible last season, Baldonado was wounded in the arm and chest when a gunman who was not a student opened fire. (Four other players were injured as well.) In the suit Baldonado claims that a doorman let two men with guns into the dance without frisking them. Baldonado, who plans to play this season, is seeking unspecified damages for physical and emotional suffering. Duquesne would not comment on the lawsuit.
At age 61, of a heart attack, Alan Ball, who helped England win its only World Cup, in 1966. The 21-year-old Ball (left), the youngest player on the team, assisted on the go-ahead goal in England's 4--2 win over West Germany in the final, a play that instantly made him a national hero. "He was probably the best player that day," former teammate Bobby Charlton told the BBC last week. Ball was later captain of the national team—he scored eight goals in 72 international appearances—and he played professionally in the English First Division and the NASL for 22 years. | <urn:uuid:ea2c8816-b23a-470d-aa9a-5b21a1205b34> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1107429/index.htm | 2013-05-19T18:26:53Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697974692/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095254-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.982871 | 1,057 |
In the rich world, public health workers battle fat; where people are poor, they fight starvation.
“Obesity and famine are happening at the same time in this era of globalization,” said Dr. Paul Farmer, physician, anthropologist, human rights activist and author, speaking in Zellerbach Hall Saturday at commencement ceremonies for UC Berkeley’s School of Public Health.
Farmer encouraged graduates to look for solutions to health problems “by connecting the dots” between rich and poor nations. To cure ill health, much of it linked to social ills, the doctor prescribed a heavy dose of activism for the graduates—and the will to work for social justice to blunt the inequities.
Farmer knows both the rich and poor—the powerful and impuissant—worlds. He has lived and worked in rural Haiti, which he calls home, for two decades, and he spends time each year treating low-income patients in Boston and teaching at Harvard University Medical School; he also finds time to work at clinics his organization, Partners in Health, has established in Peru, Mexico, Guatemala and Rwanda and to care for tuberculosis patients in Siberian prisons.
“Public health activism needs to be global and local at the same time,” Farmer said. It’s local in the sense that the doctor pays close attention to patients and the social and cultural milieu in which they live—and universal because healthcare is a human right. Understanding the global power balance is critical because political and economic priorities of rich countries either help or hinder healthcare delivery in poor countries, he said.
“To say that people as people have a right to health care is a radical message,” said Farmer, who also received a human rights award from Global Exchange in San Francisco Thursday evening.
Naturally, good science is important in curing illness, but science must be paired with activism and social justice, Farmer said, using new and effective AIDS medications as an example. This medicine “is at risk of commodification, something to be bought and sold.” Farmer has worked to bring generic, low-cost drugs to the poor.
Beyond obtaining medicine for patients, the activist public heath worker may need to create a system to deliver the medication as needed. This is what Farmer has done in central Haiti. His group of about 1,000 Haitian healthcare workers has not only improved delivery of services, but has boosted the general standard of living by providing jobs.
Farmer’s standard for equitable health care goes beyond the right of people to see a healthcare professional and get drugs. These rights take on meaning only in the context of a patient’s getting nutritious food, drinking clean water and becoming literate. Farmer’s vision also addresses mental health needs, particularly for “those who are damaged by violence and oppression.”
He rejects the notion—sometimes suggested to him—that patients would appreciate healthcare services more were they charged a fee. The doctor said he not only looks at free healthcare as a right, but he believes patients in rural Haiti, like patients in East Oakland, deserve high quality, modern care. Farmer is equipped to perform cesarean sections in his operating room in central Haiti. And he has a modern blood bank there as well.
Farmer also refuses to accept the idea that only some can benefit from care. So when a patient, Ti Joseph, appeared to be on his deathbed, dying from AIDS and drug-resistant tuberculosis, Farmer did not hesitate to treat him. The message once again: healthcare is a human right—for everyone. (Today Ti Joseph is one of Farmer’s healthcare workers.)
When people understand they have rights to food, education, healthcare, economic stability and to live without fear of violence, they become empowered. “But we don’t want to empower people from Marin County,” Farmer quipped, adding levity to his message. “There is no universal right to Pilates classes.”
Farmer looks at war and violence from a public health perspective. “Those of us who are in public health are called to have certain standards regarding what may be considered a just war,” he said, citing the article published last fall in the British medical journal, Lancet, that estimated that some 100,000 civilian Iraqis, mostly women and children, have died during the war in Iraq.
“Passion and indignation have a place in public health,” Farmer said.
An activist for democracy in Haiti, Berkeley resident Andrea Spagat, who works in San Francisco in the field of teen violence and substance abuse prevention, met with Farmer in a private meeting with members of the Haiti Action Committee. There Farmer was asked to address the current political situation in Haiti. (The exiled democratically-elected president says he was forced out of office by the United States, France and Canada, whereas spokespersons for these countries say he resigned.)
“(Farmer) said he takes his cue from the poor in Haiti—so few respect the needs as articulated by the very poor,” Spagat said. “He says the very poor of Haiti want (President Jean-Bertrand) Aristide back.”
Farmer’s popularity was most evident at his Friday talk in a Public Health School auditorium, where students and faculty filled the seats, crowded into aisles, sat behind him on the podium and strained to hear him outside the doorways. During the question and answer session, one student acknowledged that he decided to go into public health after reading one of Farmer’s books and asked for advice, and he would graduate the next day.
“You don’t have to follow anyone’s example,” Farmer answered, noting there are many ways to approach public health. The important thing is to choose something you feel passionate about. “For me, it’s the mix of delivering services directly and thinking about the broader social implications of the work or the social roots of disease and suffering.”
Wael El-Nachef, an undergraduate in public health, was familiar with Farmer’s work; Friday’s lecture reinforced his admiration. “His recognition that social justice relates to health is very impressive,” El-Nachef said. “Not everyone (in public health) recognizes that.”
For more information, see Farmer’s Website www.pih.org and his latest book, Pathologies of Power: Health, Human Rights and the New War on the Poor (University of California Press). Farmer was also the subject of Tracy Kidder’s Mountains Beyond Mountains: Healing the World: The Quest of Dr. Paul Farmer (Random House). | <urn:uuid:571e7389-3512-4ea1-a485-bb4a4200a8bb> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.berkeleydailyplanet.com/issue/2005-05-17/article/21415?headline=Paul-Farmer-to-Graduates-Healthcare-is-a-Human-Right-By-JUDITH-SCHERR-Special-to-the-Planet | 2013-05-19T19:00:27Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697974692/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095254-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.966658 | 1,391 |
February 4, 2013
Alexander Class B champ for CHS
VERONA — There will be 11 local wrestlers advancing to the Section 3 Division II Championships this coming Saturday at Onondaga Community College’s SRC Arena. but only one will be reporting as a Class B champion.
Cortland High’s Zack Alexander went a perfect 3-0 to claim the 126-pound title this past Saturday at the Section 3 Class B Championships hosted by Vernon-Verona-Sherrill High School.
Senior Alexander (40-3) had two pin victories before taking the top spot by injury default over Mexico freshman Ben Blaiser in the finals. The top seed made quick work of his opening foes, pinning Camden’s Dillon Hickey in 1:25 in the quarterfinals before a 36-second semifinal flattening of South Jefferson’s Cody Jones.
“Zack was the best guy all day long,” Cortland coach Dave Darrow said of champion Alexander. “Blaiser hurt his thumb earlier in the day and didn’t want to wrestle in the final, but that was a decision Bill Kays made as the Mexico coach and I believe him when he says a kid can’t wrestle.”
Alexander was not the only Purple Tiger in the finals as classmates Ryan Webber at 138 pounds and Paul Turco at 220 pounds suffered their only losses in the championship finals. CHS also had 285-pounder Kevin Parker claim the consolation final, with that third place showing also advancing the senior to the state qualifier. The top four finishers in each weight class moved on.
Cortland placed fifth in the team standings with 129 points while neighbor Homer Central was sixth with 126.5 points. South Jefferson ran off with the team title, Phoenix second and Mexico third in this 14-team gathering.
Homer had no one in the championship finals, but seven Trojans were in the consolation finals and will advance to the SRC Arena as well.
Freshman Isaac Cline (99), junior Matt Norris (138) and senior Mark Dove (170) each claimed third place. Senior Nick Petrie (152), senior Eric Metzger (160), junior Dakota O’Gorman (182) and senior David Kiernan (220) claimed fourth place.
It was a milestone night for Metzger (30-7) who went 3-2, but that third win was number 100 for his career, making him the third Trojan to reach the 100 career mark this season. Metzger now only reached the 100-win mark, but the milestone win came with his third pin of the day.
Metzger holds the new single-season pin mark with 23, surpassing the old record of 21 by Jameson Lawton in the 2001-02 season.
“I’m proud because Eric has come back from his concussion and set a new single-season record and got that 100th win,” Lewis said. “That’s two records for the ‘Triplets’ now with Nick holding that career pin record. Now we just need Dovey (Dove) to reach 38 wins to tie Toby Reese for single-season wins.”
“It was a good day overall,” Homer coach Jeff Lewis said. “Isaac Cline wrestled very well and it is a nice feat for a freshman to reach the Division II Tournament.
“All the guys did stumble in at least one match and that kept us from having some finalists, but we certainly did have a lot of good things happen.”
Cortland’s Webber was 3-1 on the day at 138 pounds, with all three victories by pin. The quickest of the three came in the quarterfinals when Webber (38-6) stuck South Jefferson’s Jacob Moulton at the 1:50 mark. He lost to defending state champion Nick Tighe in the finals, pinned in the first period.
Tighe would be named the Most Outstanding Wrestler on the day.
Turco (37-5) went 2-1 with a pair of four-point decisions to his favor at 220 pounds before losing by a second period pin in the finals to Jon Cavaretta from Marcellus.
Parker (28-8) was also 3-1 with three falls. Two of his wins came in the wrestlebacks, including a 1:42 stick of Zach Legeler from host V-V-S.
“The guys all wrestled well,” Darrow said. “Ryan ran into a beast in Tighe. He has two state titles and looks to be on his way to a third. Ryan did a great job getting to the final.
“Turco had a good day, but just made a mistake that cost him in the final,” he added. “Kevin Parker is such an overachiever. He worked hard and had a phenomenal day.”
Cortland had four other wrestlers earn top-six finishes. That quartet included sophomore Grant Tinker (2-2) fifth at 126 pounds, eighth-grader Dane George (1-3) sixth at 106, senior Frank Davenport (2-3) sixth at 145 and sophomore Chace Bentley (2-3) sixth at 182. Darrow believes Tinker could get a wild-card spot at today’s seeding meeting.
For Homer, Cline (28-10) and Norris (29-7) each went 4-1 on the day with Dove (33-4) going 3-1. Petrie (30-7), O’Gorman (18-17) and Kiernan (29-12) were each 2-2.
Homer did have an eighth wrestler place, Dylan Hotchkiss (1-3) sixth at 195 pounds.
To read this article and more, pick up today's Cortland Standard
Click here to subscribe | <urn:uuid:7976d4df-3ff4-47ad-a7ea-a55e7e1cfe4f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.cortlandstandard.net/articles/02042013s.html | 2013-05-19T18:58:45Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697974692/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095254-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.969652 | 1,249 |
|1 ||A disgrace.|
|Posted on Saturday May 11, 2013, 17:03 by Sir N.Paul Hills|
|Er... a curious absence of Malle, Pasolini, Straub-Huillet, Carne, Rohmer, Rivette, Fassbinder, Hou, Kiarostami, Tarr...
the list goes on. I could place forth an infinite continuam of fine film makers more worthy of incluson than those listed in this gut-churningly mainstreamed abomination of a list. Just one Godard? Please. I suppose you really can't expect much more from the inexperienced young studs most likely hired as writers, no professional cinema critic could seriously consider "Oldboy" as the 18th greatest foreign film of all time, and worse; CITY OF GOD as 8th.
Abhorrent Read More|
|Posted on Tuesday April 23, 2013, 10:09 by Rozrox|
|I would love to take on the task of viewing each of the 100 Best Films of World Cinema. Is there a foreign film DVD retail outlet in cyberspace, the cloud or Amazon? I'd be a consumer. Thanks for an excellent compilation.
Southern Peach Read More|
|3 ||What about Spring. Summer. Fall. Winter...Spring?|
|Posted on Thursday April 11, 2013, 10:48 by ellergy|
|What about Spring. Summer. Fall. Winter...Spring?
Perhaps I overlooked it, but this Korean film should have been on the list! Read More|
|4 ||Obsession with Asian cinema !|
|Posted on Friday March 8, 2013, 01:34 by poznan56|
|Is it about 100 best non-English films ever made or about best non-English films made between 1980 and 2010 ?
Where is Ivan the Terrible and Alexander Nevsky (Eisenstein)? Read More|
|5 ||Great film !!!|
|Posted on Friday March 8, 2013, 01:21 by poznan56|
|Should be in first 20 ! Read More|
|6 ||Wrong !|
|Posted on Friday March 8, 2013, 01:04 by poznan56|
|It's not German occupation of Poland ! It's German occupation of Czechoslovakia ! Read More|
|7 ||Strange !|
|Posted on Friday March 8, 2013, 00:53 by poznan56|
|How about Loves of a Blonde ??? Who were design this list evidently loves Asian cinema and horrors ! Read More|
|Posted on Monday March 4, 2013, 12:49 by SurrealistClark|
|I feel disgusted looking at this list. You vastly overlooked three directors and some of their films.
Jacques Tati: The man is a genius on so many fronts. Probably the greatest comic director of all time. His composition was untouchable by anyone, and had great influence.
Luis Bunuel: My favourite director ever. Revolutionized what many believed in, created films in a vast array of genres. Un Chien Andalou is probably the most known short film of all time, and one of the greatest DEBUTS of all time.
Guddard: Le Mepris. Nuff said.
|Posted on Friday March 1, 2013, 07:17 by compie87|
|I haven't seen a lot of these, but of the ones I've seen I agree that they're all great films.
I thought it was interesting that Pan's Labyrinth was so high given that one of the lower-ranked movies (one that I haven't seen) said that Pan's Labyrinth drew a lot of it's ideas of escaping fascism with fantasy. I thought PL was great, but given that there is some other movie out there that it drew great influence from, I'm surprised it's regarded as such a high classic.
What about Jodorowsky though???
Holy Mountain. El Topo. Even Santa Sangre. I haven't seen anyone who makes movies like his.
Also great movies that didn't make the cut: Machuca, Tambien la lluvia (which plays on a similar political/fiction juxtapositon), and Castaway to the Moon (better than the American Castaway in my opinion) Read More|
|Posted on Friday March 1, 2013, 03:07 by jhsz|
|What abour the golem, the cabinet of doctor caligari, los olvidados, the life of others and trainspoitting (obviously they don't speak english) Read More|
|11 ||amelie is a terrible film|
|Posted on Wednesday February 13, 2013, 19:03 by lechacal|
|amelie is a shit film i saw it in grade 10 fr class and was disgusted by its stupidity and perversion, goes to show that french media has no taste in film and neither does empire, la haine should have been at # 2 instead of stupid amelie, fuck you empire and fuck fr ppl for having no taste in good film Read More|
|12 ||Unbelievable List|
|Posted on Tuesday February 12, 2013, 22:19 by ght805|
|Whilst admitting that I am not familiar with many of the films on the list, I am baffled by the absence of "Les Enfants du Paradis" - probably one of the 5 best films ever made and, arguably, the greatest. In addition, how can "Rififi" be on the list when the far more accomplished "Touchez Pas Au Grisbi" is not. Max Ophuls' brilliant "Madame de ....", described by Andrew Sarris as the most perfect film ever made is absent, as is the wonderful "Casque d'Or". Read More|
|Posted on Tuesday January 29, 2013, 20:51 by phewd|
|The Passion of Joan of Arc?
The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari? Read More|
|14 ||Forgotten something?|
|Posted on Sunday December 9, 2012, 17:25 by marcus_widberg|
|What happened to ¨män som hatar kvinnor¨? Everybody agreed that noomi rapace was perfect as lisbeth salander. Shouldn't it be on here? Read More|
|Posted on Monday November 26, 2012, 10:17 by mihai|
|Lawrence of arabia, Night of the Generals, How to steal a million...
Peter O'Toole should be on the list, i think. Read More|
|16 || RE:|
|Posted on Friday November 9, 2012, 13:52 by SeanNessman|
| Stupid. Please read the title please. The films listed are not supposed to be in English. Read More|
|17 ||What about Flåklypa Grand Prix?!|
|Posted on Monday November 5, 2012, 13:32 by hegilla|
|Even though I might be a bit partial in this matter, being Norwegian and all, but Flåklypa Grand Prix should be on this list. You haven't seen it you say, well then you have something to look forward to!! If you like animation this is a real gem of a movie that deserves to be recognized. Read More|
|18 ||The Children of Heaven|
|Posted on Sunday October 14, 2012, 08:15 by mrmohitmishra|
|The movies like The Children of Heaven and LIfe is beautiful or the Secret in their eyes were not enlisted. Votes to each entry must have been disclosed Read More|
|19 || Oldboy deserves a spot in the top 10!!!|
|Posted on Monday October 8, 2012, 09:55 by TheLazyFilmBuff|
| I think Oldboy is one of the greatest films ever made! It's a shame not to even see it in the top 10 of this greatest world cinema list. Please more people be aware of this and then give it a higher voting. As this film is a hidden gem, I'm sure once the remake is made it will get a lot of recognition however I don't think nothing will be able to come close to the perfection of Oldboy!
Here is a review:
Edit - site rules don't allow advertising personal blogs/sites/youtube accounts in posts to direct users off=site. If you wish you may add a link to your sig though Read More|
|20 ||Some films that surely should have made this list!|
|Posted on Monday October 8, 2012, 09:51 by TheLazyFilmBuff|
|When I think of World cinema a lot of great films come in to my head however I was very surprised films like 'The Lives of Others', 'Swades', 'Departures', 'Confessions', 'Sanjuro', 'Intouchables' and Yojimbo is not on this list. Please is there way of users voting so we can get these films on there? I'm sure other users will not be disappointed with the films that I've mentioned. Read More|
|21 ||Movie # 26|
|Posted on Saturday September 29, 2012, 20:35 by chelath2000|
|As a young girl, movie #26 on your list, Belle et la Bete was my favorite movie. I was probably about six the first time I watched it. My father had it on VHS, and as soon as it'd finish I'd go get my father to rewind it so I could watch it again. I absolutely adore this movie. Read More|
|22 ||Not Much of a List|
|Posted on Wednesday July 11, 2012, 20:03 by bloomy333|
|Cant say I agree with the over-all representation here.
These are major figures. This is a list of the most popular films in world cinema, not the best.
Even in the case of Godard, his best films are not picked (Contempt, Pierrot le fou, My life to live).
What a shame. Read More|
|23 ||...just a few missing|
|Posted on Saturday April 21, 2012, 06:06 by taenial.romero|
|wheres Train of Life? Love´s a Bitch? Simpathy for Lady Vengeance? ...and what the hell is doing Amelie in the 2nd place? Read More|
|24 ||My Number 1....|
|Posted on Sunday March 25, 2012, 18:33 by Miss_Sushi|
|...would be Cinema Paradiso, just beautiful and it made me sob. Missing was Malena, City of the Lost Children, Brotherhood of the Wolf and La Reine Margot. Read More|
|25 ||MISSING TITLES:|
|Posted on Monday March 12, 2012, 13:22 by Johannez|
|-Abre los Ojos
-Lucia y el sexo
-C'est arrive pres de chez vous
-Monty Python & The holy Grail
+ Life of Brian (its in brittish language..;)
-Eagle vs Shark (australian language..)
..and lots and lots of really great documentaries!
|Posted on Monday March 5, 2012, 00:30 by rm310|
|The Lives of Others.... Amores Perros? Read More|
|Posted on Saturday March 3, 2012, 14:12 by AnindyaB|
|Am in agreement with Hashir Kareem's list to include Guru Dutt & other contemporary names e.g. Shyam Benegal.
For its incredible film structure, Bunuel's 'Phantom of Liberty' is a personal favourite! Read More|
|Posted on Saturday March 3, 2012, 14:06 by AnindyaB|
|Why should i see a list that fails Charles Chaplin ? And Billy Wilder? And Alfred Hitchcock? And Alain Rainey? And David Lean? And Antonioni? And Fernando Solanas? And Ilmaz Guney? Honestly, here there seems to be a disturbing bias towards violent Asian films; against Iranian films; and yes, against, believe me, British films (Lean/ Lindsay Anderson/ John Boorman/ Ridley Scott/ Danny Boyle etc)! This critic must acquaint himself/ herself with films made before 80s... in terms of craftsmanship and pathbreaking ideas they were unparalleled! Notable absentees are (in my opinion): Citizen Kane (did i miss it in the list... BTW, pressing d button 100 times means sore fingers, could you do something about it?), Dr Zhivago, Life is Beautiful, The Journey (Solanas), Last Year at Marienbad (or Hiroshima mon Amour), North by NorthWest (or Vertigo)...
Speaking of Indian films, the choices are apalling. Including the Ray trilogy is expectedly OK, but in the same breath as Devdas (that too, thRead More|
|29 ||A bit too heavy on Asian horror...|
|Posted on Saturday February 18, 2012, 18:31 by FrannyBlue|
|What about The Lives of Others or Troubled Water? Read More|
|Posted on Sunday January 1, 2012, 20:39 by Arek.Zacharski|
|The list missing "The Saragossa Manuscript" and "Stalker", both should be at very top of this list., "Promised Land" by Wajda could make it into first 50 as well. Also Tarkovsky movies (Solaris, Andrei Rublev) should be placed higher. Read More|
|31 ||Good list|
|Posted on Thursday December 15, 2011, 18:31 by MrPinkBatman|
|That's a great list, I'm only surprised that Leningrad Cowboys was the only finnish movie on the list. The Unknown Soldier could've had been here. After seeing this list I'm going to buy Infernal Affairs, The Seventh Seal, Downfall and maybe Let The Right One In and Battle Royale. Read More|
|Posted on Monday December 5, 2011, 10:00 by rachelparker|
|no La vita è bella or Banlieue 13? Read More|
|33 ||Unforgivable omissions|
|Posted on Saturday November 19, 2011, 07:06 by benwoulds|
|1. Grand Illusion - wow, arguably #1, just ask Orson Welles
2. The Passion of Joan of Arc
3. La Strada
6. Fanny and Alexander
7. Le Million
9. Elevator to the Gallows
10. Viridiana Read More|
|34 ||Great list but no Iranian films???|
|Posted on Monday November 14, 2011, 20:24 by MaryGet89|
|After going through this list I got a little bit puzzled because I haven't seen Iranian films in it. What about the films by acclaimed Iranian filmmakers like Kiarostami, Makhmalbaf, Mehrjui. To my mind this list does not represent the films from Islamic coutries at all - what about their perspective? It's terrific that you put "Persepolis" here but it's not quite Iranian production, is it? Read More|
|35 ||An Interesting List but missing quite a few|
|Posted on Monday October 24, 2011, 11:30 by MrRenegadePhoenix|
|Pan's Labyrinth, City of God, The Seventh Seal, Battleship Potemkin, Seven Samurai, Spirited Away - definately worthy of top 10 placement but where my two favourite films: Grave of the Fireflies & The Lives of Others? They are such great films and deserved placement in the top 50 without a doubt. Read More|
|36 ||Could ve been better|
|Posted on Friday September 16, 2011, 09:39 by hashirkareem|
|its impossible to make a top 100 list to satisfy all.. a real greatest movie list should have no number limit .. having said that,i think this list is quite strange !
Amelie is without doubt a very good film..but the 2nd best film of all time ?? you've got to be kidding !! that too when 81/2 is somewhere in the 60s !! Godard, Fellini etc should be much higher on any list !
There is hardly any representation of Iranian Cinema which has produced some of the best of world cinema in the last 3 or 4 decades !
At least one Emir Kusturica movie should've been on the list..there are many that it could've replaced.
The Indian choices have veered towards blockbusters rather than good cinema.. Including Devdas is like having "the Titanic" on the list of greatest movies .. its a blockbuster, no doubt, but is completely out of place on this list.. same goes for Lagaan or Mother India (though both are good films they are, by no means, ground breaking cinema) .. Films by Ghatak (coRead More|
|37 ||It Could be More International|
|Posted on Thursday June 30, 2011, 19:43 by bernpire|
|I don't disagree with the selection of films, but I do disagree with the lack of films from countries with an important film industry, such as Argentina, South Africa or Egypt. Well, Nigeria's Nollywood is indeed important, but I haven't seen yet a Nollywood film which I would argue for. I do think that Argentina's Carlos Sorin, has directed more than one film which should be here. Read More|
|38 || Pathetic|
|Posted on Tuesday June 28, 2011, 23:43 by Elishebaall|
| This list is outrageous.No Bresson films, no Bunuel films(except Un chien andalou), directors such as Godard and Tarkovskij are extremely low-ranked, while Amelie is considered to be a number 2.
At number 37, on "Rome Open City", you wrote "Magnagni as a pregnant Communist sympathizer and Fabrizzi as a noble priest", managing to spell incorrectly the names of both actors, Magnani and Fabrizi.
As part of the non-english speaking world I thank you for taking the non-english film world in such attentive consideration.
|Posted on Wednesday June 1, 2011, 00:31 by Rati23|
|Where the F..K is The Lives of Others, Princess Mononoke, Grave of Fireflies? Read More|
|Posted on Wednesday May 18, 2011, 06:52 by Ferociousaurus|
|I also feel like La Vita e Bella is a pretty big snub. Other than that, good list. Read More|
|41 || Great Hungarian films|
|Posted on Friday April 15, 2011, 12:43 by Bipbip|
| gri csillagok (1968, Stars of Eger) - historical war drama. ---- on IMDB fekete varos (1971 TV-series, The Black Town): ---- on IMDBonfoglalas (1996, The Conquest): ------ on IMDB]
|42 ||Bad selection|
|Posted on Sunday April 10, 2011, 18:33 by Von Goom|
|Irreversible, La femme Nikita, Khadak, Taste of Cherry, La Vita e Bella are out
Any of those titles is better than one or two dozen of your selection Read More|
|43 || RE: What?!|
|Posted on Monday November 22, 2010, 16:09 by sharkboy|
1. a belief or judgment that rests on grounds insuffici Read More|
|44 || RE: Great list, but..|
|Posted on Tuesday July 6, 2010, 07:56 by bizarro|
| My only real gripe with the list is how low Ikiru is. Read More|
|45 || RE: Pffft amend the list already|
|Posted on Sunday June 27, 2010, 21:26 by LastSamurai|
| After reading some posts i've watched a few of the films that weren't on the Top 100 list. Just finiished watchin Irreversible and WOW , great film. Gritty, real, and dark. Nicely acted and the "memento style" chronological way the film plays worked very well. Starts off a little slow but really gets going after 15 mins or so. If you've not seen this id personally recommend it. Defo a top 20 for me now.
|46 || RE: RE:|
|Posted on Sunday June 27, 2010, 12:03 by eldiabolik|
| I didn't see any Robert Bresson on that list, which in turn makes any such list worthless. A joke in fact. Read More|
|47 || RE:|
|Posted on Saturday June 26, 2010, 22:15 by fernetcontonica|
| I also think is worthy but being foreign myself and most films to my eyes too I find it rather odd myself and a list of myself would not be like this at all but that's a cultural perception issue. There's a set of films that hoarde the attention and some truly awesome stuff is not even left off on purpose because they don't even get any presence. Sometimes films that arrived here quickly take even a couple of years to hit the UK. It's not Empire's fault at all but I'd like to see them venturing deeper into the films the world offers.
|48 || RE: What is the "world" anyway?|
|Posted on Friday June 25, 2010, 16:32 by rawlinson|
| L: Julmis
I'm sure I'm not the first person to comment on the vaguely patronising tone of this whole thing, effectively setting a separate kids table for films made in other languages.
Or maybe it's a magazine trying to expand the viewing of their core fanbase by recommending 100 non-English language films? The list might not be perfect, these kind of lists never are, but it's a worthy aim. Talking about it as a kid's table is just seeing what you want to see instead of what's actually there.
films are then selected from those known in this country, leaving in the wilderness hundreds of possibly great or greater films which have not had the luck or funding to come to the attention of the English-speaking world. p;
And maybe the more that publications like Empire encourage an interest in foreign language films the more likely it is that a fanbase will grow and people will find themselves searching out more obscure films. Read More|
|49 || RE: What is the "world" anyway?|
|Posted on Friday June 25, 2010, 16:20 by elab49|
| World Cinema would be a standard recognised category in this country used by all sites and DVD outlets. It is clearly from really one point of view - but it is a British magazine, so World being defined as non-English language isn't patronising. It just 'is'. Read More|
|50 || RE: RE:|
|Posted on Monday June 21, 2010, 23:55 by TimBurtonVoodooGirl|
| I think Pan's Labyrinth should of been higher, it's one of the best films ever made!!
And I agree with Popcorn Required, where is Amores Perros?? And also films like Life Is Beautiful, Talk To Her, Volver. You said that Women On The Verge Of A Nervous Breakdown wasn't as scrubbed up as Volver, so why didn't you include volver in your list?? >.> Apart from that, some pretty good films, not sure how much I agree with the rankings though :-/ Un Chien Andalou should of been a bit higher I think, though. 80 years and it still manages to shock and disturb it's audiences, that is impressive. Read More|
|51 || RE: RE:|
|Posted on Monday June 21, 2010, 16:13 by spamandham|
| Oh and this list inspired me to finally get round to watching Let the right one in.
So well done.
|52 || RE:|
|Posted on Monday June 21, 2010, 16:11 by spamandham|
| The 'what not to say' on the Polanski entry made me lol Read More|
|53 || RE: This list sucks|
|Posted on Sunday June 20, 2010, 22:43 by Miles Messervy 007|
oh you make me laugh
|54 || RE: nice list, but...|
|Posted on Sunday June 20, 2010, 19:13 by Ultimo Lee|
| L: nunojordao
ame 852th........which is way too high
|55 || RE: RE:|
|Posted on Sunday June 20, 2010, 02:07 by Perros|
| Absolutely terrible list. Good movies, terrible rankings. Also, no way in hell should Spirited Away be that high in the list. I've seen this movie twice and it's not as good as you all make it out to be. Read More|
|56 || RE:|
|Posted on Saturday June 19, 2010, 23:45 by hiptobesquare_x|
| It isn't an appalling list but when you consider the fact that it is composed of every film not from the UK or the USA then 100 is a ridiculously small number to narrow it down to. I think it's as good a place as any to start for someone who wants to get in to World Cinema (eurgh how naff that sounds...). You get the picture. Read More|
|57 || RE: This list sucks|
|Posted on Saturday June 19, 2010, 23:01 by swordsandsandals|
oh Empire, you make me laugh
hy? Because they don't have exactly the same film taste as you? Read More|
|58 || RE: Another interesting addition to the list...|
|Posted on Saturday June 19, 2010, 17:09 by Miles Messervy 007|
| L: elab49
It'd certainly be interesting definition wise if posters like Dantes and Fernetcontonica took part ote]Eh-khm.
The list is an odd mix, but I had suitably low expectations and a horrible film at number 2 is sort of redeemed by some of the more interesting choices. Read More|
|59 || RE: Top 100|
|Posted on Saturday June 19, 2010, 01:38 by LastSamurai|
| Hmmm... Ichi the Killer? Plus im enjoying hearing everyones opinions on other films they think should be on the list. The several that a few people have mentioned that weren't i'm gonna try and watch. Perhaps if people could write a little about each film that was missed off people can just look em up and draw there own conclusions. Then we could perhaps do our own Top 100 with a more "educated" audience.
|60 || RE:|
|Posted on Thursday June 17, 2010, 14:46 by Qwerty Norris|
| A good list there Empire, admittedly there's a lot I haven't seen but looking at what's on it I'm intrigued to see a number of stuff there.
Still, I'm pretty disappointed you couldn't find a spot for the likes of Fitzcarraldo, the Lives of Others, the Diving Bell & the Butterfly, Au Revoir Les Enfants & the Return- and yet find room for the likes of Infernal Affairs to be so high on the list.
Each to their own though I guess.....
|61 || RE: The 100 Best Films Of World Cinema|
|Posted on Tuesday June 15, 2010, 19:28 by demoncleaner|
| Just to point out a wee bijou error-ette (for my own near-sexual gratification than for editorial concern) but the Rashomon remake that credits Kurosawa as co-writer is ragebsp; lawsp;
*lights cigarette* Read More|
|62 || RE: Another interesting addition to the list...|
|Posted on Tuesday June 15, 2010, 00:18 by benskelly|
| L: rawlinson
Films not in the English Language then?
With the obvious rule that Na'vi doesn't count as a language.
Or Klingon. Read More|
|63 || RE: Another interesting addition to the list...|
|Posted on Tuesday June 15, 2010, 00:17 by rawlinson|
| L: swordsandsandals
Films not in the English Language then?
With the obvious rule that Na'vi doesn't count as a language. Read More|
|64 || RE: Mesrine!!!??|
|Posted on Monday June 14, 2010, 22:03 by Piles|
| L: Bobby TwoTimes
Possibly one of the greatest gangster movies ever made, certainly Vincent Cassel's masterpiece and the best French films since Irreversible (another one missing!).
Not a great list Empire, it must be said.
here's not a single Rohmer film in this list and you are complaining about Mesrine?
|65 || RE: Another interesting addition to the list...|
|Posted on Monday June 14, 2010, 21:59 by Piles|
| Also, Amelie at number two? Highest Godard at number 75? And that's 'Breathless'? Your list is rubbish. Read More|
|66 || RE: Another interesting addition to the list...|
|Posted on Monday June 14, 2010, 21:58 by benskelly|
So true, Piles.
You gotta' admit though - sure gets us clicking like monkeys with a cocaine button. Read More|
|67 || RE: Another interesting addition to the list...|
|Posted on Monday June 14, 2010, 21:55 by Piles|
| Dear Empire,
Please in future can you make it so I don't have to press next a hundred times before I can be outraged by one of your lists. I would much rather be outraged in the space of a simple scroll down a texted list.
|68 || RE: Another interesting addition to the list...|
|Posted on Monday June 14, 2010, 21:53 by swordsandsandals|
| Films not in the English Language then? Read More|
|69 || RE: Another interesting addition to the list...|
|Posted on Monday June 14, 2010, 21:35 by elab49|
| It'd certainly be interesting definition wise if posters like Dantes and Fernetcontonica took part Read More|
|70 || RE: Another interesting addition to the list...|
|Posted on Monday June 14, 2010, 21:24 by swordsandsandals|
| Top 100 World Cinema films - that could be an interesting one for us lot at Lists, Elab. Read More|
|71 || RE: Another interesting addition to the list...|
|Posted on Monday June 14, 2010, 20:07 by elab49|
| 'course posters could list their personal top 100 World Cinema films, and also confirm they've seen each and every one of the Empire 100.
Just for context. Read More|
|72 || RE: Another interesting addition to the list...|
|Posted on Monday June 14, 2010, 19:39 by rawlinson|
| L: swordsandsandals
How many more people are just going to list films they like but aren't in? They couldn't include every film, and chances are they don't like the one you keep harping on about as much as you do. Simple as that.
Have you never read one of these threads before? Read More|
|73 || RE: Another interesting addition to the list...|
|Posted on Monday June 14, 2010, 18:29 by swordsandsandals|
| How many more people are just going to list films they like but aren't in? They couldn't include every film, and chances are they don't like the one you keep harping on about as much as you do. Simple as that.
On another note, where was Once? I get it was in English, but it should be in every list ever. Read More|
|74 || RE: Very Bad Empire.|
|Posted on Monday June 14, 2010, 17:54 by SYMONDS|
| That what I said, using some what dubious grammer. Read More|
|75 || RE:|
|Posted on Monday June 14, 2010, 13:28 by Kendra71|
| Please tell me I'm not the only person who saw and loved Avalon ? Wondered about the awesome Belleville Triplets, but couldn't think whether it was foreign language or in fact silent except for the song. Happy to see Pan's Labyrinth so high. I wish I could speak spanish so I could watch the film instead of the subtitles, but its still fantastic. Battle Royle should have been higher as its a riot. Interesting list all in all. Reminded me to put Metropolis on my Amazon wish list. Read More|
|76 || RE: Very Bad Empire.|
|Posted on Monday June 14, 2010, 12:25 by dankeane|
| Eh... Das Boot was made in 1981. What are you talking about? http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0082096/ Read More|
|77 || RE:|
|Posted on Monday June 14, 2010, 07:46 by benskelly|
| L: KillerKane
Maybe for Most Disturbing Use Of A Fire Extinguisher, otherwise...nope. Read More|
|78 || RE: Oldboy is good enough to be that high in the list.|
|Posted on Monday June 14, 2010, 07:37 by benskelly|
| Wow, a lot of posters on here have terrible taste...
BATTLE ROYALE is utter crap. It is one of the stupidest films I've ever seen.
SUSPIRIA is the second biggest piece of crap.
CROUCHING TIGER has it's moments, but is incredibly overrated.
FLYING DAGGERS, on the other hand, is a giddy fucking masterpiece and visual feast - so for those of you saying "what???"...you're wrong. Just FYI.
Now could we stop mentioning THE LIVES OF OTHERS over and over again? It was a very good film, maybe great, and should have been in the lower half of the list.
I criticized the list, but jokingly. It's a fine list. There's no pleasing everyone. And I love all these people who want to fill the Top Ten only with films from the last five years. Gimme' a break. Watch an old movie once in a while, you snotnosed brats. Otherwise you really have no idea what you're talking about. AndRead More|
|79 || RE:|
|Posted on Monday June 14, 2010, 01:28 by Ultimo Lee|
| Why when there's a list is there so many first time posters?
Not bad managed to have seen 53 of them, my top 10 in no particular order would be
City of God
Jean de Florette / Manon des Sources
|80 || RE:|
|Posted on Sunday June 13, 2010, 18:12 by Deviation|
| Yes there are some strange omissions but still a great 100 List nontheless. Read More|
|81 || RE: Missing in favor of violence?|
|Posted on Saturday June 12, 2010, 23:18 by swordsandsandals|
| I'm going to focus on the positives.
The Seven Samurai, Ikiru, My Neighbour Totoro, Spirited Away, Aguirre, City of God, Pan's Labyrinth and others are all masterpieces. I'm only in the Top 50 at the moment as well. Read More|
|82 || RE: Missing in favor of violence?|
|Posted on Saturday June 12, 2010, 20:29 by benskelly|
| Okay, I have my gripes as well...
First of all, not including PELLE THE CONQUERER is a sin of the highest order. Secondly, HOUSE OF THE FLYING DAGGERS should be much higher up, and I'd dump CROUCHING TIGER...
Then you need to open up your eyes to Jacques Becker's French crime masterpieces: LE TROU (THE HOLE), TOUCHEZ PAS AU GRISBI, and CASQUE D'OR.
And the Japanese samurai classic HARA KIRI.
And where's BETTY BLUE? Or, for that matter, LA FEMME NIKITA??
|83 || RE: RE:|
|Posted on Saturday June 12, 2010, 16:07 by evildave69|
| Reader's Poll eh? Do you not remember 'The 50 Worst Films Ever' list. If anything it proves that readers as a collective, whether Empire or not, no a truck load of fuck-all. Read More|
|84 || RE:|
|Posted on Saturday June 12, 2010, 15:42 by JapStrangler|
| L: mcclane3011
Just the 1 bruce lee movie? Hardboiled needs to be much higher! and what about the killer...where the hell was that??!! Also what about jackie Chan's project A. At the risk of pissing a lot of people off seven samurai is much over rated and needs to be much lower. Korean war epic brotherhood should be on the list.Perhaps next time this kind of list is done it should be a list compiled by readers.
ally, why can't we have a reader's poll?
|85 || RE:|
|Posted on Saturday June 12, 2010, 10:09 by itzibitzius|
| They mixed up the descriptions of Touki Bouki and Xala... Get it sorted Empire! Read More|
|86 || RE: Did I miss BETTY BLUE in there? wtf|
|Posted on Friday June 11, 2010, 21:58 by Megalo-who?|
and how about STALKER hmmm.
ther than Andrei Rublev and Solaris, Empire never mentions Tarkovsky. But yes, Mirror, Stalker, Notalgia and The Sacrifice should all be on there. Oh yeah and The Lives Of Others, a glaring omission considering the populist nature of the list and the fact that it towers above. Read More|
|87 || Devdas and Lagaan, seriously?|
|Posted on Friday June 11, 2010, 20:16 by SultanAmeer|
| I won't argue about great movies like Rashomon and Nosferatu are lower in the list than less-great movie like Let The Right One In, City of God and Pan's Labyrinth because this won't change the mind of the person(s) who compiled that list but what about two not so great Bollywood movies in the list. Devdas and Lagaan both upper in the list than Mother India, seriously? Even most Bollywood critics won't agree with that. What about real great Bollywood movies like Pyaasa, Devdas (1955), Do Bigha Zamin, these movies are way better than Devdas and Lagaan and they are not even in that list. They should've research more before compiling that list.
What's the issue with this quote "Shahrukh Khan isn't the Tom Cruise of Bollywood. Tom Cruise is the Shahrukh Khan of Hollywood!" They certainly didn't watch Shahrukh Khan's other performances or they just don't like Tom Cruise.
Doesn't Das Boot released in 1981? Read More|
|88 || RE:|
|Posted on Friday June 11, 2010, 19:31 by The Waco Kid|
| what about Man bites dog ( i thought it was bloody funny)
or two films i think beat jean de florette/manon des source they being
la gloire de mon pere
le chateau de ma mere
|89 || RE:|
|Posted on Friday June 11, 2010, 18:42 by Boyden|
| What is the reasoning to leaving out The Lives of others, Irreversible, Funny Games and Alexander Nevsky? Read More|
|90 || RE: Honestly, how could you miss|
|Posted on Friday June 11, 2010, 16:12 by livila|
Au revoir, les enfants?????
ve that film too. Read More|
|91 || RE: Great list|
|Posted on Friday June 11, 2010, 16:08 by livila|
| L: edwardon
Great list, but I'd also like to have seen included Letters from Iwo Jima, The Lives of Others, La Mala Educacion, Eat Drink Man Woman, The Orphanage and e Margotote]
Yes, definately La Reine Margot. I think with a proper dvd release rather than the cut US version, this film would be remembered again. Full version is available in Germany but not France.
Other than that, great list. Personally I'd have After the Wedding, Volver and Twin Sisters in there. Read More|
|92 || RE: COME AND SEE'S A BIG PILE OF SHIT!|
|Posted on Friday June 11, 2010, 16:04 by Mrs.Doyle|
| Ki-duk Kim's 2003 , Summer, Fall, Winter... and Spring"eoreum gaeul gyeoul geurigo bom) anyone?? Amazing Korean film that had us enthralled when shown on TV a few years back./align]Also nd Jim]Cinema Paradiso Top Ten! Read More|
|93 || RE: Missing?|
|Posted on Friday June 11, 2010, 14:24 by tftrman|
| Some of the suggestions people are making just wouldn't get near a top 100 list -
City Of Lost Children - It's good but uneven in tone and the ending is badly written.
Sympathy For Mr Vengeance - Not even the best of Chan-wook's vengeance trilogy
Irreversible - That's a tough one, it's a really powerful film but there's no re-watch appeal for me so wouldn't make the list either.
|94 || RE: Missing?|
|Posted on Friday June 11, 2010, 13:58 by Helen OHara|
| Just to address a few of the points raised, we make no apologies whatsoever for the films on the list or their placement. This list was derived from a MUCH longer long list which included most of those y'all have suggested (except A Very Long Engagement - it ain't all that) and we narrowed it down to something that felt fair and representative to us.
On a couple of the smaller mistakes, we're fixing those now. The classification of Persepolis and Un Chien Andalou as non-French was partly because of the directors and partly (if I'm honest) trying not to make it such a home run for the darn Frenchies, who have a nasty habit of making consistently brilliant films.
|95 || RE: I'll be the first to bitch...|
|Posted on Friday June 11, 2010, 11:14 by Funkyrae|
THE ORPHANAGE? IRREVERSIBLE? actually, 'The greatest films not in the English language'? o where were PASSION OF THE CHRIST and APOCALYPTO?at about Snake-Eyes' Favourite - LE PACTE DES LOUPS?!
opefully in the bin where they belong! Read More| | <urn:uuid:b9f41035-a870-417e-8877-1a5341dfa03b> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.empireonline.com/features/100-greatest-world-cinema-films/default.asp?film=100 | 2013-05-19T18:53:00Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697974692/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095254-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.939377 | 9,287 |
Amsterdam has more to offer than a vibrant nightlife in the Red Light District. As one of the most tolerant cities in the world there is enough variety and scenery on offer to provide you with one of the best weekend breaks in Europe.
There are many opportunities to gain some insight into the events made Amsterdam the city it is today. Explore Amsterdam’s history at the Historisch Museum, which maps out the last 800 years of urban advancement with quirky artefacts. Alternatively, check out Museum Amstelkring, a wonderful, well-preserved church from the 17th century. Cap off your journey of discovery with a trip to the Joods Historisch Museum. Located inside four synagogues, there is an abundance of artwork and artefacts depicting the history of Judaism in Holland. There is also a wonderful children’s section, filled with interactive exhibits.
Situated at the enclosed Begijnhof courtyard is a quiet courtyard and garden that provides a secret sanctuary during your special city getaway in Amsterdam. It is a setting where traffic noises become an afterthought. Built as a 14th century convent, it was once a refuge for the religious Beguine sisterhood. Step inside and take a peek at the pulpit panels, designed by the Dutch painter Piet Mondrian. While it is a popular tourist attraction, the atmosphere is always serene.
For a relaxed day out head to Vondelpark, the largest green area in Amsterdam for a nice picnic. The park is named in honour of the well known poet Joost van den Vondel, who caused controversy with his play “Lucifer.” The park continues to thrive, especially during summertime, as it brings people together to enjoy football, cycling and other endeavours. It could be described as a cultural hub with the Nederlands Filmmuseum and Picasso culture in close proximity. Between June and September the park is buzzing with music, dancing and a host of kid’s activities taking place at Vondelpark Openluchttheater.
The art scene in the charming area of the Jordaan is one that is flourishing. You will find over 30 expert galleries that have been transformed from former homes and shops. The variance of art styles is clearly evident, from the iconic photographs at the Rockarchive to the classic works by Lee Miller. It is also possible to watch the artwork being created live at the studios at the Open Ateliers Jordaan.
It is still possible to see some great artwork without setting foot in a gallery as the street art scene in Amsterdam is very active. In every corner of the capital you can find a spot to discover a diverse selection of art, from sculptures to graffiti and stencils. Laser 3.14, one of the prominent street artists writes one-liners across the city walls, while Ottograph’s vibrant pop art graffiti can be seen all over the city. Whatever your style, head to Amsterdam for the best art and design adventure in Europe.
The Dutch capital is also home to some excellent musical experiences. In the trendy eastern docklands area you’ll discover the Muziekgebouw aan't IJ music theatre. This state of the art music venue is among the most innovative on the continent. It is the new home of the legendary Bimhuis concert hall and a host of other modern music ensembles. You can select from a variety of classical and world music genres – whether you prefer traditional performance or are interested in cutting edge multi-media concerts, the Muziekgebouw aan't IJ can cater to your wishes.
For a touch of zest during your holiday, try out an Indonesian rice table (rijsttafel). It is an ideal choice for celebrations or simply if you are looking for a new dining experience. Its origins date back to the post-war period, when Indonesian cuisine added variety to the nations’ palate, after gaining independence and welcoming Indonesian immigrants. It’s now served at a host of dining establishments form snack bars to upscale restaurants throughout Amsterdam.
Exploring the mazy canals of Amsterdam is a great experience. The 165 canals intertwine to keep the ocean at bay. Inside the pockets of land that the complex networks of waterways create you will find galleries, cafes and a host of shops to discover. One of the most scenic canals can be found in Prinsengracht, which is lined with beautiful trees and quirky houseboats. As you meander through this area you may stumble upon the house of Anne Frank. Visiting this tragic site will give you an opportunity to gain some more insight into the live of the late diarist and the situation that plagued her and her family.
Many of Amsterdam’s wonders can be reaches via cycling, the quintessential means of travelling in Netherlands. There are plenty of places to hire bikes and even more bike lanes that run through the city. You can kill two birds with one stone by taking a guided bike tour which will allow you to see the sights and also get a decent workout. | <urn:uuid:8f085c39-a9f4-407d-a9c9-01433dec796b> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.ghotw.com/magazine/article/city-break-retail-therapy/2012/aug/alternative-guide-for-the-best-city-break-in-amsterdam.htm | 2013-05-19T18:42:05Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697974692/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095254-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.944614 | 1,043 |
November 25, 2011
A large-scale clinical trial evaluating whether daily use of an antiretroviral-containing oral tablet or vaginal gel can prevent HIV infection in women is being modified because an interim review found that the gel, an investigational microbicide, was not effective among study participants.
On Nov. 17, an independent data and safety monitoring board (DSMB) recommended that the Vaginal and Oral Interventions to Control the Epidemic (VOICE) study evaluating daily use 1 percent tenofovir vaginal gel be discontinued because there was no difference in effect demonstrated between the drug-containing gel and a placebo gel. The DSMB found a 6 percent HIV incidence rate among participants in the tenofovir gel group and the placebo gel group.
The study is being conducted by the National Institutes of Health (NIH)-funded Microbicide Trials Network (MTN). As the trial’s primary sponsor, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of NIH, concurred with the DSMB's recommendation and has requested that the MTN discontinue use of tenofovir gel (and placebo gel) in the VOICE study. Because the trial is continuing, all other study data remain confidential, so NIAID cannot speculate about why tenofovir gel showed no benefit among VOICE study participants. Factors that may have contributed to this outcome are being further investigated.
Importantly, the DSMB found no major safety concerns with either the tenofovir gel or oral tablets containing tenofovir and emtricitabine given to women in a different arm of the study. Oral tenofovir and emtricitabine, a combination drug called Truvada that currently is used to treat HIV infection, will continue to be investigated in the VOICE study to determine whether it can prevent HIV infection in women in this trial.
The VOICE study, or MTN-003, began in September 2009 and originally enrolled more than 5,000 HIV-uninfected women in South Africa, Uganda and Zimbabwe. The trial was designed to test the safety, effectiveness and acceptability of two different, daily HIV prevention strategies. One was an investigational microbicide gel containing tenofovir. The other involved oral tablets containing tenofovir either alone (Viread) or co-formulated with the drug emtricitabine (Truvada). The tablets were designed to be taken by HIV-negative women in an approach known as pre-exposure prophylaxis, or PrEP.
The study was first modified in September 2011, following the DSMB recommendation to discontinue evaluating oral tenofovir tablets based on interim data demonstrating that the study would be unable to show a difference in effect between tenofovir tablets and placebo tablets in preventing HIV infection. No safety concerns with oral tenofovir were found. Since that time, the study participants who were taking oral tenofovir have been informed of the discontinuation of this arm of the trial, and currently they are undergoing their final study-associated tests and procedures.
Based on its Nov. 17 scheduled review, the DSMB recommended that the roughly 2,000 women in the tenofovir gel and placebo gel groups stop applying the study product.
The study team will immediately begin informing all VOICE participants of this new development and will soon start the orderly discontinuation of the two gel arms of the trial. Participants who were using the tenofovir gel or the placebo gel will stop using the product at their next scheduled clinical site visit. They will then return eight weeks later for a final evaluation before exiting the study. At that visit, they will be given information about where they can continue to receive HIV testing and counseling, contraception and other medical and support services. Follow up for all of the VOICE study participants is expected to be completed in June 2012, with final study results anticipated in early 2013.
Although it is disappointing that the study first found oral tenofovir and now daily 1 percent tenofovir gel to be ineffective among the VOICE participants, NIAID recognizes the scientific importance of having clear outcomes and is pleased that the trial will continue to examine the question of whether oral Truvada is a safe and effective HIV prevention measure for women in this study. NIAID thanks all VOICE study participants and site staff for their significant contribution to furthering HIV prevention research. This study is an important component of NIH's comprehensive HIV prevention research program articulated in the HHS National HIV/AIDS Strategy Operational Plan.
NIAID remains committed to supporting research to develop HIV prevention tools that women can implement. Slightly more than half of all new HIV infections globally occur in women, mostly through unprotected sex with HIV-infected men. Safe and effective female-controlled HIV prevention methods would be particularly helpful to women who find it difficult or impossible to refuse sex or to negotiate condom use with their male partners.
NIAID is sponsoring and funding the MTN to conduct the VOICE study with co-funding from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development and the National Institute of Mental Health, all part of NIH. Trial co-sponsors are Gilead Sciences Inc. of Foster City, Calif., and CONRAD of Arlington, Va.
For additional information about the VOICE study, see the updated Questions and Answers.
Also, see the MTN site.
Media inquiries can be directed to the NIAID Office of Communications at 301-402-1663, [email protected].
NIAID conducts and supports research—at NIH, throughout the United States, and worldwide—to study the causes of
infectious and immune-mediated diseases, and to develop better means of preventing, diagnosing and treating these illnesses. News
releases, fact sheets and other NIAID-related materials are available on the NIAID Web site at www.niaid.nih.gov.
About the National Institutes of Health (NIH): NIH, the nation's medical research agency, includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services. NIH is the primary federal agency conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research,
and is investigating the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit www.nih.gov.
NIH...Turning Discovery Into Health ®
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Last Updated November 25, 2011
Last Reviewed November 25, 2011 | <urn:uuid:73e38868-b795-40b6-add3-8e74f84ec8b5> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.niaid.nih.gov/news/newsreleases/2011/Pages/VOICEdiscontinued.aspx | 2013-05-19T18:35:44Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697974692/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095254-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.931467 | 1,366 |
Men's Local/State Basketball Roundup
College Hoops Roundup: Moccasins Reach 90-Point Barrier Again
Published: Sunday, February 3, 2013 at 8:38 a.m.
Last Modified: Sunday, February 3, 2013 at 8:38 a.m.
LAKELAND | The ninth-ranked Florida Southern Moccasins used a 52-point first half and 51 percent shooting from the field to run past Lynn 96-77 Saturday night at Jenkins Field House in the opening game of the second half of Sunshine State Conference play for both teams.
The win, which was the sixth in a row overall and 10th consecutive home win, improved the first place Mocs to 16-2 overall and 8-1 in the conference. In addition, the Mocs also swept the season series from the Fighting Knights for the fourth consecutive season.
FSC set a new milestone in Saturday's game as they scored 90 points for the sixth consecutive game. Since beginning intercollegiate basketball in 1924, the Mocs had never recorded more than five consecutive games with 90 points.
Polk State 58, Hillsborough CC 48
WINTER HAVEN | Sophomore center Ismaila Dauda posted his third consecutive double-double to lead Polk State Collegeto a 58-48 Suncoast Conference victory over Hillsborough Community College.
Dauda tallied 12 points and 12 rebounds, blocked a shot and had a steal as the ninth-ranked Eagles improved to 18-7 overall and 3-1 in the conference.
The Eagles led by as many as 13 in the first half and 24-13 at the break.
The Hawks managed to cut the lead to three early in the second half, but could not hold on as Dauda controlled the boards and the Eagles shot 73 percent from the free throw line, hitting 10 of 13 in the game's final five minutes.
Polk's Ralph Simmons led all scorers with 16 points. He added seven rebounds,four assists and two steals.
#14 Miami 79, #19 N.C. State 78
RALEIGH, N.C. | Reggie Johnson tipped in a missed shot with 0.8 seconds left to help No. 14 Miami edge No. 19 North Carolina State 79-78 on Saturday.
Johnson's left-handed tip in traffic off a miss by Shane Larkin capped a back-and-forth second half and kept the Hurricanes (17-3, 8-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) unbeaten in the league. Johnson finished with 15 points in his best performance since returning from a broken left thumb four games ago.
Durand Scott led Miami with 18 points and Julian Gamble added 16 to help the Hurricanes win their ninth straight game, a run that included a blowout of then-No. 1 Duke last week.
C.J. Leslie had 18 points and 12 rebounds to lead the Wolfpack (16-6, 5-4), who played without starting point guard Lorenzo Brown due to an ankle injury. N.C. State nearly topped Johnson's tip when freshman Rodney Purvis launched a heave from beyond halfcourt at the horn, a shot that hit the rim and rattled out to end it.
The Hurricanes were only the ninth team to start 7-0 in ACC play since the 1996-97 season and first since Duke started 10-0 five years ago, according to STATS LLC.
#2 Duke 79, Florida State 60
TALLAHASSEE | Seth Curry scored 21 points, Quinn Cook added 18 and fifth-ranked Duke cruised to a win over defending Atlantic Coast Conference champion Florida State.
Duke raced to an 18-2 lead and never looked back, building a 26-point advantage at one point on the way to a 42-22 cushion at halftime.
The Blue Devils (19-2, 6-2 ACC) scored the game's first 11 points, while Florida State went nearly six-and-a-half minutes before getting its second basket. Duke shot 60.8 percent and connected on 11 of 18 from 3-point range as Florida State allowed a season high in points.
Marshall 75, Central Florida 71
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. | Elijah Pittman led four starters in double figures with 20 points and Nigel Spikes scored 10 of his 11 points in the second half of Marshall's win over Central Florida.
D.D. Scarver, the only Conference USA player to make at least one 3-pointer in every game, added 16 points for Marshall (10-12, 3-4) and Dennis Tinnon had 13. DeAndre Kane dished out 12 assists for Marshall, which snapped a three-game losing streak.
Florida A&M 67, Bethune-Cookman 65 (OT)
DAYTONA BEACH | Ricky Johnson scored a career-high 25 points and hit a jumper with 1 second remaining in overtime to lift Bethune-Cookman over Florida A&M.
Florida Gulf Coast 81, Jacksonville 78
JACKSONVILLE | Brett Comer, Sherwood Brown and Bernard Thompson combined for 59 points as Florida Gulf Coast earned its fourth consecutive victory.
All rights reserved. This copyrighted material may not be re-published without permission. Links are encouraged. | <urn:uuid:70feef8d-43fc-453b-acb9-97094e22411a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.theledger.com/article/20130203/NEWS/130209824/1341/sports?Title=College-Hoops-Roundup-Moccasins-Reach-90-Point-Barrier-Again | 2013-05-19T18:59:50Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697974692/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095254-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.955068 | 1,083 |
We get lost while hiking to the Laguna de Alegría in this travel video from 2 Backpackers, Jason and Aracely Castellani, while visiting Alegría, El Salvador. In travel video episode #13, our patience is tested when things go wrong. At one point, we walked with rocks in our hands unsure of our surroundings. Enjoy the show!
El Salvador continued to surprise us. Not with the big cities, which we weren’t impressed by, but rather the wonderful towns and villages we encountered. Between the Food Festivals of Juayúa and the colorful flowers of Alegría, we had come to realize, El Salvador was best explored outside the big cities.
Alegría, El Salvador
Alegría has to be one of the cleanest towns in El Salvador. Waste baskets painted creatively line the plaza alongside endless flowers, hence the name, Alegría. Upon asking our hostel host what made this town so concerned with cleanliness, he explained that the community realized benefits from tourism. As we sit at one of the few restaurants in town surrounding the main plaza, local musicians serenade us for some tips. It’s a relaxing atmosphere with kids playing soccer around the gazebo and local buses dropping visitors off durring weekend flower sales. It’s relaxing until you become lost in the nearby forest of Tecapa.
Laguna de Alegría
While staying in Alegría, El Salvador it’s necessary to visit Laguna de Alegría, a green hot spring fed sulfur lake inside the crater of volcano Tecapa that exudes mysticism. From Alegría’s town center you can easily walk 45 minutes in sandals along a cobblestone road or hire a guide to take you on a 2-hour hike up and over the crater’s ridge then down to the lakes edge. Of course, Aracely and I opted for the hike. Our hostel recommended a local kid to guide us with complete confidence.
We woke up the next morning and ate pupusas for breakfast, packed 2 liters of water and met our guide Tulio outside the hostel at 9:00am. The hostel owner advised us that we could trek in sandals since the hike was brief and easy. We didn’t wear boots, but we did choose something sturdier than sandals. Aracely and I both strapped on our Teva hiking sandals instead and dressed in shorts and t-shirts. We were told that at the foot of the lake was a tienda selling snacks and drinks, so it wasn’t necessary to pack any food.
As we walked away from the hostel, Tulio, our guide, began educating us on the history of Volcano Tecapa. Coffee farms were plenty and we sucked on a few of the red ripe beans for energy, similar to the ways of the coffee harvesters. The hike began slowly on easily traversed trails through coffee farms and then prairie landscapes as we neared the top of the volcano. One of the most beautiful sites along the trail was the constant bright color from flower bushes and trees. Once along the crater’s ridge we had several views down on the town of Alegría. We crossed a radio tower patrolled by several military men and then turned left down into the crater via a vague trail. It was 10:30am and our journey was about to begin.
We seemed to be following a trail for the first 30 minutes down the lush crater walls. After that we were literally skiing down steep dirt slopes. It was peculiar considering we were told we could hike in sandals. A few slips on our butts and hands and the leisurely stroll quickly turned into an extremely difficult hike with no trails. Our guide led the way with his dull wailing machete. I laughed a few times and Aracely smiled; we were thrilled by the idea that this was a more challenging hike than we initially imagined.
Lost in a Volcano Crater
An hour after we descended into the crater Tulio alerts us that we are off the trail we intended to take. He explained that the farmers must have covered the trail with brush or the trail had naturally overgrown. I guess it’s not traveled much during the low season. No worries, we were with a local guide. We moved on searching for the trail that would lead us to the crater lake. All volcano craters aren’t created equal and this one was covered in thick forest, steep rock walls and was of significant size. The crater walls were filled with v-shaped valleys, so in order to traverse around the crater in a circle you needed to hike large ‘W’ patterns along the crater walls to avoid the steep cliffs. During our search we passed grazing horses and cows. It’s hard to image how thick the forest was considering I just mentioned animals were grazing, but I assure you, I was as stunned as you are reading this. We continued hiking and it soon became apparent to Aracely and I that Tulio was lost. Our smiles disappeared, our stomachs growled of hunger and we began to question our guides’ next steps.
It was 12:30pm; we should have arrived at the lake at 11:00am. We had finished 1 liter of water already, not expecting to hike long. The trek had become so dangerous that for the first time I was scared not only for Aracely, but for myself. I couldn’t handle the feeling of being scared and I started to become very frustrated. Tulio climbed 10 meters up a tree to orient himself with the crater. He was wearing a pair of jeans and worn through Vans and only carried 1 liter of water. Looking for the power lines from the radio station that stood atop the crater, Tulio shouted to us that it was only 30 minutes to the power lines and then we can start over on the correct trail. We faithfully followed his lead, traversing the crater’s walls to the power lines.
Falling & Slipping
I stepped on a log that collapsed like a booby trap and covered my boot in termite infested wood dust. A black scorpion grazed my hand as I cleared some dirt off a rock for gripping. Tulio said we were lucky the snakes weren’t out today, because they are extremely poisonous; I was pleased to know that the scorpions were not. Our Teva hiking sandals were not meant for this hike. We constantly had to remove them to shake out the dirt and rocks caught between our feet and the sandal’s bottom. I haven’t figured out what these overly engineered sandals are designed for, besides walking around town. Even in rivers they seem to trap every little pebble. Long pants would have also been a great benefit, since thorns gave us cuts and scraps on our legs. More important than all those luxuries is the need for food and water. My energy was draining quickly. We hadn’t eaten in over 5 hours and we stopped drinking our remaining water for fear of not getting out of the forest before the sun set at 5:30pm.
An hour after we began to look for power lines, Tulio, using his cellular phone, called the hostel for advice. Aracely listened in on the conversation. He was clearly lost and they couldn’t help him much considering he didn’t know where he was. I feared Tulio was still trying to get to the lake. At this point, I wanted out of the forest and didn’t care about the lake at all. Tulio knew we were upset and he was too. He kept quiet. Most frustrating for us was the fact that Tulio did not know this mountain. I asked Aracely to explain to Tulio that we wanted off the mountain as quickly as possible. Unfortunately, he was still trying to get us down the crater, so we quickly switched directions and headed straight up. After 15 minutes we ran into thick bush that we couldn’t get through. We backtracked, then went up again in a different direction. This time we scaled a rock wall that tested my rock climbing ability. I made it, paused and told Aracely we are not going to do anything like that again. It was too dangerous and getting hurt on this mountain would only make the situation worse.
No Way Out of Laguna de Alegría
We continuously ran into obstacles and couldn’t climb straight up out of the crater. Tulio received a phone call from the hostel and they recommended he circle back around the inside of the crater, from where we began and search for a road the locals use connecting the towns of Alegría and Santiago de Maria. That meant it would take another 2 hours possibly to go back in the same direction we came from. We began to make the journey. It was now 2:00pm and we were becoming mentally drained. The hike back was just as difficult, because we couldn’t find the path we had cut initially. I was carrying Aracely’s backpack at this point and we kept the two water bottles in the side pockets. During a muddy ascent up a steep wall, one of the bottles fell out. I decided to take off the backpack and attempt to recover it. Once I reached the bottle, I realized I needed both hands to scale back up the muddy slope. Tulio had climbed half way down to where I was so I threw him the bottle. It was a bad choice. I should have put the bottle in my shirt. My throw was short and the bottle fell again, this time farther, to unknown bottom. Tulio adamantly offered to retrieve it, but I insisted he not. I know he felt bad about the situation, but it wasn’t worth putting our selves in danger again. The bottle stayed. As I climbed back up and grabbed the backpack again I realized it had an 8-inch slice through the main compartment. The thorns must have cut right through it as it scraped the hedges we crawled under.
After hiking another hour we reached a road! It was a great feeling of relief and a sure sign we weren’t spending the night on the volcano. Confidently, we marched down the road to what I believed was going to eventually be the lake. We came to a few crossroads and our guide hesitantly chose a direction and we went with it. After only 30 minutes walking along the cobblestone winding road, our guide began to knock on the metals doors of some rural dwellings. To help put it into perspective, these were extremely primitive huts where peasant families lived on the volcano surrounded by thick forest. The doors granted access to their property and were sometimes far from the actual house. There were no answers to our knocks. We were still lost.
We walked for several kilometers up and down steep grades, passing locals carrying water and wood to their homes on cattle and horses. I had reached total exhaustion and sat on the road for a rest. It was clear to me that we needed to collect fruit for the night. I asked Aracely to communicate to Tulio our need for food and water for the evening. By his reaction, it appeared that Tulio still felt confident we were going to make it out before dusk. It was 3:30pm and the sun would be setting in 2 hours. Our guide stopped as we neared some drum playing in the distance. Seizing the opportunity to rest, I sat on the road again. This is not a road traveled by vehicles so there is no risk of being run over. After speaking with some locals passing by Tulio informed us that we were close to a neighboring city of Alegría, named Santiago de Maria. Aracely asked if there were buses in Santiago de Maria that we could take to Alegría. The local responded yes. This was it… a way out. As the locals left, Aracely and I were already walking to the next town. Tulio halted us and explained that the drums in the background came from the homes of bandits. This was a gut wrenching feeling. He gave us the choice of walking through the neighborhoods of bandits, risking losing our camcorder and SLR camera and our safety, or heading in the other direction towards what should be Alegría. Aracely was willing to make the short hike to Santiago de Maria to ensure we escape the volcano before dusk, but I wasn’t comfortable risking our safety and equipment. I would rather sleep on the volcano than knowingly risk her safety. Tulio didn’t want to take us the route of the bandits either and was relieved we decided to return in the direction we came.
No Food or Water
As we walked uphill heading to one of the first crossroads we encountered while hiking on the road, Aracely and I continually fell behind Tulio, struggling to maintain enough energy. After passing fruit trees earlier in the hike, I couldn’t believe there was none to be found when we needed it most. We arrived at the crossroad and headed down a new route; this time through a locals property with their permission. She explained that Alegría was about 3 kilometers away and a difficult walk. A hint of hope began to emerge amongst us. Tulio was able to find a local to provide him some water, but unfortunately for Aracely and I, we couldn’t risk drinking the local water for fear of getting ill. It was 4:00pm and Tulio shouts to us that we have arrived. Arrived at what, we thought. The area seemed no different than the last 2 hours, with no town in sight. More specifically, he knew the road, and knew we would make it off the volcano before dusk. Relieved, we all dropped the large rocks we had been carrying for defense. 30 minutes later, we arrived at the entrance to the crater lake and the tienda for drinks and snacks. We ordered two sugar drinks and three waters to share between the three of us. My body changed immediately. You gain a strong understanding of the importance of food and water during extreme activity. After regaining strength and mental motivation we told Tulio we had no desire to visit the lake today, we just wanted to get home.
A Hike for Another Day
Along the road back to Alegría, we purchased three oranges from a local girl and savored the sweetness of comfort. Comfort knowing our challenges were done for the day and no one was injured. We arrived home at 4:45pm, 45 minutes before dusk. We would return the next day to experience the sulfur lake, known as Laguna de Alegría, minus the 7.5-hour hike. | <urn:uuid:22441a09-85dc-4f06-a64b-3563663db324> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://2backpackers.com/7362/travel-videos/lost-in-laguna-de-alegria-el-salvador-video-ep13 | 2013-05-22T14:52:29Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701852492/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105732-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.979923 | 3,067 |
Small turbocharged engines are marketed as delivering the power of a large engine, with the fuel economy of a smaller one. That's a tempting proposition, but our testing shows these small-displacement turbos are not delivering on the promises.
By now, we've tested many cars with these engines, and lots of competitors with traditional, naturally-aspirated powerplants, big and small. Generally, the turbocharged cars have slower acceleration and no better fuel economy than the models with bigger, conventional engines. Looking at EPA fuel-economy estimates (calculated based on laboratory tests), some of these cars' turbocharged engines seem to have an advantage. But we found those results don't match the findings from our own fuel-economy tests.
The latest example is the collection of EcoBoost Ford Fusions we tested, which come with small, direct-injection, turbocharged four-cylinder engines. The smallest one—a 1.6-liter producing 173 hp—is a $795 option over the basic conventional 2.5-liter four cylinder on Fusion SE models. But that car's 0-60 mph acceleration time trails most competitors, and its 25 mpg overall places it among the worst of the crop of recently-redesigned family sedans. The Toyota Camry, Honda Accord, and Nissan Altima, all with conventional 2.4- or 2.5-liter four-cylinder engines, get an additional 2, 5, and 6 mpg, respectively. And all accelerate more quickly.
The larger among Ford's EcoBoost four-cylinder engines, the turbocharged 231-hp, 2.0-liter, is billed as having the power of a V6 but delivering the fuel economy of a four-cylinder. However, our so-equipped Fusion Titanium returned 22 mpg (which pales against the 25 and 26 mpg we recorded for the best V6 family sedans), slower acceleration and reduced refinement compared to its V6-powered peers.
Another example is our tests of the Chevrolet Cruze. Our base Cruze had the 1.8-liter four-cylinder; our higher-end 1LT version came with the 1.4-liter turbo four cylinder. While the 1.4-liter feels marginally more powerful in daily driving, it was barely faster to 60 mph, and it got the same fuel economy as the larger engine—26 mpg overall.
Turbochargers pump extra air into the engine to deliver more power. But all engines have to be operated at a very specific air-to-fuel ratio. So this extra air has to be augmented with extra fuel, which may offset any savings from shrinking engine sizes.
One benefit to the turbocharged engines is an abundance of torque at low to mid rpm. In daily driving, this means a more effortless feeling of thrust with reduced need to downshift while climbing hills or when delivering the kind of moderate acceleration most drivers demand. That can make a car feel more responsive, even if its actual acceleration times from a standstill are slower. However, not all of these turbocharged models deliver that benefit. Many, especially those smaller 1.4- and 1.6-liter engines, still downshift frequently to keep up with traffic. And all but one of the tested cars have slower mid-range acceleration from 45-65 mph.
In contrast, BMW's turbocharged four-cylinder engines seem to deliver both good fuel economy and acceleration: The 2.0-liter turbocharged four cylinder contributes to 28 mpg overall in our last tested 328i sedan. It improved mileage only marginally in the 2013 X3 SUV compared to the six-cylinder 2011 X3 we tested, with essentially identical power and acceleration but somewhat comprised refinement. The 2.0-liter turbo four cylinder engine we've tested in Audis and Volkswagens usually return impressive mileage, though we haven't tested any identical model powered by two different engines for such a direct comparison.
|Model||Engine||0-60 mph||EPA mpg||CR mpg|
|Ford Fusion||1.6L Turbo 4||8.9||28||25|
|Hyundai Sonata||2.4L Four||8.2||26||27|
|Kia Optima||2.4L Four||8.6||27||25|
|Toyota Camry||2.4L Four||8.4||28||27|
|Honda Accord||2.4L Four||7.7||30||30|
|Nissan Altima||2.4L Four||8.2||27||31|
|Ford Fusion||2.0L Turbo 4||7.4||26||22|
|Hyundai Sonata||2.0L Turbo 4||6.6||26||25|
|Kia Optima||2.0L Turbo 4||6.6||26||24|
|Toyota Camry||3.5L V6||6.4||25||26|
|Honda Accord||3.5L V6||6.3||25||26|
|Nissan Altima||3.5L V6||6.3||23||24|
|Chevrolet Cruze||1.4L Turbo 4||9.8||28||26|
|Chevrolet Cruze||1.8L Four||10.5||27||26|
|Dodge Dart||1.4L Turbo 4||8.6||31||29|
|Dodge Dart||2.0L Four||11.0||27||27|
|Ford Escape||1.6L Turbo 4||9.9||25||22|
|Honda CR-V||2.4L Four||9.2||25||23|
|Kia Sportage||2.4L Four||10.3||23||22|
|Toyota RAV4||2.5L Four (2012)||10.0||24||23|
|Ford Escape||2.0L Turbo 4||8.2||24||22|
|Kia Sportage||2.0L Turbo 4||7.1||22||21|
|Toyota RAV4||3.5L V6 (2012)||6.7||22||22|
|BMW X3||2.0L Turbo 4||7.3||24||23|
|BMW X3||3.0L Six||7.2||21||22|
|Ford F-150||3.5 V6 Turbo||7.7||17||15|
|Ford F-150||5.0L V8||7.8||16||15|
So don't take turbocharged engines' eco-boasts at face value. There are better ways to save fuel, including hybrids, diesels, and other advanced technologies. We'll take a look at their effectiveness in a future post.
See our guide to fuel economy.
More from Consumer Reports:
2013 New Car Preview
Best & worst used cars
Complete Ratings for 200 cars and trucks
Consumer Reports has no relationship with any advertisers or sponsors on this website. Copyright © 2007-2013 Consumers Union of U.S., Inc. No reproduction, in whole or in part, without written permission. | <urn:uuid:39e0b134-b00d-466a-98e6-ea10ce660b35> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://autos.yahoo.com/news/consumer-reports-finds-small-turbo-engines-dont-deliver-050100955.html?.tsrc=yahoo | 2013-05-22T14:31:24Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701852492/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105732-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.865637 | 1,540 |
Friday, September 10, 2010
At last, at last...Pennsylvania Breweries 4th edition is about to hit the streets. The newest edition of my travelguide to the state's breweries -- from Yuengling to The Brewerie, and all points in between -- comes out on September 21st (approximately...Amazon lists it as coming available on the 15th, so what do I know?). The price went up a bit -- $19.95, and I will be packing nickels -- but it's a lot thicker: 73 breweries this time!
Accordingly, I've been scheduling events. Here's what's up so far; hope you can join me for one of them!
September 23 -- The first signing is right down the road from my home, 6:00 at the Hulmeville Inn, where we'll tapping into some Pennsylvania-brewed firkins to give the book a proper baptism.
September 25 -- At noon, I'll be at the Weyerbacher visitor center, signing books and drinking up the latest Brewers Reserve special, Lima. Can't have too much, though, because I'll be leaving at 2:45 to head down to the Bulls Head Public House in Lititz for a 5:00 event, where we'll be quaffing some fine cask-conditioned ale (and I'll be happy to talk up session beers!).
October 2 -- Another two-a-day: I start at noon in the tasting room at Tröegs, where I'll be talking up their wildly independent Scratch and Splinter series till about 1:30. At that time, I'll be ready for rehab; no, I mean ReHAB, the Regional Harrisburg Area Brewers homebrew club! I'll be at their Oktoberfest, having some seriously local PA beers. (Not open to the public, but if you're in Harrisburg and love beer, this would be a great time to join this club!)
October 4 -- Two days later, I'm close to home with a 7:00 signing at the Richboro Public Library; count on some lecture at this one, a little edification...but no sampling: sorry!
October 5 -- The Official Pennsylvania Breweries 4 Launch Event at Victory Brewing! Ron and Bill wrote the foreword to this edition, and they're hosting this big launch, which starts at 6:00 PM. What's going down? How about a special deal book/beer/app combo package, a star-studded panel of Pennsylvania brewers, a Q&A session, and all that great Victory beer -- can't beat it! Watch for this to come open on the Victory website: a limited number of places are available. See you there!
October 14 -- It's not a Lew Bryson Breweries book without a Grey Lodge Pub event: I'm joining up with the first homebrewers' night for this one, and we'll be going from 7:00 to 9:00. Come on down to the bar I call "my local."
October 21 -- Hungry? Join me for a delicious Pennsylvania beer dinner at The Farmhouse in Emmaus at 6:30. This will be an emotional evening for me: The Farmhouse was where I first participated in a professional beer event, a 1994 tasting with John Hansell, Ed and Carol Stoudt, Nick Funnell, and Bill Moeller. Quite a night, and it's led directly to this.
November 3 -- In my former life, I was a librarian, and I still like to do signings at libraries: like the Spring City Library, near Royersford. We're doing a signing this evening, but the location hasn't been set yet; the library's too small for one, so they're going to get a place. I'll update when they do.
November 4-6 -- I'm headed to the Wyoming Valley for a number of events, including taping a show with Chip The Beer Guy for his Friday morning program on Rock 107, a Berwick Bulldogs football game Friday night (just for fun, but followed by some beers at Berwick Brewing, also just for fun, but...), and a signing at Berwick Brewing on Saturday Nov. 6, noon to 2. Watch for more: we're working on expanding this schedule with maybe a beer dinner and a guest bartending spot or two.
November 13 -- Another work in progress: I'm still filling in the blanks, but this is going to be a western swing that starts at noon at Otto's: this one's going to be fun, and with luck, we should be at the big new location down the hill! I'll be leaving Otto's at 2:00 sharp and sailing west on I-80 for a 5:00 event at North Country Brewing Company in Slippery Rock, which I have to admit is one of my favorite brewpubs anywhere: amazing look, fantastic beer. Worth a trip if you haven't been.
Watch for more events in western PA on the following days, I'm just getting started...
November 15 -- I'm back at Bocktown Beer & Grill, hanging out with Chris and Tera and the crew for a big-ass beer dinner. We're gonna pack the place!
November 16 -- I'll be dropping in on the local brewers night at the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust's Beer School with Tony "Beer Man" Knipling and brewers from Voodoo, Erie, East End, and Rock Bottom: that's going to be a fun night. I'm just going to be hanging out in the back, signing books (we put this together too late to make me part of it), but I'll be happy to answer your questions, sign your books, kiss your babies, all that jazz.
That's it for now, but there will be more (if you want to do an event at your brewery, bar, or library, let's talk). Craft beer in Pennsylvania is hot, and we're gonna celebrate! | <urn:uuid:e527d54d-cf51-4912-aa8f-37a738524cec> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://lewbryson.blogspot.com/2010/09/pennsylvania-breweries-release-and.html | 2013-05-22T14:54:27Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701852492/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105732-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.952165 | 1,230 |
Thursday, 2 August 2012
Sonny Times Two - Cuckoo!
Sonny Smith is an iconoclast in San Francisco, a city that seems full of them. His work with Sonny & The Sunsets needs no introduction (especially seeing as it has as members Tahlia Harbour of Citay fame, and one Kelley Stoltz), but the truth is that the man is just as interesting as the sonic stories he weaves. His elaborate tales stem from a youthful attempt at scriptwriting whilst he busked his way around Central America, the characters and dialogue and setting all painted vividly in his head like a wide angle panorama, playing out in the theatre of his mind. He has since lived out the dream of seeing a short go through all the way to completion, as well as writing and producing plays, writing columns, acting and obscure musical art installations. He's a bright shining star, and now you can delve into two other facets of this hard-working man's oeuvre.
Firstly we have the third album from Sonny & The Sunsets, Longtime Companion (out through Polyvinyl Records). It's being touted as his "country" album, (which shouldn't be much of a surprise to those familiar with Smith's other band The Fuckaroos) and true to form Smith has delved fully into this realm. In many ways this genre speaks most true to his whimsical tales of outsiders and reprobates, failed loves and bitten nails, beaten down drifters and hopeful dreamers. Things are slowed down from a swagger to a melancholic shuffle, but the wonderful language is the same - most notably on the reworked 'Pretend You Love Me' (which appeared on previous LP Hit After Hit), which has transformed from a doo-woop swinger to a heartbroken tumble in the dirt. This is a very solid album, and a testament to how Smith's songwriting complements just about any genre. Best of all, when his heart lies shattered around his feet on the wooden saloon floor, Smith is wryly shaking his head, smiling wistfully, dusting off his denim coat, and moving right on. You can buy the album (in 180g yellow vinyl, no less) here.
Sonny & The Sunsets - I See The Void
The second release is more of a re-release bu SF label Secret Seven Records of One Act Plays, Smith's "solo" record of 2006, seen here for the first time on vinyl. Featuring the likes of Jolie Holland (The Be Good Tanyas), Neko Case (The New Pornographers), Mark Eitzel (American Music Club), Andy Cabic (Vetiver) and John Dwyer (Thee Oh Sees) amongst others, One Act Plays "started out as real one act plays written for the theater, but in writing them I began to make them songs at some point," Smith states. "I can’t remember when this mysterious shift happened. However, ultimately the plays as songs were performed on stage in a play called The Dangerous Stranger, so somehow it came full circle. The Dangerous Stranger was supposed to be about reality being the dangerous intruder of fantasy, and fantasy being a dangerous intruder to reality. I can't remember if the play was successful at conveying this idea at all. That was the kinda stuff on my mind at the time I guess. I had a few influences at the time I was writing them. One was Terry Allen's Juarez, a concept record with recurring characters. Also I was really into Sam Shepard at the same time so I was reading a lot of his stuff. A few of the songs, like 'Eddie and Rita' even have some stage directions lifted directly from one of his plays. The song 'Following Father' took a bunch of facts from my dad's cousin, a Texan who always had some get rich quick scheme that never lasted. I was trying to make some kind of Tennessee Williams like thing apparently. Epic! Large! Family! Redemption! Well, anyway, most of these plays are fictional, except for 'Freaks In Space' and 'Honey Roy Rockwell'. Those two are the complete truth. The terrible truth." I especially love the loneliness and longing that leads to desperate sex that underlines 'Troublesome Affair', Smith's duet with Case, but they are all great. You can grab One Act Plays here.
Sonny Smith - The Stick Up!
Sonny Smith - Troublesome Affair | <urn:uuid:2ded8265-b155-470c-af46-5e659ddbca79> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://sonicmasala.blogspot.com/2012/08/sonny-times-two-cuckoo.html | 2013-05-22T14:24:43Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701852492/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105732-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.975795 | 929 |
Ondeo Industrial Solutions
- Streamlined document management and storage
- Document volume control
- Solution used by all employees of the subsidiary
- Implementation arouses interest from other Group subsidiaries
Background and key issues
Created in 2002, Ondeo Industrial Solutions, a subsidiary of the SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT Group, partners major industrial players by providing a full range of water cycle management services. Ondeo Industrial Solutions offers innovative solutions, tailored to each business sector, to respond to specific industrial needs in relation to water resource management, raw water treatment, supply of process water, waste water treatment, and evaluation of slurry, sludge, and by-products.
The business activities of Ondeo IS span a wide range of solutions and technologies, including the design and construction of water treatment plants, plant management and maintenance, the provision of related services, and the supply of equipment.
Ondeo Industrial Solutions is present in France, Italy, United Kingdom, Spain, and the Benelux countries, but also operates globally under international contracts, particularly in the Middle East and in South America, to assist its industrial customers in executing their projects.
Ondeo IS France has teams of engineers and industrial waste water treatment specialists positioned throughout France so they can stay close to their customers and respond quickly and effectively to their various needs. Its expert teams are distributed across 9 branches and 65 operating sites, spread throughout the country.
In 2007, the French subsidiary conducted an audit of all the documents that are created and shared within the company. They began by identifying the documents:
What kind of documents are they? Who issues them? What journey do they take within the company prior to validation? How are they managed? By whom?, etc.
Three “products” were tested, two of which were already used in the company: Microsoft SharePoint and IBM Lotus Notes. The third solution tested was OpenText Livelink, used by Degrémont, another subsidiary of the SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT Group.
The solution implemented
Analysis of the existing system revealed several dysfunctional areas. Several versions of the same document were stored in different places. The storage location might be on a file server, a mail server, or even on the individual hard disk drives of company employees. It could therefore be complicated and bothersome to locate the final, validated version of a document. Furthermore, the very nature of the company’s business entails a need for regular review of historical documents related to customers, whether this concerns a response to a call for tenders or the signature of a contract. As the management of different documents was not centralized, it could be very difficult to find different items relating to the same customer. There was also a consequent loss of expertise and a lack of consistency among documents of the same kind.
In response to this situation, Ondeo IS decided to study what was on offer in the marketplace in order to find a high-performing data management solution that would enable it to store, securely share and manage all the company’s documents using a single system.
Several proposals were studied.
In 2008, the Alfresco solution was retained. It constitutes a comprehensive solution capable of processing and streamlining a sizeable volume of documents. The functional depth of the proposal did not involve a complex integration procedure nor did it come at a high cost.
In order to fully and firmly validate its choice, in the first instance, Ondeo IS developed its applications simultaneously using two platforms: SharePoint and Alfresco.
At the end of 2009, the decision was taken to switch all applications over to Alfresco. Once again, the market leader in Open Source solutions for content management corroborated the relevance and functional depth of its products.
The introduction of storage and management of office data files, allowing users to manage their own access, was the first project concerned by the migration. It involved migrating all office documents to Alfresco and using the native functionalities of the product: document versioning, sharing, and searching.
The second project concerned the introduction of data entry forms with validation workflow.
Presently, the company develops its own interfaces using Alfresco version 3.4. While awaiting the arrival of version 4, three new developments are planned.
These involve switching three applications developed under .Net to Alfresco, namely: the application used to monitor the company’s major accounts and actions directly related to that business, the sales monitoring application (revenue by site, by customer, etc.) and the intranet which allows customers to consult, as and when they wish, the progress status of their projects.
Together, these developments converge towards achieving one of the major objectives of Ondeo IS which is to streamline the volume of documents produced, exchanged, and stored.
All the company’s employees in France, that is some 400 people, are users of these systems.
The Alfresco projects implemented within Ondeo IS have generated interest from other subsidiaries of the Group. The Spanish subsidiary, Akbar, has adopted solutions from the Open Source market leader. Lyonnaise des Eaux, a subsidiary of SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT, specialist in the distribution of drinking water and waste water treatment, is starting to install Alfresco platforms. Finally, with regard to the parent company itself, a Proof of Concept (POC) is to be carried out at SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT. This prototype should enable validation of a possible migration to Alfresco of a document repository currently hosted on Lotus. That migration will also present an opportunity to add tag functionalities, in particular, to replace the conventional tree structure search with a tag search.
- Implementation of the Alfresco solution has brought much greater flexibility to task execution.
- It has enabled the creation and implementation of modeling tools which have generated increased productivity and improved performance.
- It has generated better monitoring of constraints associated with the company’s actual business, particularly where the importance of contractually agreed dates for delivery of documents to customers is concerned, since the delayed delivery of documents can sometimes result in the payment of fines. | <urn:uuid:4289b6e0-9015-4811-be79-ae75a42576b6> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.alfresco.com/de/node/1036 | 2013-05-22T14:52:58Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701852492/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105732-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.937497 | 1,273 |
Mutual funds and other
investment companies are often
labeled by the objectives they hope
to accomplish, such as current
income or growth.
Mutual fund families may have a
number of different funds available
to meet various objectives. Note,
however, that there is no guarantee
that any mutual fund will actually
attain the desired objective.
Mutual Funds can be
loosely classified as one of these:
(1) diversified common stock
(2) balanced fund,
(3) bond and preferred stock fund,
(4) municipal bond fund, and
(5) money-market fund.
In comparing one mutual fund to
another, it is important that both
funds have a similar investment
objective. For example, it wouldn't
be fair to compare the expenses of
an intensely managed aggressive
growth fund to those of an index
Each type of fund has a
different investment objective that
requires it to take a different
investment approach, and those
differing approaches are going to
affect each fund's expenses.
However, it would be fair to compare
the expenses of one aggressive
growth fund to another aggressive
growth fund, or the expenses of one
index fund to another index fund. To
begin with, then, the investor has
to determine which investment
objective he or she wants to
achieve, and then compare the funds
that have that investment objective.
Once an investor has determined his
or her investment objective, there
are three major factors by which
mutual funds can be compared.
A record of successful growth or
appreciation in the fund's capital
value in the past is a positive
sign, but it is no indication that
the growth will continue in the
future. The larger and more
successful a fund becomes, the more
difficult it is to maintain that
growth. Performance rankings of the
top funds change considerably over a
period of time.
Every investment involves risk.
Investors hope that, if they are
willing to take a greater risk, they
will be rewarded with a greater
return. Analysts use "risk-adjusted
performance" to rank funds of a
given type on their rate of return
adjusted for risk, measuring a
fund's performance in both up and
down markets. A volatile fund may
produce above-average gains when the
market is up. But it may also lose
value much faster than average in a
falling market. Funds that have
performed well in both good periods
and bad may be ranked higher than
more volatile funds with a greater
A final element for comparison
between funds is cost. The expense
ratio gives you the fund's operating
expenses for the year expressed as a
percentage of the fund's average net
assets. In general, the lower the
expenses, the greater the return to
The management advisory fee,
somewhere around 0.5% of net assets,
is usually the largest single
component of operating expenses.
Most funds will try to keep their
operating expenses around 1% of the
fund's assets. But currently funds
range from a low expense ratio of
.29% to as high as 9% of assets. The
average stock fund in the early
1990s had an expense ratio of 1.6%.
Expenses higher than average will
reduce the investor's return.
Investors will find many features
that cannot be
statistically from fund to fund.
the special features
may weigh heavily with specific
investors. The presence or absence
of features like telephone
transfers, exchange privileges,
front-end or back-end loads, or
minimum purchase amounts may
override differences in performance
with these investors.
Most mutual funds offer a variety of
ways for an investor to purchase
shares. One of these is an open or
regular account. Under this
arrangement, an investor estab-
the account by making a substantial
lump-sum investment with no
commitment to make regular
purchases. However, because the
account is "open,"
the investor may
make additional investments as
desired and as money is available.
Because there is usually a sales
charge assessed on each individual
purchase, investors should be aware
that they may benefit from
accumulating small dollar amounts
into larger amounts before each
In addition, there are
generally specified dollar
amounts, like $5,000, at which the
sales charge is reduced.
Dollar cost averaging
concern about making
an investment at the "wrong"
Investors sometimes delay investing
when the market has been rising
rapidly because they feel that it
may be due for a correction.
Meanwhile, the market continues to
rise and they lose what would have
been a good opportunity to invest.
Or they may delay investing when the
market has been falling because they
fear it may be in a long-term
downward trend. They wait until
market shows some strong upward
movement, and then they find
themselves on the other side of the
cious circle continuing to delay
while they wait for a correction. | <urn:uuid:ed4b1094-1ffe-40fa-b4b6-69a24c19f131> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.cookco.us/financial/different_types_of_investments.htm | 2013-05-22T14:38:47Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701852492/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105732-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.936812 | 1,111 |
Business Pundit has a post today about a new auction site named jittery.
One thing BusinessPundit mentions is that the new site will have a
"Buy Offer" feature, which I believe gave him the idea in the first place. Basically, instead of buyers competing over an item and raising the price, buyers specify what they want to buy, which features are important, what prices they want to pay, and sellers compete to give them the best deal.
I am extremely skeptical that this would work. As background, I ran the marketplace portion of Mercata, that similarly tried to bring a different, more buyer focused model to table and failed fairly spectacularly. We found that you can be as innovative as you want, but you need a lot of traffic to your site, and building such traffic takes a lot of time or a lot of money or both. You also need to provide a value proposition for both buyers AND sellers.
A LOT of people have tried some sort of reversal of the auction process, where buyers specify the goods they want and sellers bring them to the table, bidding against each other (ie lower and lower prices) to get the business. FreeMarkets made some hay with this in the B2B world, but from the beginning the auctions were never really the money maker, but were a Trojan horse for supply chain consulting, which helps to explain why they merged with Ariba.
The only people to make this model work in the consumer area is Priceline. However, what most people fail to realize about Priceline is that it fulfilled a real business need for SELLERS, even more than for buyers.
Airlines have a classic fixed cost pricing problem. They want to sell as many tickets at a high price as possible, but an incremental passenger costs them nothing, so if the plane is not full, getting even $50 for a passenger to fill an empty seat at the last minute is profitable to them. The problem is somehow offering the $50 fare only to the passenger who would not fly otherwise, and not cannibalizing the customers who are willing to pay $300.
The problem is, if they offer the $50 fare to anyone, they can't hide the fact very well. The airline industry, as most know, have very transparent computer systems that let everyone know their prices on every route every minute of the day. If an airline cuts prices on a route, everyone knows - so that competitors can match the cut immediately and customers can switch from the higher to lower fairs. Airlines protect themselves somewhat with limited availability of certain fares and advanced purchase requirements - so that people, particularly business travelers, who need to maintain flexibility, have a reason to pay higher fares.
However, advanced purchase requirements were not providing enough protection. What airlines really wanted was a way to cut fares for one person who might not have flown otherwise, and let no one else see them do it. And Priceline was the answer. Yes, airlines had to tell the Priceline computers what the lowest bid they would accept from a customer for a flight was, but this did not constitute an official price that went into the reservation systems. So, the airlines could cut their price (via Priceline), but only the customer who got the price ever saw it.
In fact, the story is even better. At the time Priceline came around, one airline had a particular problem they needed to solve. When TWA got a loan from Carl Icahn, an almost unnoticed part of the deal was that a certain travel agency owned by Icahn, small at the time, would be guaranteed TWA tickets at a healthy discount off the lowest published fares. This agency, with this boondoggle, grew to enormous size as Lowestfare.com. TWA, beyond the reasons listed above, therefore had a second reason for not wanting to publish their lowest possible fare. Normal limitations that most airlines could set on how many seats would be available at their lowest fare could not be enforced by TWA. If they offered a new $100 fare, Lowestfare.com could blow out an unlimited number of tickets at $80 or less and TWA would have to accept it. Therefore, by offering discounts unpublished via Priceline, TWA prevented the travel agency from getting inventory even cheaper. And so, a huge portion of the early Priceline inventory was TWA. (ironically, after the American Airlines acquisition of TWA killed the deal, the Lowestfare.com URL was bought by ... Priceline.
Anyway, I just don't see how reverse auctions can work in the consumer world, particularly if the customers are allowed to specify price and quality and features, etc. The transaction costs for suppliers would be just too high wading through this stuff -- in fact, many companies in the B2B world, where transaction sizes are in the millions, have come to this same conclusion - for a variety of reasons, they are choosing not to participate in reverse auctions (here too).
Marketplaces must offer value to both buyer and seller. If you don't offer honest value to sellers, then no products appear on the site and it will fail.
Basically, there are two gorilla's in the online marketplace arena - eBay and Amazon. eBay had the head start in building a brand and community in the marketplace space, but Amazon has brought some really nifty technology to the table.
As a user of both, I welcome a new competitor, sortof. I hope that there will be competitors who force eBay to adopt some overdue new features (e.g. auction sniping protection and better search features on past auctions) but I don't really want any to be successful enough to create a third or fourth or fifth major platform out there, because that just increases my search costs and time when I want to buy something.
I missed pointing out one bit of irony. The Internet is generally attractive to consumers because it increases product information, and particularly increases knowlege about market pricing. However, in this case, Priceline's attractiveness to airlines was that it decreased pricing transparency in the market.
Welcome Carnival of the Capitalists readers. Have a look around, and check out our thoughts on replacements for Dan Rather. | <urn:uuid:2c3b137b-e18c-4deb-9f56-507801126226> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.coyoteblog.com/coyote_blog/tag/really | 2013-05-22T14:25:17Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701852492/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105732-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.971532 | 1,265 |
The College’s new policy lacks a comprehensive perspective and too readily discourages the use of opioids. The dearth of valid evidence should lead EPs to a balanced approach on pain, rather than a restrictive one.
In June, the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) published a new clinical policy entitled: “Critical Issues in the Prescribing of Opioids for Adult Patients in the Emergency Department”. As the opening lines explain, the guidelines were intended, “for adult patients presenting to the ED with acute noncancer pain or an acute exacerbation of chronic noncancer pain.” Unfortunately, despite the panel’s best efforts, the policy falls short in many ways. It is severely limited by a lack of well done studies in this area, most recommendations are Level C recommendations and there were no experts in chronic pain involved in the development of this policy. As a result, the policy, as written, has the potential to encourage physicians to decrease opioids and under-treat pain.
Perhaps the most limiting aspect of this policy is that the recommendations have not been placed within the greater context of all analgesics and the totality of acute pain care, resulting in almost no discussion as to how the prescription of opioids falls within the comprehensive approach to acute pain in the ED. But that is only the first of many problems for this pain policy.
We can all agree that there are very negative points about opioids. First, opioid misuse amongst teenagers is a rising concern with more than 25% of adolescents having misused prescription opioids. The number one source of their drugs is from their parents’ medicine cabinet, because the parents have failed to secure them properly – and we have failed to educate those parents on how to secure them properly. Second, there has been a rise in opioid-associated deaths as the incidence of opioid prescriptions for pain has risen. This is not something to be ignored but should be considered in context of the adverse effects of analgesics that could potentially be prescribed instead of opioids; the amount of morbidity and deaths associated with NSAIDs far surpasses that of opioids, with up to 20% of all new cases of CHF linked to the use of this category of drug. We do not see major national associations decrying NSAIDs – why so much publicity about opioids? The answer is that opioids create an emotional reaction that NSAIDs do not. Third, opioids as a group are can be abused and can lead to criminal behavior. As emergency physicians we are neither agents of law enforcement nor addiction medicine experts - we are patient advocates. Unfortunately as study after study has shown, we do not advocate very well for our patients in pain.
The prescribing of opioids can be both contentious and emotionally charged. Most emergency physicians have not been trained to properly evaluate aberrant drug-related behavior (ADRB), nor how to objectively screen for addiction. ADRB is a term that describes a spectrum of behavior spanning from the mildly problematic (such as hoarding medications to have extra doses during times of more severe pain) to felonies (such as selling medications).
As a result, many physicians distrust any patient that either asks for opioids or manifests ADRB, which is unfortunate given that most victims of oligoanalgesia – the undertreatment of pain – manifest such behavior. Studies of sickle cell patients have demonstrated that 100% of patients in vaso-occlusive crisis have had to use ADRB in an attempt to obtain pain relief.
Contrary to the ACEP statement that pain is associated with 42% of ED visits, actual data show it is closer to 80%. The rate of addiction in society is 10-12% when alcohol is included. Assuming the worse case scenario, that would mean there are 8 times more people in pain coming to our EDs than there are people hoping to divert opioids. So why do we keeping focusing more on the smaller group than on the (much) larger one? A recent Canadian survey showed that the average medical school curriculum spent 1/5 the amount of time on education about pain than did veterinary schools, and almost no time on addiction and aberrant drug-related behaviors. Perhaps the first step should be educating the medical profession in these areas rather than trying to establish inadequate policies for ill-trained physicians.
So let’s look at the four recommendations from the new policy:
1) In the adult ED patient with noncancer pain for whom opioid prescriptions are considered, what is the utility of state prescription drug monitoring programs in identifying patients who are at high risk for opioid abuse? Level C recommendations. The use of a state prescription monitoring program may help identify patients who are at high risk for prescription opioid diversion or doctor shopping.
No one can disagree with state prescription drug monitoring programs, although opioid monitoring is probably one of their lesser utilities. Instant access to medication lists and rapidly identifying drug-drug interactions – the cause of over 10% of all hospital admissions – is an essential part of medical practice today.
2. In the adult ED patient with acute low back pain, are prescriptions for opioids more effective during the acute phase than other medications? Level C recommendations. (1) For the patient being discharged from the ED with acute low back pain, the emergency physician should ascertain whether nonopioid analgesics and nonpharmacologic therapies will be adequate for initial pain management. (2) Given a lack of demonstrated evidence of superior efficacy of either opioid or nonopioid analgesics and the individual and community risks associated with opioid use, misuse, and abuse, opioids should be reserved for more severe pain or pain refractory to other analgesics rather than routinely prescribed. (3) If opioids are indicated, the prescription should be for the lowest practical dose for a limited duration eg, <1 week), and the prescriber should consider the patient’s risk for opioid misuse, abuse, or diversion.
There is little evidence to support these recommendations, but absence of evidence is not evidence of absence of effect. It has been demonstrated that of the non-traumatic causes of pain presenting to the ED, back pain and dental pain are the two that consistently score the highest on pain scales. Acute back pain is usually associated with considerable muscle spasm; opioids have several neurobiological reasons why they are the most effective agents for relieving acute painful muscle spasm. ACEP seems to be making two statements with this policy:
- Opioids are not superior to non-opioids for back pain
- Given the risks associated with opioids, they should be used when pain is refractory to other agents. Since we are the first physicians to see these patients, except for very severe cases, this suggests we should not be prescribing opioids for back pain at discharge.
This therefore is a recommendation that states – rare cases excepted – ACEP feels people with back pain, the most painful non-traumatic condition presenting to the ED, should not receive a prescription for opioids at discharge. This also indirectly suggests patients with back pain should not receive opioids while in the ED. Since oral muscle relaxants do not exist (despite what marketing tells you), and rapid access to physiotherapy or chiropractic care is not possible for most ED patients, this essentially means ACEP is recommending acetaminophen or an NSAID as our only options for most people with new onset acute back pain. This comes despite the policy itself stating: “NSAIDs are slightly effective for short-term symptomatic relief in patients with acute and chronic low back pain” This is an unacceptable position for
ACEP to take, and requires much better definition than has been provided.
An excellent part of the recommendation, however, should not be ignored: we need to limit the duration of the prescriptions we provide. Muscle spasm can be controlled within 48 hours with round-the-clock opioids. Patients who continue to have severe pain after 3-4 days should be reassessed, for it would not be expected for most patients to still have severe pain that long, even while recognizing that the pain from a low back problem may last months. It has been documented far too often that emergency physicians provide opioid analgesics in quantities that would last for weeks. Since we do not provide ongoing care, nor the required monitoring for ongoing opioid use, our opioid prescriptions should be of short duration. I would recommend no more than 3-4 days for low back pain, with follow up with a primary care provider by the end of that time period.
3. In the adult ED patient for whom opioid prescription is considered appropriate for treatment of new onset acute pain, are short-acting schedule II opioids more effective than short-acting schedule III opioids? Level B recommendations. For the short-term relief of acute musculoskeletal pain, emergency physicians may prescribe short-acting opioids such as oxycodone or hydrocodone products while considering the benefits and risks for the individual patient. Level C recommendations. Research evidence to support superior pain relief for short-acting schedule II over schedule III opioids is inadequate.
As with recommendation #2, this recommendation relies on absence of evidence to state that weaker opioids (Schedule III) are as good as stronger opioids (Schedule II)
Emergency physicians should only initiate short acting opioids, for sustained release preparations and long duration opioids (e.g. methadone) require close monitoring and titration within the first week. The exception to this recommendation is the sustained release oxycodone preparation (OxyNeo®), which does not accumulate over time. The ACEP recommendations again rely on minimal evidence and ignore long standing World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations. The WHO established the ‘Pain Ladder’ for cancer-related pain where it recommends initiation of weaker opioids before using stronger opioids for ongoing pain. This current policy refutes the validity of the WHO position, saying that if given in equianalgesic doses, all opioids are the same. That statement might be valid, if weaker oral opioids could be titrated to the amount required while still being tolerated. That is not true for either codeine or meperidine in patients with severe pain; hydrocodone preparations are usually prescribed in combination preparations, preventing the physician from prescribing the required amount of hydrocodone to provide optimal pain relief. In other words, Schedule III opioids cannot provide equianalgesic results to Schedule II opioids given the adverse effects and dosing limitations.
Surprisingly, ACEP recommends oxycodone instead of morphine as a first line choice despite the former’s recognized high rate of abuse in North America. Morphine induces much less euphoria and is misused to a far lesser degree than most other opioids. Since ACEP says all opioids are equal in equianalgesic doses, why has ACEP not mentioned morphine as a valid option?
One concern from this pain policy is the amount of “creep” that is likely to occur. If ACEP recommends oxycodone or hydrocodone for acute MSK pain after discharge, many physicians are likely to reason that these oral medications will suffice in the ED for patients with severe MSK pain. That is a mindset one would hope that ACEP does not encourage; direction with respect to management of acute severe MSK pain in the ED should have been stated much more clearly in this policy.
4. In the adult ED patient with an acute exacerbation of noncancer chronic pain, do the benefits of prescribing opioids on discharge from the ED outweigh the potential harms? Level C recommendations. (1) Physicians should avoid the routine prescribing of outpatient opioids for a patient with an acute exacerbation of chronic noncancer pain seen in the ED. (2) If opioids are prescribed on discharge, the prescription should be for the lowest practical dose for a limited duration (eg, <1 week), and the prescriber should consider the patient’s risk for opioid misuse, abuse, or diversion. (3) The clinician should, if practicable, honor existing patient-physician pain contracts/treatment agreements and consider past prescription patterns from information sources such as prescription drug monitoring programs.
Inherent to the prescription of opioids for chronic non-cancer pain (CNCP) is that they come from only one prescriber. The patient with CNCP should also have specific instructions from that prescriber as to how to act when an acute flare up occurs. For neuropathic pain, short acting opioids are not effective; sustained release formulations are effective. Short acting opioids prescribed in the ED for most CNCP conditions result in more rapid tolerance and can create institution dependency – they offer little benefit. For acute worsening of neuropathic pain as seen in complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS), ketamine is far more effective than opioids. Given that it may take a pain physician 3-6 months to identify an effective regimen to control CNCP, there should be no sense of urgency by an emergency physician to get CNCP under control. In patients with fibromyalgia, opioids play no role, and should not be prescribed. Rather, ruling out other causes of the presenting pain and patient education are the two most important requirements of the emergency physician when caring for patient with fibromyalgia. The obvious exceptions to the no-acute-intervention approach are:
- CRPS where a 6-8 hour ketamine infusion can completely stop the acute flare up
- Sickle Cell Disease. Opioids are an integral part of pain management in the acute-on-chronic setting for vaso-occlusive crises and need to be prescribed as part of the routine of controlling each episode.
It may happen that a CNCP patient truly requires more opioids until able to see the primary care provider. Both the previous ACEP policy on pain management and the Canadian Opioid Guideline (http://nationalpaincentre.mcmaster.ca/opioid/) provide excellent recommendations on how to provide opioids for 24-48 hours, until the patient can contact their care giver.
Here’s what is lacking in this 4th recommendation: How is an EP to manage acute severe pain in CNCP patients when that pain does not arise from their chronic pain, as would occur if the patient had a long bone fracture? In such an instance the physician must maintain the usual daily dose of opioids while adding additional opioids for the new problem. The right dose of additional opioids can be estimated by remembering that the recommended prn dose of opioids in a habituated patient is 15-25% of their total daily dose.
It would seem that ACEP’s new opioid policy is not comprehensive in its recommendations and appears to strongly discourage opioid use in many ED patients. There are valid reasons to be concerned about opioids, but fear of diversion should not supersede management of pain in the acute setting. Lack of valid evidence should not lead us to a restrictive approach, but a balanced one. Better physician training and quality research are both required in the very near future if we are to find safe, sustainable solution.
Jim Ducharme, MD, CM, FRCP, is a clinical professor of medicine, McMaster University. He is the Editor-in-Chief, Canadian Journal of Emergency Medicine, Senior VP and Chief Medical Officer at the AIM Health Group, and the Vice-President, International Federation for Emergency Medicine | <urn:uuid:328b7f82-ac37-4dd6-a671-36bfb5055ff2> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.epmonthly.com/columns/in-my-opinion/acep-pain-policy-falls-short/print/ | 2013-05-22T14:24:40Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701852492/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105732-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.93261 | 3,112 |
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|Meet Hockey's Next One: Connor McDavid|
|Written by Dan Marrazza|
|Friday, 19 October 2012 14:21|
Hockey fans tend to get a bit hyperbolic when it comes to naming the sport's "next one," but they may have found a pretty good candidate in Erie Otters center, Connor McDavid.Unlike any other sport, hockey has a way of anointing its “next ones” at precociously young ages.
The tales of hockey’s “next ones” are as legendary as the stories of a pre-teen version of Wayne Gretzky earning the chance to meet Gordie Howe, and extend to the likes of Mario Lemieux, Eric Lindros and Sidney Crosby being declared future first-overall NHL draft picks years before their eligibility.
While there’s always cases like Alexandre Daigle that prove that not every kid appointed as hockey’s “next one” will automatically go on to fulfill his promise, there is always a sense of excitement when one of these kids come along.
Enter Connor McDavid, who has his mass introduction to the hockey world on Friday night when his Erie Otters host the London Knights on the NHL Network and Rogers Sportsnet at 7:00 p.m.
McDavid, scorer of 72 points (33g, 39a) in 33 midget games with the Toronto Marlboros last season, is the first forward since John Tavares to be granted “exceptional player status” in junior hockey, meaning he’s been given special permission to play in the Ontario Hockey League despite being just 15-years-old.
“His vision and his skating are unbelievable,” said McDavid’s head coach with the Otters, Robbie Ftorek. “He goes out and practices hard, too. He’ll do whatever it takes to get better. And he’s always talking on the ice. He’s a great kid.”
Although McDavid, a pass-first center who wears the number 97 for the year he was born, will be playing just the 11th junior game of his career on Friday, his 12 points (5g, 7a) in his first 10 games and current nine-game point-scoring streak have already drawn him a world of praise.
"He looks like he's got it all," said NHL megastar and hockey’s one-time “next one” Sidney Crosby earlier in October. "When I watched him play, he reminded me of myself.”
Despite the lofty compliments he’s received, McDavid is by no means a shoe-in to become the next Crosby, Tavares or Lemieux. After all, he’s still just a kid who goes to school every day without a driver’s license, and who won’t even be eligible for the NHL Draft until 2015.
“I think I’m a fast guy, but know I can get a lot faster,” said McDavid. “My shot needs to improve and I work on my defensive game every day during practice. And I work on getting better at faceoffs every day after practice.”
“He tries to work on everything to get himself better,” added Ftorek. “He’s always trying to get better. We had Ryan O’Reilly in here helping him on his faceoffs, which is something I know Connor wants to improve on. But when you have a kid who works so hard to get better, he will get better.”
Considering that McDavid is already a point-per-game junior player at a time when there isn’t another kid in Canadian major junior hockey as young as him, the thought of him having room to improve should both terrify OHL defenses, while making NHL scouts continue to drool through their pillows.
But even beyond McDavid, there are a few others Otters for fans to pay attention to on Friday night’s telecast. McDavid’s linemates, J.P. Labardo and Connor Brown, are both better than point-per-game players themselves, with 10 points in nine games and 11 points in 10 games, respectively.
Neither Labardo’s nor Brown’s draft rights belong to an NHL team yet.
Meanwhile, the Otters’ opponents on Friday night, the defending Ontario Hockey League champion London Knights, have their own handful of players that are worth extended looks.
One of London’s co-leading scorers is Max Domi, who is the son of former longtime NHL enforcer Tie Domi. Additionally, the Knights’ roster also sports 2012 Pittsburgh Penguins first-round draft pick Olli Maatta, and Seth Griffin, the Knights’ leading scorer from last season who has 15 points in his first eight games of the 2012-13 season.
Domi, Maatta, Griffin and the Knights can be followed on Twitter all season at @GoLondonKnights.
Wunderkind Connor McDavid and the Erie Otters can be followed at @ErieOtters.
Photos by Getty Images
Follow @HockeyPrimetime Follow @DanMarrazza
|Last Updated on Friday, 19 October 2012 14:58| | <urn:uuid:83243d15-9fe6-45e1-ac3f-8725dafbfd97> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.hockeyprimetime.com/news/futures-watch/meet-hockeys-next-one-connor-mcdavid | 2013-05-22T14:40:40Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701852492/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105732-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.955958 | 1,126 |
PITTSBURGH-- Pittsburgh soon could take a cue from a growing number of local trucking, ambulance and taxi companies that use GPS tracking devices to streamline gas-guzzling routes and catch employees slacking on the job.
City police Chief Nate Harper wants to spend $200,000 to $300,000 to equip about 270 police vehicles with transmitters visible to 24 global positioning satellites orbiting 11,000 miles above the Earth.
Few small governments can afford the tracking technology, which can cost from $250 to $500 a vehicle, but that doesn t mean it isn t a seductive possibility as prices continue to drop.
We d love to have them, said Tom Kelly, Mt. Lebanon public works director. Maybe for our snow plows when the costs come down.
Harper said GPS would allow police to find directions to crime scenes quickly and help 911 dispatchers pinpoint police units on a computer-generated map of the city.
That way, dispatch will know what s the closest car to a call that comes in, Harper said. And guess what? Now officers that aren t performing as well as the other officers won t get a chance to hide.
Jim Malloy, president of police union Fort Pitt Lodge No. 1, dismissed suggestions that GPS tracking is akin to Big Brother needlessly spying on police movements. He said knowing an officer s precise location improves safety in case the officer is hurt during a chase or attack and needs an ambulance or another police officer to find him quickly.
Steve Linhart, a captain for Elizabeth Township Area Emergency Medical Services, said GPS was installed in his department s 11 emergency vehicles last week -- an upgrade from a previous, less reliable tracking system.
To know that our crew is following the speed limits is a big concern for us, Linhart said. There are so many ambulance crashes in the nation, it s ridiculous.
Richland-based Allied Communications installed the system, which can update Linhart on the location, speed and route of his ambulances every seven seconds.
It s good to know where people are when we need them, he said. Sometimes it s a little too easy for them to say we re not at the facility yet, and they re just eating at McDonald s trying to avoid another (nonemergency, privately financed) pickup.
At least one local government has used GPS to investigate an employee suspected of moonlighting on the job.
From May to June 2005, Franklin Park officials paid a private investigator $867 to use GPS to determine whether a building inspector was doing outside work on company time. The worker kept his job and the results of the investigation weren t made public.
Rick Macklin, president of Ambridge-based shipper Beemac Trucking, had GPS devices installed on 240 trucks not to threaten employees who might loaf, but to improve efficiency.
We tell truckers it s there. It s not something we re hiding from them, Macklin said. They go from the bad, You re going to watch me? attitude to Hey, that s OK, I m doing my job.
Macklin said the value of giving a shipping customer a precise time of arrival and avoiding countless phone calls from truckers checking in is priceless.
Jerry Campolongo, general manager of Yellow Cab Co. in Pittsburgh, said the company s 300 taxis work as independent contractors, but a central dispatching center knows where they are thanks to GPS.
Drivers only make money if there s someone in the back seat. GPS helps them, and it helps customers, he said.
Brian Stephens, policy director for the nonprofit Privacy Rights Clearinghouse in San Diego, opposes GPS tracking of employees because it tramples on their privacy rights, particularly during lunch and off hours if workers take their vehicles home.
Maybe a bunch of the guys in the office went to a strip club for lunch, and then that information becomes available to the employer, Stephens said. Normally off-duty conduct is not an issue, but suddenly it could be.
In Indiana, six employees of the Fort Wayne-Allen County Health Department lost their jobs last year after an administrator switched three Global Positioning Satellite devices in and out of 12 department vehicles to nail health inspectors running personal errands on the job.
Employees were caught going to stores, gyms, restaurants, churches and their homes.
In Chicago, city workers were given GPS-enabled cell phones to track their movements on the job. City officials quelled initial protests from employees by allowing them to turn off the devices during lunch hours and after work.
Wayne Wagner, owner of Allied Communications in Richland, said few local governments are adopting the technology he sells, but he said they should to improve efficiency without the risk of forcing managers to single out poorly performing employees.Everyone thinks it s about Big Brother watching them, but the main thing it s about is productivity, Wagner said. GPS doesn t care what nationality you are or if you re a nice guy. It doesn t lie. | <urn:uuid:6b3bb536-ebdc-4284-9b88-631d9e0d67ac> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.jems.com/article/industry-news/gps-ems-employees-offers-benef | 2013-05-22T14:48:10Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701852492/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105732-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.961084 | 1,024 |
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The vision of KREMERS URBAN is to be a premier specialty generic pharmaceutical company with a portfolio of high-barrier-to-entry products and limited competition. Leveraging the vast resources of its parent company, KREMERS URBAN is moving to the forefront of delivering the tough solutions necessary to get complex products into the market. Its professionals are experts at increasing efficiencies and reducing the cost of getting generic products to the appropriate market segments.
KREMERS URBAN extended-release products that require complex drug development technology and manufacturing process include: Hydrocodone Polistirex and Chlorpheniramine Polistirex Pennkinetic® ExtendedRelease Suspension CIII (authorized generic for Tussionex® Pennkinetic® Extended-Release Suspension CIII), Pantoprazole Sodium Delayed-Release Tablets, Oxybutynin Chloride Extended-Release Tablets USP, Omeprazole Delayed-Release Capsules, Nifedipine Extended-Release Tablets USP, Verapamil Hydrochloride ExtendedRelease Capsules, and several other extended-release and transdermal generic products.
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The history of KREMERS URBAN dates back more than a century. It was acquired by SCHWARZ PHARMA Manufacturing, Inc. in the mid-’90s before SCHWARZ PHARMA Manufacturing, Inc. was acquired by UCB in 2006. KREMERS URBAN has made impressive strides since it embarked on its own. The business continues to excel in its service and capabilities. Fill rates, lead times, and service levels consistently attain 100%, meeting or exceeding all of its customers’ expectations. All this translates to major corporate growth and more extensive capabilities. Along with commercial offices in Princeton, New Jersey, a dedicated customer service headquarters was established in Seymour, Indiana, where KREMERS URBAN has also invested in an impressive 400,000-square-foot pharmaceutical manufacturing plant. With its dedicated facilities, comprehensive infrastructure, technical expertise, and UCB corporate support, KREMERS URBAN is uniquely structured and positioned to manage high barriers to entry.
Whether it’s complex APIs, drug delivery systems, or challenging product formulations, you can trust KREMERS URBAN to complete the complicated puzzle of market entry, and Unlock the Complexities of Today’s Market.
For more information, visit www.kremersurban.com
Tussionex® and Pennkinetic® are registered trademarks of the UCB Group of companies. Rubik's Cube® used by permission of Seven Towns Ltd. www.rubiks.com. | <urn:uuid:2a646af6-6567-4ea4-8f25-9e117cc1bb30> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.pharmacytimes.com/publications/supplement/2012/Generic-Supplement-2012/KremersUrban_2012 | 2013-05-22T14:19:58Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701852492/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105732-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.912088 | 844 |
Well; now that the bailout appears to have flamed out we see the stock market dropping faster than Larry Craig's boxers in airport men's room (what? hey, it's just an analogy!).
In conversations over the weekend ( I was travelling to visit some friends) I was told by a number of people that the credit crunch was the fault of the consumer. There's no doubt in my mind that a lot of folks, who really did know better than to believe that the loan and real estate markets were sound, borrowed much more money than they could hope to repay if anything interrupted their income stream or devalued their equity stake in their property. There were also, of course, many thousands of businesses, both large and small, that went on spending sprees for new equipment, expansion and acquisitons and are now scrambling in a tightening market to service the debt they generated.
However, the major culprits in this situation are the current administration, the financial behemoths that control retail lending and the superbly trained, groomed and accoutred thieves who ran them.
I've been through a bankruptcy. It destroyed my credit for 8 years. As a result of proving that I wasn't very good at controlling my spending I was penalized by being refused any credit at less than confiscatory rates (at least I used to think 24% interest was confiscatory--now that seems like a bargain compared to some of the rates I see). I learned a lesson. I don't owe anyone any money at the moment and I hope to keep it that way. I also don't have any money to speak of, when I finish what I'm doing at the house I will be flat broke, most likely. I know that I can't spend money I don't have and expect someone to bail ME out--with no strings attached. I don't think consumers who borrowed money to purchase McMansions (knowing they couldn't really afford them) should be afforded the same degree of relief as people who were lied to and convinced by the bunco artist lenders that their ARM's were "no problem" and they would just be able to re-fi them at any time.
Once the "customers" have had their 'taste' of ashes and sackcloth I think it would be both just and proper that we deal with their enablers.
I have heard that some bigshot execs have lost their jobs, that they share our pain. Horseshit. The majority of the corporate thugs who were the architects of this house of cards have made piles of money, much of which has been "re purposed" into various stock portfolios, real estate and other assets. I would suggest (fat lot of good it will do) that we set aside some funds and set up a an investigative body to comb through the financial records of the failed institutions and their officers. Where those investigations reveal mis or malfeasance, appropriate penalties--including prison sentences and restitution--should be levied.
Mr. Paulson said, last week, that we needed to offer the people that allowed or caused this current fiasco, some incentives to get them to sign on. I think a couple of hundred U.S. Marshalls and T-men with warrants, green eyeshades and calculators would work wonders.
I actually put this on someone else's comments, but it strikes me that people keep conflating "experience" with training (including the Obama campaign).
The comment that was made, essentially, sais that Palin's lack of foreign policy experience is no more troubling than was Bill Clinton's when he ran for the presidency or Obama's is now. I beg to differ.
Assuming this information on Obama:
Following high school, Obama moved to Los Angeles, where he studied at Occidental College for two years. He then transferred to Columbia University in New York City, where he majored in political science with a specialization in international relations. Obama graduated with a B.A. from Columbia in 1983, then worked for a year at the Business International Corporation and then at the New York Public Interest Research Group.
After four years in New York City, Obama moved to Chicago to work as a community organizer for three years from June 1985 to May 1988 as director of the Developing Communities Project (DCP), a church-based community organization originally comprising eight Catholic parishes in Greater Roseland (Roseland, West Pullman, and Riverdale) on Chicago's far South Side. During his three years as the DCP's director, its staff grew from one to thirteen and its annual budget grew from $70,000 to $400,000, with accomplishments including helping set up a job training program, a college preparatory tutoring program, and a tenants' rights organization in Altgeld Gardens. Obama also worked as a consultant and instructor for the Gamaliel Foundation, a community organizing institute. In mid-1988, he traveled for the first time to Europe for three weeks and then for five weeks in Kenya, where he met many of his Kenyan relatives for the first time.
Obama entered Harvard Law School in late 1988. At the end of his first year, he was selected, based on his grades and a writing competition, as an editor of the Harvard Law Review. In February 1990, in his second year, he was elected president of the Law Review,(wikipedia)"
and Bill Clinton;
"With the aid of scholarships, Clinton attended the Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., receiving a Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service (B.S.F.S.) degree in 1968. He spent the summer of 1967, the summer before his senior year, working as an intern for Arkansas Senator J. William Fulbright. While in college he became a brother of Alpha Phi Omega and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. ...
Upon graduation he won a Rhodes Scholarship to University College, Oxford where he studied Government. ...
After Oxford, Clinton attended Yale Law School and obtained a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree in 1973.(wikipedia)"
to be factual,
I would say that either Obama's or Clinton's resume is little better than Sarah Palin's. Sarah Palin has a degree in sports journalism. NO FOREIGN POLICY EDUCATION OR EXPERIENCE.
It is silly for anyone to think that any candidate for the presidency has a great deal of foreign policy "experience" as even the U.S. congress really only recommends what path the president and secretary of state should follow in that regard. But if a concentration in sports metaphors isn't trumped by a law degree and a B.S. in foreign policy--well, shucks.
Also, it needs to be remembered that JohnnyPOW McCain's campaign touted Sarah Palin's experience in this area. Now they REALLY don't want her to talk about it, outside of totally scripted and managed "interviews". Poor Sarah, the pitbull may wear lipstick but she also wears a muzzle.
Obviously there is no "truth in advertising" law that applies to political campaigns--mores the pity.
Well, we had a deal, but it appears that the GOPimps in the house are now saying that the guy they sent up to the hill had his fingers crossed...
"But a House leadership aide said that there had been no bipartisan negotiations with House Republicans. The aide said Rep. Spencer Bachus, who had been meeting with Frank and Sen. Chris Dodd, head of the Senate Banking Committee, had no authority to speak for them.
In a statement before the meeting, Bachus said that he had made it clear in the meeting that "I was not authorized by my colleagues to make any agreement on behalf of House Republicans."
So, now it would appear that we don't have a deal. Our economy is tanking (has been for quite some time, actually) and the reptilicans are going to use this crisis as another chance to fuck the rest of us and at the same time make political points with the morons that support McCain/Palin or Bushco V1.1, if you will.
They say that the Chinese have an ideogram for "crisis" that combines "danger" with "opportunity". I think the GOP has one that combines "cynicism" with "talking points".
Here's a great MPalincCain ad.
I watched a fair amount of Olbermann's show from last evening on a podcast and about eight minutes of Letterman, all having to do, oddly enough with the McPalincain presidential campaign.
I'm not sure what's stranger; the surreal aspect of both Palin and McCain's obvious disconnect with what they say when they know they're on camera and what they've said in the past or say now, when they think they're off the record--or the fact that most of the media is STILL blissfully pumping out whatever passes for the truth from CampaignMcStain.
Don't take my word for it, google Olbermann, google Letterman (Jay Leno's got to be seething that McCain didn't "diss" him). Check out Mudflats blog.
I don't think we're seeing that the emperor's naked, I think we're seeing that his spleen is enlarged, he's got fibroid entanglements in his brain and he's suffering from Madrunningmate's disease.
That's okay, Reverend Muthee, the witchdoctordoctor will save the senator and his team from that evil sorcerer O Bam A.
And a bright "good morning" to all!
I have been puzzling over the claim by Bushco apparatchik Henry Paulson that not making a quick, uninformed decision about the $750,000,000,000 welfare program for the downtrodden CEO's of Wall Street.
See, I don't got me no degree in economics or finance or nuttin, so I can't begin to see how badly we're really being fucked if this thing goes through. What I can do is google and I'm half decent with numbers, so....
$1M in "Benjamins" = the following:
Total area: 103.389471 square meters
Total weight: According to the U.S. Treasury, "In $100 bills, the weight
of $1million is about 22 pounds." [that's 10 kg.]
Total height: Stacked singly, 48.82 inches high.
Total length: Laid end to end, 5083.333... feet long.
So, here are the figures for Bushco's Golden Airborne Division bailout.
Total area: 77,542,103.25 square meters or 29.939173442746206 square miles
(for purposes of comparison, Manhattan's total land area is
22.96 sq mi.)
Total weight: 7,500 metric tons or, 8267.334... Tons-short
Total height: Stacked singly, 577.888... miles high.
Total length: Laid end to end, 722,064.346... miles long
More fun facts: If we go for this Ponzi scheme, and take out a
"home impoverishment loan" we can look at the following
Loan amount: $ 750,000,000,000.00
Loan term : 30 Years
Interest rate: 5.750% (We ARE well qualified buyers)
Monthly Payment: $ 4,376,796,423.33 a month
Totals--Principal: $ 750,000,000,000.00
Interest: $ 825,646,712,398.80
Grand Total: $ 1,575,646,712,398.80 (you can forget
about the .80; just round it down.)
Dividing this figure by 150,000,000 taxpayers (an arbitrary number; I just plucked it out of the air, unlike Mr. Paulson) I come up with a per capita number of, let's see $ 10,504.31 or about $29.18 per month. Why, it's just like a "Christmas Club savings account. The CEO's get to open their gifts for the next 30 years, we get the bill! And this will secure my future? how?
The good news for me is that there's little or no chance I'll be paying for the whole term of the note--I'm 58.
I don't know about you folks, but I don't want to get asked over for dinner and then get stuck with paying for the house.
I went out this evening to get a few beers and some chicken wings. When I was getting ready to leave the bar I ran into a guy I know and another guy that I met once before. We talked for a few minutes and the fellow I knew told the other guy that I was renovating my house and he mentioned the sidewalk. At this point the other said that I should have had the city do my sidewalk. I told him the city wasn't about to take care of my sidewalk. He then informed me that you just have to "know the right people". It went downhill from there. I told him that people who are connected get things done, at the expense of the rest of us, he didn't like hearing it. People like him never like hearing that they are, in fact, gaming the system--just like all those welfare cheats they always talk about.
I know the other guy is a staunch republican and try to avoid discussing politics with him. But the whole thing got going with both of them reciting the GOP's talking points about Obama. One of them went so far as to to say that it's not okay for the MSM to call Obama a black guy, but it's okay to make fun of Sarah Palin and ask if she's done her laundry today (something I've not heard on ANY news outlet). When I asked him if he felt like Obama was the "black guy", he tried to act as if it wasn't what he said.
I was quite pissed and had to leave. It's not that I can't accept people having convictions about their candidates. It's that I can't abide people who are being willfully blind to the truth.
One of they guys said that Bush had given everybody $600 and, now, Obama was "bribing" people to vote for him by promising them $1K. The other guy said Obama has done nothing, gotten no bills passed, during his 4 years in the U.S. Senate. Neither of them had any opinion, apparently, on Sarah Palin's absolute lack of knowledge or meaningful experience in dealing with issues affecting significant populations. Nor did they have anything to say about Bushco's $700B bailout plan for WS, which they either think is a good idea or they have no thoughts about at all.
When I encounter that sort of mindset, willful blindness is as charitable a description as I can muster for that sort of attitude. Selfishness, cowardice and cynicism are, I think, a good deal closer to the mark.
I almost forgot to mention that they will both be voting for McCain.
Deregulation is good, according to the folks who have to deal with all of those burdensome regulations.
If it wasn't for the courage of the deregulators we would have horrific pollution, unsafe food and an economy in a shambles. Thank GOD we have some brave men--one of whom is an EX-POW, my friends--who will not let themselves be steamrolled by the nattering nabobs of regulativity. The market will, left alone, correct itself. If this isn't obvious to those of my readers who have watched the developments in the financial markets this week, then they must be socialistically blind. The market got into trouble because of FDR's failed social programs and if they hadn't pulled themselves up, by Mr. Paulson's bootstraps, their shareholders would be left holding the bag. As it is, they used their own gumption and resources to have their lobbyists go talk to the same lawmakers who let them get where they are today to extend a little credit. It's not their fault that the credible boobs they've loaned money too can't manage THEIR financial affairs.
I think it's worth noting here that the Chinese who were often praised, and rightfully so, for doing such a bangup job of choreographing 8,000 dancers in the opening ceremony of "Leni II--Triumph Of The Will, Beijing" were not afraid to devote the resources necessary to achieve that feat. Hopefully, now that the olympics are over they will be able to send a few of the dancers back to their "day jobs" as builders and baby formula inspectors (http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/16/world/asia/16milk.html?ref=worldbusiness).
Regulation is the last refuge of the scaredypants. If you insist on regulation then the terrorists have won.
I was going to write something about the wonderfully crisp early autumn air, but...
I was chatting with a couple of folks last night and they were taken a bit aback by my characterization of John McCain as a lying piece of shit who would sell his soul if ever had one.
They are not and were not going to vote for him in any case, but they thought I was a bit harsh in my assessment of McCain's charachter. They were, also, largely ingnorant of his various acts of self-aggrandizement and malfeasance over his nearly 30 years in public life--never mind his personal lapses of ethics and morals. But, they were shocked, shocked I tell you, at the level of my vituperativeness. One of them actually said that I was not going to be able to convince people on the merits of my candidates qualifications if I was so obvious about my dislike for McCain and his campaign consort, Sarah Palin. Ummm, okay, I don't care.
The GOP has made fear the centerpiece of their campaigns for at least the last 50 years. Fear of the commies, fear of racial mixing, fear of tax and spend liberals, fear of Islam, fear of a liberal education, fear of government regulation and, now, the fear of eternal damnation.
The GOP has cynically and deliberately made this presidential election a referendum on the will of GOD. Sarah Palin was chosen, as is becoming increasingly apparent, solely for her attractiveness to a group of voters, the "social conservatives" (who, in actuality, are sociopathic reactionaries) of the GOP's "Base". Her lack of expertise in most areas of governance and her all too obvious certitude that GOD has her back would be hilarious, if it were just a spoof by Tina Fey. But, it's not. Once again the GOP has cranked up the machineries of hate and has ginned up the cross and robe constituency that will vote for whichever candidate they are told to by their ministers and the rightwing smearosphere.
So, the GOP has their politics of fear. Well, I got my politics too, the politics of outrage. I am outraged that the same cabal of bastards who have done their utmost to further enrich the wealthiest, remove the safeguards put in place to protect the rest of us from those same people's depradations and plunge us into a war that is as apparently unwinnable as it is interminable dare to ask for another chance to right the ship of state--a ship that they themselves ran aground.
I don't know what informs the Obama campaigns rhetoric in the face of a blizzard of lies and bullshit from the right. I do know what informs mine. I'm mad as hell and I'm not going to make nice, anymore.
Steve Earle's 2005 Album, "The Revolution Starts Now" has the following chorus in his song, "Fuck the FCC"
"So fuck the FCC
Fuck the FBI
Fuck the CIA"
I'm livin’ in the motherfuckin’ USA"
Profane? yup; nasty, ditto. Add the GOP, the AFA and every other lying group of fear mongering bastards that are the "special needs" children of Lee Atwater, may he rot in his troubled sleep.
Let's not allow the "Liars for GOD" to interpret our silence as fear.
I got something in my head that's slipping gears at the moment, I'll get to it, after bit.
I'm putting another poem on here. The way to make me stop is to beg for them until I run out (there's only a couple of hundred left). Then I will have to go into seclusion (which means a bar with cheap draft and a bunch of other garrulous old geezers like myself) to write some more.
This one's for my pop (note: The price of gas is, obviously, from those dark days when that criminal Clinton's treacherous perfidy was still hobbling the profitability of the energy sector).
"Want to go for a ride?" he'd ask.
My father liked company on his drives to the store or the post office.
I really think any of his kids would do.
But he especially seemed to enjoy the rides we took together,
It was like sanctuary on four wheels.
The place we did not fight.
The place where we could, briefly, almost, be equal.
My dad drove a lot, it was a part of his job, the part he loved.
He grew up in a little town; Del Rapids, South Dakota.
Limitless skies, countless pheasants, good black earth.
He traded it for city living,
but you cannot take the farm out of the boy.
He spent 10, maybe 15 years, criss-crossing Nebraska and parts of South Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri and Kansas.
Selling was the excuse to get behind the wheel and point the car at the horizon.
He flew when he had to, drove when he could.
400, 500, 600 miles in a day-- 1,500 in a week.
A tankful of .19/ Gal gasoline, 2 packs of Philip Morris Regulars and a thermos of strong coffee.
He favored Olds Delta 88's; massive, powerful, sleek and comfy.
He loved to put his hand over the speedometer and with a voice full of mischief say, "let me know when you think we're going 75."
I would wait then, knowing I was wrong, I'd give the signal.
He'd take his hand off the speedometer and I would be watching the needle flicker at 100, 105, a bit more.
The car rode like it was on rails
His car was a refuge,
the one place where, even though it was always in motion, he felt grounded.
We had very little in common, so few areas in which we agreed.
Two things we shared were a 7-3/8 hat size and our love for the road.
I drive a compact truck, gave up smoking and drink de-caf:
I love to get in the car and point it at the horizon.
Gas is about $2.00/ Gal and there are very few places you can just put the hammer down.
But the car is a refuge, a movable sanctuary.
An altar to the idolatry of mobility, perhaps.
I pull on my 7-3/8 fitted baseball cap and shove an Orbison tape into the deck;
I look in the rearview mirror,
Dad smiles back.
FWIW, this took off into the ether, as soon as I finished typing the title. That's about how much I can listen to the experts without screaming and throwing shit at the radio.
Mr. Cokie Roberts is on the Diane Rheem Show this a.m., talking with three of those "experts" about the wholly unforeseen, unpredictable and unprecedented nosedive of Wall Street (which is sucking everyone else's economies into the maelstrom--see, we ARE still important!!).
All of those overeducated, underobservant assholes are paid millions to run the companies that are tanking left and right. They are paid that money because they, supposedly, know how to do so. It appears that a lot of them have no fucking idea what they're doing--aside from how to draw and spend those huge, undeserved "compensation packages".
I'd like to say its schadenfreude on my part to enjoy their suffering--except it appears that a lot of them aren't suffering. They're walking away with enormous wads of cash (although, in truth, $10-30M or so doesn't buy what it used to!) as a result of deals worked out with the boards. Of course the fact that a lot of the CEO's of various companies sit on each others' boards; that wouldn't in any way affect their judgement on such matters, would it? Nah.
Well, that's enough of that, for now.
I was listening to a John Gorka tape last night--I am a technoluddite and damned proud of it--! Anyway, I go the Salvation Army thrift store and buy tapes for .99 apiece, great music at the right price. So; I'm litening to the tape and the last song on it is "Brown Shirts". If you haven't heard it, or heard of it, you might want to check it out. It was written in 1992, but it could have been written tomorrow.
I know that the Dixie Chicks have been one of the most visible groups or artists to put their careers on the line by voicing their disapproval with and disgust of the "values" of the GOP. There are others, however; hundreds (thousands?) of musicians, comedians, actors and other public figures who use their popular appeal and celebrity to do the right thing and speak truth to power.
thus endeth the rant.
After listening to the news of the collapse of Lehman Bros., the assimilation of Merrill Lynch and the dire forecasts re: AIG, I listened to several "experts" whose hindsight is unbelievably postscient. They can all explain how clear it was that this would happen, but none offer explanations as to why they didn't sound the alarm before or while it happened.
I have heard, many times, in the past several days that the structural failures which led to the ruin of the U.S. and world economies in the the Great Depression were the impetus behind much legislation that erected firewalls between speculative investment and traditional banking institutions; and, that because of those firewalls it was much less likely that the sort of things that brought about the run on banks and subsequent. It appears, however, that the U.S. congress has, in the past several decades, undermined or simply removed those firewalls so that they are no longer effective or no longer exist.
It occurs to me (not) for the first time that the difference between investing on Wall Street and shooting craps in Vegas is that at least in Vegas they comp the drinks for the marks.
The new "conventional wisdom" is that the "housing bubble" and it's reliance on sub-prime mortgages are to blame for the demise of numerous financial institutions. The people who are saying this are, in many cases, the same folks who had been telling us, until fairly recently, that it was the housing market that would draw us out of the recession. It seems that the financial experts and the economists were not blowing hard enough on the dice before they threw them.
Much of the blame for the sub-prime mess, of course, can be laid at the feet of people who bought homes during a period of "irrational exuberance". I have heard that many people just wanted to have a home of their own. Count me in that number. I have a lovely little hovel which I bought for $25K because it was pretty much gutted and it sits on a small, crowded lot, in a city, in the upper end of NY; a city whose economy has been in the shitter since about 1975. Purchasing the house took about 1/2 of what was in my small 401K. Then I took a lump sum check for my retirement in order to finance the renovations. So, now I have about 30K in an IRA and this house (which needs about 1000 hours work and $15K in materials to make it livable) what I don't have, at the moment, is any debt--of course I don't have an income either.
Now, then; I'm going to be 59 in a few weeks and I'm probably never going to have anything like a good paying job again (I blame a lack of talent and ambition--I am so unfair to my life!). There are lots of people my age who have nice homes, decent amounts of savings, nice cars, kids in college and all of the other accoutrements of the middle class. They also have boatloads of debt. A large portion of their indebtedness stems from reliance on traditional financial instruments, mortgages in the main, to finance homes. However much of the indebtedness is the result of high interest borrowings on credit cards, to finance those things which they were told they needed to be seen as successful. They were convinced, by the lenders that debt was good, regardless that the cost of servicing the debt was usurious. Debt is good, especially if you're not the debtor--AND if, when your position as the debt collector becomes unprofitable, you can ask the government to spare you from the repercussions of the "free market" that you created!
Here's the thing that really bothers me about all of this: that dream of constant acquisition, each successive generation having more of everything than its predecessor, is rooted in Ponzinomics. There is a finite amount (and it's quite large, I won't deny that) of wealth that is available at any single point in time. When there is not enough to go around, debt is created--wealth anti-matter, so to speak--some of which is fine. But, when debt becomes the driving force of the economy, it becomes an 800 pound gorilla. Debt dictates how we spend and save. Too much debt means that, first--we can no longer save, and second--that we can't buy more stuff. If it's only for a week or two, no biggie. Otoh, if it's for a few quarters the party in power calls it a period of stagnation (the party out of power calls it what it is--a recession).
Ya know what? This is all just my opinion, cuz I never finished college, never mind the Wharton School or Chicago U. But I don't think the homeless (and those who are going to be joining them in the next few years) need degrees in economics to know that they're screwed.
Tommorow, class, we will look at how the necessity to be part of Mr. Bush's "ownership society" left us all holding one thing--the bag.
As the title suggests, the MSM looks down on bloggers (including, I suspect, most of their in-house bloggers) as non-professionals who lack the training, experience, discipline and integrity of the so-called, "legacy media". I must admit I don't have my stylebook handy; can someone tell me if they're full of "horse shit" or "horseshit"?
It's impossible to know what would have happened without blogs prodding the major news organization, embarassing them by scooping them time and again, but I'm guessing that a lot of the current, genuine reporting being done on the McCain Campaign would not be happening. Most of the news that I'm seeing in the mainstream media about Sarah Palin, for instance, is based on the public record of her time as mayor of Wasilla and governor of Alaska. I honestly believe that the MSM would have been perfectly happy to not investigate her if they hadn't been shamed into it by the "little people".
The same goes for the Cindy McCain drug use (and its coverup) story. This information is not new. I read about it back in the day, but it wasn't judged important by MSM, apparently, because it died, just like Cheney's hunting accident, W's Maine DWI & Laura Bush's "accident" which killed someone.
I guess I should give credit where it's due. The MSM has been relentless in exposing the dangerous ties between Barack Obama and various unsavory individuals; his former minister, a former black panther and a criminal (who actually went to jail, unlike say SCOOTER LIBBY, for committing crimes). Well, I guess they were just too busy or had allocated too many resources to chasing down every lead about Obama to do anything in the way of "investigative journalism" (aka, reading the old newspapers) to determine that it might be prudent to see if JohnnyPOW and company might not be the wholesome american patriots that they purport themselves to be.
Six fucking weeks, people, six fucking weeks.
Please pass this one around:
"Women Against Palin are asking to be notified of any rallies, peaceful protests etc that get planned so they can pass the info along. Here is their link:
The news that Lehman Brothers is probably not going to survive (and there's evidence that AIG and Merrill Lynch are not in great shape either) along with the rest of what's been going on in the financial communities would scare the bejesus out of me if I had any money in the markets. The fact that health care and health care insurance are both unaffordable for quite a large number of Americans does scare me (I'm uninsured at the moment). Mr. Bush's failed and unnecessary war on Iraq is sucking billions more out of this nation's economy, billions that might have been spent replacing faulty infrastructure and financing education and healthcare for ALL americans.
Now, with all that going on, one would think that the average person who has not been in a coma for the last eight years would realize that it's time to shitcan the CEO, the board and most of the upper management at USA.
But, it appears that that the current management team has a better idea. They want to replace the inept, ideologically blinded, fiscally profligate and religiously biased group with a "new and improved" version of the same thing.
All they need is your help.
A word of advice, "Just say NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!"
As threatened, a poem.
This was originally written for Deer Leader, but I think it fits the McHuntress just as well.
With apologies to Joyce Kilmer, a sissy poet, who did actually serve his country (he was killed at the second battle of the Marne) during WWI.
Neo-contata (After George W. Bush)
I think that I will never see
a poem as pretty as a Christmas tree.
A rough thing from nature trimmed up fine.
Covered with tinsel, lights ashine.
Kinda puts me in mind of another type of Christmas tree,
A thing that keeps our nation free.
The one that goes on top of a well after it’s been capped;
Only kind of vein me and my friends ever tapped.
An oil derrick, big old, clankin’, belchin’ sumbitch of a rig
Hooverin’ up the oil, from the earth’s deep bowels, you dig?
A tree whose branches all are twined together as is manly,
not splayed out, supplicatin’ like, and gangly.
It’s proud erection strainin’ against the fabric of the earth
While it spurts life givin’ fluids for our capitalist rebirth.
I didn’t mean to make this piece short or curt,
But poetic thinkin’ makes my head hurt.
Excerped from "Towards Self-love, By A Twisted Path--New Work 2001--?"
Poor, poor, pitiful Sarah:
is running this story:
‘Alaska Women Reject Palin’ Rally is HUGE!
which I urge people to forward to the MSM.
It is fairly obvious that Sarah Palin's management style approximates that of the current Idiot-in-Chief's.
She rewards her supporters and highschool classmates (many of them co-religionists) with public sector jobs for which they appear to have few, if any, qualifications. She attacks those who disagree with her and her agenda. This woman is a danger to Alaska as its governor. She will be a danger to the American people if she achieves the vice-presidency. While she may not be as machiavellian as the DorkLordCheney, she is certainly as devious, spiteful and monomanical as his puppet.
I wonder; Has McStain tumbled yet, to the fact that he is the lesser of the two on the ticket, in the eyes of the reichwing KKKristianists? Talk about the Pitbull's tail wagging the dog.
Our friend Richard made a comment on yesterday's post, that said in part:
"...The Old Shitbag, appearing tonight at that "Service Forum" at Columbia Univ responded to a question about his brand of gutter politics by saying that campaigns are "rough" and that things would have been different had Obama agreed to his proposal for ten joint town-hall meetings "like Jack Kennedy and Barry Goldwater had agreed to do".
It's a lie.
Kennedy never made such an agreement with Goldwater"
Truth and honor, are not, it seems, in these people. This is why I have despised John McCain for as long as I've known of him. It appears that his "soulmate" Sarah Palin IS truly his soulmate in that regard.
Were he competent (his naval "career" is illustrative in that regard) McCain would have been made, given his status as a POW/War Hero (not to mention his "legacy" status, being the son/grandson of full Admirals)--the
War Hero label undeserved as it may be--an Admiral long before the end of his career. When pressed to release his naval service record, McCain's campaign made available approximately 5% of the record, what does he have to hide?
It is obvious to those who can read, and take the time to do so, that McCain's record on aligning himself with Bushco in a majority of his senate votes (as high as 90% of them) makes his claim of being a "maverick" an utter, and deliberate, falsehood.
His hiring of the very person who orchestrated the ads that destroyed his chances for a presidential bid in 2000 demonstrate how willing he is to trade his honor and dignity for a chance to be the C-in-C.
His marital infidelities and his divorce of a supportive first wife so that he might remarry a younger, prettier, richer woman show us the "real" John McCain, a self-centered opportunist.
McCain's ill-temper, which is well documented is covered, barely, with a thin veneer of false bon homie, the "lipstick on the pig", if you will.
Sarah Palin. Well, gosh, what can I say? Given her vast (lack of) experience Sarah has, nonetheless, become as accomplished as McCain in lying to the American people, even when her lies are clumsy and obvious.
McCain and Palin (or their surrogates) attack Obama and his campaign with distortions, mischaracterizations and outright lies while trumpeting their own (non-existent) christian morality. If the GOD I don't believe in is out there, I hope he is taking note of these two.
The difference between us (honest, decent, caring humans) and "them" (reichwing KKKristians) is that even though many of us are not christians--or, in fact, have no faith in a god of any sort--we are moral and reasonable folks.
This latest wrinkle in the GOP's pandering to the GODibanic fundamentalists is merely a logical extension of their continual drift to the extreme right. While it appears that Sarah Palin has little or no experience in any area that would be crucial to her governance in the (all too) likely event that she would inherit John McCain's job when he strokes out or dies of melanoma, it does not, in the minds of her rabid followers disqualify her from having that job.
To that end, the RNC and the McCain campaign have used their dollars to attack the Obama candidacy with innuendo and outright lies, while attempting to deflect legitimate criticism of both McCain and Palin. Sarah Palin's handlers are, in fact, only making her available to media personalities (calling them journalists would be an insult to those who are) who will treat her favorably.
I have read numerous posts and comments urging Senator Obama and his campaign to fight fire with fire. Would that they could. I think there is something about having character, a conscience and a gag reflex that, unfortunately preclude that sort of swinish behavior.
For that reason I am announcing, here, that I will be available for that duty. I have virtually no scruples re: doing or saying whatever it takes to wake people the fuck up. Send me you tired accusations, your poorly researched indictments and your wretched truthiness, yearning to be spewed. I will do what I can to disseminate it. Oh, send me some truth, too, it helps to confuse the issue.
Not "The Gods Must Be Crazy"; that was a delightful film about South Africa and some of its denizens.
No, this is about the KKKristan GOD and his jihadherents.
There is just something about a GOD whose followers are so convinced of their righteousness and everyone else's wrongteousness. The admonition to "Love one's brother as one's self" apparently means just that to them--it's the determination of just who is one's brother that seems to create problems for the KKKristians. Those benighted people of the Mid-east could be their brothers, if they would just eschew their insane, fantasy based religion that excuses their wanton killing and demonization of those who are not them. The same is true of Cath-O-Licks, Jews, Buddhists and all faiths that are not the FAITH of the KKKristians.
I have to admit that I was once a Cath-O-Lick and believed in the more dire aspects of God ( I never saw any real evidence for a God of mercy and compassion). But, now, thanks to the fundigelical taliban of AmeriKKKa, I'm an atheist. Where other arguments, mere words, could not convince me, their actions have. If their GOD, the being that they so passionately believe in, is responsible for their existence, then they must be his idea of our hell on earth. | <urn:uuid:da88dccd-faaa-4295-80ce-d0d9beab0b5d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.polrant.blogspot.com/2008_09_01_archive.html | 2013-05-22T14:32:39Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701852492/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105732-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.978247 | 9,015 |
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KickingTiresHere's what we have our eye on today: To stem declining sales, the once-burgeoning Buick will start offering aggressive leasing and service incentives for its 2012 lineup, according to Automotive News. The program includes a 24-month lease program, with...
WASHINGTON -- Mitt Romney spoke to supporters in the Ohio town of Defiance last week, but his words came from the twin cities of Duplicity and Deception. "I saw a story today that one of the great manufacturers in this state, Jeep, now owned by the...
Tags: China, Politics, Rick Perry, Personal Service, Elections
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Money & CompanyChrysler Group swings to a profit in the third quarter...
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Reports out of Europe suggest that Fiat SpA, the 114-year-old Turin, Italy-based automaker, has a headquarters move to the U.S. under consideration. If it happens, the move would likely occur after Fiat's planned merger with Chrysler Group. It would...
ReutersMILAN (Reuters) - Italian carmaker Fiat SpA said on Thursday the idea of moving the group's legal headquarters to the United States is not on the agenda. "This issue, treated several times in the last year by the world's media, is not the order of the...
ReutersDETROIT, May 16 (Reuters) - Most of the small SUVs tested for safety in crashes did not fare well in more stringent tests performed by an influential U.S. safety group in results issued on Thursday. The 2014 Subaru Forester was the only one among the...
Reuters11 mayo (Reuters) - Chrysler Group LLC llamar√° a reparaciones a unos 469.000 veh√≠culos utilitarios deportivos en el mundo para actualizar su software, despu√©s de que se descubri√≥ que la placa de circuitos de algunos coches transmit√≠a se√Īales que...
ReutersMay 11 (Reuters) - Chrysler Group LLC is recalling about 469,000 SUVs worldwide to update software after some vehicles' circuit boards were found to be transmitting signals that trigger inadvertent gearshifts to neutral, the No. 3 U.S. automaker said...
Reuters* Fiat cars returned to U.S. after 16-year absence * First volume Alfa Romeo expected in U.S. in 2014 * Some U.S. Fiat dealers struggling with limited lineup * U.S. sales up in line with overall industry in 2013 By Bernie Woodall DETROIT, May 10...
ReutersSAO PAULO, May 7 (Reuters) - Automobile production in Brazil rose 6.8 percent and sales climbed 17.5 percent in April from March, the national automakers' association said on Tuesday. Production in the month rose 30.7 percent from April 2012, according...
Mar 15, 2012 |Blog| Cars.com
Oct 31, 2012 |Column| Orlando Sentinel
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May 20, 2013 |Story| Los Angeles Times
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KINCHELOE, WILLIAM (1779–1835). William Kincheloe, a member of the Old Three Hundred and one of the first Austin colonists to arrive in Texas, was born in Kentucky in 1779. He married Nancy Taylor there in 1799. They moved to Missouri in 1810 and had five children before she died. In 1821 Kincheloe was in St. Louis with his second wife, Mary (Betts), the daughter of Jacob Betts. They had three sons. Kincheloe visited Stephen F. Austin in Natchitoches, Louisiana. On October 16, 1821, he registered as a colonist and was granted two headrights in Texas, one as a colonist and one because he was to build a mill. Austin sent him to explore Texas for the purpose of choosing land for twenty families and report on what he found. In the fall of 1821 Kincheloe examined the land and chose for himself the fertile Caney soil between the Colorado River and Peach Creek, where Wharton is today.
With Kincheloe in Texas, his daughter Mary's husband, Horatio Chriesman, brought the families down the Mississippi River, on a flatboat in the dead of winter. Many became ill, and Mary Chriesman died and was buried in New Madrid, Missouri. The rest continued to New Orleans and met Kincheloe. They had hoped to sail on the Lively but arrived too late. Kincheloe, fearing the tardy settlers could not reach Texas in time to plant a crop, bought the schooner Only Son and hired a group of men to put in a crop. They landed at the mouth of the Colorado River and made their way up to the site of present Wharton, burned off the cane, and used a sharp stick to plant corn. The crop was bountiful. The Only Son returned to New Orleans for the families. On the trip back many died of yellow fever and were buried at sea. In June 1822 they landed three miles up the Colorado River, near the present site of Matagorda. Joseph H. Hawkins, Austin's partner in colonization, later criticized Kincheloe for this expedition. When the Kincheloe party left its supplies at the mouth of the river with four guards and moved inland to rest, Karankawa Indians killed the guards and stole some of the supplies. The settlers left immediately for the Kincheloe camp, fifty miles up the river; the men packed what they could on their backs, and the women carried the guns. Kincheloe built a cabin for his family beside Peach Creek. In 1823 his corn enabled many of the colonists to survive. The Indian attacks became more numerous. Some of the stolen supplies from the Only Son were recovered, including the millstone that Kincheloe brought to Texas. On July 8, 1824, Kincheloe received title to two sitios of land now in Wharton County, one on the east side of the Colorado, where he made his home, and one on the west side.
Kincheloe was a blacksmith, a surveyor, a farmer, and a stock raiser. He was an alcalde election judge in 1826. In 1827 he signed a resolution of loyalty to the Mexican government, in protest against the Fredonian Rebellion, and was elected to present it to the Mexican governor. He was elected police commissioner of Austin's colony in 1828. His home became a meetingplace for men gathering to fight Indians. The road to San Felipe from Matagorda crossed Peach Creek at Kincheloe's Crossing. Kincheloe died in 1835 and was buried on the banks of Peach Creek.
Eugene C. Barker, ed., The Austin Papers (3 vols., Washington: GPO, 1924–28). Mary D. Boddie, Thunder on the Brazos: The Outbreak of the Texas Revolution at Fort Velasco, June 26, 1832 (Angleton, Texas: Brazoria County Historical Museum, 1978). Lester G. Bugbee, "The Old Three Hundred: A List of Settlers in Austin's First Colony," Quarterly of the Texas State Historical Association 1 (October 1897). James Milton Carroll, A History of Texas Baptists (Dallas: Baptist Standard, 1923). James M. Day, comp., Post Office Papers of the Republic of Texas (2 vols., Austin: Texas State Library, 1966–67). Edward Hutcheson, The Freedom Tree: A Chapter from the Saga of Texas (Waco: Texian Press, 1970). J. H. Kuykendall, "Reminiscences of Early Texans," Quarterly of the Texas State Historical Association 6–7 (January, April, July 1903). Matagorda County Historical Commission, Historic Matagorda County (3 vols., Houston: Armstrong, 1986). Annie Lee Williams, A History of Wharton County (Austin: Von Boeckmann-Jones, 1964).
The following, adapted from the Chicago Manual of Style, 15th edition, is the preferred citation for this article.Barbara L. Young, "KINCHELOE, WILLIAM," Handbook of Texas Online (http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/fki14), accessed May 19, 2013. Published by the Texas State Historical Association. | <urn:uuid:05f36454-a36d-48a7-a045-daf834110094> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/fki14 | 2013-05-22T14:25:11Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701852492/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105732-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.962356 | 1,116 |
France and England resume their recent rivalry as UEFA Women's EURO 2013 Group C comes to an end in Linkoping.
• Seven of their 15 meetings have been drawn over 90 minutes with France winning six and England two. France lead the goal count 17-14.
• Two of the first nations to set up women's national teams, England beat France 3-0 in Brion on 22 April 1973 and 2-0 in Wimbledon on 11 November 1974. That was England's last defeat of Les Bleues.
• There was a 0-0 draw in Longjumeau in February 1977 and in July 1988 it finished 1-1 at Riva Del Garda in the unofficial Mundialito, which England went on to win.
• In one of Hope Powell's last games for England before stepping up to become coach, England lost 3-2 to France on 15 February 1998 in Alencon. Sue Smith also started and Rachel Brown and Rachel Yankey came off the bench. Sandrine Soubeyrand started for France.
• On 15 September 1999, Powell's England lost 1-0 to France in Yeovil. The following August France won 1-0 in Marseille, a game played ahead of a charity match between Les Bleus and the FIFA All-Stars. Soubeyrand and Sonia Bompastor started against Sue Smith, Yankey and substitutes Casey Stoney and Rachel Unitt.
• Their first two competitive meetings were in a play-off to reach the 2003 FIFA Women's World Cup, France winning 1-0 at both London's Selhurst Park and in Saint-Etienne. Powell fielded Stoney, Unitt, Fara Williams, Yankey and Sue Smith. France boasted Sabrina Viguier, Soubeyrand, Bompastor and second-leg substitute Laura Georges.
• They were paired together in the same 2007 World Cup qualifying group, drawing 0-0 in Blackburn on 26 March 2006. Brown, Stoney, Unitt, Anita Asante, Karen Carney, Williams, Eniola Aluko, Kelly Smith, Yankey and substitute Alex Scott lined up against Sarah Bouhaddi, Georges, Viguier, Soubeyrand, Élise Bussaglia, Bompastor and Camile Abily.
• It all came down to the final qualifier in Rennes when France needed to win to pip England to earn a place in China. Williams gave England a 63rd-minute lead and, despite Luidvine Diguelman levelling with two minutes left, France missed out.
• Bouhaddi, Georges, Soubeyrand, Bussaglia, Bompastor, Laure Lepailleur and substitutes Élodie Thomis and Abily faced Brown, Alex Scott, Unitt, Asante, Carney, Williams, Aluko, Kelly Smith, Yankey and subs Stoney and Sue Smith.
• With Bruno Bini now at Les Bleues' helm, England played France at the first Cyprus Cup in March 2009 and drew 2-2. Goals from Corine Franco and Thomis were cancelled out by Stoney and Carney.
• Brown, Stoney, Asante, Stephanie Houghton, Williams, Carney, Sue Smith and Kelly Smith plus substitutes Alex Scott and Aluko faced Bouhaddi, Georges, Viguier, Soubeyrand, Thomis, Louisa Nécib, Bussaglia. Gaëtane Thiney and Eugénie Le Sommer came on.
• The teams met again in the March 2012 Cyprus Cup, France winning 3-0 through goals from Nécib, Marie-Laure Delie and Thiney. Bouhaddi, Bompastor, Wendie Renard, Ophélie Meilleroux, Corine Franco, Abily, Bussaglia and Le Summer also started while Laetitia Philippe, Laure Boulleau, Camille Catala and Thomis were substitutes. England's team included Stoney, winning her 100th cap, Karen Bardsley, Alex Scott, Laura Bassett, Houghton, Jill Scott, Asante, Kelly Smith, Carney, Ellen White and Jessica Clarke with Carly Telford, Fara Williams and Rachel Williams among the substitutes.
Selected previous meetings
9 July 2011: England 1-1 France, aet 3-4 pens (J Scott 59; Bussaglia 88) – BayArena, Leverkusen, FIFA Women's World Cup quarter-final
England: Bardsley, A Scott (Houghton 81), Unitt (Rafferty 81), J Scott, F White, Stoney, F Williams, E White, K Smith, Yankey (Asante 84), Carney.
France: Bouhaddi, Georges, Soubeyrand (Thomis), Bompastor, Abily, Lepailleur, Nécib (Brétigny 79; Le Sommer 106), Bussaglia, Thiney, Delier, Viguier.
• An injury-hit England team nearly reached their first semi-final, but it was Les Bleues who earned a last-four bow. Karen Bardsley saved France's first penalty from Abily, but Claire Rafferty and Faye White missed England's last two either side of Le Sommer's crucial conversion.
20 October 2012: France 2-2 England (Delie 59 83; Houghton 34, J Scott 39) – Charléty, Paris, Friendly
France: Bouhaddi, Franco, Georges, Meilleroux, Boulleau, Soubeyrand (Catala 46), Abily, Nécib, Thiney (Thomis 46, Hamraoui 90+2), Le Sommer, Delie.
England: Bardsley (Chamberlain 70), A Scott, Stoney, Bradley (Bassett 79), Houghton, J Scott, Asante, Carney, Aluko (F Williams 46), E White (Susi 79), Yankey (Duggan 46).
• Not long before these sides were drawn together they met for an exciting friendly. Houghton's superb free-kick and Jill Scott's header were eventually cancelled out by Delie's double.
• There have been many important youth meetings between these nations, most notably the 2010 UEFA European Women's Under-19 Championship final in Skopje where France beat holders England 2-1.
• When Bini and Powell coached the respective U18 sides they recorded 1-1 qualifying draws in 1997/98 and 2000/01.
• England have had only one competitive women's win in 14 games at all levels against France: 3-1 in the 2007 U19 group stage in Iceland. Bradley, Natasha Dowie and Ellen White scored for England, with Delie having made it 2-1. Jessica Clarke and Dani Buet also played for England.
• France achieved the only perfect record in qualifying, winning their eight games with 32 goals scored and two conceded. Eleven different players scored.
• They are on a run of 23 straight qualifying group victories going back to a June 2007 loss in Iceland.
• France were the best European performers at the 2012 Olympic tournament, finishing fourth after beating Sweden 2-1 in the quarter-finals then losing 2-1 to Japan in the semis and 1-0 to Canada for bronze.
• Before losing their Olympic opener 4-2 to the United States they had won 17 games in a row. They reached the FIFA Women's World Cup semi-finals for the first time in 2011, losing to the United States and then being beaten by Sweden for third place.
• When they made the UEFA Women's EURO 2009 quarter-finals it was the first time France had progressed from any senior group stage.
• England began qualifying with a surprise 2-2 draw in Serbia, having been two up and, although they were held 0-0 in the Netherlands, they then beat the Dutch 1-0 in Manchester to finish top.
• Most of the England team were in Powell's Great Britain Olympic squad that reached the quarter-finals on home soil, having reached the same stage at the 2011 World Cup.
• England's run to the 2009 final (lost 6-2 to Germany) was their best run since reaching the inaugural two-legged 1984 decider. Powell was part of a team that lost 1-0 to Sweden in Gothenberg and won the return 1-0 in Luton before they were defeated on penalties.
• In recent years Olympique Lyonnais have proved something of a nemesis for Arsenal LFC when these nations' two biggest clubs have met in the UEFA Women's Champions League/UEFA Women's Cup.
• Arsenal's defence of the trophy in 2007/08 was ended in the quarter-final stage by debutants Lyon. The first leg was goalless at Stade de Gerland but Lyon won the return 3-2, Arsenal having come from behind to lead through Kelly Smith and Yankey only for Abily and Thomis to turn the tie.
• Alongside Abily and Thomis were Georges, Bompastor, Lepailleur and Nécib while Arsenal also included Asante and Carney.
• Lyon hosted a second qualifying round group the next year and beat Arsenal 3-0 with both sides already through. Goalscorer Abily, Georges, Bompastor, Abily, Nécib and Thomis faced Carney and Yankey.
• In the 2010/11 semi-finals, Lyon beat Arsenal 2-0 in front of 20,123 fans before winning 3-2 away. Bouhaddi, Renard, Georges, Nécib, Thomis, Viguier, Abily, Bompastor and double goalscorer Le Sommer took on Houghton, scorer Ellen White and Yankey.
©UEFA.com 1998-2013. All rights reserved. | <urn:uuid:d9f21245-cac5-4775-bc02-914ca73bcaa7> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.uefa.com/womenseuro/matches/season=2013/round=2000175/match=2010728/index.html | 2013-05-22T14:25:39Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701852492/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105732-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.928379 | 2,088 |
Tesco Express Anerley Road
Posted 08 August 2011 - 12:07 PM
Tesco have replied to say that they are planning an alternative location and storage of the cages. The council has said that they will repair the cycle racks. So far, a month later, nothing has happened. I would urge all concerned residents to report this on Fix My Street, to contact Tesco's head office, and the local councillors. If anything positive happens, I'll update this post.
Posted 08 August 2011 - 12:16 PM
The council has said that they will repair the cycle racks. So far, a month later, nothing has happened. I would urge all concerned residents to report this on Fix My Street, to contact Tesco's head office, and the local councillors. If anything positive happens, I'll update this post.
Those cycle racks have been broken for at least three months, actually. I've reported them twice on Fix My Street and, last week, on the council's own website.
Posted 08 August 2011 - 12:29 PM
Maybe we should all start having "accidents" with their rubbish cages - I'm sure "Injury Lawers for you" would have a bloody field day.
Posted 17 August 2011 - 11:20 AM
Not sure if they are going to be replaced but I did see a poor lady being told by the security chap that she could not use the trolley rack to chain her bike up even for a few moments whilst she spent some money.
He also said he would "not keep an eye on it if she left it unlocked" as it was "against company policy".
She went into the smaller shop a bit further along, with her bike.
Tesco's don't seem to want to make many friends!
Posted 04 September 2011 - 07:22 PM
Thinking I would take advantage of an advertised 'offer' I went to the till to purchase a pack of raspberries and strawberries which were clearly advertised as 2 for £3. However I was charged for them as individual items on checking my receipt. I queried it and took the assistant to the shelf were I even double checked myself before going to the till that it was 2 x £3 - I've been caught out before and I didn't want to embarass myself!. The items were one shelf apart - and the quantity was right, the item was right - so what was the problem? The assistant told me that the raspberries were not part of the offer - they were on a different shelf - despite that fact that the offer described the items exactly as they were!
I spoke to the manager who reiterated the offer did not cover the actual strawberries on offer - they were a different 'product' (hmmmm although they were 300g, British etc etc). I said I thought it was utterly misleading and if the product was not available at the point of display - why not take the offer down to avoid confusion as you simply consider it must be the products there? He agreed - but said that Head office dictates when offer information gets removed - regardless of stock availability. He mentioned other offers around the store that were similar!! I suggested to him that if you take this to it's logical conclusion, customers simply don't know how much anything costs- he was sympathetic and said they do their best to merchandise as well as they can with the stock they are sent.
So - check your receipts. Think of the millions of pounds Tescos are making by misleading customers about offers that are not quite what they seem.
Posted 05 September 2011 - 12:58 PM
I don't shop there any more.
Posted 05 September 2011 - 02:50 PM
Posted 05 September 2011 - 04:58 PM
Posted 19 December 2011 - 09:36 PM
Posted 20 December 2011 - 09:47 AM
but do agree - not a nice shop....
Posted 20 December 2011 - 07:04 PM
Posted 20 December 2011 - 07:05 PM
Any powdered egg? or chicory essence? Never had to shop there thank God!
Are you planning a 'wartime' party?
Edited by Summit Lover, 20 December 2011 - 07:06 PM. | <urn:uuid:57341a1c-027a-4609-945d-b8235db74222> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.virtualnorwood.com/forum/topic/10821-tesco-express-anerley-road/unread/ | 2013-05-22T14:39:56Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701852492/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105732-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.98642 | 858 |
Regulation and Price Formation in Canada - Vigilance Required!
Canada’s equity market has a history of respecting the role played by retail clients in the price discovery process. Although rules have been in place for some time that aim to preserve liquidity on Canadian equity exchanges, the creation of dark pools and dark order functionality has chipped away at the protection provided by these rules. Recent proposals address gaps in the rules that have allowed order flow to migrate away from lit marketplaces. This article can serve as a guide to those in other jurisdictions who wage the battle against internalization. For this purpose, the following information is provided:
- overview of the current Canadian market integrity rules that support exchange liquidity;
- history of the development of these rules;
- recent market structure changes that have favoured dark pools and internalization models; and
- current Canadian regulatory proposals to address imbalances.
In Canada, the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada (IIROC) oversees all trading activity on debt and equity marketplaces. Operating under recognition orders from the Canadian Securities Administrators (CSA), IIROC sets, monitors compliance with, and enforces market integrity rules that govern trading activity on these Canadian marketplaces. These rules are known as the Universal Market Integrity Rules (UMIR).
UMIR 6.3 is the order exposure rule. This rule requires participants to immediately enter on a lit marketplace a client order that is 50 standard trading units (generally 5000 shares) or less. There are limited exceptions to this rule, one of which permits internalization with price improvement by the participant. That is, if a participant executes the order upon receipt at a better price, then the participant is not required to send the order to a lit marketplace.
A related rule is UMIR 8.1, the Client-Principal Trading Rule. Under this rule, a participant that receives a client order for 50 standard trading units or less of a security with a value of $100,000 or less may execute the client order against a principal order or non-client order at a better price provided the participant has taken reasonable steps to ensure that the price is the best available price for the client under prevailing market conditions.
The late 1990’s held significant change for the Canadian equity market, including the development by Canadian securities regulators of a framework to encourage ATSs to enter the Canadian market. To address fragmentation of the Canadian equity market, the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX) Board of Governors in 1996 established a Special Committee to suggest reforms that could improve TSX’s market quality in the face of such fragmentation. The Special Committee’s report (Report), Market Fragmentation: Responding to the Challenge, was published in 1996. The Report states that in order for TSX to continue to be the foundation for a competitive Canadian equity market, the price discovery resulting from the exchange’s auction process must be as efficient as possible. In the Report, the Special Committee expressed a concern that the practice by members of withholding small orders that could otherwise be filled in the public market (referred to by the Special Committee as “internal” fragmentation) directly affects the liquidity that the public markets can provide. The Report did acknowledge that not all internalization activities were necessarily detrimental to the market, and that institutional clients with large orders would not want their orders exposed if such disclosure would cause the market to move away from them.
In response to recommendations made in the Report, new rules were proposed by TSX in 1997 to address the threat raised by “internal” fragmentation – or internalization. TSX’s rules were the precursor to UMIR. The TSX market integrity rules became UMIR when they migrated to IIROC’s predecessor organization upon its launch in 2002.
The 1997 TSX rule proposals, which came into force in 1998, were created with the intent of minimizing the opportunities for internalization of small client orders. The impact of this rule change was expected to result in a greater number of orders being sent to the TSX central order book, thereby creating a more liquid, deeper market. As stated in the members notice that requested comment on this rule proposal, “the price discovery process must remain viable.” Thus, the original order exposure rule became effective in 1998 with the same significant exceptions that exist today in UMIR 6.3 (that is, client instructions can override the requirement to immediately expose the order, and internalization can occur at the member firm so long as a better price is achieved for the client). One difference is that the original threshold was set at 1200 shares (lower than the current 5000 share threshold). The threshold of 1200 shares was selected because in 1997 that was the size of the average retail order on TSX for a stock trading over $5.
We’ve Got Rules – So What’s the Problem?
The rules that had protected the visible book in Canada did not foresee dark trading functionality that would permit executions at fractional prices. This was not a concern in the rules’ first ten years, but with the arrival in Canada in July 2007 of dark pools that were permitted to execute with fractional price improvement, small orders that were previously either exposed to the market or given full tick price improvement by participants, began to be sent to dark pools. This occurred despite the requirement in UMIR 6.1 that orders must be entered on a marketplace in whole cents.
With the introduction of dark pools then came an unintended consequence of UMIR 6.3. In achieving a “better price” for its retail clients, a participant could now have the order executed outside of the displayed market, but with only fractional price improvement being provided at the dark pool. This price improvement has been as little as 10% of the National Best Bid and Offer (NBBO) spread, or one-tenth of one cent.
Highlighting this issue as one for public debate took some time in Canada because the regulatory framework of National Instrument 21-101 Marketplace Operation (NI 21-101) does not require the same level of public disclosure for ATSs as it does for exchanges. Thus, while exchange order types and exchange allocation methodology is set out in trading rules that must be published for a public comment period prior to regulatory approval, such disclosure is not required to be made by ATSs. TSX was able to learn about the undisclosed allocation methodologies of dark pools only by gathering market intelligence. Advocacy with the Canadian securities regulators did however ultimately lead to the commencement of a public process to discuss market structure issues with a focus on dark trading.
In 2009, the CSA published a joint consultation paper with IIROC to seek comment on a number of issues including the impact of dark pools on the Canadian market. A forum on dark liquidity was then held in March 2010.
The Canadian regulators have taken into account views voiced in the Canadian dark liquidity debate as well as factors discussed at international organizations such as IOSCO in formulating their 2010 position paper (Position Paper). The Position Paper recommends, among other things, that the only exemption to pre-trade transparency should be for orders that meet a minimum size threshold, and that meaningful price improvement means that the price is improved over the NBBO by a minimum of one trading increment except where the NBBO spread is already at the minimum trading increment in which case meaningful price improvement would be at the mid-point of the spread.
In response to the recommendations in the Position Paper, IIROC has proposed amendments to UMIR. To address the regulatory arbitrage opportunities created by the arrival of dark pools, the proposed amendments revise the definition of “better price” to be improvement of at least one trading increment unless the spread is one trading increment in which case “better price” is improvement by one-half of one trading increment. IIROC has also proposed adding a new section (UMIR 6.6) that provides that an order may only execute against a dark order if the order is executed at a “better price”. There is an exception that large orders (more than 50 standard trading units (generally, 5000 shares) or with a value of more than $100,000) can execute with a dark order at the NBBO.
Significant commentary was made and a large number of submissions were received in response to the IIROC proposal. With the comment period closed but no final rule as of the date of writing this article, it is yet to be seen whether IIROC will move forward with its proposal. TMX Group strongly supports IIROC’s proposal. As stated in the TMX Group comment letter, “we believe that the Amendments will result in regulation that supports price formation on lit marketplaces, which is a result that will benefit all market participants”.
The Road Ahead and Lessons Learned
The Canadian experience with dark liquidity in equity markets is an example of how policy is best developed in an open, transparent process. Canadian dark pools came to market without benefit of any public comment and were permitted to operate without publicly available rule sets. The de facto policy shift that occurred as these dark pools received regulatory approval was therefore not publicly debated nor was the impact of the dark pools’ operations on market structure generally understood. These internalization vehicles were therefore permitted to grow without appropriate rules being set to ensure that the highest quality of price discovery on Canadian lit marketplaces would continue.
In hindsight, greater vigilance was required by all stakeholders to ensure that the introduction of new players, in the form of dark pools, did not have unintended consequences on the market as a whole. With the approval of these new entrants, policy was being created on a case-by-case basis without regard to long-standing rules that worked to protect the market as a whole. With the more recent benefit of public debates and transparent proposals on dark liquidity, the Canadian market can proceed with creating policy that can continue to protect our visible exchanges and enhance the benefits that these lit marketplaces provide to all stakeholders.
See UMIR 6.3 Exposure of Client Orders at http://www.iiroc.ca/English/Documents/Rulebook/UMIR0603_en.pdf.
UMIR 1.1 Definitions: “standard trading unit” means, in respect of any equity or similar security: (i) 1,000 units of a security trading at less than $0.10 per unit, (ii) 500 units of a security trading at $0.10 or more per unit and less than $1.00 per unit, and (iii) 100 units of a security trading at $1.00 or more per unit.
UMIR 6.3(1)(b).
Other relevant exceptions include UMIR 6.3(1)(a): the client has specifically instructed the participant to deal otherwise with the particular order; and 6.3(1)(f): the order has a value of more than $100,000.
National Instrument 21-101 Marketplace Operation and National Instrument 23-101 Trading Rules were published for comment in July 1999. The July 2, 1999 publication is available at: http://www.osc.gov.on.ca/documents/en/Securities-Category0/rule_19990702_ats.pdf. The current legislation and its evolution are available at: http://www.osc.gov.on.ca/en/13537.htm.
Toronto Stock Exchange Regulatory Notice 97-036 dated November 7, 1997, page 3.
Toronto Stock Exchange By-law 11.09(5) became effective on August 24, 1998: “A member that receives a client order to buy or sell 1200 shares or less of a listed security shall immediately enter the order in the Book or on another stock exchange on which the security is listed unless…(a) the client has specifically instructed otherwise with respect to that order;…or (c) the member executes the order against a client or non-client order at a better price than the client could have received on any Canadian stock exchange on which the security is listed.”
UMIR 6.1 Entry of Orders to a Marketplace. (1) No order to purchase or sell a security shall be entered to trade on a marketplace at a price that includes a fraction or a part of a cent other than an increment of one-half of one cent in respect of an order with a price of less than $0.50.
Proposed amendments to NI 21-101 include revised disclosure requirements aimed at leveling the playing field among ATSs and exchanges, and enhancing disclosure generally. These proposed amendments are available at http://www.osc.gov.on.ca/en/SecuritiesLaw_rule_20110318_21-101_rfc-notic....
Consultation Paper 23-404 Dark Pools, Dark Orders, and Other Developments in Market Structure in Canada was published in the Ontario Securities Commission Bulletin (2009) 32 OSCB 7877 and is available at http://www.osc.gov.on.ca/documents/en/Securities-Category2/csa_20091002_....
See CSA/IIROC Staff Notice 23-308 Update on Forum to Discuss CSA/IIROC Joint Consultation Paper 23-404 “Dark Pools, Dark Order and Other Developments in Market Structure in Canada” and Next Steps, available at http://www.osc.gov.on.ca/documents/en/Securities-Category2/csa_20100528_....
Joint CSA/IIROC - Position Paper 23-405 Dark Liquidity in the Canadian Market is available at http://www.osc.gov.on.ca/documents/en/Securities-Category2/csa_20101119_....
IIROC’s Request for Comments “Provisions Respecting Dark Liquidity” published July 29, 2011 is available at http://docs.iiroc.ca/DisplayDocument.aspx?DocumentID=609A096597AC43A3997....
Letter dated October 27, 2011 from Mr. Kevan Cowan, TMX Group to Mr. Jim Twiss, IIROC is available at http://docs.iiroc.ca/DisplayDocument.aspx?DocumentID=FE7B57D3C25E4C4898B....
About Deanna Dobrowsky
Deanna Dobrowsky is the Director, Regulatory Affairs at TMX Group. TMX Group's key subsidiaries operate cash and derivative markets for multiple asset classes including equities, fixed income and energy. Toronto Stock Exchange, TSX Venture Exchange, Montréal Exchange and other TMX Group companies provide listing markets, trading markets, clearing facilities, data products and other services to the global financial community. | <urn:uuid:781c031a-74f9-419c-a3f2-60d48c5e1b1b> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.world-exchanges.org/insight/views/regulation-and-price-formation-canada-vigilance-required | 2013-05-22T14:33:42Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701852492/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105732-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.945979 | 3,038 |
If you’re looking for something to read that will challenge the religiosity of many Christian denominations, and the formula that congregations follow, then grasp Sara Miles’ book, Take This Bread: A Radical Conversion, firmly with both hands.
“... I walked into a church, ate a piece of bread, took a sip of wine. A routine Sunday activity for tens of millions of Americans—except that up until that moment I’d led a thoroughly secular life, at best indifferent to religion, more often appalled by its fundamentalist crusades. This was my first communion. It changed everything.”
To borrow from CS Lewis, Sara was “surprised by joy” when she was unexpectedly welcomed to participate in that first communion service at St. Gregory’s Episcopal Church in San Francisco.
“Jesus invites everyone to his table.”
Coming from a background as a chef and a journalist (with an interest in revolutionary war zones), she was gripped by the “food and bodies” that the sacrament united, and attracted to a faith offering “food without exception to the worthy and unworthy, the screwed-up and pious”.
It resonated with her experience as a journalist travelling through remote areas of El Salvador and South Africa: strangers, comrades and even enemies had offered her food. Everyone had hunger in common.
“There was the immediacy of communion at St Gregory’s, unmediated by alter rails, the raw physicality of that mystical meal. There was an invitation to jump in rather than official entrance requirements.”
Now open communion won’t be everyone’s cup of tea. St. Gregory’s isn’t entirely typical of all Episcopal parishes. But the effect of that inclusion is challenging as Sara explains what happened next.
Sara’s experience of Eucharist led her to petition St. Gregory’s to allow her to start up a weekly food pantry. But unlike other pantries across the Bay Area that required registration and social security numbers, everyone was invited to St. Gregory’s table. After all Jesus didn’t say “Feed my sheep after you check their ID”.
Taking food from the San Francisco Food Bank, a non-profit warehouse that collects surplus food—non-perishable goods and fresh produce—from growers, grocers and manufacturers, Sara’s team of helpers split it up between the 20, then 50, then 250 people who started coming once a week to the doors of the church.
Yet selling the idea of extending the open communion table from a Sunday morning to a Friday morning—using the same precious round communion table that had a loaf sitting on it at the weekend to hold staple goods for the pantry—had been an uphill struggle. Even as the pantry became a regular part of the church week, the number of helpers from outside St Gregory’s always far outnumbered her fellow parishioners who signed up to assist.
Another worshipper, a Jesuit priest, pointed out that Sara “was hardly the first person to get excited about Jesus, then disappointed in his church”. But Sara writes about the desperation that she felt:
“Echoing everything that was wrong with churches and church politics, repeating in microcosm the ugliness of Christianity through the ages, I started to fight fiercely with the people I was supposed to be in communion with, struggling to institutionalize my own dogma, and generally hounded people in the name of the Lord ... Hadn’t we announced that welcoming strangers was at the heart of our mission? How could people cling to their comforting, cozy services, rejecting changes and newness?”
Cries of too much change, and too little change, ring out through parish councils and church committee meetings. Does the Bible have anything proscriptive to say about the level of change that people should tolerate before complaining? I think the worked examples within tend towards people volunteering to undergo total transformation with little warning. That about covers it.
There’s a brief mention of the ordination of Gene Robinson. a seminary friend of Donald Schell, Sara’s priest. While her analysis of the conflict inside the Anglican Communion may not be extensive or complete ...
“It wasn’t just about gayness, of course, but a more fundamental conflict between believers who craved certainty and those who embraced ambiguity; those who insisted Scripture was inerrant and unchanging, given once and for all time, and those who believed that the Bible was only part of God’s continuing revolution.”
... but neatly sums up one slice through the current Anglican rift.
In all, it’s a fascinating book, documenting Sara’s spiritual and culinary journey. A book that challenges our reluctance to fully embrace social action. And at the same time, a book that asks a lot of questions about our well-worn, practised traditions and beliefs. Well worth a read. | <urn:uuid:8776453c-29aa-49bc-8039-ead2ecd36bd1> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://alaninbelfast.blogspot.co.uk/2007/06/take-this-bread-sara-miles.html | 2013-05-24T22:29:24Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705195219/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115315-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.961018 | 1,042 |
Popular Andy Samberg Posts - This Month
UPDATED: Originally posted on 6/1/10. We added the guesstimate for his annual income from SNL. =============== Well, let's say that h...
UPDATE : Added more info around Jenny Slate, Michaela Watkins, and Casey Wilson. ============================ Speculate on why Paul left?...
5/8/09 - Joanna and Andy at the Kentucky Derby in May, 2009: http://andysamberg.blogspot.com/2009/05/andy-samberg-joanna-newsom-and-akiva.h...
Updated 12/11/10: Apparently youses want to see Andy naked. So we're including some images of that amongst this article. LOL ==========...
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Andy Samberg SNL Promotions
- Andy & Anne Hathaway 2
- Andy & Emma Stone
- Andy & Amy Poehler
- Andy & Gabourey Sidibe
- Andy & Jennifer Lopez
- Andy & Charles Barkley
- Andy & Blake Lively
- Andy & January Jones
- Andy & Megan Fox
- Andy & Justin Timberlake
- Andy & The Rock
- Andy & Steve Martin
- Andy & Paul Rudd
- Andy & Anne Hathaway
- Andy & Shia Lebeouf
- Andy & Ashton Kutcher
- Andy & Ellen Page
- Andy & Seth Rogan
- Andy & Drew Barrymore
- Andy & Ludacris
- Andy & Jamie Pressly
- Andy & Scarlett Johansson
Some Favorite Andy Samberg Posts
- Andy as Jewey Fallon - Late Night with Jimmy Fallon
- Andy & T-Pain are glad that Jorma isn't on the boat
- Andy in Show Choir
- Andy in Rose Bowl Promo: Football Taping
- Andy's 2009 favorites
- MacGruber movie review
- Should SNL show digital shorts instead of domestic violence?
- John Hamm to host SNL again in January
- Andy in Nature of the Beast
- Why is SNL featuring so many young and attractive hosts?
- Saturday Night Live 12/5/09 - Blake Lively & Rihanna
- Andy nominated for a Grammy
- Andy & Blake Lively - SNL Promo
- Andy hangs with the SNL crew
- Blake, Taylor, and James hosting
- Does Andy have a big butt?
- Reba digital short
- Andy Samberg in The Mellow Show
- 10 ways to fix SNL (I wish this was a joke)
- Joseph Gordon-Levitt - SNL Promos
- Andy Samberg & Friends - Comedy Central's report
- What SNL Alumni should host SNL?
- in Lady's Guide To Throwing A Party
- "Get Out" Digital Short
- Andy & January Jones - SNL Promo
- Andy Samberg and Friends - Kristen's Review
- Andy Samberg and Friends - Stephanie's Review
- January Jones, Joseph Gordon-Levitt to Host SNL
- Full Episode: SNL 11/7/09 - Taylor Swift
- Taylor Swift gets Kanye'd already
- Andy Samberg Halloween costumes
- Should SNL cast members exploit commercials?
- Supports the elephants
- Night of Too Many Stars
- Loves his sweatshirt and Joanna Newsom
- Space Chimps 2?
- Yo Gabba Gabba - Behind the scenes
- Taylor Swift is hosting SNL
- National Bosses Day (Like a Boss)
- On the Ground - Behind the scenes (video)
- Late Night with Jimmy Fallon (videos - 10/13/09)
- on Yo Gabba Gabba (video)
- His Elle shoot (video)
- SNL, 9/26/09 - Megan Fox & U2
- Andy and friends at the Emmys
- Andy Samberg and Jimmy Fallon at the MTV VMAs
- Andy Samberg behind the scenes of "Cloudy" Video
- Andy Samberg on Martha Stewart
- ABOUT THIS SECTION | <urn:uuid:049c118f-fc5a-47aa-a558-323ee64b3b85> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://andysamberg.blogspot.com/2009/06/andy-samberg-with-lorne-michaels-akiva.html | 2013-05-24T22:42:30Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705195219/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115315-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.717371 | 1,738 |
We visited the Maori Cultural Center at Te Puia.
We saw kiwis in a darkened pen where they are set up for breeding. No pix allowed in there. They are very threatened as a species and nocturnal and therefore sensitive to any light. Here I present a stuffed kiwi we spied in the museum.
We highly recommend the Robertson House B&B in Rotorua, where proprietor John and his pal Loki here make you feel at home.
Sculpture in the square in Wellington created by the good folks at Weta Studios.
The Te Papa Museum is pretty awesome. Part natural history, part cultural, and part art museum, the admission is free.
Yes, that’s the famous Colossal Squid!
The City Art Gallery (also free), featuring a show by Yayoi Kusama. No pix inside though.
Boarding the ferry to South Island.
Te Waikoropupu Springs, the cleanest, clearest water I have ever seen in nature,
The traditional Pavlova. We never tried it, and I’m okay with that.
It was a tad windy up there above the spit.
Fur seals snooze all along the coast.
We had one of the best seafood dinners at The White Morph in Kaikora.
Off to the Whale Watch. It was choppy conditions but I managed to keep my lunch down.
One large sperm whale “logging.”
Dusky Dolphins (with weeks old calves)
New Zealand Crayfish (aka spiny lobster). I’ve worked in a lobster company/restaurant in Boston and I have to say, this critter beats Maine Lobster, hands down. I know that’s a kind of blasphemy.
Lake Tekapo‘s Church of the Good Shepherd. The lake has a beautiful aqua color due to the mineral deposits reflecting light.
The weather was not very cooperative viewing Mount Cook so we spent the night at nearby Twizel.
The next day the skies were clearer and the lupins lead the way.
More LOTR location reference, Minus Tirith (minus the CG castle) I believe.
After that, we went to Oamaru to see penguins: Blue Penguins (which are smaller than rabbits!) and Yellow-Eyed Penguins, which are endangered and much more rare. The former are adorable, but it was cool to see a few of the latter, as they are harder to find and you have to wait for a long time to see even one come out of the water. Well worth it, though. Here we are at the Blue Penguin colony during the day. We came back for the night time mass migration home to the colony.
This post is the next to last documenting our New Zealand trip. Just north of Dunedin are the Moeraki Boulders which are naturally occurring boulders along the seashore that have been released from the eroding dune wall over time. These boulders are completely spherical with a honeycomb interior that reveals itself with further erosion. In the past, the beach was covered with hundreds of boulders of all sizes but, over time, people carted off the majority of them. What remains are are the largest, and still impressive, examples.
Wool made from Australian possum, a non-native nuisance species, is now very common in New Zealand.
We also stopped in the the city art gallery in Dunedin which, like most NZ art institutions, is free to the public.
Then it was off to the Catlins, the lowly populated but beautiful southern coast of South Island.
This fellow (or gal) spotted me and started making tracks in my direction. I did not wait for him/her to arrive but opted to hide in the dunes. Whether the advance was amorous or adversarial, the encounter would not have been pretty.
The next day we headed out for a boat cruise through Milford Sound which is technically a fjord. It was quite rainy and dramatic but that made for extraordinary waterfalls.
A very wet Kea, a sort of mountain parrot.
Back in the town of Te Anau and into dry clothes.
We finished our trip by visiting Queenstown (South Island’s second largest city, Christchurch being the largest), Glenorchy, and Arrowtown. By the way, special thanks to MKC who took many of these photos. This trip was a celebration of our 20th wedding anniversary. It seems like only yesterday!
Mary in front of a statue of the extinct Moa. Imagine encountering one of these big flightless fellows like the Maori did when they arrived on New Zealand soil over 700 years ago.
Isengard location shot. | <urn:uuid:326380c4-aec8-40fb-bb03-e383bc8fbdf9> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://bunnywax.wordpress.com/travel/new-zealand/ | 2013-05-24T22:44:20Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705195219/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115315-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.965264 | 995 |
Update: Duncan Hunter dropped out of the presidential race on Jan. 19, 2008.
Republican presidential candidate Duncan Hunter has served in the U.S. House since 1981 as a representative of California’s 52nd district, which encompasses areas east of San Diego. Hunter has earned a lifetime voting score of 9 percent from the League of Conservation Voters. Environment and energy issues are not mentioned on his campaign website and are not a priority in his presidential campaign.
- Acknowledges that global warming has occurred, but says it’s not clear how much human activity has contributed to the problem.
- Calls for achieving energy independence by boosting energy production from all manner of sources.
- Supports renewable energy and calls for cutting taxes on the production of energy from clean sources like geothermal, wind, and solar.
- Supports nuclear power and calls for cutting taxes on its production.
- Wants to open the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil drilling (and voted to do so in 2005 and 2001).
- Wants to boost production from the oil sands in Alberta, Canada, and oil-shale resources in the Rocky Mountain region of the U.S.
- “I reject Al Gore’s and others’ doomsday alarmism on the subject [of climate change].”
– Aug. 13, 2007, in an interview on Free Republic
- “I think that global warming and the need to be energy independent gives us a great opportunity. I think we should bring together all of our colleges and universities, the private sector, government laboratories, and undertake what for this next generation will be a great opportunity and a great challenge to remove energy dependence on the Middle East and at the same time help the climate. I think we can do that. We need to take taxes down to zero for the alternative energy sources. We need to make sure that all the licensing from our laboratories goes to the private sector, goes to the American manufacturing sector, for these energy systems. I think we can do it.”
– May 3, 2007, at a GOP presidential candidate debate
- “Clean power production provides greater reliability for our electricity system while promoting cleaner air and water. In addition, according to the Energy Information Agency [sic], expanding renewable power production helps reduce the risk of future price increases for electricity. Today, renewable power sources provide consumers reliable power that is cost-effective over the long run. Unfortunately, their high initial capital costs discourages investment in renewables. Providing tax incentives for new renewable power production can make the difference. … Investment in new renewable power is good for the economy and the environment.”
– Feb. 27, 2003, speaking before the House of Representatives
Platform & Record In-Depth
- Cosponsor of legislation in 2005 and 2007 to end the moratorium on offshore drilling in U.S. waters.
- In 2006, cosponsored legislation to give tax credits to coal-to-liquid fuels.
- In 2005, voted against increasing fuel economy standards to 33 miles per gallon by 2015.
- In 2005, voted in favor of the Energy Policy Act, a sweeping, oil-friendly energy bill opposed by enviros. The act passed and Bush signed it into law in August 2005.
- In 2005, cosponsored legislation to accelerate timber removal after catastrophic events such as hurricanes and tornadoes.
- In 2003, cosponsored the Healthy Forests Restoration Act, a logging-heavy bill opposed by enviros and signed into law by President Bush in December 2003.
- In 2003, cosponsored legislation to greatly restrict the presidential power to designate national monuments.
- In 2003, cosponsored the Critical-Habitat Reform Act, which would have placed a number of restrictions on the creation of critical habitat for imperiled species under the Endangered Species Act.
- In 2003, cosponsored a bill that establishes a timetable for how long federal “wilderness study areas” can retain that status, essentially forcing a decision on whether or not to designate an area as wilderness within 10 years. The bill also stipulated that areas previously studied for wilderness designation cannot be studied again.
- In 2003, cosponsored legislation to authorize the U.S. to produce whatever amount of methyl bromide, an ozone-depleting fungicide, it had requested under the critical-use exemption process of the Montreal Protocol, even if the parties to the protocol did not approve the entire amount. The Montreal Protocol is intended to phase out pollutants that deplete the ozone layer.
- In 2003, cosponsored a bill to extend the tax credit for electricity produced from biomass.
Still Haven’t Gotten Enough
- Read Hunter’s official bio.
What did we miss? Tell us below in comments. We’ll update this page as the presidential campaign continues.
Todd Hymas Samkara and Kate Sheppard contributed to this fact sheet. | <urn:uuid:63e81b98-8b81-435c-aed8-f6f4433c960b> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://grist.org/politics/hunter_factsheet/ | 2013-05-24T22:30:26Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705195219/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115315-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.933396 | 1,016 |
We have just returned from another really lovely break at Center Parcs.
This time, we wanted to experience the Winter Wonderland they do each year, as the first part of our build-up to Christmas.
We had booked plenty of lovely Christmassy activities for Lilly to do, including Christmas pottery painting, a Santa and Snowman hunt and a Frosty the Snowman art session which involved lots of glitter and Christmas stickers!
The weather at Whinfell Forest (Cumbria) was fabulous for the whole week – it only rained the day we left. The rest of the time it was crisp and sunny – perfect.
We were very excited to hear that there was going to be a fireworks display on the second night at 5.30pm – conveniently timed before the girls’ bedtimes, which is usually about 6.30pm. It is only this year that Lilly has recovered from her total and utter terror of fireworks - in fact on November 5th Lilly actually ventured out into the neightbourhood with daddy to admire the fireworks… even the really loud ones! But this was her first proper display.
We had such a tiring day on the Tuesday – starting with pottery painting in the morning. Lilly chose to paint a snowman, a stocking and a Father Christmas shaped ornament for the tree. Technically there should have been a lot of red and white involved… but I think Lilly considered white a little bit too boring to paint much of – so snowman ended up with a red face and Santa’s beard is a very attractive mix of purple and green! But they do look rather lovely all the same – and once again I was so impressed with how delicate and detailed she can be when she tries!
In the afternoon we’d gone swimming – which can be a bit of a military procedure with two little ones at the best of times. Everytime we have taken Isla swimming (on all our three previous visits to Center Parcs with her) she has hated it, where Lilly has always loved it. I think Isla has found it a bit of an overwhelming, noisy and hot experience. And at first when we took her in she was upset again and grizzly. So I sat with her in the baby pool and she sat on the edge with her feet in, playing happily with a bucket and a watering can for a while. Once she had acclimatised to the environment we tried taking her into the big pool – and this time, she actually seemed to quite like it! In fact, after a little while, she was giggling! It was a major breakthrough!
Lilly’s favourite thing about the pool as always was going round the ‘rapids’ and dodging the water sprays (she calls the big one Mr Sprayer and the little one Mrs Sprayer!) She also liked swimming outside – which was rather cold, I must say!
After the swimming we were all exhausted so decided to get a bite to eat in the village square instead of going home for tea and coming out again for the fireworks. It was a great plan (although an expensive one) – I was way too knackered to cook after all that exercise – and the timing was just perfect as the fireworks display started not long after we finished eating.
The display was brilliant - and all set to Christmas music. Watching Lilly’s face was the best thing for me - she was totally in awe of what she was seeing. Isla even tolerated the first few fireworks but once they started getting noisier she got upset and Tony took her back to the lodge. As Lilly and I walked home afterwards in the dark she was talking ten to the dozen about what she’d seen and what a “fantabulous” day she’d had. Such a wonderful thing.
During the week we did plenty of walking and took in all the soft play areas Whinfell has to offer. Isla climbed up and slid down a slide all by herself for the very first time – and was pleased as punch with herself as a result! It then meant that she got a little bit overconfident and wanted to follow Lilly into the ‘big girls” area of the soft play – which meant that I once again found myself six months preggers and flying down numerous ‘tunnel slides’ and crawling through too-tight spaces to rescue a child who was stuck!
We also took part in the Santa and Snowman hunt which involved following a trail to find a series of Christmas related questions which we had to answer (some of them quite hard: name all of Santa’s reindeers being one of them… we *may* have had to google this…) At the end an elf gave Lilly a little prize for taking part and all the entries were entered into a draw… which we only won! We had a phonecall later on to tell us that Lilly had won a teddy making session and we took her up to the Time Out Clubhouse where she chose a tiger toy, was helped to stuff it and then picked an outfit to dress it in. Being totally mad on soft toys this couldn’t have been better for Lilly!
There were, of course, some stressful moments – Isla is at that stage where she only wants to walk and refuses to go in her pushchair. The only problem being, she doesn’t neccessarily want to walk in the same direction as everyone else and is rather prone to falling! Lilly moaned a lot because we didn’t get her a bike, and is possibly the world’s slowest dawdler at the best of times. And Isla was a little bit scared of the jet planes and Chinook which were practicing their flying overhead… although I loved them, I must say. Hubby wasn’t very happy because the nearest place to park the car while unloading was a fair trek from our lodge. But all in all I would say this trip has to go down in my memory as our best trip to Center Parcs yet – and we’ve now been seven times (Elveden twice, Sherwood once, Whinfell four times)!
Our other holiday highlights included:
- Isla saying “wack wacks” to all the ducks - first time she’s done this
- Isla’s giggling when she, Lilly and I all went down a ‘tunnel slide’ together
- Isla giggling as we went round the rapids and Lilly’s hysterics at being splashed by “mrs sprayer” as we went
- Lilly’s insistence that she kept seeing a badger “I saw a badger! He was climbing a tree!!” and later, “I saw another badger, on the roof of that house!”
- Discovering a ‘secret’ play area that we never knew was there before – it’s above Cafe Rouge, for anyone who wonders…
So yes, we’re still big Center Parcs fans. And no, this isn’t a sponsored post! And it is so strange to think the next time we visit, there will be three children… yikes! And that this could potentially be the last time we’ll be visiting in term time… ouch!! | <urn:uuid:10a18886-4d2a-4abd-a62b-3dd7277c51a1> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://growingmyfamilytree.wordpress.com/tag/walking/ | 2013-05-24T22:59:11Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705195219/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115315-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.983405 | 1,526 |
@ Your Library
Recent library events, news and more.
Graham Parsons & the Go-Rounds (Andy Catlin, Grant Littler, Tod Kloosterman, Adam Danis) brought their own special breed of magic to the Van Deusen Room Wednesday night, for the 52nd installment of KPL’s concert series. Together since November 2009, the homegrown five-piece combines Parsons’ powerful voice and introspective lyrics with a layered yet balanced instrumental mix… some serious roots rock with the looseness of a jam band with just enough ambient texture and sonic psychedelia to keep things interesting. Here’s proof…
Need more? Next Wednesday, August 24th, Graham Parsons hosts a singer/songwriter showcase with Michael Beauchamp at The Strutt during the Boogie Records Revival. Graham and the Go-Rounds are back at The Strutt on September 22nd. Check The Strutt website for details.
Go Rounds “To Go”
And speaking of The Strutt… if seeing the band play live isn’t enough, you’ll find recordings by Graham Parsons (with and without the Go-Rounds) and lots of other great local artists on the venue’s own record label—not surprising since Go-Round Andy Catlin manages the Strutt Records studio in the basement of the café. You’ll find Graham’s peaceful “Migration” on The Strutt’s “350” compilation, plus a full length release on Strutt Records entitled “Farmhand.” Graham and the Go Rounds’ have released a “Triple A-Side” single and a self-titled live album.
Concerts @ KPL
As for KPL’s concert series, the fun continues in August when The Verve Pipe puts on a special family friendly concert in Bronson Park in support of their aptly titled new Family Album. Then back to Central Library for Joe Wang and the Test Pilots in September, Gifts or Creatures in October, and Midnight Cattle Callers in November. Stay tuned.
Graham Parsons & the Go-Rounds
Recently at the Alma Powell Branch we did a teen program called Pizza and Pages. We read and discussed the book Sweet, Hereafter by Angela Johnson and I bet everyone knows what we did with the pizza part of Pizza and Pages. The book was a great pick for our first book discussion. It was a 117 page easy read. It was thought provoking and infectious. Once we started reading it was hard to put down. What really surprised me, though, was that it was a time warp; it could’ve been any generation or any war era. Angela Johnson achieved what all great artists try to achieve. She filled our minds with questions. Who was Alice? Was Sweet a girl or a boy? Which war time was it? And lots more!
Everyone is looking forward to Powell’s next Pizza and Pages!
On July 6, the Kalamazoo Public Library was honored to host the World Premiere of author Bonnie Jo Campbell’s newest novel Once Upon A River. The novel that has been listed by NPR, CNN, Newsweek and The Daily Beast as being a “must read” and essential summer novel. These accolades should not lead you to believe it is a beach read because it has been earning critical praise from publications such as Entertainment Weekly, Detroit Free Press, and the Wall Street Journal. Recently the Washington Post critic Ron Charles wrote, “The wonder of Once Upon a River is how fresh and weathered it seems at the same time. Ardently turning these pages, I felt as though I’d been waiting for this book and yet somehow already knew it. After her critically acclaimed collection of short stories, American Salvage, Bonnie Jo Campbell has built her new novel like a modern-day craftsman from the old timbers of our national myths about loners living off the land, rugged tales as perilous as they are alluring. Without sacrificing any of its originality, this story comes bearing the saw marks of classic American literature, the rough-hewn sister of The Leatherstocking Tales, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and Walden.”
After Bonnie acknowledged many of the people in the audience who contributed to the book in some way or another, the evening started with a reading of the first chapter which introduced the main protagonist of the novel, Margo. She is a character who possesses a tremendous amount of spirit and adventure that can only be found in the citizens of southwest Michigan. The reading was followed up with an informative and entertaining Q&A. Bonnie answered a variety of questions about the writing process as well as inspiration for the book. The over 160 in the crowd were treated to an education!
Most in the crowd agree that Once Upon A River deserves similar, if not more accolades than her previous book the National Book Award Finalist, American Salvage. If this novel is not on multiple “Best of 2011” lists I will be shocked! I was lucky enough to receive an advanced copy of Once Upon A River in the mail a few months ago. After reading the first 50 pages, I turned to my wife and stated that it was the best books I had read in years. I then proceeded to neglect my family and friends until I finished the book. Check out a copy or place one on hold, but be sure to prepare your family for your absence because you will be floating down the river lost in an amazing book.
Bonnie Jo Campbell @ KPL
The Binder Park Zoomobile visited the Eastwood Branch Library on June 17th and delivered an animal program not once, but twice, back-to-back, which together attracted over 240 audience members. Alex, the Zoomobile Animal Specialist and educator, brought along five amazing animal friends, informing the audience of their special abilities and characteristics, as well as sharing a few fun folktales focusing on two of the creatures.
Highlighted was Adelaide the kookaburra, an exotic bird specimen from Australia. Considering that this was this feathered vocalist’s first presentation outside zoo confines, she did wonderfully well, and everyone was appropriately impressed by her plumage and exceptionally calm demeanor. No stage fright here!
Also featured was a red-kneed tarantula from Central America, which evoked many “Ooh’s” and “Aah’s,” as well as an occasional shriek, coming noticeably from a few of the younger attendees.
A Central African pancake tortoise named Flap Jack, as well as Scooter, a cute African pygmy hedgehog came next on the roster of Binder Park offerings.
And finally to wrap up the show, there was a special appearance by a striped boa constrictor which also hails from Central Africa. Program listeners were allowed to touch this one, and more than a few actually dared do so!
To sum up, this was a great program that was educational, entertaining and pleasing to both young and old.
P.S. Many more animal programs are scheduled at the Eastwood Branch Library this coming July and August for the entire family to enjoy. Please check them out on the online calendar. They’re fun, free and make the library the happening summer place it’s meant to be. See you there!
Alex from the Binder Park Zoo
Accolades from the music press are always nice, but when Corky Siegel calls someone his favorite harmonica player, people tend to pay attention. Once a student of Big Walter Horton, Peter Madcat Ruth has been blowin’ harp around these parts for more than four decades and has performed with some of the best.
In 1990, Madcat joined guitarist and singer Shari Kane, “the most dangerous fingerstyle blues guitarist north of the Yazoo,” to form Madcat & Kane. Since then, the Ann Arbor-based couple has toured extensively, playing at some of the most prestigious blues venues in the country. Then add two of Michigan’s most versatile musicians to the mix, Mark Schrock and Mike Shimmin, and you have Madcat, Kane & Maxwell Street, an acoustic quartet of considerable power and finesse.
To be able to witness talent like this in our own fair city is a treat in and of itself, but to see them at the library—free of charge nonetheless—made last Friday an Art Hop to remember. The fast-paced set opened with a Charley Patton standard from the 1930s, “Moon Goin’ Down,” and rolled on through more than ninety minutes of Delta blues standards, trains songs and “Mississippi party music” by the likes of Furry Lewis, Walter Davis, Blind Boy Fuller, Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee, and others. “We like to dig deep, deep down,” Ruth noted, “and find some of those old acoustic blues things that kinda’ got lost and no one’s doing them anymore… keep ‘em goin’.”
You can find lots of what they played at KPL on the quartet’s latest CD, Madcat, Kane & Maxwell Street Live at the Creole Gallery, and you can download a podcast of the Art Hop show in the KPL Concert Archives.
“This is a gorgeous library,” Shari adds. “I love Ann Arbor, but it was such a treat to come here… it’s such a jewel of a city that you have here.” Thanks, Shari, we think so, too—please come back and see us any time!
Madcat, Kane & Maxwell Street
Kalamazoo Public Library was very pleased to host illustrator Kim Shaw in an Anti Bullying Art Workshop. Kim presented her newest book, The Juice Box Bully, and then led a lively discussion on bullies and friendship. It was clear from the response of the school aged and adult audience that the topic is more timely than ever.
Kim then led an interactive drawing workshop wherein everyone had the opportunity to learn and practice some great drawing skills. Kids especially enjoyed this part - essentially a a small intro to drawing class for nearly fifty! Lots of nice drawings emerged from the Van Deusen room.
Kim created the art for The Juice Box Bully based on Kalamazoo's Woodward School for Technology and Research. Listen to Kim discuss how that real-life school influenced her illustrations.
Anti Bully Art Workshop
An Dro likes to call itself Celtic-based, globally infused world-beat music—a fairly accurate description, it seems. And its members, none of whom are strangers to Kalamazoo audiences, come from an equally diverse mixture of backgrounds and musical experiences. Michele Venegas, once a member of Fonn Mór, is an accomplished fiddler who can certainly stand with the best. Fred Wilson, once a member of the Irish music group Amadaun, brings influences from his years of teaching at home and abroad to his articulate guitar and mandolin work. Jim Spalink, also a member of Amadaun who later went on to form Puck Faire, adds texture to the An Dro sound with a blend of Celtic harp, hurdy-gurdy, bouzouki, lute and recorder. Percussionist extraordinaire Carolyn Koebel, also a member of Fonn Mór, is well known and loved around these parts for her work with Blue Dahlia, Dunuya Drum and Dance, and a host of others.
For those of us who relish the instrumental side of Celtic-world fusion, this show was indeed a real treat. The four members seamlessly wove traditional Irish reels, an dro dance tunes (an dro is a traditional form of folk dance from Brittany), floating European and Middle Eastern influenced melodies and inspired originals into a dozen pieces to fill a gorgeous 90 minute set. The crowd of more than a hundred rewarded the group with a well-deserved standing ovation at the end. If you missed the show (shame on you) or you would like to relive part or all, you’ll find audio, video, and photo souvenirs on our Concert Archives page.
Over the summer, you’ll find An Dro performing at the Buttermilk Jamboree near Yankee Springs on June 12, and elsewhere throughout West Michigan. Check the band’s calendar for details.
Coming up at KPL, don’t miss a special Art Hop Concert on June 3 with special guests Madcat, Kane & Maxwell Street, and on June 15, be sure to catch the amazing Brian Michael Fischer and the BMF band. And Summer @ kpl is just getting started…
If you’ve visited the Kids & Parents section of the KPL website lately, you might have noticed the small live webcast located in the lower right-hand corner of the page. A quick click of the play icon and you’ll see a direct live video feed from the Raptor Resource Project (RRP) that lets you keep tabs 24/7 on a family of nesting bald eagles high above a fish hatchery in extreme northeast Iowa.
The Raptor Resource Project (a 501(c)(3) non-profit) directly manages more than thirty falcon, owl and eagle nesting sites across the US, while advocating preservation and research through lectures, education programs and its own website.
Perched some eighty feet above the ground on private property near the fish hatchery in Decorah, Iowa, the nest itself is massive; nearly six feet across, four feet deep, and weighing roughly half-a-ton. This same nest was featured in American Eagle, a 2008 PBS documentary by Emmy-winning cinematographer Neil Rettig, the first-ever HD feature about bald eagles.
Last October, a team of experts installed two treetop cameras overlooking the nest. The main camera is mounted about five feet above the nest and streams live 24/7, while the other has pan-tilt-zoom capability and is operated remotely whenever there is significant activity. Infrared night vision (invisible to the eagles) allows for nighttime viewing. The live stream has been surprisingly captivating to watch—I occasionally keep it open in a small window on my desktop. (The accompanying live audio stream even makes a great natural soundscape!)
In late February, their work began to pay off as a nesting female laid her first egg, while the male dutifully kept the nest supplied with food. The second egg came along three days later on February 26, and a third on March 2.
The pair took turns tending to the eggs while the other left the nest, only to return a short time later with something fresh to eat—usually a fish or small animal. At times, the birds battled seemingly insurmountable odds; heavy show, bitter winds and torrential rain.
The first egg hatched on April 2, the second and third followed just days later. Three tiny bundles of helpless fuzz that within a few short weeks, have since grown to become clumbsy yet capable young eaglets, now able to stand, stretch, and move freely around the nest. When the adults are absent, the youngsters often sit near the edge of the nest and peer over, perhaps wondering when and from where lunchtime will arrive. By the end of June (after roughly 11-12 weeks), the young birds will learn to fly and leave the nest on their own. The cycle then begins again.
So next time you’re on the Kids & Parents page, drop in on our new friends. And you won’t be alone. Since it began, the Decorah Eagles website has received a whopping 98.3+ million views, with several tens of thousands of viewers watching at any given time!
A warm spring breeze, a little much-needed sunshine, and some outstanding roots music all combined to make for an unforgettable Saturday afternoon at the Oshtemo Branch Library. Earth Day was Friday, April 22, but somehow KPL managed to stretch the celebration into a two day affair with a truly unique set of performances by a close-knit group of musicians from the Earthwork Music Collective.
While the younger members of the audience danced in the sunshine and adorned the parking lot with artistic sidewalk chalk creations, a crowd of more than 300 filled the tent and library garden area to enjoy an afternoon’s worth of music from some of the finest singers, songwriters and musicians Michigan has to offer. Yes, these folks are really that good.
Seth Bernard acted as MC for the afternoon and welcomed to the stage an amazing lineup of friends and family for a variety of captivating original tunes and timely “Earth-friendly” covers. Seth joined his longtime performing companion May Erlewine, the extended “Davis Family” (Rachael Davis with Joshua Davis and Dominic John Davis of Steppin’ In It and honorary Davis-for-a-day, Michael Shimmin “Davis”), Sam Corbin & Jen Sygit, Brandon and Bethany Foote (known collectively as Gifts or Creatures), Laurel Premo and Michael Beauchamp (known collectively as Red Tail Ring), and Josh Keller of Who Hit John? fame for some truly inspirational music in honor of the big blue ball. And there were several surprises along the way—from a glimpse of an upcoming Josh Davis solo project to an inspired sing-along of a timeless Woody Guthrie classic. KPL’s Kevin King kept the youngsters occupied with a reading of The Lorax by Dr. Seuss during intermission. You’ll find audio, video, photos and more from this event and others in KPL’s Concert Archives.
This was 46th show in KPL’s ongoing series of free live concerts, and (thankfully) there’s no end in sight. Upcoming shows include a May 18th appearance by An Dro, A special June 3rd Art Hop with Madcat, Kane & Maxwell Street, high octane blues from the BMF Band on June 15, and to celebrate our 50th show, a special July return performance by Steppin’ In It, the very group that started the live music series back in June 2008! And that’s just a start. Watch for more details coming soon!
The Western Dance Project, the touring ensemble from Western Michigan University's Department of Dance, came to the Central Library to perform in the Rotunda over Spring Break. The program began with a dance choreographed to a movement from composer John Adams's trancelike Shaker Loops. The program also included a piece called "Little Blue Worm", a crowd favorite, about kids playing on the playground. After many other entertaining and beautiful dances, the program closed with an amazing hip hop peice by WMU Department of Dance alum Chopper Platt featuring eight different tracks of music in sequence.
Western Dance Project director and dance professor David Curwen told us about how dance works and even taught us some moves in between the dances. We're glad Western Dance Project made a stop at the library and we look forward to having the Western Dance Project back again!
Western Dance Project | <urn:uuid:29349c61-82e8-4c41-b4f7-3ee423d5221e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://kpl.gov/news/blog/default.aspx?category=News&start=10 | 2013-05-24T22:49:16Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705195219/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115315-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.948963 | 3,991 |
When time allows, I bang the drums in a band called (R), and we recently recorded some live demos. Here’s a taster - as the titles suggest, the first one is about drinking, the second one a word of advice to the youth of today. Befitting of a band of middle-aged gits fighting a losing battle against ageing with guitar(R)s, d(R)ums and bee(R).
Here we go, my customary end-of-year post… my favourite 10 albums of 2012. In no particular order:
Metz - METZ
Converge - All We Love We Leave Behind
The Men - Open Your Heart
Death Grips - The Money Store
Andrew Bird - Break It Yourself
Sauna Youth - Dreamlands
Unsane - Wreck
Rolo Tomassi - Astraea
Sharon Van Etten - Tramp
Swans - The Seer
I say “no particular order”, but it’s fair to say that METZ is my most favourite of them all. I’m getting close to 50, and yet when listening to “Wasted” or “Sad Pricks” on that album, all I want to do is throw myself into a mosh pit somewhere. Highly undignified.
Here’s all the albums in a glorious Spotify playlist:
Following on from the top albums, a less “scientific” list of my top gigs in 2011. Looking at my Songkick Yearly Report there’s so much good stuff it’s really hard to pick individual shows, but I’m giving it a shot anyway… in no particular order, and quite possibly subject to change depending on current mood, here are some of my most memorable gigs of 2011:
Rather than actually thinking about it, this year I’ve just looked at my last.fm scrobbles of albums released in 2011, and let that tell me what my favourite albums were. Most played = favourite, right? Easy… so here goes, without comment, but with Spotify links so you can check them out yourselves:
10. Parting The Sea Between Brightness And Me - Touché Amoré
9. Johnny Foreigner vs Everything - Johnny Foreigner
8. WHATEVER - Teeth
7. David Comes To Life - Fucked Up
6. Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will - Mogwai
5. Slave Ambient - The War On Drugs
4. Bon Iver - Bon Iver
2. Cults - Cults
… and drum roll … number one:
1. Constant Future - Parts & Labor
Death Grips - Klink. This is immense, with Black Flag sample and all…
“I promise to refrain from any hanky panky.
Or anything that would make anyone get cranky.
Anything I do with this connection that is lame,
I absolve Chelsea Market, et al, of any blame.”
… always makes me smile.
The War On Drugs - Black Water Falls. Can’t beat a bit of Dylanesque Shoegaze.
Despite the less than perfect weather and plenty of mud, there was lots of excellent music to be had at Latitude this year. Here’s my fairly random 5 personal highlights, although there was a lot more worthy of mention (Eels, Ghostpoet, Gold Panda, Cloud Control just some of them..)
I was really looking forward to Grouplove, and they turned out to be my first highlight on Friday. A great fun vibe throughout, they threw giant balloons into the crowd at the end of their set.
The National headlined the main stage on Friday night, and were as good as always. To the crowd’s delight, Matt Berninger went on one of his long walkabouts during their last song.
Ed Sheeran was up first on Saturday, and managed to beat the pissing rain. It’s hard to imagine anyone disliking him, he’s such a charming guy on stage (and a local Suffolk boy). He talked to the crowd a lot during the set, including how he’s been coming to Latitude for the last 4 years as a punter, and how great it is to be playing here now.
For my hardcore punk fix, I went to see Cerebral Ballzy, who managed to get an impressive moshpit going. Absolutely fantastic young Brooklyn band, one of the best hardcore bands I’ve seen live recently.
My highlight on Sunday was Sea Of Bees, a folky/acoustic duo. I had barely even heard of them before, and almost came across them by accident, but was really taken by Julie Baenziger’s unique voice and oddly funny stage presence. One of the reasons I love festivals like Latitude is exactly this - serendipity! | <urn:uuid:94fbcf07-5334-4e7c-8256-6132add21f57> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://menti.net/?p=89?5e0fcf38?cb202210?00403838?3b6509c0?508306e0?ff26ace0?a8526e20?bd179028?c1e7c7e8?e79e5560?aee5d158?a92395a0?461ef520?94ac0c80?cd8c6840?614e0a60?8a1a93e0?c4884560?ee1ba140?bccf3040?db84a598?49d38568 | 2013-05-24T22:51:02Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705195219/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115315-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.939266 | 1,030 |
Jeff Feingold is
Editor of NH Business Review's print and
on-line editions. He has
been a business journalist for more than 25 years, and recognized
by the Small Business Administration as National
Small Business Journalist of the Year.
Sometimes history gets in the way of a good storyline. For instance, the tale being spun by Republican Rep. David Bates of Windham, sponsor of the bill that would repeal New Hampshire's same-sex marriage law.
Bates - who's a sponsor of one of the bills seeking to overturn the law - insists the majority is with him, despite polls conducted by the UNH Survey Center and others that show quite the opposite is true. (A Survey Center poll conducted at the end of January and early February found 62 percent of the 520 adults polled are against repeal - including 51 percent who are strongly opposed.)
Bates, however, dismissed those surveys, telling the Lawrence Eagle-Tribune he doesn't place a lot of faith in them. Instead, he points to a warrant article that was considered last year at town meetings around New Hampshire. In that, voters were asked to support placing a constitutional amendment on the ballot that would define marriage as only between a man and a woman.
"I find this more meaningful than any telephone survey," said Bates. "I put a lot more stock in actual votes that you cast."
Funny he should say that. If memory serves, of the 140 towns that had petitions placed on their warrant, 48 voted to table or amend the language to kill the article. Another 33 voted it down outright. That left 59 of the original 140 towns at issue approved the measure.
Let's see now ... 59 out of 140 - last time it was calculated that's 42 percent. How much stock should you put in that?
Fill in the blank
What do the following have in common?:
I'll respect you in the
The check's in the mail.
It's not about the money.
The new ownership won't affect you - the company will remain the same.
Rep. Paul Mirski insists that he'll handle the inquiry into House Deputy
Democratic Leader Mike Brunelle in a nonpartisan manner.
A secret recipe
Sometimes you just have to shake your head and wonder, and sometimes there
just isn't enough time in the day to do all the shaking and wondering
that's required. Consider the argument made by Rep. Jeanine Notter during
the hearing earlier in February over HB 440, the bill that would order the
attorney general to join the lawsuit challenging the federal health care
Republican stood up to explain why the law is unnecessary - and,
judging by her argument, why any health insurance is necessary in
the first place:
generous people, they've been known to be generous people, and I
think that when - maybe you'll agree with me - that when someone
in their community has cancer and no insurance, they're going to
rally, they're going to fundraise, and they're going to get the
treatment that person needs."
But, as with many
things, her comments need to be put into context. Notter's comments
came in response to testimony by a citizen who praised the law's new
federally funded high-risk pool that has helped people with cancer
and other pre-existing conditions obtain health coverage that they
had previously been denied. Apparently all those whiners never even
bothered to think of holding a bake sale to raise the money for
Condodemetraky: The 1998 Democratic nominee for the U.S. Senate
withdraws his candidacy to run as a selectman in Belmont, although
he remains a candidate for the planning board and budget committee.
Ron Paul: The congressman and '08 Republican presidential
candidate agrees to speak at the Dover Republican Committee's
inaugural Lincoln-Reagan dinner on March 25.
Michelle Bachmann: The Republican congresswoman from
Minnesota - and potential presidential contender - will make her
first stop in New Hampshire March 12.
Daniel Itse: The Republican state rep from Fremont is leading
the charge to require formation of a volunteer "permanent state
defense force," separate from the New Hampshire National Guard,
to assist with disaster relief and "defend the state against
Tim Pawlenty: The former Minnesota governor and potential
2012 GOP candidate for president will speak at the April 14 meeting
of the Nashua Republican City Committee.
Rick Santorum: The former Pennsylvania senator will speak to
the Nashua Republican City Committee on May 12.
It's been making
• It's not just Democrats who are upset over the House's
railroading of the rail authority, but whether it becomes an issue
among Republicans remains to be seen.
• This is how much times have changed: The governor's budget could
just as well have been written by John Stephen, but Republicans say
it's not good enough.
• The smart money still says House Republicans are biting off more
than they can chew now that the on-again, off-again Oust Brunelle
effort is on again.
• Whatever happened to Ray Buckley? | <urn:uuid:bc0fc224-4258-44a2-a3b7-fcfb9a041621> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://sunacom.com/columnists/jeff/feingold_02-25-11.html | 2013-05-24T22:42:14Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705195219/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115315-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.965041 | 1,072 |
Integrating Reporting Services into Your Application
SQL Server 2005 Reporting Services
Summary: This paper summarizes the different ways that developers can integrate SQL Server 2005 Reporting Services capabilities in their applications. (13 printed pages)
You can download the Microsoft Word version of this article.
Integrating Reporting Services into Your Application
Embedding Reports with the Report Viewer Controls
Embedding Reports in SharePoint
Managing Reports with the SOAP API
Generating Reports Programmatically
Integrating Ad Hoc Report Authoring
Extending the Report Server
Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services is a complete platform for creating, managing, and delivering reports from a variety of data sources.
Reporting Services offers comprehensive functionality for processing, formatting, and rendering data in a variety of traditional and interactive reporting formats. Applications can take advantage of Reporting Services functionality in many ways, from accessing an existing report within an application or portal page, to embedding report processing and design capabilities within a stand-alone application.
SQL Server Reporting Services is designed to be programmable and extensible. Report definitions use a published, extensible XML-format called Report Definition Language (RDL), and Reporting Services offers a Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP) Web service for managing and accessing reports.
With SQL Server 2005 and Microsoft Visual Studio 2005, Microsoft has extended the ways in which developers can integrate and access Reporting Services functionality. This paper provides a summary of the many different integration points with SQL Server 2005 Reporting Services.
About This Document
This document is designed to help application developers identify and understand different methods for accessing Reporting Services functionality from their applications. It is not intended to document how to use the different programmatic interfaces. These interfaces are described in other sources.
- This white paper is not intended to be an exhaustive source of information about Reporting Services. For detailed information about the product, see the product documentation and also the resources available online.
- In addition to Reporting Services, this document assumes that the reader is already familiar with the following topics:
- Microsoft SQL Server
- Internet Information Services (IIS)
- Microsoft .NET Framework
- Microsoft Visual Studio
Information about these topics is available on MSDN Online.
Reporting Services is a comprehensive platform for creating, managing, and delivering traditional, paper-oriented reports and also interactive, Web-based reports.
Reporting Services was designed from the start to be extensible, with open interface and programmatic access to support a wide range of environments and applications. Application developers can access this functionality in a number of ways, including accessing existing reports, generating custom reports and report controls, embedding reports locally within applications, and executing reports remotely.
By taking advantage of the functionality and open interfaces of Reporting Services, you can easily provide robust reporting capabilities while focusing on your application’s unique functionality.
This paper discusses the integration points that are available with SQL Server 2005 Reporting Services.
You can create reports for your application by using a variety of tools. These include the Report Designer tool integrated with Visual Studio 2005, or the new Report Builder ad hoc tool, and then deploy them as part of your application installation. Your users can also use these tools to extend the set of reports that you provide with your application.
Perhaps the most common application integration requirement is the ability to embed reports or the ability to access reports from within an application. The first version of Reporting Services provided two methods for accessing reports that resided on a Report Server. These were URL access and an XML Web service, the Reporting Services SOAP API. SQL Server 2005 Reporting Services expands the options for embedding reports. These include a set of Report Viewer controls for Windows Forms and ASP.NET applications, and also Web parts that make it simple to navigate, select, and view reports in Microsoft SharePoint portal pages.
Reporting Services offers a full-featured management interface using the Reporting Services Management Web service (a SOAP API). The Management Web service can display reports and manage rendering, subscriptions, and other aspects of the report server, programmatically from an application.
Generating Reports Programmatically
While many applications provide predefined reports, it is also possible for an application to generate report definitions automatically by writing to the published XML schema for Reporting Services reports. After a program has created the report definitions, the Reporting Services Execution Web service provides a programmatic interface to the report execution and rendering capabilities of a Report Server.
Integrating Ad Hoc Report Generation
The Report Builder tool lets end users and business analysts create and design reports by accessing a data model that presents the underlying data sources in a business perspective. Third-party applications can access the Report Builder. Reporting Services provides a model design tool for creating the Report Builder data models.
Extending Reporting Services
The modular architecture of Reporting Services is designed for extensibility. A managed code API is available so that you can easily develop extensions consumed by many Reporting Services components. By using the Microsoft .NET Framework, you can create custom assemblies, custom report items, and also new Reporting Services security, delivery, rendering, and data processing functionality to meet your evolving business needs.
The remainder of this paper describes these methods in detail.
Report design is available within a Report Server project that is included in SQL Server 2005 and also integrated with Visual Studio 2005 language projects. The report design process is a graphical surface that is modeled after the Windows Forms editor.
Reports may be tabular, matrix, or freeform, and may contain rich charts. You simply drag and drop a field from the Data Sources window onto the design surface and then set the desired style properties. The Report Designer, shown in Figure 1, lets you access the full capabilities of Reporting Services reports, including the grouping, sorting, filtering, and conditional formatting features.
Figure 1. Visual Studio Report Designer
When you create reports, you can choose to either publish them on a Report Server or embed or access them locally from the application. Both of these options are described in the following subsections.
SQL Server 2005 includes a Report Server Project in the SQL Server 2005 Business Intelligence Development Studio for designing reports that will be hosted on a Report Server. Some of the benefits of deploying hosted reports include security, caching, scheduling, and delivery.
Hosted reports use the standard report definition format (RDL). This format contains information about how to connect to the data source and extract appropriate data.
Visual Studio 2005 includes the ability to design reports and embed them directly in any language project, including Visual Basic, Visual C#, Visual J#, or Managed C++.
The embedded Report Designer has the same functionality as the Report Server Designer included in SQL Server 2005, but uses the Visual Studio data source functionality to access data for the report. Reports can access traditional data sources or object collections.
Embedded reports use a report definition version (RDLC) that includes metadata about the data sources, but does not contain connection or query information. This is described in detail in the next section.
For more information about designing reports, see SQL Server Reporting Services Books Online.
Visual Studio 2005 comes with freely redistributable Report Viewer controls for embedding Reporting Services functionality into custom applications. These controls require that Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0 is installed on the target machine.
There are two versions of the Report Viewer control: one for Windows clients and one for Web-based (ASP.NET) applications. The Visual Studio toolbox automatically provides the right control, based on the type of project you are creating.
The Report Viewer controls access reports on a Report Server or process and renders reports locally in the following ways:
- In local mode, the application provides the report definition and datasets and triggers report processing. No SQL Server license is required and the necessary processing functionality is included within the Report Viewer control.
- In Report Server mode, the Report Viewer control accesses a report hosted on the Report Server. The control is used to navigate and display the report. Report Server mode requires a SQL Server 2005 Report Server.
These distinctions are explained in detail in the following subsections.
Local Mode vs. Report Server Mode
The first important decision you have to make is whether to use the local or Report Server mode for the Report Viewer control. Your decision will probably depend on how your application will be deployed.
In local mode, as shown in Figure 2, the local application processes the reports from the report definitions that are either embedded in the application or loaded from disk. The application makes no connections to a Report Server. In fact, this approach does not require a SQL Server license or Report Server.
Figure 2. Local Mode Report Processing
In Report Server mode, shown in Figure 3, the application accesses a report published on a Report Server. The Report Server performs all data retrieval, processing, and rendering, and the control displays the results.
Figure 3. Report Server Mode
The Report Server offers a managed reporting environment that includes security, subscriptions, snapshot management, and report history. These services may be essential for enterprise-scale reporting environments.
There are other, more subtle distinctions you should be aware of when deciding which mode to use. These are summarized in Table 1.
|Category||Local Mode||Report Server Mode|
|Data Sources||Visual Studio data sources, including ADO.NET DataTables or application objects. The application must connect to the source for data.||Any data sources accessible from the Report Server. This includes a wide range of supported sources.|
|Report Definition||Embedded locally or loaded from disk or stream.||Published to Report Server.|
|Parameters||The application must implement the user interface for specifying parameters or queries.||Report Viewer control can prompt for query or report parameters.|
|Security||The application must manage security. Code embedded in a report cannot access the file system or network without explicit permission.||Report Viewer control prompts for credentials.|
|Export Formats||Microsoft Excel and PDF only.||All rendering formats supported by Reporting Services, including Excel, PDF, and MHTML.|
|SQL Server Licenses||None required.||One required for Report Server.|
The report processing should be identical between the Report Server and local modes, because the Report Viewer control uses the same reporting engine as the Report Server. Both reports support interactivity, such as expanding and collapsing sections, drill-through, and interactive sorting, and a wide range of data layouts such as tables, lists, and charts.
Local mode does not support Custom Report items.
Changing from Local to Report Server Mode
The decision to choose local mode over Report Server mode is not irreversible. You can migrate reports from the local RDLC format to the hosted RDL format.
If the report uses a data source type directly supported by the Report Server, such as SQL Server, you can supply the missing information and then publish the report on the Report Server. If the report retrieves data from data sources not directly supported by the Report Server, you may have to provide data processing extensions in order for the Report Server to retrieve the data.
After the report is published to the Report Server, you only have to update the Report Viewer control with the report path and Report Server information needed to access the report.
Generally, if your report uses application data that is not stored in a database or is not accessible by using a Web service or other remote API, migrating from local to server mode will not be possible without building a data processing extension. This is described later in this paper.
Integrating Reports in a Windows Forms Application
To integrate a report by using the Report Viewer control in local mode (creating and generating the report locally), you can use the following steps.
To create the data sources
- Launch the Data Source Configuration Wizard to create data sources from databases, Web services, objects, or local files.
The wizard creates a DataSet that contains the DataTables you have specified. Alternatively, you can use the TableAdapter Configuration Wizard. This allows you to use a query to create a DataSet.
To design the report
- Use the Report Designer that is integrated with Visual Studio to define the report.
You can drag and drop fields from the Data Sources window onto the report items. Report Designer automatically puts the appropriate data source information into the report definition (RDLC) file for the local report.
To add the Report Viewer control to the Windows Forms application
- Drag the Report Viewer icon from the toolbox to the Windows Forms design service. The SmartTags panel is automatically displayed.
- Select the report to bind to the Report Viewer control.
Note that the order of these steps is flexible. For example, you can add the Report Viewer control to the application and then launch Report Designer to design the report.
To add a remotely hosted report to a Windows Forms application, you simply add the Report Viewer control to the application and, from the SmartTags panel, select the Report Server URL and the path for the report.
Integrating Reports in an ASP.NET Application
The process for integrating a report into an ASP.NET application is similar to that for a Windows Forms application. Following is the general process for embedding a local report.
To create the shared data sources
- The data sources can be created as either DataComponents, by using the TableAdapter Configuration Wizards, or by using custom classes.
To design the report
- Report Designer displays the shared data sources in the Data source window. Drag and drop data and report components to design the report.
To add the Report Viewer control to the Web page
- Drag and drop the Report Viewer icon onto the WebForm design surface. The SmartTags panel for the control is automatically displayed.
- Select the report you have designed and then select the data sources for the report.
If you are embedding access to a report hosted on a Report Server, all you have to do is add the Report Viewer control and, from the SmartTags panel, enter the URL and path for the report on the Report Server.
Reporting Services provides two Web components for embedding reports in Windows SharePoint Portal Server 2003 or Windows SharePoint Services environments. These include Report Explorer and Report Viewer:
- Report Explorer navigates the Report Server to find available reports and manage report subscriptions.
- Report Viewer lets users view and work with reports.
Separately or together, these two Web components let you easily leverage the capabilities of Reporting Services. For example, you can use these to do the following:
- Automatically display a specific report on a portal page.
- Give the portal user access to browse, select, and display available reports on the Report Server.
- Give the portal user the ability to subscribe to a report on the Report Server.
Report Explorer Web Component
The Report Explorer Web component is essentially a scaled-down version of the Report Manager that is included with Reporting Services. The Report Explorer Web component provides the capability to do the following:
- Browse available reports on the Report Server
- Select a report to view
- Subscribe to reports
The Explorer Web component can be used in conjunction with the Report Viewer Web component. When run in connected mode, the two Web components pass data to each other. In stand-alone mode, they do not.
If you run Explorer and Viewer in connected mode and select a report to view, this will automatically display the report in the Viewer Web component. If you run Explorer in stand-alone mode and select a report, this opens a new browser window to display the report. You will have to decide which approach is best for your application.
Report Viewer Web Component
The Report Viewer Web component displays the report. Users can view and navigate multi-page reports, print the report, or export the report to supported formats. The administrator can decide whether the report viewer toolbar is displayed with a minimal set of controls or none at all.
SQL Server 2005 Reporting Services includes a Reporting Services Management Web service for programmatically managing the Report Server. The Web service offers a single-entry point to the full report management functionality of the Report Server and can be used to perform a wide variety of tasks. This includes the following:
- Browsing server contents
- Publishing and removing reports
- Managing snapshots and report history
- Managing subscriptions
Reporting Services also offers a Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) provider. This is a programmatic interface that you can use to build custom Report Server administration tools.
Distributing Reports with an Application
As part of your application installation or configuration, you may want to deploy a set of standard reports that your users can use. You can use the management Web service to deploy these to the Report Server.
In addition to deploying the reports, you will want to change the data sources for the report so that it points to the local installation. The simplest way to do this is to define the report by using shared data sources. Your deployment utility that publishes the reports to the server can also set the appropriate connection strings for the data sources.
Reporting Services offers several methods for generating reports interactively. It also supports programmatic report creation and execution, with a documented, extensible XML-based report format (RDL) and with SOAP interfaces for report execution.
Writing Report Definition Files with RDL
Reporting Services uses a published, extensible XML schema called Report Definition Language (RDL). The RDL format covers all aspects of the reports, including data retrieval, expressions, and layout.
You can use the expression capabilities of RDL to support dynamic content within reports, designing conditional formatting and drill-down links. However, there are a few applications that have to generate an entire report dynamically by writing the RDL. There are specific ways to generate RDL programmatically.
One way to generate RDL from an application is to use the Microsoft .NET Framework classes of the System.Xml namespace. The XmlTextWriter class can write RDL according to the specification. However, you can generate a complete report definition in any Microsoft .NET application.
Because RDL is an open schema, you can extend RDL with additional attributes and elements. You can even include custom report controls and elements that are not included with RDL and embed code inside the report definition.
For example, you can create and use maps, barcodes, and media clips within reports, and add the custom report controls to the Microsoft Visual Studio Toolbox. Custom report controls have their own properties and dialog boxes and use the expression evaluation, grouping, sorting, and filtering features of the Report Processor.
For information about the Report Definition Language Specification, see the Reporting Services Web site.
Dynamic Report Execution
Typically, to execute a report from the Report Server, you publish the report to the server and have the server execute and render the report. The report then resides in the Report Server report catalog.
SQL Server 2005 Reporting Services offers a Reporting Services Execution Web Service for programmatic control over report processing and rendering on the Report Server. By using the classes and methods of this Web service, you can direct the Report Server to do the following:
- Process and render a report from a report definition file
- Render a report from a history snapshot
- Execute server-based reports
The classes and methods are encapsulated in the ReportExecutionService class.
SQL Server 2005 Reporting Services includes a new ad hoc, report-authoring tool called Report Builder. In using Report Builder, business users and analysts can create reports by dragging and dropping data items onto a report layout. Because Report Builder uses predefined Report Models to access data sources, you will want to provide your end users with already built Report Models to enable ad hoc authoring.
Building Report Models
To provide ad hoc report design for application users, you have to define and publish the report models used by Report Builder. These models provide a business-level description of the underlying database. As a result, Report Builder users do not have to understand the source data structure in order to create meaningful reports.
Microsoft provides a Report Model Designer tool to define, edit, and publish report models for Report Builder. You can use this tool to design the model interactively by using the data source. Models can also be generated automatically for Microsoft SQL Server or Analysis Services databases.
You can override the default experience when users drill from one entity to another by using drill-through reports. These provide a customized experience and generally make your out-of-the-box applications function better.
For more information about creating report models, see SQL Server 2005 Books Online.
Launching the Report Builder Client
Report Builder is a ClickOnce Windows Forms application that is accessible from the Report Server. You can access or launch Report Builder through a URL to provide integrated, ad hoc reporting.
The uniquely extensible architecture of Reporting Services enables developers to extend specific features of the product and its components.
The types of extensions that are supported in SQL Server 2005 Reporting Services are shown in Table 2.
|Extension||Report Server Mode|
|Data Processing Extension||Data processing extensions enable developers to build additional data source types into Reporting Services. These data processing extensions add functionality to both the Report Server and Report Designer.|
|Delivery Extension||Delivery extensions allow the use of a wide variety of mechanisms when sending report notifications to users. You can extend the Report Server to provide custom delivery to users and you can extend the subscription management pages of Report Manager to enable subscriptions that use custom delivery extensions.|
|Rendering Extension||Rendering extensions transform report data and layout information into a device-specific format. You can create additional rendering extensions to generate reports in other formats that are not supported.|
|Security Extension||Security extensions enable the authentication and authorization of users in Reporting Services. By default, Reporting Services uses a Windows-based security extension to authenticate the identities of users on the system. You may have to replace the default security to accommodate custom security in your enterprise.|
|Custom Report Items||Custom report items allow developers to define additional item types that can be used within their reports. Custom report items include an interface that allows a design-time control to be hosted in the Visual Studio report design tool. Custom report items also include a run-time interface that the custom report item uses to convert report data and properties into an image to display in the rendered output.|
|Custom Code Assemblies||Custom code assemblies are referenced from within your report definition files and contain specialized functions that you can use in the expressions in your reports. The server calls the functions in your custom assemblies when a report is run.|
More information about extensions, including their programmatic interfaces, is included in SQL Server 2005 Books Online.
SQL Server 2005 Reporting Services offers a wide range of integration points and makes it easy for developers to take advantage of the product’s comprehensive report generation, processing, rendering, and distribution capabilities.
For detailed information about these programmatic interfaces to SQL Server 2005 Reporting Services, see the SQL Server 2005 Books Online. | <urn:uuid:7c901271-f547-435a-9d30-870753af35e0> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://technet.microsoft.com/en-US/library/aa964126(v=sql.90) | 2013-05-24T22:51:32Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705195219/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115315-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.864541 | 4,718 |
4.0 Laser-Sharp Lessons
NETWORKING >> Each section contains key Action Items located within the downloadable Action Guide >> Click to Download Action Guide.
Did you know that the energy put out by a normal light bulb is equal to the energy put out by a laser beam? A laser has a very tight beam and is very strong and concentrated. A light bulb, on the other hand, releases light in many directions, so the light is comparably weak and diffuse. The difference between the two allows the laser, with focused energy, to have the power to do very fine and delicate surgery, artistic etching, as well as play the broad, full sounds of an orchestral overture.
Does that sound like the kind of precision you want from your networking
activities? I’ve found that there are three ways to bring your networking
efforts into laser-sharp focus to build your business:
1. When talking about what you do at networking groups, focus on one aspect of your business at each meeting.
Remember, your goal in the networking process should be to train a sales force, not close a sale. Therefore, each time you have an opportunity, you should focus on a specific product or service which you offer, and then train people how to refer you in this area.
Too often we try to cover everything we do in one introduction. When you
have the chance to be in front of the same group of folks regularly, don’t
make the mistake most people make by painting with too broad a brush.
Laser-sharp networking calls for you to be very specific and detailed about
one thing at a time.
Sometimes I hear businesspeople say they have a “full service” business. I
think saying this alone is a mistake; full service doesn’t really mean
anything to people who don’t understand the details of all the services you
offer. Instead, talk about what you specialize in or what you’re best known
for. There’s something that sets you apart from the competition—let others
know about that aspect of your business.
2. When asking for referrals from your networking partners, be very specific about what you want.
Identify specific people to whom you wish to be introduced. Personal
introductions can open doors for you that would’ve otherwise remained
closed. If you don’t know the name of the manager of another business
you wish to meet, find out—then ask specifically for a referral to that
Give vivid examples of the type of referral you wish to receive. I’d
recommend reviewing a case study from a current client or past
successful referral with your networking partners. Define what the needs
were of that prospect and how your business met those needs. Be as
detailed as you can be so your networking partners can really visualize
the experience and have a clear picture of how you were able to meet
this person’s needs. This will give them clarity and focus when they
meet another person with the same needs.
3. Meet with each person in your networking circle one on one.
Do this away from the general networking session, to deepen the relationship and dial-up the focus of your networking efforts. I can’t stress enough the importance of deepening the relationships with your networking partners. To really maximize the energy of the partnerships you’re forging with your referral sources, it’s critical to spend time with them. Just going to a social function or sitting side-by-side at some type of conference or networking event isn’t enough. You have to be face-to-face, talking and exploring commonalities and complimentary aspects of each of your businesses to be as powerful a referral source for each other as you can be.
In our increasingly fast-paced society and business climate, it’s important to take your time to get to know your referral sources and cultivate long-lasting and mutually profitable relationships. It’s true that “time is money,” but I also know that without investing a good chunk of your time in one-on-one relationships, you won’t have the kind of strong and deeply focused referral sources you need for successful word-of-mouth marketing.
By focusing your efforts like a laser beam, you’ll fine-tune your networking message and increase your results.
Is there a specific type of networking organization to which these
These techniques apply to most networking organizations, but the one to
which they best apply is a strong-contact network or business development network—groups like BNI, which meet every single week. The more specific you are the easier it is for them to hang their hat on some concept of what you do, and the easier it is for them to refer you—because you’ve educated them over time.
Do you have any success stories that illustrate that principle: “specific is terrific”?
Twenty years ago I was at a BNI meeting where a person, who was a printer that specialized in business forms, stood up at a meeting and said, “I’ve never really mentioned that I really love designing forms—not just printing them. I’ve brought in a couple of examples of the work that I do in designing forms.”
One of the members at the meeting stood up and said, “I was literally
going to go down the street after this meeting to some other company and
have them do a design for me so that I could take it to you to get printed.
I had no idea that you also design forms. I’ve got a referral for you today,
and I wouldn’t have had that if you hadn’t stood up and described, very
specifically, this aspect of your business.”
The more laser-specific you are, the more likely you are to have people
remember aspects of your products and services and be more effective at
Do you have any success stories of an individual who asked for a
specific introduction to a person by name?
I had someone at a networking meeting stand up and say, “I’m looking for
someone who knows…” and then he named a real estate agent who lived
in Southern California. This particular agent was the number one real
estate agent for the franchise that he was referring to for about the last 10
years. He continued, “I’m looking for someone who might know this
individual because I can’t get past the secretary to talk to the agent.”
The person who sponsored him into this networking event stood up and
said, “John, I know that agent. She’s my sister-in-law.” He said, “My
goodness, your sister in law? Why didn’t you ever tell me that?” And she
said, “Why didn’t you ever ask?”
You have to be specific about what you’re looking for and sometimes just
putting it out there to your networking partners is all it takes—that laser specificity rings a bell with people. They’ll say, “Gee, I know somebody who
knows that person.” Or, “I know somebody who can help that person.”
It’s really a great argument for being part of one of those strong-contact networks where you have that opportunity to be face-to-face with one another on a regular basis so you can bring specific requests to them, week after week.
Being the founder of the world’s largest strong-contact network, it would
be hard for me to argue with you on that one. I certainly agree. But diversity is key in all your networks. Participating in chamber groups and service clubs is also good. But no doubt, the laser-specific technique is most applicable to groups like BNI, where you’re meeting on a regular basis.
The third technique you’ve recommended was to meet with each person in your networking circle one-to-one. Do you have a specific list of topics you recommend you cover when meeting one-to-one?
In the book I co-authored with Robert Davis, Business By Referral, I recommend “GAINS Exchange.” It’s an acronym that stands for: goals,
accomplishments, interests, networks and skills. What I recommend at the one-to-one is that you sit down and you do an exchange of information, of your GAINS. At first blush you might look at that and say, “That’s not asking for any business.” No, it’s not, but it is all about building the relationship.
The more I get to know you, the more I build a relationship, and the better the chance we establish trust. And knowing particularly your areas of interests and skills and goals gives me an opportunity to make a connection with you. It even helps you find overlapping interests that help to build the relationship over time.
ACTION ITEMS: Complete the Action Items in your Action Guide.
Explain what separates you from your competition.
Describe how you met a customer’s need or plan to do so.
Identify three potential customers, partners or others you want to be referred to and who might refer you to them from within your network.
1) Referred by:
2) Referred by:
3) Referred by:
Explain what you want the referring person to convey to your potential customers or other individuals.
Now that you know what you want your referrals to say, set up an opportunity for a one-to-one and get your message to each of them, BUT only if the relationship has been cultivated and you have developed credibility with them. Never skip the “farming” process of a relationship. | <urn:uuid:83c75709-9783-4370-9f72-9cdd3a7d71b9> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://usentrepreneur.com/growing-a-business/networking/laser-sharp-networking/ | 2013-05-24T22:43:05Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705195219/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115315-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.960105 | 2,074 |
Ki Tavo(Deuteronomy 26:1-29:8)
"Wealth brings anxiety, but wisdom brings peace of mind."
-- Rabbi Ibn Gevirol
"Hi. I'm a doctor, what are you?"
"I'm a lawyer, what are you?"
"I'm a chocolate chip cookie eater, what are you?"
In truth, I am anything but a lawyer or a doctor. I don't even want to be thought of as one. I am an individual. I'm me!
There is no other person in the world like you. In fact it's virtually impossible to put into words who you are. Words already make a comparison. There are no words to describe your unique type of kindness, friendship or love.
If you introduce yourself to other people as a "lawyer," then you take what is unique to you and disregard it. It is dangerous to define yourself as something you do from 9-to-5 (or any other time of the day). To think of yourself in terms of any single activity is to severely hamper your self-image. Comparing yourself with all other lawyers is making a clear statement: "I am not a person, I am a career."
Unfortunately, it's a problem we develop early in life. Every child is asked: "What do you want to be when you grow up?" It's a question fraught with subtle implications, extremely damaging to the developing personality of a child. Isn't the child who is asked that question going to grow up thinking: "What's wrong with being 'me?' Is 'me' so terrible that I have to 'become' something different when I grow up?"
TRYING TO BE
Many of us have spent the last 20-30 years trying to "be" somebody. Now we are starting to ask "Who am I?" Maybe, we are thinking, this whole rat race of "being somebody" isn't worth it. Maybe I am somebody valuable already, I don't need to be anybody else.
Hillel, the great Torah sage, said, "If I am only for myself, who am I" (Pirkei Avos 1:14). This is to say, if I ask the question "Who I should be?" I will eventually have to ask the question "What am I?"
Shakespeare's "To be or not to be" reflects the values of Western society. In Judaism, "To be or not to be" is not the question. Rather, "What to do and what not to do" - that is the Jewish question.
Judaism says that only through "doing" will a person "be." In other words, the more we do, the more we become.
It is important to understand that "becoming more" is not defined in terms of man hours or production, but rather in terms of direction and purpose. The greater our purpose, the greater we become.
"...their idols are of silver and gold, the work of men's hands. They have a mouth, but cannot speak. They have eyes, but cannot see. They have ears, but cannot hear... Those who make them will become like them, all that trust in them. Israel trusts in God..." (Psalm 115)
It is a natural consequence that whatever you believe in, like that thing you will become. Whatever you imagine as the highest expression of life is what you will idealize, imitate, seek and desire. If you think movie stars and professional athletes are the epitome of life, then it is they who you will emulate. If you hold them in high esteem because of their ability to toss a ball, then you will define your own life as well by such demeaning definitions. If shallow people are your idols, then shallow will you be.
The path of idol worshipers leads them to become like their idol. The idol has eyes, but sees nothing. The idol worshiper also has eyes, but sees nothing. Such people miss the beauty and meaning of life. How can someone who thinks a piece of wood or stone is the source of all life comprehend how rich and deep life really is? What you "become" results from what you think is at the source of all life. If you think the source of your energy is a dollar, then you'll become a hedonist.
It is no wonder, therefore, that in a world of rampant materialism, many people have no more depth than the money they believe will solve all their problems.
THE PATH OF GREATER MEANING
The greater our purpose in life, the greater we become.
To find fulfillment, a person needs guidelines and a strategy. The quest for purpose and meaning requires far more tools than is necessary to achieve emptiness. The laws of physics tell us that all bodies follow the path of least resistance. Therefore, since we are physical beings, we need a very effective strategy to break away from the "easy yet meaningless" path.
If on the other hand, you think that the All Powerful, Eternal, God of infinite understanding and care, is the source of life, then layer after layer of depth, wisdom, beauty and splendor is there for you to hear and see.
To reach those depths, we need tools. This is why the Torah - in this week's parsha (Deut. 28:9) - tells us to emulate God. This technique enables us to see the world with a "God like" vision.
Ask yourself: What would God do if He was in your position? Which path would He choose? This identification with God enables you to raise yourself up out of life's pettiness. It gives you a perspective that is impossible to achieve when you are trying to emulate a movie star.
If we are striving for the greatest "being" we can be, it has to be a "being like God." Such an achievement simply cannot be topped. How can a person be greater than that?
If the source of life is some primordial soup, then all a person can become is a great chef. But if the source is God Himself, then there is no limit to a person's reach.
BRAINSTORMING QUESTIONS TO PONDER
Question 1: Does success and failure affect your self-image?
Question 2: What would give you a more positive self-image?
Question 3: Who do you idolize? Is this an uplifting role model? | <urn:uuid:93bebb34-bc0f-406a-b81d-adee475462e0> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.aish.com/tp/b/bwb/48957416.html | 2013-05-24T22:49:25Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705195219/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115315-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.966094 | 1,334 |
West, Plano West: Trip to see Skyfall the latest in series of Wolves' bonding exercises
Last Friday was not a school day, but Plano West football head coach Mike Hughes wanted to keep his team together prior to just the second area playoff game in program history.
"When you get out of school, you get out of routine," he said. "It can be hard to keep the guys focused, so we at least wanted to keep them all together so they could keep some focus even if we weren't practicing."
The answer to that was a team trip to the movies.
Specifically, the latest entry into the 007 saga, "Skyfall."
"The kids loved it; I did too," Hughes said. "Who doesn't love James Bond?"
Whether it was the standout performances of Daniel Craig and Javier Bardem, the team-bonding experience or just being a superior squad on the gridiron, West made history that night by becoming the first team in program history to advance to the third round of the playoffs with a 37-27 win over South Garland.
"I knew ... I knew from the very beginning that we had the opportunity to do something special with this team," said Jake Wodka, senior linebacker. "We all love each other like a family, so we all want to stay together and we don't want this run to end."
He isn't the only one who feels that way.
"Now we can say we are the best team at West," said Soso Jamabo, sophomore running back. "But we don't want to stop here; we want to be the first team at West to do everything."
To be the first team at West to advance past the third round, the Wolves will have to travel a good bit further than Friday's journey to Eagle Stadium in Allen.
"Road trip baby," Stephan Randall, senior lineman, screamed in the locker room after the victory.
Indeed West (8-4) will hit the highway this week as it travels to Waco ISD Stadium for a regional semifinal game against Lufkin (9-3) at 2 p.m. Saturday.
"I think the guys are excited to play in Waco, especially at such a nice stadium," Hughes said. "But then again, at this point we don't really care where we are playing, we're just excited to still be playing."
The Panthers, winners of six straight, advanced to the third round with playoff victories over Spring Dekaney (35-20) and Pflugerville (56-43).
Lufkin is predicated on the pass with quarterback Tyler Stubblefield becoming the team's single-season passing yardage leader in last weekend's victory. That performance included touchdown passes to Jamal Jeffery, Kendrick Mapp (the team's primary ball carrier) and JaBryce Taylor. Keke Coutee is another option to catch passes for the Panthers.
"Lufkin has a strong quarterback and three Division I-caliber wide receivers," Hughes said. "They will try to get their playmakers out in space."
Hughes used speed to describe Lufkin's offense, a word brought up defensively too.
"Lufkin will use a 4-3 that is pretty similar to what we use and what Plano (Senior) uses," he said. "They have a lot of size, speed and athleticism and are really an attacking defense."
With the regional semifinals on a Saturday, West has pushed back its preparation for Lufkin a day from the usual game week. The Wolves watched game film and lifted Monday with practices commencing Tuesday, Wednesday and today as the team knows that while they have set a new standard, there is still work to be done.
"We have to keep working hard," Jamabo said. "Pay close attention to film, practice hard, keep going as much as we can every day."
That philosophy will also be in place when the ball kicks off in Waco.
"Same as it has been all year," Randall said. "Just keep fighting for all four quarters."
These Wolves have already advanced further than any of their predecessors and further than any other Plano ISD team since the Wildcats advanced to the state semifinals in 2007, but West isn't ready for its trailblazing run to end.
"We've talked about what we have accomplished a bit, but not as much as you might think," Hughes said. "Right now we are more focused on getting better each week. I think we have been able to do that to this point and if you keep improving, then anything can happen in the playoffs." | <urn:uuid:cd8f67e0-4f40-4b3f-aede-36dd278bdfe4> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.mesquitenews.com/articles/2012/11/30/sports_update/5693.prt | 2013-05-24T22:30:52Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705195219/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115315-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.981007 | 955 |
Date:Tuesday September 29 2009
Following the Pompey players currently out on loan is something that I 'hope', with the help of my fellow Vital eds/their sides members, to do more of this season to keep us more updated with how they are going.
We start with Dave Nugent, and will continue to follow him - even though it is 'highly unlikely' that he will return to Fratton - during his spell at Burnley with something that turfmanphil, from Vital Burnley, has written for us.
So, enough from me I will hand you over to Phil:
'Sounds like he had a rough time at Pompey and doesn't want to go back. Seems much happier back up North and I suppose you playing him out on the wing didn't do him much good and could have accounted for his low goal tally.
'He looks hungry for goals and after the Black Cats match we all have high hopes for him following that stunning brace. He is still not totally 100% match fit though and might be used more as an impact sub at the moment although we have now lost Martin Paterson (out for 3 months, torn cartilage) so he has more chance of starting.
'Nugent actually started against Spurs last Saturday and did look threatening on occasion but also tired towards the end. He would have hoped to have done better against old twitchy face Redknapp, but the whole team struggled in the 5-0 tonking. I read in the Sun that Harry never wanted Nugent at Pompey and was after Anelka at the time instead. It would appear the Pompey board forced the £6m signing on him? Is that what they are saying down your way?
'He needs a few more games under his belt before we can decide what to do with him but things are looking promising so far.
'Will be interesting to see whether we will sign him permanently come Jan window or at least extend his loan. I assume if he is still on loan when we play Pompey at Turf Moor in Feb he wont be allowed to play with the same going for the Fratton Park clash on 5th Dec.'
Thanks again to turfmanphil from Vital Burnley.
PLAY UP POMPEY!
Date:Tuesday September 29 2009
On this day in history...24th May (Friday May 24 2013)
David Connolly joins the crusade (Thursday May 23 2013)
Not short of an option or two! (Thursday May 23 2013)
On this day in history...23rd May (Thursday May 23 2013)
On this day in history...22nd May (Wednesday May 22 2013)
Reaping the benefits of 1st team football (Tuesday May 21 2013)
On this day in history...21st May (Tuesday May 21 2013)
Scunny winger becomes latest Pompey signing (Monday May 20 2013)
Winger signing imminent? (Monday May 20 2013)
On this day in history...20th May (Monday May 20 2013)
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» Swindon : 24/05/2013 16:28:00 | <urn:uuid:32858f7e-a60a-4d18-b414-5be20c3c8dab> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.portsmouth.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=171995 | 2013-05-24T22:43:17Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705195219/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115315-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.908794 | 799 |
Lahair Club Not Just for Men
Bryan Lahair cranked a three-run homer to tie the game and then later doubled and scored, leading the Cubs to an 11-4 victory over the Cincinnati Reds in Cactus League action at sunnny and warm Dwight Patterson Field at HoHoKam Park in Mesa this afternoon, in what was the first-ever appearance by the Reds at HoHoKam Park. (The Reds relocated their Spring Training camp from Sarasota, FL to Goodyear, AZ this year).
Battling for a spot in the Cubs starting rotation, lefty Sean Marshall did nothing to hurt his chances, throwing three very solid innings (49 pitches - 33 strikes, 4/3 GO/FO). He allowed just a solo HR to Reds third-baseman Juan Francisco (a LH hitter, BTW) and a single to Wladimir Balentien. He struck out two (Jay Bruce and Paul Janish), and didn't walk anybody. Marshall threw strikes and got outs.
Meanwhile, Reds starter Homer Bailey shut out the Cubs through the first two innings, before the Cubs broke-through with a single run in the bottom of the 3rd. James Adduci sliced a double into the LF corner (he had three hits today, for a total of five over the last two games), advanced to third on a Starlin Castro ground out (three ground outs for Castro today), and scored when Darwin Barney grounded a single into RF that scooted just beyond the reach of Reds second-baseman Brandon Phillips.
Adduci has been working with new Cubs hitting coach Rudy Jaramillo on elevating his swing such that he might perhaps hit some HR (Adduci is a big guy, and looks like a 25+ HR hitter, except he hits mostly singles). But while he hasn't hit a HR yet, the extra work in the batting cage seems to have helped Adduci's overall approach to hitting. He has suddenly turned into an aggressive, ferocious hitter the last few days, after struggling at the plate early in camp. With his ability to play all three OF positions (and 1B), and with his plus-speed (he runs VERY well for a big guy, with 35 SB last year at AA Tennessee), he might actually be in the mix for the 4th OF gig, especially if Sam Fuld continues to struggle at the plate, and if the Cubs want Tyler Colvin and Brad Snyder to play every day at AAA. Piniella seems to really like Adduci. (BTW, Adduci's dad played in the big leagues with STL, MIL, and PHI back in the 1980's).
2009 Cubs Minor League Pitcher of the year (and NRI RHP) Casey Coleman entered the game in the top of the 4th, and really struggled with his control throughout his two innings of work (39 pitches - just 18 strikes, including a 25-pitch 4th inning where he threw just nine strikes). Coleman also struggled with his control in his last outing, and that's no way for a young pitcher to make a favorable impression on a manager who hates walks as much as Lou Piniella does.
Coleman walked Brandon Phillips leading off the 4th inning, before surrendering a long HR over the left-centerfield fence to Juan Francisco (the husky third-baseman's second round-tripper of the day), and then escaped what could have been a much-worse inning when Yonder Alonso hit a rope-liner right at shortstop Starlin Castro, allowing the Cubs to double Wladimir Balentien (who had walked with one out) off 1st base (Balentien was running on a 3-2 pitch). Then with one out in the 5th, Paul Janish homered over the LF fence, giving the Reds a 4-1 lead.
But that was the last time the Cubs trailed, as they rallied to tie the game in the bottom of the 5th, scoring all of the runs on one swing of the bat, the Bryan Lahir game-tying three-run tater off Reds RHP Micah Owings that the powerful ex-Mariners 1st baseman ripped over the RF fence with two outs, following an Adduci single and a Barney walk.
With Micah Hoffpauir having had a terrible Spring at the plate so far, Lahair may be passing Hoffpauir on the depth chart behind Derrek Lee. Barring an injury to D-Lee, neither Hoffpauir nor Lahair are going to make the Cubs Opening Day 25-man roster, but Lahair might get the call over Hoffpauir later in the season (like maybe on September 1st, when rosters expand) if the Cubs wish to add a LH power-hitting 1B at that time.
Rule 5 RHP Mike Parisi pitched the 6th and 7th for the Cubs, and was a perfect six up/six down (L-9, Ks, F-9, P-3, 3-U, and 6-3, on 21 pitches - 16 strikes), probably further solidifying his spot in the Cubs bullpen. Being a Rule 5 player, the Cubs are going to give Parisi a longer look than they might give to another pitcher who isn't subject to getting reclaimed by his former team (in this case, the division-rival St. Louis Cardinals), but he still has to perform well in Spring Training outings if he wants to make the Cubs 25-man roster. And so far, he has performed very well indeed.
While Parisi was holding-off the Reds, the Cubs scored five runs off Reds NRI RHRP Jon Adkins, and then two more off LOOGY Pedro Viola.
Chad Tracy led-off the Cubs 6th with a line-single to left-center, and then Alfonso Soriano pulled a line-drive double into the LF corner (Sori's second hit of the game). For some reason (brain fart, perhaps?), temporary 3rd base coach Ryne Sandberg (Mike Quade was with the split squad in Las Vegas) inexplicably decided to send Tracy home. But Tracy was obviously a dead duck, so much so that he turned around half-way home and tried to get back to 3rd base, where he was tagged out for the 1st out of the inning. But DH Bobby Scales picked-up Tracy (and Sandberg), following the gaffe with an RBI double, a sharply hit grounder down the 1st base line and into the RF corner that scored PR Ty Wright (up from Minor League Camp) from 2nd base with the go-ahead run. Koyie Hill followed with a line single to right, advancing Scales to 3rd, and then after Adduci struck out swinging, Hak-Ju Lee (also up from Minor League Camp) lined a two-run double into the LF corner, scoring Scales and Hill (and the speedy HJ Lee was standing on 2nd base before K. Hill even hit 3rd!). While Starlin Castro may be the Cubs top position-player prospect going into the 2010 season, Hak-Ju Lee (rated the #1 prospect in the Northwest League by Baseball America in 2009) is not far behind. Lee sprays line-drives from foul line to foul line.
Now up 7-4, the Cubs added four more in the 7th. Lahair almost decapitated Reds first-baseman Miguel Cairo with a lead-off low-flying line-drive double smoked down the first-base line, advanced to 3rd base on a Tyler Colvin single to left-center, and, after Chad Tracy struck out looking against Reds lefty reliever Pedro Viola (who had just entered the game), scored on a Ty Wright line-drive single to LF. Bobby Scales then hit into a FC (advancing Colvin to third), and Colvin and Scales both scored on a double off the top of the LF fence (a near HR) by catcher Chris Robinson. (With Uncle Lou having seen Robinson actually get a key two-out RBI extra-base hit, the Cubs might be more-willing to call-up Robinson if Geovany Soto or K. Hill get hurt, something they were not willing to do last year when Soto went on the DL in August). Adduci then plated Robinson with an RBI single to right to complete the Cubs scoring for the day.
RHRP Jeff Stevens (in contention for a job in the Cubs bullpen, but having a bad Spring) worked the 8th inning for the Cubs (18 pitches - 11 strikes, 1/2 GO/FO), allowing just a one-out double to NRI OF Josh Anderson (an outstanding diving-try near-miss by LF Ty Wright), but no runs.
RHP Esmailin Caridad worked an easy 1-2-3 16-pitch 9th (Kc, 5-3, F-8) to finish-off the Redlegs and send Cub fans home happy.
Besides Lahair's big day (he also made an outstanding catch in foul territory, reaching into the stands to grab a pop up), James Adduci and Tyler Colvin had three hits a piece, and Darwin Barney reached base three times on two singles and a walk. Barney also made a sterling defensive play in the top of the 2nd, ranging far to his left, diving to make the stop, and then nailing the base-runner at 2nd base with a throw from his knees.
While one Cubs squad trounced the Reds in Mesa, the other squad was in Las Vegas, edging the White Sox 8-7. Ryan Dempster threw three innings of one-hit ball in the hitter's paradise known as "Cashman Field," allowing just one unearned run, walking none, while striking out two.
The Cubs play the Angels tomorrow afternoon in Tempe. | <urn:uuid:a7aaa77f-feb0-46ef-a9e5-3eda76d21fe2> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.thecubreporter.com/comment/155559 | 2013-05-24T23:09:03Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705195219/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115315-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.966169 | 2,051 |
A collection of news and information related to Turkey published by this site and its partners.
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KickingTiresFootball. Halloween. Turkey. All things we love about fall. But at Cars.com, there???s nothing we like more than cruising through some gorgeous fall foliage. That???s especially true when you???ve got the right car and passenger. Sometimes you don???t...
The Swampby Mark Silva The image of the United States has "improved markedly'' in much of the world, according to the findings of a new global survey that shows Western Europeans in particular taking a positive new look at the U.S.......
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Dining@LargeI'm worried about Robert of Cross Keys. I'm afraid that associating with all the degenerate characters on this blog, including its writer, may be getting to him. Here's Robert and today's excellent Free Market Friday. EL Right now I’m sitting......
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Dining@LargeI'm taking next week off to do something I haven't done in forever: Have a week off at home. There are chores to be done, and my daughter and I have a movie list a yard long; but I'll still have time......
The Swampby Mark Silva and updated with the pardons President Barack Obama hasn't pardoned any people yet -- demonstrating a definitely deliberative tendency in the exercise of his constitutional clemency power -- but today he let a couple of turkeys go.......
Tags: Texas, Government, Constitutional Issues, Justice System, Family
Dining@LargeOur beer guru Rob Kasper has kindly written a guest post for me while I'm on vacation. I'm not a beer drinker, but I am fascinated by the four pies. FOUR pies for Thanksgiving. I also want to announce --......
The Swampby Mark Silva It's the pie. Not the turkey. Much as we loved the fresh hen we devoured today, it's the pumpkin pie awaiting us, after a three-hour cooling-off period perhaps, that makes the mouth water. That must be what......
Dining@LargeNow you decide you don't want to cook after all, and you're looking for a restaurant open Thanksgiving day. I did my best for you with this list of Top 10 Restaurants for Thanksgiving Dinner, but it wasn't easy. First......
Tags: Annapolis, Maryland, Cranberries, Adults, Lifestyle and Leisure
Dining@LargeI've come up with one more Thanksgiving dinner that you can probably afford, even if you can't do the $40 fixed-price menus or the hotel buffets that I mentioned in my Top 10 Tuesday.My daughter and I stopped by the......
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Original site for Turkey topic gallery. | <urn:uuid:5d0cdc7c-4818-46b4-a3e0-6fcea384be4e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.wdbj7.com/topic/intl/turkey-PLGEO00000030.topic?page=1&sortby=contenttypecode | 2013-05-24T23:07:14Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705195219/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115315-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.938449 | 891 |
In case anyone is in any doubt about the volatile situation many of our staff and stringers work under in Afghanistan I want to recount what happened on Saturday. Ahmad Nadeem was covering a demonstration that was sparked by the actions of extremist Christian preacher Terry Jones, who, according to his website, supervised the burning of the Koran in front of about 50 people at a church in Florida. The mood at the demonstration changed very quickly as the crowd sought a focus for their anger. Ahmad, our stringer in Kandahar was targeted. He was beaten with sticks, his gear smashed and his hand broken. Then an armed man instructed the mob to kill him. Ahmad fled for his life escaping into a nearby house where he successfully hid from the mob. Earlier in the day a suicide attack also hit a NATO military base in the capital Kabul, the day after protesters overran a U.N. mission in the northern city of Mazar-i-Sharif and killed seven foreign staff in the deadliest attack on the U.N. in Afghanistan.
Bullet holds are seen on the windshield of a car used by insurgents after an attack at Camp Phoenix in Kabul April 2, 2011. Insurgents clad in burkhas attacked a coalition base in Kabul with guns and rocket-propelled grenades on Saturday, but were killed either when they detonated their explosives or by Afghan or coalition fire outside the entrance, NATO and police said. REUTERS/Ahmad Masood
Japan continues to dominate the file from Asia with new photograhers rotating in to cover the twists and turns of this complex and tragic story. In a country were the nation rarely buries its dead, the site of mass graves is quite a shocking scene to behold. Holes the length of football pitches are dug in the ground with mechanical digggers and divided into individual plots by the military and are then filled with the coffins of the victims of the tsunami. Family members come to weep and pray over the graves. Some are namless and marked only with DNA details, others bear the names of the victims. There is not enough power or fuel to cremate the thousands of bodies that are being recovered from the disaster zone.
Members of the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force carry a coffin of a victim of the earthquake and tsunami to be buried at a temporary mass grave site in Higashi-Matsushima, in Miyagi prefecture, northern Japan March 24, 2011. REUTERS/Yuriko Nakao
Japan – after four days of editing pictures from the earthquake and tsunami in Japan I took an hour break to buy some food and get some money in a small shopping centre near the office. As I walked through the busy street, the thought that stuck me was that everything around me is so temporary. The people along the coast of the Miyagi Prefecture were probably going about their daily business, just like I was, when the wall of water swept through their towns wiping their very existence off the face of the earth. Reports of a nuclear cloud heading towards Tokyo where 13 million people live, added to my sense of fear. In my mind, the world had changed forever. I cannot begin to imagine what the people in Miyagi, the rescue workers and the photographers taking the picture are feeling. From our team of photographers covering the story, I have chosen three pictures from each photographer, not an easy task when there are so many great images. Respect to all the teams covering the story and my condolences to the people of Japan. I will let the pictures speak for themselves.
A survivor pushes his bicycle through remains of devastated town of Otsuchi March 14, 2011. In the town of Otsuchi in Iwate prefecture, 12,000 out of a population of 15,000 have disappeared following Friday’s massive earthquake and tsunami. REUTERS/Damir Sagolj
I do enjoy a coincidence. The week after calls for prodemocracy demonstrations under the social media tag of “Jasmine Revolution” and the week before the National People’s Congress (NPC), International journalists (and I of course include photographers under this title) are brought in by the authorities for “chat”. During the “chat” they are reminded of the terms of their journalist visas and how quickly these visas can be revoked if the rules are broken on illegal reporting. Also outlined are places that special permission is needed to report from, Tiananmen Square heading the list. Our picture of a member of the PLA leaving the Great Hall in Tiananmen Square appearing to almost step on the photographer with this low angle picture, as I said I do love a coincidence.
A military delegate from the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) leaves the Great Hall of the People after a meeting during the annual session of China’s parliament, the National People’s Congress, in Beijing March 4, 2011. China said on Friday that its official military budget for 2011 will rise 12.7 percent over last year, returning to the double-digit rises that have stoked regional disquiet about Beijing’s expanding strength. REUTERS
Resident of the beach-side suburb of New Brighton, Julian Sanderson, searches for personal items through the remains of his house, destroyed by Tuesday’s earthquake, in Christchurch February 25, 2011. International rescue teams searched through the rubble of quake-ravaged Christchurch on Friday for more than 200 people still missing, but rain and cold were dimming hopes of finding more survivors in the country’s worst natural disaster in decades. REUTERS/Tim Wimborne
Toyota Motor Corp President Akio Toyoda (L) and Executive Vice President Shinichi Sasaki (2nd L) attend a news conference in Nagoya, central Japan February 5, 2010. Toyota Motor Corp President Toyoda apologised on Friday for a massive global recall that has tarnished the reputation of the world’s largest car maker. REUTERS/Yuriko Nakao
By Michael Caronna, Chief Photographer Japan
In Japan nothing says I’m sorry like a nice, deep bow, and lately there’s been a whole lot to be sorry for. Ideally the depth of the bow should match the level of regret, allowing observers to make judgements about how sincere the apology really is. Facing massive recalls Toyota President Akio Toyoda and Toyota Motor Corp’s managing director Yuji Yokoyama faced journalists at separate news conferences.
Toyota Motor Corp’s managing director Yuji Yokoyama (R) bows after submitting a document of a recall to an official of the Transport Ministry Ryuji Masuno (2nd R) at the Transport Ministry in Tokyo February 9, 2010. Toyota Motor Corp is recalling nearly half a million of its flagship Prius and other hybrid cars for braking problems, a third major recall since September and a further blow to the reputation of the world’s largest automaker. REUTERS/Toru Hanai | <urn:uuid:05a5a8f8-a659-4a92-969d-96a15521e98e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://blogs.reuters.com/russell-boyce/tag/yuriko-nakao/ | 2013-06-19T12:19:35Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708766848/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125246-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.959268 | 1,414 |
Posted on November 5, 2012
Child Care Coordinating Council
Child Care Coordinating Council - Executive Director
The Board of Directors of the Child Care Coordinating Council of San Mateo County (4Cs) is seeking a resourceful “hands-on” leader to serve as its executive director. In partnership with the Board of Directors, the executive director will continue to build on 4Cs’ strong community reputation and record of commitment to serving the children and families of San Mateo County.
The executive director is expected to have the capacity to assess and develop new opportunities, implement change, and carefully manage resources for long-term organizational sustainability and growth.
4Cs is governed by a 9-member board of directors, has an annual operating and program budget of $7MM for FY 2013, with a staff of 20 including the executive director position. Non-exempt staff is represented by CA Professional Employees Local Union 2345.
The Executive Director (ED) oversees 4Cs’ full range of client services and the financial and administrative systems that support them. The ED is the lead spokesperson and fundraiser for the agency with government funders, donors, and the community at large. The ED also advocates in public realms for policies and funding that address the needs of 4Cs’ clients.
The ideal candidate will be a team leader and team player who has proven experience in successfully leading a nonprofit agency. The ED will bring a demonstrated ability to manage multiple child care related programs serving a diverse population. The ED will lead the organization’s fundraising efforts and should exhibit a working knowledge of complex funding streams. S/he should be successful in building and maintaining strong community partnerships while engaging both internal and external stakeholders. The ED will bring both vision and an entrepreneurial spirit to help maximize the potential of earned revenue programs.
CORE STRATEGIC DIRECTIONS
The Board of Directors recently assessed both strengths and opportunities facing the agency in the coming 2-3 years, and identified the following objectives:
Position 4Cs as the “go to” agency in San Mateo County for quality, safe, and reliable child care services and an advocate for its children and families
Continue to build on 4Cs’ excellent core programs and develop, manage, and adapt services to meet the evolving community needs in early childhood education and child care
Develop and implement a revenue model that creates a diversified and sustainable funding stream for operations and program growth and delivery
Charged with leading an inclusive process for implementing the steps needed to achieve these objectives
Commitment to 4Cs’ mission
A minimum of five years nonprofit leadership experience, including experience with board of director oversight
Demonstrated success in developing a diverse and sustainable revenue stream
Strong business and financial acumen with the skills needed to manage the financial health of a nonprofit organization with multiple funding streams including federal and state and county contracts and grants
Strong organizational management and supervisory skills, including the ability to hire, motivate, develop and retain employees; ability to develop and foster a culture of shared leadership and accountability
Ability to build and maintain strong collaborative relationships and work with people across multiple disciplines including experience and skill in working with government agencies
Ability to facilitate on-going and inclusive strategic planning and organizational development
Excellent oral and written communication and presentation skills
- Experience working in education, child care, and/or social services organizations
- Experience as an executive director of a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization
- Experience in individual, corporate, and foundation giving programs
- Experience in managing within a union environment
Experience in CA State budgeting process
Experience in grant writing
Bilingual – Spanish and English
The ED reports directly to the Board of Directors. S/he will directly supervise the Financial & Administrative Services Director and Community Programs Director.
ABOUT 4Cs SAN MATEO
Incorporated in 1972, 4Cs is the only Child Care Resource and Referral Agency (R&R) in San Mateo County and is the primary agency in the county impacting all parts of the child care delivery system, including families of all income levels, child care providers working in both center and home settings, businesses, and policy makers. 4Cs acts as a leader in initiatives related to children, families, and child care and early education and is an active partner in major county collaboratives affecting the education and care of young children. The agency is also a centralized resource for the county's 1,000 licensed child care providers and preschool programs. 4Cs raises the quality of these programs by facilitating professional development, offering career and business planning advice, and recommending guidance on facility selection and design.
4Cs has three primary focus areas:
Family support: by providing counseling for parents about child care and preschool options, free referrals to licensed child care, enhanced child care referrals for families of children with special needs, strengthening families considered at-risk, assisting working families in paying for child care, and providing free and low-cost parenting education opportunities;
Quality child care and preschool: by striving to enhance the quality and to expand the supply of child care and preschool programs, by promoting the professional development of the child care workforce, by fostering child care inclusion for children with special needs, and by providing ongoing support and assistance to child care providers; and
Health and child development: by providing training in child development, nutrition and health for both child care providers and parents.
For additional information about 4Cs please visit: www.sanmateo4cs.org
SALARY & BENEFITS
4Cs is offering a competitive salary range of $100–$115K based on the selected candidate’s experience and qualifications plus medical, dental, life, and vision coverage.
Applicants should send their resumes and cover letters describing their qualifications and interest in the position to [email protected]. Applications without cover letters will not be considered. Deadline for submission is November 28th, 2012. NO CALLS PLEASE! | <urn:uuid:a2e398db-607d-4a4e-8229-60d98eb3dd02> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://foundationcenter.org/pnd/jobs/job_item.jhtml?id=398100031 | 2013-06-19T12:54:32Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708766848/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125246-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.936956 | 1,215 |
To celebrate last week's 7 days of great surfing (4 of which in a row at my favorite spot), I'm going to post some pics of my beautiful self riding my favorite board: a T&C 8.6 shaped by Keola Rapoza.
This board has quite a story. Long time readers of this blog may have read parts of it, but I'm going to tell the whole thing again.
I bought it 3 or 4 years ago from Ed Angulo at a garage sale (Ed's garage sales are legendary) for 200 bucks.
As soon as I caught my first wave, I knew it was a magic board. Super light, thin enough for me to duck dive it (even though it took me some practice to learn how to do that), it turned really nice and loved cut backs.
It had a problem though: not strong enough on the deck. The pressure of my feet was doing canyons along the stringer... not positive. Back then I wasn't as much into fixing boards as I am now and I didn't know one of the most basic rules of surfing: never-ever under any circumstances sell a magic board!
So, before the damage got bad, I sold it to a girl: 350 bucks.
"Cool", I thought. "I'm going invest that money into another stronger 8.6... now I know the measures and the shape..."
Yeah right... how naive!
I tried a bunch of 8.6ish boards and clearly none was not even remotely as good as the beloved sold one. Big regrets...
After a year or so, I met that girl again. She had just bought another smaller board and I asked her if she would sell me the 8.6 back.
"Sure", she said, "350 plus a surf lesson to me and a water start lesson to my husband".
One of my selling points in fact was:"listen, this is a great board. You are lighter than me and don't surf as big waves as me, so as long as you don't ding it, the board will stay in great shape and will keep its value for long time".
You can't say I was bullshitting her, can you?
By the way, I remember I gave her husband the water start lesson, but I don't think I ever gave her the surf lesson... might be about time, since they just divorced! ;-)
Super stoked to have my baby back, I glassed an eight inches strip of fiberblass over the stringer and happily rode it until one sad day my car (with three boards inside) got stolen in Kahului.
The car was found the day after in the Lowe's parking (pretty much across the street). Clearly the boards were gone (the other two were a yellow Bill Foote 9.3 and a 6.10 that I can't even remember the shaper), together with the stereo components, the iakus of my one man canoe (later replaced by self re-shaped aluminum boom arms), a canoe paddle and a bunch of other stuff.
Yes, there is criminality in Maui too. But in this case, the application of my motto of "it can always be worse" was pretty easy, considering where I come from...
I put signs in all the surfshops, sent emails, posted a photo on this blog, but clearly nothing came out. I bought a 9.0 Stewart (Collin McPhillips model) that seemed a good enough replacement.
Two more years later, I was checking the waves at a very localized spot on the south shore when I saw this hawaiian guy coming out of the water with my 8.6.
My heart went ballistic.
I approached the guy with a smile:"Hi. My name is Giampaolo" (mmm, I guess that didn't help) "and that board was stolen from my car two years ago. If you don't believe me, I can retrieve a police report with a clear description of it"...
There was no way in the world I was going to call the cops in that spot... it would have meant the end of my surfing days there...
"I'm sure you bought that board from somebody, but let's find an agreement, because I really want that board back"
"Lissen brah, I just got this board for 200 bucks and I don't even particularly like it." (he was way heavier than me) "...must be the bad vibe of a stolen board. But I don't want to lose all my money, so I'll sell it to you for 140 bucks".
I added a six pack and happily bought it for the third time.
The day after I went to Breakwall and while paddling out I wondered if I would have still liked it as much as I used to. In those two years without it, in fact, my surfing improved quite a lot. I had become a better surfer and maybe I had different needs...
Once again, one wave was all it took. I immediately tuned in the sweet spot, like if I had been riding it forever, and ended the ride shouting a "YES" so loud that all the people on the boats turned towards me thinking that I must have just had the best wave of my life.
I wish I had the GoPro mounted on the front to shoot the smile I had when I paddled back out...
Thanks to Laura for taking these photos.
PS. Here are a few random links I received from friends:
- Josh Sampiero's blog
- Hugh Stott's photo album
- Harry Wievel's video of the kids camps | <urn:uuid:e5d31c98-d82b-4d45-900a-63d65399148a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://mauisurfreport.blogspot.com/2008/06/story-of-my-86.html?showComment=1214422320000 | 2013-06-19T12:41:35Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708766848/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125246-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.985692 | 1,167 |
Santiago has run off, taking the lantern with him, leaving Nan in the darkness of the third floor hall, just outside the Sunset Room.
The heavy, ragged breathing and shuffling footsteps have gone quiet. All that remains is silence, and the placeless echo of Nan's vision of the TERRA COTTA COURTYARD.
Feel around for the wall so you can reorientate yourself in case you need to run.
FLAIL, FIND A WALL, FOLLOW IT, RUN LIKE HELL.
Preferably with the flailing oh god there are monsters everywhere run run what are you waiting for oh god damnit run goat run
This is going to be asked in a second anyway, so check your pockets/inventory
Oh my goodness yes.
Find a wall, TAKE A MOMENT TO ORIENT YOURSELF. No point running away from where we want to go. Move quickly to the elevator door and SLAM THAT CALL BUTTON AS HARD AS YOU CAN JESUS.
Try to find a wall, then follow it.
Try not to make too much noise, lest you alert the Beast.
Nan stands up and begins feeling along the wall. She rechecks her inventory, to find:
PHILLIPS HEAD SCREWDRIVER
And a CHECK for services rendered at the Fun Family Arcade.
It appears her CROSS PENDANT is still missing.
Im thinking you should ready the screwdriver, since its the closest thing you have to a weapon.
Continue walking along the wall.
EQUIP SCREWDRIVER in case of hostiles.
Nan continues along the wall, and finds something that feels like a button.
Don't push button yet. Feel AROUND the button. Is there a rectangular plate around it, like an elevator button? Metal? Plastic?
Check to see what kind of button it is. THEN recieve scary. :D
Nan presses the button.
The elevator doors open.
Kim screams, then sighs in relief, lowering her taser.
It's just Nan, after all.
Hug them both in relief.
Fist bump Anderson
Tell them about Anne
Tell them what happened after you fell asleep.
Wait, we might want to make sure it's actually them before we go clinging on to them. You never know in this place.
Head in elevator
Tell everyone Anna got mauled
Hugs all around! Then ask what the hell happened. Where they went, if they know Anna's dead, so on.
You know what, take that rug on the floor. You'll never know when you'll need something with which to beat a fire out with, throw over a barbed wire fence, or to distract a monster with.
Nan steps into the elevator and delivers the grim news about Anna's fate. Evidently Anderson and Kim were not aware, and Kim gasps in tragic realization.
Anderson seems angry. He says this is why they slept in shifts. Who was Anna staying up with?
Oh, no. It was Pablo. Have you guys seen him?
God damn it Pablo...
Ask them what went on with them since you last saw them. Did they wake up together or did they have to find each other? And grab that rug. It's yours by blood right.
Pablo. Pablo had the shift with Anna.
After they woke up Anna and Pablo for their shift, they took a short nap, then headed out to look for Santiago.
Kim groans. That means Pablo could be dead too.
Anderson says that's definitely one possibility.
So the two of them left the safehouse together and this is the first they've heard that things have gone wrong? How long has it been, for them?
Also take the rug.
Ask what the hell is going on. How did we suddenly wind up somewhere else? Is this whole place in some kind of space-time fractal?
I love talking about space-time shenanigans as much as anyone else, but unless we're professional physicists in that area, we should focus on surviving the weird space-time hotel of horror then understanding it.
Close the fucking doors and let's get to another floor.
suddenly I'm a lot less sure about pabalo...
Nan asks if anyone understands what's going on, and how she suddenly wound up somewhere else.
Kim asks where exactly it was she wound up.
The lights come back on with a quiet hum.
What's is place look like?
WE'RE ASKING THE QUESTIONS HERE.
I don't think we should mention Santiago.
I still think we should take the rug.
Dangit Nan get off that rug. Take the ruuuug.
We had a weird nightmare. Pablo was in it. We woke up, then say the Pilgrim, then met Santiago. Now we're here. Ask what THEY did in the intervening time.
Hang on, why exactly did they go out to look for Santiago? Methinks it's time everyone had a bit of a sitdown to discuss exactly what's been going on since our little side trip.
Vaguely describe your dream. Both of them, why not.
Get the dickens back in the elevator and back to the saferoom already. Stop standing around yammering in places where the lights crap out randomly and the Things go.
Let's see if we can at least fine Anna's body again. I'm not actually sure if it's worse if we can or not.
I get the feeling that if we go looking for the dead, we won't like what we end up finding. Anyway, Anna didn't have anything important on her, so no reason to wander around without purpose.
Nan explains her dreams, which brought her to a strange place where she saw Pablo, then to the TERRA COTTA COURTYARD.
Kim's face seems to darken at the discussion of Pablo's behavior, but comforts Nan. It was just a dream, after all.
Anderson says nothing.
Nan explains her ordeal after waking up, how she was chased and led around. Kim asks what part of that constitutes a "space-time" oddity, if she just moved around.
Finally, Nan suggests they take the elevator back to the safe room. Anderson replies that the safe room is on the third floor. Where they already are.
He studies Nan quietly, then asks if she's sure she's all right.
We're alright, Anderson. Just more than a little unsettled. Ask where Henry is. Let's just get back to the safe room and take a deep breath, okay?
Don't let yourselves get lulled into a false sense of security just because the lights are on. Those things can go out at any time. Warn them about the Pilgrim.
Also, ask Anderson if in his time there was any trace of a former spanish monastery around the Hotel. Maybe it was only torn completely down right before construction on the hotel began.
Admit you have little knowledge of where you are or what's been going on. You've been asleep, after all. Did they FIND anything during their search for Santiago?
Be advised, I think Anderson doesn't trust us.
I think he thinks we're getting a tad hysterical. He's from around the early 20th century, he probably think all dames melt in the face of danger.
HNNNNNGH NANQUEST UPDATE YES...
Ask Anderson what happened to Henry and why they decided to leave poor Nan alone in the saferoom ;_;
yay nanquest, dont give up weaver =3
is there any indicative you really are on the 3rd floor? door number maybe?
well, we should head to saferoom anyway.
Apologize and say you weren't aware because you were too busy being blindly running away from the Pilgrim and other various monsters.
>Santiago has run off, taking the lantern with him, leaving Nan in the darkness of the third floor hall, just outside the Sunset Room.
...yeah, we didn't really move around due to the 'dreams' this time did we? Did you tell them about getting sent into the burning room?
Nan considers her situation. Perhaps she's a little confused. She was being chased by the Pilgrim, she must have just gotten turned around.
Anna was here, she's sure of it.
But now the hallway's empty.
Nan asks if there used to be a Spanish Mission here. Anderson says there was. When he was a boy, its ruins were here. Burnt to the ground some time ago. Cleared out years later, in preparation for the hotel.
We'd better not stand around here too long. Let's head back to the saferoom.
Ask why it got burnt down, on the way to the room.
nothin we dont already know, besides the burning down bit. Time to either head back to saferoom or check the floor for our friends.
Return to the safehouse.
Ask Kim if anything cool or notable has happened since 2009 for possible minor small talk.
Point out where Anna died. Lament that you didn't grab her hat for evidence.
Also: Survival requires understanding. Lets research the FUCK out of this place.
Become obsessively possessive about your possessions.
Write your name on all the tags.
The door to 311 is slightly aja-*shot*
When stating the area where Anna died note aloud the fact that there is no blood on the walls.
Nan asks why it was burnt down. Anderson says he doesn't know. It happened before he was born.
Nan returns to the SAFE ROOM.
If I had to guess, I'd say Pablo's been obsessing a bit.
What's with the lines on the wall? Those weren't there before, were they?
Move the bed, see what's behind it.
Okay, so now Pablo is a Prime Suspect.
We STILL need to find a way out of this dang hotel, though.
In the meanwhile, examine the wording.
Possible credence to Anna's idea?
Quick, check the tub! Hopefully Pablo isn't in there (maybe he saw what happened?)
Check for unwanted visitors.
Thank you, mysterious failure. Your words mean so much when people are dying and going missing.
Nan: Go to the mirror. See if your mirror self is there. If she is, then drag her out and beat her until answers come out.
Other than that, ask if anybody has ideas on what to do next.
If not, then go to the front door and try to open it but do NOT step through. We need to see what the others see when it's open. If you encounter yourself or one of the others, grab them and take them with you. If it's Anna, then kiss her and make her promise not to die on you again.
Just as an aside, ask Anderson when he was born. It might ne nice to just know how old we all are (of course, if you want to leave it ambiguous then by all means ignore the shit out this. I've already contributed to a Weaver-quest today, and in doing so, my life is a tiny bit more complete)
Ask when the note showed up. No hugging
Study the markings on the wall. Are those scratches clawmarks?
There doesn't appear to be any more to the note. The markings on the room haven't changed from the last time -- faint ashy trails leading up the walls.
Nan checks the bathroom, but it's empty. No one else is here.
LOOK BEHIND YOU
Check the mirror!
Failing any strange activity, Return to Kim and Anderson and ask what they have been doing and what is their next move.
Make sure bedroom door is closed and locked. I assume so, but it wasn't mentioned.
Okay, let's inventory our situation. We're missing Pablo, Anna's dead, Santiago's batshit crazy. Where's Henry again?
Henry's been missing ever since Nan woke up to Anna being mutilated by Pilgrim.
Should we go find him? It's not like there's anything better to do.
On one hand, I think that we can't afford to lose anyone else. On the other hand, our rescue missions haven't exactly gone swimmingly so far. But I'm not sure what else we can do at this point. And there's clearly a connection between Nan and Henry, since they've been sharing dreams and have similar (the same?) pendant.
Yeah, the more I think about it, the more I think we need to do a Pablo/Henry rescue mission. Mostly a Henry rescue mission, because based on the scrawled message and Nan's dream(?) of Pablo's whole "I'm sorry baby I won't kill you this time" episode, I've got a bad feeling about Pablo.
Check mirror, if nothing happens then organize a search party of some kind. Make sure that the search party consists of everyone too, the last thing we need is to split up and have more people to find later.
Oh crap... you're right. These rooms don't have phones, do they? We need to find a way to communicate with people in some manner.
... then again, didn't we first meet him on the 1st floor? Maybe when everyone got separated, he wandered back there. It'd at least be familiar.
check mirror, assuming we dont get warped to some parallel version of ourselves in the process; consult anderson on plan of action.
If we're going to stage a rescue, we're going to need a few things:
1) A plan. This not only includes where we're going to look for Henry (and maybe Pablo), but also what we will do if we're split up and proper procedure for sticking together when the lights die.
2) Weapons. Nan lost the Rebar sword already. Looks like Kim has a taser, Anderson has his gun, but Nan's defenseless currently. The broken glass from the mirror could possibly be cobbled into a makeshift spear if we take down the shower rod or break some wood off the bed, if we can find some tape or something to bind them together.
3) Contingency plan on what to do if Santiago shows up acting psycho. Frankly, I'm inclined to say that Santiago is going to be more of a liability than he's worth. I know Nan isn't the "kill in cold blood" type, but this burgeoning attempt at a friendship at him seems like a poor idea. He can't be trusted, and I sincerely doubt he can be redeemed. No more handing him our limbs without having a backup plan for self-defense.
I'd like us to readdress this point, too. Why were the two of them out looking for Santiago?
One more alternate option and then I'll stop spamming the thread: there's still the "4:66" mystery. My immediate instinct is that's a room number. I know the hotel only has three floors, but I think the number's there for a reason. Is there a way onto the roof?
>>300964 has a point. Try to remove the curtain-rod-thingie. It's probably hollow and light, but it's better than a screwdriver.
Them return to the room and move the bed to see where the ash trails stem from.
And don't look in the mirror, seriously. The last thing we need is another paranormal event that takes us on yet another flashback/dream.
Please try to leave comments only concerning our current situation. 4:66 theories go to the discussion thread.
It seems so far whenever we encounter a paranormal event, it is nan's insofar violent response to these events which trigger a flashback/dream/timetravel experience. So long as we dont do anything rash and Nan applies herself passively to such events, we should be fine.
Up the walls? Look at the ceiling.
To clarify, I wasn't just bringing up the whole "4:66" thing simply for theoretical purposes. I bring it up now, specifically, because we're currently at a "what general goal should we pursue" point. As an alternative to a rescue mission, we could attempt to find a 4th floor (hey, this place isn't exactly full of Euclidean geometry) or roof and try to figure out if that's where we're supposed to be going. So it wasn't meant to be a "let's bring up every haywire theory" mention of 4:66, but rather a "Hey, instead of a rescue mission, here's another idea" mention.
That said, I still think finding Henry is probably the better priority. My guess is we'll run into Pablo and be unhappy with what we find.
Check inside the toilet tank. Maybe someone hid something useful in there.
What's wrong with a screwdriver as a weapon? Hobos and crackheads and the like use them all the time.
Using the screwdriver would require getting uncomfortably close to things. It'd work as a backup, but I doubt we'd last long with it as our primary weapon of choice.
Where'd the totem go? Guess it disappeared when we did our sleep-traveling. Nan needs to start duct-taping her equipment to herself or something.
Take down the SHOWER CURTAIN and use it as a makeshift CLUB.
Seconding taking the SHOWER CURTAIN ROD. Even if it can't be used as a club, I'm sure it'll have some use.
If you can't remove it, ask Anderson to help.
One: take the curtain rod. You could use it as a weapon or combine it with a shard of mirror.
Two: take a shard of mirror. Be careful when holding it!
three: Take the rings on the curtain rod. Maybe you could wear them as bracelets.
four: Look behing you and wave at your reflection.
then we'd just be arming our evil mirror self with weapons
Tie some kind of cloth around one of your eyes. Then when it goes dark you can switch the cloth over to your other eye for INSTANT NIGHT-VISION.
Step 5: cannibalize all wooden furniture in the room then combine wood to form ARMOR OF ARMOIRE. This thing can stop a missle!
Seconding Termina's suggestion. I [his?] order.
Sorry to double post but I didn't mean to use red text like that. I'm kinda new to the posting thing, and didn't know it by default said suggestion at the top. Feel free to delete this if you wish but please don't ban me or anything.
I'm a girl.
And don't worry about the red text.
ask anderson for his watch, change the time to 6 minute past 5 (4:66), see if that does anything
He probably won't agree to that, and the whole 4:66 thing is probably just a "spooky Weaver effect".
Floor 4. Hall 6. Room 6.
Are we already on the top floor?
Nan looks at herself in the mirror.
Become overwhelmed with inexplicable urge to smash the rest of the mirror
There is someone behind you. GO FOR THE LEGS.
Okay, maybe get a drink from the faucet, calm your nerves?
Iiiiit's... probably just the broken mirror making things look all weird but uhhh, look behind you.
Return to the main room. Ask Kim and Anderson if they've found any leads on a way to escape yet.
Nan turns around, but no one is behind her.
TURN AROUND THERE IS SOMEONE BEHIND YOU AGAIN
Step away, turn around to face mirror.
Oh that was just the shattered mirror shards giving a weird reflection, everything is completely fine.
Let's get moving, and try looking in some other rooms maybe.
Turn back around, reach into the mirror, pull that damn mirror-clone out, and beat it until answers leak out.
Nan touches her head. There is a dull pain there.
MIRRORS DON'T WORK LIKE THAT!
Throw something at that mirror! Again!
Find the shards of the mirror and put them back in.
WAIT NO DON'T THROW ANYTHING AT IT.
GET OUTTA THERE!
Get away from the mirror.
It is not safe. The bathroom is not a safe place.
IT KEEPS HAPPENING
Reality is breaking down again. Get back to the others!
Nan decides to exit the SAFEHOUSE BATHROOM.
Nan re-enters the THIRD FLOOR SAFEHOUSE.
Check if the dull pain is still there when the mirror is out of sight.
Tell Kim and Anderson to avoid the bathroom, seeing as the mirror is a portal to Hell and can warp your very being.
Well, so much for the SAFE HOUSE.
In any case there's nobody here. And since the building appears to be well-lit again, you should go look elsewhere.
Announce to the group to never fuck with mirrors ever again.
Well... where can we go now? We could check out the rooms on the first floor that people used to be in. Or we could ask if either of them have any keys to any other rooms.
Nan warns the others to be careful around the mirrors. She still feels a dull pain in her forehead.
Anderson asks if they all plan on just sitting here until they die. Kim says they have enough food and water here to last them for a while, and the room seems safe so far, so it might be best to just wait for rescue.
Given that Anderson has been waiting her since the turn of the century I somehow doubt that's a plan likely to pay off.
That obviously isn't happening.
What we need to do is try to get to the roof. Perhaps from there we can find a way down, or maybe encounter more impossible reality-bending shit.
Tell Kim the room is not safe and that looking for a better safe room would be prudent.
Good thinking. Ask them about keys to get options. it might also be wise to check the front entrance once more, since weird items tend to pop up there. Could be useful.
Suggest that because of the supernatural nature of this hotel, rescue may be impossible. You ultimately will need to find a way to quell the evil that is holding you captive in order to escape.
I think rescue is ever going to COME.
I mean how do we know anyone else can even get IN? What if the Hotel is as good at keeping things out as it is at keeping them in?
And who's to say that if someone came, THEY wouldn't be trapped too?
No. We have to find a way out.
We WILL find a way out.
But first we have to figure out what in the fuck is going ON.
Rescue ain't comin' if nobody notices you're gone missing in a hotel that defies all laws of time and space.
Point out that rescue is something like 120 years late by the time Kim arrived, and even if anybody had a clue that anybody was trapped in this building they sure as heck wouldn't be equipped to get you out of here.
Suggest that everybody march down to the front desk and demand to see the manager.
Also, next time you see Pilgrim ask him what happened to him, and to this place.
Ask Anderson if he has an idea. Anything at all, we don't really have any direction beyond basically exploring the hotel. We could look for the others I suppose but then what?
Nan says rescue is not coming. Nothing here seems certain, but that's about as sure as she can be about anything.
Nan asks if anyone has keys. Most of the rooms appear locked or barred.
Kim says she has a key to something called the Anasazi Lounge. She found it in her room, when she first got here. Nan can have it -- Kim doesn't even know where the Lounge is.
It's exploring time! Grab some potentially useful objects and run off for adventure!
Welp, off to find the Anasazi Lounge I guess.
Should we drag the others along for this?
I think it would be best to have Anderson and Kim find a safe place.
Nan can take care of herself.
So yes, let's go find the Anasazi Lounge!
Check the assorted bottles.
Oh yay adventure.
Rip mirror-Nan out of the mirror and beat her until she starts bleeding answers.
I think we need to stop splitting up. It seems to lead to "bad things".
Also, wasn't there a lounge or some kind of dining room where we fought and the room was on fire before we met ourselves?
Make sure Mirror Nan isn't following you, then get the gang together and head to the Lounge, we might find another key or a survivor there.
Nan takes the ANASAZI LOUNGE KEY from Kim.
Kim says Nan can go, but she's staying here where she's been safe for the past several days. Besides, she still has no idea where the lounge is.
Anderson says he doesn't want to leave either of them alone, but clearly he'll have to choose who to stay with.
He should stick with Kim, since they need to make sure the safe room stays safe.
Also, go grab mirror-Nan and beat answers out of her. This is the most rational course of action.
Tell Kim that this place was only safe because it had people here. If a monster barges in here she'd be cornered.
If Kim's not going to budge, have Anderson stay here. Then it'll qualify for being slightly safe. But advise that no place is really safe, probably better to be on the move with just three people.
Leave Anderson with Kim, they both have weapons to defend themselves in case the Safe Room turns out to be...well, not so safe.
Also, check the mirror. We need to make sure our mirror self doesn't come out and kill them after we leave them.
Anderson, stay with Kim.
Nan, grab a light source and advance.
Make out with mirror Nan.
Leave the mirror be. It being cracked isn't safe for us. If we find a whole one, maybe we can mess with it.
Tell him he can stay here.
I still think we should advice them to find a new safe room. Maybe one which has a less dangerous bathroom mirror.
And then we end up all alone again. Yay!
Obtain new weapon.
Appeal to Kim's knowledge of horror movies.
Don't split up the team.
( CARLSON AND PETERS! )
Nan decides to head out on her own, as Kim seems set on staying here. Anderson offers her a LEAD PIPE as a weapon.
Scrounging through the drawers, she recovers a FLASHLIGHT.
Alright, that'll do nicely. Thank him, and let's move.
Take the pipe and flashlight.
Turn on the flashlight and head on out.
Then let's set off!
I guess the most logical place for a lounge to be is the first floor.
>>Éí 'Aaníígóó 'Áhoot'é
If no help is coming, they should all head out and try to find an exit together. Watch each others' backs, and above all leave no one behind. No one should be alone in this place.
Nan takes the items and steps out into the THIRD FLOOR HALLWAY.
Let's run this shit into the ground (floor).
might as well head to the ground floor reception desk, see if any new loot popped up or any notes from the 'management'
What's with that cross on the door?
Have we visited the second floor yet? Or the third? Well, whichever one we aren't on currently, and isn't the ground floor, we should go check out. Also perhaps... check if there's a basement button on the elevator.
Remember what Santy said? The hotel goes dark when they start to get angry. When you go against the hotel's wishes. It will do what it can to stop you.
... I guess we keep going until the lights go off.
And then, whatever we were doing then... we keep doing it.
Also, can you craft the screwdriver and lead pipe together to form the IMPROVISED WARHAMMER?
Nan heads for the Elevator.
Perhaps the ANASAZI LOUNGE is on the second floor.
Head to the elevator. Also, if she does go to the elevator, she should use her REPAIR SKILLS to know that most elevator door's close door buttons are actually placebos, and test it to see if it does anything. If it is indeed a placebo button,look for the stairs(if there are any/are assessable). It is too dangerous to take the elevator if she can't close it quickly in an emergency.
I disagree with the second floor, I say we check out the ground floor first.
Also, do we have any idea where stairs are? I'm not sure about trusting the elevator.
The lights at the end of the hall have gone out.
NAN. TURN AROUND. FLASHLIGHT OUT. WE HAVE PADRE SIGN.
Down the stairs.
Check to make sure this Padre is legit, THEN haul ass downstairs if he is.
Actually, yes, this is better. Run downstairs ASAP.
Oh, hi Padre. Stand there for a moment. Ask him what he wants. If he moves to attack then RUN down the stairs. Fuck the elevator, it'll take too long if we're being chased.
Check room 312
The probably-locked room that is closer to the darkness-shrouded figure? That... seems like a bad idea.
If the stairs aren't right there, scramble into the elevator hit the second floor button then the close door button. Then pray it not a placebo button.
Point the flashlight at the darkness. Look at the Padre and see what he is doing. Is he doing anything, Nan? If he makes a move for you, run for the stairs.
If it starts making a move, call out to Anderson and Kim to black the door as you run.
How the hell did I mess up that much? a is nowhere near o.
Nan shines her FLASHLIGHT.
The result is not entirely as expected.
Go touch it. ouo
No, do not touch the darkness creeping from its very being and RUN DOWN THE STAIRS NOW GO GO GO GO GO GOGOGOGO.
oh my gooooood, RUN.
Ohhshit nvm. oAo For a sec I thought someone propped a dummy up in the hall, but yeah HAUL ASS FROM THE TOO REAL PADRE.
We are not properly armed to fight padre, but if he just stands there then say hi. If not, RUN! RUN LIKE THE WIND!
Search the cabinet under the bathroom sink, the drawers in the main room, and underneath the bed. You never know where useful items might be hidden--there could even be all-powerful DUCT TAPE for combining items with the SHOWER CURTAIN ROD to increase their effective length.
If he's not moving then say hello.
Otherwise run like hell.
Read the Lead Pipe
I mean run. Run down the stairs do it now.
Say hello. AS LONG AS HE STAYS IN THE DARKNESS. Also, turn your flashlight off, you don't want to irritate him.
Turn it off.
Also repeating that we should call to Kim and Anderson to barricade the door, while we run..
Try to speak to him. If he advances towards us or seems as though he is going to hurt us, walk away slowly.
Nan hesitates, and attempts to greet the Padre.
FOR FUCK'S SAKE RUN YOU LITTLE GOAT AAAAAAAUGH
NOW can we RUN LIKE HELL?
Menacingly strike wall with lead pipe in the same fashion that it did
Okay yeah fuck this.
To the elevator!
Run away shouting whatever catholic prayers you can remember. That should get us a dramatic scene where somebody (Maybe Anna's animate corpse?) is like 'He can't help you here' or something.
Nan's modes of exit are quickly narrowed.
Something appears to be blocking the stairs.
Dual wield your pipe and screwdriver.
Time to throw down with the Padre.
We have no choice- run to the elevator.
Time to throw down indeed. Two hands on the bar if you want even a chance at parrying his attacks. Remember, hitting him is not as important as DON'T GET HIT.
Time to resort to the old standby...
Freak out at the gravity of the situation.
Then get to the elevator
The elevator is your only choice. Run.
Darkness covers the hall as the lights go out one by one.
Nan glances to the elevator, considering her options.
One light is left on.
Better get to that light.
Go towards the light, Nan! Go towards the light!!
You. Light. Now.
I think it's time to say hi to our buddy Santiago again! Go to that light. Lights are pretty cool.
Don't panic. The hotel responds to fear and panic. Treat Padre like a predator, keep your eyes on him and back slowly towards the light. Don't run.
B T dubs, wikip says that "the word Anasází is Navajo for "Ancient Ones" or "Ancient Enemy"."
Thought that might be worth considering.
To the light! Go!
To the elevator. The hotel is trying to guide us to the light, so lets not listen.
I agree, don't panic. Running will only incite him to run. WALK backwards into the light.
Last time we did something the hotel didn't like (breaking the mirror/clock) everything just got fucked up
It's probably best to head for the light now, ask questions later
I'm pretty sure the light is coming from the elevator. Go to it, but calmly (though still quickly) and keep your eyes on Padre. Santiago may be on to something about not being afraid. Treat your enemy with respect but do not give him your fear.
I like the idea of repeating a Catholic prayer, as well, if you know one. Most people at least have "Our Father Who Art in Heaven" ingrained if nothing else. I'd suggest you do it in Spanish or the original Latin, but I'm guessing you don't know it.
SECOND FLOOR SECOND FLOOR SECODN FLOOR SCEONF DLOOR!
stand tall and stand firm. demand to know how to get out of here.
Nan backs away slowly.
The Padre begins to run.
Go on then and run.
FFFFFFFFFFFF go faster.
Rush to the elevator and hit the ground floor button, then ready your pipe. If he gets there in time to stop the elevator from leaving then your goal is going to be getting that poker away from him as otherwise your chances against him are dicey at best.
Sprint into the light!
On second thought, sprint to the elevator.
Welp, balls up boys
Hug the Padre! Appeal to his inner humanity! This is obviously the correct option, and will result in love and puppies for all.
Nan flees to the elevator.
Damn these elevator doors! CLOSE!
Nan slams the button for the GROUND FLOOR.
Wave hello at the Centre of Time and Space.
Wonderful. First the Padre, now we're trapped in a moving elevator with THIS FUCKER.
Try to communicate carefully, I suppose. By waving, yes.
Oh hai there anomaly/demon/cool something. Amigo o enemigo?
Poke the Spacial Anomaly with your Lead Pipe.
This hole, it was made for you. Dare you enter? Or will you continue to fear the unknown?
On the wall of the elevator is a figure vaguely resembling a person.
It is marked directly on the surface, and its texture is worn, aged, unevenly speckled.
Whether it's been painted or otherwise imprinted is not clear.
Touch it with your lead pipe.
Is the elevator moving?
If so, refrain from touching this thing.
Poke the hell out of it with your pipe.
Yes, test it with the lead pipe. If the lead pipe goes through... I advise you enter. The Lounge may have come to us.
Poke it with your pipe.
The elevator begins to move, descending slowly.
Nan pokes the strange mark with her LEAD PIPE, but it's just like poking the wall.
The elevator stalls for a second, then continues downward.
Ask it a name.
It would appear this... is the elevator -- or perhaps its attendant.
... let's leave it alone for now. smashing it would probably result in EMERGENCY STOP
How odd. The hotel corridors are probably completely dark by now. No sense in leaving the elevator like that.
So I guess we can kill time with this thing...
And also find out if it's going to kill us.
Does the shape resemble anyone Nan knows?
Say 'hi' to ANNA
Or what's left of her.
Touch it with your hand.
Dont touch it at all.
If it's not bothering you, then don't touch it. If it STARTS getting violent or something, well, that's what the pipe is for.
Whistle some showtunes awkwardly.
Best not to mess with it, just wait until we reach our destination and get ready in case the imprint decides to attack.
"... Anna? Is that you?"
Nan says hello, but there is no response of any kind.
She says Anna's name, but still, there is no response.
The elevator passes the SECOND FLOOR without incident, and chimes once.
So, all for leaving creepy wall painting alone and going to greet the bright and cheery world oh Hotel Hell?
Hit the ground floor button again.
Don't turn your back on it. Keep looking at it. The moment you give it a chance, it's going to grow arms and reach for you.
Use SCREWDRIVER to attempt to scrape off a sample of the... thing.
Failing that, examine it closely with the MAGNIFYING GLASS.
Don't fuck with it until we're at the ground floor, at least. Looking at it with the magnifying glass would be cool tho!
Nan waits until the elevator reaches the ground floor. It chimes once.
The doors open.
The lights appear to be on out in the hall.
The marking is dark, its texture aged and mottled.
On closer inspection, it almost seems to be a mottled burn mark.
Don't go in the hole. That hole could be made for you or another resident and we all know what happens at the end of The Enigma of Amigara Fault.
there aren't many things in this place that are GOOD for us, so i really think we should just leave this thing alone, cataloging it in the 'things we don't know enough about' file.
CAREFULLY leave the elevator, maybe just take a look around first before just stepping out into god knows what
Try to break off a hunk of it and put it in your pocket.
Touching anything in this place with malicious intent is gonna fuck something up most likely
We could TRY to put a finger to the marking thingy though...
Nah, you're just being paranoid.
Peel off some of the wall and add it to the inventory.
>Nan: Hump the burn mark. What could happen? You've been sexually repressed for possibly days.
TOUCH IT, you know you want to
Remember the last time we ran into silhouettes?
Yeah, they came off the wall and tried to eat us.
So no leave it alone.
Nan reaches forward and tries to chip off a piece of the dark mark on the wall.
Something doesn't feel quite right.
Again, exeunt elevator.
Okay Nan you've fiddled with the mark, now leave it alone before something worse happens
We're at the top of the elevator shaft?
Ask Anna what she's doing.
Anna! You're not dead! ... unless this is one of those weird, post-mortum soul things. Are you dead? Are you going to warn us about something?! It's going to be really vague, isn't it?
Something is happening. Don't interfere. Watch.
Shout out to her.
Below is a dirty, old elevator shaft. The elevator car sits at the bottom. But given the proportions, it doesn't feel like the same elevator.
Nan walks over and asks Anna what she's doing, but Anna is too busy with her work to respond.
A voice comes from below, distant and echoing. The source cannot be seen. The voice asks Anna if she's done yet.
Anna replies that she is almost done. She calls the voice "Mr. Bowerman".
...She's doing something to the elevator. STOP HER.
Anna drops her SCREWDRIVER, and it tumbles down the elevator shaft below. She curses quietly, reaching out for it in vain. After a moment she sighs, rummaging through her toolbox.
Unable to find whatever she was looking for, Anna mutters that should be fine anyway.
Give Anna your screwdriver.
Let's see where this goes.
Offer her your screwdriver.
Put your screwdriver where she can see it.
While you do this, try to warn her.
I have a feeling we're about to find out why Anna was brought to the hotel.
Give her your screwdriver, of course. Not much else to do.
I agree with this guy here. Obviously she can't directly see us so offering her ours won't do much, but maybe if we put the screwdriver down in front of her she'll notice it on her own
Grab her arm firmly.
Put the screwdriver in her hand.
Make sure she doesn't drop it while finishing her work.
Hug her when she is finished.
Nan offers Anna the SCREWDRIVER. But as it does not seem to catch her attention, she places it in Anna's TOOLBOX.
Anna rummages past it, then picks it up, commenting that it appears she did have a spare, after all.
She goes back to work.
Whisper "I miss you" in her ear.
Cause, you know, I kinda do.
As [most] everyone else said, put the screwdriver down right in front of her.
Anna finishes her work a minute later, muttering that's as tight as it's going to get.
She packs up her tools and goes to the ladder, descending carefully.
She calls out that she's coming back down now.
Affecting her environment seems to work. Nan's like a ghost right now, apparently.
Okay, is there some way you can scratch or smudge a message onto something in her line of sight?
Also take a closer look at that pipe there.
Dammit! Weaver ninja'd me!
Descend ladder after Anna.
Try to follow her, unless we're constricted to this little area
Pick your screwdriver back up before going after her. Cause you might need it.
Nan follows after Anna, heading towards the ladder.
Nan is suddenly
Nan is back in the HOTEL ELEVATOR.
Alrighty, exit elevator.
Well, fuck. Looks like we'll have to see the rest later.
Okay, peek out the elevator, then carefully step out.
See if you still have your screwdriver. Also shed a single tear while thinking fond thoughts of Anna, being glad you could do her one last favor and hoping she's in a better place now.
What Z said.
OK! Our mission is now COLLECTING STUFF so we can do that to everybody that dies.
Go check the cubbyholes for more things to steal vital tools and clues.
Make a note to ask people what horrible event has them feeling terrible.
Are we getting all Cryostatis up in here?
I think checking the cubbyholes and then seeing if we can get into room 114 is a good plan.
Exit elevator. Hopefully we can find someone to interact with that won't try to kill us. I for one am wondering what Santiago is up to right now.
...I wonder how many of the 'residents' here fixed something in the hotel? I wonder how many used a screwdriver? It may be that Nan is carrying something very important.
In b4 we save a cow's life to get through a frozen refrigerator
Do a hearty jig for having helped out Anna.
INFORMATION ACQUIRED: How to fix elevator.
Now let's look for that Lounge.
Which reminds me. We were called to fix the wiring. I still think we should do that. What was wrong the last time, was the door busted or something?
Anyway, since we're on the ground floor, the wiring should be nearby. But first to the cubbyholes.
Nan exits the elevator and steps onto the MAIN LANDING at the ground floor.
The lights are still on, for now.
Check out the janitor's closet, maybe we can get a similar thing to happen with Pablo like it did with Anna and the elevator.
open janitor's closet.
Somebody forced the Janitor's door open and damaged the frame in the process. You're going to want to check that out, but for now check the cubbyholes and the front door.
Try to open the janitor's closet door without standing directly in front of it.
Take a closer look at that painting before we check the Lobby. It's making me uncomfortable.
Bash in the janitor's door with your pipe.
ALL DOORS MUST PERISH.
Considering the door appears to have been broken open already,and despite the fact that I LOVE smashing things ,no good has come braking anything so far. So let's just open the door.
Also, I am almost positive that the Padre pryed the door open. The most effective way to do so would be with his fire poker. Now look at the mark on the wall. It is likely from curved part at the pointed end. If you don't follow yet, just bare with me and visuals him (it?) forcing the pointy end in between the door and frame with curved part closer to the frame. Now he prys the door open by pushing the curved end tword the wall. This would scrape at the wall with the curved part.
poke your pipe through the hole if you can. looks like something's peeking.
Examine the painting/picture on the wall, then unless its interesting, open the door to the closet.
Someone else has been in the janitors closet. Note the door-frame is broken around the lock.
Inspect the door to the Janitor's Closet and the picture.
Also FUCK YEAH NanQuest!
Careful if you ARE planning on storming the closet. We might end up finding a less than sane Pablo hiding in there, or worse, end up pissing off the hotel again.
Open CLOSET and disregard high chance of MONSTERS.
Nan examines the SEASIDE PAINTING.
It depicts some sort of very primitive looking building made of stone, or perhaps clay, standing on a cliff by the seaside. A strange tower, perhaps some kind of lighthouse, stands beside it with a great bonfire burning atop it.
The majority of the painting is dominated by a very bleak and very gray sea.
... I wonder if there's a roof access somewhere in the hotel?
Nan opens the janitor's closet door.
It appears to be more than just a closet.
It opens to a steep, narrow stairway. Somewhere at the other end of the darkness below is a faint, shimmering light.
Determine if darkness is normal
we'll come back to that. let's keep going where we were going before.
Check the cubbyholes first.
Get down there.
Down ye go.
Nan descends into the dim stairwell.
Nan has entered the JANITOR'S CLOSET.
Shine your flashlight at the ceiling, that's where the wire leads.
I'm in favor of checking out the cubbyholes before doing anything else - doubly so since this has the whole "YOU ARE DOING THE THING WE COMPLAIN ABOUT PEOPLE IN HORROR MOVIES DOING" thing going on - but since I seem to be in the minority:
Is there anything you could take?
Can you safely open the furnace to look inside?
Is all of that ash? Maybe cover your mouth with a hand or your overalls if you can stretch them up to avoid breathing it. Get your flashlight out and go inspect the furnace or whatever that is that is giving off light.
No. 2 rule in horror films: ALWAYS LOOK UP
Check out that stuff on the ground a bit more than halfway to the furnace.
Return to the ground floor and examine the cubbyholes.
Nan squints against the hazy darkness and shines her flashlight up into the thick smoke that lingers overhead. The weak beam of light barely fights back the choking black fog, but it's enough to see past the soot-caked water tanks and into the mess of criss-crossed pipes up above. Nan's eyes follow the electrical wire from the chandelier outside. It strings across the wall, high up, and comes down on the opposite wall, entering an electrical box near the furnace.
Check the furnace.
Inspect those cans on the ground in front of the second water tank.
Look inside the furnace.
Still do this.
No way. Check the electrical box. Light is god here, we need to see if there's something we can do to prevent the hotel from screwing with the electricity.
Investigate objects infront of the tank closest to the furnace.
After, look in the furnace. See if there's a way to open it.
I have a bad feeling about going near the FURNACE.
You know, cuz the hotel controls the things in here...
So check ELECTRICAL BOX.
Is there something behind that second tank? It looks like there might be movement there.
Oh god, you're right. Shine the flashlight behind the second tank, it looks like there's a growing shadow there.
Use FLASHLIGHT on SUSPICIOUS SHADOW.:V
Open the electrical box, chacking behind you ever so often, and practice caution when opening the box or anything that's closed
Nan inspects the laid out supplies.
Several tins of CANNED FOOD and some BOTTLED WATER are here. Looks like someone's stash.
Also present are a few CIGARETTES.
Quick! There's a shadow behind the tank!
Use your flashlight on it!
Pop a clean cigarette in your mouth.
You don't have to smoke it, just put it there to look more badass.
"Hello? Anyone there? Mind if I borrow some of your canned goods?"
Don't take the stash! Someone might need that to survive. Chivalry, yo.
I mean, unless you're hard up for sustenance. You're not, are you, Nan?
if Metal Gear Solid 3 has tought us anything, it's that cigarettes make small but moderately effective lights. take everything, light up, recieve light, deal with shadow.
Nan shines her flashlight behind the tanks, and a familiar voice calls out in return as Henry steps into the light.
"Oh thank god, it IS you!" he says with a sigh of relief.
Henry wipes his brow, covered in sweat. He has a few minor injuries.
He says he can't believe Nan's still all right. He says was worried it was that skeleton-faced thing coming back.
punch him in the dick for being one
Coming... back? Pilgrim lives here?!
Quick find where the wires go! We have to fix it and get the hell out of here!
Ask him how he ended up here. Suggest that an unlocked basement is probably not the safest place to hide. Take cigarettes and food supplies.
What'd Henry do the first time it came around?
1. Ask about pilgrim
2. Arm Henry
3. Activate repair powers
Do not hug Henry. Shit is too weird to trust anyone, especially people hiding in the shadows of the spooky basement.
Nan decides to hold off on Henry, even if she is relieved to see him. Now is not the time or place.
Nan recovers some food and water from the supply stash, and also takes some unopened packs of CIGARETTES.
Henry explains what's been going on:
He says when he woke up in the room, Pablo and Anna were already gone. He heard screams out in the hall, so he tried to wake Nan, but she was having some kind of nightmare. She tossed and turned, muttering something, and he couldn't wake her up, so he ran out to see for himself. Out in the hall, he found Anna, freshly killed, and tried to approach, when the skeleton-faced creature attacked him. He ran down the stairs to escape and came here, where the others had said there was food and water, to try and take hide here and wait out the danger. It was locked, so he smashed the door open with his CHAIR LEG CLUB and took shelter.
He hid when he heard someone coming in, thinking it might be that skull-faced thing, and now here we are.
Ask Henry what the heck he's doing down here, then ask how long ago the Pilgrim left.
Shit, nvm. Late. xux
How long ago was that?
Are there any secret places/rooms around here?
Oh good, so this isn't Pilgrim's home. Ask him how he managed to get to this floor via the stairs- they're blocked off. And there's a painting of a lighthouse where they used to be.
Also seriously let's find where the wires lead.
Inform Henry of your situation and the recent horrifying encounter with The Padre.
Nan asks how long ago this was. Henry says he's not sure, less than an hour probably?
Nan asks how Henry took the stairs, if there are no stairs on the first floor. Henry says of course there are.
Henry says he has no idea if there are any hidden passages or secrets around here.
Any way we can get this furnace going again?
we should repair some things, light up a smoke for +12 to all badassness rolls, eat/drink for +6 to sustenance, and then consult consult Henry for his wise guidance
Let's go back up and check the front desk, this place is creepy, dark, and likely unhygienic.
Take a look at the electrical box.
Shine your flashlight to trace the wire again.
Did we tell Henry about our encounter?
If so, then lets light a cig, grab a bite, and get to fixing the electricity
Lets get out hands deep in some electric wiring.
Seconded, but be quick about it. Hanging around so much smoke in such a small room can't be a good idea.
Are we going to check inside the furnace? Or are people against that?
Inform Henry that time and space do not work normally here, then tell him everything that's happened since you last saw him.
Ask HENRY about the ANASAZI LOUNGE.
Ask if HENRY has seen any OTHER PEOPLE since he left the SAFE ROOM.
Ask Henry to hold flashlight as you work on electrical box.
Mention to Henry that there is some TIME FUCKERY going on. It seems to act strangely when we separate. Because we've been gone WAY longer than an hour.
Anyway, check out the electrical box, and the furnace. Maybe there's a way we can keep the lights going or... something? We might as well look.
Ask Henry to watch your behind while you check out the electrical box.
Confer with Henry about CROSS NECKLACE
Use your woman powers and start cleaning that room. Jesus Christ, what kind of janitor calls a place that dirty his own? He ought to be ashamed of himself.
Maybe Nan and Henry should get the hell out of there. This place seems like it's just begging for bad shit to go down.
This might just be a graphical quirk on Weaver's end, but shine the flashlight on the rest of the ceiling. The black smoke hasn't shifted back since we turned off the flashlight.
It's never "just" a graphic's quirk.
I agree. Shine what light you can on that shit.
Nan should check for any potential entrances/exits aside from the doorway she came in through. Is that a vent on the right side, next to the furnace?
If there aren't any other ways out, we should be quick here (or at least keep an eye out for more hiding places). Last thing we need is to be cornered in a creepy basement.
Okay, it's time to search the place for hidden buttons. Take ten minutes to do this.
Have Henry hold the flashlight while we check out the electric stuff. Suggest that he scan the ceiling (if we don't need him keeping the light on the electrical box).
Ask Henry where the stairs he used are. It may also be a good idea to ask more about Henry himself. We know he's a businessman, but what did he do before coming here? Where was his designation before all this happen? Look in more about him. In fact, ask the others the same questions as well. I bet knowing the answers to these questions and knowing more about your allies can help us figure out more about this place.
I dun' goofed. I meant "destination".
Well then, let's keep an eye out for secret passages.
Ask him if he's seen Pablo or knows where the lounge is.
(is it that one we first met padre in that was on fire? Padre was on fire as well, and we ran into the elevator to escape him and met Anna. Does this explain the burn mark?:/
And OHGOD. Anna's MY name D:)
... Why DID we try to reason with him?? He was obviously PISSED AS HELL that we set him on fire.
If this is a religious thing, couldn't we use the events in a bible as a cheat sheet? There was a Spanish mission here, afterall, and so far the story reminds me of that one 'BURNING bush,(bonfire, oil lamps, the mission was burned down, Padre, beast in the courtyard...) the FATHER and son sacrifice a GOAT that god himself provides' story. I don't remember how it went though; just be wary of fire I guess.:/
Also, have Henry keep a lookout as you scour the room and examine the furnace.
Smoke that has not moved at all seems a bit strange, shine the light up to check it. Also ask Henry if he knows about the lounge, and if he still has his weapon.
Agreed. Check on the strangely immobile smoke. And be prepared to flee.
Might also be good to check out the fusebox and see if you can do anything to help with the lights. If they can be fixed and you have what is needed than do it, but if you don't than just note that it could be fixed and go to it later. Anything to help stop the hotel from screwing us when we least need it.
Does he know what's happened to anyone else, and if there's any way to rendevous with them?
Better idea- start telling Henry stuff about the future and things he should do once they get out of there.
Also ask if he has any idea who this Father figure Santiago mentioned is.
Shine that light over the whole ceiling. Something freaky's happening with that smoke.
Examine everything! That always works!
Also GTFO and drag Henry with you.
I assume this delay means that a long cutscene is coming up. Personally, I love those, so whatever.
Also, I don't think there's anything up with the smoke; it'd be a pain to redraw it every panel so it looks like the smoke is moving, and Weaver didn't want to waste time on that.
On the other hand, there may be something up with the smoke now, since everyone's been OMG WHAT'S WITH THE SMOKE. It's a cheap source of ideas, and the audience gets to feel clever...
It looks more like soot covering the walls than smoke, as if the furnace had flared up sometime in the past. Do look at the electric box though. If there's anything you know, it's that faulty wiring makes faulty lighting. With luck, faulty magic wiring makes faulty magic lighting, and can accordingly fixing the wiring will fix the lighting, spooky action or not.
Anna is dead. Kill yourself. It's over.
What would happen if weaver died? we'd never know... we'd just sit here waiting for them to update... forever. Commenting away year after year... sitting at our computers in desperate hope that weaver would return, never knowing what became of them because of the anonymousness of the internet.
Check the ceiling with the light =D wanna see if that causes more smoke to dissapear
(Not actually suggesting that weaver is dead but it's a creepy thought. Also Anonymousness is a word? I thought I just had bad grammar)
AINT NEVA GONNA UPDATE. Anonymousness is a word according to my spellchecker, it is just silly.
dude relax he's probably busy with other things/drawing ponies so just be patient and he'll get back to it whenever.
and this belongs in discussion if anything.
Weaver is taking a break for a while. After a bit, he'll start updating again. He has said as much.
Weaver likes ponies?
Have a romantic dinner by the light of the furnace.
Also, you make me sick, Weaver. Sick with
Weaver, Weaver fever, OOOOOH~,
Weaver, Weaver fever, NOOOOO~,
Weaver, Weaver fever, OOOOH~,
We thought you'd update on time, time~
(DEAR GOD I'll stop now.)
But seriously, are either of them hungry? Have a snack, if Padre doesn't bust in or anything. They have to be finding you somehow...
It just hit me ,assuming Kim's 'we're already dead thing', maybe what we witnessed in >>302702 was Anna just before she 'first' died.
Oh and get out of the with any supplies you can carry. Fashioning as makeshift bag would be nice too.
Yes, I agree. Ask Henry to be a gentleman and let us borrow his shirt to use as a knapsack.
Also, on the note that Weaver likes ponies, is Weaver a girl? All of the heroines (Ruby, Nan) are female afterall.
Keep it to the discussion thread you dolts.
Touch the burn marks like you did in the elevator
Shoop-da-woop the ceiling with your flashlight. You are making many discoveries. But watch out - the hotel may get ANGRY!!!
Lick the walls.
Is this dead?
Inspect the area with your flashflight (this includes all ceiling areas). What seems to be of interest around here? Check around for any secret passages.
Now, scour the area for any objects that may be of use later in our quest. Any BLUDGEONY CANESHOVELs around here?
Finally, ask Henry for any interesting finds in this place. Ask him if he has anything of use.
In other words, check Henry's inventory.
By taking his clothes off.
You know we could just carry on, on our own. Make an alternate path or what not. Then, when weaver gets back, chalk it all up to hallucinogens.
just realized she described tgchan
It seems very likely that this hotel is somehow sentient and out to get you. Therefore, get back at it by SMASHING AND BURNING EVERYTHING.
Shining the flashlight on the ceiling seems to be the only way to change anything or get information. Try that!
Ooh, I have another great idea. Later down the road if we see a mirror we should shine the flashlight on it and see if the light reflects or if the other side of the mirror gets the light.
Check furnace then go to lobby and check hat-rack.
There's already a chunk of the hotel busy being on fire. It doesn't seem too deterred by the whole thing.
>Somewhere at the other end of the darkness below is a faint, shimmering light.
My head grew heavy and my sight grew dim
I had to stop for the night...
>Exit the room with Henry. There's nothing more to see here.
>Nan Quest is on the front page
>Just some fuckers messing around
lol i trold
OH god someone's trapped in the furnace!
HOLY FUCK, YESSSSS!
Holy fuck, investigate!
Investigate the voice.
Welp, let's check it out. cautiously.
recognize the voice at all?
I wish to see a quest based on this.
Try to look for the source of the voice. Preferably from a safe distance.
go ahead. help the source of the voice which just so happens to come from a dark and markedly evil hole in the hotel full of horrorterrors from beyond. I'm sure nothing will go wrong.
Is it in that boiler thingy? Have Henry look first!
>"Help. Help me!"
Nan investigates the voice coming from the smoldering furnace.
>"Help me! Nan, get me out! I'm still alive! For the love of god, get me out!"
Kim is in the furnace.
Well, pull her out. Is it locked or something?
OH GOD, GET HER OUT
ENLIST HELP FROM THE FELLOW WITH YOU
MAYBE YOU CAN PULL OFF THE CRATE IF YOU WORK TOGETHER AND SHE PUSHES
oh, it's just her. that's kinda disappointing.
welp. help her, I guess.
I MEANT GRATE
Any way to wedge the bars open?
I'm pretty sure those grates are removable, but you might need a screwdriver.
Kim is badly burned.
Nan quickly kneels down, trying to pull off the rusty grate covering the immense furnace.
Nan turns to look at Henry. Henry stands frozen.
He swears he didn't put her in there.
Put your back and legs into it, Nan. It can't be that stuck!
Or... look for a latch or something.
Tell him it doesn't FUCKING matter how she got in there. All that matters now is GETTING HER OUT.
Ask her how in the hell did she even GET down there? She were three floors upstairs just moments ago with Anderson, refusing to leave the safety of the safe room!
That is, if she can speak.
Then call Henry dumb because you know he didn't put her down there. He couldn't have possibly done that. Stop being redundant Henry.
Ask Kim how long she's been in there and tell Henry to stop freaking out long enough to help you get her out.
This is a boiler room, is there something down here or in your pants you can use as a lever? Yell at him to help you pull and that you don't care that he didn't put her down here!
Nan demands Henry help her. He does not move.
Nan pulls the grate open.
Within the walls of the room, something loud and metallic rattles. There is a strange noise.
Nan asks Kim how she got in there.
She says HE put her in there. She begs for help.
Kim struggles. She screams that her leg is still stuck.
DEMAND THAT IT DOESN'T FUCKING MATTER HOW SHE GOT IN THERE, JUST THAT WE GET HER OUT AND HELP HER WITH THE WOUNDS. CAREFULLY INSPECT SAID LEG.
Grab her and pull! Ask her to wiggle her leg free!
Lean in and shine the flashlight around to see how her leg is stuck. Maybe you can help!
The entire room shudders as the furnace kicks on.
Something seems..."off" here. Keep in mind that not everything is as it seems in this quest.
...maybe we shouldn't help her?
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO KIM WHY
Get away from the furnace!
Make a mildly concerned face at Henry.
Back the fuck off. Do we have a fire extinguisher in our inventory?
Wait... Jump into the furnace!
Kim screams in agony.
She claws at the furnace fixture, trying to drag herself out of the fire.
>"DON'T LET ME DIE HERE! HELP ME! GET ME OUT! FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, FOR THE LOVE OF GOD!"
Grab her arm and drag her the fuck out already. What's wrong with you?
Grab her hands, pull her out! We can still save her.
Either something bizarre will happen, or it won't. If it doesn't, we'll at least have a slim (and, possibly, suicidal) chance to still save Kim (depends on exactly how hot the fire is, I guess).
Oh yeah that's right people take time to burn. Her hand isn't on fire, pull on that. If we're lucky either whatever had her foot stuck is burnt up or her foot is burnt up and she can get out more easily. She's probably lighter.
teehee, I see what you did there.
Nan and Kim grab each other by the wrist and pull.
They pull harder.
Well, keep pulling. If we get an arm we get an arm but we can't just leave her!
HENRY HELP NAN NOW
Order Henry to help you. Brace yourself against the frame of the furnace to pull with your whole body's strength.
Saving her at this point is probably just going to make her take longer to die of burn infections, and even if she doesn't she'll be some hideous ghoul for the rest of her life.
Uh. Really the best thing you can do is let go.
LEAVE HER! YANK THE WIRES OUT OF THE ELECTRICAL BOX!
Say, didn't Kim already have burn marks on her? Maybe this fire hurts, but won't kill people...
...kinda like hellfire. What was Kim's theory about the hotel again? That it was hell?
puke all over the place due to the revolting smell of burning flesh and hair.
>"What's going on? I heard screaming!"
FUCKING TIME SHENANGANS
"You're on fire." point to the furnace.
Well now you're going to look like a crazy person holding someone's hand as they burn in the furnace.
You crazy person.
But greet Kim with happiness and relief! A hug may be in order!
Tell her to pull the wires from the electrical box. Now, pretty please.
"KIM! HELP ME GET YOU OUT OF THE FURNACE!"
Tell Kim to help you pull this person out of the furnace.
Do we still have... otherkim's hand? Keep pulling and see if we can find out what is going on. Tell Kim that the hotel's being weird again and that she needs to help pull herself out of the fire.
IF EVERYBODY TINKLES INTO THE FURNACE SIMULTANEOUSLY MAYBE YOU'LL PUT THE FIRE OUT
Is the mostly-severed hand you're holding still stuck? Pull, woman.
Pull out whatever is left!
Pull it out!
The hand is still pulling.
"IT'S PULLING ME IN IT'S PULLING ME IN GUYS UH HELP HELP HELP HELP"
Let go. It's trying to pull you in.
Wait a minute. If Henry really didn't put Kim in there then what DID he put in there? Because he sounded like he had put SOMETHING in and was surprised to see Kim in there instead. This was a bad idea ask possibly real Kim to help pull YOU out instead.
you're stronger than some four-eyed nerdette who is being roasted alive. pull, dammit.
Quickly blurt out a synopsis of what's going on ("KIM YOU'RE IN THE FURNACE HELP") and then all three of you try to pull otherkim loose. If we can't get her out, consider going in after her (remember, things are topsy-turvy here). Afterwards we can discuss this bizarre event with Kim, with or without her doppleganger.
(I think it's a fair bet, though, that this means Henry or someone else will later toss Kim in the furnace. Unless we can use our foreknowledge to think of a way to free her beforehand, anyway.)
Nan continues to pull, but the counter-pull is stronger.
Something is wrong.
Ask the other two to help pull you out!
Jump into the fire! It's the only way!
"Pull me out pull me out PULL ME OUT"
Tell Henry that you believe him now and that he needs to help save you. Kim too.
consider asking for help. but do it only if you have to. you don't wanna seem weak to your compatriots.
Scream. Tell them to break the electrical box.
IT'S A TRICK!
Something's been trying to trick you into the fire! Either do this:
Or, better, see if someone can slice off those extra arms! We could try to see who they belonged too later on.
Hey...waitaminute...wasn't this quest originally intended to play on the fact that suggesters always try to save everyone?
WHATEVER YOU DO, DON'T SAVE KIM!
And LET GO.
Dive dive! The delicious flames beckon! Your friends are all in there!
OK you're just insulting the artist now.
Nan calls for help. Henry and Kim grab her by the shoulders and drag her away.
The grip on her arm is broken.
The furnace shuts off.
NOW tinkle in the furnace. y'know, to show your displeasure.
alternatively, ask Henry what the fuck he did.
alternatively alternatively, get the fuck out of there.
>Well no use staying in the place where you were almost murdered by ghost hands, Get outta there!
Thank them and ask Henry why he made such a specific denial of putting Kim in there.
First things first--try to get everyone to a safe place pronto. This place obviously isn't safe. Afterward the three of you can try to figure out what all this means.
Well, otherKim did blame him for putting her there. But then again, she did it after he denied it:
Noooooo all is lost.
> Look into furnace. That definitely wasn't just her; there were multiple arms.
The furnace dies, leaving nothing. Not even ashes.
The boiler room grows dark and cold.
Turn on your flashlight!
traverse the darkness and get out of here stalker.
Turn your flashlight on! Then everyone huddle together and try to leave without separating. Something's going on and we need to get to safety.
Turn flashlight on, and tell Kim what you saw in the furnace. She might have a theory.
Also, since it's been a while, can everyone check their inventories?
DON'T turn your flashlight on. Let your eyes adjust to the darkness.
Kim and Henry: DON'T LET GO OF NAN'S SHOULDERS
Stay in physical contact. Flashlight NOW.
Return to lobby posthaste
Is this just the hotel? That is Kim, yes?
Ask Now Kim if she saw anything happen with the furnace (or herself in it, for that matter).
Also, turn on your FLASHLIGHT. I have a feeling about this place....
Turn on flashlight. Prepare to see Pilgrim and Padre holding your hands instead of your buddies.
How about whip out that FLASHLIGHT and get the fuck out first. Then can we talk business!...
still grabbing the two, press against the nearest wall and, taking the month long resident's advice, stay in the darkness and make no sounds while trying to make out whats going on.
wtf just happened? D:
Oh yeah... I second your plan instead.
Changing my vote to
as well. Forgot about Santiago's advice.
exactly why I said 'traverse the darkness'.
Oh crap, forgot all about that stuff!
THIS. Carefully move about and let yourselves adjust to the darkness. And adjust in the direction of not here.
Nam check if you still have your screwdriver
GET YOUR FLASHLIGHT ON RIGHT NOW
I don't think we should get the flashlight, wait for your eyes to adjust while keeping in contact with Henry and Kim. I think Santiago my have been on to something.
Yeah, voting for darkness. We messed up with Santiago last time. He may be crazy, but he's got experience here.
Nan leaves the flashlight off.
After staring at the fire, it takes a moment for her vision to readjust to the dim boiler room.
Whisper. You need to move, to get back to a safe area- no lights, no noise. Careful, quiet.
I don't believe we've been to the good old LOBBY in a while, why not check there for anything out of place?
Nan leaves the boiler room with Kim and Henry.
Well I guess we're glad Nan's out of there.
>shadowy thing: drop down
Looks like Padre to me... We'd best get outta there and ask the others what the hell they just saw.
>>ready flashlight, watch back, grill henry on what actually happened
whisper to the others to keep quiet unless absolutely necessary and stay together. and cautiously keep an eye out for danger.
Remember the boiler room went dark, so that means there's likely a monster around that this place took favor in.
>Head to the hotel lobby, it seems like good a place as any to regroup.
Boiler room: collapse now that your support pillar has become a guy.
holy shit weaver, it's been 9 months, what the hell man, you had a baby or something!? still, good to have you back
all 3 of you keep contact with eachother and a wall at all times.
Calmly get the fuck out of there as fast and carefully as possible, while keep in contact with Kim and Henry.I'd say returning to the lobby is probably best too.
Nan, Henry, and Kim arrive at the first-floor landing.
Anderson is here, keeping watch. He is armed.
Nan asks Henry if he saw what she did. He replies that he thought he saw Kim in the furnace, but now it's clear that's impossible.
On the other hand, he says plenty of what they've seen already should be impossible.
Onwards to the lobby then- request the other two stick with us- strength in numbers and all, the big evil stalking monster NEVER attacks when the group is all together unless there is an opportunity to split them up!
What does Kim think about what happened? Also, if we haven't already, ask Henry about the cross pendant. While we're down here we might want to check out Henry and Pablo's old rooms, too.
The lobby sounds like as good a place to go next as any.
I think nan should come clean to Kim about this whole burned alive thing; remembering the time she saw her future self. Also The lobby seems like a good place to move now.
Ask Anderson and Kim what they've been doing.
Weird idea here, but maybe we should 'mark' eachother with something so we can tell the difference between the real us and the horrors the hotel is using to bait us. Probably pointless since the hotel might just copy the marks too but you never know.
Is the lobby the best choice? One (conceivable) entry/exit might not be wise when something could be following close behind. Would a shot from Anderson's revolver faze one of those creatures? Let alone the Padre or Pilgrim? For that matter, are we even sure that gun is loaded or is Anderson keeping it intimidation purposes?
Oh god so many questions, I love you Weaver
Where? On the face? I mean, that seems to be the most open space we have and it is most notable- unless like they are turned the other way and you approach them and they turn dramatically and they don't have a mark but SHARP POINTY TEETH AND GLOWY EYES.
A mark doesn't necessarily mean use markers or ink or anything, maybe tear up a sheet and make nifty little wristbands or something. Like I said though the hotel could probably just copy those too so they might be pointless.
I like the idea of using some kind of marking or identifier.
How about a passcode? Or perhaps an item they could produce? Nan's flashlight, Anderson's gun, Kim could take off her glasses?
What we should do is use a marking system where we add one each day. Example: if we were to use markers, we could do tallies and add a tally mark each day.
That way if we are dealing with future selves, they will have more marks when we see them. Although, if furnace Kim is the future of the current Kim next to us then that means that we won't have done that, because furnace Kim had no marks. Fuck, I don't know.
Haha, yeah destroy Kim's glasses, then there's no way she'll ever be FutureKim stuck in the furnace!
Nan tells Kim what she witnessed in the boiler room.
Kim is quiet for a moment, then asks what made Nan think it was her, and not the hotel itself.
She's right here. And it seems whatever was in that furnace wasn't trying to get out.
It was trying to pull her in.
Kim says it doesn't sound like an omen.
It sounds like a trap.
Ask Kim if she thinks that Ruby should not try to save 'her' in that kind of situation.
You really don't know why you thought it was her. You just wanted to help and stop people from dying. You'd be damned if someone died because of your inaction. You like being lazy and slow to the draw, but that's when it's work.
Should we have pass phrases for future traps? Could those work or could these illusions learn those from our heads?
You call "Microwave Pizza"
Tell Kim to remember it anyway... it could come in handy in the FUTURE.
Go to the lobby. It's where everything started, after all. It will be good to see how it's changed.
Point out that it sounded and looked just like her and that the hotel's obviously all about the whole "horribly killing everyone" thing, so it seemed perfectly plausible. You're glad she's okay, but you think it's important that we try to help eachother as much as possible.
Trying to save what, as far as you could tell, was her was the right thing to do.
Mention that it looked just like her, before the furnace started... Ask her if "For the love of god" means anything to her. It kept saying that.
YOU MEAN OPAL
*Whisper* to her that she should be careful around Henry in the future... the fact that he denied putting her in there was a little too pointed.
This might cause unrest in the group, but Henry's hesitation to help does lead one to suspect something.
Also, to test a theory of mine (don't we all have one?), ask Henry if he's ever had a girlfriend. I wonder if what Nan experienced when waking up next to him wasn't a glimpse into the past, like the time she met Pablo crying and he thought she was someone else.
Same poster. Also consider outright asking Henry about his specific denial.
>>385192 Pass phrase is a good idea. It'll also let us know that any instances of people we run into are at least from this point in time and onwards.
Hey, I've got some advice. Lighten up while you still can. Don't even try to understand, just find a place to make your stand.
And take it easy.
Do ask Henry directly about his suspiciously specific denial. It'd be a shame to stir up unrest in what really needs to be a unified group due to a misunderstanding.
some things are best not dwelled upon.
Sorry, got nothing...
Nan! Now is not the time to talk about how you saw yourself from the future earlier.
Because in that case, you lived what you saw later. And then Kim may think she'll eventually be in the boiler.
So don't mention that.
Threaten to beat Henry with a rusty spatula if he ever even thinks of throwing Kim in the boiler.
Ask if anybody's seen Pablo.
>Ask if anyone has thought of a plan of action on how to escape the hotel.
I guess we should check the second floor now and look for the Anazasi Lounge.
I don't think we would find anything useful in the Henry/Pablo old rooms,they are likely barred.
And let's use the stairs this time
quit confusing your precious gems, this is Opal, not Jade!
Seriously though, seconding idea of pass prase(s). Just keep in mind the person knowing it doesn't mean much, but if the person DOESN'T know it we MIGHT be onto something.
I still want to know why Henry insisted he didn't put Kim in the furnace, and don't really see any harm in asking him. Just treat it like an honest question and not an accusation - I don't think it's good to be too suspicious just because of an odd sentence, but if he knows/experienced something important it'd be nice to know it.
What if the "Kim" in the boiler wasn't referring to Henry, but to the Padre? After all...he WAS in the room with them.
If we go with Passcodes, don't let Henry hear it for now. He's too suspicious.
I'm not sure I agree.
If we go with passcodes, everyone in the group should know them. We can't be splitting up or ostracising someone now, not when our survival depends on us all working together.
I say if we do pass codes we should go with 'The Magic Words Are Squeamish Ossifrage' or just 'Squeamish Ossifrage'. Kudos if if you get the reference but that's not why I chose this. I reason that if if someone/something's eavesdropping, if/when they/it pull a stunt like that again(specificly feighning danger), they say the whole phrase, while if they're real (or really in danger) they're more likely to forget under duress parts of the phrase. Also they/it are almost certainly going to find out the pass sooner or later (or now if eavesdropping) so I reason that if someone when asked for it under duress get angry or says something like 'Seriously?! Now of all times?!' or 'Just help me already!' they're more likely real. Only someone actually under duress would act like that. Don't bring up the reasoning in conversation. That would defeat the purpose.
Interesting idea. I might get behind it, though I was kinda leaning towards something a few syllables long. That is, something short enough to be uttered in a single breath, in case we have to use it in emergencies. Your idea might be better, though, considering the hotel appears sentient and capable of actively mimicking us.
Oh! By the way! If we haven't already, we should ask Anderson what happened to the old Spanish Mission, in case he knows. As in, why was it reduced to ruins by his time?
Nan should tell Kim about meeting her future(and past) self
I am agree with this. Explain too kim that she needs to be very careful, but try not to get kim worked up either.
Well, honestly, I can't blame Henry. He was hidden alone in that room, mentioning that he was alone, when suddenly someone appears to be shoved into a furnace, with you being the only person there.
Ask Anderson and Kim how long ago (from their perspective) Nan left them in 313 to find the Lounge. Even IF time didn't do freaky shit in this hotel, Nan still couldn't be completely sure how long had passed during her "spirit vision" of helping Anna with the elevator.
Also, maybe its time to mention your interactions with Santiago with everyone? If you think that's a bad idea then nevermind.
How about a password that monsters would be really annoyed at saying? Like "The time is 4:33" or something.
How about 466 as a password? It seems to show up when weird shit goes down anyways.
Nan leads the group into the hotel lobby.
Nan asks Henry about his specific denial.
He shakes his head and says that there's already enough suspicion going around. He was the only other person in the room, so he thought it was natural Nan would suspect him.
Nan explains her encounter with 'herself' earlier as a point of comparison, but Kim doesn't seem worried. She says omens are one thing, but as long as they're alive they have free will. She seems intent on believing it was the hotel trying to get Nan, and that it only looked like her as a means to an end.
In light of whatever just happened, Nan suggests passcodes. But she's not far into explaining her idea when Anderson interrupts.
He asks Nan if she hasn't been paying attention all along.
This place knows who we are, where we are.
It's watching right now.
You want to talk trust, he's got a better plan.
Trust no one.
Aha! You need to go down to the boiler room and tease the monsters in there to turn on the boiler. This will activate the electrical wire coming out of the boiler room and light the chandeleir. And then... uh...
That's... actually a pretty good plan.
Right. Nothing seems new here (or is the opened mail slot different?) so... maybe we can check more of the doors on this floor. There was one that's all chained up, maybe we can work on getting that open again?
This place is trying to make us distrust each other. It sees us as a threat - and it definitely doesn't want us to co-operate with each other. We need to work together to get to the bottom of this so we can get out.
also check the mail slot.
Inspect the light-devouring cubbyhole.
Inspect dat mail slot.
Yes, lets extend our stay in this LIGHT-FILLED ROOM
Oh, and uh, check your inventory. It's been a while...
Examine the room. What is that on the counter? Bell? Registry? Telephone? What's in the cubby hole? Do any of those little doors open?
Also, tell Anderson that you're sorry but you're just trying to survive and keep as many of the people here alive as possible.
try the door. it's not like you'd be spending a lot of effort.
what is he suggesting? next time we see kim in trouble, not to help them?
fuck that. fuck that idea along with the hotel that necessitated it's conception.
Have Nan tell Anderson not to jump to conclusions, we're all friends here. Let's build bridges, not walls.
That's it! Brilliant! Build a bridge out of the hotel!
We should take the hotel and push it somewhere else!
Remember that the hotel becomes particularly aggressive either when Nan tries to leave, or breaks something. Breaking something seems to be an instant pass to dark hotel.
On another note, the painting in the hallway has disappeared and so have the flowers, and the stairs are back. So apparently the stairs can appear and disappear randomly. Could we get another perspective of the hallway(i.e. visible exits and turns, what is at the end of it, door or window),or even the entry hall for that matter, unless the unseen wall is completely featureless?
Tell Anderson that if you hadn't trusted An and gotten in the elevator you probably wouldn't be having this conversation to begin with.
ask if anyone has seen pablo.
If attempting to leave makes the hotel angry, perhaps it wants us to go further inside? For that matter, being grouped up and/or static seems to anger it too. Doesn't matter if we have friends present, it just pulls teleportation schenanigans to get us from them. All signs point to the hotel wanting us to explore, to find something here. And our continued 'freedom' hinges on not pissing off the silent hill hotel.
I guess this is the current thread? I just finished Ruby Quest a little while ago...
Suggestion: Try to find an original floor plan for this hotel. There had to have been one hanging around before everything went to hell and this turned into the Dolphin Hotel.
Nan retrieves the decorative totem from its slot in the mailbox of room 117.
It seems like lost items have a habit of finding their way here.
>Show the totem to everyone else, maybe they'll know what it is? Probably not, but its worth a shot.
Carefully inspect totem for writing, symbols, etc.
>Check inventory for something that you could possibly replace the totem with. Also, ask cohorts about this totem.
Seems like this could be a plausible idea. *shruuug*
Lost and found maybe?
Still, probably have to put that on some sort of ancient Hopi shrine or something... place like this was probably build on ancient Indian temple/burial grounds.
Speaking of lost things showing up, where did that green necklace of ours go off to?
Ask the others if anything has gone missing and showed up elsewhere.
Think Pablo has it, last time we had it was when we wrecked the clock I think.
Think we should ask them if they misplaced or lost something, then ask what everyone found in the slots. And what they found in general, some items others picked up might be connected to others (our necklace and henrys for example)
Room 117's mailbox, eh? If memory serves, that's the only specific mailbox that ever gets mentioned, and it's been brought up at least twice (all the other times we've found things in the mailboxes we were never told which mailboxes the items were in). Might be metagaming a bit here, but I suspect the author is trying to throw us a bone. Maybe room 117 is important? I think we ought to at least give it another quick examination and see if anything in it has changed (while watching out for the mirror, of course).
Same poster here. Just occurred to me that, to give us another reason to go there, Pablo might have returned to 117 after vanishing. It's where we originally found him, after all, and he seemed to feel safe there. Not to mention he was able to survive there for quite a while. It makes sense that returning there would be his backup-plan in case something went wrong.
Before we leave, check the room. What's on the desk?
Is this the same totem that was right beside the Safe Room? If 117 is a bust/trap then maybe we should see if the hall outside of the Safe Room has changed or if the totem was replaced with something else.
Definitely ask around about the totem. If no other better ideas, maybe rm 117 is worth a revisit.
Can you try and take the totem apart? Can it be disassembled at all?
Don't think the totem has any real value... save that it's lead us to find that the hotel brings things that are lost to the front desk
Let's check rooms 114 and 117 while we're down here.
Seconded. Let's finish examining the front desk room first though.
Check for Pablo in Room 117.
No. Breaking things makes bad things happen. We break a vase accidentally, lights go out. We break the clock intentionally, we get sent to mindfuckville.
Wait, we still have that magnifying glass from last time we were in the lobby!
EXAMINE TOTEM with MAGNIFYING GLASS.
it sure sounds like your typical run-off-the-mill Overlook Hotel Syndrome when you put it like that.
>Tell KIM to examine the TOTEM using her THIRD EYE.
Henry is wearing the cross necklace.
As for the totem, no one appears to recognize it.
Turning it over, Nan finds something scratched into the base.
Nan uses the magnifying glass.
Pablo! We must locate and question him on the totem.
The totem belongs to Pablo?
Is there anything inside it?
Let's bring it back to where we last saw the thing. The "safe" room.
Anderson tells Nan that he and Kim are heading back to the third floor safe room. They only came out because Nan had been gone for a while and they wanted to make sure she was all right.
If she wants to come back she's welcome to, but he's going to stay with Kim to make sure she gets back all right. If Nan wants to keep exploring, that's her business.
Henry offers to stay with Nan.
Nan decides on a long-overdue check of her inventory.
She is carrying:
Check from Fun Family Arcade
Key to Anasazi Lounge
All right, to 117
Just tell Anderson to keep a real good eye on her and warn Kim again, that if she does end up in the future-past in that furnace, to not get her foot caught. Then tell future-past Nan this totally happened before. Even if she did think it was just a trap.
Also for Anderson to not lose his humanity completely to cynicism.
Gotta be real careful. Can't be too much so in this place.
Keep ahold of that check. It might just be your ticket out of here. I don't know how this hotel treats external third party financial obligations.
Let's get to the "safe" room.
I don't suppose Henry knows where the Lounge is, does he?
Arm Henry with the LEAD PIPE and take him with you to check out 117, Pablo's room.
Don't forget to see if Henry knows anything about the CROSS PENDANT.
Look for the Anasazi Lounge
Ask henry if he knows where the lounge is, and if he doesn't then head down to 117 to look for something that might let you know more about the totem.
Let's just check out each room on this floor, then the next, etc... for as long as the lights stay on.
Henry gives Kim and Anderson most of the supplies he gathered from the boiler room, and they head back to the safe room.
Nan and Henry head to Room 117.
Nan asks Henry if he knows where the Anasazi Lounge is, and he says it might be on the second floor, since he hasn't seen any entrances like that on the first and third.
Henry asks Nan what it is she's looking for in Room 117.
Pablo. Traces of Pablo.
Tell him it's where she first met Pablo, so he might have gone there when he got separated from the group. Also, the hotel took her away from there when she broke the clock, and she's wondering if there's a reason for that.
Tell him we're trying to find Pablo and figure this whole business with him out.
Also, ask Henry if he'll hold your hand. You know. For safety.
on the way, accidentally drop your overalls.
Let's answer his question with our own, for I had a sudden thought: we're all from different time periods, right? So does the hotel look the same to everyone ... does it seem to "fit" when they were "outside"?
Because if so, then it means we see a different hotel.
Huh... I don't expect it does, but it's definitely worth asking.
It probably exists on it's own timeline. Santiago got here a month ago, but is from the 60s, Anderson was here a week, but is from the 20s. Time here and time in reality seem completely unrelated.
Explain to him that backtracking when you don't know what to do is a staple of adventure games.
(and we're to scared to go to the 2nd floor)
Is the door handle of room 114 moving?
>Tell him you don't know.
Could this be a warning to turn back, guys?
tell him you're looking for those beans. It's been a while since you've eaten.
We're looking for two things:
I see no advantage in withholding either reason from Henry.
You might also want to mention that we're searching for clues in 117 because of potential leads we've picked up, however weak they might be.
Mmm, how about Nan go back there for that one mouse? Seems to be extra friendly, maybe it's a particularly important mouse?
Walk in room. Find Pablo dead/sleeping.
Go in. Say hi to mirror Henry while you're at it.
We should be careful and cover the mirrors. Cover them, mind you, not destroy them! As earlier suggesters have noted, breaking things seems to tick off the hotel. Then again, covering mirrors might, too, if that foils the hotel's plans.
am i missing something? what is this arcade we're carrying?
It's the check we got as payment for fixing the arcade. Way back at the beginning before we entered the hotel.
Nan says she needs to find Pablo.
Even some trace of him.
Nan and Henry open the door to Room 117.
grab the thin under the vase if it's anything before going in.
Honestly, blood at this point is pretty meh
At least unless it grows eyes or something
Trace officially find. Grope for the light switch. Shine the flashlight on your hand while you do.
Welp, time to get licking.
You want to know if it's some trace of him, don't you?
Jesus christ, it's just like your dream.
Is that the bed? I think we should investigate the hole.
look at the roof, the lights are broken.
That is a very valid point. I don't suppose the maintenance closet has replacements either. Well, go in and drag whatever that is out into the hallway. Stay in the light from the hallway.
No sign of Pablo. But Nan's seen this before.
A tall, flat canvas streaked red.
The light switch doesn't work. The lights are broken.
Get in the hole you goat.
No hole. Bring it out into the hallway.
Take a gander at the back of the canvas. Check out that hole on the wall too.
Get Henry to check hole and bathroom for scaries while you check the backside of this canvas.
have henry hold your hand, next time we inevitably get teleported to some other version of the hotel, at least we'll have a friend.
What's behind the canvas?
enter hole. have Henry ready to pull you out if anything happens
Seconding checking out the hole. Use the flashlight.
THERE WAS A HOLE HERE. IT'S GONE NOW.
My suggestion goes to checking behind the canvas before exploring some strange dark hole
make a mental note to compliment Pablo on his visionary sense of interior decoration when you see him.
Fifty says there's a person behind that canvas.
I'm also going to have to encourage the checking out of the hole with Henry ready to pull you out in an emergency.
i'm pretty sure pablo is hiding somewhere within this room.
check the hole, the bathroom, and the canvas.
Nan, please examine the canvas thing from the OTHER side. You know, away from the mirror/ bathroom where things could easily jump out from.
Turn the canvas around, then have Henry check the bathroom while you examine it.
While Henry checks the bathroom, Nan pulls the large canvas out a little, checking behind it. But there's nothing but a blank wall and the wood-braced back of the canvas.
Henry says the bathroom is empty.
Did you just get bloodRED PAINT all over your hand?
What is the LARGE BLACK SPLOTCH?
Aw Nan, you got stuff all over your hand. Go wash it in the sink and ask Pablo to check the rathole.
Either 1. touch something else to the canvas to see if it gets stained, too or 2. peek in that hole with the aid of a flashlight.
If you actually go in the hole, make sure you and Henry go together and stick close. You can't risk getting separated. Being alone in this hotel is a recipe for disaster.
Guys... that means it's fresh... :( Pablo is a splatter artist.
>Nan: From a safe distance, turn your flashlight on into the giant hole. Peer into the hole to determine your future.
Guys, don't you remember what happened LAST time we tried to crawl into a space? SCISSORS
Wasn't there a theory the hotel doesn't like lightening parts up without questioning?
Not that we have much choice, but shining into the hole may lead to another black scene.
But hey, be optimistic! Pablo just found a bucket of red paint and likes to express his feelings like this... the hole got bigger because the helpful mouse grew... big... and Pablo is currently helping it to bring a really big can of beans here...
But you have to admit that nothing hurt us back there
The tacky, red substance on the canvas comes off on Nan's hand.
Yay, so now only pablo has to come through the hole with his 2m-mice-friend and give a bean-party!
>scene around not shown
Equip lead pipe and spin around to examine the room. Be ready to parry something and make a break for it.
In the painting dream, Pablo said something about making Nan live forever. Maybe he's just an artsy type, but maybe these painting actually have more going for them.
Try cutting the canvas, stay on alert for reality-changing shenanigans.
Pablo being an artist is an interesting theory. We should definitely ask him about that the next time we see him.
But don't cut the canvas. Remember, damaging hotel property tends to tick the hotel off.
Next step should be to examine the hole.
Nan shines the flashlight into the hole - from a safe distance.
It's a short tunnel, perhaps six feet deep, and narrows a bit near the end. It's unobstructed.
There appears to be a room on the far side. Nan can't make out much from here, save what could be wooden furniture. A bench, perhaps.
Fit through hole with GIRLISH FIGURE. Wait... No that sounds right.
henry: DO IT FAGGOT
Both of you--carefully--crawl through the hole and into the other room.
Make sure whoever's in back always keeps a hand on the person in front when you're crawling through the hole. You'll be vulnerable while crawling, but hopefully this'll at least make you harder to separate.
I wouldn't be surprised if it leads into the bar-room with the nan-nan-encounter and we are starting the fire because of padre...
although that would be the other end of the hotel.
Nan crouches down and crawls through the narrow tunnel.
Henry follows close behind, keeping one hand on Nan's ankle to maintain physical contact.
Nan has entered the CHAPEL.
nan: use THIRD EYE to examine GLOBE.
... what's on the podium?
Well, no monsters, but also no Pablo or beans...
Mind take a look through the windows of the doors?
Maybe from the distance first.
If it wasn't obvious before it is now: There's major religious theme in this quest. Specifically a Catholic theme. Gives me some ideas for experiments if we ever run into the big three again (hopefully not anytime soon, of course).
I imagine this is a remnant of the old Spanish mission. That looks like a Bible on the podium, or perhaps some other liturgical book. Examine it to confirm. Also take a look at the plate/band/whatever it is on the bottom of the cross.
Oh, and is that sphere above the cross a window or something else?
Examine cabinet on the left.
have nan look back down the hole to see if henry is still there. if so, report back to him.
I think that's a confessional.
Oh! Forgot about Henry! He should be right behind us. Let's enter the room and help him out of the hole.
Nan peeks through the tunnel behind her. Henry is still following, waiting for Nan to go through. Nan relays what she sees, which includes a podium, single pew, cross, and stained glass window.
Though there is clearly something wrong with the window.
Henry confirms, and suggests it's almost to be expected by now.
Rule one of Strange Religious Locations:
DON'T TOUCH ANYTHING BUT THE FLOOR
There's a book on that podium. Is it a pretty normal looking bible or is it something weird?
Wait, are we stuck? They did say that the tunnel tapered near the end...
>Enter chapel. Examine the book on the podium. If it's the Bible, what book are they reading? See if verse 4:66 is there. Blink twice if you understand.
...Is Nan religious?
Certainly not in her duties as an electrician. ZING!
Good question. Makes me wonder if any of the other characters are religious.
Maybe that has something to do with why they're here?
I think we should definitely keep that in mind. We can ask Henry now and the others later.
>Ride crucifix like mechanical bull.
Nan enters the Chapel to examine the book on the podium.
No time to Santiago. Lift that chest off of Henry's arm!
santiago! take me with you!
His arm's probably not broken if that's an empty armoir. Maybe just a bruised bone. But it hurt like a bitch.
It looks empty, with some struggling and if the arm doesn't hurt too much, Henry could wiggle it back into the hole himself.
Tell him that that was mean, and lift the thing off of Henry's hand.
Son of a...
I hope he didn't break Henry's arm! :<
So, do we go for diplomacy or violence? Santiago doesn't look willing to talk, but I'm not sure we could handle him in a straight-up fight...
lift thing. if san starts being a dick about it tell him to fuck off.
Same poster here.
On second thought, that armoir looked like it was aimed at Nan. We just happened to crawl out of the way in time.
Time to fight?
I say we offer a greeting and gauge his reaction from there.
One hand covertly on the lead pipe, but don't draw it out quite yet.
Listen to me, you little bitch
Obviously you didn't take the hint last time
So let me spell it out for you
You are ruining things here
The hotel can abide a guest or two, but if you attack it, as you have been doing, it will defend itself with violence
It will fight back
And it will win
And anyone can be caught in the crossfire
You can't fight this
You can't help anyone
Point the flashlight at his face. Should be pretty irritating at least, having bright lights aimed at your eyes sucks. Ask him why he looks so pissed.
What have we done to attack the hotel?
He's clearly already angry. Why do something just to piss him off more?
Politely ask about the injury on Santiago's forehead.
I think he made it pretty obvious why he's pissed. This place is his Paradise. If he thinks we're a threat to it, then he'll do whatever he can to stop us.
Then again, he might be worried that we'll get ourselves hurt. Depends on how you read his statements.
Does Santiago have a soft-spot for us? Or is he just defending his precious hotel?
Yeah, so far you seem to have just been trying to prevent everyone from getting killed. Ask him exactly what you're doing that's angering the hotel so you can stop.
Written before latest post. I suffer from chronic late post syndrome :(
Hmmm, don't see how to talk our way out of this, we were just checking on Pablo. Ask him what he means by attacking, playing somewhat stupid seems like the best idea. We are still pretty damn new after all.
Ach! I shouldn't be making another post, but I have to point out that Santiago's line:
"The hotel can abide a guest or two"
Seems to imply that we aren't supposed to be here or, at least, that we aren't here by the hotel's wishes. Conversly, it implies that some of the characters are supposed to be here. Did something else bring us here? Are we here for a purpose? Maybe we just got caught up in this accidentally?
At any rate, this shows that the hotel isn't the all-controlling entity we may have believed it to be.
Explain to him that you are not a guest. You are simply here to fix the wiring.
If you insist on bringing light to the darkness, realize you won't always like what you find
Some things are better left in the dark, Nan
Some things should never be brought to light
If you continue to work against the hotel, it will retaliate in kind
And you will put us all in the line of fire
If I have to kill you myself to stop this war, I will
Don't think I will hesitate
For even one second
Actually, I really like this idea. Perhaps Santiago wight have something to say about this.
>>Tell Mr. Saint James that you're here to fix the wiring. You were sent to help the hotel. ALso, what war?
>Tell Mr. Saint James that you're here to fix the wiring. You were sent to help the hotel. Also, what war?
then we will take the monsters out with us.
SANTY! YOU'RE ALIVE! I'M SO HAPPY
I MEAN YOU'RE KINDOF SCARY RIGHT NOW AND THIS HURTS A LITTLE BUT STILL
THIS IS AWESOME
Goddamnit we don't want to fight the hotel! We want to flee.
We're not trying to force you to do anything we're just kindof blundering around here trying not to die.
And the hotel keeps yelling at us and throwing visions and sometimes it's like it's trying to tell us something and other times it's just crazy crazy crazy all the time
But the last while or so since we woke up that's seemed pretty normal I guess I mean except for the furnace thing but the lights haven't gone out or anything
And we've just kindof been wandering around exploring even though we don't really know what the hell we're doing
Oh god Santy we have no idea what we're doing
So, we aren't to look around and we can't leave. What does that leave us to do Santiago, sit in a room and wait for something to kill me?
Say fine though your getting confused about what IS an Attack and what isn't
Can you be friends with the hotel? Tell him you will be proud to shake it's metaphorical hand and have a fucking tea party with it. Santiago is free to join.
You have to take the path that will get us out of this place alive though. Don't tell Nan it's impossible. Everything is possible. If this place can exist in the world, a certain set of actions can get us back in the world. We just need to figure out what before we all die. No one knows for sure about outcomes, at minimum, there is a very near zero chance of escape. But there's still a chance. You can understand having no hope when there's near zero chance but you have to take it, because, as lazy as you are, you don't give up on living. Because you have to survive. We have to survive as living creatures, that is what we do. We survive until we die, and we all fight to survive the longest and delay death. The word fight in that sentence is debatable and replaceable with other verbs as well.
Your going to die on a deathbed next to your grandchildren and no fucking padre or pilgrim or SANTIAGO is going to change that.
Ask what it is that we are doing to upset the hotel. You know, so we don't do it again.
Boop Santiago on the nose.
Waitaminute, war? There's a war going on?
Between light and darkness, perhaps? Or something related? Makes me wonder... I mean, we know who the agents of the dark-force-thing are (i.e. the big three and the "uninvited"), but who are the agents of the light-force? Or...is Nan its agent?
And if the light-force has a thing for Catholicism...is it the Catholic God? Is Nan a Paladin? :V
Clearly it is our divine mission to cleanse the hotel of evil and save the souls within! Deus Vult! :I
Serously, though, there appears to be a war between light and darkness, and Nan may well be the agent of the light-force. Maybe it's responsible for bringing her here?
He's saying the problem is light, I assume both literally and as in 'to bring to light'.
You say this place is freedom Santiago, then turn around and say we can't do things, that you or the hotel won't let us. So what is this place Santiago, the prison you said it isn't, or freedom? Because I think I am free here, and I am going to use it to leave regardless of if you or the hotel tries to stop me!
This (or a variation of it) must be said!
Nan says she has not intentionally attacked the hotel in any way she was aware of. But she has fought, and she will continue to fight for her survival.
If this place is truly freedom, she says, she should have the freedom not to go quietly into the darkness.
Santiago growls, then roars. He spins around, throwing Nan at the pulpit.
Damnit, much as I don't want to, we may have to fight Santiago. Ask him : "So is this a fight or what?"
pull pipe, attack.
Throw the Bible at Santiago, see if it burns his flesh or not.
BIBLE BEATING FUCK YEH
GRAB THE BOOK OFF THE PULPIT AND SMACK HIM IN THE EYE
WE WILL EITHER,
A) Enrage the hotel at our misuse of a sacred object and cast everything into darkness, forcing Santy to flee,
B) Something metaphorical about holy books and light blinding the darkness in Santy,
C) Hit Santy in the eye with a fucking book.
But I wanted to see what verse it was open to. Unless it's a black bible.
Pipeon, apply directly to the forehead. Pipeon, apply directly to the forehead.
Nan goes for her lead pipe, but he overpowers her. Grabs her wrist.
Santiago bares his teeth.
Bad little girl
If you won't do as your told then you'll have to be punished
Kick him in the nuts!
OH GOD! HE'S GONNA RAPE NAN!
headbutt him quick!
Headbutt him. Ya got horns for a reason.
Yell to him that he's not your father
You barely know him
He does not get to talk to you that way
Yeah STOMP 'EM IN NUTS, STOMP HIM IN THE NUTS BITCH
Call out for Henry and hope he's freed himself by now.
Also, I know our species isn't supposed to matter, but now would be the perfect time for a goat headbutt.
If all else fails, try breaking something to get the hotel involved.Then again, since it's sentient, it might just help Santiago.
make suggestive faces at santiago.
Don't goats have to charge from a distance to headbutt someone?
Oh also, read the book while you're up there Nan! Read the book!
'So, you don't believe in freedom, only in indulging yourself.'
Kick to the nads, hard to perform when your jewels get smashed.
Guys, have you noticed that Santiago has gotten a lot beefier since we last saw him? And the whole "YOU CAN'T HELP ANYONE, NAN" Has been stated by both him and the Pilgrim. There's something fishy there.
Anyway, attempt to kick him back or force yourself away, if his intentions are violently sexual a ick to the groin would be good.
HEADBUTT HIM IN THE GROIN
Not a charging headbutt, a close-combat headbutt. Head forward into soft fleshy bits of the nose or horns forwards towards his eyes.
ADRENALINE POWERS ACTIVATE, HEADBUTT TO THE HEAD. If this succeeds in getting you free, run through door. If not, keep resiting until you can run through door. If suddenly, a wild Padre appears to demonstrate Santiago's point about the hotel reacting, get chest off Henry's leg and crawl the fuck outta thar whilst it fights Santa.
Santiago bites Nan's arm.
Nan tries to headbutt Santiago, but he's too close for it to be very effective.
Nan reacts quickly, slamming her knee into Santiago's groin.
He barely reacts.
So, while this is all happening I bet you could use some good reading material. Like that book over there. You should read the book.
Call for Henry! NOW! Say a quick prayer if you have to! ANYTHING!
I like this idea, but I'm afraid saying that might piss him off even more and make him do something worse if he doesn't go into a rant.
Go with a close-contact headbutt and shake him off without hurting him so he won't hate Nan even more later, if possible. If you can incapacitate him, take the chance to get the furniture off Henry.
Drop to the floor! He'll lose his balance.
Oh, so he's just insane. That...that doesn't really make things better.
He's crying. Tell him something like "You don't want to do this"?
Santiago has no balls
that was a cunt punt or he's castrated himself before. Probably the latter seeing as he still matches a masculine build
That or Nan didn't get a good kick in.
Stomp on his feet, kick his knee, grab absolutely any sturdy object out of your pockets and hit him with it.
Ah, thats what I was thinking of. Provided Nan can pull off some CQC, we could use his lust against him. Feign acceptance, move in closer to him. Put a hand on his back and behind his head, and draw one leg behind his knee. Pull with the leg, drawing his leg forward, pivot, and slam his head in the wall.
This hotel is not arm safe. Poke him in his big eyes and try to get your other arm free from his mouth. If that works then try to duck down so you're below him so we can >>386483.
Quick, Nan! Knee to the groin! Santiago's hostile and unpredictable, so we may be forced to kill in self defence.
Also, it looks like he might be trying to infect you with darkness or something. I'm not sure how to resist, thought. We're vulnerable. All I can think of is prayer. Maybe call out to the Padre? This is a holy place, dammit! Surely enough of the Padre's former self remains that he'd be furious about Santiago's actions.
Well, those look like tears. That's a reaction.
SANTY WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU
I MEAN, I REALLY LIKE YOU AND ALL
BUT YOU'RE MAKING THIS REALLY DIFFICULT
Santy, I honestly do like you. And I don't want you to die.
I really honestly don't.
But if it comes to a choice between us dying or you. I will not fucking hesitate either.
Please stop, Santy. I don't want you to get hurt.
ALSO SHIT I DON'T KNOW PUNCH HIM IN THE EYE
KEEP KNEEING HIM IN THE GROIN
YELL FOR LORENZO
I DON'T KNOW
Nan stomps her heel down hard on top of Santiago's foot, and he howls in pain.
Rather than releasing her, his grip grows tighter. His ragged, unkempt fingernails dig into her skin.
Nan claws back, kicks him in the knee.
Santiago cries out.
Does anyone else see the darkness spreading?
If he doesn't react to a knee to the groin I don't think Nan can fight her way out of this one. She's not a trained combatant, so advanced techniques are out of the question and he's not responding to pain because he's a lunatic. Check the book for something.
Tell him that he doesn't want to do this. Who knows, he's crazy, maybe he'll listen to us. Plus, he's crying. Let's talk him down while we still can.
If you have a free arm Nan, get him in his Adam's apple. Even a headbutt will do just close his fucking throat in.
Also, I think Santiago is giving us a hint: "if you attack it, as you have been doing, it will defend itself with violence"
I could be wrong, but I don't think violence is the solution here -- it will only make things worse. That darkness IS spreading.
Yes, but it could just be thematic. Or its not. Still less imortant than RIPPING AND TEARING Santiago's guts and nearly being raped.
Jab one of his eyes. Fight dirty.
His mouth is open and her arm is free. Get the lead(pipe) out and ram it down his throat! If his mouth has closed by the time you get the pipe go for his knees or eyes!
This is probably a shitty idea, but if using more force doesn't end up working, try a hug. Sometimes crazies need that and they turn into a pool of tears and mush.
Get down below his arms so it's harder for him to grab you.
Santiago suddenly lets go of Nan.
Henry says that if he ever touches her again, he'll break his neck.
He's only really got a grip on your shirt. Drop out of it.
Yay! Henry to the rescue!
I think that's the shadow cast from the window.
Maybe hug him? I don't know.
Really throw all your weight into it while he's distracted with pain. Knock him to the ground and hug him with all your might.
Sortof a combination "stop attacking me you psycho" and a "please let me help you."
Knock it off Santy! We're heavier than you! I think!?
> ragged, unkempt fingernails
... how long have you even been here, Santy?
Nan slap him for nearly raping you and ask WHAT THE FUCK this was all about
You know, why fucking wait, man.
Now might be a good moment to fix our clothing. Then tell Henry we owe him 2 favors now.
SUDDENLY, A WILD HENRY APPEARS
Get some breathing room, Nan. Equip Pipe.
Alright, pull your clothes back on, and give Santiago a good slap across the face.
Then ask him what you were doing that he considers fighting the hotel. It'd be nice to know what we're doing right/wrong.
Time to get info. Got any questions?
Don't forget to ask about the mirrors! And the Pilgrim!
Tell him that all you want is to go home and keep your friends safe, you don't want to hurt the hotel.
Start off by forgiving him. Not his fault he is so unstable, being in the hotel for a month will do that to anyone. If he wants, we can try to get him out of here with us to meet some nice men in white coats with delicous Lithium candy for him. If not, we are leaving with or without his help, but we will be gone quicker with help and knowlege, something he has.
Well never mind I guess you don't have to read the book. Probably nothing important in it anyway.
Patience. We'll get to it in time. The quest is directed by the combined will of the suggesters and the author, and at present that collective will seems to think Santy is the more pressing matter. We'll get around to the book. | <urn:uuid:d29e20c2-44a6-4f6e-bcc1-9f88d73818ee> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://tgchan.org/kusaba/questarch/res/300694.html | 2013-06-19T12:26:03Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708766848/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125246-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.961027 | 27,774 |
by Ted Manna
American Reporter Correspondent
Colorado Springs, Colo.
September 7, 2008
PALIN: OUT OF THE PLANE AND INTO THE FIRE
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo., Sept. 6, 2008-- This is how it starts, this elaborate electoral dance with the country's voters. Republican candidate for president Sen. John McCain and Gov. Sarah Palin stepped off their brightly-lit Straight Talk Air chartered jet last night, into a cool mist visible in the blazing headlights of the happy caravan that waited to carry them straight toward their date with destiny - Election Day.
It won't be cool and misty around Gov. Palin for long, however.
The campaign of Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama has already sc`ored her for attracting some $300 in earmarks for every man, woman and child in Alaska - compared to the national average of $30 per person in other states.
She quickly struck back on Saturday, though, saying Sen. Obama had won more than abillion dollars in earmarks for hi Illinois constituency. "Just wait till John McCain puts a stop to that," she said. McCain pleaded in his acceptance speech last Thursday night to end the coveted earmarks that cost American taxpayers billions of dollars each year but individually benefit just a few in their home states.
The long-distance exchange as she related it was nonetheless enough to spark wild cheers and applause from an appreciative audience. In the words of one campaign worker, she "has ignited this campaign like a California wildfire."
The nominees brought their "Road to Victory Rally" to this Rebublican bastion in the shadow of the mighty Pikes Peak Friday afternoon, and the 10,000 tickets distributed didn't come close to meeting the demand.
The 85,000 voices cheering for the Democrats' presidential pick, Sen. Barack Obama, 60 miles north in Denver, had barely died away before the reverberations of McCain's stunning vice-presidential selection reached the Rocky Mountains.
In this sprawling city at the foot of the Rockies that is home to the U.S. Air Force Academy and widely known for its conservative voters, Palin took the occasion to blast Sen. Joe Biden, who has said she will be a "formidable" opponent in upcoming vice-presidential debates despite little experience to compare to Biden's 30 years in Congress, where he chairs the Senate Foreign Relations committee.
The rally was a remarkable contrast to one a near here a month ago, when McCain stood before just 300 workers at a Colorado company to ask for their votes. After his startling choice of a running mate seized the media spotlight, this afternoon to an overflow crowd of 13,000, and many more were turned away for lack of space.
As thousands waved American flags inside a cavernous hangar, Palin called Sen. Biden "a fine man" but one flawed by his Establishment ties, according to Newsday.
"Senator Biden can claim many chairmanships across many, many years in Washington. He certainly has many friends in Washington's establishment," Palin said.
"But most of his admirers," she said, "would not call him an agent of change." But, she said, "Senator McCain has called us a ticket of mavericks."
This was the third stop together in the 72 hours since McCain accepted hia party's highest accolade in Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minn., the site of the Republican National Convention, after brief stops in Wisconsin and Chicago.
Barely pausing at the top of the stairway of the campaign plane "Straight Talk Express," McCain, accompanied by his wife Cindy, and Alaska's Gov. Palin, were loaded into a waiting black SUV and their accompanying entourage quickly sped off.
Flanked by U.S. Secret Service vehicles, local police cruisers and motorcycles, the motorcade's flashing lights flared briefly, not even causing a ripple on the Ronald Reagan Highway, the name given to Interstate 25 in staunchly Republican El Paso County - home to the evangelical Christian congregation Focus on the Family's and former GOP presidential candidate Rep. Tom Tancredo.
It's probably not coincidence that the first major stop on the campaign trail was here, the home of McCain's most vocal detractors in the GOP ranks. Rev. James Dobson, who heads Focus on the Family has stated previously he would not support the Arizona senator's presidential bid, but that stance softened sowmewhat after the convention. The strong conservative base is sure to jump on the Palin bandwagon however, given her opposition to abortion and contraceptives in high schools.
The campaign did not respond to The American Reporter's query on the timing or location of the first stop on the Road to Victory tour, but it is sure to benefit from media coverage of scores of adoring Palin fans, who themselves are reminiscent of the kind of attention Obama first generated here in his primary battle.
The allure of the first women Republican vice-presidential candidate seems to match the response to the country's first African-American nominee for President.
Joe Shea contributed to this story from Florida. | <urn:uuid:9837131e-5faf-4acd-9477-50a320384c34> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.american-reporter.com/4,599/900.html | 2013-06-19T12:32:29Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708766848/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125246-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.962903 | 1,034 |
|Scientific Name:||Carcharias taurus (Southwest Atlantic subpopulation)|
|Species Authority:||Rafinesque, 1810|
|Taxonomic Notes:||See Compagno (1984, 2001) for a detailed discussion of the taxonomical background for this species and for its separation from the genus Odontaspis. Off India it appears to have been referred to as C. tricuspidatus (Compagno 1984) but this name was synonymized with C. taurus (Compagno 2001).|
|Red List Category & Criteria:||Critically Endangered A2abcd ver 3.1|
|Assessor/s:||Chiaramonte, G., Domingo, A. & Soto, J.|
|Reviewer/s:||Musick, J., Dudley, S., Soldo, A., Francis, M., Valenti, S.V. & Kyne, P.M. (Shark Red List Authority)|
A large migratory coastal shark with one of the lowest reproductive rates known among chondrichthyans, giving birth to only one or two large young every two years. As a result, annual rates of population increase and ability to sustain fishing pressure are extremely low. Although the species is widespread in subtropical and temperate waters of the Atlantic, Indian and western Pacific Oceans, as well as the Mediterranean Sea, regional populations are isolated and are not thought to mix. In the Southwest Atlantic, the species ranges from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (21°S) to San Matías Gulf, Argentina (41°30’S). Although it is not directly fished in this region, it does have commercial value as a bycatch in benthic trawling and gillnet fisheries and is harvested throughout this range by commercial, artisanal and recreational (mainly in Argentina) fishing. In Uruguay, this species has been taken for over 50 years by the artisanal fleet and it formed an important component of gillnet catches off southern Brazil in the 1980s. Catches have declined dramatically off Uruguay from 784 kg per fishing day in 1985 to 32 kg per fishing day in 2001 and off southern Brazil from a CPUE of 11.7 to 0.3 sharks per 1,000 meters of net during the 1980s and 1990s, respectively. Recent surveys (2005) also appear to indicate that catches in the gillnet fisheries off southern Brazil have declined considerably relative to levels in the 1980s. Aggregations off Brazil were also targeted by spear-fishers for sport in the 1970s and 1980s. This species is assessed as Critically Endangered due to a combination of a severe depletion along the Brazilian coast since the 1970s and declining trends in the Uruguayan coastal fisheries. Coastal fishing pressure is intense and continuing within its range along the South Atlantic coast of South America. The species is listed as threatened with over-exploitation on Annex II of the Brazilian federal law of Threatened and Overexploited Aquatic Species. However there are no known species-specific management measures in place for it within the region and protection measures are urgently required.
Carcharias taurus has a broad but disjunct distribution in littoral and sub-littoral waters, primarily in subtropical to warm temperate regions around the main continental landmasses, except in the eastern and central Pacific (Compagno 1984, 2001; Gilmore et al. 1983). It is not known from deepwater, unlike Odontaspis ferox.
Southwest Atlantic subpopulation: in the Southwest Atlantic C. taurus ranges from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (21°S) to San Matías Gulf, Argentina (41°30’S) (Menni 1986, Soto 2001).
Native:Argentina (Buenos Aires, Rio Negro); Brazil (Paraná, Rio de Janeiro, Rio Grande do Sul, Santa Catarina, São Paulo); Uruguay
|FAO Marine Fishing Areas:||
Atlantic – southwest
|Range Map:||Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.|
|Population:||Morphometric and meristic analysis indicate that the Southwest Atlantic subpopulation is a probable “closed group” with common characteristics, but not a distinct species (Sadowsky 1970, Compagno 2001). Although there is no information on the population size of C. taurus in the Southwest Atlantic, past and present fishing pressures have led to significant declines in catches (see Threats section below).|
|Habitat and Ecology:||
Carcharias taurus generally occurs in warm-temperate and subtropical waters, ranging from the surf zone and shallow bays to approximately 200 m depth on the outer continental shelf. The species is most usually found on or near the bottom in reef areas but may occasionally occur in midwater or at the surface (Compagno 1984). Embryonic oviphagy and intra-uterine cannibalism occurs in this species and only two large pups are produced per litter every second year (Gilmore et al. 1983, Goldman 2002, Goldman et al. in press). As a result, annual rates of population increase are very low, greatly reducing its ability to sustain fishing pressure. Size at birth is about 95 to 105 cm TL (Gilmore et al. 1983).
Maximum size attained is 300 to 320 cm TL (females) and 220 to 270 cm TL (males) (Compagno 2001). Age and size at maturity varies regionally. Age at maturity is reported at 7.7 years (females) and 4.5 years (males) in the Southwest Atlantic by Lucifora (2003). Lucifora (2003) reports size at maturity in the Southwest Atlantic as 218 to 235 cm TL (females) and 193 cm TL (males). Longevity is estimated at 18.3 years in females and 12.8 years in males in the Southwest Atlantic (Lucifora 2003).
Average reproductive age is 17.1 yrs from demographic analysis (Goldman 2002). Natural mortality is MHoenig = 0.205, MJensen = 0.211 and MPauly = 0.198 from analyses from the Southwest Atlantic (Lucifora 2003).
Because this species typically inhabits shallow inshore areas it is rarely, if ever caught by large-scale industrial fisheries operating on the high seas. However, its nearshore distribution makes it susceptible to small-scale multi-species and artisanal fisheries as well as recreational fisherman, spearfishers and shark control programs. As a bycatch in other fisheries it is often reported as unidentified shark or not reported at all and as such the extent of the impact that these fisheries have had on C. taurus is unknown for most of its geographic range. Consequently this species could be at a high risk of unrecognized depletion in many countries.
The sand tiger is not subjected to directed fishing in South America, but nevertheless does have commercial value (including the jaws) as a non target catch in benthic trawling and gillnet fisheries and is harvested throughout its regional range by commercial, artisanal and recreational (mainly in Argentina) fishing (Chiaramonte 1998, Nion 1999, Lucifora et al. 2002). Coastal species are the most important commercial elasmobranchs in the Southwest Atlantic and coastal fishing pressure is intense in this region (Bonfil et. al. 2005). The exposure of its coastal habitat to fisheries and its vulnerable life-history characteristics provide little capacity for recovery.
Captures of C. taurus from Central-North Rio Grande do Sul, southern Brazil have declined dramatically throughout the 1980s and 1990s from a CPUE of 11.7 to 0.3 sharks per 1000 meters of net (Soto 2001) (a decline of approximately 97%). In Rio Grande do Sul C. taurus were fished with gillnets during the 1980s, at which time the species was considered abundant and could be captured in aggregations (Vooren et al. 2005). However there are no records of the species from monitoring of the shore based fishery during the summer of 2003, and the species occurred in only 3 of 43 fishing trips (11 individuals captured in total) by the Passo de Torres gillnet fishery monitored during November-March 2005 (Vooren et al. 2005). Vooren et al. (2005) note that this species is now considered rare in this area and that the scarcity of recent records of neonates is of great concern. Adult C. taurus can still be found inshore along the coast between Tramandaí and Saint Simão (30 to 31°S) (Vooren et al. 2005). Although no information exists on the population size of C. taurus, fishing pressure is intense and continuing within its coastal habitat off southern Brazil. Large aggregations of C. taurus were also systematically wiped out in Santa Catarina state, Brazil, by spear fishermen in the 1970s and 1980s.
In Uruguay, this species has been taken for over 50 years by the artisanal fleet. Captures increased in the late 1970s, mainly in summer, reaching a peak in the mid 1980s. Thereafter there was a continued decline, with catches decreasing from 784 kg per fishing day in 1985 to 32 kg per fishing day in 2001 (A. Domingo pers. obs). Only occasional captures are recorded from 2000 to the present. There are also occasional captures in the trawl net and longline fisheries.
Lucifora (2003) estimated that 889 sharks (CI 95%=625 to 1,140) were captured by anglers during three consecutive summers (1999-2001) in Anegada Bay, Argentina. Out of 175 sharks observed, 153 suffered serious injuries of the internal organs caused by hooks. Crespo and Corcuera (1990) report extensive damage to shark catches in gillnets by marine mammals (sea lions bite out the belly of entangled sharks and eat the liver).
|Conservation Actions:||Further studies of the biology and reproduction of this species in the Southwest Atlantic are needed. This species has been listed as a species threatened with over-exploitation on Annex II of the Brazilian federal law of Threatened and Overexploited Aquatic Species since 2004 (Vooren and Klippel 2005). Also the prohibition of trawl fishing within three nautical miles from the coast of southern Brazil is now being enforced satisfactorily. However, the species is still caught as bycatch in the legally permitted coastal gillnet fisheries and offshore trawl and gillnet fisheries. It is recommended that the species is protected throughout its inshore range along the Southwest Atlantic coast of South America, particularly in areas of critical habitat and areas where the adult population still exists. A management plan is being considered for development for this species in the Bahía San Blas Reserve (Anegada Bay, Argentina).|
|Citation:||Chiaramonte, G., Domingo, A. & Soto, J. 2007. Carcharias taurus (Southwest Atlantic subpopulation). In: IUCN 2012. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2012.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 19 June 2013.|
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The Paleo Diet: Lose Weight and Get Healthy by Eating the Foods You Were Designed to Eatby Loren Cordain
Synopses & Reviews
AT LAST, THE UPDATED EDITION OF THE BESTSELLING DIET BOOK!
"The Paleo Diet helps you lose fat, improve your health, and feel great. Why? Because the Paleo Diet works with your genetics to help you realize your natural birthright of vibrant health and wellness."
—Robb Wolf, author of the bestselling The Paleo Solution
"Loren Cordain's extensive research demonstrates how modern westernized diets drastically depart from the original diet humans consumed for millions of years. In The Paleo Diet and The Paleo Diet Cookbook, Dr. Cordain shows how diets high in grains, dairy, vegetable oils, salt, and refined sugars are at odds with our genetic legacy and then shares his uncomplicated strategy for losing weight and getting healthy."
—Arthur De Vany, Ph.D., author of The New Evolution Diet
Healthy, delicious, and simple, the Paleo Diet is the diet you were designed to eat. If you want to lose weight—up to seventy-five pounds in six months—or if you want to attain optimal health, The Paleo Diet will change your life now. Dr. Loren Cordain, the world's leading expert on Paleolithic nutrition, demonstrates how by eating all the lean meats and fish, fresh fruits, and nonstarchy vegetables you want, you can lose weight and prevent and treat heart disease, cancer, osteoporosis, metabolic syndrome, and many other illnesses. Incorporating all the latest breakthroughs in Paleo nutrition research, this new edition of the bestselling The Paleo Diet includes six weeks of meal plans to get you started on the Paleo path to weight loss, weight control, increased energy, and lifelong health.
Eat for better health and weight loss the Paleo way with this revised edition of the bestselling guide-over 100,000 copies sold to date!
Healthy, delicious, and simple, the Paleo Diet is the diet we were designed to eat. If you want to lose weight-up to 75 pounds in six months-or if you want to attain optimal health, The Paleo Diet will work wonders. Dr. Loren Cordain demonstrates how, by eating your fill of satisfying and delicious lean meats and fish, fresh fruits, snacks, and non-starchy vegetables, you can lose weight and prevent and treat heart disease, cancer, osteoporosis, metabolic syndrome, and many other illnesses.
The Paleo Diet is the only diet proven by nature to fight disease, provide maximum energy, and keep you naturally thin, strong, and active-while enjoying every satisfying and delicious bite.
About the Author
LOREN CORDAIN, Ph.D., is one of the top global researchers in the area of evolutionary medicine. Generally acknowledged as the world's leading expert on the Paleolithic diet, he is a professor in the Health and Exercise Science Department at Colorado State University. Dr. Cordain and his research have been featured on Dateline NBC and in the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, and other media. He is the author of The Paleo Diet and The Paleo Diet Cookbook, among other books, and makes regular media and speaking appearances worldwide.
Table of Contents
Preface to the Revised Edition.
Part One: Understanding the Paleo Diet.
1. Not Just Another Low-Carb Diet.
2. The Ground Rules for the Paleo Diet.
3. How Our Diet Went Wrong and What You Can Do about It.
Part Two: Losing Weight and Preventing and Healing Diseases.
4. Losing Weight the Paleo Diet Way.
5. Metabolic Syndrome: Diseases of Civilization.
6. Food as Medicine: How Paleo Diets Improve Health and Well-Being.
Part Three: The Paleo Diet Program.
7. Eating Great: What to Eat, What to Avoid.
8. The Paleo Diet Users Manual.
9. The Meal Plans for the Three Levels of the Paleo Diet.
10. Paleo Recipes.
11. Paleo Exercise.
12. Living the Paleo Diet.
Appendix A: Acid-Base Values of Common Foods (100-gram portions).
Appendix B: Comparison of the Total Fat in Domestic and Wild Meats.
Appendix C: Practical Implementation of Parts of the Paleo Diet on a Global Scale.
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For-profit colleges boost lending
Some of the nation's biggest for-profit colleges and vocational schools are boosting enrollment in tough times by making more loans directly to cash-strapped students, knowing full well many of them probably won't be able to repay what they borrowed.
The schools still make money because the practice boosts their enrollment and brings in tuition dollars subsidized by the government. But some of these students could end up saddled with high interest rates and loan payments they can't handle, a burden that could damage their credit for years to come.
Among the for-profit colleges that are booming are ITT, Corinthian Colleges and Career Education Corp. They and other such institutions have an estimated 1.2 million U.S. students pursuing degrees in such fields as nursing, computers and the culinary arts.
Many students at these schools get thousands of dollars in tuition grants under various government programs, and take out loans to cover the rest of their costs.
But because the economic meltdown has made it harder for students to get bank loans, several of these schools are increasingly stepping in, financing degrees in the same way a furniture store or used-car dealer might extend credit to customers.
These schools call the practice a lifeline for students who couldn't otherwise afford an education. And in some cases, students may find better terms than they used to get from lenders like Sallie Mae Corp., which have recently cut way back on student loans to high-risk borrowers.
But some experts worry students will get pushed into loans they shouldn't take.
In fact, two publicly owned college chains have set aside roughly half their internal lending amount as a loss reserve -- essentially telling investors they don't expect students to repay more than half of what they borrow.
Another concern: Some companies label such loans consumer financing rather than student loans, which carry particular disclosure requirements. One for-profit school, Colorado-based Westwood College, has been hit with a class-action lawsuit accusing it of fraud and arguing that its lending program violates state banking laws. Westwood charges a relatively high 18 percent interest but doesn't call its lending student loans.
"It's very alarming," said Deanne Loonin, director of the National Consumer Law Center's student loan borrower assistance project. The colleges "can structure the products in all kinds of ways -- things like revolving credit lines, unsecured loans, even secured loans. It's this new thing and we're worried about it."
Westwood, which has been making such loans for eight years, calls the lawsuit unfounded.
Jessica Rosales was 17 when she enrolled at Westwood's Inland Empire campus near Los Angeles. She dropped out after one term and was later told she owed Westwood around $18,000 -- nearly half in interest and collection fees. Rosales said that the school misled her about the source of her aid and that she never signed a loan from the school.
"It's basically been a curse for me," said Rosales, one of four lead plaintiffs suing Westwood. The interest charges have been dropped, but the bill remains on her credit report. She said she gets calls from collection agencies and is having trouble getting a mortgage.
Westwood's Apex loan program, which is used by about 30 percent of its 12,000 students, has no credit requirement, said Bill Ojile, senior vice president of Westwood. He said that terms are clearly disclosed, interest accrues only after the student leaves school, and students are required to exhaust all other options first.
Many for-profits are seeing enrollment surge. New enrollments at ITT are up one-third from a year ago; last month the company forecast profits 50 percent higher than last year. Laid-off workers returning to school and increased government aid have boosted the number of students at many of these places.
Even critics acknowledge many for-profit schools -- also called "proprietary" colleges -- offer convenience and innovation that nonprofit colleges could stand to emulate. They also proudly enroll many low-income students.
But they can also be expensive. Forty-three percent of proprietary college students took out private loans in 2007-08, up from 15 percent in 2003-04, according to an anaysis of federal data by the group Education Sector. Over the same period, the proportion of students at for-profit colleges borrowing at least $40,000 nearly tripled to 30 percent, according to Mark Kantrowitz of the Web site finaid.org.
Those figures are worrisome because, on average, for-profit colleges have lower graduation rates and higher loan default rates than other schools.
Some companies, including Apollo Group, parent company of the giant University of Phoenix, have steered clear of such loans altogether, and the industry calls internal lending a relatively small practice, entered into reluctantly.
"We're not lenders. We're educators," said Harris Miller, president and CEO of the Career College Association, which represents the industry. But "if it's a question of not going to school at all or covering the gap, they cover the gap."
Some students could be better off borrowing from their school than from a third-party lender. Career Education, for instance, says most students in its lending program pay just 8 percent interest, and online students pay none. The company says it has no interest in making students overextend themselves.
So why are Career Education and Corinthian Colleges making loans so risky that they anticipate half won't be collected?
Consider, for example, a school charging $10,000, hoping to enroll a student who has lined up $9,000 in aid from the government and elsewhere. Even if the school loses half of the $1,000 it lends to get the student in the door, it comes out $9,000 ahead.
"For many of these students, if you don't apply these thousand dollars, they're not coming to school," said Jeff Silber, an industry analyst at BMO Capital Markets. "Even if you write off that $500 right away, you're giving up all those other revenues. Financially it still makes sense to do this."
Another incentive is the "90-10" rule, a federal law requiring for-profit colleges to collect at least 10 percent of revenue from sources other than the federal government. That gives for-profit colleges a reason to keep tuition high and offer loans.
According to Securities and Exchange Commission filings and comments to investors, Corinthian plans about $100 million of lending this year. ITT said last month its lending grew significantly last quarter and would total $75 million this year. Career Education said its current balance of $31 million could grow to $50 million by year's end.
Representatives for Carmel, Ind.-based ITT ESI Educational Services and Santa Ana, Calif.-based Corinthian did not respond to requests for comment.
Rosales said she wishes she had listened to her mother, who found Westwood's recruiters pushy and only reluctantly let her daughter attend the school.
"But you're young and you think you know it at all," Rosales said. "And you really don't know anything."
Wednesday, September 02, 2009
For-Profit Colleges: Wall Street Mentality
While Obama and Duncan listen to the hedge fund-backed pro-charter advocates like DFER and the slew of sleazy philanthrocapitalists-backed edupreneurs, some of the explicitly for-profit colleges are borrowing one of the very same strategies that brought Wall Street to its knees: making loans they know cannot be repaid and then charging their cash-strapped students obscene interests rates. One school, Westwood College, is even facing a class-action lawsuit for their lending practices (check out this great website about the scam). Preying on those in search of educational opportunities gives us yet another reason to strictly regulate for-profit enterprises; better yet, this provides yet another compelling reason to offer free education to every citizen of this country. From the Associated Press (with h/t to Danny Weil, author of the great 3 part series on charter schools that recently appeared on Counterpunch).
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The Good Old Days
Tim Clark15 April 2007
The BBC are to revive music hall entertainment with Down at the Old Clapham Grand this month. Tim Clark and Simon Jennings head to Leeds to trace the history of the only surviving music hall in Britain.
Above the clutter of teapots and coffee jars, a hotchpotch of multicoloured lamps glow like odd ends left over from a tupperware party. Aged theatregoers sip tea and swap memories in mock-Edwardian booths. Nineteenth century bill posters and photos of forgotten performers adorn the walls.
We have reached an impasse in an (otherwise genial) conversation about times gone by, here in Leeds' City Varieties music hall. Stern costume-maker Clarice Ernshaw has dressed every comedian to grace the stage in the last 20 years, but insists she will take her backstage secrets to the grave. "As for telling you anything personal no, I can't." She beams proudly.
The Last Music Hall
Dating back to 1865, City Varieties is the last surviving music hall in Britain. While other venues closed in the twenties to give way to more plush, modern theatres, Varieties continued to play host to scores of comedy legends. Clarice's photos of Jimmy Cricket, Ken Dodd, and Jon Inman (dressed as a fairy) are strewn across the table. An eight-year-old Charlie Chaplin danced here with local troupe 'The Lancashire Lads'. And the place is also famous for the BBC show The Good Old Days, which was performed here from 1953 to 1983.
During the swinging sixties, The Good Old Days was a fantasy of Edwardian-era comedy, replete with pinstriped suits, straw boaters, comedy acts using snuff, and doves appearing out of jackets. Played to an audience dressed in almost laughably period costume, it was a BBC dream of music hall theatre that never really existed.
Back in the late 1800s, the theatre was actually more like a working men's club where men came after work in their silks to have a drink and be entertained. "It was basically an alehouse," manager Peter Sandeman explains. "Entry was thrupence and you got in for your drinks." A far cry from the "television manifestation" with its glamorous costumes.
The reconstruction The Good Old Days saw the audience get in for free if they came in period costume but left well out of camera shot if they didn't. People flew in from as far away as Scandinavia to see the TV show, arriving from Oslo on the evening flight with their moustaches in suitcases before speeding to the theatre in chartered coaches. Faux-Edwardian Britain was a hit all over the world: the show even aired in Australia.
Smoke and Mirrors
Like the performance itself, the elaborate décor of this ageing theatre is also a reconstruction. Redecorated during the sixties, all around you is an illusion of a theatre that never actually existed.
Backstage, the threadbare passages retain the character of the coach house this theatre used to be. Cramped performers used to vie for a slot in dressing rooms, all squeezed one on top of the other. The lower a performer was on the bill, the higher they had to climb into the pokey loft to get dressed.
All around the auditorium the layers of peeling paint expose the gloss of previous decades. Caretaker Alan Pickett provides a running commentary as we clamber past dimmed stage lights and along the gantries where he chatted with Roy Hudd. Ken Dodd took an eternity to prepare his act, he says. We clamber round the back of the stage and past the royal box where Prince Edward reputedly ogled at Lily Langtry as she performed back in the thirties. "When he was having his alleged affair the Prince of Wales used to visit incognito, and watch Lily before retiring back to Lord Harewood's house," Pickett chuckles.
Today, the auditorium bears the scars of its illustrious past with its nicotine-stained ceiling and rusty hooks used to carry filming wires from wall to wall.
Volunteers have set up the Friends of the Varieties group to raise funds for a much-needed revamp, to restore the theatre to its former glory. In a new age where scores of comedians perform every night, the dilapidated surroundings are losing their appeal. A modern audience demands more.
The Good Old Days show still runs twice a year, but the likes of Daniel Kitson and Sean Hughes pack the house more regularly. Even those who detest modern comedy and idealise the past cannot ignore the new age of stand-up. "It's crude and vulgar, but it is popular," Clarice says. "We could not keep this theatre going with old-time theatre fifty-two weeks a year. We are well aware of that."
Feature originally written by Tim Clark and Simon Jennings in April 2007
Your rating: None
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What can you do to create a healthier personal environment?
Assess your nest.
Working with a home inspector, public health professional, contractor, or other construction expert as a guide, ask yourself some questions to evaluate your current house or apartment's environmental health:
- Are you free of the "big three?" Radon, mold, and lead are all common home toxins. Radon testing is widely available, and best practices exist in new construction to minimize radon entry into the property. Check for moisture problems that act as hotbeds for mold growth, and look into mold testing if necessary. Finally, lead is present in many older homes' paint and pipes. Call your local public health department for information on testing for and eliminating lead in your home.
- How well-ventilated is your home? While solid construction decreases your home's energy loss, a home that is too airtight can seal in indoor air pollutants. Proper ventilation also helps control moisture and reduce risk of mold and other environmental health concerns. Simple fixes to increase ventilation include installing ceiling fans and operable skylights and windows.
- Does your landscaping contribute to your environmental health? Large lawns traditionally require greater pesticide use, and increase air and noise pollution generated from mowing. Consider planting perennial groundcovers, native foliage, or other low-maintenance landscaping. Even better, landscape with edible plants and devote a portion of your yard to organic vegetable gardening.
Before you rent or begin new construction, consider these additional questions:
- Will your new space support recycling/reuse with storage space for cans, bottles, paper, and other items?
- What is your potential home's proximity to major noisemakers like airports, railroad tracks, or highways?
- What will keep you warm? Although most mainstream commercial insulations are considered safe, check out some healthy alternative insulation, including those made with recycled denim and other cloth, wool, icynene and nanogel.
- How big is your planned home? Small is good. A well-planned home with less square footage uses fewer building and maintenance resources.
Clear the air.
Consider these steps toward improving indoor air quality:
- In your home, radon and mold tend to be the most serious barriers to indoor air quality. Relatively inexpensive tests exist to assess your home's mold and radon levels.
- The United States Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) offers guidelines about common workplace air quality complaints, which usually focus on temperature, humidity, lack of outside air ventilation or smoking. Find out more .
- For employees in farming and industrial fields, on-the-job outdoor air quality is also a concern. Each state has a department of environmental health within its main health department that can advise workers and employers on outdoor air quality regulations. To find your state's health department, visit the Centers for Disease Control site.
- If you smoke, stop. If you live with someone who smokes, insist on a strict outdoor smoking policy. Approximately 3,000 American adults die of lung cancer each year due to secondhand smoke exposure. In young children, secondhand smoke increases the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) and asthma.
Know your H20.
Increase your water quality with these tips:
- The longer water has been sitting in pipes, the more lead it may contain. Run or "flush" your tap for up to two minutes, depending upon how long it's been between uses.
- Since hot water is more likely to contain lead, only drink, cook and make baby formula with cold water.
- The only way to be totally certain about your home's water quality is to have it tested. This is especially important for people in high-rise buildings, where "flushing" the pipes may not be as effective. Your local water supplier, health department or university can offer information about credible testing resources.
- Water filters have been shown to increase purity. Filters can range from simple pitcher-based systems to more elaborate reverse-osmosis home units.
- Remember that bottled water is not necessarily of higher quality than regular tap water. And according to the Natural Resources Defense Council, 60 million plastic bottles a day are manufactured, transported and then disposed of in U.S. landfills, compromising your community's environmental health.
Green your cleaning.
Are your cleaning products messing up your health? While we're far from knowing the health impact of all chemicals used in cleaning agents, you can easily (and very inexpensively) create your own house-healthy cleaners. Some tips:
- Mix either vinegar or baking soda with warm water in a spray bottle, and you've got an effective, all-purpose cleansing agent.
- Bypass commercial air deodorizers, many of which contain formaldehyde. Instead, add cinnamon, essential oils, cloves, or any herbs you like to a pan of boiling water, and let the sweet steam deodorize.
- On laundry day, reach for Borax (sodium borate). This natural mineral acts as a stain-remover, bleach alternative and detergent booster. Baking soda can remove stains and deodorizes, and cornstarch absorbs greasy stains and starches your clothing. Lemon juice can also double for bleach.
- Salt (sodium chloride) is a mild abrasive for cleaning bathrooms and kitchens.
- Consider hiring a "green" cleaning service, or ask your traditional housekeeper to use the methods and products you find healthiest.
Increase your chemical awareness.
While it's impractical to try to have no contact with chemicals, you can reduce your chemical exposure in relatively simple ways:
- Some beauty products contain chemicals that are anything but pretty. For example, nail polish, body lotions, and perfumes often contain phthalates, a controversial substance linked to birth defects in animals and possibly humans. Shampoos that attack dandruff might also play havoc on your health; the active ingredient selenium sulfide is a neurotoxin and possible carcinogen. Hair dyes often have coal tar, another chemical linked to cancer. So read labels, and choose a product that will be as lovely for your health as it is for your appearance.
- Don't create toxic trash. If you're tossing old medications, resist flushing them down the toilet, where they can invade water supplies. Also consider calling your local recycler, many of which accept old cleaning products, paint, oil and other chemicals that create even more treacherous landfills.
- Be sure to air out your garments after a trip to the drycleaners. Dry cleaning employs a chemical called perchloroethylene, which is actually toxic to humans. Some environmentally conscious cleaners use methods that do not contain "perc;" seek them out. Better yet, when possible choose clothing that only requires a trip to your laundry room, not a professional cleaner.
- Be mindful of plastic use. Some plastics contain bisphenol A (BPA), an estrogen-like chemical potentially linked to cancer. Experts also advise against microwaving food in plastic containers; although research is inconclusive, the heating process is thought to release chemicals from the plastic into your food. Reusing plastic bottles is another source of controversy. Some experts think reuse is safe if you carefully wash and dry the bottles between each use, while others feel that wear and tear on the plastic causes toxic chemical leakage. An always-safe alternative is glass. Finally, you can reduce the amount of plastic produced by recycling. Look at the bottom of your plastic container for a number from 1-7. Items labeled 1 or 2 (usually soft drink, jjuice, water, milk, and detergent containers) are eligible for curbside recycling. Numbers higher than 2 are either unrecyclable or require special drop-off at a recycling center.
Reduce the roar.
Decrease sound pollution at home and work with these simple suggestions:
- Employ low-tech solutions like earplugs and heavy curtains to block street noise.
- White noise machines and noise-cancelling headphones also create quiet.
- Double-paned windows reduce outdoor noise, including jet traffic.
- Before you begin new construction projects, communicate with your architect and/or contractor about noise reduction options. Some building materials and methods offer greater sound absorption or masking than others.
- When you are engaged in construction projects, or if you work in construction or another noisy trade, always wear hearing protection on the job.
- Be mindful about your personal noise production. For example, are you really watching your television, or is it simply on as "background noise?" Could you use a push mower instead of a power model, a shovel rather than a snow blower? Could you bike instead of drive? Select "vibrate" rather than the latest ringtone? Even small actions increase the peace.
Raise your EMF awareness.
It is important to note that research on EMF exposure is ongoing. But these easy actions just might improve your wellbeing:
- When possible, use a land line rather than your cell phone.
- Use a hands free device or speaker phone function if using a cell phone.
- Do not stand directly in front of your microwave oven while it's in use, or simply use your conventional oven.
- Limit your computer time.
- Use manual versions of personal care tools: an old-fashioned toothbrush rather than an electric model, or a razor instead of an electric shaver.
- Don't sleep under an electric blanket.
- Sit several feet from your television screen.
Enjoy local and organic foods.
The foods you choose not only impact your health from a nutritional standpoint, but from an environmental angle as well. Think about these fast facts:
- Eating locally grown produce means less transportation is required to get that apple from the tree to your table. This translates to reduced air and noise pollution in your community.
- Organic farming doesn't employ the pesticides often used in non-organic methods. That means that eating organic produce may reduce your ingestion of chemicals, and that pesticides will not leach into local water supplies. Joining a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) food plan might "cleanse" your diet and help your water supply.
- Research indicates that raising livestock increases greenhouse gas emissions, pollutes water supplies, and contributes to land degradation and deforestation. Food for thought next time you're choosing between a steak and a salad. | <urn:uuid:b14cf72c-25cd-4f12-b45a-f2431b43201b> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.takingcharge.csh.umn.edu/print/770?quicktabs_2=1 | 2013-06-19T12:41:28Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708766848/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125246-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.926708 | 2,149 |
`I am not Chicken Little,` Sharpe says, but somebody better listen to him
About 25 years ago, James Sharpe stepped out into the street and was run over by a vegetable truck. That really ticked him off. Nobody runs over James Charles Sharpe Jr., doggone it.
Sharpe was so ticked off that he got up and walked over to the truck, where the driver was staring at him like he saw a ghost. If the poor man had run over anybody but Jim Sharpe, it probably would have been a ghost. But Jim wasn`t ready to go to the other side just yet, and Jim doesn`t do much of anything until he`s ready. At least that`s what he thought.
``Are you all right?`` the man asked, his voice probably a few registers higher than usual.
``Of course I`m al ...``
Mighty Jim Sharpe was down for the count. Passed out. Cold. Next thing he saw was the inside of an emergency room. His father was standing next to the bed. A little later, after his son was feeling better, the elder Sharpe reminded his son about something he had said less than 24 hours before he`d been run over. Jim Sharpe had made noises about feeling like he wanted to kill a man just because the man stepped on his foot. Nobody steps on the foot of James Charles Sharpe Jr., doggone it.
Now here he was in an emergency room. Could have been dead. Some folks might even say that, as a mere mortal, he probably should have been. That should tell you something about James Charles Sharpe Jr. Something it doesn`t tell you is how much that experience humbled him.
It also doesn`t tell you that Sharpe now has the HIV virus.
On Feb. 1, in this space, the story was told about how Sharpe may well be the first person in the country known to have contracted the HIV virus through improperly sterilized dental equipment. Sharpe remains convinced that the only way he could have possibly tested HIV positive in February 1990 was because of the dentist he visited about eight months earlier in Springfield Mass. Dr. Andrew Villanueva, Sharpe`s primary physician at the Lahey Clinic in Boston, is positive that his patient ``has no other risk factors`` to explain how he ended up HIV positive.
To say that this has been yet another humbling experience would be somewhat of an understatement. What it has been is an enraging experience, the type of experience that is hard to describe to someone who hasn`t been there.
For two years, Sharpe and his wife, Jeanne, sat on their anguish. They didn`t want to go public because of what the publicity could do to their family of 10 children and 13 grandchildren. Number 14 is on the way. Jim says he was also discouraged from going public because his story could ``panic`` people.
So Jim tried to fight the battle under the pseudonym of James Doe. He wrote a letter to the Centers for Disease Control on March 13, 1991, telling about his case. He instructed that any communications to him be made through Dr. Alfred DeMaria, assistant commissioner of the Public Health Department in Boston. On May 2, he received a response from David M. Bell M.D., Chief, AIDS Activity, Hospital Infections Program, Center for Infectious Diseases.
``Dear Mr. Doe: Thank-you for your letter to Dr. Roper regarding health care workers infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and the transmission of the virus during invasive medical and dental procedures. ... Be assured that we are carefully considering all comments, including yours, received on this issue.``
In January of this year, when CDC spokesman Kent Taylor was asked whether it is theoretically possible for HIV to be transmitted from one dental patient to another through improperly sterilized dental equipment, Taylor responded, ``We`re not aware for sure that this has ever happened.``
Nobody listened to John Doe. They better listen to James Sharpe.
At a Wednesday press conference, Sharpe broke his silence of anonymity once again, this time allowing his face to be shown beside his name. He is speaking out because he refuses to believe his story will panic the American public into a wild-eyed frenzy. Americans have more sense than that, he is certain.
Enough sense to want to know the truth about the danger many of them face each time they go to the dentist unless that dentist is willing to autoclave -- heat-sterilize -- the drill handpiece after each use. Only an estimated 10 percent to 15 percent of all dentists autoclave between each use. Most of them wipe their equipment off with disinfectant. Not good enough.
Heat sterilization is essential, according to a study by Dr. David Lewis published in this month`s Journal of Clinical Microbiology, because the handpiece can suck in blood and tissue from one dental patient`s mouth and deposit it into the next patient`s mouth.
You guessed it: The HIV virus can be deposited right along with the rest of the debris, which is probably what happened to Jim Sharpe -- and may even be what happened to Kimberly Bergalis.
When Dr. Lewis first published his initial findings last August, his colleagues were skeptical, to say the least. None of them had ever heard of Jim Sharpe, and even if they had met him they may still have had questions since one man doesn`t equal an epidemic. Seems you always have to have a crisis before anyone takes you seriously these days.
``I am not Chicken Little running around saying the sky is falling,`` says Sharpe. He just wants someone to listen to him. And then to act.
Somebody better listen to Jim Sharpe. | <urn:uuid:7755608e-316a-4ed1-98ff-1805d2f0e4e4> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/1992-02-22/news/9201100021_1_hiv-virus-emergency-room-james-sharpe | 2013-05-20T02:32:21Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698207393/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095647-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.982653 | 1,203 |
Discussion in 'Strategy games - Strategy and Tactics' started by Anabanana, Dec 1, 2012.
Later has come!
(this makes my... 3rd request LP. I am a slave to the people!)
Clearly we were wrong and ZeldaxXavert isn't OTP, ZeldaXFactory is.
That's not a sentence I thought I'd ever need.
Of course that's the fun answer. The less fun answer is if they don't make it a scavenger hunt they get flooded with the survivors and then NOBODY will survive because let's face it, it would become a free for all over who gets the remaining seats for lift off, which leads to people panicking, which leads to attracting zombies and then the pilots will try to lift off to save their own asses only to get mauled by panicking survivors thus crashing the 'copter and we all die anyway.
The warehouse sounds good.
On the other hand who likes scavenger hunts better than little children? Little girls.
The warehouse it is! Will we make it in time? Will it have THE rescue clue we need? Find out in the next instalment of Let's Fail Zafehouse: Diaries!
I maintain we all play the game it's MEANT to be played. Attack trolleys, toss furniture, taking Andrew's painkillers until he flips...
We're currently heading to the warehouse in the upper right corner, with two hours on the clock remaining. The only way we can win at the moment is if we (1) reach the warehouse in time, and (2) the warehouse is the rescue point.
Kaneda, please confirm that you still want to participate and get your character profiles ready to post, because win or lose, the next update will be this group's last.
It's been a good run, comrades.
Confirming my interest!
The excitement, I cannot bear it!
Do you even need to ask?
My body profile is ready, I'll post it after the next and last update.
I'm still in! Just give me a bit and I'll dig out a photo for him.
Money: Poor (He spends a fortune buying new coattails when he burns them!)
Education: Uneducated (Bastard children born at prisons should count themselves lucky if they learn how to read)
Orientation: Straight (Assuming Justitia is female and discounting the slash fandom at large)
Ancestry: European (French and proud of it. To everybody's eventual detriment)
Special trait: Resilient (Unless currently reevaluating his entire life's foundation)
Age: 52 (1780-1832)
It is 7:00 am. One hour left. We are on our way to the warehouse.
Just in case you're interested, there are 27 buildings on this map, but only 1 rescue point. A few seconds on the calculator reveals that the probability of the warehouse being the rescue point is 0.037.
In other words, you are:
Confirming my interest. I'll get something up momentarily.
DON'T LEAVE US IN SUSPENSE!!
EDIT: Can we get back on the list for another go at some point?
I really hope so! Some of the team set-ups for repeats would be hilarious XD
It's 9:00 am. We're at the warehouse.
The sound of the chopper is deafening. Is it the rescue point? Have we won? Have we lost?!
The answer is...
Well there may be an opening on the original team since Oscar has vanished...
I just had a blast at thisBreakdown may or may not want to somehow survive with Knock Out there >.>
Also, may I glee over how the ALIEN METAL ROBOT didn't get injured at all :3
YOU ARE EVIL. EVIL. EVIL. WHAT IS THE ANSWER.
YES! TELL US! I HAVE THE PERFECT FAIL PICTURE TO USE
You may even win. Stranger things have happened.
Who am I kidding, you're so doomed~
Congratulations! Due to your utter incompetence at this game, you have all unlocked the trophy of Sloth!
(I'm kidding; there aren't any achievements in this game, but still.) Because you kept lazing about doing unnecessary things instead of breaching at every opportunity, you have lost the game!
Here, have your game statistics, losers.
And surprise, surprise,
Umazes is the least useful survivor. (Yes, I am summoning her from the dead so we can all mock her one last time.)
(Honestly, I'm just glad that I managed to finish at least one run without the save file blowing up in my face. It was fun playing with you all, and please feel free to sign up for another run if you want to keep playing. That goes for you too, Umazes. *thumbs up*)
Sign me up for another go :D
EDIT: I fail so hard. Posted the wrong image. FIXED
None of you will ever experience the glory of defeating the Zombie King by having a gay robot bash his head in with a baseball bat.
Well, at least you all survived until almost the end! Well, almost all of you.
Dumb muscle is best muscle.
A spiked baseball bat.
That really was a fantastic place to end that run.
Why is meals cooked 6 but meals eaten is 0? Did they cook them and just let them sit around?
Huh, the stats are lying. The survivors have been eating meals and snacks throughout the game, but both stats for them are 0. Weird.
To distract the zombies with delicious full course meals, obviously :D
This is an evil, evil game and helicopter pilotes clearly do detest the middle class robots.
Finished the portrait? >_>
(Ignore for a moment being this is grabbed from Stars he's closer to his mid-forties than the age I gave him in the profile)
Philip Quast is Best Javert. I approve.
It was that or the book image and given I could straight screencap this off my own DVD, it wasn't a hard choice.
And he's more Javert than the book Javert anyway. He's the one.
The first group will be up for another round eventually, you know? If one of them isn't interested in playing anymore (Tionivo, for example, seems to have gotten eaten by zombies), I'll totally give Breakdown a slot in there together with Knockout, if that's okay with you. :D
Also, just FYI, I've been updating the first post periodically with links to all the runs, so you can always check it if you need info or stats or whatever. Right now it looks like this:
I checked that first post religiously to try not to fuck up writing occupation and profiles too badly. I am really not very good at this sort of thing and bios make me anxious.
I see what has been done here.
I know I'm not playing for this round, but if anyone is still thinking of a character, can I suggest the following:
Name: Michael Wilson
Career: President of the GREAT UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Special Trait: Strong
President of the GREAT UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Conventional > Enterprising > Social
If anyone is wondering who the hell he is. He's uh, well, this guy:
Because a heart that loves JUSTICE is the heart that loves AMERICA.
YGOTAS is love.
This is perfectly acceptable~
For many reasons ---->
Separate names with a comma. | <urn:uuid:89db8435-2054-4b08-b518-011842e3721c> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://brokenforum.com/index.php?threads/lets-survive-zafehouse-diaries.4217/page-36 | 2013-05-20T02:31:40Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698207393/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095647-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.946784 | 1,614 |
Terms & Conditions
In these conditions 'we, us or our' means Sussex Cruise Club. 'You' and 'your' means each and every person named on the booking form. 'Principal/Supplier' means anybody other than us that is responsible for providing services to you, for example, an ATOL Operator, tour operator, cruise holiday company, insurance company, car hire company, flight or hotel wholesaler. "ATOL Operator" means a tour or cruise operator that is licensed by ATOL. "ATOL" is a protection scheme for flights and air holidays, managed by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). Sussex Cruise Club is a trading name of the Woods Travel Group. We recommend you read the details below as you are bound by them.
The information contained in this website is for general information purposes only. The information is provided by the Sussex Cruise Club and whilst we endeavour to keep the information up-to-date and correct, we make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability or availability with respect to the website or the information, products, services, or related graphics contained on the website for any purpose. Any reliance you place on such information is therefore strictly at your own risk.
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We act as an agent for principals/suppliers. This means that we obtain bookings for and on behalf of principals/suppliers. All bookings are subject to the relevant principals'/suppliers' terms and conditions. Details of the principals'/suppliers' terms and conditions are provided in their current published brochure or can be found on their website. A binding contract will be formed between you and the relevant supplier on the earlier of payment of the required deposit or once written confirmation of booking has been issued. It is your responsibility to read and understand the principals'/suppliers' terms and conditions and request further clarification when you make a booking if necessary.
It is your responsibility to check that details stated on booking forms, confirmations or (if earlier) invoices received are correct and inform us of any inaccuracies as soon as possible any changes to these details. We shall not be liable for any incorrect bookings where we have not been notified of any errors within the requisite time period. All names provided must be the same as in the relevant passports. Please note that we are only the agent for the principal/supplier.
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4. Cruise Line Discount Vouchers
Any discount letter or voucher received by you from a principal/supplier as a result of a complaint by you can be used when booking to reduce the principals'/suppliers' full price only. When discount letters or vouchers are used to make bookings through us they do not further reduce our discounted price, unless advised by us, instead we will apply our discount to the reduced principals'/suppliers' price.
5. If You Change or Cancel Your Booking
Amendment to or cancellation of your booking may result in additional charges in accordance with the principals'/suppliers' booking conditions. We do not charge for cancellations but if you make several requests to amend the same booking you will be asked to pay an administration charge and any further cost we incur in making such further amendments or cancellation.
Any amendment or cancellation of any booking must be confirmed in writing to us. You should contact us as soon as possible. Our administration costs could increase the closer to the departure that changes are made.
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We will only be liable to you for our own negligence or breach of our obligations. We are not liable for the acts and omissions of principals/suppliers and we shall not be liable for any loss of profit, business related or indirect losses suffered by you. Any disputes shall be subject to English law and the jurisdiction of English courts.
8. Liability - Visa Requirements
Any information given by us or our staff to you as to the visa requirements for British and non-British Citizens is given for general guidance only and forms no part of the contract between us and is followed or acted upon entirely at your own risk. You should always confirm any information with the relevant Embassy or Consulate. We shall not be liable for any such advice or recommendation.
It is your responsibility to ensure that you have a valid and up to date passport for your holiday as we cannot be held responsible for any problems arising from incorrect documentation. Many countries require passports to be valid for at least six months after your return date. Please make sure you check the validity for each destination you are travelling to, we will not be held responsible for any mistakes made with insufficient documentation.
10. Your Duties
You must inform us prior to booking of any medical problem or disability that could affect your ability to complete your travel arrangements.
We are committed to protecting your information and for keeping your account details private. When you make a booking you consent to your information being passed on to principals/suppliers and to other credit checking companies or as required by law. In addition where you have consented to us doing so, we will add your details to our customer database, for our own marketing purposes. You may therefore receive statements and information relating to our services and any offers that we believe will be of interest to you. You can choose to no longer receive these by contacting us.
As the contract for your travel arrangements is between you and the principals/suppliers, any queries or concerns that you may have relating to the travel arrangements should be addressed to them. If you encounter a problem whilst on holiday, this must be reported to the principal/supplier or their local agent immediately. If you fail to do this there will be less opportunity to investigate and rectify your complaint. If you wish to complain when you return home, you should write to the principal/supplier as soon as you return or at least within 28 days. You will find the name and address plus contact details in your travel documents. We will of course provide assistance with this if you wish. If the matter cannot be resolved and it involves us or another ABTA member then it can be referred to the arbitration scheme arranged by ABTA, see www.abta.com
We are members of ABTA (D0685 & V8552). This means that any money you pay to us for bookings is protected under the bonding arrangements that we have with this organisation or otherwise held in trust if we become insolvent. ABTA also provide an arbitration service for you or us if you have booked a package through us.
|Terms and conditions apply to all bookings created from 01/11/10 until further notice.| | <urn:uuid:f47587c2-b38e-43d5-8887-3da45e689c34> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://sussex-cruiseclub.co.uk/terms | 2013-05-20T02:23:10Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698207393/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095647-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.942706 | 1,821 |
The Bottom Whisperer: Freak Like Me
Greeting fandome! Hope everyone is having an awesome week. Happy hump day! Follow me on facebook and twitter if you aren’t already. If you’re lucky I might go all Chris Brown and tweet pictures of my junk (not really).
Check out last week’s column just in case you missed it.
Dear Bottom Whisperer,
I recently came out of the closet after being away at college for my sophomore year. I made friends at school who helped make my coming out experience really great. My family has also been very supportive since I came out to them. I recently went on a few dates with a guy from one of my classes. On our third date we went back to his place and got it on. Once we got down to our underwear and were making out on his bed he stopped for a second and with a kinda embarrassed look said to me “I just want you to have a heads up so you aren’t disappointed, I am not very hung. Don’t worry tho, I am totally cool just being the bottom sexually.” This really took me off guard and kinda killed the mood. We made out some more but then I told him I had to head home.
I feel weird now because we had a nice time together. So many things are going through my head. Do less hung guys have to be the bottom? If I’m not hung do I have to apologize to the guy I’m with? This whole situation just kinda blew my mind. I feel awkward around him now and I think he is into me and wants to keep seeing each other.
Trying Out Playing Sorry
There is no gay rulebook, and if there were, it would not have a rule that you have to apologize if your member isn’t “above average”. This guy clearly has some insecurity about what he’s packing downstairs, not your issue to deal with/take on/worry about. There are plenty of guys out there who are average and not hung who are tops. Your old pal The Bottom Whisperer can vouch that there are some bottom boys out there packing some serious heat downstairs. Unless you run your sex life like a communist work program, people should be welcome to do whatever they want (within reason) in the bedroom. Not every hung guy wants to be a big old top daddy, not every average guy wants to bite the pillow.
Good on you for seeing how ridiculous this way of thinking is. I hope your dinner friend can have a similar moment of clarity. Yes there are people who fetishize hung guys, just like there are people who fetishize certain body types, ethnicity, body modification, etc. Don’t allow yourself to be put into a box because of your physical features. Never apologize for being the way that you are (unless it’s drunk and you just spilled on a really nice piece of furniture) and feel good about you! If you want to top, bottom, both, neither, in a car, in a bar, with a star…. Go for it. There are no rules, besides rules are just there to be broken. Happy humping!
Dear Bottom Whisperer,
I’m a twenty-something, educated, professional gay man living on the West Coast. I have been seeing a guy romantically for a couple of months now. We really enjoy each other and are about at the point where we should discuss seeing each other exclusively. But there is one thing that has been weighing heavily on my conscience as of late. My awesome gentleman-friend is very close to his ex-boyfriend. Normally this wouldn’t be an issue for me but it is pretty obvious that his ex still has some serious feelings for him. I don’t bring it up because I don’t want to let it affect what we have going on. I will say that I have caught his ex meddling in our affairs a couple of times such as checking up on me with mutual friends. I can’t help but think this is part of a much greater plan to get me out of the picture and get back with him. I’m not an insecure person but this is bothering me and I am looking for a way of resolving it while also keeping this great thing going with my beau. Advice please?
Shouldn’t Consider Reciprocating Alleged Manipulation
Thanks for the great question! You say that you don’t want the influence of a shady ex to interrupt or affect what you have going on. I’m sorry to be the bearer of bad news but it already is. I think it is great that you haven’t flipped and asked your man-friend what is up or to pick one of you, because that would just make you look bad. It is possible your guy is a bit of an attention whore and loves having 2 hot guys pine after him, he could also be completely clueless. Either way, don’t let this guy’s actions sweat you because he is just trying to get a reaction out of you, and if you give it to him, you give him the keys to the Porsche. He will know he can get a stir out of you and then it is game over.
Now if he continues and even becomes more brazen with his attempts to manipulate you or your guy, you’re gonna have to put the ball in your man’s court. A simple “Maybe we should take a break so you can work through some of the stuff you have hanging around from your ex.” Should do the trick. If he likes you he will get the picture. By allowing his ex to meddle with your business you are not setting healthy boundaries with your new guy. These situations happen quite a bit and it is very difficult as the new person in the dynamic to come out of it looking like a class act. Most people wanna get all Jerry Springer and start a screaming match. Don’t stoop so low. If this guy is a good fit and meant to be, he needs to reel it in and get his ex in check. I’d even advise you to save that conversation about being exclusive until that very thing happens. Best of luck! | <urn:uuid:8e3a7737-664c-4f8c-a681-3ee7bc9d5445> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://unicornbooty.com/blog/2012/07/18/the-bottom-whisperer-freak-like-me/ | 2013-05-20T02:40:38Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698207393/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095647-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.974476 | 1,308 |
Commuting - Commuting and Marathon training
Bikeforums.net is a forum about nothing but bikes. Our community can help you find information about hard-to-find and localized information like bicycle tours, specialties like where in your area to have your recumbent bike serviced, or what are the best bicycle tires and seats for the activities you use your bike for.
Is anyone out there a commuter and training for a distance event like a marathon? I just started training for a couple fall marathons and my legs feel absolutely dead on the long runs on the weekend.
I have done a couple marathons and countless halfs so I know I can do the distance, but I have never trained for them while commuting.
My current plan has me running before work (longest run during the week is about 6 miles for now) 4 days a week. Weekend has a long run on Saturday and a mid-length run on Sunday. I typically commute 4 days a week, 22miles round trip and I think that is just wearing me out.
I am thinking I may need to change up and take fridays completely off and maybe just bike commute Mon-Wed or maybe even just Mon-Tues to get my legs back under me.
I am. I have a short (10 km round trip) commute that I pretty much treat as if I don't do it. My normal schedule is: Monday off, Tuesday - one hour run hard, Wednesday 30 km cycle (on top of the commute), Thursday one hour run easy, Friday one hour run easy, Saturday 20 km easy cycle plus 1 mile swim, Sunday 2 or 3 hour run or cycle (2 and 3 hours on alternate weeks). In the winter I drop the Wednesday cycle and replace it with another one hour run.
I usually do two marathons and an olympic distance tri each year (tri was yesterday) plus some other long event (2 week bicycle tour, 64 km run, back to back centuries have been the most recent). The commute, which I started about 6 months ago) doesn't seem to have affected the training. If I had a longer commute I think I would alternate longer and shorter training sessions (every second day I would only train for half an hour in addition to the commute).
All my weekday training is done after my commute and I don't worry too much if I miss a day every two weeks or so. The last marathon I ran was after a week of moving furniture to a new house that completely screwed my normal taper before the run and I still managed my normal time (3:45 ish).
I'd say, if you feel like you need the rest, take it. My worst marathon time ever was after over training.
08-05-08, 08:12 AM
Yeah, I'm training for my first marathon (in November). I have a short commute though (around 7 miles round trip), but I treat it like a time trial most days. As I ramp up my running, I think I'll be taking it easier on the commute :)
Is your commute very hilly? You could always just take it much easier on rest days. There are a lot of benefits to taking a leisurely ride on rest days actually.
You may find this video interesting. Keep in mind it's not an instant solution and it takes some serious backbone to maintain your running cadence for any period of time on these. Also, while the guy says stationary bike work, there's no reason you can't do the same high cadence work during your commutes.
I commute while I train for triathlons. I'm not super-competitve but I do compete well in my age group. I missed 3rd place in my last tri because I had to fix a flat tire and I placed 2nd in the one before that. I use my commute for my bike training on bike days and when I've got a run work-out scheduled, I just take it super easy on the commute. Swim training along with bike commuting hasn't been too much of a problem.
Marathons? **** that ****. Train for double-centuries.
08-05-08, 10:17 AM
I ran Grandma's Marathon this year, and am training for IM Wisconsin next month.
I commute 20-22 miles round-trip 5-days a week to work. I often run after I bike home, and do my long runs on the weekends.
I take it easy on the ride in to work, and push it a little on the ride home. It's worked out well for me so far.
i've trained for a half marathon while commuting ... but i take my bike commute pretty easy; i don't crank it too hard so i still have energy (and muscle strength) to do my runs while training. i did my longer runs on weekends.
now my job sucks up too much of my energy and it's the best i can do just to get on a bike and ride the 8 miles each way. :)
08-05-08, 04:04 PM
solution? Run to work?
08-05-08, 04:08 PM
If you're feeling worn out when you start your long run you're either over-trained, tired or not allowing yourself enough time to recover. I think you're being smart and addressing this problem now before it becomes an issue. I'd cut the Friday commute at the least and make sure you get plenty of sleep Thu/Fri night, at least 8 hours both nights to make sure your long runs go well. It's the foundation of marathon training after all.
My commute is only 4 miles so I would often run home. I had one route that was an even 10K.
oh yeah, and i'd be remiss not to caution against adding too much too soon. i'm sure you know this already, but injury can take you out from both the biking and the running. :) build up your base gradually and try not to increase your running mileage by more than 10% each week, whether you're biking or not. :)
08-05-08, 09:48 PM
Do you have a good place to lock up your bike at work, that you wouldn't mind leaving your bike at overnight? You could always try riding to work, then running home, and then running to work the next day, and riding back home again. I've never trained for a marathon though, so I have no idea if that's even a good idea, just thought I'd throw it out there.
Thanks for the replys. I took it easy last week and only biked to work once and the runs this weekend were much better. I think I am going to cut down to just Mon-Wed biking, since that is where my shortest runs of the week are.
I do triathlons (mostly sprint) and duathlons too, so during that season commuting is great, but this longer distance is a little tougher on the body.
Unfortunately, work is about 11 miles so running that doesn't really fit in with the training plan, and I am a little anal when it comes to following the plan that worked so well in my 1st marathon. All in all, I am just going to have to listen to my body and take a break when I need it.
08-11-08, 09:05 AM
Usually run one every fall. Was scheduled this fall to do NYC and Phili three weeks later but a month of pneumonia has killed both.
There really isn't enough info to answer your question.
Are you training in cycles? 3 weeks on, 1 week recoup/rest? Are you doing speedwork? Basemileage? Weekly mileage? Days per week? Are you eating within 30 mins after your runs? Are you increasing your weekly mileage more than 10% a week?
You sound like you're overtraining. Have you been taking your resting HR? Take it every morning and chart it. A climbing resting HR or BP is classic symptom of overtraining.
If your rides are at low intensity the rides can serve to speed recovery. If you're riding 5/days/week, I would not run more than 5 days, and at least one of those should be a complete and total rest day. Right now it looks like you're either running or riding every day. That's not good. I would suggest moving your long run to Sundays and taking Mon off from running. Use your commute as a recovery day. Cycling is excellent for recovery as it moves blood and fluid around without the impact and stress. With a 10 mile commute each way and only a couple of marathons under your belt, I would suggest caping your weekly base mileage (excluding the long run) at 20 miles/4 days a week.
I would also strongly suggest you look into L-glutamine. I'm not one to use or pedal supplements, but this stuff which I tried begrudgingly is a magic bullet. Taken after training it nearly eliminated soreness and vastly improved muscle recovery.
M no run & bike commute for recovery
T easy run & bike commute
W easy run & bike commute
T hard run & bike commute
F easy run & bike commute
S rest day
S long run day
08-11-08, 01:50 PM
I've done one full marathon and several halfs. I started bike commuting in March of this year, 4.5 miles each way. I was able to keep running okay, it just took a while to adjust.
But my office just changed locations, and I now have a 6.5 mile commute each way, with a couple of good-sized hills (uphill on the way home). No way I can get back up to marathon-level mileage after doing that (I normally do marathon training in January-May or June).
What I'm going to try doing is run to work once a week. Bring 2 days of clothes with me on my bike on Tuesday and then run to work on Wednesday, and try that for a while. If it goes okay, I'll up it to twice a week, or Tuesdays and Thursdays, during marathon training, and possibly add some mileage on the way home on Thursdays late in the training. Long runs on weekends.
So far, this is just an idea. Our office is moving on 8/13, and I'll just ride my bike for a couple of weeks before I try running the route. I don't plan on running all the way home the first week I try this. Or the second. Or the third... (If I'm still trying this by then...)
08-11-08, 01:53 PM
P.S. Bike commuting is what blew me out of the full marathon last spring... I got my first bike, and rode it so much I got tendinitis. Took 12 days out of my marathon training in the middle of my schedule. Knocked me back far enough that I had to settle for the half. I did come back and do a decent job of that, though. Good times... Just got overenthusiastic when I got the bike.
08-11-08, 02:37 PM
To do well in a marathon, three runs each week are essential - a long, slow one to get you used to the distance gradually increasing the milage each week up to 18-20 miles at the end, and two mid distance with speedwork. The other 3 or 4 days are for keeping your endurance base up to you can tolerate the speed and the long day, and these can be slow and easy. Instead of running some of these, consider your commute as doing that.
If you can leave your bike at work overnight safely, ride in and run home. You'll need to be careful though and wait since 6 is now your long. But once you get built up, 11 miles is a good distance for marathon training - a mile or 2 warm up, 4X1 mile intervals with a mile recovery in between, and a mile or so cool down.
One thing you're doing that keeps your running from being sharp is a mid length day immediately after your long one. Running long really beats up your legs so I found 5 miles at most the day after is enough. Or just do a bike ride instead.
Keep us posted on how you are doing.
08-11-08, 04:59 PM
When I first got into marathoning, it was an offshoot of triathlon training, so needless to say I was biking and running a lot at the same time. After a long ride I was less tired than after a long run, so I always took my recuperate/cross training day after the long run. My recuperative day was really easy; some combination of a 1-2 mile jog, 2 miles of walking, leisurely bike ride, beer and wings, and/or weight training. I pretty much never did a run of any substance after a long run.
I also found that a quick transition from bike to running was best for me, so I would run immediately after biking (maybe you should trying running when you get home from work?). I would usually eat something during my ride (a cliff bar, pb & j sandwich, apple or something) so that I would have energy for the run to follow.
I liked Hal Higdon's training programs, http://www.halhigdon.com/marathon/inter2.html
and have followed those during the several times I've done marathon training.
I'm glad to see so many people, like me, both run and bike. It's a great way to stay healthy! Personally, I look at my bike as a benefit to my running. More running (so long as the increase is gradual) generally makes for better performance. But, once you get the miles up pretty high, overuse injuries become a worry (though not as much of a worry as a lot of non-runners seem to think). The bicycle is a great way to throw in some cross training, working different muscles, and with a low impact exercise.
Powered by vBulletin® Version 4.1.12 Copyright © 2013 vBulletin Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved. | <urn:uuid:a7e0eff0-3634-46c1-a4ba-45b272d97c7d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.bikeforums.net/archive/index.php/t-449859.html | 2013-05-20T02:08:28Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698207393/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095647-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.969642 | 2,957 |
Certain national infrastructures are so vital that their incapacity or destruction would have a debilitating impact on the defense or economic security of the United States. These critical infrastructures include telecommunications, electrical power systems, gas and oil storage and transportation, banking and finance, transportation, water supply systems, emergency services (including medical, police, fire, and rescue), and continuity of government. Threats to these critical infrastructures fall into two categories: physical threats to tangible property ("physical threats"), and threats of electronic, radio-frequency, or computer-based attacks on the information or communications components that control critical infrastructures ("cyber threats"). Because many of these critical infrastructures are owned and operated by the private sector, it is essential that the government and private sector work together to develop a strategy for protecting them and assuring their continued operation.
NOW, THEREFORE, by the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered as follows:
Section 1. Establishment. There is hereby established the President's Commission on Critical Infrastructure Protection ("Commission").
(a) Chair. A qualified individual from outside the Federal Government shall be appointed by the President to serve as Chair of the Commission. The Commission Chair shall be employed on a full-time basis.
(b) Members. The head of each of the following executive branch departments and agencies shall nominate not more than two full-time members of the Commission:
One of the nominees of each agency may be an individual from outside the Federal Government who shall be employed by the agency on a full-time basis. Each nominee must be approved by the Steering Committee.
Sec. 2. The Principals Committee. The Commission shall report to the President through a Principals Committee ("Principals Committee"), which shall review any reports or recommendations before submission to the President. The Principals Committee shall comprise the:
Sec. 3. The Steering Committee of the President's Commission on Critical Infrastructure Protection. A Steering Committee ("Steering Committee") shall oversee the work of the Commission on behalf of the Principals Committee. The Steering Committee shall comprise four members appointed by the President. One of the members shall be the Chair of the Commission and one shall be an employee of the Executive Office of the President. The Steering Committee will receive regular reports on the progress of the Commission's work and approve the submission of reports to the Principals Committee.
Sec. 4. Mission. The Commission shall: (a) within 30 days of this order, produce a statement of its mission objectives, which will elaborate the general objectives set forth in this order, and a detailed schedule for addressing each mission objective, for approval by the Steering Committee;
(b) identify and consult with: (i) elements of the public and private sectors that conduct, support, or contribute to infrastructure assurance; (ii) owners and operators of the critical infrastructures; and (iii) other elements of the public and private sectors, including the Congress, that have an interest in critical infrastructure assurance issues and that may have differing perspectives on these issues;
(c) assess the scope and nature of the vulnerabilities of, and threats to, critical infrastructures;
(d) determine what legal and policy issues are raised by efforts to protect critical infrastructures and assess how these issues should be addressed;
(e) recommend a comprehensive national policy and implementation strategy for protecting critical infrastructures from physical and cyber threats and assuring their continued operation;
(f) propose any statutory or regulatory changes necessary to effect its recommendations; and
(g) produce reports and recommendations to the Steering Committee as they become available; it shall not limit itself to producing one final report.
Sec. 5. Advisory Committee to the President's Commission on Critical Infrastructure Protection. (a) The Commission shall receive advice from an advisory committee ("Advisory Committee") composed of no more than ten individuals appointed by the President from the private sector who are knowledgeable about critical infrastructures. The Advisory Committee shall advise the Commission on the subjects of the Commission's mission in whatever manner the Advisory Committee, the Commission Chair, and the Steering Committee deem appropriate.
(b) A Chair shall be designated by the President from among the members of the Advisory Committee.
(c) The Advisory Committee shall be established in compliance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act, as amended (5 U.S.C. App.). The Department of Defense shall perform the functions of the President under the Federal Advisory Committee Act for the Advisory Committee, except that of reporting to the Congress, in accordance with the guidelines and procedures established by the Administrator of General Services.
Sec. 6. Administration. (a) All executive departments and agencies shall cooperate with the Commission and provide such assistance, information, and advice to the Commission as it may request, to the extent permitted by law.
(b) The Commission and the Advisory Committee may hold open and closed hearings, conduct inquiries, and establish subcommittees, as necessary.
(c) Members of the Advisory Committee shall serve without compensation for their work on the Advisory Committee. While engaged in the work of the Advisory Committee, members may be allowed travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, as authorized by law for persons serving intermittently in the government service.
(d) To the extent permitted by law, and subject to the availability of appropriations, the Department of Defense shall provide the Commission and the Advisory Committee with administrative services, staff, other support services, and such funds as may be necessary for the performance of its functions and shall reimburse the executive branch components that provide representatives to the Commission for the compensation of those representatives.
(e) In order to augment the expertise of the Commission, the Department of Defense may, at the Commission's request, contract for the services of nongovernmental consultants who may prepare analyses, reports, background papers, and other materials for consideration by the Commission. In addition, at the Commission's request, executive departments and agencies shall request that existing Federal advisory committees consider and provide advice on issues of critical infrastructure protection, to the extent permitted by law.
(f) The Commission, the Principals Committee, the Steering Committee, and the Advisory Committee shall terminate 1 year from the date of this order, unless extended by the President prior to that date.
Sec. 7. Interim Coordinating Mission. (a) While the Commission is conducting its analysis and until the President has an opportunity to consider and act on its recommendations, there is a need to increase coordination of existing infrastructure protection efforts in order to better address, and prevent, crises that would have a debilitating regional or national impact. There is hereby established an Infrastructure Protection Task Force ("IPTF") within the Department of Justice, chaired by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, to undertake this interim coordinating mission.
(b) The IPTF will not supplant any existing programs or organizations.
(c) The Steering Committee shall oversee the work of the IPTF.
(d) The IPTF shall include at least one full-time member each from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Department of Defense, and the National Security Agency. It shall also receive part-time assistance from other executive branch departments and agencies. Members shall be designated by their departments or agencies on the basis of their expertise in the protection of critical infrastructures. IPTF members' compensation shall be paid by their parent agency or department.
(e) The IPTF's function is to identify and coordinate existing expertise, inside and outside of the Federal Government, to:
(f) All executive departments and agencies shall cooperate with the IPTF and provide such assistance, information, and advice as the IPTF may request, to the extent permitted by law.
(i) provide, or facilitate and coordinate the provision of, expert guidance to critical infrastructures to detect, prevent, halt, or confine an attack and to recover and restore service;
(ii) issue threat and warning notices in the event advance information is obtained about a threat;
(iii) provide training and education on methods of reducing vulnerabilities and responding to attacks on critical infrastructures;
(iv) conduct after-action analysis to determine possible future threats, targets, or methods of attack; and
(v) coordinate with the pertinent law enforcement authorities during or after an attack to facilitate any resulting criminal investigation.
(g) All executive departments and agencies shall share with the IPTF information about threats and warning of attacks, and about actual attacks on critical infrastructures, to the extent permitted by law.
(h) The IPTF shall terminate no later than 180 days after the termination of the Commission, unless extended by the President prior to that date. Sec. 8. General. (a) This order is not intended to change any existing statutes or Executive orders.
(b) This order is not intended to create any right, benefit, trust, or responsibility, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or equity by a party against the United States, its agencies, its officers, or any person.
WILLIAM J. CLINTON
THE WHITE HOUSE,
July 15, 1996 | <urn:uuid:08bd6deb-ef3c-4375-ada5-79e986911293> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.fas.org/irp/offdocs/eo13010.htm | 2013-05-20T02:47:39Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698207393/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095647-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.933073 | 1,900 |
Ehud Olmert, the caretaker prime minister who has been running the country since 2006, is on his way to a corruption trial. Defense Minister Ehud Barak and Benjamin Netanyahu, the heads, respectively, of the Labor Party and the Likud Party, are both discredited ex-prime ministers. Barak's back story is that he offered the Palestinians too many concessions in 2000 and garnered only a resounding "no" (along with an unprecedented wave of terrorism). Netanyahu, who was prime minister from 1996 to 1999, did nothing at all to further the peace process.
The third major candidate in February's elections is Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, who heads the centrist Kadima party (founded in 2005) and who is a relative novice with no real experience in the crucial realm of security. And she lacks charisma.
How have we gotten to this point? For one thing, the Labor Party, which led the Zionist movement to statehood and headed Israel's governments from 1948 (when David Ben-Gurion became prime minister) to 1977, is on the ropes. Last week, polls predicted that Labor would emerge with only 12 seats in the 120-member Knesset in the coming elections, down from 19 in 2006. In 1951, Labor won 45 seats and, in 1969, 56. During the last few years the party has suffered major defections, including the 85-year-old president of Israel, Shimon Peres, who is now in Kadima, as well as Yossi Beilin, the astute dove who has abandoned politics altogether, and Avraham Burg, a longtime Knesset member turned businessman.
Likud, to be sure, emerged from the primary season with something of a face-lift, with the addition of Moshe Ya'alon, an ex-Israel Defense Forces chief of staff, and the return to its ranks of hard-liner Benny Begin, a former minister and son of party founder Menachem Begin, and Dan Meridor, a liberal former justice minister. But the voters' selection of religious extremist Moshe Feiglin and some of his supporters for the party list of Knesset candidates means that Netanyahu, if he becomes the next prime minister (as seems likely, according to the polls), will be severely hobbled in any effort to negotiate with the Palestinians or with the Arab states. No clear policy can emerge from this mishmash.
Kadima, made up in equal measure of defectors from the right and left, offers no political certainties either, though it no doubt will figure large in any future coalition government.
The left-wing Meretz party is back in the news after the recent mobilization of some of the country's leading intellectuals, including novelists Amos Oz, A.B. Yehoshua and David Grossman, on its behalf. But the polls show that the expanded party will not win more than 6% to 7% of the electorate.
All of this is a far cry from Zionism's first 100 years, when there was ideological certainty and single-mindedness, and when dedicated men were at the helm. During Israel's first existential crisis, in 1948, when the emergent Jewish state (population 650,000) was attacked by the Arabs, Ben-Gurion presided with a sure hand and firmly steered Israel to victory and international recognition. (Compare that with Olmert's thickheaded, hesitant leadership during the 2006 Lebanon war). Ideological yet pragmatic, Ben-Gurion labored around the clock (his children barely saw or knew him) and accrued no personal wealth (he died in a hut in the desert kibbutz of Sde Boker).
His immediate successors, whatever their shortcomings, were similarly fueled by Zionist ardor and public-mindedness. Moshe Sharett (Labor), Levi Eshkol (Labor), Golda Meir (Labor) and Menachem Begin (Likud) did not become wealthy in their jobs, and they all died, in their various ways, broken, crushed by the weight of terrible office and unforgiving circumstances. Ariel Sharon, the Likudnik turned Kadima founder who was prime minister from 2001 to 2005, and who has been in a stroke-induced coma since 2006, also was a hardheaded true believer.
The current set are a wholly different breed. Olmert, Netanyahu and Barak have all spent years amassing personal wealth, hugely helped by their years and connections in office. (Livni, in this respect, is an exception. Colleagues testify to her clean hands and austere personality.)
In a sense these self-serving, affluent leaders are an apt reflection of the development and character of Israeli society over the last few decades: a shift from the idea of the collective to the cult of individualism, from socialism to capitalism, from lean youth to middle-aged paunch.
In Israel's case, the leadership crisis also has much to do with its over-democratic electoral system of proportional representation, in which a multiplicity of small parties in the Knesset and the inevitability of weak coalition governments guarantee a relative inability to govern (or to govern for long). The mismanagement of the 2006 Lebanon war -- the politicians and generals afraid to incur too many Israeli casualties out of fear of the wrath of the electorate, or to inflict too many on the Lebanese for fear of international and internal condemnation -- was emblematic.
The last decades' steady erosion of the Zionist ethos has an unusual if in some ways apt representative in Avraham Burg. With him, the erosion has not merely followed the route from public service to private enterprise but also to well-publicized anti-Zionist posturing. This from a man who was chairman of the Jewish Agency and the World Zionist Organization (1995-1999) and speaker of the Knesset (1999-2003) -- a veritable embodiment of Zionism.
But in his new book, "The Holocaust is Over; We Must Rise From Its Ashes," which describes his intellectual evolution, Burg argues that Israel is a sick society, "a ghetto of belligerent colonialism," "paranoid" and "schizophrenic," mostly as a result of the Holocaust. The Shoah, he writes, wields an "absolute monopoly" over "every aspect of" Israeli life. It explains, according to Burg, why Israel has been unable to make peace with the Arab world, and the Palestinians in particular, and why Israel is the "neighborhood bully."
Last I heard, Burg was trying to make a comeback by joining the expanded Meretz party, though party stalwarts and the recently mobilized intellectuals are trying to keep him at arm's length. But given its size, Meretz is irrelevant today.
Much more worrisome is the broader leadership crisis, which means that Israel after Feb. 10 will be confronting Iran, with its nuclear ambitions, and Iran's neighborhood proxies, Hamas and Hezbollah, with no firm hand on the tiller and with no widely respected figure at the helm. Perhaps the best that can be hoped for is an Israel governed during the next four years by a Netanyahu-Livni-Barak triumvirate. Without doubt, this only adds one more troubling variable for President-elect Barack Obama as he gloomily scans the Middle East for some ray of hope.
Benny Morris is the author of many books about the Israeli-Arab conflict, including, most recently, "1948: A History of the First Arab-Israeli War." | <urn:uuid:c4bee743-49a4-4234-b189-c40f9fa16597> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-oe-morris14-2008dec14,0,2559503.story | 2013-05-20T02:49:35Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698207393/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095647-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.961888 | 1,540 |
- Created on Tuesday, 03 January 2006 04:08
- Written by MARK E. BATTERSBY
Today, renting, leasing and buying through financing are simply tools of the trade for many financial professionals. Unfortunately, when it comes to the question of whether a laundry should rent, lease or own the equipment used in its operations, few laundry owners or managers seem able to accept the fact that there is no one right answer that fits everyone or every situation.
When a business is starting up, buying equipment is one way to build equity in the laundry operation. As the business matures and builds a sound financial platform with strong net worth, then questions such as: is the value of depreciation on my equipment worth more to me than, say, my ability to make payments and keep debt off my balance sheet?
Leasing, instead of purchasing can be a cost-effective option, especially for those laundry operations that don’t have cash on hand but need the equipment. In fact, many -laundry operations that do have cash to invest have found that by leasing, they can regulate their cash flow more effectively.
Who leases? Everyone does, at least according to the Equipment Leasing Association (ELA), a leasing industry group based in Arlington, VA. The ELA claims that 80 percent of U.S. businesses lease all or some of their equipment. In fact, more businesses, particularly small businesses, acquire their new equipment through leases than through loans.
To many laundries leasing is for the long-term, one year or more, while renting can be for a day, week or even a month or more. And, with over 12,000 rental centers operating in the U.S. and Canada, equipment rental is a growing business. More and more laundry operations are using rentals as their primary source of equipment acquisitions, not only to meet specific equipment needs on projects and jobs.
Many launderers claim that when factors such as downtime, servicing, costs, storage, insurance and disposal are considered, rental is frequently the least expensive option. The financial benefits of renting include higher profits, tax benefits and the ability to take on larger, more profitable jobs. After all, laundry operations that rent don’t have to buy, maintain and haul equipment from job site to job site.
COMPARING APPLES AND ORANGES
Leasing usually means lower monthly payments than are possible with a loan. With leasing, the laundry operation conserves its working capital and avoids cash-devouring down payments. On the downside, leasing means paying a higher price over the long term.
There have long been incentives in our federal and state laws to invest in new equipment. All-too-often a laundry business cannot use those incentives. Thanks to leasing, however, many of those tax incentives and benefits can be passed through to a laundry operation in the form of low rental payments. After all, the owner of the equipment, the leasing company, utilizes the depreciation or credit incentives, passing the savings along in the form of lower equipment lease costs.
OFF-BALANCE SHEET NOT OFF-THE-BOOKS
Two kinds of leases are generally used today: operating leases and finance leases. Deciding which to choose depends on the laundry operation’s cash flow, equipment needs and its credit worthiness. An operating lease can be compared to renting equipment, occassionaly with a long term option to buy. Users enter into an operating lease for a period of up to 75 percent of the equipment’s life. During that time, the laundry business leasing the equipment pays only a portion of what it is worth, based on the term of the lease and the residual value left at the end of that lease.
Unfortunately, this also means that the laundry/lessee forfeits the depreciation deduction for the equipment; that deduction belongs to the vendor or finance company. Should the laundry operation decides it will keep the equipment, at the end of the lease’s term, the purchase price is normally based on the residual value of the equipment, usually at or above market value.
This is not always the case with a so-called finance lease, which sets end-of-lease purchase prices before the lease goes into effect. Finance leases are more like true rent-to own scenarios. Those laundry operations that want to own their equipment at the end of the lease, but don’t want it on their balance sheets at all, choose this option.
APPLES AND ORANGES
Is your lease really a lease? Under our tax laws, it is a narrow line between a lease and a purchase disguised as a lease. As defined by the tax rules, a capital purchase has occurred if the terms of the lease agreement contain one of the following criteria:
- You have a “bargain buyout” in which you can purchase the equipment for a token amount at the end of the lease.
- You are leasing the equipment for 75 percent of its useful life.
- The total payments made during the period of your lease equal more than 90 percent of the fair market value of the equipment. Keep in mind that payments include finance charges and sales taxes and they need to be deducted to find the true price you’re paying for the equiment.
The ever-vigilant Internal Revenue Service frequently challenges leases as disguised purchases - which means you would not be able to deduct your monthly payments. Back taxes, interest and penalties can add considerably to the cost of any equipment acquired in a disguised purchase.
In general, laundry operations with a strong cash position and good financing options can often buy needed equipment outright. If obsolescence is a concern, a short term operating lease or rental will provide the biggest advantage and the most flexibility. However, if cash flow is an issue and the equipment must remain operable for longer periods, a long-term capital lease with a fixed residual payment will usually result in lower monthly payments.
But is leasing the right option for your laundry operation or business? Weighing all of the factors unique to your operation may surprise you.
Quick Rinse - News From Around The World
Textile Services Industry Gets National Spotlight
WILIMGTON, Mass. — Textile service executive Ronald Croatti recently appeared on the CBS-TV show “Undercover Boss.” Croatti is CEO of UniFirst Corp., in Wilmington, Mass. For most Americans watching “Undercover Boss” it was their first view inside a commercial laundry, which typically process between 10 million and 25 million pounds of uniforms, table linens, bed sheets, towels and more every year “The reusable textile services business is the original green industry,” said Ricci. “Commercial laundries reuse linen instead of filing landfills with disposable alternatives and continually discover new, innovative means to reduce energy consumption and recycle water. Our huge economies of scale allow laundries to use about two-thirds less water, energy and detergent than alternatives, such as washing at home, while hygienically cleaning textile products, improving disease control and reducing contamination.” | <urn:uuid:c2f2680d-73d8-4e51-a65e-aed1c98545fa> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.laundrytoday.com/index.php/world-mainmenu-26/bottom-line/183-rent-lease-own-or-finance?fontstyle=f-larger | 2013-05-20T02:14:32Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698207393/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095647-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.960967 | 1,453 |
The Raiders (1-2) had brought Carter in twice before for workouts in training camp and earlier this season before signing him to fill a glaring need.
"I think he'll be instrumental," said defensive tackle Richard Seymour, who was picked one spot ahead of Carter in the 2001 draft at sixth overall. "He's a proven guy in this league. Obviously, it will take some times to get his legs under him, but he's a guy that's shown he can rush the passer and I think that will be essential for us."
Carter has 76 sacks in 163 career games over 11 seasons in the NFL. He was named to the Pro Bowl for the first time last season after recording 10 sacks for the New England Patriots but his season was cut short by a quadriceps injury that forced him to miss the final two games of the regular season and the postseason.
Carter was credited with 51 quarterback pressures by Pro Football Focus in 14 games for the Patriots last season. He tied a New England record with four sacks in a game against the New York Jets on Nov. 13.
But because of the injury, Carter was still looking for a job this season.
"It's always tough," he said. "It definitely gives you a different perspective. Here I am trying to train hard and work hard and just get better, and as the season continued to progressed and
Carter is trying to get up to speed with the playbook and his new teammates this week but said he'd be ready to play Sunday in Denver against Peyton Manning and the Broncos if he gets the call.
"If I wasn't ready then I wouldn't be here," he said.
Carter said on a scale of 1-to-10 that he was physically at 100, but acknowledged it would take some time to get into "football shape."
The Raiders are hoping it doesn't take long because they are in dire need of a proven pass rusher after having let Kamerion Wimbley go in the offseason in a cost-cutting move. Oakland has just three sacks this season—one ahead of last-place Jacksonville—as their lack of a speed rusher on the outside has hurt them.
"There were a few times where we had a little something going in the game last week, and (Ben) Roethlisberger does a good job of maneuvering in the pocket," coach Dennis Allen said before the team announced the move. "But, obviously, we got to try to do some things that get a little bit more pressure on the quarterback. As we go throughout the season, we're going to need that."
Carter also worked out for Arizona and St. Louis before signing with the Raiders. He has returned to his roots, having starred in high school in San Jose, playing college ball at California and spending his first seasons in the NFL with the San Francisco 49ers.
Now after stops in Washington for five years and one year in New England, Carter is back home with the Bay Area's other team.
"I had a lot of friends who said you crossed over to the dark side," he said. "Everything comes full circle. Where I'm at in my career why not be back in the Bay Area where it all started for me."
The Raiders made room for Carter by releasing offensive lineman Joe Barksdale, a third-round pick out of LSU last year. Barksdale played all 16 games as a rookie last season backing up on the offensive line and playing on special teams. But he did not fit well with the team's new zone blocking system and was inactive for each of the first three games.
Barksdale is the latest member of the 2011 draft class to be cut from the team under general manager Reggie McKenzie's new regime. Oakland released third-round cornerback DeMarcus Van Dyke earlier this month and fourth-round cornerback Chimdi Chekwa was demoted to practice squad.
The Raiders gave up a 2012 second-round pick to New England to draft Barksdale and fourth-round running back Taiwan Jones, who has played one offensive play all season.
The Patriots used that pick on safety Tavon Wilson, who has five solo tackles, one interception, two passes defensed and a fumble recovery this season.
NOTES: WR Darrius Heyward-Bey went through the concussion protocol Wednesday after being hospitalized last week following a helmet-to-helmet hit. Allen did not know when he would be able to return to practice. ... DT Richard Seymour (knee), T Khalif Barnes (groin) and CB Shawntae Spencer (right foot) also did not practice. ... TE Brandon Myers was back after leaving Sunday's game on the final drive with a concussion. ... The Raiders sign WR Tori Gurley to the practice squad. Gurley spent last season on the practice squad in Green Bay as an undrafted free agent out of South Carolina. He was on Minnesota's practice squad earlier this year. | <urn:uuid:97bf9998-dd99-4429-ac1e-554740e96727> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.times-standard.com/ci_21637549/raiders-sign-de-andre-carter | 2013-05-20T02:30:37Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698207393/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095647-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.984057 | 1,005 |
•Seasoning: Burgers, meatloaf, meatballs
and other ground beef recipes will be more tender if you handle
the meat as little as possible as you add seasonings and other
ingredients. If you over mix it, you’ll end up with a firm,
compact texture after cooking.
•Browning: Dry beef by patting with paper towel before
cooking. Liquid sizzles in the pan creating steam that can
•Uniformity: To evenly cook of kebabs, cut into
equal-sized cubes (but don’t worry if they’re not perfectly
square) and leave a little space between each piece.
•Stir-frying: Put beef in the freezer for about 30
minutes, or until just firm, to make the meat firm and easier to
cut into strips.
•Salting: Add salt after cooking. Salting before cooking
can draw the moisture and juices out of the meat.
•Turn Meat with Tongs: If you use a fork, it will pierce
the beef and release flavorful juices. When flipping burgers,
you can also use a spatula, but don’t use it to press down on
the beef, or you’ll lose the juices that make your burger moist.
•Monitor the Heat: If the heat is too high you might
overcook your beef on the outside while the inside is still
undercooked. For tender beef, cooked to the desired doneness.
Use medium heat with most dry-heat cooking methods, such as
grilling and sautéing, and medium-high heat for stir-frying. Low
heat is ideal for moist-heat cooking methods, like braising.
•Marinades and Rubs: Marinades and rubs not only add
excitement and flavor to many cuts of beef, but with the right
ingredients, marinades can also be used to make some cuts more
1.Place 2 cups spinach, almonds, cheese and garlic
in food processor container. Cover; process until coarse paste
forms. With motor running, slowly add 2 tablespoons water and
oil until smooth. Season with salt, as desired. Set aside.
2.Preheat oven to 350°F. Heat ovenproof, nonstick skillet over
medium heat. Place beef steaks in skillet and brown 2 minutes.
Turn steaks over and place skillet into preheated oven; cook 13
to 18 minutes for medium rare to medium doneness, turning once.
3.Meanwhile, combine rice, remaining 1 cup water and salt, if
desired, in medium saucepan; cook according to package
directions. Chop remaining 1 cup spinach. During last 5 minutes
of cooking, add chopped spinach to pan and continue to cook.
Remove from heat, add cherries and 1 tablespoon pesto to rice;
stir to combine.
4.Remove steaks from oven when internal temperature reaches
135°F for medium rare; 150°F for medium doneness. Remove steaks
from pan; tent loosely with aluminum foil. Let stand 5 to 10
minutes. Temperature will continue to rise about 10°F to reach
145°F for medium rare; 160°F for medium doneness.
5.Serve steaks over brown rice with remaining pesto. Garnish
rice with additional almonds, if desired.
2 boneless beef top loin (strip) steaks, cut 1 inch thick (about
10 ounces each)
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 large cloves garlic, minced
2 lime wedges
1/2 to 1 cup prepared guacamole
Additional lime wedges (optional)
Instructions1.Combine cumin and garlic; press evenly onto beef
2.Place steaks on grid over medium, ash-covered coals. Grill,
covered, 11 to 14 minutes (over medium heat on preheated gas
grill, 11 to 15 minutes) for medium rare (145°F) to medium
(160°F) doneness, turning occasionally.
3.Squeeze juice from 1 lime wedge over each steak. Carve steaks
into thin slices. Serve with guacamole; garnish with lime
wedges, if desired. | <urn:uuid:9a595e11-052a-4163-b042-70770248d26e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://acrestationmeatfarm.com/steak-recipes.htm | 2013-05-22T21:51:26Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702448584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110728-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.838049 | 902 |
Indian River Lagoon
The two most sought after gamefish in the Titusville area of the Indian River Lagoon are the redfish and sea trout. Sometimes snook and tarpon are caught as well. If you're new to fishing the Titusville area, A guide will likely put you on more fish in one day than you will probably find in several weeks of fishing on your own. However, some people (myself included) enjoy the challenge and excitement of fishing new waters for themselves.The Indian River Lagoon is a series of lagoons and inlets making up a portion of the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway in the U.S. state of Florida. Its full length extends from Ponce de León Inlet in Volusia County, Florida to Jupiter Inlet in Palm Beach County, Florida, and includes Cape Canaveral.
The Indian River Lagoon is North Americas most diverse estuary with more than 2,200 different species of animals and 2,100 species of plants. The Lagoon varies in width from ½ mile to 5 miles and averages only 3 feet in depth. It serves as a spawning and nursery ground for many different species of oceanic and lagoon fish and shellfish. The lagoon also has one of the most diverse bird populations anywhere in America. Nearly 1/3 of the nations manatee population lives here or migrates through the Lagoon seasonally. In addition, its ocean beaches provide one of the densest sea turtle nesting areas found in the Western Hemisphere.Portions of the Lagoon, from north to south:
Mosquito Lagoon, from Ponce de Leon Inlet to the north end of Merritt Island, connected to Indian River by Haulover Canal.
Indian River, the main body of water, from the north border between Volusia and Brevard Counties along the western shore of Merritt Island, southward to St. Lucie Inlet.
Banana River, an offshoot of the Indian River, northward making up the eastern shore of Merritt Island.
Hobe Sound, the portion of the lagoon from St. Lucie Inlet to Jupiter Inlet.
Flats and canals.
Gold spoons. The principal habitat used by reds and trout for feeding in this area are the expansive shallow seagrass flats that cover the shallows of the Indian River Lagoon. These grass beds form the basis of the ecological food chain in the Lagoon. The algae that forms on these grasses provide food for young fish, shrimp, crabs, and other invertebrates that gamefish feed on.
In addition, the grasses also provide cover for these creatures to hide in as they try to avoid being eaten, therefore it is on these grassflats that the drama of life in the lagoon takes place and also the best fishing. The principle forage species for reds and trout are shrimp and mullet, a vegetarian fish that feeds on the algae mentioned before as well as the grasses themselves. These are also the two most widely used baits used for reds and trout. Live shrimp are readily available in most local bait and tackle shops while the "finger mullet", (young mullet 3-6' long) are sometimes available but usually caught by the angler using a cast net. If you're new to the area, live shrimp are the best bet.
This portion of the lagoon system is pretty much isolated from oceanic tidal influences due to the fact that the nearest inlet is over 40 miles away. Therefore the fishing here is not influenced by tides as it is in other estuaries. It is more governed by temperature. During the heat of the summer the fishing slows down a bit and the best chances for success are early mornings and late afternoons, with the early mornings better in my opinion. The summertime here is also the rainy season where afternoon thundershowers occurr almost daily in normal years. I've had very good success going out in the early evenings after the storms have come through and cooled things down a bit.
In the spring and fall, I still like to be fishing at first light because it's when the fish are more active, however the fishing does last later into the day and action can be found all day.
In the winter when we have an occasional cold spell I like to find deeper holes and canals as the fish tend to congregate in these deeper areas seeking warmth. The fishing can be great at this time for seatrout. Again, early and late are the better times. | <urn:uuid:89ea3e4d-422a-4fcc-a6be-0ea661490dc0> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://anglerweb.com/fishing_spots/indian-river-lagoon | 2013-05-22T21:25:39Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702448584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110728-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.955565 | 940 |
Have you seen this? Archive
April 1, 2013
Check out the new website of the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society–your resource for information on gardening, greening, and learning! Along with optimal navigability, it’s now easier to connect on social media with the PHS Social Stream, you can also ask questions about gardening and horticulture with Ask PHS, visit the PHS McLean Library, and get to know the PHS Blog.
Now more than 185 years old, the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society continues in its mission to “motivate people to improve the quality of life and create a sense of community through horticulture.”
Pennsylvania Horticultural Society is also on Facebook.
March 11, 2013
For over a year, metaLAB has been working with the scientific and curatorial staff of Harvard’s Arnold Arboretum to explore new digital lives for the institution—not only a much loved public park, but a collection of rare plants, a research site, and an evolving landscape—that will connect it to new audiences locally and globally.
One of the most exciting projects they’ve shared so far recently wrapped up at NuVu Studio, a “magnet innovation center for young minds” headquartered in Central Square. Founded by Saeed Arida, a 2010 PhD in the Design and Computation Program at MIT, NuVu offers a bracing vision of the power of STEAM: enlivening the left-brain work of making and investigating science, technology, engineering, and math with the expressive energy of the arts.
February 4, 2013
Come and see the new blog Arbotopia, observations of fauna and other things natural in the Emerald Necklace, created by Arnold Arboretum docent and birding expert Bob Mayer.
Seasonal highlights and wondrous sights abound throughout the Emerald Necklace, but not everyone can witness them simultaneously. But the experience can be shared! Head over to Arbotopia for a narrative and pictorial account of the best and beautiful sights in Boston’s open park spaces, with a particular emphasis on The Arnold Arboretum.
And don’t forget to read about the Owls at the Arnold Arboretum!
Arbotopia is also on Facebook.
December 10, 2012
Looking for something truly unique to do this holiday season?
The Lloyd Library and Museum in Cincinatti, Ohio presents “What Makes the Reindeer Fly?,” a special exhibit on hallucinogenic mushrooms, with a special focus on Fly Agaric (Amanita muscaria Lam.), a mushroom that figures prominently in the development of the legend of Santa’s flying reindeer. This is the same mushroom that is often depicted in children’s literature, shows up as a theme in children’s toys, and in many other places.
Fly Agaric isn’t the only mushroom that has a role in cultural development. Many other psychedelic mushrooms play their part in many other cultures, as do non-psychedelic fungi. This exhibit features some of the earliest art texts about mushrooms, beginning in 1601 and working up through the twentieth century. Find out the scientific facts and the cultural significance associated with mushrooms and learn all the things you never knew you didn’t know…
November 12, 2012
Come celebrate Geography Awareness Week with us and view these late nineteenth- and early twentieth-century maps and plans of the Arnold Arboretum held by the Norman B. Leventhal Map Center at Boston Public Library.
Geography Awareness Week, sponsored by National Geographic Education, is observed each year in the third week of November and highlights the importance of geo-literacy and geo-education. A free workshop on Wednesday, November 14 and Saturday, November 17 will focus on the Geographic Information System (GIS) at the Arnold Arboretum, including an introduction to our Mobile Interactive Map application.
The Arnold Arboretum Horticultural Library holds over 650 full-size archival maps documenting historical views of our grounds, collections, hardiness zones, and more. We encourage you to contact us for more information, and to visit the library in person and online.
October 22, 2012
American Society of Botanical Artists, a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting public awareness of contemporary botanical art, honoring its traditions, and furthering its development.
October 1, 2012
A historical guided tour of Kew Gardens
A tour around the historic gardens at Kew using images dating from the 1860s to 1930s
This virtual tour is one of many opportunities to view past and present together on Google partner Historypin.
Historypin helps people come together from across generations, cultures, and places to share small glimpses of the past and to build the story of human history.
September 19, 2012
Go Botany is a rich educational resource offered by the New England Wild Flower Society and funded by the National Science Foundation to encourage informal, self-directed education in botany for science students and beginning and amateur botanists. Professors, teachers, and environmental educators can share curricula and teaching ideas.
August 13, 2012
The New England Landscape Design and History Association (NELDHA) offers online materials for self-guided walking tours of Boston’s parks, gardens, and green spaces. Maps, narratives, and additional resources unique to each neighborhood provide immersion and guidance for visitors of all ages.
NELDHA’s mission is to further the education of landscape professionals, to promote their professions, and communicate NELDHA’s commitment to landscape design, history, conservation, preservation, and stewardship of the land.
July 2, 2012
Metasequoia — Student Artwork
After a few weeks of researching various seed cones though drawings and painted studies, students in Paul Olson’s Junior Illustration class at MassArt were asked to make an illustration for a poster or a book based on an open Metasequoia seed cone and the plant’s reputation as a “living fossil.” Students also completed a final project of their own design, a piece inspired by their visit to the Arboretum’s Horticultural Library, the Herbarium, and the Living Collections of the Arnold Arboretum.
June 4, 2012
The Forest Of The Future
Singapore—known worldwide as the “Garden City” because it has more than 300 parks—is poised to become the “City in a Garden.”
An ambitious project is converting 250 acres of waterfront property into a horticultural recreation area. The project includes a forest of “supertrees,” some fitted with solar panels to store energy for lighting them at night.
Read the article in Smithsonian magazine.
May 16, 2012
Jadav Payeng has been instrumental in converting a sand bar in the middle of the river Brahmaputra in Assam, India, into a huge forest. His work over the past 30 years is receiving recognition around the world by tourists and film makers.
Read the full article.
April 30, 2012
View: Ways of Seeing
May 5 – August 3, 2012
The Lloyd Library and Museum is celebrating the 100th anniversary of Japan’s gift of cherry trees to our nation’s capital with a look at Cincinnati’s own connections to Japan, cherry trees, and the Lloyds.
Contemporary artists Alysia Fischer, Setsuko H. LeCroix, and Charles Woodman investigate nature through sculpture, painting and video, all in celebration of the famed cherry tree.
April 9, 2012
Frederick Law Olmsted Papers Project
April, 2012 marks the 190th anniversary of the birth of Frederick Law Olmsted (1822-1903), the celebrated landscape architect who designed the Arnold Arboretum as the second-largest link in Boston’s Emerald Necklace.
National Association for Olmsted Parks (NAOP) has created a website to coincide with the ongoing Frederick Law Olmsted Papers Project. Since its inception in 1972, this project presents the most significant of Olmsted’s extensive writings from 1840–1882 in a twelve-volume series of books. The next volume, Plans and Photographs of Public Parks, Recreation Grounds, Parkways, Park Systems and Scenic Reservations (Supplementary Series Volume 2), will be published this year, and additional volumes are also in development.
Arnold Arboretum Horticultural Library holds each volume of the series published thus far.
March 19, 2012
What makes a Wonder Tree?
Willows are a blend of beauty, diversity, adaptability, and utility which marks them aside from many other temperate trees.
Wonder Tree can help you grow your own willows for use and ornament. You can watch these trees mature to full size within your own life time, or you can use their shoots as raw material for other products and activities.
The collection of the Arnold Arboretum Horticultural Library includes a folio with beautiful color illustrations of willows (Salix spp.): Salictum woburnense or, A catalogue of willows, indigenous and foreign, in the collection of the Duke of Bedford at Woburn abbey; systematically arranged by James Forbes (the Duke’s gardener).
Read more about Salictum woburnense and John Russell, the 6th Duke of Bedford of Woburn Abbey.
March 5, 2012
Botany Blueprint is a collection of botanical photography and a study of plant design, specifically regarding the form and function of seed pods.
Individually, each photograph is a portrait of a unique specimen; as a series, the photographs become an inquiry into the evolution and diversity of plant design.
Laurent’s photographs are published in her column at Print magazine, where she writes about the form and function of seed pods.
Intended to advance botanical literacy and make plants relevant to a broad audience, the project will be compiled in a forthcoming book.
February 15, 2012
Lacock Abbey was originally built as a nunnery in southwest England in 1232. When William Henry Fox Talbot came to live there in 1827, he grew his own botanical garden and photographed the plants using the negative-positive process of his own invention, providing the basic method for almost all 19th and 20th century photography.
Photographer Mary Kocol also traces the development of modern photography and its botanical beginnings with Talbot in The Garden in Early Art Photography. Her website also contains beautiful color photographs taken with a toy camera at the Arnold Arboretum.
February 1, 2012
From the exhibition catalog of her work:
“Davies has intervened in areas of the forest landscape
to create images that express her relationship to the
forest. And though each body of work stands
alone as a distinct series, together they
trace the trajectory of Davies’
ongoing exploration of the forest
as a cultural landscape.”
January 3, 2012
In the late 19th century, Boston merchant Edwin F. Atkins was a dominant force in the U.S.-Cuban sugar market. His firm, E. Atkins & Co., established sugarcane plantations along the southern coast of Cuba near the cities of Cienfuegos and Trinidad. From the 1840s through the 1920s, the Atkins family successfully operated their sugar business on the island, safely seeing it through the abolition of slavery, Cuba’s fight for independence from Spain, and the changing agricultural and industrial practices of sugar production.
The photographs in this online exhibition are a sample of 419 photographs at the Massachusetts Historical Society that were taken and collected by members of the Atkins family in Cuba between 1884 and 1958. This collection, the Atkins Family Photographs, is a unique visual record of life and work on sugar plantations in Cuba during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. In addition, these photographs also capture the changing face of Cuba before and after the Spanish-American War. The finding aid for Atkins Family Photographs is available here.
The Massachusetts Historical Society also holds the Atkins Family Papers, an extensive collection of records and papers that detail the activities of the Atkins family and the E. Atkins & Co. sugar interest in Cuba from 1854-1950. The finding aid for Atkins Family Papers is available here.
The Atkins family also had an affiliation with the Arnold Arboretum, which administered the Atkins Institution in Cuba from 1932 to 1946. The Harvard Garden in Cuba-A Brief History by Marion D. Cahan published in Arnoldia describes how the Atkins Garden became a model for the development of many later tropical botanical gardens. You can read even more about the history of this garden, now the Cienfuegos Botanical Garden, Cuba online.
December 12, 2011
Dried botanicals are imported for varied uses including potpourri, decorative plant arrangements, and handicraft items. They consist of whole or sectioned fungi, fruits, seeds, leaves, and almost anything that is botanical, has abundant air spaces (“physical fixatives” for the synthetic oils), has structural interest, and/or is inexpensive (e.g. lawn sweepings and waste products of other industries). These botanicals may include potentially toxic species, invasives, or even plant diseases.
Dr. Arthur O. Tucker of Claude E. Phillips Herbarium at Delaware State University contributed to the development this tool to help identify ingredients of imported potpourri. Interactive galleries, descriptions, fact sheets, and glossaries are provided.
November 28, 2011
The Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia, America’s oldest natural history museum is kicking off their bicentennial celebration in 2012 with a countdown made up of “200 Years. 200 Stories” where you can meet some of their “quirkier personalities” and discover the secret stories behind many of their most well-known exhibits and scientific breakthroughs.
November 14, 2011
Ever wonder what the name of that tree is growing on your street, or how old or how tall it is? If you live in San Francisco providing these answers is now a challenge for the whole community.
Both “experts and non-experts” alike have been invited to participate in an urban forest research project, the San Francisco Urban Forest Map. You can jump right into the map itself and see how the Map creators’ goal “to work toward building a complete, dynamic picture of the urban forest” works.
Not only will you find the tree’s number, scientific and common names, diameter, height, and nearby address, but also the tree’s amounts of stormwater intercepted, energy conserved, air pollution removed, carbon dioxide reduced and total Co2 it has stored to date.
October 31, 2011
What do you get when you cross misanthropic black metal, hammered dulcimer, and obsession with plants? Just listen:
According to Botanist:
The songs of Botanist are told from the perspective of The Botanist, a crazed man of science who lives in self-imposed exile, as far away from Humanity and its crimes against Nature as possible. In his sanctuary of fantasy and wonder, which he calls the Verdant Realm, he surrounds himself with plants and flowers, finding solace in the company of the Natural world, and envisioning the destruction of man. There, seated upon his throne of Veltheimia, The Botanist awaits the day when humans will either die or kill each other off, which will allow plants to make the Earth green once again.
Botanist’s double-CD “The Suicide Tree / A Rose From the Dead” can be purchased here.
October 17, 2011
80 Years of History and Archives at the Montréal Botanical Garden
To mark its 80th birthday, the Montréal Botanical Garden, a Space for Life, invites everyone to visit the all-new virtual exhibition on its website, 80 Years of History and Archives at the Montréal Botanical Garden.
For Gilles Vincent, Director of the Botanical Garden, the exhibition “takes us back in time to discover the soul of the Botanical Garden and meet the people who created it, in particular Brother Marie-Victorin and landscape architect Henry Teuscher.”
The virtual exhibition is organized into three sections. The History of the Botanical Garden section takes visitors on a 24-stop historical path, through more than 300 archival images and documents.
October 3, 2011
The Magic and Myth of Alchemy
However one regards it as a science and philosophy, Alchemy provided the beginnings of chemistry, and certainly helped to develop the apparati of chemistry. It is part of the history of science, which is the history of human interaction with nature, and humanity’s attempts to harness the power of nature for very human needs and wants.
This exhibit at Cincinatti’s Lloyd Library and Museum traces the history, development, and personalities behind the “magic.” This seemingly esoteric study in fact formed the basis for modern medicine, and chemistry itself. Take a peek into a history that pre-dates even the Middle Ages.
September 19, 2011
Or rather, Have You Heard, “On Willows and Birches,” written by John Williams, Boston Pops Laureate Conductor for former BSO Principal Harpist Ann Hobson Pilot. “The atmospheric “On Willows” movement is prefaced by the Biblical quote “We hanged our harps upon the willows…” from Psalm 137. The lively, rhythmically vibrant “On Birches” notes a line from Robert Frost’s poem “Birches” — “One could do no worse than be a swinger of birches.”
September 5, 2011
The Archangel Ancient Tree Archive is an organization which is collecting genetic material from very large and old trees for preservation and to clone new trees for reforestation. Since 2008 they have collected 55 separate genotypes of old growth Coast Redwoods alone, as well as a variety of other samples from significant trees, from which they are propagating new trees.
Their website has videos explaining the work they are doing and their blog has up to the minute progress reports.
August 22, 2011
The works of Charles Darwin (1809-1882) may have helped form the basis of modern science, but he remains a controversial figure. His views on gender are no less provocative than his theory of evolution. University of Cambridge scholar Philippa Hardman helped launch the Darwin Correspondence Project to reveal his less-known writings about gender which paradoxically reflect the Victorian Era during which he worked.
The Darwin Correspondence Project provides access to at least 15,000 letters, written between 1821 and 1882, and “Darwin & Gender” is the newest feature to reveal his accomplishments and complexities.
Harvard Professor Sarah Richardson’s course Gender, Sex and Evolution also provides content to the site.
August 8, 2011
Images of Nature
Home to the largest natural history collection in the world, The Natural History Museum, London, has just opened a new exhibit of over 110 images of natural phenomena. Images of Nature spans 350 years, including modern images created by scientists, imagining specialists, photographers, and micro-CT scanners depicted alongside historic watercolors and paintings from artists such as bird illustrator John Gerrard Keulemans and botanical artist Georg Ehret.
To learn how techniques for visually recording the natural world have developed since the seventeenth century, check out the Museum’s Art, Nature, and Imaging exhibit.
July 25, 2011
Central Park Entire,
The Definitive Illustrated Map
Edward S. Barnard, author of New York City Trees, teamed up with artist and art director Ken Chaya to create Central Park Entire, The Definitive Illustrated Map, a wonderful tree and trail map of Central Park.
The project website includes six videos that document the two-year process of making the map. Each video focuses on specific aspects of the Park and the challenges faced in mapping them. The map shows precise locations for each of the Park’s 19,600 trees, with a special icon denoting all 172 species represented.
July 11, 2011
The Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management has created a great resource for tips, tricks, and information on coastal landscaping. The site is prepared to assist with any obstacles that arise in landscaping on the coast including, wind, salt spray, storm waves, and shifting, parched, and sandy soils. The site also includes a list of plants best suited for the coastal conditions in Massachusetts, as well as suggestions as to where to buy them.
June 27, 2011
What are the plants, animals, fungi, and microbes that make up a forest? How do they interact? How do forests respond to climate, introduced species, land development, and other environmental change? Harvard Museum of Natural History’s exhibit, New England Forests answers all of these questions and more. Visitors will be able to explore three distinct New England forest landscapes, complete with flora and fauna. The goals of the exhibition are to enhance public understanding of the dynamic and varied nature of our forests and initiate public conversation about their use, conservation, and management.
Additionally, in fall 2011, the museum will host a series of public lectures, workshops, and symposia featuring Harvard faculty and other experts.
June 13, 2011
Charles Darwin’s Twitter
Now you can follow Charles Darwin’s every move on the Beagle via Twitter! The account, which is now nearly 2000 tweets strong, posts one liners from Darwin’s diary kept on his journey aboard the HMS Beagle. The tweets are posted on the corresponding day that Darwin wrote the words in his diary, 176 years ago. Geotagging has been enabled for tweets that include a location, so you can see exactly where Darwin was at that particular moment.
The account is maintained by an avid Darwin fan with the intent of exposing a new audience to “the humour, insight and imagination of the young Darwin as he begins to think about the marvellous, curious, and unexplained world he is circumnavigating.”
Greenscapes are beautiful landscapes that protect our water. Greenscapes Massachusetts is a multi-partner outreach effort that promotes water conservation and protection. Approximately half of the program is funded by the 40 municipalities that are served by the program. Every other spring, members of the Greenscapes Coalition produce a 20-page Resource Guide with information ranging from how to build Rain Gardens, to a beautiful way to clean and recycle stormwater, to Pesticide Alternatives that help prevent your lawn from becoming dependent on chemicals. The Guide’s full content is available on Greenscapes Massachusetts, or you can download a copy of the Guide itself from their website.
April 25, 2011
Friends of the Urban Forest
This year Friends of the Urban Forest, (FUF) celebrates 30 years of helping individuals and neighborhood groups plant and care for street trees and sidewalk gardens in San Francisco. Each year FUF provides financial, technical, and practical assistance and works with community members to plant more than 1,000 trees. In San Francisco, in most cases, property owners are responsible, by law, for care of adjoining street trees. FUF’s Tree Care program helps these trees survive and thrive.
FUF’s online photo gallery documents people working together to create a larger, healthier urban forest.
April 11, 2011
Richard Conniff, author of The Species Seekers: Heroes, Fools, and the Mad Pursuit of Life on Earth is assembling a commemorative list of naturalists who have died while engaged in their scientific endeavors. This Wall of the Dead includes such recent tragedies as the murder of Leonardo Co (1953-2010) the Filipino botanist who, along with two assistants, was shot down while collecting seedlings of endangered trees in what the military claimed was a gun battle with rebel forces and California Academy of Sciences herpetologist Joseph Slowinski (1962–2001) who died by snakebite during the Academy’s biological expedition to northern Myanmar. Harvard’s David Boufford was one of the team members on this multidisciplinary expedition. The cause of some deaths, like John Lawson’s (1674-1711) Surveyor General of North Carolina and author of A New Voyage to Carolina who was executed on September 20, 1711 by the Tuskarora Indians are well documented, while other far more recent ones such as Frank Meyer’s (1875–1918) plant explorer for the USDA and Arnold Arboretum remain a mystery.
Corrections, additions, and comments to the list are welcome by the author on his blog and you can also link to the list on Twitter or elsewhere.
March 28, 2011
The People’s Garden Initiative, established in 2009 by the USDA challenges its employees to create gardens that are sustainable, benefit their communities, and are made through collaborative efforts. A partnership between USDA and Keep America Beautiful has resulted in over 1,230 People’s Gardens throughout the country teaching others how to nurture, maintain, and protect a healthy landscape.
Find a People’s Garden near you!
March 14, 2011
Working in collaboration with The University of Tennessee Libraries, the Arnold Arboretum Horticultural Library contributed to the Great Smoky Mountains Regional Project by providing access to album of historic images held in the Archives. The images in Views in The Great Smoky Mountains National Park are by the Thompson Brothers. The album’s provenance maybe surmised by its dedication.
Thompson Photo Products, a fourth-generation family-owned business, founded in Knoxville, Tennessee in 1902 offers reproductions of the archival photographs of James E. Thompson (1880-1976) son of the founder, and one of the brothers, who used his photographs of the Smoky Mountains to advocate for the creation of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
You can see the original album in the Arnold Arboretum’s Archives: Views in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park
February 28, 2011
America’s Great Outdoors
In April 2010, President Obama established the America’s Great Outdoor Initiative to develop a conservation and recreation agenda worthy of the 21st century. The President directed the Secretaries of Interior and Agriculture, Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, and Chair of the Council on Environmental Quality to lead this effort. During 2010, “Listening Sessions” were held coast to coast to listen and learn from people all over the country. You can also Watch the America’s Great Outdoors video. To date, over 100,000 comments and ideas have been submitted and you too can Submit Your Ideas & Join the Conversation, Share Your Story, or discover a list of resources to inspire you to Get Outdoors.
February 15, 2011
The Chocolate Connection
For a very special treat we invite you to immerse yourself in an online delight where Anna Heran, curator of the exhibit at the Lloyd Library and Museum, has created a banquet for chocolate lovers by bringing together Sloane’s medicinal interest in Theobroma cacao after being introduced to it as a drink in Jamaica, and the cultural and economic history chocolate has played both in the Americas and Europe.
January 30, 2011
New York City Parks
New York City has more than 1,700 parks, playgrounds and recreational facilities and The Daily Plant, a newsletter produced each business day details parks events, programs, and accomplishments. You can Explore Your Park, or see its monuments before you go. Learn about and see park history . or you if you want to know about the city’s landscape architect visit to European parks you can read Samuel Parson’s ( 1844-1923) nine page 1906 Report to the New York City Park Board online or to just learn about New York City Trees check out this book.
January 15, 2011
Since its inception in 1983, the goal of The American Chestnut Foundation has been restore the American chestnut tree to its native range within the eastern United States. Ongoing research to breed blight resistance is based in Virginia. The Foundation has also partnered with the Appalachian Regional Reforestation Initiative to plant American chestnuts on reclaimed surface mines. Volunteers are needed to help locate, pollinate, and harvest nuts from native American chestnut trees. Learn more in their Field Guide, in the Journal of the American Chestnut Foundation, or in Mighty Giants: An American Chestnut Anthology, a history of The American Chestnut Foundation.
The Norman B. Leventhal Map Collection (NBLMC) at Boston Public Library was founded in 2004 as a public/private partnership to bring the BPL’s extensive map collection to the public through education, preservation of materials and digitization. The digitized maps available on their website include many maps of the Boston area and even some of the Arnold Arboretum, as well as maps old and new from around the world.
Mapping Boston, edited by Alex Krieger and David Cobb, is another great resource on Boston’s history, illustrated by many of its earliest maps.
The Svalbard Global Seed Vault
1,300 kilometers from North Pole
Svalbard Global Seed Vault, which opened in 2007 and is located in the northernmost part of Norway, stores duplicates of seeds from gene banks around the world. If seeds are ever lost, they may be reestablished from the collection at Svalbard. The vault is an almost entirely underground facility, blasted out of the permafrost, and designed to store up to 2.25 billion seeds. The facility is designed to have an almost “endless” lifetime.
A Horticultural History Tour
Massachusetts Horticultural Society
Saturday, November 13 2010, 9:00am–4:00pm
MassHort is proud to announce a day-long series of lectures focused on the history of horticulture and landscape design in New England and beyond. The symposium will be hosted by John Furlong, FALA; emeritus director, Landscape Institute, Arnold Arboretum; faculty member, Boston Architectural College; distinguished instructor, Radcliffe Institute; and Gold Medal recipient and emeritus trustee, Massachusetts Horticultural Society.
Gerry Wright (as Frederick Law Olmsted), Allyson Hayward, David Barnett, PhD., Elizabeth S. Eustis, and Meg Muckenhoupt.
i-Tree is a state-of-the-art, peer-reviewed software suite from the USDA Forest Service that provides urban forestry analysis and benefits assessment tools. The i-Tree Tools help communities of all sizes to strengthen their urban forest management and advocacy efforts by quantifying the structure of community trees and the environmental services that trees provide. Numerous communities, non-profit organizations, consultants, volunteers and students have used i-Tree to report on individual trees, parcels, neighborhoods, cities, and even entire states. By understanding the local, tangible ecosystem services that trees provide, i-Tree users can link urban forest management activities with environmental quality and community livability.
i-Tree Tools are in the public domain and are freely accessible. We invite you to explore this site to learn more about how i-Tree can make a difference in your community. | <urn:uuid:cc037e4b-721b-4aea-890d-2f0739b34558> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://arboretum.harvard.edu/library/have-you-seen-this/have-you-seen-this-archive/?wpmp_switcher=desktop | 2013-05-22T21:24:55Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702448584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110728-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.928607 | 6,539 |
Pet Care : puppies
Caring for Your New Puppy
It is never a good idea to leave a puppy unattended in your home. This is simply asking for trouble. Buy a kennel box or crate that is of an appropriate size for your puppy (he should be able to stand up and turn around comfortably) and everyone’s lives will be much easier. Crate training a puppy is not cruel. It is the safest place for your puppy to be when everyone is out of the house. Puppies cannot chew on electrical cords, eat poisonous substances, eat the trash, tear up your shoes, or go to the bathroom on your rugs if they are confined to a crate or kennel box. Your puppy will grow to love the kennel box, and will choose to go there to sleep or rest. Putting the kennel in the room where you spend most of your time and leaving the door ajar, will help your puppy adjust to spending time there. Do not use the kennel as a punishment. If your puppy is not adjusting very quickly to the crate, try putting favorite toys or blankets in the crate, setting a ticking clock next to the kennel, or even playing a radio softly nearby. Allow your puppy to go in and out of the kennel, closing the door for increasingly longer periods of time until he is comfortable with the experience. Do not allow small children to shake the kennel box, tip it over, bang the door, or bang on the tops or sides. Your puppy will not feel safe, and will choose not to go there.
Crate training can also help with housetraining. If your puppy will be living indoors, he needs to know to go to the bathroom outside. Most puppies, unless they are left alone too long, will not go to the bathroom in their crate. Very young puppies need to go out every 2-3 hours. After every meal or snack, you should take your puppy out immediately. Praise your puppy for every time he urinates or has a bowel movement outside. You can simply praise and pet him, give him a toy, or give him a piece of his puppy food. Many dogs are food motivated, so food rewards can speed along the training process. Most puppies have a small break in their training that lasts for a few days. This seems to happen at about 12-14 weeks of age. Your puppy may have an accident or two and then go back to normal. If your puppy is not getting housebroken, or was housebroken but no longer seems to be, see your veterinarian. Puppies are susceptible to bladder infections and if they develop one of these, housetraining can become nearly impossible. Your veterinarian can diagnose and treat the problem.
As far as small children go, no child should be left unattended with a puppy. Puppies have sharp teeth that they use in play and children don’t know how to make appropriate corrections to this behavior. Also, small children don’t understand that puppies can’t be carried by the head or ridden like a horse. Serious injuries to young puppies can be the result of rough play by kids.
When there are multiple members of the household, everyone should know the rules when it comes to training the puppy. Everyone should use the same training method, same rewards for good behavior, and the same command words. Puppies can only learn through consistent, positive training. Ask your veterinarian for a recommendation for a trainer. Puppies should go to socialization classes when they are very young and beginner obedience classes when they are a little older. It is best for one family member to attend the class with the puppy and to be responsible for teaching the rest of the family. If your puppy is having behavioral issues, private training sessions in your home may be the best option to stop a problem from getting out of hand. There are many resources available to help you teach your puppy proper behavior.
Puppies need to chew things. They are born with a set of baby (or deciduous) teeth that fall out usually starting at 12 weeks of age. They gradually get all of their adult teeth in and usually have a full set at 7 months of age. Teething pain is the same for puppies as it is for human babies. Puppies need to have appropriate toys to chew on to relieve the discomfort. If you leave your shoes on the floor, your puppy will think it is ok to chew on them, especially if you have given your puppy old shoes or socks to play with. There are several companies that make hard rubber chew toys that have holes in them to fill with kibble or biscuits. These make great distraction agents and help keep a puppy (or adult) occupied if he is alone for part of the day. Sometimes your puppy’s baby teeth don’t fall out like they should. If this occurs, your veterinarian may need to remove them under sedation or general anesthesia. Retained deciduous teeth can cause dental problems later in life.
It is important for your puppy to eat a specially formulated puppy diet. Puppies grow very rapidly and require more fat and calories than adult dogs. There are special formulas for large breed puppies. The reason behind this is that a link between rapid growth and developmental orthopedic disease has been discovered. Excess energy causes excess or rapid growth and fat is the part of the diet that supplies the energy. Large breed puppy formulas have less fat than regular puppy formulas. Also, large breed puppy diets have restricted calcium. This is because high calcium levels have also been linked to an increased incidence of developmental orthopedic disease. Ask your veterinarian for a recommendation about diet. Whatever you do, don’t change your puppy’s diet frequently. If your puppy is doing well on a particular formula, continue to buy and feed that formula. Puppies are susceptible to gastrointestinal problems after sudden diet change. This is also the case when they get table scraps.
Puppies need regular veterinary care including check-ups and vaccinations. Vaccines are discussed in-depth in the vaccine article. Starting at 6-9 weeks of age, your puppy needs to start visiting a veterinarian. Most veterinarians vaccinate and deworm puppies starting at this age, and continuing every 2-4 weeks until they reach 16 weeks of age. Your veterinarian can help you solve behavioral issues and address any health concerns. This regular veterinary care can be costly, and this doesn’t even include care for illness or injury. Make sure you figure this cost into your plans so that you are not caught unaware.
All in all, puppies can make a great addition to most families. They do, however, require a lot of care and attention. Preparing for the addition makes the transition much better for everyone involved.
Please note that this information does not replace professional veterinary care. It is solely for educational purposes. Your pet's medical condition should be evaluated by a veterinarian before any medical decisions are implemented. If there is a potentially life-threatening emergency involving your pet, take your pet to a veterinarian or veterinary facility immediately. | <urn:uuid:5c9735c2-2026-429c-bd69-805762d976d0> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://diamondpet.com/pet_care/puppies/health_and_behavior/24/ | 2013-05-22T21:31:50Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702448584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110728-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.957631 | 1,450 |
Friday, January 15, 2010
Not much to say about Scottish Rugby hottie Sean Lamont who turns 29 today besides WOW. Sean was almost everyone's favorite from Stade a few years ago.
I still love me some Trent Ford who turns 31 today.
I still love me some Trent Ford who turns 31 today.
Ok, I finally watched a bit of American Idol last night. I dvr'd the last couple of nights but had little interest in watching. I hate the audition round for many reasons. I know many say that is all they watch but I find using the mentally handicapped, the mentally ill, the poor and the misguided the source of about 14 hours of laughs...too cruel for me to enjoy. American Idol has always been like comfort food to me. It airs during the coldest months of the year. When the outside is a snowy, freezing mess I have watched this show
As I fast forwarded to see the great singers, no one really stood out to me yet for their talent. (I have always thought the show never shows much of the real talent til Hollywood week anyway). I certainly found Joshua Blaylock (above) adorable. It was not just for his looks but also for his sweetness. He does not stand a chance, but he was a highlight of night one.
I will continue to dvr in the hopes that I regain my interest before Hollywood round. The show is in it's 9th year and has been repeating itself for awhile now. I never thought I cared about or liked Paula, yet... I miss her. This was especially true while watching Mary J. Blige who for some reason I have never liked. The woman is constantly lauded for her talent and though I see that, her personality has always rubbed me the wrong way. Looking forward to Neil Patrick Harris taking his turn with judging the audition round.
Back in 1998, ‘Felicity’ premiered on The WB. Felicity was created by Matt Reeves and an unknown JJ Abrams who up until that point had written a few screenplays, including some blockbusters such as ‘Armageddon’and ‘JoyRide’ but Felicity was the first time he produced a series for television.
Felicity’s star was the wonderful Keri Russell (one of a few women I would love to sleep with), Scott Foley and the soft spoken Scott Speedman. (The DVD commentaries have lots of mentions of his ‘whisper acting’).
The show ran for 4 seasons on the WB going off the air in 2002. Most of the cast has continued to work steadily on film and on television. Like most shows (for some reason particularly with the WB) I watched not one second of the show when it aired.
A couple of years ago I saw season 1 on sale in a bargin bin and picked it up for ten bucks. The show began with the interesting premise of Felicity at her graduation from high school. After the ceremony, Felicity speaks for the first time to the guy she has crushed over for years. Ben (Speedman) speaks to her as if they are closer than they are and writes something in Felicity’s yearbook that turns her life into a totally different direction.
Without family support, Felicity changes her plans for university and follows Ben to school in New York. When the two meet in New York he has no idea what brought her to the city and how much of an impact she is going to have on his life.
As last year approached I began going through my DVD’s and books and decided to sell some on Ebay or give away. All 4 seasons of ‘Felicity’ was put into my sell pile. I decided to stick in season 1 to watch one more time before I sold it and currently am wrapped up in the love triangle of Felicity, Ben and Noel (Foley) all over again.
If you have not seen it, are a lover of good television and a sucker for a somewhat soapy drama I encourage you to give ‘Felicity’ a shot. As season 3 and 4 went on the show became more like the other mainstream WB teen dramas, but in it’s first couple of years it was uniquely different. Felicity, either due to budget constraints or because of a creative decision did not use much of the manipulation techniques most shows used. There was music, very good music, but it does not blare over scenes and does not get louder to create drama. The music for the most part is subtle and in fact it is almost shocking how much silence the show was able to air. Awkward moments are awkwardly silent and none of the characters are let off the hook by music cues.
Below: Ian Gomez
Below: Amanda Foreman
With the exception of a few New York location shots, the sets are not elaborate. A few classrooms, a few dorm rooms are the setting for most of the story. The wardrobe (unlike say a Gossip Girl) is done for story, meaning you barely notice or care what the characters are wearing. The characters parents for the most part make enough money to send them to school, but there are no kids here sliding through life on a trust fund. They work, they study they work their way through life.
‘Felicity’ was cast exceptionally well. Russell is a beauty for sure, but this cast is a group of actors. You can almost see them wincing when they have to say the odd line that is out of sinc with the story. Scott Foley and Scott Speedman are perfectly cast as the men in her life, and given the three are involved in a triangle for much of the shows run, it is a testament to the writers that I , like Felicity struggled to decide who I thought she should be with. Ultimately I joined camp Noel, but it was a tough race.
As for the supporting cast, Greg Grunberg and Amanda Foreman were certainly my favorites and stood out as the wonderfully written Meagan and Sean. It is quite something to watch Foreman in season 1 knowing how much her character grows as the show went further. Amy Jo Johnson and Tangi Miller are well suited for their roles but the writers seemed to struggle maintaining their strength and both female characters suffered over the course of the show. Ian Gomez (currently on Cougar Town) and Rob Benedict are also wonderful in their roles.
Given that J.J Abrams (from Lost, Alias and of course last years Star Trek) is behind the scenes, you can bet the show has an originally you might not have first expected.
Although Texas born Wayne Stephens continues to model, his long term dream of acting is his number one priority. Wayne has appeared on 'Law & Order', 'All My Children', 'Prison Break', 'Sex and the City' and a slew of other movies and television shows. Wayne also has hit the stage, most notably in '24th Day' the first play produced by his production company 'Born Young'.
'Born Young' is a New York Based independent film and theatre production company that is dedicated to producing original, provacative and diverse films and theatrical performance. Wayne founded 'Born Young' with co-founder Nicholas Calhoun.
You can find out more about Wayne at 'Born Young' HERE:
Height: 6' 1"
Weight: 175 lbs
Hair color: Brown
Hair length: Short
Eye color: Brown
Skin color: Tanned
Wayne by Hutch
Below: Wayne by Lope Navo
Below: Wayne by Rick Day. | <urn:uuid:b3e3874a-79fe-484e-add3-149c75a9fe99> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://favoritehunks.blogspot.com/2010_01_15_archive.html | 2013-05-22T21:51:39Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702448584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110728-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.982167 | 1,561 |
You're planning to give Mother Nature a helping hand. Feet. Head.
Has your Chancellor been able to claim any of the Counties that border your personal demesne? Is Humphrey still alive? He's the true heir to Oultrejordan, isn't he?
You're planning to give Mother Nature a helping hand. Feet. Head.
Has your Chancellor been able to claim any of the Counties that border your personal demesne? Is Humphrey still alive? He's the true heir to Oultrejordan, isn't he?
Chief Ragusa: Maybe. The Chancellor will be given a new assignment in the next update. Humphrey de Toron is still alive and cooking. He's the heir to Oultrejordain and the current Lord of Safed.
You have a way with words and know history enough to keep me interested. Who doesn't love the story about the Kingdom of Heaven?
Congrats winning the AAR contest. Looks like you're holding it all together for now. High time Raymond kicks the bucket though.
Holy.Death: Thank you, that's very kind of you to say. Welcome to the AAR, I hope you continue to enjoy it.
Qorten: Thanks very much. I can assure you that Raymond's days are numbered, but then, he's an older man as it is.
To everyone, I hope to have the next update done soon, if not tonight then tomorrow. (I hope.)
eagerly awaiting the next update
The_Archduke: I'm pleased to hear it, my friend. Looks like it'll be finished some time tomorrow. I hope not to disappoint.
I'm really enjoying this read.
If it was up to me I'd prefer not having the story mixed up with gameplay comments. I do like the gameplay part aswell but would like it more if it was kept seperate from the main narrative.
But, wellwell. It's your story so write it the way you like. I'm still reading =)
Very nice read - I have only a minor grammatical gripe 'Krak de Lion' sounds very odd to my french ears - Krak du Lion would be better, at least in modern french.
'de' is usually translated as 'of', while 'du (contraction of 'de le' is translated as 'of the'
BraidsMAmma: Thanks, I'm glad you're enjoying it. I'm sorry you don't like the mixture of gameplay and history-book, though there is very little I can do short of eliminating one or the other. IMHO separating the two would damage the narrative flow, and be more like writing two separate AARs. I'm really more a narrative authAAR anyway, so I'm sort of exploring new territory here.
manunancy: Thanks for commenting. It's been several years since I took French, and since it was an attempt on my part to pick up a third language I doubt much of it has stuck with me. The only two medieval examples of the usage of "Krak" that were readily available to me were unfortunately both plural: the Hospitallers' Krak des Chevaliers and Reynald's Kerak des Moabites. So I was just sort of blundering around in the dark when it came to the grammar. But what you say sounds correct. It would be "le ch‚teau du roi" after all, wouldn't it? So why not le Krak du Lion?
To all, the new update is nearly finished and I hope to have it posted within the hour.
I personally would like you to keep current style - it strikes good balance between gameplay, history and narration.
No one had seen it coming. When Tiberias’ well-armed host arrived at their gates, the Knights Hospitaller had been caught totally unawares. Although they were an organization entirely devoted to the military defense of the Holy Land, the Hospitallers were ill-prepared to defend Baalbek against a prolonged siege, especially by those who ought to have been their friends. The Knights of St. John were now compelled to do battle with their fellow Christians, despite their stringent rules to the contrary.
It is said that when their elderly Grand Master Roger de Moulins heard the news that he immediately fell dead from a heart attack.
Actually I had seen this attack coming. In my first playthrough before the patch, Raymond stormed Baalbek right out of the gate in 1180. Madness. After the patch, I thought the AI must have been mended because Raymond took out his frustrations in a long, fruitless war with the Hashishin. I should have guessed that after he had concluded a permanent peace in Masyaf that he would turn right back like a dog to his vomit and attack the neighboring Hospitallers.
What was Raymond thinking? Was he just trying to exploit his de jure claim to the province? Never mind that the Hospitallers were quite literally the only thing standing between him and hordes of screaming Muslim jihadists. Never mind that they had aided him in his war with the Hashishin. So foolish.
In fact, this move was so stupid that it really should not have even been possible. There ought to be some sort of proscription against fellow Catholics attacking the holdings of the holy orders, or at the very least there needs to be a huge penalty for so doing. In my first playthrough, Raymond did receive the epithet “the Wicked,” but he otherwise got off scot-free after schooling one of the most important holy orders in all of Christendom.
But really, this was just so absurd. The garrison at Baalbek may have been weak and ill-prepared, but surely Raymond remembered the thousands of heavy cavalry and infantry that the Hospitallers could deploy on command. He had fought alongside them on numerous occasions. I had high hopes that the powerful Knights of St. John would be able to give Raymond of Tiberias a suitably bloody nose.
Then at this point I learned about another mechanism of CK2: in-game, the political entity of the Knights Hospitaller seemed to be totally unable to muster the piety to hire the recruitable Hospitaller holy order. Never mind that they should have free and automatic access to those troops on demand. They're supposed to be one and the same, for goodness' sake!
The Knights Templar were no help either. While a successful attack on the Hospitallers would damage the prestige of all the holy orders, the Templars were still the Hospitallers' main rivals in the Holy Land, and they were content to watch them be humbled.
Worst of all, Sibylla and Richard were not able to do anything about it. If the game had allowed me to roleplay King Richard the way I wanted to at that moment, he would have marched north and rampaged through Raymond’s lands like a maniac, setting fire to everything in sight until that fool Raymond was forced to stand down. But because Jerusalem’s crown authority was too low, vassals could still fight each other without any royal repercussions whatsoever.
The Crown of Jerusalem was under their constant protection... so why were the Knights of St. John not to be afforded the protection of the Crown in return?
Madness I say, utter madness.
I think Jerusalem definitely needs to have their crown authority set a little bit higher at the start. My complete inability to intervene in this rampant internecine warfare made me feel as if I was playing one of the petty kingdoms in Ireland or something, not a fully-established crusader state. Instead, the only way for the king and queen to be able to intercede would be if they had a direct claim to any of Raymond’s lands (and thus a casus belli).
Well to heck with that. Attacking the Knights Hospitaller should be a casus belli in and of itself. Period.
This is one example of how unbalanced de jure claims can be. They are a wonderful, innovative game feature, but they definitely require a lot of tweaking. So, rather than tinkering endlessly with save-game files to remedy this situation, I thought I’d try to find a way around things with the in-game mechanics. There was no way I was going to allow Raymond to get away with this.
Sibylla immediately sent the Chancellor to work on developing a claim to Baalbek. That way Richard could have his war of vengeance.
The Spymaster was sent to Tripoli in the vain attempt to establish some spy networks there in preparation for an attempt to “unofficially” eliminate Raymond, but that proved to be a dead end. The man just wouldn’t take to being murdered.
Meanwhile, the Chaplain was dispatched forthwith to seek an audience with the Holy Father. His mission was to attempt to persuade the Pope of the true piety of the King and Queen of Jerusalem and the injustice of Tiberias’ cause. Hopefully the Chaplain could curry enough papal favor to launch a church-sanctioned military intervention against Tiberias, or at least a formal papal censure, maybe an excommunication?
The Chaplain returned from the Holy See a few months later with mixed news. He had enjoyed several long audiences with Pope Clement and had convinced him to support Jerusalem’s cause. Unfortunately, the old pope had then almost immediately died, being succeeded by some twit who anachronistically named himself Pope John Paul. This new pope possessed a great deal of contempt for all temporal sovereigns and had refused even to give the envoy an audience.
So now His Holiness was a nutjob who wouldn’t even intervene to save the embattled Knights Hospitaller. Come on.
By now Krak des Chevaliers itself was under siege. Raymond had taken and occupied all the holdings in Baalbek and was pushing to defeat the last major Hospitaller stronghold, formidable though it was. Ridiculous.
My meager efforts to intercede had proved to be too little, too late. Raymond didn’t have a direct claim on the Krak itself, but once it was taken he could force the Hospitallers to surrender their other lands to his control. The siege of the Krak was lengthy, but Raymond was patient, and he soon obtained both the peace treaty and the lands that he had so greedily sought.
Baalbek was lost. The proud Order of Hospitallers had been shamed.
I was frustrated to no end. There had been next to nothing I could do, but I was determined not to let this pass.
Sibylla was absolutely beside herself and Richard was seeing red. At some point in the future, the Chancellor was bound to forge a proper claim to Baalbek, and then the royal retinue would march north to bring the pain to Raymond and give the Hospitallers back their lands. Or maybe that twit-faced dunce of a Pope could be convinced to hit Raymond with some kind of sanction. I was bound and determined to do something.
For now however, there was little that could be done besides waiting for the councillors to fulfill their missions.
It was time to move on. There were other pressing matters to attend to.
Prince Godfrey had turned six years old, and as such it was now time to provide him with an education. Some stuffy old bishop requested the privilege of being the boy’s tutor, but Richard quickly sent him packing. No anemic clerical education would do for a son of Richard Cœur de Lion! No, the boy would learn the finer points of knighthood from his dear old dad himself. If you’ve got a solid King and Queen, having them personally educate their heirs is really the only way to go, because that way you have so much more influence on what traits they receive.
It was also about time to ensure that Godfrey was betrothed, because finding a bride with the requisite degree of both rank and personal ability can be ever so difficult. With Godfrey’s nuptials secure, Queen Sibylla could then rest easy for the next decade while the children matured, without having to rush to find an appropriate match for the Prince.
The first stop on the royal agenda was the Byzantine Empire to see if they had any princesses of the right age for Godfrey. The Byzantine alliance had been very useful for Sibylla’s father King Amalric, and it would be good to renew it to help maintain control of the Christian lands in the Near East. Regrettably, the Basileos didn’t see things the same way. When Jerusalem’s royal envoy formally requested the hand of a Byzantine princess for Prince Godfrey, the Emperor laughed in his face and said that Jerusalem already had a living Byzantine princess. He mockingly inquired what had been done with her for the kingdom to be seeking another.
Obviously Queen Sibylla’s stepmother Maria Komnena was not an option. She was already married to Balian of Ibelin and was pushing forty anyway. Moreover she had been a perpetual thorn in Sibylla’s side for years.
Come to think of it, maybe I didn’t want a Byzantine princess after all.
After a few weeks of wasted time in Constantinople, Queen Sibylla’s envoy headed farther west to the Holy Roman Empire to inquire about obtaining a betrothal between young Prince Godfrey and a German princess. After all, if negotiations with one claimant to the Throne of Caesars doesn’t work out, why not try the other?
A month later, word arrived from the illustrious Kaiser himself, one Friedrich von Hohenstaufen.
The illustrious Frederick Barbarossa sent Sibylla and Richard his warmest greetings, but also his regrets. He informed Jerusalem’s royal sovereigns that alas, contrary to popular belief, German princesses do not grow on trees. Barbarossa’s own children were all long since fully-grown and married off. The wife of his eldest son Heinrich had in fact recently given birth, but to a boy – named Frederick after his grandfather. The King and Queen of Jerusalem were more than welcome, he continued, to wait and pray that one of his many children produced a daughter, but unless they were prepared to make Godfrey wait a very long time for his bride to come to maturity, Richard and Sibylla ought not to hold their breath.
Barbarossa closed his epistle with more words of mingled candor and courtesy, pledging a polite desire to one day fulfill an old vow he had made to make a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, where he would thus greet their royal personages in person. Given the fact that Barbarossa was now pushing seventy years of age, his making the long trek to Jerusalem by this point seemed to be completely out of the question, but it was nonetheless a courteous thing to say.
The royal envoys had failed once again. There were no girls of the Hohenstaufen bloodline available, and certainly no weak-willed Welf or Wettin would do, not for the son and heir of the legendary King Richard and the exquisite Queen Sibylla.
Therefore it appeared there would be no fine and fetching Fršulein for Prince Godfrey either. A shame.
But then something completely unrelated drew the Queen’s eye.
The garb of Barbarossa’s messenger seemed familiar and particularly noteworthy: a white surcoat bearing a black cross. Some of the Templars’ men-at-arms recognized the man. When pressed, the imperial envoy confirmed that he belonged to a small holy order of knights: the Brothers of the German House of St. Mary. Until recently, they had been based at Acre, but because of the prolonged peacetime in Jerusalem, he and many of his brethren had decided their work in the Levant was done and had returned home to the Empire.
Once back home in the Fatherland, they had obtained the official sponsorship of the Kaiser himself. Barbarossa readily expanded and reequipped their order, and sent them forth to fight the pagans on his eastern border. The Kings of Denmark and Poland were also quite eager to employ their services and they rewarded the new Order’s success with some of their newly conquered lands.
So the Teutonic Knights had been established, and they had already impacted Europe in a big way.
I was excited when I got the message that the Teutonic Order was now available to recruit, assuming that they would prove a big help in bolstering my armies. After all, one can’t complain about another 7,000 heavily-armed elite soldiers. Unfortunately, I discovered to my chagrin that the Deutsche Ritter cost about five times as much piety to recruit as their Templar and Hospitaller brethren. I assumed this was because the other two orders were my direct vassals, while their Teutonic counterparts were either independent or directly sponsored by the Holy Roman Empire. What was more, they were perpetually in service to just about every major power in central and eastern Europe, so even if I had enough piety stored up I wouldn’t be able to bring them on board.
Then yet another missive arrived at the royal court, this one bearing ill tidings from the east.
The Abbasid Caliph al-Nasir had pronounced a Jihad to retake the Kingdom of Jerusalem.
It seemed as though Jerusalem would be needing the services of those holy orders fairly soon after all.
A silly situation indeed. Things like that should really be blocked, as you say, or punishable by a pan-Christendom beatdown on the perpetrator and performable only by a seriously irrationalised ("The voices told me to invade! AHHAHAHAHAhAHAhahahAA!") AI ruler. Still, it makes for an interesting story, and I hope Sybilla and Richard can rectify the mess in short order. Any other candidates for betrothal to Godfrey?
Also, poor Hospitaller dude looks so sad on that picture. Makes me want to wrap my arm around his big manly shoulders and comfort him. Don't worry, Hospitaller Dude. It's just a temporary setback!
The SalopAARds - A CKII AAR A tale of hijinks and lowlifes in Norman Sicily.
Other people's AARs you should read:
*Valour of the North Star: Chronicles of the Hvide Clan*The Golden Nation: A California AAR*Ambition: A Stateless General's AAR*Subcontinental Subtleties: An experimental comic AAR*The Heart of Africa: A Visitor's Guide To Modern Ethiopia*Glory for Ulm: A Flagland AAR*Life in the Trenches 1936: Xibei San Ma*The Great Men of Korchev: What Became of the Unfortunate Branch of Rurikids*The Chronicles of the Golden Cross Redux*Els Ducs de Barcelona*
I have to disagree a bit about declaring war on the holy order - while no one in the Jerusalem in his right mind should even think about it, conspiring and destroying knights of Christ did happen in the history. King Philip IV the Fair of France was fighting both the Pope and the Knights Templar. Of course, attacking the holy orders should require more power (like control over the Pope or good standings with him), but nevertheless it should still be possible. I am not sure if excommunication and fighting your own vassal is possible. Other than that you should be able to request your vassal to stop wars (similar to End Plot request) or meet the King's wraith as enemy of the Crown and traitor to the Realm.
The Almighty does test his beloved Kingdom greatly.
Last edited by Holy.Death; 06-03-2012 at 00:28.
Well the royal pair doesn't have the authority to do anything. Their vassals and leaders of men will only shake their heads upon the suggestion that they go out and stop Raymond. This is not what a King is for, they say. A King leads us against the heathen, but it is beyond his rights to meddle in the affairs of the lords of the realm! And who knows what injuries and insults the order has committed against Raymond? Isn't it his right to teach them a lesson? He is the lord of those lands after all! Even the Pope refuses to help the Hospitalliers, and isn't he always right? The knights, they have lost their way and are now punished!
Morsky: I concur. Re: Godfrey's potential brides, let's just say there'll be a fun surprise in a few years. And I got a nice laugh when I read what you thought about that poor Hospitaller. Too funny. "It's going to be okay, big guy."
Holy.Death: Thanks, I'm glad you enjoy the AAR's unique style. As for your comments re: attacking the holy orders, I don't disagree that pulling a Philip the Fair should be possible. However, the key thing to remember (as you pointed out) is that Philip was only able to disenfranchise and slay the Templars once he had intervened in the papal succession, appointed a French pope and ensured that the Papacy was moved to Avignon. With the Holy Father as his pawn, it would have been much easier for Philip to attack an important Christian establishment like the Templars. For the likes of Raymond of Tiberias to be able to successfully attack the Knights Hospitallers while the whole Kingdom was surrounded by angry Muslims... it just wouldn't happen. I agree, there needs to be an "end war or else" request that lieges can drop on unruly vassals.
Subcomandante: No kidding. I'm sure my vassals were rationalizing the situation with exactly the sort of rhetoric you posed. But it doesn't mean I have to like it.
Jerusalem is supposed to have weak central authority. Raymond may die in the war against hte Caliph. How long before the truce with Saladin runs out? Can the Kingdom hire everone , defeat the Caliph and still hire everyone again for Saladin?
It's a bit rich a country that has no border declares war and will march across Saladin's lands without so much as a protest. Does Raymond have a daughter? Here's a quick war, a decisvie battle, the capture of lots of enemy nobles including the Caliph, lots of money by way of peace and lots and lots of prestige to apply to raising crown authority and title to various counties.
Chief Ragusa: Eh... I'd say Jerusalem should have weaker authority at the start, not weakest. Baldwin IV had minimum kingdom authority when I started in 1180. Sibylla has since upgraded it to low. Unfortunately, only one such change may be made during a monarch's lifetime, so any further strengthening of crown authority will have to wait until Godfrey succeeds. In my first playthrough, Baldwin managed to upgrade his authority before his deposition, so that Sibylla was then able to move it up further to medium, but in my more recent playthrough Baldwin was deposed before he could muster up enough support for the reform. Granted Jerusalem should not have super-strong crown authority (it's no Angevin England after all), but under minimum crown authority, the realm is basically in chaos. It's like Ireland-type chaos. You can't even appoint army generals under minimum authority. You can't prevent internecine warfare until medium. And given that Richard is king-consort, I would expect him to make some serious efforts to strengthen his authority.
I have discovered the way to go for the Holy Kingdom!
*sung in the style of an old pub song*
The Green Isles of Ireland,
So broken and so true,
Jerusalem shall take it's band,
And we'll invade youuuu!
Over the Mediterranian,
Through the straits of hell,
We shall take the golden cross,
And ring your sodding bell!
Dear all you young lasses,
For all you fine lads,
It's off t' Ireland we go,
T'e make 'em sodding mad!
Co-GM and Tywin Lannister in Plank of Wood's Forum Game "Seven Kingdoms, Five Kings - ASoIaF Game"
Role Player of the Month - 02/05/13
Arseny Grigoryevich Zverev - Secretary to the People's Commissar for Finance, in Avindian's Tukhachevsky's Army and the Politburo (Interactive TFH 4.02)
Minister of War Andrei Ivonaescu Popa, Master of Hyperbole. Formerly President Codrinaru, the President that was Needed but not Wanted. "Federation of Equals"
Louis Theriault "Le Grand Chef" Etienne Pouvoir, Nawlin's Representative Extraordinaire - Bakery's All Men Created Equal
King Vittorio Emanuele II of the Kingdom of Italy in Fry's WiR 1861
Lieutenant-Commander Sebastien Heinberg Guttson von Jurring of the 2nd Roman Regiment - in RNN "Saint Peter's Throne"
can see your frustration with the game mechannics but its making for a great roller coaster ride. Raymond really is a pain in the ... and proving unwilling to get himself killed. And now the whole kingdom is back under threat | <urn:uuid:9a9e9ba3-d41e-47e7-8562-4a237f09cf52> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/showthread.php?587668-The-Chronicles-of-the-Golden-Cross-Redux&p=13540949&viewfull=1 | 2013-05-22T21:45:17Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702448584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110728-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.973798 | 5,383 |
a TCAD Lab
Introduction to TCAD Simulation
The existing semiconductor industry is now fundamentally built on the assumption to design almost every aspect of a chip in software first.
Process simulation provides the ability to optimize and control the various processing steps such as implantation, oxidation, diffusion, etching, deposition etc. Prophet and TSuprem are tools of choice on nanoHUB.org for this endeavor. Learning about the basics of process simulation may be, however, daunting at first and there are 4 simplified process labs available in this tool set that guide students towards full blown process simulation.
Device simulation either takes in process simulation data or assumes certain device geometries, doping profiles etc. and simulates electrical device performances. PADRE and Schred are tools of choice on nanoHUB.org for this simulation step. PADRE is a full-fledged simulation environment for semiclassical device simulation. It has a complicated input language that may be inappropriate for usage in class room environments, when simple device modeling concepts need to be introduced. Drift-Diffusion Lab, PN junction Lab, MOScap, and MOSFET are simplified GUI-driven tools that enable students (and professionals) to easily configure PADRE without messing around with the PADRE input language.
Circuit simulation ultimately provides system level design capabilities. nanoHUB.org has a sinple interface to the Berkeley Spice3f4 for such usages.
This nanoHUB “topic page” provides an easy access to selected nanoHUB Semiconductor Device Education Material that is openly accessible and usable by everyone around the world.
We invite you to participate in this open source, interactive educational initiative:
- Contribute your content by uploading it to the nanoHUB. (See “Contribute Content”) on the nanoHUB mainpage.
- Provide feedback for the items you use on the nanoHUB through the review system. (Please be explicit and provide constructive feedback.)
- Let us know when things do not work for you – file a ticket through the nanoHUB “Help” feature on every page
- Finally, let us know what you are doing and your suggestions improving the nanoHUB by using the “Feedback” section, which you can find under “Support”
Thank you for using the nanoHUB, and be sure to share your nanoHUB success stories with us. We like to hear from you, and our sponsors need to know that the nanoHUB is having impact.
Semiconductor Process Modeling
Semiconductor process modeling is a vast field in which several commercial products are available and in use for production in industry and to some extent in education. nanoHUB is serving a few applications that are primarily geared towards education. The four tools entitled ‘Process Lab …’Oxidation, Oxidation Flux, Concentration Dependent Diffusion, and Point Defect Coupled Diffusion are all educational front-ends to the general Prophet tool in aTCADlab.
The Oxidation Lab in aTCADlab simulates the oxidation process in integrated circuit fabrication. It is supported by a supplemental document that describes the theory and potential experiments that can be conducted.
The Process Oxidation Flux Lab in aTCADlab simulates the oxidation flux in the oxide growth process in integrated circuit fabrication. It is supported by a supplemental document that describes the theory and potential experiments that can be conducted.
The Concentration Dependent Diffusion Lab in aTCADlab simulates the oxidation flux in the oxide growth process in integrated circuit fabrication.
The Point Defect Coupled Diffusion Lab in aTCADlab the point-defect-coupled diffusion process in integrated circuit fabrication.
PROPHET in aTCADlab was originally developed for semiconductor process simulation. Device simulation capabilities are currently under development. PROPHET solves sets of partial differential equations in one, two, or three spatial dimensions. All model coefficients and material parameters are contained in a database library which can be modified or added to by the user. Even the equations to be solved can be specified by the end user. It is supported by an extensive set of User Guide pages and a seminar on Nano-Scale Device Simulations Using PROPHET.
TSuprem4 simulates the processing steps used in the manufacture of silicon integrated circuits and discrete devices. The types of processing steps modeled by the current version of the program include ion implantation, inert ambient drive-in, silicon and polysilicon oxidation and silicidation, epitaxial growth, and low temperature deposition and etching of various materials.Because of the way TSUPREM-4 is licensed, it is available only to users on the West Lafayette campus of Purdue University. Note that you must use a network connection on campus, or else you will get an 'access denied' message.
The Drift Diffusion Lab in aTCADlab enables a user to understand the basic concepts of DRIFT and DIFFUSION of carriers inside a semiconductor slab using different kinds of experiments. Experiments like shining light on the semiconductor, applying bias and both can be performed. This tool provides important information about carrier densities, transient and steady state currents, fermi-levels and electrostatic potentials. It is supported by two related homework assignments #1 and #2 in which Students are asked to explore the concepts of drift, diffusion, quasi Fermi levels, and the response to light.
PN-Junction Lab in aTCADlab: Everything you need to explore and teach the basic concepts of P-N junction devices. Edit the doping concentrations, change the materials, tweak minority carrier lifetimes, and modify the ambient temperature. Then, see the effects in the energy band diagram, carrier densities, net charge distribution, I/V characteristic, etc.
There is a significant set of associated resources available for this tool.
- a demo of this tool
- a Primer on Semiconductor Device Simulation.
- a Learning Module entitled PN Junction Theory and Modeling which walks students through the PN junction theory and let’s them verify concepts through on-line simulation.
- Homework assignment on the depletion approximation (on the undergraduate level)
- Homework assignment on the depletion approximation (on the undergraduate level)
- PN Diode Exercise: Series Resistance
- Exercise: PIN Diode
- PN Diode Exercise: Graded Junction
- Basic operation of a PN diode - Theoretical exercise
- PN diode - Advanced theoretical exercises
- Schottky diode - Theoretical exercises
(Image(/resource_files/tools/bjt/5_BJTenergy_nonequil.gif, 120 class=align-right) failed - File not found)/www/nanohub/resource_files/tools/bjt/5_BJTenergy_nonequil.gif The Bipolar Junction Lab in aTCADlab allows Bipolar Junction Transistor (BJT) simulation using a 2D mesh. It allows user to simulate npn or pnp type of device. Users can specify the Emitter, Base and Collector region depths and doping densities. Also the material and minority carrier lifetimes can be specified by the user. It is supported by a homework assignment in which Students are asked to find the emitter efficiency, the base transport factor, current gains, and the Early voltage. Also a qualitative discussion is requested.
The MOScap Tool in aTCADlab tool enables a semi-classical analysis of MOS Capacitors. Simulates the capacitance of bulk and dual gate capacitors for a variety of different device sizes, geometries, temperature and doping profiles.
- Exercise: CV curves for MOS capacitors
- MOSCAP - Theoretical Exercises 1
- MOSCAP - Theoretical Exercises 2
- MOSCAP - Theoretical Exercises 3
- MOS Capacitors: Theory and Modeling
(Image(/images/tool/schred/schred.jpg, 120 class=align-right) failed - File not found)/www/nanohub/images/tool/schred/schred.jpg Schred Tool in aTCADlab calculates the envelope wavefunctions and the corresponding bound-state energies in a typical MOS (Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor) or SOS (Semiconductor-Oxide-Semiconductor) structure and a typical SOI structure by solving self-consistently the one-dimensional (1D) Poisson equation and the 1D Schrodinger equation.
- Schred: Exercise 1
- SCHRED: Exercise 2
- Schred: Exercise 3
- Quantum Size Effects and the Need for Schred
- Schred Tutorial Version 2.1
The MOSfet Lab in aTCADlab tool enables a semi-classical analysis of current-voltage characteristics for bulk and SOI Field Effect Transistors (FETs) for a variety of different device sizes, geometries, temperature and doping profiles.
- MOSFET Exercise
- Exercise: Basic Operation of n-Channel SOI Device
- MOSFET - Theoretical Exercises
- MOSFET Operation Description
PADRE in aTCADlab is a 2D/3D simulator for electronic devices, such as MOSFET transistors. It can simulate physical structures of arbitrary geometry—including heterostructures—with arbitrary doping profiles, which can be obtained using analytical functions or directly from multidimensional process simulators such as . A variety of supplemental documents are available that deal with the PADRE software and TCAD simulation:
- User Guide (HTML)
- Abbreviated First Time User Guide
- [tools/padre/faq/ FAQ]
- A set of course notes on Computational Electronics with detailed explanations on bandstructure, pseudopotentials, numerical issues, and drift diffusion.
- [resources/1516/ Introduction to DD Modeling with PADRE]
- [resources/1516/ MOS Capacitors: Description and Semiclassical Simulation With PADRE]
- A Primer on Semiconductor Device Simulation
SPICE3f4 in aTCADlab s a general-purpose circuit simulation program for nonlinear dc, nonlinear transient, and linear ac analysis. It was developed at the University of California, Berkeley. Version 3F4 was released in 1993. Circuits may contain resistors, capacitors, inductors, mutual inductors, independent voltage and current sources, four types of dependent sources, transmission lines, and the four most common semiconductor devices: diodes, BJT’s, JFET’s, and MOSFET’s. SPICE has built-in models for the semiconductor devices, and the user need specify only the pertinent model parameter values.
- [resource_files/tools/spice3f4/spice3f4.swf Demo: Getting Started]
- [tools/spice3f4/faq/ FAQ]
About aTCADlab Constituent Tools
The aTCADlab has been put together from individual disjoint tools to enable educators, students, and profesionals to have a one-stop-shop in TCAD tools education. It therefore benefits tremendously from the hard work that the contributors of the individual tool builders have put into their tools.
As a matter of credit, simulation runs that are performed in the aTCADlab tool are also credited to the individual tools, which help the ranking of the individual tools. We do also count the number of usages of the individual tools in the aTCADlab tool set, to measure the aTCADlab impact and possibly also improve the tool.
In the description above we do not refer to the individual tools since we want to guide the users to the composite aTCADlab tool. We cite the individual tools here explicitly so they are being given the appropriate credit and on their rspective tool pages are being linked to this aTCADlab topic page.
Process Lab: Oxidation, Process Lab: Oxidation Flux, Process Lab: Concentration Dependent Diffusion, Process Lab: Point Defect Coupled Diffusion, Prophet, tsuprem4, Drift-Diffusion Lab, PN Junction Lab, BJT Lab, MOSCap, Schred, MOSFet, Padre, and Spice3f4. | <urn:uuid:7eafd738-6c02-4120-903b-cf1120bcd152> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://nanohub.org/topics/aTCADLab?version=4 | 2013-05-22T21:47:17Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702448584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110728-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.865863 | 2,620 |
Friday, August 27, 1999 Published at 05:52 GMT 06:52 UK
Koresh and the Waco siege
The Waco compound: Home of the Branch Davidians
By BBC News Online's Kevin Anderson in Washington
David Koresh, the leader of the Branch Davidians in Waco, Texas, thought he was an angel and an agent of God.
The government thought he was a gun-hoarding criminal who physically and sexually abused the several children he fathered with his followers.
And although he died with almost 80 of his followers in a fire during an FBI assault on their compound six years ago, ongoing questions about the raid have given the charismatic religious leader immortality in the press.
The prophet king
Koresh was born Vernon Wayne Howell in Houston Texas in 1959.
He suffered from dyslexia and the taunts of his schoolmates, and by the ninth grade, he dropped out of school.
Despite being a poor student, he was keenly interested in the Bible, and by the age of 12 had memorised large parts of it.
After travelling to Hollywood in a failed attempt to become a rock star, he joined the Branch Davidians in 1981.
Koresh became involved in a power struggle for leadership of the group. He left with a group of followers, but in 1987, he returned with seven of his disciples.
They were armed with five .223 calibre semi-automatic assault rifles, two .22 calibre rifles, two 12-gauge shotguns and 400 rounds of ammunition.
The leader of the group, George Roden, was wounded in the attack, and Koresh and the seven followers were tried on charges of attempted murder.
The seven followers were acquitted, and in the case of Koresh, a mistrial was declared.
By 1990, he had become the head of the Branch Davidians.
The history of the Davidians
The Branch Davidians descend from a schism in the Seventh-day Adventist Church.
Koresh's mother was a member of the church, and he was a member for a short time as well.
The schism in the Seventh-Day Adventists began in the 1930s when Victor Houteff, a prominent Adventist in Los Angeles, wrote a book saying the church had become lax.
Mr Houteff's Davidian Seventh-day Adventists began to fall apart after his death in 1955. His widow Florence took over the group, but when Christ did not return as she predicted on Easter Day of 1959, most of the followers left.
A core group remained, a power struggle ensued, and a man named Ben Roden declared himself the leader of a new group, the Branch Davidians.
Preparing for the end
After Koresh took control of the group, he annulled the marriages of his followers, according to former members of the cult. He said that only he could be married. Several members left.
The former followers told authorities that Koresh would beat the children until they were bruised and bleeding. Social workers investigated but could never confirm the charges.
For the remaining followers, they prepared for the end of the world.
Koresh said that the Apocalypse would begin when the American army attacked Mount Carmel, their compound outside of Waco.
They buried a school bus to serve as a bunker and stockpiled food and ammunition.
Chronology of a showdown
The showdown between the government and the cult began on Sunday, 28 February, 1993, when agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms attempted to arrest Koresh on charges of illegal firearms and explosives charges.
Four ATF agents were killed, another 16 were wounded and an undetermined number of Davidians were killed and wounded. Koresh later disclosed that he had been wounded.
The FBI took control of the situation, and President Clinton endorsed a negotiated settlement.
Negotiations began the next day, and 10 children were released. The FBI moved armoured vehicles to the compound's perimeter.
The armoured vehicles and their movements would anger Koresh throughout the siege.
The tape was broadcast on the Christian Broadcasting Network, but Koresh said that God had told him to wait.
Negotiations continued over the next several days, but Koresh refused to surrender. He made rambling religious statements interspersed with threats of violence.
The FBI became concerned that the Davidians would commit mass suicide. Over the next 51 days, negotiations went back and forth.
On the same day, the FBI decided to cut off electricity to the compound until the stand off ended.
On 9 April, Koresh sent a letter to the FBI saying that the "heavens are calling you to judgement."
The FBI enlisted experts to analyse the letter. They concluded Koresh had no intention of leaving voluntarily.
The FBI finalised plans to use tear gas against the Davidians and sought the approval of Janet Reno. After consulting army anti-terrorism experts, she approved the plan on 17 April.
Ms Reno briefed President Clinton the next day, and he concurred but also expressed concerns about the children's safety.
On Sunday 18 April, as armoured vehicles cleared cars from the front of the compound, the Davidians held children up in the windows of a tower on the compound and a sign saying: "Flames Await."
On Monday 19 April, the FBI notified the Davidians of the imminent tear gas assault. The Davidians begin shooting shortly after the gas attack began shortly after 6 a.m.
The gas attack continued for several hours, and the armoured vehicles begin smashing holes in the buildings.
At noon, several fires started within the compound. Shortly thereafter, nine Davidians fled the compound.
The FBI continues to maintain that members of the cult started the fires.
Fire-fighting efforts began, but the wooden structures quickly became engulfed. Koresh and 76 followers, including more than 20 children, died. | <urn:uuid:7b817332-94f6-43ad-a6f4-4ac1bac20a96> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/431311.stm | 2013-05-22T21:53:44Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702448584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110728-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.981964 | 1,216 |
- Sticky, Gooey, Creamy, Chewy - http://stickygooeycreamychewy.com -
Easter Brunch SGCC-Style
Posted By Susan On April 1, 2012 @ 4:31 pm In Holidays,Recipes,SGCC Rewinds | 13 Comments
Of the great triumvirate of Christian holidays (Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter), Easter is my favorite. While I love eating myself into oblivion at Thanksgiving, and Christmas (the gifts are nice too), I actually enjoy the fact that Easter isn’t as food-centric. I find it to be a much more relaxing and low-key holiday than the others, which in turn means less stress for me. And, I’m all about less stress these days! While, it would be unthinkable in my family to have Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner in a restaurant (gasp!), the same does not apply to Easter. Unless we’re invited to someone’s home, we almost always enjoy our Easter meal at one of our favorite restaurants.
On the other hand, if your family is anything like mine, they will be clamoring for food long before the time a 4:00 dinner reservation rolls around. To stave off the hungry horde, I always prepare a few dishes ahead of time that can either be warmed up in the oven or simply served cold that morning. Here are some great “stress-less” brunch ideas from the SGCC archives for a lovely, laid back, Easter Sunday brunch.
Fresh, ripe strawberries are blended with yogurt, sour cream, lime juice and honey to make this rich and lush chilled soup. It’s like a cross between a mousse and a smoothie. Frozen berries can also be used in a pinch. Whip it up a day or two in advance, although it may not last that long.
Chicks in a Nest
Chicks in a Nest is a great dish to serve for a brunch buffet. Each serving is completely self-contained and can just be picked up and popped on a plate. The “nests” are made from shredded potatoes that are baked in a muffin tin, which are then served filled with scrambled or poached eggs. You can shred your own potatoes or use a bag of the pre-shredded kind, like I did. The potato nests can be made a day ahead and crisped up in the oven before serving.
A strata is casserole made with bread, eggs and whatever cheese, meats or vegetables you feel like putting into it. Think of it as a savory bread pudding. This one is filled with onions, ham, mozzarella and Swiss cheese. The best thing about a strata is that it’s meant to be made in advance. In fact, it really must be put together and allowed to sit for several hours or overnight before baking. For your trouble, you’re rewarded with a puffy and golden mass of cheesy, meaty, eggy goodness.
A kugel is actually a Jewish dish, commonly served on holidays and special occasions. It’s a baked casserole, sweet or savory, that is usually made with egg noodles or potatoes, and often with cottage or cream cheese. In this savory version, I’ve blended cottage cheese, sour cream and a velvety chevre with noodles and assorted vegetables for a sumptuous dish with a subtle tang. A dusting of panko crumbs on top gives it a little crunch and extra texture. This kugel is best baked up a day ahead and served at room temperature.
This light and luscious chicken salad is chock full of fresh and dried fruits and nuts bathed in a creamy dressing punctuated with fresh herbs. You can use any combination and quantity of fruits, nuts and herbs that you like, and it always turns out great. Served in big, juicy, hollowed out tomatoes, pineapple boats or avocado halves, this Tutti Frutti Chicken Salad really sings Springtime!
This lovely little salad features crisp tender green beans, potatoes, sweet grape tomatoes and thin slivers of red onion. I pair it with a zesty vinaigrette, accented with Dijon mustard, lemon, garlic, honey and fresh herbs. Serve it either warm or chilled and topped with some chopped hard boiled egg for extra richness. It makes a lovely complement to any meal.
This pasta salad is quick and ridiculously easy to put together. And, it’s full of zesty, bold flavors. The dressing is simply a mixture of mayonnaise, lemon juice and store bought pesto sauce – the kind you find in the refrigerator section at the supermarket. You can serve it as is, or punch it up by mixing in some poached chicken, tuna or tasty little salad shrimp. Any way you serve this Presto Pesto Pasta Salad, your guests will be dishing out the complements!
Pizza Rustica
Of course, no Easter Sunday brunch at Chez SGCC would be complete without a few traditional Italian Easter pies, like this Pizza Rustica. It’s a big, cheesy, meaty, creamy hunk of a pie stuffed to the gills with six different kinds of cured and fresh meat. Yes, I said SIX! One slice is pretty much a complete meal in itself. A Pizza Rustica does take some time to put together, but trust me, it is worth the effort. Plus, it can be made a few days in advance and is best served at room temperature.
Torta di Riso
Torta di Riso is a rich and creamy egg and ricotta based dessert pie filled filled with cooked Arborio rice and delicately flavored with the essence of orange. Think of it as rice pudding in a crust. This pie is usually made using a traditional rolled pie crust. But, I’ve made it a little easier to make and more interesting to eat by using layers of paper thin phyllo dough to envelope my filling. The phyllo gives this torta a delightfully crispy, buttery crust that shatters beneath your teeth as you bite into it. It’s simply amazing!
And, we certainly can’t forget dessert, especially when it’s a luxuriously rich and creamy cheesecake like this one! My version of this Italian classic is made with both ricotta and mascarpone cheeses, giving it a super silky smooth texture. I flavor it with the heady combination or pure vanilla and a splash of orange flower water, that is sure to make both you and your guests swoon.
Buttery Lemon Bars
Lemon Bars are a quintessential Springtime treat. This version boasts a rich and buttery shortbread crust topped with an ultra-lemony curd that is the perfect balance of sweet and tart. These are honestly the best lemon bars I’ve ever eaten – bar none!
Article printed from Sticky, Gooey, Creamy, Chewy: http://stickygooeycreamychewy.com
URL to article: http://stickygooeycreamychewy.com/2012/04/01/easter-brunch-sgcc-style/
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Sumptuous Strawberry Soup: http://stickygooeycreamychewy.com/2008/06/18/summertime-an-the-livin-is-easy/
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Chicks in a Nest: http://stickygooeycreamychewy.com/2009/07/31/breakfast-at-tiffanys-roundup-chicks-in-a-nest/
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Anytime Ham, Cheese and Egg Strata: http://stickygooeycreamychewy.com/2011/08/10/anytime-egg-ham-and-cheese-strata-recipe/
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Vegetable Noodle Kugel: http://stickygooeycreamychewy.com/2009/01/29/savory-vegetable-noodle-kugel-for-rfj/
: http://stickygooeycreamychewy.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/kugel-23.jpg
Tutti Frutti Chicken Salad: http://stickygooeycreamychewy.com/2009/08/25/tutti-frutti-chicken-salad/
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Green Bean and Potato Salad with Dijon Vinaigrette: http://stickygooeycreamychewy.com/2011/07/28/green-bean-and-potato-salad-with-dijon-vinaigrette-recipe/
: http://stickygooeycreamychewy.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/green-bean-dijonnaise-2.jpg
Presto Pesto Pasta Salad: http://stickygooeycreamychewy.com/2011/06/28/presto-pesto-pasta-salad-recipe/
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Pizza Rustica: http://stickygooeycreamychewy.com/2008/03/15/baking-with-mom-part-1-pizza-rustica/
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Torta di Riso: http://stickygooeycreamychewy.com/2010/03/24/sgcc-encore-torta-di-riso-for-easter/
: http://stickygooeycreamychewy.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/torta-di-riso.jpg
Italian Ricotta Cheesecake: http://stickygooeycreamychewy.com/2011/02/20/la-tavola-della-mia-famiglia-italian-ricotta-cheesecake-recipe/
: http://stickygooeycreamychewy.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/ricotta-cheesecake-1.jpg
Buttery Lemon Bars: http://stickygooeycreamychewy.com/2011/03/20/buttery-lemon-bars-a-recipe-in-pictures-or-what-was-i-thinking/
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Copyright © 2009 StickyGooeyCreamyChewy.com. | <urn:uuid:41677772-38a3-4c75-bc5f-6ac1ebf9406a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://stickygooeycreamychewy.com/2012/04/01/easter-brunch-sgcc-style/print/ | 2013-05-22T21:24:04Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702448584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110728-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.876027 | 2,502 |
Thursday, 18 June 2009
Golden axolotl ("Slash")
Ambystoma mexicanum (Shaw, 1789)
Ambystomidae; Caudata; Amphibia; Chordata
Aquarium at home
Yesterday I found my one and only axolotl, Slash, dead in its tank. I'm still a bit grief-stricken; apart from my cats (Scarlett, Sapphire and Dolly), Slash has been my longest lasting pet, and had been a constant joy.
I first acquired Slash in January 2005 and kept him in a tank in my bedroom. It had always been a dream of mine to own axolotls, and had planned to get a pair and call them Axl and Slash after two of the members of Guns 'n' Roses. Slash loved to watch me play guitar, and had an ear for good music. He would approach people, in his own sluggish manner, when they went to the tank to view him. At the end of that year, I acquired another two axolotls, who I named George and Mildred (after the 70s comedy spin-off), both fully grown adults. I bought a brand new tank for them and they lived together peacefully, for a while.
I thought Slash might like a playmate, but knew he/she (still not sure!) might be too small for George and Mildred, as they were twice his size (I'll stick with Slash being male, 'cause I'm just used to it). I decided to get an albino African clawed frog (Xenopus laevis). As soon as Slash noticed the newcomer, he took a bite, and then another. That moment is on film. Needless to say I quickly removed Slash and transported him to the other tank, leaving the frog (then unnamed, but soon to be Elaine) on her own.
Elaine got a tankmate in the form of Kitchener (both named after Young Knives songs). Slash got on well with George and Mildred, as he had grown somewhat in that time. Slash got on especially well with Mildred, both of them resting in the same pot. Then things began to change. In mid-2007 I acquired a mussel and, hoping it would help keep the tank clean, introduced it to the axolotls' tank. I don't think Mr. Mussel had anything to do with it now, but it sure was co-incidental; Mildred started going crazy and was biting both Slash and George. Slash escaped with relatively few marks, but George had three legs missing and most of the toes on the one remaining leg were bitten off too. His tail had been truncated and gills mutilated. To top it off, Mr. Mussel was eaten! Mildred was shipped off to a pet shop and I kept a close eye on George.
It was in early 2008 that George passed away, probably from a combination of starvation and asphyxiation. He wasn't eating and I hadn't seen him eat for months. Slash was left on his own for a long while. This was until I moved him to his original tank and got him a pair of new playmates, a pair of goldfish, named Carassius and Auratus, after the scientific name for the goldfish. Auratus must've been ill when I purchased it and it died after only a few days. Carassius and Slash got on rather well, until I noticed Carassius sometimes taking little bites out of Slash's gills and tail. Examining his body a bit post-mortem, I noticed a few sores, probably also made by the goldfish.
I'm now left with a Senegal bichir (Polypterus senegalus) called Polly, a bristlemouth catfish (Ancistrus sp.) called Taka and a leopard pleco catfish (Pterygoplichthys gibbiceps) called Gibbons, as well as Carassius, the baby newt and the cats. I have more dead pets than living ones in my collection now, as I have kept the bodies of several newt tadpoles (smooth, palmate and Alpine), both Xenopus toads, a mottled catfish (Chrysichthys ornatus), a black ghost knifefish (Apteronotus albifrons), George and now Slash. I've kept them in case I ever want to carry out post-mortems or use tissue samples for molecular analyses. In some people's eyes, keeping dead pets in a glass jar in a glass cabinet might make me morbid, or even creepy, but it's the scientist in me.
Damn, the Mexican cactus pot in Carassius' tank looks completely out of place now. I'll have to get something else Mexican to live with it. | <urn:uuid:2392cf96-cc00-4e20-9a40-73fe7d2ac427> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://subhumanfreak.blogspot.com/2009/06/rip-slash.html?showComment=1245629046922 | 2013-05-22T21:59:06Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702448584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110728-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.983853 | 1,009 |
However, it was Jones' radical record (he is a self-described communist) and his foul language and intemperate demeanor — not any smear by opponents — that did him in. The White House admitted as much, acknowledging that Jones had not been adequately vetted. What kind of "vetting" excuse can Team Obama offer for Jennings, who is, arguably, far more radical than Jones and boasts a much more extensive public record?
Like Jones, Jennings is given to spouting foul language when speechifying about the opposition. He also admits to using deception when pushing a subversive agenda that would be rigorously opposed by the vast majority of Americans if honestly promoted under its true colors.
What is Jennings agenda? Promoting homosexuality (in all its various permutations) under the guise of promoting "safe schools." Jennings, whose official title is Assistant Deputy Secretary for Safe and Drug-Free Schools, is a career homosexual activist who founded the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) and served as executive director for 14 years, until October 2008. For the past nearly two decades he has been a leading change agent for the cause of "queering" the nation's K-12 curriculum, and is largely responsible for instituting annual pro-homosexual propaganda programs such as the "Day of Silence" and "No Name-Calling Week" in hundreds of schools. (In using the term "queering," we are not disparaging or name-calling, but merely using a term adopted by Jennings and GLSEN & Company — when speaking amongst themselves, that is — to refer to their process of transforming society through the schools. Jennings wrote the foreword to Queering Elementary Education, an anthology by leading homosexual "educators.")
Jennings served on the National Finance Committee of Obama for America and was the finance co-chair of the Obama campaign's Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender (LGBT) finance committee. As a payoff for his fundraising efforts, Jennings was awarded the Department of Education post, through which he, no doubt, intends to greatly expand the GLSEN program of subverting and perverting their captive public-school audience. President Obama delivered another payoff on June 1, with a presidential proclamation of "Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Pride Month":
NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim June 2009 as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Pride Month. I call upon the people of the United States to turn back discrimination and prejudice everywhere it exists.
Obama even had the audacity to invoke the Lord's name in furtherance of this abomination: "IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this first day of June, in the year of our Lord two thousand nine, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-third. BARACK OBAMA")
But then Jennings can teach even Barack Obama a thing or two about audacity. Like other leaders of the radical Lavender Lobby, Jennings piously intones the rhetoric of "tolerance" and "respect" to win public acceptance of the Lobby's agenda. But he is decidedly intolerant toward Protestants and Catholics who oppose perversion in the classroom. Typical of Jennings' respect and tolerance for "diversity" of opinion is this comment of his in a speech in 2000: "We have to quit being afraid of the religious right. We also have to quit — I'm trying to find a way to say this. I'm trying not to say, 'F--- 'em!' which is what I want to say, because I don't care what they think! Drop dead!"
For the past decade and a half, Jennings and his GLSEN brigade — with abundant assistance from the Ford Foundation, the National Education Association (NEA), the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), IBM, PepsiCo, CitiGroup, and other sponsors — have been transforming our schools by their deceitful use of the "school safety" issue. Jennings and GLSEN & Company insist they are merely trying to make our schools safer by stopping bullying. No one wants to see children bullied, beaten, threatened, or bloodied at school; the classroom and the schoolyard should be safe sanctuaries. However, as Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council, points out, this is a scam. He notes:
Some might be tempted to support the "safe schools" agenda as long as it is limited to ending bullying, and does not extend to actively affirming or promoting homosexuality. However, in a 1995 speech, Jennings admitted that the rhetoric about "safety" was a political device, saying that it "threw our opponents on the defensive, and stole their best line of attack. This framing short-circuited their arguments and left them back-pedaling." In a 1997 speech he embraced the idea of actively "promoting" homosexuality, looking forward to a day when "people, when they would hear that someone was promoting homosexuality, would say, 'Yeah, who cares?'" And an unsigned article on the GLSEN website in 2000 declared, "The pursuit of safety and affirmation are one and the same goal.
It is this deviousness of Jennings and GLSEN & Co. that is most alarming, especially now that they have captured citadels of power inside the massive federal bureaucracy of the U.S. Department of Education and appear to have the full blessings of the Obama White House to work their way with our children. "Tolerance," for them, is just the opening wedge, leading to affirmation, promotion, and celebration of LGBT "lifestyles."
"I don't want to be tolerated. I don't want to be put up with. I want to be ... celebrated," says GLSEN leader Stephen Glassman. In his book Always My Child, Jennings proposes a "diversity policy that mandates including LGBT [lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender] themes in the curriculum." But Jennings and GLSEN & Co. have redefined tolerance and diversity to mean celebration and perversity; they have no tolerance, for example, for former homosexuals who now warn youngsters of the dangers of the "gay" lifestyle. Tolerance and diversity are a one-way street, says traffic cop Jennings, which must always lead to a LGBT destination. "Ex-gay messages have no place in our nation's public schools," Jennings has declared. "A line has been drawn. There is no 'other side' when you're talking about lesbian, gay and bisexual students."
A line has been drawn, indeed. Now it is up to American parents and their elected representatives to let President Obama know that his self-annointed school "Diversity" czar has crossed a sacred line, and that the Jennings-GLSEN cabal's subversion at the Department of Education will not be tolerated. It is time for Jennings to be expelled from the nation's classrooms.
Photo of Kevin Jennings: AP Images | <urn:uuid:dd9d44c4-cbaf-42bd-b417-833676dd9f9a> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://thenewamerican.com/culture/education/item/143-safe-schools-czar-jennings-should-be-expelled | 2013-05-22T21:28:06Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702448584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110728-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.968451 | 1,459 |
Lessons from the X-Men
CAS class blends film, physics
An out-of-control cruise ship slams into a busy pier. As wood splinters and screaming bystanders flee, Andrew Cohen, a College of Arts and Sciences professor of physics, assesses the mayhem.
“Yeah, yeah, we’re all running. OK, we’re doing a lot of damage,” he says, as if he’s seen it all before. Actually, he has, several dozen times, and all in the name of science.
This particular maritime disaster is a scene from Speed 2: Cruise Control, one of the action flicks that features prominently in Cinema Physica, an introductory physics course for nonscience majors. Every week, Cohen’s students watch movies such as Unbreakable, The Sixth Sense, and Armageddon, and use class discussions and labs to examine the basic physics driving the high-octane scenes.
“The subtitle of this course should be Bruce Willis Saves the World,” Cohen tells students with a laugh. The purpose of analyzing all the explosions and heroics, he explains, is to give humanities majors a truer sense of what science is — a quest for discovery rather than memorized formulas and definitive answers.
“When you do an experiment, you don’t know what the answer is going to be,” he says. “And because we don’t know whether the movies actually obey the laws of physics, they are our experiments. They are our laboratories.”
Cohen uses The Abyss to discuss fluids and pressure, for instance, and X-Men to talk about electricity and magnetism. Last fall, after the class watched The Matrix scene where Morpheus tells Neo that the machines behind the matrix want to turn humans into nine-volt batteries, Cohen talked about the physics of batteries and whether humans would really be nine-volt — or much larger — batteries, leaving aside the movie’s more existential questions.
“We didn’t much go into the idea of whether we are all just pixels in a digital universe,” says Adrian Coyne (CAS’11).
After watching the Speed 2 clip where the ship plows ashore and passengers are ejected through the windows, Cohen asks the class to calculate the ship’s deceleration as it comes to a stop exactly one ship’s length from where it first hit the pier.
When one student suggests using an equation, Cohen pounces. “Don’t say equation,” he says. “I never want to hear the word equation in this class. I hate equations.”
He encourages students not to get hung up on exact answers when estimates will do. In Cohen’s class, a few percentage points of error don’t matter; what matters is learning a quantitative technique called “dimensional analysis.”
The technique, simply put, requires converting the basic dimensions and units of information that you have about a scenario — a cruise ship’s change in velocity, say, and the distance it traveled — into an answer that’s described with different dimensions and units — such as the ship’s deceleration, which is measured as change in velocity over time squared.
The class doesn’t know how long it took the ship to come to rest after hitting the pier. But the ship’s speedometer gives them the initial velocity, and some Internet searching reveals the ship’s length in meters. Armed with just that information, the class uses dimensional analysis to find the cruise ship’s deceleration — only about 0.1 meter per second squared.
“Anybody getting ejected out of that windshield?” Cohen asks with a smirk. “That’s a gentle breeze. No one would be spilling their drinks.”
While the movies often play fast and loose with the laws of physics, Cohen isn’t out to poke holes in Hollywood blockbusters. After all, it doesn’t take a physics professor to laugh away a plan to destroy an Earth-bound, Texas-sized asteroid by planting a nuclear bomb inside of it. And besides, says Cohen, a bona fide movie buff, technical accuracy isn’t what makes movies fun.
But a little physics can help. Olga Cuevas-Gomez (CAS’10), who took the course last fall, says that X-Men is one of her family’s favorite movies. “Now, every time we watch it, there’s a new physics concept that I try to explain to them,” says Cuevas-Gomez. “They never get it, but they pretend they care.”2 Comments | <urn:uuid:55a4a6a0-246b-4da8-bdcb-66c3229629ee> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.bu.edu/today/2008/lessons-from-the-x-men/ | 2013-05-22T21:27:01Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702448584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110728-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.921471 | 995 |
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Although it provides all-weather capability and a distinctive dashboard design, the 2010 Subaru Tribeca is generally outclassed by other midsize crossovers.
Stylish interior design, standard all-wheel drive, perfect crash-test scores.
Cramped third-row seat, limited cargo capacity, steering wheel doesn't telescope, indifferent driving dynamics, unimpressive fuel economy.
Available Tribeca Models
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The Subaru Tribeca is only available in seven-passenger form for 2010, and a new top-of-the-line Touring model adds a variety of luxuries. Also, Bluetooth is standard on the Limited and Touring trims. A new back-up camera for models without the navigation system and minor equipment reshuffling round out the changes.
The 2010 Subaru Tribeca takes its name from the artsy New York City neighborhood, and indeed, this Subaru has a little avant-garde in its genes. Boasting standard all-wheel drive and a futuristic dashboard design, the Tribeca would seem to be aimed at those who appreciate a daring departure from the norm. Beyond these elements, however, the Tribeca turns out to be a surprisingly forgettable midsize crossover SUV. It's not bad, but it's also not as good as many rivals.
Taken on its own merits, the Tribeca is a perfectly competent vehicle. Seven-passenger seating is standard for 2010, and the now-familiar 3.6-liter flat-6 joins forces with the standard AWD system to deliver solid year-round performance. The Tribeca is also a bit smaller than the average midsize crossover, making it a boon for those who navigate crowded streets and parking lots on a regular basis. Moreover, the Tribeca's ride is smooth and quiet -- unusually so for a Subaru.
Alas, shortcomings abound. The third-row seat is little more than a token gesture for marketing purposes, as there's no way an adult or even a growing child could fit back there comfortably. The driving position is inadequate for taller drivers due to the lack of a telescoping steering wheel. Despite Subaru's reputation for above-average handling, the Tribeca feels soft and uninvolving from the helm, so those who want a sporting flavor should look elsewhere. Another downside is cargo capacity, which checks in at 74 cubic feet, a low number for a midsize crossover.
Attractive three-row options are plentiful at this price point. The Ford Flex is an excellent choice, as are the Buick Enclave/Chevrolet Traverse/GMC Acadia triplets, Hyundai's Veracruz, Mazda's CX-9 and Toyota's Highlander. All of the above offer more expansive interiors, and many of them cost less, drive better and even boast higher-quality cabins. The 2010 Subaru Tribeca's avant-garde credentials are questionable at best, and it's not that good at being mainstream, either.
A midsize crossover SUV, the 2010 Subaru Tribeca comes in Premium, Limited and Touring trim levels, each with standard seven-passenger seating. The Premium comes with 18-inch alloy wheels, tri-zone automatic climate control, a tilt (but not telescoping) steering wheel, heated power front seats, full power accessories, cruise control, a six-speaker CD/MP3 sound system with an auxiliary input jack, a 7-inch display screen and keyless entry.
Stepping up to the Limited adds leather upholstery (vinyl for the third row), three-mode heated front seats with driver memory, Bluetooth, a 10-speaker Harman Kardon sound system with a six-CD changer and satellite radio and additional interior ambient lighting for the console. The Touring tacks on exclusive 18-inch alloys, a monotone exterior paint scheme, xenon headlamps, silver roof rails, a sunroof and a back-up camera with a small display in the auto-dimming rearview mirror.
The Touring's roof rails, back-up camera and sunroof are available on the Limited as the Moonroof package. Optional on both Limited (Moonroof package required) and Touring is a Navigation package that includes a navigation system, a back-up camera (with the camera display migrating to the navigation screen) and an auto-dimming rearview mirror. These models are also eligible for a rear-seat DVD entertainment system.
The 2010 Subaru Tribeca's 3.6-liter, horizontally opposed six-cylinder engine produces 256 horsepower and 247 pound-feet of torque. The sole transmission is a five-speed automatic with a manual shift mode. All Tribecas use an all-wheel-drive system that sends 55 percent of the power to the rear wheels in normal driving.
Performance is respectable, with the 0-60-mph sprint requiring 7.8 seconds. Fuel economy is unimpressive, however, at 16 mpg city/21 mpg highway and 18 mpg combined.
Every 2010 Subaru Tribeca comes with antilock brakes (with brake assist), traction control and stability control with a rollover sensor. Front-seat side airbags, full-length side curtain airbags and active front head restraints round out the safety features.
In government crash tests, the Tribeca scored a perfect five stars for both front and side impact protection. It also received the top rating of "Good" in frontal-offset and side-impact crash tests conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
The Tribeca's interior is its most distinctive feature. The dashboard's dramatic curves are a rarity in today's automotive landscape, adding a welcome dose of character to this otherwise bland Subaru. However, materials quality is average at best -- plastics are hard and even a bit coarse in places. We like the central display screen that shows climate control and audio information, a feature found on the Tribeca whether or not the navigation system is ordered. However, the arrangement of some controls is awkward, and the air-conditioner struggles to keep the cabin cool on hot days.
The Tribeca's front seats offer fine comfort, but the rear compartment isn't so pleasant. While the second-row seats offer nearly 8 inches of adjustable travel, they're still a bit short on legroom, and hiproom is also at a premium. As for the third row, it's simply too cramped for all but small children -- most competitors in this price range offer superior third-row accommodations. Maximum cargo capacity is just 74 cubic feet.
Subarus tend to be entertainingly quirky vehicles to drive, but the 2010 Subaru Tribeca bucks this trend. Its milquetoast character is apparent in its ho-hum handling and numb steering, though the ride is uncharacteristically smooth and quiet for a Subaru. Acceleration is respectably quick from the 256-hp flat-6.
Laura's old car was costing her a small fortune every month for gas and repairs. She didn't even want to drive her kids to the park any more. But buying a new Kia Soul changed all that.
The Edmunds TCO® estimated monthly insurance payment for a 2010 Subaru Tribeca Suv in WA is: | <urn:uuid:b320bdec-f3c8-48cf-8069-c1949af63de0> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.edmunds.com/subaru/tribeca/2010/?sub=suv&ps=used&style=101235809 | 2013-05-22T21:42:05Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702448584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110728-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.920591 | 1,580 |
Nov. 16, 2012: President Obama, accompanied by House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio, speaks to reporters in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington.
FILE: Nov. 9, 2012: House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio speaks at a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington.AP
This Nov. 16, 2012 file photo, President Barack Obama, accompanied by House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio, speaks to reporters in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington.AP
The 2012 election did not provide a clear mandate for either party, and certainly not for President Obama. The election itself reflected the polarization of the last four years and offered little in the way of direction about what the American people would like to see done. Rather, this election was more about tactics and campaign techniques than it was about messaging or any sort of vision for the future.
But it would be a profound mistake to assume that consensus doesn’t exist in the electorate towards how to address our increasingly serious fiscal problems. A clear majority of the American people know we are in a serious crisis and a just-completed survey shows a broad consensus for a set of free market, pro-growth policies that can bridge the gap between an intractable president and an equally obstinate Republican Party in the House.
The just completed survey shows that over three quarters of the American people would support a compromise that lowers tax rates, reduces deductions as well as promoting pro-growth fiscal policies – all the while reigning in spending and entitlements. In short, the electorate has clearly agreed on a path forward. If only the politicians would listen.
It is frankly somewhat jarring to hear Republicans and Democrats both suddenly focusing on the budget and sequestration now that the election campaign is over. The events of the first week of the post-election period support the notion that the people themselves are well ahead of the politicians in reaching consensus on a solution.
A mere 2 days after both sides pledged to work together to reduce the debt and deficit, Republican and Democratic leaders were back to their original position with President Obama saying it is essential to raise taxes on the wealthiest Americans and House Speaker John Boehner, just as adamant over the weekend in his rejection of any tax increases.
The polarization and division that is now evident in Washington is reflected in the results of the first major national survey of public opinion on fiscal issues taken after last Tuesday’s election. The results reveal an arguably even more dissatisfied electorate than we saw before the election. But equally, if not more importantly, the results highlight an electorate that sees a clear path forward.
Sixty-one percent of the electorate disapproves of how President Obama and the Democrats in Congress have handled the issues surrounding the fiscal cliff and 58 percent gave a similar response about the Republicans.
Both parties are now viewed extremely negatively – 58 percent view the Republicans in Congress unfavorably and 56 percent say the same about the Democrats. And both parties receive almost equal blame for the country’s economic deterioration – a testament to the deep dissatisfaction the electorate feels towards politicians from both side of the aisle.
Indeed, there is huge concern that the political class in Washington has not provided any meaningful approach to addressing our mounting fiscal challenges. Sixty-one percent of the electorate disapproves of how President Obama and the Democrats in Congress have handled the issues surrounding the fiscal cliff and 58 percent gave a similar response about the Republicans. It’s axiomatic that neither party has given an increasingly skeptical public any reason to be confident in their ability to deal with our impending fiscal challenges, and certainly no reason to have confidence in their ability to deal with long-term issues relating to the debt and deficit.
The results of my survey of 600 randomly selected Americans suggests that the American people are far more aware of the gravity of the fiscal situation than either party has acknowledged.
An overwhelmingly majority of the electorate favors a bipartisan compromise that would have as its end result stimulating economic growth and creating jobs. An extraordinary 88 percent endorsed a bipartisan agreement that would put all possibilities on the table including tax and entitlement reform with the goal of generating a pro-growth, free market economic system that creates new jobs.
The Bowles-Simpson framework is a clear starting point for negotiation. After receiving widespread public support from the business community just before the election, it is my belief that Bowles-Simpson can, and arguably should, form the basis for both a short term and long term approach to our fiscal challenges.
Indeed, the president could do worse than to appoint Erskine Bowles and Alan Simpson, the two chairmen of the Bowles-Simpson Commission, to head a special White House initiative to find compromise before sequestration automatically kicks in – which would result in over a trillion in cuts to the budget on January 1st.
Indeed, there is widespread skepticism that either party has an approach that can save us from the worst ravages of the fiscal crisis.
In the wake of the election, a full 70 percent now agree that we need a new party dedicated to compromise, conciliation, fiscal discipline and economic growth that draws on the best ideas from both sides. Needless to say, these numbers reflect as much dissatisfaction with the existing order as they do for the desire for a new party. Still, these figures should be a warning sign to both sides and, especially, to a Republican party that enjoys a favorability rating of only 30 percent with the American people.
Fortunately, the path forward is clear. Tax reform that reduces rates and limits deductions will, in the electorate’s mind, stimulate the economy and job growth as well as providing a way to address both President Obama’s desire for greater revenue from the wealthy and Speaker Boehner’s desire to lower tax rates. To be sure, tough decisions would have to be made about which deductions to limit, but the idea of means testing the home mortgage deduction and charitable deductions is an immediate possibility for consideration.
Unless an initiative of this type is put forward there will be less support for the political parties and their Congressional wings. Even if the two parties remain intact, Gallup has shown a steady increase in independent identification with now over 40 percent of the electorate describing themselves as not affiliated with either the Democrats or Republicans.
Politicians of both parties have to change. There must be recognition that the implementation of an economic framework that grows a stagnant economy, stimulates growth and begins the process of reforming entitlements and reducing spending is a necessity. It is what the American people are now demanding and there is little time to waste.
Douglas E. Schoen has served as a pollster for President Bill Clinton and is currently working with New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg. He has more than 30 years experience as a pollster and political consultant. He is also a Fox News contributor and co-host of "Fox News Insiders" Sundays on Fox News Channel and Mondays at 10:30 am ET on FoxNews.com Live. He is the author of ten books including,“Hopelessly Divided: The New Crisis in American Politics and What it Means for 2012 and Beyond” (Rowman and Littlefield 2012). Follow Doug on Twitter @DouglasESchoen. | <urn:uuid:3263f715-a62f-4ae0-a79c-cf031501f078> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2012/11/19/american-people-not-lawmakers-really-understand-our-fiscal-mess/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+foxnews%2Fmost-popular+%28Internal+-+Most+Popular+Content%29 | 2013-05-22T21:38:25Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702448584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110728-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.956441 | 1,461 |
With the futures community still reeling from the MF Global debacle, the PFG fraud sent tremors through an industry that could no longer call MF Global a one-off event. In the middle of the storm was the National Futures Association (NFA), PFG’s self-regulatory organization. The NFA had escaped much of the blame that swirled following MF Global, but the PFG fraud raised questions regarding its competence and the function of self-regulatory organizations. Futures sat down with NFA President and CEO Dan Roth to discuss the improved safeguards in response to MF Global and PFG to keep seg funds safe and restore public confidence in the industry.
Futures Magazine: What changes did the NFA institute in the aftermath of MF Global to better protect customer funds?
Dan Roth: After MF Global we formed two committees: A committee of [self-regulatory organizations (SROs)] with the CME and a special committee of our public directors. The first rule changes that came out had to do with trying to impose safeguards regarding firms’ use of excess segregated funds to guard against an inadvertent use of excess funds that ends up costing customers money. We had a whole set of rule changes regarding immediate notification to regulators if the firm draws down its excess by a certain amount along with authorizations for that drawdown by principals of the firm, [as well as] certifications by the firm that they remain in seg compliance. The second thing we worked on … is to try and ensure greater transparency about [futures commission merchant (FCM)] financial information for customers. We will have posted on websites information about how customer segregated funds are being invested. That information was previously filed with regulators, now it also will be posted on our website along with other financial data from the FCMs regarding their capital requirements, their excess capital and their seg requirements, and their excess seg and whether they [engage in] proprietary trading and a raft of information. So in the immediate aftermath of MF Global the initial focus of those two committees was greater transparency of FCM financial information and additional protections regarding the ability of firms to draw down their excess funds.
FM: Have you reaped any tangible benefits from those changes?
DR: The FCM transparency issue was approved in July and that data will be posted on the NFA web site on Nov. 1. The rules regarding drawdown of excess funds have been in effect since Sept. 1.
FM: Given what happened at PFG was there an appropriate amount of urgency in the industry’s and NFA’s reaction?
DR: From our perspective there was a sense of urgency on the part of all regulators: The CFTC (Commodity Futures Trading Commission) and the SROs, which is why within a matter of weeks after MF Global we formed these committees and both of those committees had their recommendation of rule changes ready in March. Relatively speaking, that was a rapid response. Everyone felt a tremendous sense of urgency.
FM: What about after PFG?
DR: Before PFG happened, the SRO committee began looking at ways to make greater use of technology to monitor firms for seg compliance, which is where the idea of the online, view only access for regulators to customer seg bank accounts came up. We were developing that rule before PFG happened. Once PFG happened we took that initial concept and went further and said we have to be able to confirm all seg balances on a daily basis. … We started using the e-confirmation process as part of the annual audit process and that is what uncovered the fraud at Peregrine. So number 1, using the e-comfirmation process; number 2, moving beyond the confirmation process out of the annual audit and making sure SROs have the authority to go in and check at any given time; number 3, developing the system so that all seg depositories — bank, broker/dealers, money market accounts — will report to regulators on a daily basis the funds that they are holding on behalf of FCM customers so we can compare that information with the daily reports we are getting from the FCMs to identify any discrepancies. If there is a depository that won’t file that information with regulators, it is an unacceptable seg depository.
FM: Will this process be automated?
DR: Both accumulation of data and the analysis of data will be automated.
FM: Why wasn’t the PFG fraud caught during the spot audits of FCMs following the MF Global bankruptcy?
DR: The CFTC directed the SROs to go in and perform examinations of certain FCMs for seg compliance. We specifically asked the CFTC whether they wanted those examinations to confirm balances to outside sources and they told us “no.” The directions we were given by the CFTC to conduct those examinations did not include confirmation of balances to outside sources.
FM: In May 2011 US Bank had reported only $7.2 million in its PFG customer segregated account and later altered that number to $221 million. Why was the PFG fraud not discovered at this point?
DR: We should have followed up on that; we could have uncovered this fraud a year earlier.
FM: What did NFA learn from those failures to identify what was going on?
DR: Post MF Global we recognized that we have to have greater use of technology as a means of monitoring firms’ compliance with segregation requirements, and we were moving in that direction. Peregrine just upped the stakes. It wasn’t just the May incident by itself, it was MF Global and Peregrine together, which moved us to having daily confirmation of all seg balances.
FM: While having both cases occur in one year has been embarrassing for regulators, they are distinct. Describe the differences between the two.
DR: Both situations involved the misuse of customer segregated funds by an FCM. The nature of the misuse is different in that one involved outright theft; the other one involved a theft as well, but a theft to fund the firm’s ongoing operations and investments. One involves excess segregated funds where the firm is drawing down its excess segregated funds and in the process misused customer funds; the other is more of a blatant outright theft.
FM: Are you frustrated with the investigation of MF Global and the fact that there have been no charges filed?
DR: I have been around for a long time and I have seen numerous instances where the complexity of a criminal investigation and all the demands on the resources of the Federal prosecutors very often result in criminal prosecutions not being brought until the eve of the expiration of the statute of limitations. They are nowhere near that.
FM: There has been a lot of debate regarding creating an insurance fund to protect segregated customer accounts. IN 1985 the NFA studied this. Are you reexamining this? Do you think an insurance fund is necessary?
DR: That question has to be reexamined. The 1985 study examined various methodologies already in place to safeguard customer segregated funds and talked about various possibilities including insurance, but it did not attempt to calculate the actual cost of implementing an insurance program. You cannot intelligently discuss the issue of whether there should be some form of an insurance program without having precise data about what the cost would be. You can’t talk about insurance in the abstract; you have to know what you are buying and what you are paying.
FM: Can you design a compliance strategy that gives end users confidence that customer segregated funds are appropriately protected so that such a fund is unnecessary?
DR: We are talking about public confidence here. One question is: Will an insurance fund bolster public confidence? We are assuming you are talking about a fund modeled after other programs where there are caps on recovery. When you are talking about an institutional marketplace like we have, those caps would need to be sufficiently low that for a large portion of the marketplace that insurance program would do little to bolster their confidence. That is why this has to be studied to figure out where you could draw limits that would impact public confidence. The other part of this [is] what can you do from a regulatory point of view to bolster confidence, with or without insurance. The answer that we have been trying to develop is this concept of daily confirmation of segregated balances so that we are confirming on a daily basis from outside sources that the funds that the FCM claims it is holding, it is actually holding. That doesn’t address all the risk involved in customer segregated funds — there is always fellow customer risk — but regarding potential misuse of customer segregated funds by an FCM, daily confirmation of seg balances should go a long way to providing customers with assurances along with greater transparency about FCM data.
FM: Besides the specific measures to monitor movement of customer funds, have you looked at your general approach to self-regulation?
DR: We have the Berkeley Research Group conducting an examination of the NFA’s audit practices regarding Peregrine, and we look forward to any recommendations they have for how the audit process can be strengthened. We are hoping to get that in November. Another thing that we are doing is that we always have had a number of our staff go through a certified fraud examiners certification process. We have a class of 30 of our staff that are starting that program in the next week or two, and we will continue to send staff to the program on an ongoing basis.
FM: Did complacency play a role in these failures? Did the fact that there had not been breeches in customer seg funds provide a false sense of security? If so, how do you avoid this once things begin to calm down?
DR: I wouldn’t use the word “complacency.” I don’t think anyone in the industry has even been complacent about customer segregated funds; it has always been a core principle. But regulators tend to focus their attention on known weaknesses in the system and that is where you tend to allocate your resources, that is where you tend to spend your time. The failure of those two firms has certainly heightened awareness of those weaknesses but I don’t think we were ever complacent about customer segregated funds.
FM: For several years the types of investments in which FCMs could park customer money have grown. Those investments recently have been restricted under Rule 1.25. Did that go far enough? Should the industry look at the concept of the “float”? Is it proper for brokers to earn interest on excess customer finds?
DR: FCMs are profit-making ventures and they have to be able to earn a reasonable return on their investment. To the extent that you restrict their ability to make money by investing customer seg funds, that may be the appropriate thing to do, but it will increase fees and may ultimately further reduce the number of FCMs. When you further reduce the number of FCMs you reduce competition, increase fees and concentrate systemic risk.
FM: How has the relationship between the NFA and CFTC changed since MF Global? Have your individual roles and how you communicate change?
DR: Nothing has changed. There is not a day that goes by where we are not in contact with the CFTC — regulatory issues, enforcement issues, etc. I can say one thing is changing, it is the manner in which the CFTC performs it oversight for SROs because even before MF Global they moved away from annual enforcement reviews.
FM: When you first began to look at additional responsibilities in the OTC swaps world, the record of futures SROs appeared strong. Have the problems at MF Global and PFG forced you to alter your approach to regulating swaps? Where are you in regard to preparing for these additional responsibilities?
DR: Our regulatory role in respect to swaps falls into several different categories: The first is the registration process. We have been focusing on hiring the staff and training our other staff and preparing modules for our staff to follow regarding the submissions and preparing to review them when they come in December.
FM: You have said these failures have been more about enforcement than not having appropriate regulations. Have enforcement procedures improved?
DR: What I said was you can have all the rules that you want, but at the end of the day it comes down to enforcing them. Writing rules is not a cure for anything if you are not enforcing them. Fraud is fraud. It is not like there was not a rule saying you can’t steal customer seg funds. There are three components to any enforcement program: You have to have good rules on the books, you have to be able to detect violations of those rules and when you detect those violations you have to take appropriate enforcement action. The breakdown here was in detecting the rule violations, and we used standard audit practices including written bank confirmations that did not detect the fraud that was going on in Peregrine. That is why we have moved toward the daily confirmation process of seg balances. It wasn’t failure of the rules; it was failure to detect violations of the rules.
FM: The concept of self-regulation has come into question since both these failures occurred. What services does the NFA provide as a SRO — both in terms of education and enforcement — that would be more difficult for the CFTC (or some other more centralized regulator) to deliver?
DR: It certainly would be resource-intensive for anyone to duplicate what we are doing. Just this week we have done workshops for firms that will now be required to be registered as CPOs in New York, Chicago, San Francisco and London. We did a workshop for swap intermediaries, CPOs [commodity trading advisors]…that will have to become registered as result of their swap activities. We have done webinars for those categories explaining the registration process; we have had hundreds of firms participate in those. We will have in the next eight weeks a number of workshops for swap dealer firms to familiarize them with the registration process. Those are all different types of educational programs we have put on for members or perspective members to try and get them ready for these changes. That would be difficult for the CFTC to try and duplicate. It is easier for an SRO to work through that process than a government agency.
When you work for a self-regulatory body you have two jobs: For the overwhelming majority of members that want to comply, make sure they understand what they have to do and how they can do it; and two, for those members who don’t want to comply, your job is to identify them as quickly as you can and get rid of them. The former job is more in the nature of a membership organization than a government regulator.
FM: Have you added staff?
DR: Our budget for this fiscal year calls for a 27% increase. A lot of that is driven by swaps. You can’t build these systems without additional IS resources. Our current staffing levels are at 320.
FM: We speak with CTAs all the time who introduce customers, who are pretty unfamiliar with futures, to the industry. Up until a year ago, they would hold out the regulatory structure of the industry — customer segregated funds in particular — as a selling point. What can you say to those investors weary of what has occurred in the last year?
DR: The two things that I can tell them [are] by all means, [perform] due diligence on the FCM [with whom you are choosing to do business. We are putting as much information on our web site as we can to help them with that due diligence process to try and make the FCMs’ financial condition as transparent as possible. Number two, I would remind them that as we move toward the daily confirmation of customer segregation balances from all types of depositories [it] will be a tremendous enhancement to guard against any potential misuse of customer funds by an FCM. | <urn:uuid:04284e01-ee78-4879-bb46-76cbb1604418> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.futuresmag.com/2012/11/01/dan-roth-working-on-rebuilding-confidence | 2013-05-22T21:59:52Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702448584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110728-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.974878 | 3,278 |
Ruby Lee Fleming
Ruby Lee Fleming, age 76, of Forrest City, died Friday, Nov. 12, 1999, at St. Vincent Hospital in Memphis.
She was born Sept. 16, 1923, to Mark and Charity Smith in Palestine and she was a retired school teacher.
She is survived by four sons, Lawrence Fleming of Palestine, Walker Fleming III of Oklahoma City, Okla., Charles Fleming of Cordova, Tenn., and Everett Fleming of Denver, Colo.; four daughters, Helen Johnson of Leander, Texas, Charity Smith, of Sherwood, Ruby Bridgeforth of Cordova, Carolyn Hughley of Columbus, Ga.; and a sister, Artelure Gamble of Forrest City.
Visitation will be from 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 17, 1999, at Clay Funeral Home. Services will be held at Salem Baptist Church on Thursday, Nov. 18, 1999, at 1 p.m. with burial to follow in Mark and Charity Smith Cemetery in Palestine with Rev. Robert Cowan officiating. Clay Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Davie Cal Ware
Davie Cal Ware of Hughes, age 17, died Wednesday, Nov. 10,1999, at Baptist Memorial Hospital in Forrest City.
Davie is survived by his parents, William and Johnetta Dobbins of Hughes and David Smith of Kentucky; three sisters, LaTonya Williams of Pine Bluff, and Glenda Dobbins and LaToya Dobbins of Hughes; a brother, D.C. Smith of Mississippi; his grandparents, James and Johnnie Mae Ware of Hughes, Mrs. Willie B. Sims of Hughes, Ethel Dobbins of Hughes; a great-grandmother, Otelia Porter of Hughes; a great-grandfather, Cal Smith of Hughes.
Visitation will be Saturday, Nov. 20 from 10 to 11 a.m. at the Hughes High School Gym in Hughes. Funeral services will follow at 11 a.m. at the gym with burial to follow in Paradise Garden under the direction of Anthony Funeral Home.
John A. Gauw
John A. Gauw, age 84, of Belmont, Mich., died Tuesday, Nov. 16, 1999.
Mr. Gauw had attended Alton Bible Church in Lowell, Mich.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Jean Gauw in 1996.
Mr. Gauw is survived by three sons, Rev. Daniel Gauw of Forrest City, James Gauw and John Gauw both of Lowell, Mich.; one brother, Richard Gauw of Florida; one sister, Jeanette Van Ostrom of Jenison, Mich., and eight grandchildren.
Services were held today, Nov. 19, 1999, at the Reyers North Valley Chapel. Burial was held in Alton Cemetery in Lowell, Mich., under direction of Reyers North Valley Chapel.
Memorials may be made to Raybrook Manor, 2121 Raybrook S.E., Grand Rapids, MI 49546.
Gladys Thomas Waters
Gladys Thomas Waters, age 94, died Thursday, Nov. 18, 1999, in Sidney, Ark.
She was born Feb. 7, 1905, in Haynes, to Phillip and Altha Matthews Long, and was a member of the Marvell Baptist Church.
She was preceded in death by her husband John Parsons Thomas in 1947.
She is survived by a son, Custer Thomas of Marianna; a granddaughter and two great grandchildren.
Services will be held at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 20, 1999, graveside at Marianna Memorial Park with Rev. Steve Walters officiating. Morgan Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.
Elizabeth Louise "Betty" Carder
Ms. Elizabeth Louise "Betty" Carder, age 62, of Forrest City, died Sunday, Nov. 21, 1999, at the Regional Medical Center in Memphis.
Ms. Carder was born Dec. 27, 1936, in Earle. She was the daughter of Guy B. Carder and Mary Elizabeth Johnson Carder. Ms. Carder was a former employee of Pepsi-Cola Company and Baptist Memorial Hospital. She was a Methodist, a member of the Order of the Eastern Star and an Army Veteran.
Ms. Carder is survived by her father, Guy Carder of Kansas City, Mo.: a brother, B. Guy Carder of Kansas City, Mo., and a sister, Mary Carolyn Carder of Roeland Park, Kan.
Visitation will be tonight from 6 to 7 p.m. at Stevens Funeral Home. Funeral services will be held Tuesday, Nov. 23, at 10 a.m. at the Mt. Vernon Cemetery in Forrest City under the direction of Stevens Funeral Home.
Memorials may be made to the American Heart and Lung Associations or to the St. Francis County Humane Society.
Sammy N. Griffin
Sammy N. Griffin, 41, of Forrest City died Friday Nov. 19, 1999, at Baptist Memorial Hospital in Memphis.
Mr. Griffin was born June 20, 1958, in Hughes and was the son of LeRoy Griffin and Paralee Crawford Griffin.
He is survived by his wife, Fannie Fryar Griffin of Forrest City; his mother, Paralee Crawford Griffin of Forrest City; eight stepsons, Micheal Fryar, Eddie Fryar, Dennis Fryar and Melvin Fryar, all of Forrest City, Tony Fryar, Anthony Fryar, Gerald Fryar and Don Fryar all of Tulsa, Okla.; three sisters, Betty Green and Nancy Williams, both of Forrest City, Margaret Griffin of Hughes; a brother, LeRoy Griffin Jr. of West Memphis and seven grandchildren.
Visitation will be held Thursday, Nov. 25, at Woodhouse Mortuary from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Funeral services will be held Friday, Nov. 26, at 12 noon at New Light M.B. church with Rev. Jessie McClure officiating. Burial will follow at Casteel Cemetery under the direction of Woodhouse Mortuary.
Dale W. Horton
Dale W. Horton, age 70, of Newcastle died Tuesday, Nov. 23, 1999, at his home.
Mr. Horton was born Nov. 15, 1929, in Newcastle to Earl Eugene Horton and Dora Armstrong Horton. He was a member of Forrest Chapel Methodist Church, a retired farmer and businessman and a member of Crowley's Ridge Shooting Resort.
He is survived by his wife, Ann McLeod Horton of Newcastle; a daughter, Kim Hoffman of Little Rock; a son, Steve Horton of Forrest City and three grandchildren.
Graveside services will be held Friday, Nov. 26, at 10 a.m. at Loughridge Cemetery in Newcastle with Rev. Lisa Anderson officiating. Funeral serivces are under the direction of Stevens Funeral Home.
In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to Loughridge Cemetery or a charity of the donor's choice.
Imogene S. Couchman
Imogene S. Couchman, 91, of Kansas City died Monday, Nov. 22, 1999, at the Kingswood Health Center in Kansas City, Mo.
Mrs. Couchman was born Oct. 8, 1908, in Pikes City, Ark., and was the daughter of Ed and Blanch Slaughter. Mrs. Couchman was a school teacher and a member of First United Methodist Church where she served in the choir and was the wife of Rev. Herchalle J. Couchman.
She is survived by two sons, Henry Couchman of Kansas City, Mo. and Dwayne Couchman of Forrest City, four grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be Saturday, Nov. 27, at 10 a.m. at Thompson Wilson Funeral Home in McCrory, followed by a graveside service at 11 a.m. at Odd Fellow Cemetery also in McCrory.
Ernestine Henry, 48, of Forrest City died Saturday, Nov. 20, 1999, in her home.
Mrs. Henry was born Nov. 26, 1950, in Forrest City.
She is survived by her mother, Mildred McGaughy of Forrest City; two daughters, Sherea Henry and Marya Henry, both of Forrest City; seven brothers, Willie Cole of Detroit, Mich., Horace McGaughy Jr. of Ann Harbor, Mich., Roosevelt McGaughy and John McGaughy, both of Ypsilanti, Mich, Eugene McGaughy of Forrest City, Wallace McGaughy of Jonesboro, Calvin McGaughy of Lonoke; three sisters, Barbara McGaughy and Mable Futrell, both of Little Rock, Shirley McGaughy of Forrest City; and five grandchildren.
Visitation will be held Friday, Nov. 26, at Clay Funeral Home from 1 to 5 p.m. Services will be held Saturday, Nov. 27, at 2 p.m. at Rising Sun M B Church with Rev. B.T. Cooper officiating. Burial will be at Casteel Cemetery under the direction of Clay Funeral Home.
Rev. William Clyde Hankins Sr.
Rev. William Clyde Hankins Sr., 93, of Marshall Texas, died Tuesday, Nov. 23, 1999, at the Colonial Park Nursing Home in Marshall. He was born July 21, 1906, in Pine Bluff, the son of William Henry Hankins and Joana Isabelle Glover Hankins.
He was a retired missionary and minister. He was pastor of churches in Texas in the 1930s, went to Brazil in 1940 and served until his retirement in 1965. After retirement he pastored churches in Kentucky, Arkansas and Texas, one of them being First Baptist Church of Forrest City. At the time of his death he was a member of the Central Baptist Church of Marshall.
Rev. Hankins is survived by two sons, William Clyde (Bill) Hankins of Marshall and Jerry Otis Hanks of Indianapolis, Ind.; two daughters, Nona Goodman of Marshall and Nina Eunice Hankins of Campo Grande M.S., Brazil, S.A.; and 15 grandchildren.
Visitation was held Thursday, Nov. 25. Additional services will be held at 11 a.m. Monday, Nov. 29, in the Zion Baptist Church in Henderson, Ky., under the direction of the Benton-Glunt Funeral Home. Memorials may be made to the Hankins Fund at First Baptist Church, Forrest City. | <urn:uuid:f0700bf1-9461-4182-af4c-b5c5de74b0e6> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.genealogybuff.com/ar/stfrancis/webbbs_config.pl/noframes/read/6 | 2013-05-22T21:44:34Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702448584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110728-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.950883 | 2,183 |
Why Would Delta Airlines Buy a Refinery?
It will take years to determine whether the purchase was a coup or a serious miscalculation.
After deducting $30 million in subsidies from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania where the refinery is based, the cost of acquiring the 185,000 barrel per day (or bpd) Trainer refinery complex just south of Philadelphia will come to $150 million. Delta must spend another $100 million to convert Trainer’s existing infrastructure to increase jet fuel output, putting the total cost of the acquisition at $250 million.
Rising Jet Fuel Costs for Delta
The rationale behind Delta’s purchase is that it gives the airline greater control over its supply chain and allows it to better manage its biggest expense, jet fuel, which constitutes 37% of the company’s costs. In 2011, Delta spent $12 billion on jet fuel. That makes the refinery's purchase price just a hair over 2% of its yearly jet fuel spend.
“Our crude fuel costs are up 10% on a compounded growth rate over that two-year [2009-2011] period. But you can see the eye-popping number that’s out is the crack spread for jet fuel. That’s up a compounded growth rate of 73% over the last two years,” said Delta president Edward Bastian in a conference call."
[Editor's note: The crack spread measures the difference in cost between an unrefined barrel of crude oil and an equivalent amount of jet fuel. The jet fuel crack spread has risen 40% in 2012, pushing jet fuel above $140/barrel in comparison to a barrel of crude oil at $86.56 at today's spot prices.]
Also from Delta president Bastian on the same call: “And it is the part of the business that we have the most difficult time in managing, very difficult to hedge the crack spread. Jet fuel market is a thinly traded market and it’s by far and away the largest cost issue we have in the company.”
Despite the large crack spread, whether it's $20 or $50, only about $5 of that amount goes to the actual physical cost of distilling jet fuel from crude oil. The remaining amount is pure profit for refiners and that is what Delta wants to capture. In buying Trainer, Delta is trying to cut out the middle man.
Under the arrangements of the acquisition, BP (BP) will supply the crude to be refined at Trainer, and Delta will swap gasoline and other refined products from Trainer for jet fuel from Phillips 66 and BP elsewhere in the US through multi-year agreements.
Trainer Will Save Delta $300 Million a Year.
Delta has said that its new refinery will enable it to cut down fuel spending by $300 million and ensure the availability of jet fuel in the northeast. Production from the refinery, combined with the agreements with Phillips 66 and BP, will be able to provide 80% of Delta’s jet fuel demand in the US.
Because of the fuel cost savings Delta projects it will enjoy by owning an oil refinery, some industry experts assert that the company will be able to gain a leg up against its competitors in the east coast market.
Philip Verleger, Jr., a consultant on energy and commodity markets who publishes Petroleum Economics Monthly, said that by purchasing Trainer and thereby limiting the supply of jet fuel for its competitors, Delta could gain a $4,000-$5,000 advantage on every transatlantic New York to London flight. He compared Delta’s strategic advantage to that of Southwest’s (LUV) when the latter used hedging as a tool to gain a cost advantage for many years over competitors who did not hedge.
“Delta will be able to cover a large portion of its jet fuel needs at the major New York airports at a cost substantially below that of its competitors,” Verleger told Aviation Week. “This advantage would be particularly useful in the very competitive North Atlantic market, where Delta goes up against American [Airlines], British Airways, Lufthansa, Air France, United (UAL) and Virgin Atlantic, among others.
“With Trainer, Delta could match the competition's prices and pocket profits from lower-cost fuel,” he continues. “Alternatively, it could follow Southwest's example and initially pass the cost savings on to consumers. This would force larger losses on other airlines or cause them to exit the market.”
Analysts who cover the aviation industry seem to concur that this was a smart move by Delta, with a Deutsche Bank research note from April 30 saying that the deal results in a “new vertical with compelling economics.” Stern Agee and Maxim Group also reiterated Buy ratings on Delta after news of the acquisition broke.
However, not everyone is convinced that this is a game-changer in a good sense for Delta.
Making the Economics of a Refinery Work.
One obvious question comes to mind: If oil giant Phillips 66 couldn’t make the economics of Trainer work, why would Delta, even if it is tasking former Murphy Oil (MUR) refinery manager Jeffrey Warmann to run operations at Trainer?
“Plants shut for a reason, and it's not usually the incompetence of their owner," Kevin Waguespack, vice president of the energy consultancy Baker & O'Brien, opined to CNN. “How can Delta do any better than a large, sophisticated refiner like Conoco?”
Even though Delta said it will modify Trainer to more than double jet fuel output from 23,000 bpd to 52,000 bpd, jet fuel can at most make up 30%-35% of the crude output. The remainder of the crude it receives will be refined into non-jet fuel products, which Delta will then swap for more jet fuel in their agreement with counterparties, BP and Phillips 66.
So, if jet fuel spreads are as high as Delta says they are, it means that the airline will get a lower ratio of jet fuel in their exchange deal, since presumably, Phillips 66 and BP will not be willing to take a loss. In effect, Delta will still be paying market rate for jet fuel, except that it will be using refined products instead of money as payment.
Optimizing the Return on Capital.
Gregory Millman from the Dow Jones company also questions the less-than-optimal return of capital given that the refinery will be refurbished to maximize jet fuel output. As he points out, typically, refiners adjust outputs to maximize returns. For example, during the summer, gasoline is in greater demand and is more profitable, so refineries generally produce more gasoline in the summer, and more heating oil in the winter for the same reason.
However, Delta’s Trainer facility will be locked into producing a standard ratio of 30% jet fuel, even when it might offer a greater return than other products.
“Why is this a problem?" asked Millman. "Optimizing for refinery returns is better for shareholders than optimizing for airline returns. US refiners produced a return on capital of about 25% over the last 12 months, according to S&P Capital IQ, while US commercial airlines earned only a 11% return on capital. (Delta, by the way, produced a 12% return on capital.)”
Minyanville reached out to Delta, and a spokesperson asserted that the economics of the refinery deal were sound.
“When you think about Trainer's economics, remember that we're capturing refining costs that are pure mark-up and not actually related to the physical cost of producing the fuel,” said a Delta spokesperson.
“Jet fuel is the highest margin product any refinery can produce at the moment, and the fact that we're investing in Trainer's infrastructure to make the most jet fuel possible will immediately improve its performance financially. If crack spreads fall -- really only possible if crude oil prices plunge -- then as an airline, we will be saving billions of dollars annually because of that situation.”
Trainer's Working Capital.
Another aspect of the deal Millman cited was that working capital seemed to be missing from Delta’s plan for Trainer. According to him, a refinery like Trainer would need between $100 million and $200 million in working capital, especially since Conoco reported that it had liquidated $180 million in inventory, most of which came from Trainer.
“Using the $180 million inventory figure from Conoco as a rough approximation for the working capital requirements of Trainer, we can expect working capital will increase Delta’s real investment in Trainer by 72% -- over and above the airline’s $250 million investment. That’s $430 million, half of Delta’s 2011 bottom line,” Millman wrote.
Delta, however, said that the deals it wrangled with BP and Phillips 66 eliminated both front-end and back-end risks for the airline.
“We think the problem with some of the analyses on Trainer is that people are assuming we're running it as a standalone entity and facing the same market challenges that refineries are looking at. Through the agreement we have with BP to source, transport, and deliver crude oil to us -- they have the balance sheet risk of that -- we have no risk on the front end. We don't even own the oil until it gets into our refinery. On the back end, the swap agreements we have with BP and Phillips 66 remove any risk of us holding products we don't use -- also a huge piece of why this makes sense for us,” Delta told Minyanville.
“Delta is simply buying all the jet fuel produced by its subsidiary and faces no balance sheet risk. Indeed, in terms of working capital, we are optimistic that the windows of purchasing and swapping the products could make Trainer actually working capital positive for Monroe. All we've said is that our partner agreements supply us with the necessary working capital for Trainer.”
Of course, owning a refinery also comes with environmental liabilities. An energy banker at a midsized investment bank Minyanville spoke to who declined to be named said that refinery flares, which often emit toxic fumes, were a potential source of huge liabilities.
“If they ever want to sell Trainer, they have to clean the site, too, since they can’t just shut it down. How does Delta handle that?” he said.
Apparently, Delta has nothing to worry about on the environmental liability front, the airline told Minyanville.
“Our subsidiary Monroe Energy owns and operates the refinery. Delta has no risk as an entity to any claims: Monroe has reached agreements with BP and Phillips 66 that essentially say that we have zero environmental liability at Trainer going backward from the moment we take possession, and we have a very firm indemnification setup that minimizes our ongoing exposure by operating Trainer.”
Trainer Is an "Unbelievable Bargain."
In spite of the questions raised by some, Delta believes that its Trainer investment is “anything but” risky, since the $250 million it will spend on the acquisition is how much an airline would spend to buy a Boeing (BA) 777 at list price.
“We did a test to see what our savings would have been in the past six years had we bought this refinery six years ago. [We found that] we would have saved between $300 million and $500 million every year. The difference is that six years ago, refineries weren't for sale at rock-bottom prices. In fact, they cost billions of dollars,” Delta told Minyanville.
“The huge drop in US gasoline demand has made refineries such as Trainer unbelievable bargains; we feel we've spent $150 million on an asset with a book value well in excess of $1 billion.”
Will Delta’s bold move pay off? Only time will tell, said Robert Mann, an airline consultant in Port Washington, New York.
"It's clearly a very innovative approach, but I think it will be a number of years before we know whether it actually works out."
Copyright 2011 Minyanville Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved. | <urn:uuid:3b588ca1-8a3e-4f51-b0e3-907cab544170> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.minyanville.com/sectors/transportation/articles/dal-cop-psx-luv-bp-mur/5/31/2012/id/41367?page=full | 2013-05-22T21:38:33Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702448584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110728-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.950542 | 2,526 |
Griffins 6, Monsters 5 (OT): Lake Erie drops third in a row
Monsters coach Dean Chynoweth said a lot Friday night without saying much at all after his team lost, 6-5, to Grand Rapids on a power play with 1:22 left in overtime.
Lake Erie wing Mike Connolly was called for what looked like a weak tripping penalty with 1:38 left in the extra session. Sixteen seconds later, Gustav Nyquist scored his second goal of the game and eighth of the season on a short shot just outside the left post to complete a comeback from a 3-0 deficit.
The Monsters (9-6-1-0) made a comeback of their own to force the overtime. They fought back from being down, 5-4, to tie the score using a sixth attacker with 1:09 left in regulation on a goal by Bryan Lerg. The tally sent the 9,044 fans in Quicken Loans Arena screaming.
"I'm not allowed to comment on the officiating," Chynoweth said when asked about the tripping call. "We had some momentum. We had some good opportunities, and then the call is made. That's a game-changer."
Chynoweth didn't have to say anything. The crowd in The Q booed loudly when it saw the penalty on the replay board.
The Monsters have lost three straight. They were shut out in back to back games in Abbottsford, 3-0 and 2-0, Tuesday and Wednesday. Chynoweth said his team might have had tired legs, especially early in the first period Friday.
Offense was not the problem as it was during the shutouts in British Columbia. Failing to clear the puck and giveaways in front of Calvin Pickard doomed the home team.
"We had a brain cramp when they got a couple quick goals and then we got it back to even, but it wasn't enough," Chynoweth said. "They're a very skilled team. Their forwards are high, high end. They make quick plays. They're very shifty.
"I thought we sat back. Some of the soft plays when we turned puck over ended up in our net."
A 3-0 Lake Erie lead midway through the second period melted like bad ice in a June playoff game. Continued...
The Monsters built their lead on a first-period redirect by David van der Gulik off a shot from Karl Stollery just inside the blue line. Andrew Agozzino made it 2-0 with his seventh goal of the season when he kept the puck in a two-on-one, looked left like he was going to pass it and then fired a shot past Grand Rapids goalie Petr Mrazek.
Mitchell Heard made it 3-0 when he took a feed from behind the net and flicked the puck into the top left corner at 10:29 of the middle period.
At that point, the Monsters were in total control. Pickard survived an early rush by the Griffins in which he had to make seven saves in the first six minutes. Grand Rapids had only one shot on goal the remainder of the period.
The Griffins lost their early offensive surge while the Monsters were building their lead, but started playing with urgency down 3-0.
Grand Rapids scored goals at 11:32 and 13:10 of the second before van der Gulik scored his second of the game and second of the season from the top of the left faceoff circle to make it 4-2, but that only slowed the Griffins momentum. It did not stop it.
A power play goal by Nyquist cut the lead to 4-3 seven seconds after Stollery was sent off for interference.
Tomas Jurco scored two goals nine seconds apart to put Grand Rapids ahead, 5-4, 6:30 into the third period.
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Nouvelles hebdomadaires de PostgreSQL - 18 juillet 2010
L'appel à conférenciers pour la "West" est lancé jusqu'au 5 septembre 2010. Détails sur : http://www.postgresqlconference.org/
La première réunion du PUG de San Diego se fera au Cymer Inc. le 29 juillet 2010 : http://www.meetup.com/SD-PUG/calendar/14105562/
Les nouveautés des produits dérivés
- psycopg2 2.2.2, un connecteur Python pour PostgreSQL : http://initd.org/psycopg/
Offres d'emplois autour de PostgreSQL en juillet
- Internationales : http://archives.postgresql.org/pgsql-jobs/2010-07/threads.php;
- Francophones : http://forums.postgresql.fr/viewforum.php?id=4.
- L'OSCON aura lieu à Portland (Oregon) du 19 au 23 juillet 2010 : http://www.oscon.com/oscon2010
- Reuven Lerner donnera un cours de 5 jours sur PostgreSQL du 1er au 5 août au "Hi-Tech College" de Herzliya (Israël) : http://www.hi-tech.co.il/college/default.asp?PageID=12&CourseNum=4288
- La FrOSCon 2010 aura lieu à St. Augustin (Allemagne) les 21 & 22 août 2010. Le PUG allemand a obtenu sa propre salle de dev. et est à la recherche de conférenciers. Plus de détails : http://andreas.scherbaum.la/blog/archives/711-FrOSCon-2010-PostgreSQL-devroom-Call-for-papers.html
PostgreSQL dans les média
- Planet PostgreSQL : http://planet.postgresql.org/
- Planet PostgreSQLFr : http://planete.postgresql.fr/
PostgreSQL Weekly News / les nouvelles hebdomadaires vous sont offertes cette semaine par David Fetter et Devrim Gunduz. Traduction par l'équipe PostgreSQLFr sous licence CC BY-NC-SA.
Proposez vos articles ou annonces avant dimanche 15:00 (heure du Pacifique). Merci de les envoyer en anglais à david (a) fetter.org, en allemand à pwn (a) pgug.de, en italien à pwn (a) itpug.org et en espagnol à pwn (a) arpug.com.ar.
KaiGai Kohei reviewed Robert Haas's patch to add get_whatever_oid functionality.
Bruce Momjian a commité :
- Bump minor library version numbers, for 9.1 release.
- In pgsql/src/tools/RELEASE_CHANGES, document bump of minor library version numbers.
- In pgsql/doc/src/sgml/release-9.0.sgml, spellcheck 9.0 release notes.
- In pgsql/doc/src/sgml/release-9.0.sgml, 9.0 release note improvements Erik Rijkers
- In pgsql/doc/src/sgml/release-9.0.sgml, restore pl/pgsql default install release note item.
- In pg_upgrade, prevent psql AUTOCOMMIT=off by not loading .psqlrc.
- In pgsql/src/tools/fsync/test_fsync.c, print each test_fsync description while test is running, rather than at the end.
- In pgsql/contrib/pg_upgrade/exec.c, in pg_upgrade, report /bin directory checks independent of /data checks.
- In pgsql/contrib/pg_upgrade/option.c, remove incorrect email address for pg_upgrade bug reports.
- In pgsql/contrib/pg_upgrade/server.c, on Win32, pg_upgrade cannot sent any server log output to the log file because of file access limitations on that platform.
- Backpatch pg_upgrade fixes to 9.0: 1. In pg_upgrade, prevent psql AUTOCOMMIT=off by not loading .psqlrc. 2. In pg_upgrade, report /bin directory checks independent of /data checks. 3. Remove incorrect email address for pg_upgrade bug reports. 4. On Win32, pg_upgrade cannot sent any server log output to the log file because of file access limitations on that platform.
- In pgsql/src/backend/commands/tablespace.c, simplify missing tablespace replay error hint message, but only in HEAD so we don't need to re-translate for 9.0.
- In pgsql/src/interfaces/libpq/fe-connect.c, add SO_PEERCRED check in new unix domain socket permission checking code.
Tom Lane a commité :
- Make NestLoop plan nodes pass outer-relation variables into their inner relation using the general PARAM_EXEC executor parameter mechanism, rather than the ad-hoc kluge of passing the outer tuple down through ExecReScan. The previous method was hard to understand and could never be extended to handle parameters coming from multiple join levels. This patch doesn't change the set of possible plans nor have any significant performance effect, but it's necessary infrastructure for future generalization of the concept of an inner indexscan plan. ExecReScan's second parameter is now unused, so it's removed.
- Teach EXPLAIN to print PARAM_EXEC Params as the referenced expressions, rather than just $N. This brings the display of nestloop-inner-indexscan plans back to where it's been, and incidentally improves the display of SubPlan parameters as well. In passing, simplify the EXPLAIN code by having it deal primarily in the PlanState tree rather than separately searching Plan and PlanState trees. This is noticeably cleaner for subplans, and about a wash elsewhere. One small difference from previous behavior is that EXPLAIN will no longer qualify local variable references in inner-indexscan plan nodes, since it no longer sees such nodes as possibly referencing multiple tables. Vars referenced through PARAM_EXEC Params are still forcibly qualified, though, so I don't think the display is any more confusing than before. Adjust a couple of examples in the documentation to match this behavior.
- Allow full SSL certificate verification (wherein libpq checks its host name parameter against server cert's CN field) to succeed in the case where both host and hostaddr are specified. As with the existing precedents for Kerberos, GSSAPI, SSPI, it is the calling application's responsibility that host and hostaddr match up --- we just use the host name as given. Per bug #5559 from Christopher Head. In passing, make the error handling and messages for the no-host-name-given failure more consistent among these four cases, and correct a lie in the documentation: we don't attempt to reverse-lookup host from hostaddr if host is missing. Back-patch to 8.4 where SSL cert verification was introduced.
- In pgsql/src/bin/pg_dump/pg_dump.c, fix several problems in pg_dump's handling of SQL/MED objects, notably failure to dump a PUBLIC user mapping correctly, as per bug #5560 from Shigeru Hanada. Use the pg_user_mappings view rather than trying to access pg_user_mapping directly, so that the code doesn't fail when run by a non-superuser. And clean up some minor carelessness such as unsafe usage of fmtId(). Back-patch to 8.4 where this code was added.
- In pgsql/doc/src/sgml/high-availability.sgml, use an <xref> for restore_command reference. Marko Tiikkaja.
- In pgsql/src/backend/commands/opclasscmds.c, remove duplicate code in DefineOpFamily(). The code was probably meant to be this way all along, since the subroutine CreateOpFamily previously had only one caller. But it wasn't. KaiGai Kohei.
- In pgsql/src/backend/executor/execUtils.c, remove a sanity check in the exclusion-constraint code that prevented users from defining non-self-conflicting constraints. Jeff Davis. Note: I (tgl) objected to removing this check in 9.0 on the grounds that it was an important sanity check in new, poorly tested code. However, it should be all right to remove it for 9.1, since we'll get field testing from the 9.0 branch.
- Add support for dividing money by money (yielding a float8 result) and for casting between money and numeric. Andy Balholm, reviewed by Kevin Grittner
- Add a log_file_mode GUC that allows control of the file permissions set on log files created by the syslogger process. In passing, make unix_file_permissions display its value in octal, same as log_file_mode now does. Martin Pihlak
- In pgsql/src/interfaces/libpq/fe-connect.c, fix thinko in recent patch: 'sock' should be 'conn->sock'.
- In pgsql/src/interfaces/libpq/fe-connect.c, fix up poor handling of unsupported-platform case in requirepeer patch.
- Allow ORDER BY/GROUP BY/etc items to match targetlist items regardless of any implicit casting previously applied to the targetlist item. This is reasonable because the implicit cast, by definition, wasn't written by the user; so we are preserving the expected behavior that ORDER BY items match textually equivalent tlist items. The case never arose before because there couldn't be any implicit casting of a top-level SELECT item before we process ORDER BY etc. But now it can arise in the context of aggregates containing ORDER BY clauses, since the "targetlist" is the already-casted list of arguments for the aggregate. The net effect is that the datatype used for ORDER BY/DISTINCT purposes is the aggregate's declared input type, not that of the original input column; which is a bit debatable but not horrendous, and to do otherwise would require major rework that doesn't seem justified. Per bug #5564 from Daniel Grace. Back-patch to 9.0 where aggregate ORDER BY was implemented.
- In pgsql/src/backend/utils/error/elog.c, remove unnecessary "Not safe to send CSV data" complaint from elog.c's fallback path when CSV logging is configured but not yet operational. It's sufficient to send the message to stderr, as we were already doing, and the "Not safe" gripe has already confused at least two core members ... Backpatch to 9.0, but not further --- doesn't seem appropriate to change this behavior in stable branches.
Heikki Linnakangas a commité :
- In pgsql/src/backend/utils/mmgr/portalmem.c, oops, in the previous fix to prevent a cursor that's being used in a FOR loop from being dropped, I missed subtransaction cleanup. Pinned portals must be dropped at subtransaction cleanup just as they are at main transaction cleanup. Per bug #5556 by Robert Walker. Backpatch to 8.0, 7.4 didn't have subtransactions.
- Add a paragraph explaining what restartpoints are. Mention that wal_keep_segments does not take effect during recovery. Fujii Masao
- In pgsql/doc/src/sgml/wal.sgml, fix typo spotted by Thom Brown.
Peter Eisentraut a commité :
- Add server authentication over Unix-domain sockets. This adds a libpq connection parameter requirepeer that specifies the user name that the server process is expected to run under. Reviewed by KaiGai Kohei.
Correctifs rejetés (à ce jour)
- Pas de déception cette semaine :-)
Correctifs en attente
- KaiGai Kohei sent in another revision of the patch reworking DML permissions.
- Marko (johto) Tiikkaja sent in another WIP patch implementing writeable CTEs.
- Greg Smith sent in another revision of the patch to make pgbench 64-bit clean.
- Pavel Stehule sent in two more revisions of the patch to add left, right, reverse and concat functions to core, and printf and concat_ws functions to contrib.
- Markus Wanner sent in a flock of patches to add a background worker infrastructure which could be used, for example, in doing parallel queries.
- Alexander Korotkov sent in another revision of the patch to speed up levenshtein distance for multi-byte character sets.
- Tom Lane sent in a patch to trace only PlanState trees in EXPLAIN. Currently, both PlanState and Plan get traced.
- Peter Eisentraut sent in a proof-of-concept patch to implement per-column collation.
- Mark Wong sent in another version of the patch to allow multiple -f's in the invocation of psql.
- Pavel Stehule sent in another revision of the patch to preload text search dictionaries.
- Robert Haas sent in another revision of the patch to suppress automatic recovery after a back-end crash, per review from Fujii Masao.
- KaiGai Kohei sent in two separate patches to add security labels to database objects.
- Fujii Masao sent in a patch intended to allow various levels of synchronous replication via a replication_mode parameter for recovery.conf in Hot Standby/Streaming Replication. It also provides some infrastructure for a quorum commit feature.
- Yeb Havinga sent in another revision of the patch to allow for five-key syscaches, which is infrastructure for, among other things, K-Nearest-Neighbor GiST searches.
- Robert Haas sent in a patch to make standard_conforming_strings on by default.
- Simon Riggs sent in another revision of the patch to reduce the lock level required by ALTER TABLE, CREATE TRIGGER and CREATE RULE.
- Boxuan Zhai sent in another revision of the patch to add MERGE.
- Jeff Davis sent in another revision of the patch to add a "not equals" operator for contrib/btree_gist.
- Brendan Jurd sent in another revision of the to_string(), to_array(), etc. patch.
- Jan Urbanski sent in another revision of the patch to add functionality to \ef (edit function) and add \sf (show function) to psql.
- Kevin Grittner sent in another revision of the patch to do true serializability.
- David Christensen sent in another revision of the patch to add \conninfo to psql.
- Bruce Momjian sent in three revisions of a patch intended to fix a breakage of CREATE TABLESPACE during crash recovery. | <urn:uuid:9a33ccfe-4425-4be2-9666-447cab9141b1> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.postgresql.fr/pgwn:18_juillet_2010 | 2013-05-22T21:32:20Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702448584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110728-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.720065 | 3,372 |
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