Report/ Travel: Players are asked to meet at the changing rooms for 5:45pm, reporting to John Timmis.
All parents are asked to confirm their daughter's availability for this fixture by text message to John Timmis on 07944 737858 on receipt of this letter. Failure to do so may jeopardies their place in the squad.
Another solid performance which deserved a better outcome. Shropshire created some great chances of but luck didn't seem to be on their side.
They look forward to welcoming Rhondda Cynon Taff Schools FA for an end of season friendly on the 2nd April.
The Shropshire U14 Girls' produced a well structured performance against a lively Staffordshire outfit.
It was Staffordshire in fact who took the lead within the first ten minutes as their striker slotted the ball past debutant keeper Mia Davies.
Shropshire worked their way back into the game having large spells of possession, which in turn resulted in some good goal scoring chances.
Jess Walley levelled the scoring with a curling shot from outside the area.
This gave Shropshire the boast they needed and Sophie Phillips soon scored their second as Izzy Oldroyd outpaced her opponent down the right hand side. Sophie produced some great footwork inside the area but was unfortunate not to add to her tally.
At 2-1 Shropshire needed a third goal to kill the game off. Jada Mia-Lee timed her run superbly well to pass in a fumbled shot from Jess Walley.
4-1 - Jada bagged her second goal after some great combinations from the front players.
Staffordshire caught Shropshire out on the break to get a goal back but the game was decided with an unbelievable long range shot from a modest Emily Fletcher which fired passed the keeper into the top corner.
It was a great team performance where Shropshire had four players making their debut; Lucie Lew Green, Millie Jones, Mia Davies and Eliza Craig who all fitted it extremely well.
Emily Fletcher was awarded Girl of the Game.
The next county fixture is on Wednesday 20th March, 2019 at Lilleshall Sports Centre against West Midlands.
Shropshire produced a brave and hardworking performance against a very successful West Midlands team.
The girls conceded some very early goals which made the task in hand even harder but they were resilient enough to roll up their sleeves and give their all in the second half.
The girls worked tirelessly to win the ball back and in turn produced some very decent opportunities for themselves.
Shropshire are scheduled to travel to Staffordshire on Monday 28th January (7PM KO) for their reverse fixture.
Parents are to text John to confirm the availability of their daughter before he will confirm the match day squad.
Shropshire had a positive start with Sophie Phillips scoring a quality long range strike within the first five minutes.
This confident lead was soon challenged when Greater Manchester scored an equaliser. Shropshire kept fighting for the next goal however, Greater Manchester took the lead after 25 minutes.
Sadly, Greater Manchester got a lucky third goal just before half time.
The second half Shropshire had a much stronger start and were determined to keep striving for another goal. Shropshire had many chances then eventually their hard work paid off when Jessica Walley had an amazing strike which would have beaten any goal keeper. This gave Shropshire hope as it was now only one goal between the sides.
Unfortunately, Shropshire conceded on the break and were pegged back once again. As usual Shropshire did not lose their fighting spirit and Sophie Phillips had an amazing run dribbling past their whole defense before slotting the ball past the goalkeeper.
Eventually, after an end to end performance Shropshire were valiant in defeat.
Match report written by, Libby Veitch and Maggie Preece.
The next fixture is on Wednesday 21st November against Worcestershire at Lilleshall.
In a tightly fought contest the newly formed Shropshire team showed great character to dig deep and start their league campaign with a victory.
Both teams started well and created a number of chances, however, it was Shropshire who broke the deadlock. Charlotte Fletcher played a wonderfully weighted pass through to Freya Horler who had no trouble in smashing the ball home.
Staffordshire managed to find the net shortly after but Shropshire took the lead for a second time when Jada Mia Lee calmly slotted the ball past the keeper after some neat footwork from Victoria Mellor.
Minutes before half time Staffordshire equalised for a second time with a powerful finish.
The second half was played with great intensity and chances fell for both sides. It was a long range effort from Sophie Phillips just minutes from time that sealed the win for the new side.
The attitude and determination of the players cannot be faulted and I would like to thank parents for your support.
The next fixture is away on Wednesday 7th October against Greater Manchester.
Players should not feel downhearted if not selected for this fixture. As I would like to make sure that I give every player an opportunity to impress at this early stage. I value a large squad as it will be a long season and I am keen to keep competition for places healthy.


text:
Q: uibutton selector send string as parameter I need to send a string as parameter in UIButton selector. Taking global string won't work for me. Button is of custom type. I tried :
btn.titleLabel.text = str;

And accessed it in selector, but received nil.

A: you get it like this
[b addTarget:self action:@selector(buttonTap:)forControlEvents:UIControlEventTouchUpInside];

-(IBAction)buttonTap:(id)sender
{
    UIButton *b = (UIButton*)sender;
     NSLog(@"%@",b.titleLabel.text);
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Fee increase - observations
By PACAN, October 31, 2019 in Open Discussion - Program
TMSM 162
1 hour ago, Eagle1993 said:
My disappointment is not necessarily the increase, but the lack of any transparency on what they did to ensure their financial house gets back in order.
Lets hope that changes soon. I would like to see National do some cuts at the higher level and make a flatter organization.
fred8033 297
Fred Johnson 2
Council bailout. thank goodness.
$72 for yearbook. We only buy on their transition out of the school. ... high school graduation and completing middle school year. Just too much money and a real waste in hindsight. Most people never look at anything but they year they graduate. Even then, they take up significant space and are just weight to move around.
ParkMan 801
Maybe it's just me, but I spend much more money on things that I care way less about that I really don't mind the national fee and did eventually get over the $70 for that yearbook.
Both national & council may make many decisions that I'd do differently - but at least they're trying.
MattR 1253
I try to be cheerful, it's all I'm paid
I don't think it's the money. If things were going great, membership was increasing, and volunteers were aplenty, nobody would mind that much. But it's just the opposite.
Underlying all the angst is a desire for leadership. Everyone here believes in the program and if something came from national that really helped with membership and volunteers we'd be less grumpy.
I'm not sure what the answer is. My gut says it's nothing major, more like focusing on making the message and program more succinct. Adapt training to busy families and a wide range of interest and backgrounds. Have vision.
1 hour ago, MattR said:
... it's nothing major, more like focusing on making the message and program more succinct.
Hugely agree. I think BSA is close, but it needs to do something to simplify and get the adults to back off. Keep the passion, but let the scouts be scouts.
Adapt training to busy families and a wide range of interest and backgrounds. Have vision.
This is huge. Of my hundred+ BSA training line items, I think very few were enabling. Though training is important, it's mentorship and experience that scouters need.
walk in the woods 731
5 hours ago, Eagle1993 said:
The correct comparison is GSUSA, Trail Life, 4H, etc. who's National fees are much less than BSA
In the case of 4H, $0. The link has a couple of interesting jabs at scouting as well.....
https://4-h.org/parents/ways-to-participate/
mrkstvns 457
Deluxe Member
2 minutes ago, walk in the woods said:
In the case of 4H, $0.
Ahhhh...now I understand why my el-cheap-o brother had his kids in 4H!
yknot 96
I think 4-H is an example of a youth organization that has done a good job of retooling and managing itself well to meet changing youth and family needs. 4-H also has about 6 million kids with a very similar leader/youth structure to BSA and yet very few reported cases of child abuse. There are problems in every organization -- 4-H isn't perfect either -- but BSA could probably learn something from how they operate.
5 hours ago, TMSM said:
National Executive Committee and National Executive Board too, but it will probably take Chapter 11 to get it done.
17 hours ago, RememberSchiff said:
P.S. My understanding from the 2017 Annual Report, (2018 Annual Report did not have this information) please correct me if wrong . Note the Annual Report and By-Laws use different names for committees.
Quorums were finally specified in the 2019 By-Laws.
National Executive Committee ( called National Council in By-laws) is comprised of 16 National Officers which includes the Big Three. According to By-Laws, quorum is 50%, 8 members.
National Executive Board ( called Executive Board in By-laws) is comprised of "no more than 64 regular members", currently around 76 individuals. By-Laws specify members shall include Executive Board (16), Members of Regional Executive Committees and Area Commissioners, Local Council Representatives, Members at Large, Special Members. According to By-Laws, quorum is just 5%, so only 4 members needed. A lot of red flags here.
Advisory Council is comprised of about 66 individuals chosen by Executive Board and are mostly from local councils. The Chairman of the Advisory Council serves as a Special Member of above Executive Board.
Just curious - what different structure would you propose for this national leadership structure ? How would that improve things?
Edited November 2, 2019 by ParkMan
1 hour ago, ParkMan said:
I am looking at other non-profit organizations (4-H, Boys & Girls, Y, Red Cross) for better ideas.
It strikes me as odd that the Executive Committee controls and not serves the Executive Board. No oversight. IMO, a see Chapter 11 addressing this, should be interesting.
Initial ideas:
1. Fix the inconsistent and confusing nomenclature used in By-Laws!
2. The CSE should be the only member of the Executive Committee serving on Executive Board . CSE may not be Chairman of Executive Board.
3. Big Three downsized to a CSE (business) and Chief Scout (program, PR).
4. Reduce size of Executive Board but raise their meeting quorum to 50% or better (phone, txt, email).
5. Advisory Council should be member-elected (us) , selects Executive Board Members , and presents action items to Executive Committee.
My $0.01.
Edited November 2, 2019 by RememberSchiff
3 hours ago, RememberSchiff said:
Very nice ideas. I could get behind those. Some specific comments:
#1 - Yes, this whole business of executive board and executive committee feels cumbersome
#2 - Agreed. It would make sense for the BSA to have seperate Board Chair & separate President. Let the National Chair be the board chair and the CSE the President.
#3 - Yes - I'd like the Chief Scout to not be a career professional, but could deal with it if it were. I could see the Chief Scout being a member of the board who is responsible for the program committee and steering efforts.
#4 - I could see 10-20 members on the national board.
#5 - Agreed. It would take some thought on how such an election would occur. Today "we" elect council boards through the COR positions - but I don't think it works too well.
There's an interesting section in the bylaws:
Article III, Section 1, Clause 1 - The Executive Board shall, in accordance with the provisions of its Charter and these Bylaws, be the governing body of the Corporation, manage its affairs, elect its officers, and be the final reviewing authority with respect to all matters whatsoever which may arise at any level within the Scouting movement, which in its judgment should be reviewed.
Article III, Section 8, Clause 3 - Except for the powers reserved to the Executive Board, the duty and authority to manage the affairs of the Corporation shall be vested in the Executive Committee.
So basically, the Executive Committee can do most anything, but the Executive Board and overrule them. So I do think the Executive Committee is subservient to the Executive Board.
shortridge 184
If we're thinking Big Thoughts, I'd also propose a total end to the commissioner staff. I haven't encountered a district yet that doesn't struggle with attracting and retaining commissioners, let alone that uses that staff to support units properly. If we have people who want to be involved in Scouting, then put them to work directly with units as ASMs or MCs, or at the district level working on camporees, training, advancement, or camping promotion - direct program delivery, not as "consultants." Don't waste good bodies on a vague and usually useless organizational element that very few people understand.
PACAN 33
@shortridge Amen to that. My beef with commissioners are they don't stay current with what's actually going on in the program and telling units absolutely false information which is particularly dangerous to newer units. The biggest problem of course is that there would be no one working on their Doctorate of Commissioner Science...the dumbest thing the BSA has.
Also they need to hire from the outside for senior positions. Get from expertise from financial, change management and IT to fix these long standing functional and organizational issues.
The Franchise model the BSA uses which traps units in poorly run councils/districts needs to go. Why not let units sign on with councils for service with any council that provides them with better than they get locally, in other words get councils to earn your business by treating you as a customer...not the other way around.
Just my big nirvana thoughts.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Gundam is the titular mobile suit of Mobile Suit Gundam. The Gundam was incredibly advanced for its time. Built from lightweight Luna Titanium Alloy, its frame was both lighter than that of Zeon's mass-produced mobile suits and much sturdier, able to shrug off a Zaku II's machine gun fire with little to no damage. Its offensize power was above and beyond that of the Zeon Zakus.
Item#: ICX101
Difficulty Expert
Assembled Size Coming Soon
iconx (29)
ICONX USS THEODORE ROOSEVELT CVN-71
ICX022
Was launched in 1984 and first saw action during Operation Desert Storm in 1991. In 2001 on the evening of October 4th, the carrier launched the initial strike of Operation Enduring Freedom against al-Qaeda in Afghanistan from the North Arabian Sea. The ship is 1,092 feet long and holds up to 90 fixed wing and helicopters.
ROMAN COLOSSEUM RUINS
This massive stone amphitheater was commissioned around A.D. 70 by Emperor Vespasian as a gift to the Roman people. In A.D. 80, his son Titus opened the Colosseum with 100 days of games, including gladiatorial combats and wild animal fights. The colosseum remained in use for more than four centuries.
LIGHTHOUSE OF ALEXANDRIA
Was built on the island of Pharos between 280 and 237 BC. The lighthouse stood between 394 and 449 feet tall and was considered to be one of the seven wonders of the ancient world.
SALT LAKE CITY TEMPLE
Is a temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints located on Temple Square in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. The temple took 40 years to build and was dedicated in 1893.
ZAKU II
The successor to the first fielded mobile suit, the Zaku II improved on everything the previous model offered. It was faster, far more durable, had a better Minovsky Reactor, and could be fitted with far more weapons. The Zaku II was the mainstay of the Zeon military for most of the One Year War.
Z'GOK
Z'Gok is a mass production amphibious mobile suit. Z'Gok was very agile and fast in and out of water. MIP also replaced the bulky ballast water tanks used by the Gogg and Acguy for cooling off the mobile suit for out of water operations with an air cooling fan system. Notably, the weapon layouts were improved.
GUNDAM BARBATOS
The Gundam Barbatos is one of 72 "Gundam" frames that was produced and used in the Calamity War. After it was recovered, Chryse Guard Security used it as a power reactor; aside from the fact that its Ahab Reactors were still functional, this was done mainly because Barbatos' cockpit was missing when it was found. A new cockpit similar to the one used by the CGS mobile workers was installed prior to its redeployment by the 3rd Group. Poor maintenance over the centuries since the Calamity War has degraded the Barbatos' armor and full combat potential. This is later rectified by Teiwaz technicians, who not only restored the Barbatos to its original look but also returned it back to a performance close to its original.


text:
Wind and solar set new production records in second quarter, curtailment falls
By Sophie Vorrath on 27 July, 2020
New data has shown that the level of curtailment of the output of large-scale wind and solar farms has more than halved the second quarter of 2020, even as the renewable energy technologies set new production levels.
The Australian Energy Market Operator found in its latest Quarterly Energy Dynamics Report that the level of wind and solar curtailment fell to 3.2 per cent of output in Q2, from 6.9 per cent in the first quarter.
The improvement has been largely attributed to the inverter solution used to solve potential "voltage" in solar farms in Victoria and NSW, as well as a lack of any significant "separation" or other network events.
According to AEMO, the only increase in curtailment levels came from "system strength" issues that had been affecting South Australia, and to an increasing extent north Queensland.
AEMO also noted two notable wind and solar generation records were achieved in the latest quarter when overall output rose by an average 454MW to 2,730MW.
Grid-scale solar generation increased by 158MW on average compared to the same quarter last year, with the largest increases occurring in Queensland (+100MW) and New South Wales (+42MW).
Australia's emissions clipped by Covid, but the cuts may be short lived (7 Dec, 2020)
Australia's carbon twist: Taxing consumers who refuse to burn fossil fuels (2 Dec, 2020)
Which electricity retailer is giving the best solar feed-in tariff? (1 Dec, 2020)
Posted in Federal Government solar panel incentivesTagged curtailment, second quarter of 2020, system strength
A Story from Dr Larry Fingleton – NSW Solar PioneerBalgowlah RSL installs 91kW Solar System with DC optimisers


text:
Nepal: Journey beyond the mountains to the heart of the Himalayas
Nichola Daunton
If you were asked to name one thing about Nepal, chances are you'd pick Everest. The mountainous south Asian country is overshadowed by its highest peak, meaning many tourists think mountains are all Nepal has to offer. But they couldn't be more wrong.
Nepal opened to foreign tourists in the 1950s, and geologist Toni Hagen was the first European to trek across Nepal, mapping the landscape for the United Nations.
"From the beginning, when we opened Nepal to foreigners, most of the foreigners from Toni Hagen onwards wrote about the mountains, so Nepal became a mountaineer's destination," explains Dr. Dhananjay Regmi, CEO of Nepal Tourism.
"And then Norgay and Hillary climbed Everest [in 1953], so it became a destination for climbing…so many people think that Nepal means Everest or the mountains. But Nepal has a lot more than mountains."
It is its other regions, from the mid-hills to the lowland jungles that Nepal wants the world to see now. The country is inviting tourists to slow down and enjoy the rich abundance of nature that Nepal has to offer.
If you want to explore Nepal beyond the mountains, here are some of our top picks.
1. Chitwan National Park
Chitwan National Park, NepalCanva
Chitwan means 'heart of the jungle' and this region, situated in the foothills of the Himalayas, close to the border with India, is a haven for wildlife, including tigers, one-horned rhinos and crocodiles. This sub-tropical region is home to 544 species of bird and has a tiger breeding centre too, explains Dr. Regmi.
"This is the year that Nepal has doubled its tiger population. Nepal has put a lot of effort into the conservation of wild animals.
"And now if you go to the national parks of Nepal, which are in the lowland areas, the chances of seeing tigers is 90 per cent."
2. Soak up the views at a Hill Station
Poon Hill, NepalCanva
If you want to take some stunning photos of the Himalayas, then you need to visit a hill station. Dotted among the mountains, these places offer some of the best panoramas of the surrounding peaks. Poonhill in Myagdi offers visitors some sweeping views of the Annapurna and Dhaulagiri mountain ranges. The station is 270 km west of Kathmandu and the hike here will take you two or three days.
If you're planning to trek without a guide, you'll need to get an ACAP Nepal Permit before you set off.
3. What can I see in Kathmandu?
Boudhanath stupa, KathmanduCanva
"If you love heritage sites then Kathmandu is a great place to go," says Dr. Regmi.
In Kathmandu Valley you'll find three ancient cities: Bhaktapur, Kathmandu and Patan. The three cities are home to seven UNESCO World Heritage shrines and are full of temples, sculptures and exquisite art.
Thankfully for the Nepalis, the hippie trail of the 60's and 70's has long since dried up, and Nepal's capital is now an eclectic mix of tradition and modernity, with ancient temples and religious processions colliding with tech and business.
From Boudhanath stupa – one of the largest stupas (a domed building containing Buddhist relics) in the world – to the Garden of Dreams, a 9 hectare botanical garden, if architecture is your thing, Kathmandu is the place for you.
4. Visit the third highest mountain in the world
Kanchenjunga mountainCanva
It's not all about Everest you know, Nepal is also home to Kanchenjunga.
"We have the third highest mountain in the world too, which has only 800 tourists going there in a year, whereas in Everest we have 70,000 people going," says Dr. Dhananjay Regmi.
"We also have other mountains in the western part, and if you go there, you can enjoy much more nature and a very calm environment. You can really feel that you are in nature, whereas if you go to Everest, obviously since the number of the trekkers are very high, you never feel that you are very close to nature."
On the border between Nepal and India, if you want to visit the 8,586 metre mountain you'll need to join a trekking party. Kangchenjunga has five snow-capped peaks and is surrounded by rhododendrons and wild orchids, making it a beautiful place to visit. But beware, this is one for experienced trekkers only.
5. Where is the birthplace of Buddha?
Lumbini, NepalCanva
"Another place to visit is Lumbini, which is the birthplace of Lord Buddha," says Dr. Regmi.
"Nepal has not focused much on it before, simply because we didn't have an airport there. But Nepal built a new airport and we are expecting that numbers will significantly increase."
The third largest province in Nepal, Lord Buddha was born in the gardens of Lumbini in 623 BC and the gardens have been a place of pilgrimage for Buddhists ever since.
The Indian emperor Ashoka built commemorative pillars in the garden in the 3rd century and Nepal is now developing the site into a Buddhist pilgrimage centre.
Another place to visit in the region is Bardiya National Park, a protected wilderness that is home to a sal forest, as well as rare species like rhinos and elephants.
6. Can I go white-water rafting in Nepal?
White-water rafting in NepalCanva
Nepal has some of the best rivers in the world for white-water rafting. From deep gorges to fast-flowing rapids, there is a river for every level, from beginner to expert.
Popular spots include Karnali, Seti and Sunkoshi and you can even raft your way into Chitwan National Park too. Along your route you'll see rare flora and fauna and maybe even some wild animals.
If you prefer kayaking, there's a growing community for you to join in Nepal, just make sure to sign up with a local agent who will help you navigate Nepal's wild waters.
Courtesy: euronews
Abu Dhabi ranks first in global survey of top cities for a family holiday
The 'do-it-yourself-economics'
Fog disturbs traffic flow on different motorway...
Carrier Emirates test flies Boeing 777 on sustainable...
More than 600 US flights canceled as winter weather...
China says ready to normalize cross-border travel
In a first, women drive high-speed train in Saudi...
Emirates' New Zealand-bound superjumbo turns...


Get your hands on Link Monsters forged in the fires of battle in Structure Deck: Soulburner! Straight from the animated series to real life, Soulburner's Salamangreat Deck from Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS offers monsters a new lease on life with its "reincarnation" strategy! Salamangreat powers up its boss monsters in a unique way. By sending your first copy of a "Salamangreat" boss monster to the Graveyard to Summon your second copy, the new one is granted an extra ability far beyond what it had in its first life!


The TIBCO StreamBase® Bidirectional Socket Reader and Writer Adapters can be used to send and receive data over a socket connection in any format that is needed. The adapter allows the end user to provide code to transform incoming bytes into a tuple and the outgoing data into bytes to send on a socket. Two sample applications are provided.
The CustomDataTransformer sample shows how the adapters work together when linked and using a custom data transformer. When you run it, data is exchanged between the client and the server, and is parsed and modified as it transits. The data transformer uses a simple pipe delimited format with a hard coded non-printable separator character. The code in file CustomDataTransformer.java is called by the input and output adapters to perform the data transformations.
The OneServerOneClientNotLinked sample shows how the adapters can work independently. The reader is set up to be a server that only reads in data. The writer is set up to be the client and only sends data. When you run the sample, the writer connects to the reader and sends data. The reader reads in that data and sends that data over an arc to the writer, which in turn sends it back to the read (over the TCP socket). Client and server continue to handshake until a set number of exchanges is reached.
Select Bidirectional Socket Input/Output Adapter from the StreamBase Standard Adapters category.
Open the CustomDataTransformer.sbapp file and click the Run button. This opens the SB Test/Debug perspective and starts the module.
In the Manual Input view select the ControlClient Stream. Enter CONNECT into the command field, and click Send Data.
Continuing in the same sample, open the OneServerOneClientNotLinked.sbapp file and click the Run button. This opens the SB Test/Debug perspective and starts the module.
Because the client is configured to connect on startup, the application immediately starts and runs until 250 tuples are exchanged.
In the Output Streams view, select All Output Streams. Observe that the first tuple comes from the ReaderStatus stream and indicates that the reader is listening on port 50000.
The third tuple, coming from the ReaderStatus stream, acknowledges the connection. For example, it might say Received connection from 127.0.0.1:60876.
The remaining 250 tuples are on the ReadData stream and show the client returning data tuples.


I've decided in addition to my obsession with lego bikes and little animals, I want to now collect lego books!
Seems to work with me being a librarian and all.
So I'm interested in acquiring any lego books (the parts/pieces not paper books) you might like to offer. I'm cool paying fair bricklink prices.
I would like to have variety as I certainly have enough plain brown books.
Please message or text me what you'd like to sell. Or maybe trade? Or I can maybe offer some sorting services?
OK. I LOVE the dolphin one, and I don't have that one.
I just uploaded some to my bricklink and brickowl stores (Brickowl having technical difficulties today). I'm happy to deliver to VLC and AbbyLUG meetings.


Cruisers & Sailing Forums - Another Free Anchorage Gone - How Do we Fight This??
Another Free Anchorage Gone - How Do we Fight This??
I'm absolutely positive that there is NO connection between the new marina opening in National City CA this month and the San Diego Port Commission's decision this week to close the free A-8 anchorage area - guess where - just off of National City.
HMMMM? A petition? Letters to the local officials? It may be unwinnable, especially if they cite an environmental issue, but that would be the best way to get heard. Unfortunately, the powers that be can always say that boats are having a negative impact on the local environment due to waste, gray water, damage to the sea floor from anchors etc. the general public, not knowing any better, and buying into the propaganda will support anything that does not directly effect them.
If you circulate a petition I will sign it. I hate what bureaucrat "do-gooders" are doing to the rights and freedom of boaters. We have a serious problem over here in Hawaii because of governor appointed bureaucrats being in charge of something they know nothing about.
I'm a former San Diego Bay sailor from Chula Vista and will sign nearly anything protecting the freedom of sailors anywhere in the U. S..
Send me a petition by email or snail mail. Private message me.
Simple answer.......new marina pays taxes....muni mooring field spends tax money that could be spent on more vocal and impressionable people or groups.
Enjoy what you got while you got it!
It seems that it really doesn't matter which harbor/marina/anchorage you are in - the powers that be do NOT LIKE those who don't conform and who don't support the status quo (the powers). We ARE a minority ... and a small one at that. Unless there is some way we can think of to get one of the tree hugger organizations to buy in and raise a stink, I think we can tilt at windmills all day long - and buy Don a drink later whilst we lament our failures.
I've tried fighting the local power structure up in Moss - it just left me feeling tired, used and ineffective. The few VERY small concessions that were obtained just didn't make up for all the frustration.
In National City, the A8 anchorage seemed to draw some of our worst from amongst those that wished to anchor out - too often, the boats appeared to be derelict or adrift or people arrested for various crimes (usually against other boaters!). Obviously this didn't help the cause. And, as previously pointed out, the marina and boats therein, pay taxes and fees and royalties to the governing entity.
People of independent desires and the means to make those a reality will, in all likelihood, have to find those dreams in another country. But, like time, those spots will also errode as governments continue to attempt to affix yokes to all of "us" oxen.
I think Orwell was off by a 100 years.
In a way, this is much like the hassle over using the power of eminent domain to take away peoples homes for high tax generating projects. Governments, be they national, state or local need money, and the more money they take in, the more they will spend and grow, needing ever more money. It's a vicious circle that will never stop as long as people expect the government to do the things they once used to do for themselves, and politicans think the only way to get elected and re-elected is to spend the taxpayers money. One need only to look at the current situation in Congress to realize, it doesn't matter which party is in control, they spend as much as they can.
Didn't mean to get up on the soapbox, but the problem is more than just local, it's a national mindset that has been growing since the Depression and all the public works projects and giveaways that came from trying to spend our way out of it. Out of the 535 members in Congress, I doubt there is more than ten that SINCERELY care about the people who elected them instead of getting re-elected.
Total Rubbish John, the problems are related to the fact that most of the nation's wealth ...tax revenue.. is spent on the war economy. The Iraq debacle is a perfect example of how resource which should be spent in and on and for the people is enriching the big boys in the defense establishment.
Further we are moving toward a regressive tax system which worhsips and rewards wealth as if the wealthy will make the world a better place for anyone but themselves.
Government in the US is largely a puppet of corporations who use the government to funnel contacts to them and shied them from the laws which are in the people's interest. Government is now paid for by the wealthy and serves them with only lip service to the needs of the VAST majority of the people.
Eminent domain can serve the people when exercised propoerly, but it is mostly used to benefit some developer for profit these days. This country was built on slave and exploited labor on land and resources which were taken from those who were here before this continent was settled. Those who weren't slaughtered we pushed into little reservations.
Now corporations are excercising a new manifest destiny and exploiting the rest of the world for the labor and resources.. all in the pursuit of wealth.
You need to do some reading... you have been drinking the cool aid.
Not to get into a political discussion, but what you describe, is what has been going on as long as there have been organized governing bodies, and always will be going on. If you'll read more closely, you basically said what I did, just with different reasons, focusing on the past 6 years, rather than over a lengthier period of time. If you'll look back through history, there isn't a government that hasn't functioned as a tool of those in power, be it a free or totalitarian form. Not to mention, I don't drink Kool-Aid. I form my opinions independently, by reading all the way from the kook left, to the extreme right. Right or wrong, it's merely MY opinion, and I certainly don't expect everyone to agree with it. I don't though, need to disparage their opinions in expressing mine. After all, everyone is entiltled to their own thinking.
John, you are correct. You are both approaching the same point from opposite sides. The fact is money is the motivation. Not the good of the people. I agree that people are expecting the government to do things for them that they used do do for themselves (historically speaking), but times and circumstances were quite different. The fact is, the real issue is the disconnect between the politicians (generally amongst the financial elite) and the constituants. What the politicians think their constituants want is what they are told by the people who have a voice. Usually also the financial elite. Since it is allot easier to pull into a slip every night when you have 7 figures in the cruising kitty, the loss of an anchorage in an urban area does not particularly upset the financial elite. In fact, those same people are the ones who own homes in those areas, and would rather not have to listen to a genset or loud party at night out in their private little lagoon. As for the use of tax dollars and budget shortfalls, the cost of defense, infrastructure, so on and so on could easily be supplemented by decreasing the salaries of the politicians to something slightly more inline with the average income of their constituants. Free car, free housing, expensed meals, free insurance, AND a 6 figure income to govern people who average $25000 a year?THere are way too many politicians who are in it for the money and the power, not for the good of their constituants. The only way to ge a concern accross to these people is to provide a point of view with enough backing to jeaopardize that position. A republican rep who received 500000 votes will respond immediately to a petition with 10000 republican signatures, as this could easily make the difference in the next election. A solid petition from an area with a traditionally strong voter turn out will get immediate results. Even more important is the direction of the protest. It does no, or very little good to submit letters or petitions to a federal representitive on a local ordinance.
The politicians, and money people use the fact we are a small minority to accomplish things like this. The only way to fight that is to find an issue that is important to the non boating public. For instance, what is the reasoning behind closing this anchorage? Is it to provide a more valuable environment for a planned development? If so, approaching locals from the point of view of expansion, additional traffic, noise, and construction, as well as the potential for decreased home values as a result of tract housing in their area would be an easy sell to gain support against closing an anchorage. Sure it is a convoluted path, but the reasons put forth to justify something like this are equally as convoluted.
"It's a vicious circle that will never stop as long as people expect the government to do the things they once used to do for themselves,"
Greetings PBzeer, defjef and all... I think the above quote reveals the fundamental difference between your statements and to add my two cents... I think the governments now supply less services for the general population than they once did. I also believe that the people that succeed in politics have a natural and reciprocated, dislike for cruising folk so they burden the boating community with cost and excessive or downright non-sensical regulation. In any case though, I think it's important to unite ourselves along our common interests for what effect we can make.
Austrailia and the US seem to be going the same way. The US ahead but OZ playing catch-up. Problem is in the US (westcoast) there are so few anchoring opportunities to start with. East coast OZ is blessed with a great number of good anchorages so when one is "taken" it doesn't illicit great anger from the community, just a shrug and on to the next one but the next ones are running out.... If someone out there can come up with a workable strategy a publication can promote to make for a positive outcome....I am all ears! I should say another strategy... the scca idea is already on my mind. I'll be in touch with them today.
Bob, you make an interesting point. If the government cares about cruisers enough to try to legislate us out of existance, maybe we have more power than I thought?


Delegates heard from Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham as he revealed there has been an increase in the number of children starting Year 1 with a 'good level of development', with approximately 200 more children starting school ready to learn compared to the previous year.
Lucy Powell MP, Greater Manchester's political lead for school readiness, reiterated Greater Manchester's ambition to give every child the best start in life, and Jon Rouse, Chief Officer, Greater Manchester Health and Social Care Partnership, outlined Greater Manchester's approach and progress that's being made across the city-region.
BBC Learning shared the early findings of their work in Greater Manchester, working with the GMCA to develop, shape and pilot new and innovative ways to improve early years language and literacy.
The summit provided attendees with the opportunity to take part in a number of workshops, working with early years service providers and users to debate and discuss how we can continue to close the educational inequality gap in Greater Manchester.
One particular workshop, 'Bridging the Gap', headed by Executive Head Teacher Rukhsana Ahmed, explored the role of the voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) sector and the services available for families across Greater Manchester. The session focussed on the impact these services have on the development of early years by supporting parents during the crucial first years of their child's life.
Rukhsana, who also leads children centres and nurseries for the Big Life Group, discussed the aim of taking a holistic approach to early years, ensuring the approach of the VCSE sector is 'person-centred, child-centred and family-centred; focused on where they are, where they want to be and how we can get them there'. Rukhsana promoted the idea that 'relationship building is key to ensuring a holistic approach to developing early years'.
Rukhsana then introduced Iqra Choudry from Longsight, Manchester, who shared her emotional and motivating story of the help she received from local services when she first moved to Manchester with her ten month old daughter. Through a service provided by the VCSE sector, Iqra developed a positive relationship with not only her child, but with herself, which in turn had a positive impact of her child's early years development.
As a young Muslim mother living in new area, Iqra explained how following one simple conversation with her Health Visitor, she felt empowered to access local help and support – both emotional and practical. This included children's centres and help with accommodation, which became the catalyst for her daughter's, her family's her own personal development and success . Iqra stated that this simple emotional support highlighted the 'difference between knowing the path and taking the path' and emphasised the 'need of someone to hold (my) hand and guide'.
The workshop showcased the important role of the VCSE sector in bridging the gap between parents and early years services, by addressing a broader range of factors which affect early years development. By offering advice and support to parents to improve confidence and take steps at home to make the most of those crucial first 1,000 days, and help ensure more children start school ready to learn. Iqra finished the session by saying the VSCE sector 'didn't hold her accountable for mother she was' but 'for the mother she was capable of being'.


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Floating Spaceports For Future Rockets
September 14, 2020 by Tom Nardi 36 Comments
While early prototypes for SpaceX's Starship have been exploding fairly regularly at the company's Texas test facility, the overall program has been moving forward at a terrific pace. The towering spacecraft, which CEO Elon Musk believes will be the key to building a sustainable human colony on Mars, has gone from CGI rendering to flight hardware in just a few short years. That's fast even by conventional rocket terms, but then, there's little about Starship that anyone would dare call conventional.
An early Starship prototype being assembled.
Nearly every component of the deep space vehicle is either a technological leap forward or a deviation from the norm. Its revolutionary full-flow staged combustion engines, the first of their kind to ever fly, are so complex that the rest of the aerospace industry gave up trying to build them decades ago. To support rapid reusability, Starship's sleek fuselage abandons finicky carbon fiber for much hardier (and heavier) stainless steel; a material that hasn't been used to build a rocket since the dawn of the Space Age.
Then there's the sheer size of it: when Starship is mounted atop its matching Super Heavy booster, it will be taller and heavier than both the iconic Saturn V and NASA's upcoming Space Launch System. At liftoff the booster's 31 Raptor engines will produce an incredible 16,000,000 pounds of thrust, unleashing a fearsome pressure wave on the ground that would literally be fatal for anyone who got too close.
Which leads to an interesting question: where could you safely launch (and land) such a massive rocket? Even under ideal circumstances you would need to keep people several kilometers away from the pad, but what if the worst should happen? It's one thing if a single-engine prototype goes up in flames, but should a fully fueled Starship stack explode on the pad, the resulting fireball would have the equivalent energy of several kilotons of TNT.
Thanks to the stream of consciousness that Elon often unloads on Twitter, we might have our answer. While responding to a comment about past efforts to launch orbital rockets from the ocean, he casually mentioned that Starship would likely operate from floating spaceports once it started flying regularly:
While history cautions us against looking too deeply into Elon's social media comments, the potential advantages to launching Starship from the ocean are a bit too much to dismiss out of hand. Especially since it's a proven technology: the Zenit rocket he references made more than 30 successful orbital launches from its unique floating pad.
Continue reading "Floating Spaceports For Future Rockets" →
Posted in Current Events, Featured, Original Art, Slider, SpaceTagged Falcon 9, roscosmos, Soviet Union, SpaceX, starship
Echos Of The Cold War: Nuclear-Powered Missiles Have Been Tried Before
August 20, 2019 by Tom Nardi 63 Comments
On August 8th, an experimental nuclear device exploded at a military test facility in Nyonoksa, Russia. Thirty kilometers away, radiation levels in the city of Severodvinsk reportedly peaked at twenty times normal levels for the span of a few hours. Rumors began circulating about the severity of the event, and conflicting reports regarding forced evacuations of residents from nearby villages had some media outlets drawing comparisons with the Soviet Union's handling of the Chernobyl disaster.
Today, there remain more questions than answers surrounding what happened at the Nyonoksa facility. It's still unclear how many people were killed or injured in the explosion, or what the next steps are for the Russian government in terms of environmental cleanup at the coastal site. The exceptionally vague explanation given by state nuclear agency Rosatom saying that the explosion "occurred during the period of work related to the engineering and technical support of isotopic power sources in a liquid propulsion system", has done little to assuage concerns.
The consensus of global intelligence agencies is that the test was likely part of Russia's program to develop the 9M730 Burevestnik nuclear-powered cruise missile. Better known by its NATO designation SSC-X-9 Skyfall, the missile is said to offer virtually unlimited flight range and endurance. In theory the missile could remain airborne indefinitely, ready to divert to its intended target at a moment's notice. An effectively unlimited range also means it could take whatever unpredictable or circuitous route necessary to best avoid the air defenses of the target nation. All while traveling at near-hypersonic speeds that make interception exceptionally difficult.
Such incredible claims might sound like saber rattling, or perhaps even something out of science fiction. But in reality, the basic technology for a nuclear-powered missile was developed and successfully tested nearly sixty years ago. Let's take a look at this relic of the Cold War, and find out how Russia may be working to resolve some of the issues that lead to it being abandoned. Continue reading "Echos Of The Cold War: Nuclear-Powered Missiles Have Been Tried Before" →
Posted in Current Events, Featured, History, Original Art, Slider, Weapons HacksTagged heat exchanger, liquid cooling, Nuclear Reactor, nuclear weapon, radiation, ramjet, Rosatom, russia, Skyfall, Soviet Union
The Age Of Hypersonic Weapons Has Begun
January 7, 2019 by Tom Nardi 187 Comments
With a highly publicized test firing and pledge by President Vladimir Putin that it will soon be deployed to frontline units, Russia's Avangard hypersonic weapon has officially gone from a secretive development program to an inevitability. The first weapon of its type to enter into active service, it's capable of delivering a payload to any spot on the planet at speeds up to Mach 27 while remaining effectively unstoppable by conventional missile defense systems because of its incredible speed and enhanced maneuverability compared to traditional intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs).
Rendering of Avangard reentering Earth's atmosphere
In a statement made after the successful test of Avangard, which saw it hit a target approximately 6,000 kilometers (3,700 miles) from the launch site, President Putin made it clear that the evasive nature of the weapon was not to be underestimated: "The Avangard is invulnerable to intercept by any existing and prospective missile defense means of the potential adversary." The former Soviet KGB agent turned head of state has never been one to shy away from boastful claims, but in this case it's not just an exaggeration. While the United States and China have been working on their own hypersonic weapons which should be able to meet the capabilities of Avangard when they eventually come online, there's still no clear deterrent for this type of weapon.
Earlier in the year, commander of U.S. Strategic Command General John Hyten testified to the Senate Armed Services Committee that the threat of retaliation was the best and perhaps only method of keeping the risk of hypersonic weapons in check: "We don't have any defense that could deny the employment of such a weapon against us, so our response would be our deterrent force." Essentially, the threat of hypersonic weapons may usher in a new era of "mutually assured destruction" (MAD), the Cold War era doctrine that kept either side from firing the first shot knowing they would sustain the same or greater damage from their adversary.
With President Putin claiming Avangard has already entered into serial production and will be deployed as soon as early 2019, the race is on for the United States and China to close the hypersonic gap. But exactly how far away is the rest of the world from developing an operational hypersonic weapon? Perhaps more to the point, what does "hypersonic weapon" really mean?
Continue reading "The Age Of Hypersonic Weapons Has Begun" →
Posted in Current Events, Featured, Original Art, Slider, Space, Weapons HacksTagged defense, hypersonic, ICBM, russia, Soviet Union, space race, weapons
Superdeep Borehole Samples Create Non-boring Music
October 19, 2018 by Bryan Cockfield 14 Comments
In the 1970s, the Soviet Union decided to dig a hole for science. Not just any hole, the Kola Superdeep Borehole reached a depth of over 12 kilometers, the deepest at the time and the second deepest today by just a few meters. Since this was one of the few holes dug this deep that wasn't being drilled for oil, the project was eventually abandoned. [Dmitry] was able to find some core samples from the project though, and he headed up to the ruins of the scientific site with his latest project which produces musical sounds from the core samples.
The musical instrument uses punched tape, found at the borehole site, as a sort of "seed" for generating the sounds. Around the outside of the device are five miniature drilling rigs, each holding a piece of a core sample from the hole. The instrument uses the punched tape in order to control the drilling rigs, and the sound that is created is processed by the instrument and amplified, which creates some interesting and rather spooky sounds. The whole thing is controlled by an Arduino Mega.
Not only does the project make interesting sounds from a historically and scientifically significant research station and its findings, but the project has a unique and clean design that really fits its environment at the abandoned facility. The other interesting thing about this project is that, if you want to make the trek, anyone can go explore the building and see the hole for themselves. If you're wondering about the tools that could be used to make a hole like this, take a look at this boring project.
Continue reading "Superdeep Borehole Samples Create Non-boring Music" →
Posted in Art, ScienceTagged arduino mega, borehole, boring, drilling, facility, instrument, kola, music, piezo, research, science, sound, Soviet Union, superdeep
Salyut: How We Learned To Make Space Stations
February 12, 2018 by Steven Dufresne 61 Comments
When you think about space stations, which ones come to mind first? You might think Skylab, the International Space Station (ISS), or maybe Russia's Mir. But before any of those took to the heavens, there was Salyut.
Russia's Salyut 1 was humankind's first space station. The ensuing Salyut program lasted fifteen years, from 1971 to 1986, and the lessons learned from this remarkable series of experiments are still in use today in the International Space Station (ISS). The program was so successful at a time when the US manned space program was dormant that one could say that the Russians lost the Moon but won the space race.
Continue reading "Salyut: How We Learned To Make Space Stations" →
Posted in Featured, History, Original Art, SliderTagged cold war, international space station, salyut, Soviet Union, space, space station, USSR
Stolen Tech: The Soviet Shuttle
April 8, 2016 by Brian Benchoff 113 Comments
The US Space Shuttle program is dead and buried. The orbiters can now be found in their permanent homes in the Air and Space Museum, Kennedy Space Center, and the California Science Center. The launch pads used by the shuttles over a career of 135 launches are being repurposed for vehicles from SpaceX and the Space Launch System. Yes, some of the hardware and technology will be reused for NASA's next generation of heavy launch vehicles, but the orbiter – a beautiful brick of a space plane – is forever grounded.
The Space Shuttle was a product of the cold war, and although the orbiters themselves were never purely military craft, the choices made during the design of the Space Shuttle were heavily influenced by the US Air Force. The Soviet Union was keenly aware the United States was building a 'space bomber' and quickly began development of their own manned spaceplane.
While this Soviet Shuttle would not be as successful as its American counterpart — the single completed craft would only fly once, unmanned — the story of this spaceplane is one of the greatest tales of espionage ever told. And it ends with a spaceship that was arguably even more capable than its American twin.
Continue reading "Stolen Tech: The Soviet Shuttle" →
Posted in classic hacks, FeaturedTagged Buran, cold war, energia, nasa, shuttle, Soviet Union, space, space flight, USSR


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Scooter Libby
From Wikispooks
(deep state actor, politician)
Irve Lewis Libby
Yale University, Columbia Law School
Criminal penalty
30 months in prison
Harriet Grant
Council on Foreign Relations/Members 2, Project for the New American Century
Chief of Staff to the Vice President of the United States
January 20, 2001 - November 1, 2005
Charles Burson
David Addington
Under Secretary of Defense for Policy
Irving Lewis "Scooter" Libby, Assistant to the President George W. Bush and Chief of Staff to Vice President Dick Cheney since 2001, resigned 28 October 2005, after being indicted on five counts, of which he was later convicted on four.
He was sentenced to thirty months in prison on 5 June 2007.
Scooter Libby is a long-standing member of the group of hardliners and neoconservatives who pushed for the 2003 Iraq War.[1]
2.1 Work Chronology
3 Plame Controversy
3.1 Authorised to leak
3.2 Affiliations
3.3 Indictments
3.4 Websites
3.5 Profiles
3.6 External articles
Scooter Libby was born 22 August 1950 in Connecticut. He attended a private prep school in Massachusetts, Phillips Academy. In 1972, Libby received a BA from Yale University, graduating magna cum laude, and in 1975 received a JD from Columbia University.[2]
Before joining the White House staff, Scooter Libby was managing partner of the Washington office of the international law firm of Dechert, Price & Rhoads. He also served as Legal Advisor to the House of Representatives' Select Committee on U.S. National Security and Military/Commercial Concerns with the People's Republic of China, commonly known as the Cox Committee. [3]
After graduating from law school, Libby "went to work as a lawyer in Philadelphia, then got a job offer from his old Yale political science professor, Paul Wolfowitz, then Deputy Defense Secretary. In 1981, Libby went to work for Wolfowitz at the US State Department, then left in 1985 to go into private practice. Freed from his State Department duties, Libby was able to research 1903 Japan, which was the slice of time between the Sino-Japanese War and the Russo-Japanese War that he had decided should be the backdrop for his novel. By 1989, he was working again for Wolfowitz, this time at the Pentagon, and his novel "The Apprentice" was set aside with few regrets.
"'Shortly after I got there, we had the breakup of the Soviet Union and war with Iraq,' Libby said. 'So it turned out to be the perfect job.'
"Libby left the Pentagon when Bill Clinton became president in 1993...." [4]
Scooter Libby has been identified as a...longtime lawyer for Marc Rich.[5] [6] [7]
Work Chronology
2001-2005 - Assistant to the President, chief of staff to the Vice President and national security affairs adviser to the Vice President
2000 - Adviser to Vice President Dick Cheney in the 2000 presidential campaign
1995-2001 - Dechert, Price & Rhoads, Attorney
1992-1995 - U.S. Department of Defense, deputy under secretary-policy
1989-1992 - U.S. Department of Defense, deputy undersecretary-strategy and resources
1985-1989 - Dickstein, Shapiro & Morin, attorney
1982-1985 - US Department of State, Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, special projects director
1981-1982 - US Department of State, policy planning staff, member
Plame Controversy
The indictments resulted from a grand jury investigation which began on 31 October, 2003, into the leaking of covert CIA agent Valerie Plame's name. Department of Justice Special Counsel Patrick J. Fitzgerald and FBI "investigators have been trying to determine whether Libby or any other administration officials knowingly revealed" Plame's identity or "about their involvement to investigators. Plame's husband, Joseph C. Wilson, is a former diplomat and an opponent of the Iraq war who challenged US President George W. Bush's assertion that Saddam Hussein was in possession of yellowcake nuclear materials."[8][9]
Authorised to leak
Scooter Libby "testified to a federal grand jury that he had been 'authorised' by Cheney and other White House 'superiors' in the summer of 2003 to disclose classified information to journalists to defend the Bush administration's use of pre-war intelligence in making the case to go to war with Iraq, according to attorneys familiar with the matter, and to court records," reported the National Journal. [10]
"Beyond what was stated in the court paper, say people with first-hand knowledge of the matter," Waas wrote, "Libby also indicated what he will offer as a broad defense during his upcoming criminal trial: that Vice President Cheney and other senior Bush administration officials had earlier encouraged and authorised him to share classified information with journalists to build public support for going to war. Later, after the war began in 2003, Cheney authorised Libby to release additional classified information, including details of the National Intelligence Estimate, to defend the administration's use of prewar intelligence in making the case for war." [11]
Council on Foreign Relations - Member
Project for the New American Century - Member, Signatory of Statement of Principles, August 1999 Letter on Taiwan's Defense
Center for Strategic and International Studies - Member
Hudson Institute - Former Senior Adviser
American Bar Association - Former Member, American Bar Association Standing Committee on Law and National Security
Rand Corporation - Former Member, Advisory Board of the Center for Russian and Eurasian Studies
Northrop Grumman - Former Adviser
Indictments
Indictment: I. Lewis Libby, U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, Office of Special Counsel, Patrick J. Fitzgerald, October 28, 2005.
Press Release, Office of Special Counsel, Patrick J. Fitzgerald, October 28, 2005.
"Excerpts From the Libby Indictment. Twenty-two pages boiled down to 1,200 words," Village Voice, October 28, 2005.
President's Remarks on the Resignation of Scooter Libby, The South Lawn, White House, October 28, 2005, 3:51 PM (EDT).
CIA Leak/Valerie Plame Outing Scandal Resource Center on the PERRspectives website.
I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby, RightWeb Profile.
I. Lewis Libby, New Hampshire Gazette "Chickenhawk Headquarters".
"Who's Who in the White House," updated 16 February, 2004.
John Lyman, "Who is Scooter Libby? The Guy Behind the Guy Behind the Guy," Center for American Progress, July 8, 2004.
Database of 21 Bush regime officials who were involved in the leak coverup was posted 12 August, 2005, by think tank Think Progress.
"Profile: Lewis 'Scooter' Libby," BBC, 28 October, 2005.
"Lewis Libby Joins Hudson Institute", Media Release, 6 January, 2006.
Greg Mitchell, "'National Journal': Libby Authorized to Leak by Cheney, Others," Editor & Publisher, 9 February, 2006.
"Libby: 'Superiors' Approved Leak," Associated Press/CBS News, 9 February, 2006.
Toni Locy, "Libby: White House 'Superiors' OK'd Leaks," CommonDreams.org/Associated Press (ABC News), 10 February, 2006.
Neil A. Lewis, "Libby Testifies Leak Was Ordered, Counsel Says," New York Times, February 10, 2006.
Asha Puttaiah, "Libby to grand jury: 'superiors' authorized leaks of classified information," Jurist, 10 February, 2006.
"Leaks," Atrios, 9 February, 2006: Comparison of Bush on leaks "then" and "now".
Justin Raimondo, "Masters of Deception. And now for the real news…," Antiwar.com, 15 February, 2006.
Toni Locy, "Judge Won't Dismiss Case Against Libby," The Washington Post, 27 April, 2006.
James Vinci, "Libby lawyer to argue Bush's role in leak," Reuters, 5 May, 2006.
Walter Pincus, "Libby Prosecutor Focuses on CIA Officer's Status. Filings Say Ex-Cheney Aide Knew That Plame Was Classified, Giving Him Reason to Lie to Grand Jury," Washington Post, 22 May, 2006.
James Gordon Meek, "2 in CIA to testify Libby lied on leak," CommonDreams.org/New York Daily News, 23 May, 2006. re Robert Grenier and Craig Schmall
R. Jeffrey Smith, "Libby Told Grand Jury Cheney Spoke of Plame. Vice President May Be Called as Witness," Washington Post, 25 May, 2006.
Murray Waas, "Bush Directed Cheney To Counter War Critic," National Journal, 3 July, 2006.
Paul Courson, "Libby sentenced to 30 months in prison,", CNN, 5 June, 2007.
"The Architects of War: Where Are They Now?" Think Progress, July 2007.
↑ Profile: I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby, Right Web, accessed 1 April, 2009.
↑ 'Lewis 'Scooter' Libby, a quiet force', "MSNBC website", 28 October 2005.
↑ 'Scooter Libby - The White House', web.archive.org/ "George W. Bush: Resources for the President's Team website", accessed 1 April, 2009.
↑ Elisabeth Bumiller, 'White House Letter; Novelist in Chief of Staff's Clothing', The New York Times, 18 February, 2002.
↑ Justin Raimondo, 'Cheney Chief-of-Staff Named as Spy-gate Leaker', antiwar.com, 2 October, 2003.
↑ 'GOP lawyer: Facts "misconstrued" in Rich case', CNN, 2 March, 2001.
↑ 'Lewis 'Scooter' Libby, a quiet force', MSNBC website, 28 October, 2005.
↑ 'Top Cheney aide Libby indicted, quits post', MSNBC website, 28 October, 2005.
↑ 'United States of America v. I. Lewis Libby', "United States Department of Justice website", 31 October, 2003.
↑ Murray Waas, 'Cheney 'Authorised' Libby to Leak Classified Information ', National Journal, 9 February, 2006.
Retrieved from "https://wikispooks.com/w/index.php?title=Scooter_Libby&oldid=174351"


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text:
South Central Minnesota
116 West Clark Street
Albert Lea, MN 56007
© 2019 South Central Minnesota Youth For Christ
About Youth for Christ
The Story of YFC
Our Local Story
The Story of
Youth For Christ (YFC) is an international, Christian non-profit organization that sees the hope and potential in every young person.
Since 1944, Youth For Christ has played a pivotal, catalytic role in youth evangelism. Youth For Christ's rich history includes forward thinking employees, the first of whom was Billy Graham. "It seems like just yesterday that, in fear and
trembling, I spoke at my first Youth For Christ rally in 1944," said Graham. "I am praying that YFC will continue to share the transformational message of Christ and His Kingdom, with renewed vision, boldness, and courage to a generation of young people who are desperate to hear the words of life and truth."
Youth For Christ staff have gone on to launch over 100 Christian organizations, including World Vision, Samaritan's Purse, Compassion International, Youth Specialties, Youth Front, Ravi Zacharias Ministries and many others.
Youth For Christ is now in over 100 nations. We're an organization on a mission to bring the message of Jesus to young people around the world.
Youth For Christ in the south central Minnesota area began to take shape in 1960, after Dick Thunstedt brought the idea of Youth For Christ to this area. He and his wife, Pearl, attended YFC rallies in Los Angeles where Billy Graham shared a life-changing message. Mr. Thunstedt became the catalyst, with the help of a number of other dedicated people, birthing South Central Minnesota Youth For Christ. Fast forward to today and every year thousands of youth are engaged by dedicated staff and volunteers across 7 ministry sites, a regional prayer center and a campground, all centered around one common mission:
Youth For Christ reaches young people everywhere, working together with the local church and other likeminded partners to raise up life-long followers of Jesus who lead by their godliness in lifestyle, devotion to the Word of God and prayer, passion for sharing the love of Christ and commitment to social involvement.
"...More than ever before, we need to continue our quest to reach lost youth."
Greg Gudal
Rachel Winnes
Robert Modderman
Angela Dobberstein
Bookkeeping and Graphic Design
Albert Lea Staff
Rodney Yates
Campus Life High School Director
Bob Scrabeck
Michelle Lestrud
Campus Life Center Director
Macey Stephoni
Nick Wolleat
Campus Life Middle School Director
Ministry Sites
Jumpy Rentals


text:
Singer gets $951,000 in hacking settlement
Feb 27, 2012 at 12:01 AM Feb 27, 2012 at 12:25 PM
LONDON (AP) � Charlotte Church, who testified about being hounded by Rupert Murdoch's journalists when she was a teen singing sensation, received $951,000 today in a settlement from News International.
Church was present at London's High Court for the reading of a statement resolving her claim that 33 articles in the now-defunct News of the World tabloid were the product of journalists illegally hacking into her family's voice mails.
The settlement to Church includes $476,000 in legal costs and a public apology, but Church, 26, said she did not believe News International's apology was sincere.


text:
Review | UMake "Merry."
"Merry." includes a bundle of sweet holiday themed songs meant to put a smile on your face.
Title: Merry.
Label: Art Sonic
Genre: Pop-Rock / Ballad
1 - Merry.
2 - 六畳一間のエンターテイナー
3 - sweet sweet sweets
4 - Gift
5 - Merry. (Instrumental)
6 - 六畳一間のエンターテイナー(Instrumental)
7 - sweet sweet sweets (Instrumental)
8 - Gift Instrumental)
Track by track analysis:
1 – Merry.
Festive bells make a big entrance to "Merry.", giving way to the fun, fast paced pop-rock sound in the verses.
Fast-paced guitar riffs, delicate strings, an upbeat piano melody, and a punchy bass line are joined by melodic guitar riffs and simple, snare-driven drums in the verses, creating a carefree and sweet soundscape for you to enjoy.
The energy and pacing keep up into the chorus, flourishing into a catchy tune that you won't get tired of.
On the vocal end, Ito and Nakajima deliver an entertaining performance with a lot of power on top. Their harmonies stand out in this song and, in their individual parts, each member delivers his lines with their unique flair.
The highlight medley is out.
2 – 六畳一間のエンターテイナー
A sweet acoustic guitar lullabies the listener through the verses. The verses slowly get new elements into the mix despite starting off in a stripped-down fashion.
Simple, hi-hat-driven drums, acoustic guitars, minimalistic synths and a memorable bass line create a gentle soundscape to enjoy. The 2nd verse introduces pizzicato strings hits, something that further enriches the quality of the instrumental.
The guitar work on this song reminds me a little of 00s indie rock bands, something very reminiscing of Interpol, band that I love to bits. Of course, the rest of the song in nothing is similar to what the band in question is known for, this is UMake's gentle brand of pop-rock in effect.
Ito and Nakajima went for a sweet performance for this song, taking the listener by hand to explore the beauty in the simplest details in it.
3 – sweet sweet sweets (Re Arrange)
UMake go the jazz route for the re-arrangement of "sweet sweet sweets".
The revamped instrumental is quieter and more emotional than the original track, taking the listener into a dimly lit jazz bar where irregular drums patterns and deep bass lines are king while piano melodies are the spice that keeps the listener on the edge.
Bluesy guitars give another coating of elegance to this song, being on the spotlight from start to finish. The verses are stripped down and the chorus is pure refinement in display.
When it comes to the vocals, Ito and Nakajima made sure to deliver a performance you won't forget any soon.
4 – Gift (Re Arrange)
Wrapping up this release is "Gift", yet another re-arrangement of a 2018 song.
60s surfer rock takes the spotlight for this track, with playful drums, brass, laidback guitar riffs and a deep bass line creating a danceable and incredibly addictive sound that you won't get enough of.
What stands out the most for me in this re-arrangement is the way Kento Ito and Yoshiki Nakajima are performing. You can tell from their performance, with all those flourishes, some of those in falsetto, that they were enjoy themselves while performing this song.
It then translates into a performance that will instantly put a smile on your face, it rubs off on the listener in a positive way.
Top marks.
UMake's festive-themed single "Merry." brings good vibes and a whole lot of fun to the spotlight.
It is rare for a single or an album to carry a theme/vibe as well as this one does. The songs flow into each other, as if they were all linked, creating a seamless experience for the listener.
Out of the new songs, I am particularly fond of the title track, "Merry.".
This isn't your typical Christmas or Holiday themed song. Yes, it is sweet. Yes, it alludes to the season. But there's something completely different underneath it that makes the song all the more enjoyable to me.
Its fast pace is infectious, its carefree vibe stands out and those vocals… Yeah, that's exactly what I enjoy finding in a holiday themed song.
六畳一間のエンターテイナー (Rokujo hitoma no Entertainer) brought the lullaby vibes into the mix yet with some guitar work that is far more complex than what you'd expect of one. Fans of gentle, slow paced songs will love this one.
UMake continue to re-arrange their debut songs. This time around, fans get to listen to reworked versions of "sweet sweet sweets" and "Gift", songs featured on the duo's first full-length album "Make up a Dream".
The two re-arrangements brought new things to the table. "sweet sweet sweets" embraced the elegance of jazz music and ended up taking the spot as the best song in this single.
"Gift" got a surfer rock style revamp and it works pretty well with it, ditching the whole traditional Christmas song sound it had going on in the original.
Those improvements were also noticeable on the vocal end, with Kento Ito and Yoshiki Nakajima delivering a completely different set of performances for both. Clarity and confidence were noticeable on these new takes as well as some charisma, particularly noticeable in their fun take on "Gift".
In the end, "Merry." includes a bundle of holiday themed songs meant to warm you up and put a smile on your face. Sweet vocals and a lot of quality in the instrumentals make this their best single released to date.
Merry. is available for purchased at CDJAPAN.
Merry. [Regular Edition]
UMake (Kento Ito, Yoshiki Nakajima)
Merry. [w/ DVD, Limited Edition]
Merry. is available for streaming on Spotify.
Do not support piracy. Remember to support UMake by streaming via official outlets.
"Merry." includes a bundle of holiday themed songs meant to warm you up and put a smile on your face. Sweet vocals and a lot of quality in the instrumentals - including beautiful re-arrangements of previously released songs - make this their best single released to date.
Merry.
六畳一間のエンターテイナー
sweet sweet sweets (Re Arrange)
Gift (Re Arrange)
Hana-Doll* franchise to hold fan meeting in May
UMake 4th Live Love -Tokyo- to be released on BD/DVD


text:
San Antonio to study property appraisal process. Will it ease your tax burden?
Posted By Ben Olivo San Antonio Heron on Fri, Apr 5, 2019 at 12:07 PM
V. Finster / San Antonio Heron
Property values in the near East Side neighborhood of Government Hill have climbed in recent years.
Editor's note: In a unanimous vote Thursday morning, the city council approved the study. District 1 Councilman Roberto Treviño abstained from the vote, as chairman of the Bexar County Appraisal District board of directors. District 4 Councilman Rey Saldaña was absent.
This week, as 2019 appraisal notices are sent out to property owners across the county, the city council will likely hire a company to study the practices of the Bexar County Appraisal District (BCAD).
The move, which has the backing of all council members, would be unprecedented in that a taxing entity—in this case, the City of San Antonio, as one of more than 60 within BCAD—would analyze the appraisal and protest data of its appraisal district.
The city council is expected to approve the $79,780 study, which will be conducted by Oakland, Calif.-based Economic & Planning Systems, Inc., on Thursday.
District 8 Councilman Manny Pelaez, who spearheaded the study, characterized it as a quality control check from "BCAD's biggest customer." He said he's fielded complaints from property owners, both residential and commercial, about their valuations. He wants to compare BCAD with other appraisal districts in counties of similar size across Texas to see if there are any irregularities.
One of Pelaez's objectives: to see if BCAD's practices are driving away business from San Antonio, and therefore might have a negative impact on this city's economy.
"There is no data anywhere that has ever been compiled that shows the impact that our valuations have on our economic development and the profitability of businesses and the cost of homeownership," Pelaez said.
For its part, BCAD says it simply follows the Texas tax code, which requires properties to be appraised at market value from Jan. 1.
"There's very little discretion in what I get to do," Bexar County chief appraiser Michael Amezquita said. He added his decisions at BCAD extend to matters of personnel and budget.
"That's the argument I've heard as well," Pelaez said. "The answer to that: Then you have nothing to worry about. The study is going to prove that out … Yet, I suspect that's not going to be the case. It's a quality control study for us."
Amezquita said he doesn't instruct his staff on how to value properties.
"They are certified licensed professional appraisers and they have a code of conduct and code of ethics that we all have to subscribe to," he said. "And they know the charge, and the charge is 100 percent of market value. We also know what the reality is."
Amezquita said many owners of high-valued commercial properties use what's called an equity appeal, one of two options all property owners in Texas have in which to challenge their valuations, to significantly lower their tax burden.
"It literally has turned into a cottage industry for tax agents and [for] commercial property [owners] to avoid paying their fair share," he said of the tax code amendment, in which a property owner can protest their valuation by claiming their property was treated differently than similar properties, approved by the Texas Legislature in 1997.
Supporters of the equity appeal say the amendment adds fairness to the tax system, a rebuttal made in this recent Texas Tribune article.
As for the City of San Antonio's review, Amezquita said he follows the direction of the appraisal district's board of directors, which happens to be chaired by District 1 Councilman Roberto Treviño. In February, when the City Council was scheduled to approve the one-year contract, Pelaez told his colleagues he wanted to wait until the BCAD board met, to allow the agency time to join in funding the study.
The agenda for Thursday's council meeting shows the city proceeding with the study independently, but mentions the appraisal district is willing to cooperate.
"None of us are necessarily sure what more information (the study) may bring," said Treviño, who was appointed to the BCAD board before he became a council member in December 2014. "The appraisal district is held to state law and run by the state comptroller's office and has to be measured against certain laws and rules, and that's what it's doing."
"I think hopefully, in the end … out of this we can plan a creative way forward to help provide some property tax relief," Treviño added. "If not, at least some property tax education that can help shape policy."
Amezquita said the Texas Comptroller's office reviews all appraisal districts using what's called a property value study (PVS), used to determine the wealth of each school district in Texas, and the methods and assistance program (MAP), which reviews a district's administration, mapping, procedures and governance. He said BCAD has ended up passing every year.
If the study does show what the city considers irregularities, it's unclear what power San Antonio has in changing the way BCAD values properties.
If nothing can be done at the BCAD level, Pelaez said options available to the city include lowering the tax rate, increasing the number of homestead exemptions, and "whether or not we advocate at the state level and change the structure of appraisal districts."
When asked whether this study was being done more for the benefit of commercial property owners rather than residential owners, Pelaez said, "It's for anybody who pays taxes." He added, "If we're going to be closing this housing gap, and if we're going to be building up the housing stock … how we burden them is relevant topic to discuss."
Pelaez said the timing of the vote was not politically motivated, considering the municipal election is May 4. The vote was originally scheduled for Feb. 21, but was postponed to allow more time to bring BCAD on board.
"I've heard … "Ah, you've timed this four days after the valuations," Pelaez said. "Remember, we filed this a year ago. To me, the study needs to be done right."
Tags: Taxes, property taxes, tax appraisals, Roberto Trevino, Bexar County Appraisal District, Economic & Planning Systems, Manny Pelaez, Michael Amezquita, Image
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Reserve Officer Roger M. Sands carrying the torch during the Special Olympics Relay Across America, on the way to Los Angeles for the 2015 Special Olympics World Summer Games held July 25 through August 2. Welcoming 7,000 athletes and 3,000 coaches representing 177 countries, this was the largest event hosted by the city since the 1984 Olympic Games.
When I first read the article about needing reserves for the Unified Relay Across America, I thought that it might be interesting to find out more about it. I learned that it was actually three relays across America, with northern, central and southern routes.
I contacted another reserve officer, Bob Aguirre, whom I have known for many years. I knew that he, like me, had the time to take part in this adventure. We both went to the orientation but were a little apprehensive, as there were still many unanswered questions.
In any event, after much speculation, Bob and I took on the challenge to see what it was all about. I have to be honest: I started out wanting to do this for selfish reasons — that I would get a free trip across the country, seeing cities I have never seen before. Our southern route was from Austin, Texas, through many towns, ending after three weeks in downtown Los Angeles. Little did I know that it would positively change my life forever!
It was a hardship being away from home, family and friends for so long — 18 cities and 15 hotels in 18 days. We visited Austin, Waco, Dallas, Fort Worth, Abilene, Lubbock, Amarillo, Santa Fe, Albuquerque, Gallup, Glendale (Arizona), Phoenix and Riverside, as well as many very small towns in between. Along the way I met wonderful people: law enforcement personnel, volunteers, supporters and many forever acquaintances. At the end of the day, I have to tell you that this was one of the best experiences I've ever had!
The most rewarding and satisfying experience was getting to know the Special Olympics participants and their families — families of all sizes, shapes, creeds and colors running along many miles from city to city and celebrating for the cause, the 2015 Special Olympics. Each family had a different, very poignant story to tell about why they were involved and how important this cause was to them.
I remember going through small towns before hitting the big cities, where families came out to thank us for coming to their little town and making the Special Olympics very special for the kids. In Happy, Texas, the entire town came out to show hospitality and support for the Special Olympics and us. In reality, we were showing our support for them.
Some of our days were very long! Sometimes we had 14- and 15-hour days; at times we were up before the sun came up and finished after the sun had gone down. However, as we reached our destinations, just to see the smiles on the participants' faces, and how proud they were that they had made it to the next post, was very rewarding and felt very worthwhile!
We were donating our time while representing the Los Angeles Police Department and the Reserve Corps, with brand-new LAPD SUVs with flashing lights and sirens, driving alongside and supporting these wonderful people and taking an active part in this wonderful event. Personally, it has forever changed and humbled me in a way I didn't know was possible. I was honored to have been selected to be a part of this event; it was one of the most rewarding experiences I have ever had in my 25 years as a Los Angeles reserve police officer.


Driving directions to the put in: From Damascus VA, take Rt. 58 to the intersection with TN 91. Turn right and continue on this road until you reach Backbone Rock. This road is well marked in town with a sign pointing you in the right direction. (To Backbone Rock/Shady Valley)From Backbone Rock you have two options for paddling this creek, 1.) is to drive past Backbone Rock access and decide where you want to put in along the creek. Or 2.) just put in upstream of the parking area and paddle down into the campground and run "laps" on this short section. This creek is a good run for those just getting into creek boating with the difficulty level being predominantly cl. II-III.
The take out is located in the town of Damascus VA jsut before you reach the turn for TN 91. Park near the red caboose "info" center and set shuttle here. Another option for running this creek is to take out at Backbone Rock. This gives the paddler the upper section of the "steepest" gradient and allows for some laps on the last couple of good drops.
When taking out at Backbone Rock, look for the last ledge drop just as you enter the campground and takeout just downstream of this. There is a trail that runs along the creek back to the vehicles at the Backbone Rock parking area.
If you follow the run all the way into town, there is a surprise class III near the end of the run. You'll see a horizon line and the right bank is a concrete wall. Scout left.
Because of its smaller watershed, the Beaverdam levels fall fast and don't correlate exactly with the levels at Whitetop. Ran it the other day at 2000cfs Whitetop, but that correlated more like 1300cfs for Beaverdam, a bony run. The Tennessee Laurel correlates much better with Whitetop, but still runs off quicker than Whitetop.


ABSTRACT. The article deals with the emigration trends in Lithuania, compares these trends with the other new EU member states and defines the main reasons of high emigration rates in Lithuania based on the survey conducted in Lithuania. The paper presents an overview of the main migration theories, analyses and compares migration trends and people considerations to seek jobs in other EU member states in Lithuania and new EU member states. Referring to the survey conducted in Lithuanian in 2013, the article presents the demographic profile of persons considering emigration, the main reasons of emigration and the most important measures to prevent emigration from Lithuania identified by the respondents of survey.
KEYWORDS: migration trends, reasons of migration, measures to prevent migration, Europe Union.
JEL classification: F6, J0, J10, I31.


Well Within|Planted in Beauty is a beauty and wellness brand that offers natural and organic beauty. The products are high quality, clean, and organic. In addition, the packaging is absolutely gorgeous. Products include makeup remover, cleansing emulsion, toning lotion, reparative complex, eye firming complex, and antioxidant moisturizer.
The Detox Exfoliant is a gentle exfoliator that has a light citrus scent. It removes tired, dead skin cells and helps to speed up the skin's renewal process. After use, skin looks bright, clean, and fresh. You can also use this product on your hands and chest. The formulation itself is similar to a gel with exfoliating properties. Ingredients include aloe vera juice, pineapple and raspberry fruit extract, moringa seed extract, and organic plant sugar. Although the ingredient list is fairly long, it is filled to the brim with organic plant-based components. Additionally, this product is free of parabens, petroleum, GMOs, Butylene Glycol, Phthalates, Sulfates, DEA, TEA, MEA, Silicones, formaldehyde, pesticides, alcohol, PEGs, artificial dyes, synthetic fragrances, and preservatives.
Shop the Detox Exfoliant here.