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December 15, 2021 | Impact Investing
Food-waste solutions for climate change are ripe for catalytic capital
Jesse Fink
It is by now abundantly clear that the climate crisis is no longer a future concern. It's happening now, and we must act boldly and immediately.
This year, we witnessed triple-digit temperatures in the Pacific Northwest. Western wildfires filled the sky with smoke all the way to Cape Cod. The Category 4 Hurricane Ida wiped out electrical grids in Louisiana, spawned deadly tornadoes in New Jersey, and brought New York City's subway system to a halt with massive flooding. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change issued a report the U.N. Secretary-General called a "code red for humanity."
What does that mean for funders who want to help protect our futures? We must act now by investing in for-profit and nonprofit enterprises that offer immediate, rapid, and large-scale solutions to climate change. Food waste reduction is one of those solutions – offering the potential for environmental, social, and economic returns.
In the U.S. alone, an estimated 35% of all food ends up unsold or uneaten. From surplus vegetables left to rot in the fields to perfectly drinkable milk that is past its "sell-by" date, food loss and waste annually produces more greenhouse gas emissions than 42 coal-fired power plants. Wasted food uses enough water and energy to supply more than 50 million homes and requires an area of agricultural land equal to California and New York combined.
Importantly, uneaten food is the number one product entering landfills, where it has the highest generation potential for methane, an anthropogenic greenhouse gas that's 80 times more potent than carbon dioxide.
Low-hanging fruit
The good news is that the problem of food waste is eminently solvable – it's literally low-hanging fruit. Food waste reduction solutions already exist, and many of them are "shovel-ready," just needing implementation rather than invention to reap big benefits.
Advanced technologies like hyperspectral imaging and remote temperature monitoring are changing the game for food businesses trying to manage production and distribution to reduce waste and opening the doors to many new investment opportunities. Basic, low-tech solutions, like buying a giant freezer or new delivery truck for a local food bank, can spur immediate results in food waste reduction.
According to the national food waste nonprofit ReFED, a total investment of $14 billion a year over the next decade could achieve a 50% reduction in U.S. food waste, a national target that is in line with international goals, including Sustainable Development Goal No. 12.3.
Effective action against food waste requires a smart matching of capital type with the appropriate opportunity. Multiple types of capital are required to fund food waste reduction solutions from conception to adoption. Capital providers across the funding spectrum are critical to catalyzing innovation and driving adoption of food waste reduction solutions.
The majority of the financing required to scale food waste reduction solutions is expected to come from traditional market sources. There is an equally important and crucial role for catalytic capital to de-risk solutions, accelerate innovation, and unlock traditional forms of capital needed for widespread solution adoption. Of that $14 billion, ReFED estimates that $3 billion of catalytic capital is needed to help overcome system-level barriers and unlock the additional $11 billion of necessary financing. That means government grants, non-government grants, and impact-first investments such as foundation program-related investments and low- to no-interest rate loans.
Halving U.S. food waste is a $14 billion annual investment opportunity
The burgeoning shelf-life extension sector, which helps products last longer at retail sites, provides an excellent case study on the impact of catalytic capital comes from. Philanthropic funders, including the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the Grantham Environmental Trust, Closed Loop Partners and the Betsy and Jesse Fink Family Foundation (which I run with my wife), provided grants or seed investments to nascent companies like Apeel Sciences, Hazel Technologies, and Mori. These companies went on to raise hundreds of millions of dollars from traditional venture capital firms, sovereign wealth funds, strategic partners, and high-profile individuals such as Oprah Winfrey, singer Katy Perry, Anne Wojcicki and Michael Ovitz.
Philanthropic funding at the start-up phase led to capital investment and a significant increase in the adoption of shelf-life extension products now underway at major food businesses, including suppliers like Del Monte and retailers like Kroger.
Co-benefits
Private food-waste investment in 2021 is on track to be bigger than last year. At least $4.7 billion has come into the food waste space so far this year, compared to $3.7 billion for all of last year. The average deal size in 2021 is around $60 million, up from approximately $30 million in 2020. Hot areas of investment: cold chains, imperfect and surplus produce channels, edible coatings, enhanced demand planning, markdown and sharing apps, upcycling, and anaerobic digestion.
Cutting food waste by half in the U.S. would reduce annual greenhouse gas emissions by 75 million metric tons and save four trillion gallons of water each year. The co-benefits of addressing food waste go far beyond climate. The 50% reduction in food waste would recover the equivalent of four billion meals for those in need each year and create more than 51,000 jobs over 10 years. Food touches all of us, and solving for food waste can help drive impact in other funding areas, like hunger relief and social justice.
That's why more and more funders have been including food waste as an area of focus or as a sub-area of their other funding programs. Major food businesses or their foundations, such as DoorDash, General Mills, Unilever, Kroger and Walmart, support a range of organizations and initiatives focused on food waste solutions. A food waste ad from Hellmann's, featuring the entertainer Amy Schumer during the 2021 Super Bowl, was seen by millions tuning in for the big game.
We need a major acceleration of these efforts if we are to mitigate the effects of climate change. Solution providers of all types are primed to take action, but they can only drive scalable impact if the necessary funding is available. I like to tell people that food waste is the ultimate "big tent," and there's something for everyone interested in doing their part.
While more and more funders have increased their climate change funding, small and powerful investors must seek out climate investments with immediate, rapid and large-scale impact. Nowhere are those opportunities as ripe as in food waste.
Now more than ever, we need funders to find their place at the table.
Jesse Fink is trustee of the Betsy and Jesse Fink Family Foundation, and was founder and board chair of ReFED and a co-founder of Priceline and MissionPoint Partners.


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Growth Hormone Deficiency
What Are The Causes Of Growth Hormone Deficiency In Adults?
What Are The Signs and Symptoms Of Growth Hormone Deficiency?
What is the Function of the Growth Hormone in the Human Body
Growth Hormone Deficiency Treatment
Is There a Blood Test for Growth Hormone Deficiency?
What are the Medical Guidelines for Growth Hormone Deficiency in Adults
What is the Life Expectancy for Adults With Growth Hormone Deficiency?
How Do I know If I Have a Growth Hormone Deficiency?
How To Diagnose and Test For Growth Hormone Deficiency In Adults
Can growth hormone deficiency be cured?
What Is the Normal Growth Hormone Level for Adults
Growth Hormone Therapy
Growth Hormone Therapy Results
How To Get a Prescription For Human Growth Hormone
How Much Does Human Growth Hormone (HGH) Therapy Cost?
The Benefits Of Growth Hormone Therapy In Adults
Side Effects of Human Growth Hormone (HGH) Treatment
How To Get Growth Hormone Treatment
How Does Growth Hormone Therapy Work?
What is the Best Age To Start Growth Hormone Therapy?
What Kind of Doctors Specialize In Growth Hormone Therapy?
What To Expect From Growth Hormone Therapy
What Tests are needed before Growth Hormone Treatment?
How is Growth Hormone Therapy Administered?
How To Increase Growth Hormone And Testosterone
Does Insurance Cover Growth Hormone Therapy
Pros and Cons Of Human Growth Hormone Therapy
Growth Hormone Injections
Where To Get Human Growth Hormone (HGH) Injections
Genotropin HGH
Saizen HGH
Norditropin HGH
Omnitrope HGH
Zomacton HGH
Humatrope HGH
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What are the Signs and Symptoms of Low Testosterone?
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Where Can I get Testosterone injections?
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What Every Man and Woman Needs to Know About Vitamin D
If you are a man or woman over 40 and want to live life to its fullest, you should consider adding a daily dose of vitamin D to your fitness regimen.
It is almost impossible to have any discussion about the value of supplementation and living an anti-aging lifestyle, and not include vitamin D. In fact, if you take no other supplement at all, you can probably add years to your life, and improve your health overall, simply with a daily dose of Vitamin D.
What Is Vitamin D?
Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin, which means it is absorbed through the small intestine with dietary fat and is stored in body tissues. Vitamin D is largely responsible for maintaining a healthy level of calcium in the blood, and it also enhances the absorption of calcium. This is why most people associate vitamin D with its ability to improve and maintain strong teeth and bones. But the many health benefits of vitamin D go well beyond bone health, particularly for men and women. Vitamin D also plays a vital role in the development of skeletal muscle, which means that adequate amounts of vitamin D are essential for maintaining mobility, and optimizing muscle strength and performance as you age.
In addition, Vitamin D is a powerful anti-oxidant that has been linked to the prevention of many auto-immune and other degenerative diseases, even cancer. But perhaps the most significant attribute about vitamin D for men is its now known role in testosterone production.
Vitamin D production is stimulated by sunlight, yet, few of us spend enough time out of doors to get the optimal levels of vitamin D your body requires. In fact, recent research indicates that nearly 60% of Americans may have a vitamin D deficiency. This is why it is essential, especially during the winter months, that you consider eating more vitamin D rich food, or supplementing with vitamin D.
Vitamin D, Immunity and Longevity
Researchers in Germany found that vitamin D can improve your immune function by as much as 5 times. A US study, published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism found that over 50% of the American population is vitamin D deficient. That study concluded, "Abnormal levels of vitamin D are associated with a whole spectrum of diseases, including cancer, osteoporosis, and diabetes, as well as cardiovascular and autoimmune disorders."
Have you heard of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)? This is a legitimate medical condition where people fall into a deep depression in the winter months. Many medical professionals believe the lack of exposure to sunlight during the winter, and subsequent decreased levels of Vitamin D, are at the root of SAD.
Because of its ability to kick-start your immune system, many believe that Vitamin D is more effective at preventing seasonal flu, than any vaccine. But vitamin D isn't only something to be concerned about in the winter months.
Vitamin D, Testosterone and Sexual Health
Vitamin D also plays a key role in sexual wellness, particularly as you get older. Most people are under the mistaken belief that like other vitamins, vitamin D is a nutrient. Technically, it is not, it is a hormone – actually a "pre-hormone," and as such it is responsible for stimulating the production of other hormones, not the least of which are the sex hormones testosterone and estrogen. Both men and women with vitamin D deficiencies have reported sexual wellness issues including low libido and sex drive.
There have been several studies that indicate a link between low levels of vitamin D and low testosterone in men. However, how vitamin D increases testosterone levels or why a vitamin D deficiency is associated with an increased risk of Low-T, remains somewhat of a mystery. All the current research seems to suggest that there is something about testosterone production that requires the presence of vitamin D, but the actual mechanism of action remains elusive. We do know that there is a directly proportional relationship between levels of vitamin D and levels of both total and free testosterone in the blood.
Recognizing this link between vitamin D and testosterone is important, because we know that it is normal for both men and women to experience a decline in testosterone as they age. It is possible that vitamin D supplementation can help make up for this loss.
Both testosterone in men, and estrogen in women, also effects the production of serotonin, and other "feel good" chemicals in the brain. This can also explain why decreased levels of vitamin D can effect mood and lead to depression. Obviously, depression can also impact your sex life.
Am I At Risk for Vitamin D Deficiency?
Certain groups of people are at higher risk than others for vitamin D deficiency.
Vegans, because they tend to avoid vitamin D rich foods, such as meat, eggs and dairy products.
People who are obese
People with type 2 diabetes
Older people, and others who tend to spend more time indoors
People with darker skin, because darker skin tends to produce less vitamin D, even when exposed to the sun
Persons with any disease or condition that interferes with fat absorption
Because the symptoms of vitamin D deficiency mimic or overlap with many other conditions of "growing older," it can be difficult to tell if a lack of vitamin D alone could be the source of your difficulties, however, generally speaking, the symptoms of vitamin D deficiency include:
Sexual health issues
The only way to know for sure is to see your doctor, and have your blood tested for your level of vitamin D.
Can I Get Enough Vitamin D from Food?
The main source of vitamin D remains sunlight. There are some foods that contain vitamin D, such as oily fish like salmon and mackerel, and Vitamin D enriched dairy products, juices and cereals. However, if you are not getting enough vitamin D from sun exposure as is the case with many of us, most doctors agree that because it is in so few foods, you really cannot get your daily requirement of vitamin D from diet alone.
An effective way to boost your vitamin D levels is to take a daily supplement. We recommend taking at least 800 IU of vitamin D3 per day. D3 is the form that is stored by your body, so vitamin D3 supplements tend to be the most effective.
Some men and women suffering from vitamin D deficiency could benefit from much higher doses, upwards of 5000 IUs or more per day.
But, if you suspect you may be vitamin D deficient the only way to know is to have your blood tested. And, while you are at it, we can also test your testosterone levels, and see if you may be a candidate for the many life changing benefits of testosterone therapy.
You can also download presentation about Vitamin D.
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Testosterone and Human Growth Hormone (HGH) are two hormones critical to maintaining strength, vitality and over all health. What do you think of when…
If you are suffering from growth hormone deficiency, or GHD, the safest and most effective treatment is a prescription for daily growth hormone injections.…
We all know that testosterone is a very critical hormone for men, but did you know that women also need testosterone, and women, like…
Growth hormone therapy has many positive benefits for adults exhibiting signs of growth hormone deficiency, also known as, GHD. The known benefits of growth…
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"I totally recommend the Skin, it's crunchy and delicious!"
"Yakitori" in Japanese means "Grilled Chicken".
This is a unique dish served in many Japanese "Izakaya" due to its ease of preparation. This involves grilling small pieces of meat and skewering them with "Kushi", a type of skewer while seasoning with "Tare" sauce.
Yakitori Totto has proudly been open since 2003.
Our Chickens are from local upstate New York, and our special Yakitori sauce – "TARE", which includes 5 selected ingredients from Japan are carefully simmered down with vegetables to present a fascinating amount of sweetness.
exception. If you've got one, like we say "you've got a luck".
Prepared from three chickens to correct one skewers.
"Muscle Underneath the Heart" – Prepared from four chickens to correct one skewers.
Our Chefs that put they're heart on one and each of skewers are spectacular from cutting to seasoning. "YAKIKAGEN" by meaning of professional eyes and artistic handling. Thanks for our chefs that present you perfect and irresistible Yakitori piece.


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RedSeal Honored with Eight Awards Across Financial, Government and Cyber Sectors
Accolades include five consecutive years as one of JMP Securities' "hottest privately-held cybersecurity companies"
SAN JOSE, Calif., April 24, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- RedSeal (www.redseal.net) today announced that it has won eight awards over the past six months. Its cyber risk modeling and scoring platform is trusted by more than 220 Global 2000 corporations and mission-critical government agencies, including all branches of the U.S. military, as well as power grid companies and the world's leading financial institutions.
The RedSeal platform provides users with a deep understanding of their complete enterprise data centers, including public cloud, private cloud and physical network environments. This in turn improves an enterprise's resilience to cyber events.
The following organizations honored RedSeal's business strategy and the technical excellence of its platform – across the government, cybersecurity and financial sectors.
The "2019 Elite 80," marks RedSeal's fifth consecutive year on JMP Securities' "hottest companies" list, which recognizes the most interesting and strategically positioned private companies that have the capability to dominate their respective markets within the cybersecurity, data management and IT infrastructure industries.
The Govies: 2019 Government Security Awards honored RedSeal with the gold designation in Network Security, for its excellence in features, innovation, market opportunity, and impact in the security industry.
For the third consecutive year, Government Security News' Homeland Security Awards honored RedSeal's platform.
Platinum for "Best Cyber Operational Risk Intelligence"
Platinum for "Best Compliance/Vulnerability Assessment"
2019 InfoSec Awards , hosted by Cyber Defense Magazine, selected RedSeal as the one of the best Infosec solutions in two separate categories:
Network Security and Management, for the second year in a row
Compliance, a new category in 2019
For the second year in a row, RedSeal received TMC's 2018 Cloud Computing Security Excellence Award for providing exceptional security for cloud applications.
American Security Today's 2018 ASTORS Award, which is considered one of the preeminent U.S. homeland security awards programs, recognized RedSeal as the "Best Network Security Solution," for its cutting-edge and forward-thinking approach. This builds on the company's two ASTOR wins in 2017.
"Our cyber risk modeling platform plays a critical role in helping organizations validate their security posture and accelerate investigation, as well as improve the productivity of their network and security teams," said Ray Rothrock, chairman and CEO at RedSeal. "Maintaining digital resilience is critical for every organization, regardless of its size. These awards are a direct reflection of our team's dedication and ingenuity."
About RedSeal
RedSeal's cyber risk modeling platform is the foundation for enabling enterprises to be resilient to cyber events across public cloud, private cloud and physical network environments. RedSeal helps customers understand their network from the inside out – providing actionable intelligence, situational awareness and a Digital Resilience Score to help enterprises measure and improve their resilience. Government agencies and Global 2000 companies around the world rely on RedSeal to help them validate their overall security posture, accelerate investigation and improve the productivity of their security and network teams. RedSeal is headquartered in San Jose, California. Follow RedSeal on Twitter and LinkedIn.
Dean Fisk, Finn Partners
dean.fisk@finnpartners.com
RedSeal and the RedSeal logo are trademarks of RedSeal, Inc. All other names and trademarks are the property of their respective owners.


We are looking for experienced instructional designers with a proven background working across organizational, process or technology projects for commercial and government clients.
You will be responsible for conducting the assessment, analysis, design, development, implementation, and evaluation for the effective development, coordination, and presentation of classroom and/or virtual training for clients.
Responsible for training and onboarding multiple teams onto new processes or technology platforms. This will include the ability to facilitate discussion on how the responsibilities and touchpoints between groups will be affected by the rollout of the new enterprise processes. Ability to document in process maps and flow diagrams.
You will develop training content for technology deployment, conduct alpha and beta testing, and develop CBT and online training, videos, etc., for virtual learning.
You will deliver classroom training for technology.
Conduct all tasks of the ADDIE model (Assessment, Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, and Evaluation) of training development.
You are an independent consultant with a minimum of 10 years of experience in delivering training, preferably across a wide range of commercial clients and users.
You are comfortable with stand-up classroom training for technical and non-technical audiences and are also proficient in developing web-based learning.
You are comfortable with leading projects on your own with minimal or no guidance. We look for contractors that can round out project needs as they arise on short-term basis.
Identify, design, and deliver company training solutions to meet business needs for a variety of internal and external customers.
Experience developing a portfolio of deliverables (learning objectives, training plan, training manual (for instructors and participants), job aids, online tools, FAQs, surveys, etc.).
Web-based content management and authoring tools such as Camtasia, Storyline, Captivate or other software.
Recent experience developing role-based training.
Document user workflows as they relate to the training you are developing to best tailor the training for various audiences.
Recent experience delivering technical training such as webinars that were either led or hosted by the instructor.
Demonstrated experience delivering on virtual learning methods: mobile app training, eLearning, live webinars, and videos on how to learn new technologies or processes.
Demonstrated experience delivering technical content in an intuitive learning format for a variety of delivery channels beyond the traditional classroom experience.
Excellent writing skills with demonstrated ability to research content, work with Subject Matter Experts, and present complex information clearly.
Technically adept with Word, PowerPoint, Excel, screen capture, recording, and web-based content management and authoring tools.
Ability to explain training frameworks and how they have been applied in your work: ADDIE, Instructional Systems Design (ISD), etc.
Experience with Captivate, Camtasia, Storyline or other video-recording tools.
Experience with WordPress or website (SharePoint, Squarespace, etc.) development.
Process mapping experience: able to document process maps and flow diagrams using Visio or PowerPoint.


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Barcelona make Lionel Messi injury decision ahead of La Liga opener
Lionel Messi injured his calf in training before his side's brief pre-season tour of the United States
Barcelona boss Ernesto Valverde will not risk an unfit Lionel Messi in Friday's La Liga opener against Athletic Bilbao - and also remained tight-lipped about Neymar re-joining the club from Paris Saint-Germain.
Barca's all-time top scorer and captain Messi injured his calf in training before his side's brief pre-season tour of the United States and has not yet returned to full training a day before his side visit Athletic.
Videos emerged on Thursday of the Argentine getting up to speed in individual training sessions on sand but Valverde said there was no chance he would gamble with Messi's fitness.
"We never like to risk any players and much less someone like Leo," Valverde told a news conference on Thursday.
Lionel Messi looks set to miss Barcelona's opening La Liga game of the season (Image: SIPA USA/PA Images)
"He still hasn't returned to training with the team and while we are happy with his progress, individual training is very different to playing a match. We are going to wait and see."
Barca have spent over £180million on signings including Frenkie de Jong and Antoine Griezmann but continue to be linked with a second swoop for Neymar, two years after he left the Catalans for PSG for a world record £200m.
Valverde refused to answer questions about the club's interest in Neymar and lamented the fact that the Spanish transfer window does not shut before the season starts, as it does in England.
Barcelona boss Ernesto Valverde spoke to the media on Thursday (Image: Quique GarcÍa/EPA-EFE/REX)
"It's inconvenient and it's not logical. The normal thing would be that the team you start with is the same one that will compete for the whole season," Valverde said.
"Now we have two weeks until the transfer window shuts and you can't breathe easily until then. I'm very happy with the squad I have at the moment but I don't know what will happen next.
"I am far removed from transfers and I'm focusing on the players I have for our first game," he added.
"Neymar belongs to PSG and we'll see what happens but I can't say anything more about him."
Barcelona's Spanish coach Valverde during training this summer (Image: AFP/Getty Images)
Barca's game in Bilbao was only confirmed last Friday after a court case was settled between the league's organising body and the Spanish football federation over scheduling games outside of the weekend.
Valverde criticised the two bodies for their handling of the situation.
"It seems incredible to me that the war over the match days and schedules was not solved before hand, the image of the league and federation has been damaged as a result," he added


The idea that a person is at fault when something goes wrong is deeply entrenched in society. That's why we blame others and even ourselves. Unfortunately, the idea that a person is at fault is imbedded in the legal system. When major accidents occur, official courts of inquiry are set up to assess the blame. More and more often the blame is attributed to "human error." The person involved can be fined, punished, or fired. Maybe training procedures are revised. The law rests comfortably. But in my experience, human error usually is a result of poor design: it should be called system error. Humans err continually; it is an intrinsic part of our nature. System design should take this into account. Pinning the blame on the person may be a comfortable way to proceed, but why was the system ever designed so that a single act by a single person could cause calamity? Worse, blaming the person without fixing the root, underlying cause does not fix the problem: the same error is likely to be repeated by someone else.


Fix Central allows you to search, select, order, and download fixes to your system with a choice of delivery options. Fixes provide changes to your software, Licensed Internal Code, or machine code that fix known problems, add new function, and keep your system or Hardware Management Console operating efficiently. With Fix Central, you can also use the customized ordering options to receive only those fixes that your system currently needs.
Help text for creating fix orders for System i product group.
Help text for creating fix orders for System x product group.
Help text for creating fix orders for Information Management, Lotus, Rational, Tivoli, and WebSphere software.
IBM employees can acquire Entitled Fixes through Fix Central. Access to Fix Central is dependent on the system.
You will be prompted for your IBM Intranet UserID and password. After your IBM Intranet UserID and Password are validated, Fix Central will provide you complete access to all fixes.


You guys. It's happening. It's all happening.
September will from now on be referred to as $eptember, because, like the artist formerly known as Ke$ha, it's all about dat bling. Dat bling embodied by the shining medals we've worked towards all summer that still rest in the gleaming, newly ephemeral lives of our goals and dreams. Dat bling that, despite the romanticism and purity of our sport, rely on the other kind of bling. The kind with a dollar sign. You get it.
Each year, $eptember hosts the annual SMS T2 Skiathon: the perfect combination of intensity and insanity to not only represent our sport, but gain a lot of attention and donors along the way. This year, the event will take place on the 29th of $eptember, giving me several weeks to court you (and your wallet) and show why we're worth the donation.
We'll start here and now with some frequently asked questions, then a section where I ask you a question, then we can all go home feeling inspired and motivated to change the world.
Why give to SMS T2? My team is a 501 (c) 3 nonprofit (#taxdeductibe) that focuses on athletic outreach in communities all across the US (in addition to high level racing). That means that when we're not training or racing, we're volunteering with kids and adults, building playgrounds, hosting clinics, clearing bike trails and visiting schools.
Sure, but why do you need the money? Between training full time all summer, racing during the season and all that volunteering, we don't exactly have time for day jobs. Unlike other countries, our great nation does not have government funding to national team programs, and grant and sponsorship money is slim, so we're on our own for personal funding.
Don't you have sponsors for this kind of thing? Hey, man! I'm working on it. Elite racing can cost up to $50,000 a year per athlete, a sum covered by sponsorships, grants, bartering and (petty) (legal) favors. A donation from you could mean one more athlete saying "no" to carrying the black briefcase through the airport for a hot meal and five bucks. (That said, readers with businesses looking to sponsor an enthusiastic athlete with a blog and questionable morals concerning black briefcases, inquire within).
One more question. Sure. What's in it for me? You mean aside from the warm fuzzies (and tax deductions) you feel from feeding an athlete, fueling Olympic dreams and saving the children? Yes. Do I, like, get a hat or something? If you donate over $250, yes I will give you a hat. But, for those otherwise financially inclined who want to help but also want something in return, I will once again offer the best gift I can possibly conceive: my dignity.
This year, I want to do it again. But this time, I want to make it bigger, better, $a$$ier (also with better video editing, I'm looking into it). Here's where you come in, what do you want to see?
Of course, if you have better (legal) (family friendly) ideas of your own, comment! I'm open minded!


Small, compact, white heron with stout yellow bill. Often seen on dry land. Legs red or yellow during the breeding season, black during nonbreeding season. Breeding birds have redder bills and creamy patches on body. Often feeds by following cattle or tractors in fields.


I love brie in puff pastry. It is one of my signature appetizers to serve at parties at our house. When it comes out of the oven our friends and family decent upon it like hungry vultures. They can devour a large wheel of brie en croute faster than you can ever imagine.
This does however pose some problems. First of all, the serving plate is only so big. There is a limited amount of space for people to gather around it fighting for melted cheese. Second, it can be difficult with a large puff pastry to get the right ratio of pastry to brie to filling. Third, it can get messy. Cheese and filling end up everywhere and peoples hands leave sticky marks all over.
This little baby solves all those problems. I saw them on Pinterest (via PlainChicken.com) months ago and I finally got around to making them for Justin and I's tapas style Valentine's dinner this week. I based mine on the original recipe just using what I had on had (I did not buy phyllo mini tarts as suggested, I just made my own from the scraps of phyllo dough I had in the fridge left over from Lightened Up Chicken Pot Pie).
I left the pecans out of this one to see which I liked better. Pecans won.
They were exactly as I imagined them: the perfect ratio of cheese to phyllo to sweet filling. They were surprisingly easy and I can imagine that you could make all kinds of adaptations of them.
1.) Lightly spray a mini muffin tin with cooking spray.
2.) Cut phyllo dough into 1 1/2 inch squares. (I used a pastry cutter). You could also use the pre made tarts.
3.) I used about 4-5 layers of dough for each tart and pressed it into the muffin tin. Lightly spray the dough with cooking spray so it doesn't burn.
Please excuse the excess of cooking spray on the tin.
4.) Place a cube of brie in each piece of dough.
5.) Top each one with 1/2 teaspoon of brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon pecans and a little drop of honey.
6.) Bake at 375 degrees until cheese is melted and dough is golden brown.
7.) Let them cool for a few minutes before removing them from the pan. I used a spoon to help me lift them out without breaking the shells.
8.) Watch them disappear! Enjoy!
Sweet pecans and brie?!?!?! You've grabbed my interest with that combo. These looks scrumptious! Very creative idea!
Yum. I wonder if you could make these in mini muffin tins which I love to use? May try it someday. Thanks for posting.
I actually did use the mini muffin tin. Sorry I forgot to mention that!
Um these look absolutely divine! thanks so much for linking up.
These are awesome little treats! This is a great recipe. Thank you so much for sharing with Full Plate Thursday and have a great week end.
Oh yum! that looks great!
These look amazing. I've never been adventurous with cheese and I must admit I've never tried brie but this looks so good I probably will now. Thanks!
What a fun recipe! I've found so many delicious things on pinterest! So glad you chose this recipe to share! YUM!
What a perfect little appetizer. It looks delicious! Thanks so much for sharing!
Just stopping over from Eat Pray Read after your recipe was featured there. All I can say is YUM, I have added these to my list of must makes.
I'm a new follower and these look so delicious! I can't wait to try them myself. Definitely going in the recipe list!
These look SO tasty! Thanks for sharing at oopsey daisy!
I love brie, especially warm and with sweetness and nut too - yum!
Happy Leap Day & End Of The Month Reminder!


It hasn't taken very long at all for Donald Trump's young administration to provoke major outcry on Twitter. White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer claimed that Trump attracted "the largest audience to ever witness an inauguration, period" - not actually true, several media outlets quickly insisted. Except that, well, Spicer was just uttering an "alternative fact". Eh?
On Sunday's episode of NBC's Meet the Press, Chuck Todd asked Kellyanne Conway, an advisor to Trump: "Why put [Spicer] out there for the very first time, in front of the podium, to utter a provable falsehood?" Conway casually said that Spicer was providing "alternative facts", to which Todd retorted: "Wait a minute - alternative facts? Alternative facts are not facts, they're falsehoods."
While Conway's bizarre defence attracted some serious ridicule on Twitter, many on the micro-blogging site clearly saw it as a source of comedy gold. So, "alternative facts" is the new word for "lies", right? Is there any end to the interesting "alternative facts" that we could come up with now? Probably not - and Twitter was on a roll with its own #alternativefacts.
Here are just some that attracted a particularly large amount of attention - including the openly gay Lance Bass's claim that not only was he one of the Backstreet Boys, but also that, when he was, he fathered a love child with the almost century-old TV legend Betty White.
Meanwhile, Courtney Love proved that she wasn't afraid to send herself up, insisting that she'd never done drugs, publicly swore or smoked a cigarette in her life. We've found a new icon for clean living - someone that the rest of us all-too-fallible mere mortals can now look up to.
If you were one of the people devastated that it was Trump, rather than Hillary, who won the election, then you'll likely take comfort - if only a small degree of it - in the "alternative facts" phenomenon. After all, you can claim that it was really Hillary who won in November, and so it was her inauguration that we saw a few days ago. Doesn't that feel really good?
Also, even considering how far technology has advanced, the progress seems even more impressive when you make use of "alternative facts". For example, you can save a lot of money that might otherwise be spent on a Tesla when you say that, by sticking an extension cord in your boring, ordinary car's petrol tank, you have now made an electric car. Isn't technology wonderful?
On a similar note, if you've always wanted an iPhone but simply couldn't afford it, just slap Apple stickers on a brick, in line with the following tweeter's idea, to give yourself an iPhone. It's probably just as functional as an actual iPhone as well. Okay, so that was a joke specifically for the Apple sceptics out there. Also, put Apple stickers on a piece of cardboard for an instant MacBook.
What actually are "alternative facts", anyway? They are basically the real thing, except that they aren't, but still close enough for the difference not to be a big deal. Honestly, look at this photo of Michael Jackson and, erm... whoever that other guy is. Can't tell the difference, can you? Right?


text:
Winslow Homer - The Obtuse Bard (draft 20150402) screen 126
[CONTENTS MENU] FIRST PREVIOUS NEXT LAST
WINSLOW HOMER - THE GULF STREAM 1899
Compare Homer's The Gulf Stream. Note the position of the boat and the position of the ship in the background. Although the similarity to Allston's painting is obvious, much is different. The boat is demasted. Instead of a square rigged ship with sails down, there is a schooner under full sail. The waterspout suggests a hurricane. Much has been written about Homer's The Gulf Stream, but it is mentioned here because of its connection to a book that Winslow Homer owned. That book provides significant additional background regarding how Winslow Homer viewed Nature and may add to the understanding of The Gulf Stream.
March 25, 1872, John Hamilton Gourlie gave Winslow Homer a copy of George Chaplin Child's Benedicite: The Song of the Three Children. That book was among the many items purchased by Margaret Strong from the Homer family at Prout's Neck and it is now in the library of The Margaret Strong National Museum of Play in Rochester New York. Gourlie was an honorary member of the National Academy of Design, a founder of the Century Club, travelled with W. C. Bryant to Europe in 1852 and went with John Durand to visit John's father Ascher Durand in Italy. This book can add insights into Homer's thinking especially when items from Child's book can be connected to an artwork, such as in the case of The Gulf Stream.
Benedicite relates to Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, the three who were burned in the fire. Dr. Chaplin's words explain the purpose of the book. He wrote,
The Three Hebrews were miraculously preserved. Daniel tells us that Nebuchadnezzar himself saw them "loose and walking in the midst of the fire." "Not a hair of their heads was singed, neither were their coats changed, nor had the smell of the fire passed on them." Elsewhere in the Song of the Three Children, we are told that "they walked in the midst of the fire, praising God and blessing the Lord." After so signal a deliverance, who does not realize the exulting fervour with which their Hymn of gratitude was poured forth? The deepest consciousness of the almighty power of God welled up in their hearts and burst from their lips, and the whole universe was ransacked for illustrations, to typify and express it. ln whatever direction they turned they beheld nature crowed with emblems of His glory and beneficence, and they eagerly welcomed them as aids to lift up their thoughts to the fervour of their adoration." [from G. C. Child Chaplin, M.D., 1870, p.7 ff
Further on, Dr. Chaplin also wrote,
They who have acquired this sensibility to the hymns of praise for ever ascending from all God's works, have found an aid to adoration whose value is known to themselves, but which must sometimes appear like extravagant affectation to others who have never taken any pains to cherish it. ... It may, indeed, be truely said that he who undertakes to cull from the many fields of nature the most striking examples of God's Providence will find his chief difficulty to arise from the "embarrassment of riches." [G. C. Child Chaplin, M.D., 1870, p. 13 ff.
The "embarrassment of riches" may explain Homer's comment and drawing "W.H. hiding his light under a bushel."
Details regarding the scientific details of the Gulf Stream are found in a chapter titled Seas and Floods in which Lt. Matthew Fontaine Maury is quoted at length. Additional biographical information about Lt. Maury might also be related to Homer's painting, but that discussion does not belong here. Looking at Nature using Benedicite as a guide helps the viewer to see "emblems of His glory and benefinence." You are not just looking at physical Nature, but appreciating and cherishing His work, evidence of His imagination, perfection, and intelligence. The point here is that Child's book Benedicite provides insight into Winslow Homer thinking. We should expect to find evidence of its influence on Winslow Homer, evidence that he "...beheld nature crowned with emblems of His glory and beneficence" and that he too "eagerly welcomed them as aids to lift up their thoughts to the fervour of their adoration." One remark by Homer is certainly consistent with Child's book, which is this, "The Sun will not rise or set without my notice and thanks."
Note: We have mentioned two separate biblical stories about visions seeing three people. One is the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who were burned in the fire and the other is the story of the three angels appearing at Abraham's tent. Benedicite is based on the psalm written about the three burned in the fire.
Copyright 1992-2015 Peter Bueschen
The presentation is available at The Obtuse Bard website http://obtusebard.org.


text:
Old trains, repair backlog pile pressure on Sydney's rail network
By Matt O'Sullivan
January 8, 2020 — 5.00am
Decades-old trains, passenger crowding, forecasts of a $1.3 billion maintenance backlog and a surge in demand for services will heap pressure on Sydney's already stretched rail network as the city balloons to 6 million people over the next decade, an internal government report reveals.
The report, marked "Cabinet in confidence" and completed in September, underscores the need for the state government to inject even more funding into the backbone of the public transport system as an extra 1.4 million people are forecast to call the city home by 2031.
Sydney's rail network is under pressure from a surge in demand for services. Credit:Peter Rae
The Sydney Trains report, obtained by the Herald using freedom of information laws, reveals a backlog in deferred maintenance across the rail network is forecast to surge to $1.3 billion by the end of the decade, from $419 million last year, without a funding boost.
Despite recently retiring old trains dubbed "sweat sets", almost one-quarter of the state's passenger trains are still more than 30 years old, and nearly half of the fleet is more than two decades in age.
"Escalating maintenance costs, increasing levels of technical and component obsolescence and the ability to integrate into future network systems platforms ... are prohibitive and present short and medium-term challenges," the report states.
Sydney Trains is being forced to squeeze more out of its trains by running them for longer periods of the day to cope with a surge in demand from commuters.
The report shows the "compounding impact" of putting on more services leads to trains, tracks and other rail assets "wearing out faster". In turn, the rail network needs "more regular maintenance".
However, running trains for longer periods of the day leaves less time for maintenance.
To cope, Sydney Trains will need to make "step changes" in maintenance by carrying out more work at night, instead of during weekends when sections of lines are closed for repairs.
"Due to the significant growth planned for time-tabled passenger rail services, it is anticipated the levels of wear and tear on infrastructure will increase proportionally," the report says.
The report presents as a further plea for an increased injection of money by the government in Sydney Trains, noting a "lack of long-term commitment for sustainable funding" to improve the condition of civil assets such as bridges, culverts and tunnels.
Almost a quarter of the state's passenger trains are still more than three decades old. Credit:Dominic Lorrimer
However, Transport for NSW said it was investing at record levels to keep pace with unprecedented demand on the rail network through a $4.3 billion program to deliver more trains and services.
The program had already resulted in a significant boost for passengers, including 1700 extra weekly services, 24 new Waratah trains and another 17 on the way, the transport agency said.
"Work is also well underway to ensure future stages of the program continue to meet customer needs. This will include new digital systems technology, which will allow us to increase services on high-demand lines," it said.
The confidential report shows funding for train stations and other facilities has been "constrained" over the past two years, warning that "many of the assets are only receiving the basic maintenance requirements".
While the overall condition of rail tracks is "good", a backlog of deferred track maintenance is forecast to grow if more funding from the state is not forthcoming.
"[The funding strategy] is not a sustainable position and is an inappropriate strategy over the next 10 years to meet upcoming and future increases in demand on the assets," the report says.
The finer details in the internal report about the "key risks" for trains, rail tracks, signals and controls systems, as well as the "funding requirements" for more services, were redacted.
The Herald also revealed last year that raising public transport fares and selling or redeveloping hundreds of state-owned properties were among measures under consideration to secure $7 billion in annual savings by the end of this decade to avoid a blow-out in NSW's transport costs.
Those measures – detailed in "sensitive" documents – showed Transport for NSW wants to continue to increase service levels, but is under pressure to find billions in savings over the longer term.
Matt O'Sullivan
Matt O'Sullivan is City Editor at The Sydney Morning Herald.


This package evaluates for infection with HIV and 6 of the most common STDs, now includes Hepatitis A.
A free physician consultation is included with this test if the results are positive for Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, or HSV 2. It will be up to the physicians discretion if a prescription will be provided. View sample results (LabCorp PDF) (Quest PDF).
Many common STDs cause few or no symptoms. HIV causes brief flu-like symptoms in some patients, but may not cause visible symptoms for years. Early diagnosis of these serious conditions can facilitate earlier treatment and improved long-term outcomes.
Do not urinate 1 hour prior to test. People taking high-dose biotin supplements (also called vitamin B7) should wait at least 24 hours after last biotin dose before sample collection.
We'd been together for a long time, but when we wanted to do a full blood work up for our overall health we decided to test for STDs too. We'd always assumed we were both clean, but had never been tested in more than 15 years. This test gave us the reassurance that all is well.


Tonight was a night for soup. It's rainy, foggy and there is nothing more comforting than a hot bowl of soup and some crusty bread when it's nasty outside. Except maybe hot chocolate with marshmallows, but that can easily become dessert.
Heat oil and butter. Add onion and leek and saute until softened. Add potato, stock and seasoning. Bring to a boil and reduce heat. Cover and cook for 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Purée or mash for a chunkier soup and serve with buttered bread. De-lish.


100% cotton 1x1 rib knit or Interlock fabric in white, pastels or black.
I would like someone to contact me with more information regarding Infant Pants & Shorts. I saw it in the Wearables Magazine's Online Sourcebook.


With this audio item, Dr. Liebgold helps you to understand and acquire the skills needed so you can stand up for yourself, assert yourself, feel stronger and get what you want. This digital download helps you understand and acquire the skills so you can become stronger in asserting yourself to get what you want. Dr. Howard Liebgold, M.D., a physiatrist, who overcame a claustrophobic condition of 31 years, is a professional Public Speaker, who has lectured at The Commonwealth Club in San Francisco, the Million Round Table in Toronto as well as innumerable medical, business and community groups. Affectionately known as Dr. Fear, Howard Liebgold was chosen as California's Physician of the Year in 1991. During his medical year, spanning more than 35 years, he served as Chief of Kaiser Foundation Rehabilitation, Head of the Chronic Pain Management Clinic, as well as teaching his phobia classes every week. Dr. Liebgold has appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show, Unsolved Mysteries, Discovery Channel and PBS.


Leaps and Bounds has been a leading performing arts provider in the Gippsland region since 2004, offering classes in Sale and Yarram. Students learn to dance in a caring environment, which focuses on individual needs and encourages self expression.
At Leaps and Bounds we aim to continue our philosophy of providing fun and safe dance tuition through our outstanding teaching staff, as well as maintaining a high level of customer service.
Our studios offer a wide range of classes, as well as the opportunity for students to expand their dance experience through participation in eisteddfods throughout Gippsland and ATOD ballet exams. We also offer students of all ages the opportunity to participate in our annual concerts.
Leaps and Bounds students have gone on to study at reputable dance institutions in Melbourne such as the Victorian College of the Arts, Patrick Studios Australia and Kelly Aykers, achieving great personal success and working in the dance industry.


expression of the land and environment it is created from.
when and how to do nothing.
are the major means to this end.
seem to exude this history.
it can be crisp & clean or silky & creamy.
and boy, cant we all do with a little bit of that right now!


text:
Planar chirality
Planar chirality, also known as 2D chirality, is the special case of chirality for two dimensions.
Most fundamentally, planar chirality is a mathematical term, finding use in chemistry, physics and related physical sciences, for example, in astronomy, optics and metamaterials. Recent occurrences in latter two fields are dominated by microwave and terahertz applications as well as micro- and nanostructured planar interfaces for infrared and visible light.
1 In chemistry
1.1 Assigning the configuration of planar chiral molecules
2 In optics and metamaterials
2.1 Chiral diffraction
2.2 Circular conversion dichroism
2.3 Extrinsic planar chirality
2.4 Chiral mirrors
In chemistry[]
A planar chiral derivative of ferrocene, used for kinetic resolution of some racemic secondary alcohols[1]
This term is used in chemistry contexts,[2] e.g., for a chiral molecule lacking an asymmetric carbon atom, but possessing two non-coplanar rings that are each dissymmetric and which cannot easily rotate about the chemical bond connecting them: 2,2'-dimethylbiphenyl is perhaps the simplest example of this case. Planar chirality is also exhibited by molecules like (E)-cyclooctene, some di- or poly-substituted metallocenes, and certain monosubstituted paracyclophanes. Nature rarely provides planar chiral molecules, cavicularin being an exception.
Assigning the configuration of planar chiral molecules[]
To assign the configuration of a planar chiral molecule, begin by selecting the pilot atom, which is the highest priority of the atoms that is not in the plane, but are directly attached to an atom in the plane. Next, assign the priority of three adjacent in-plane atoms, starting with the atom attached to the pilot atom as priority 1, and preferentially assigning in order of highest priority if there is a choice. Then setting the pilot atom to in front of the three atoms in question, if the three atoms form a clockwise direction when followed in order of priority, the molecule is assigned as R, otherwise it is assigned as S.[3]
In optics and metamaterials[]
Chiral diffraction[]
Papakostas et al. observed in 2003 that planar chirality affects the polarization of light diffracted by arrays of planar chiral microstructures, where large polarization changes of opposite sign were detected in light diffracted from planar structures of opposite handedness.[4]
Circular conversion dichroism[]
The study of planar chiral metamaterials has revealed that planar chirality is also associated with an optical effect in non-diffracting structures: the directionally asymmetric transmission (reflection and absorption) of circularly polarized waves. Planar chiral metamaterials, which are also anisotropic and lossy exhibit different total transmission (reflection and absorption) levels for the same circularly polarized wave incident on their front and back. The asymmetric transmission phenomenon arises from different, e.g. left-to-right, circular polarization conversion efficiencies for opposite propagation directions of the incident wave and therefore the effect is referred to as circular conversion dichroism. Like the twist of a planar chiral pattern appears reversed for opposite directions of observation, planar chiral metamaterials have interchanged properties for left-handed and right-handed circularly polarized waves that are incident on their front and back. In particular left-handed and right-handed circularly polarized waves experience opposite directional transmission (reflection and absorption) asymmetries.[5][6]
Extrinsic planar chirality[]
Achiral components may form a chiral arrangement. In this case, chirality is not an intrinsic property of the components, but rather imposed extrinsically by their relative positions and orientations. This concept is typically applied to experimental arrangements, for example, an achiral (meta)material illuminated by a beam of light, where the illumination direction makes the whole experiment different from its mirror image. Extrinsic planar chirality results from illumination of any periodically structured interface for suitable illumination directions. Starting from normal incidence onto a periodically structured interface, extrinsic planar chirality arises from tilting the interface around any axis that does not coincide with a line of mirror symmetry of the interface. In the presence of losses, extrinsic planar chirality can result in circular conversion dichroism, as described above.[7]
Chiral mirrors[]
Conventional mirrors reverse the handedness of circularly polarized waves upon reflection. In contrast, a chiral mirror reflects circularly polarized waves of one handedness without handedness change[dubious – discuss], while absorbing circularly polarized waves of the opposite handedness. A perfect chiral mirror exhibits circular conversion dichroism with ideal efficiency. Chiral mirrors can be realized by placing a planar chiral metamaterial in front of a conventional mirror.[8] The concept has been exploited in holography to realize independent holograms for left-handed and right-handed circularly polarized electromagnetic waves.[9] Active chiral mirrors that can be switched between left and right, or chiral mirror and conventional mirror, have been reported.[10]
Metamaterial
Chirality (electromagnetism)
^ Ruble, J. C.; Latham, H. A.; Fu, G. C. (1997). "Effective Kinetic Resolution of Secondary Alcohols with a Planar-Chiral Analogue of 4-(dimethylamino)pyridine. Use of the Fe(C5Ph5) Group in Asymmetric Catalysis". J. Am. Chem. Soc. 119 (6): 1492–1493. doi:10.1021/ja963835b.
^ IUPAC, Compendium of Chemical Terminology, 2nd ed. (the "Gold Book") (1997). Online corrected version: (2006–) "planar chirality". doi:10.1351/goldbook.P04681
^ Ernest L. Eliel & Samuel H. Wilen. "Stereochemistry of Organic Compounds"
^ Papakostas, A.; Potts, A.; Bagnall, D. M.; Prosvirnin, S. L.; Coles, H. J.; Zheludev, N. I. (2003). "Optical Manifestations of Planar Chirality" (PDF). Physical Review Letters. 90 (10): 107404. doi:10.1103/PhysRevLett.90.107404. PMID 12689032.
^ Fedotov, V. A.; Mladyonov, P. L.; Prosvirnin, S. L.; Rogacheva, A. V.; Chen, Y.; Zheludev, N. I. (2006). "Asymmetric propagation of electromagnetic waves through a planar chiral structure". Physical Review Letters. 97 (16): 167401. arXiv:physics/0604234. Bibcode:2006PhRvL..97p7401F. doi:10.1103/PhysRevLett.97.167401. PMID 17155432.
^ Plum, E.; Fedotov, V. A.; Zheludev, N. I. (2009). "Planar metamaterial with transmission and reflection that depend on the direction of incidence". Applied Physics Letters. 94 (13): 131901. arXiv:0812.0696. Bibcode:2009ApPhL..94m1901P. doi:10.1063/1.3109780. S2CID 118558819.
^ Plum, E.; Fedotov, V. A.; Zheludev, N. I. (2011). "Asymmetric transmission: a generic property of two-dimensional periodic patterns" (PDF). Journal of Optics. 13 (2): 024006. doi:10.1088/2040-8978/13/2/024006. S2CID 52235281.
^ Plum, E.; Zheludev, N. I. (2015-06-01). "Chiral mirrors". Applied Physics Letters. 106 (22): 221901. Bibcode:2015ApPhL.106v1901P. doi:10.1063/1.4921969. ISSN 0003-6951. S2CID 19932572.
^ Wang, Q.; Plum, E.; Yang, Q.; Zhang, X.; Xu, Q.; Xu, Y.; Han, J.; Zhang, W. (2018). "Reflective chiral meta-holography: multiplexing holograms for circularly polarized waves". Light: Science & Applications. 7: 25. doi:10.1038/s41377-018-0019-8. PMC 6106984. PMID 30839596.
^ Liu, M.; Plum, E.; Li, H.; Duan, S.; Li, S.; Xu, Q.; Zhang, X.; Zhang, C.; Zhou, C.; Jin, B.; Han, J.; Zhang, W. (2020). "Switchable chiral mirrors". Advanced Optical Materials. 8 (15). doi:10.1002/adom.202000247.
Concepts in enantioselective synthesis
Chirality types
Chirality
Stereocenter
C2-symmetric ligands
Axial chirality
Supramolecular chirality
Inherent chirality
Chiral molecules
Stereoisomer
Enantiomer
Diastereomer
Meso compound
Racemic mixture
Enantiomeric excess (ee)
Diastereomeric excess (de)
Optical rotation
Chiral derivatizing agents
NMR spectroscopy of stereoisomers
Ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy of stereoisomers
Recrystallization
Kinetic resolution
Chiral column chromatography
Diastereomeric recrystallization
Asymmetric induction
Chiral pool synthesis
Chiral auxiliaries
Asymmetric catalysis
Organocatalysis


text:
Ruger SR9c – Why Not A Full-Size Gun?
Sep 15, 2010 |
Yes, I realize (now) that a 10-round magazine makes the Ruger CA and MA-compliant. D'oh! And I have an even better answer to my own question: the SR9c (with the 10-rounder) is ideal for concealed carry and combat-distance accuracy. You can then surmount the ammo problem by carrying two spare large (17 round) mags for SHTF-i-tude. Yes BUT— is there anyone out there with a compact gun who hasn't seriously pinched the bottom of their carry hand when jamming in a new mag? (The rabbi has an actual scar.) Anyway, great gat (review to follow). What's your take on this conundrum?
joedoakes101 says:
Good Work! My philosophy is the following:
Summer = Walther PPS (I live in New York – if someone spots a gun they call in the SWAT Team)
Winter = Glock 19
War = Colt 1911
JoeFromSidney says:
I've been carrying a Kimber 1911: 7+1, and kind of bulky. I just bought a ParaOrd: 10+1, and much more concealable. to me, that's why not a full-sized gun.
josh2415 says:
Ruger already makes a full-sized version, the SR9. With the 10rd mag installed, the SR9c is almost identical in size to the Glock 26 – nuff said. I have one on order.
Thinking about a SR9c, or a Sig. Only for home protection, will stay in the safe hopefully always. Thoughts?
Robert Farago says:
A gun in a safe is an enigma. Safe from kids and theft, difficult to access when you need it. If you're buying a gun for home protection, you need to wear it around the house when you're awake. Otherwise, you'll never get to your gun in time if/when your home is invaded. And even if you do get to the safe, the adrenalin flowing through your system will make it VERY difficult to extract your weapon. So the question becomes: what gun would you be comfortable carrying around the house?
First, concentrate on the carry system, rather than the gun. How big a gun can you carry around the house comfortably using the carry system you prefer? If you're carrying openly in, say, a paddle holster, consider a full-size gun. They've got plenty of bullets, you can go for a large caliber and they're much easier to shoot accurately. If you're looking for something more discreet, such as a gun in an inside the waist band holster, you might want to go with something smaller than the Ruger Compact. The Smith & Wesson 640 is ideal. The Ruger LCP is also an excellent choice. As are a range of sub-compacts. The Ruger SR9c and equivalent Sig appeal in that they're compact enough to carry in a variety of holsters (around the house) and they're still big enough to shoot well and enjoy at the range.
if you're ignoring my advice about home carry, if you're sticking it in the safe, get the best, biggest gun you can. Springfield XD(m), Glock, Ruger SR9, whatever. Clear?
Lee in Mpls says:
I really like the trigger on the SR9c. For C&C, the 10 round clip is perfect and you can carry the 17 round to reload.
The SR9c is also great for lefties.


Govt panel recommends shutting down Cryptocurrency Dealers in India.
The panel made the suggestion to curb the use of cryptocurrencies in the country, ETNow reported on Saturday quoting agencies.
The report surfaces at a time when Bitcoin's price has zoomed past $7,000 after the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) Group Inc's announcement on Tuesday that it plans to introduce bitcoin futures by the end of the year, after regulatory approval. Following the announcement, Coinbase Inc added more than 100,000 users in 24 hours.
In July, Business Standard had reported that the government is considering setting up a regulatory structure to oversee trading of bitcoin.
On Saturday, cryptocurrency traded at a record high of $7,200.
According to market experts, banning cryptocurrency dealers or exchanges would not work as trading of virtual currencies has increased globally and have given extraordinary returns. However, adoption of bitcoin can also pose various problems for the government as it will tend to loose its control over the financial system.
At present, bitcoin is hovering around Rs 4.90 lakh mark in India against Rs 1.79 lakh where it had three months back on August 2, 2017.
Instead of closing cryptocurrency dealers, the government should take steps to curb buying and selling of bitcoins or cryptocurrencies in cash, Hesham Rehman, CEO & Co-founder, Bitxoxo, a bitcoin exchange operating in India told ET.
Meanwhile, Credit Suisse Group AG Chief Executive Officer Tidjane Thiam asserted that bitcoin is the "very definition of a bubble". "Most banks in the current state of regulation have little or no appetite to get involved in a currency which has such anti-money laundering challenges," Thiam said.
"From what we can identify, the only reason today to buy or sell bitcoin is to make money, which is the very definition of speculation and the very definition of a bubble," he added.
As a Business Standard editorial mentioned, Bitcoin is a digital currency, described as a peer-to-peer version of electronic cash, which would allow online payments to be sent directly from one party to another without going through a financial intermediary. It was invented eight years back, but awareness at the mass level is a matter of only the last few years.
1. Bitcoin transfers take place by means of a computer-generated string of "0"s and "1"s (a computer does not "read" anything else in any case), which transfer bitcoins from one wallet (or account) to another, the accounts being maintained on a giant electronic ledger.
2. The wallets are anonymous. Each string of numbers can be used only once . The anonymous holder of the wallet can be anywhere in the world, thus making bitcoin a truly global, if electronic, currency: Transaction costs are negligible to zero.
1. Install a bitcoin "wallet" on a computer or mobile phone.
2. The wallet will generate an "address" on which bitcoins can be paid in or paid out (the latter only if you have adequate balance in your wallet).
3. All transactions are included in a "blockchain" whose integrity and chronological order are protected by cryptography. The blockchain is the technology that is used for operating these digital currencies and is treated as a commodity in countries where they are recognised.
4. The wallet can be stocked by purchasing bitcoins on an "exchange" for real money.
What are the risks of cryptocurrencies?
1. Cryptocurrencies typically operate in a volatile market.
2. At present, there is no regulatory framework or governing body to manage them.
3. Bitcoin is the preferred currency for many hackers and the recent series of ransomware attacks across the world has also caused panic. One can also face difficulty in recovering the cryptocurrency if the digital wallet is hacked.
4. The technology underpinning bitcoin (blockchain) is about to be overhauled drastically and this may cause a split in the currency.
India to have its own cryptocurrency?
Last month, Business Standard noted that the government is considering the possibility of introducing its own cryptocurrency, code-named "Lakshmi". If it is introduced, "Lakshmi" would run on some variation of the blockchain technology employed by bitcoin that verifies every trade and rules out dual transactions employing the same coin. However, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) would have to solve several tricky questions before introducing "Lakshmi".


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The Ties That Bind - Melville '83
Before Melville was incorporated as a town, the residents did not have a village cemetery. The Lutheran cemetery, an acreage north of town, was used until 1908. However, down through the years, loved ones have still been laid to rest in this cemetery.
In 1908 a district near Card's farm was decided upon for the official town cemetery. But once again the site was thought unsuitable and most of the stones and graves were moved to another location across the tracks, south-east of Melville. This Municipal Cemetery was first used in 1918 when a Chinese gentleman, who died of influenza, was buried there.
Across the road from the Municipal Cemetery is the Catholic Cemetery.
In 1956 a Mausoleum, containing 80 crypts, was built at the northeast corner of the Municipal Cemetery. It is constructed of marble and Bedford stone.


Weatherproof, vandal resistant, stainless steel, handsfree panel speakerphone with chrome tone keypad and push button automatic dialer, Braille emergency plate and LED indicator light in a black pin latch cast aluminum housing with "TELEPHONE" on door and blue strobe light. Telephone provides call restriction capablilities to include call blocking, example: block 1+ calling, can be programmed to dial an access code, allow or block incoming calls, provide separate conversation timers or no timed call for both autodial and keypad from 1-9 minutes, and ajustable wink detect length if necessary. Telephone can not be left off-hook as it detects when called party hangs up and resets itself. Show in red housing with ADA features. Housings available in black, red, yellow, and gray.


Everyone grieves differently. Our cultural and religious experiences, the circumstances of the death and our relationship with the person who died influence our reactions to grief. If someone dies after a long illness, there may be a sense of relief that the pain is over. If a death is sudden and unexpected, shock and a feeling of numbness may occur. If a young person dies there is a sense that things are out of order and that life is not the way it is supposed to be.


As a dedicated dermatologist, he focuses on diagnosing and treatment various ailments involving the human body's largest organ – the skin. He offers advice to patients on how to achieve an attractive and healthy skin. As part of the procedure, he uses diagnostic procedures, including biopsies in order to determine some disorders, and identify the therapy appropriate.
Dr. Eric Eisenberg is currently accepting new patients. To book an appointment, please call (905) 896-1515.
Dr. Eric Eisenberg is a dermatologist who works at Eisenberg Eric Dr located at 3420 Hurontario Street, Mississauga, ON L5B 4A9. Dr. Eisenberg is rated as one of the best dermatologists in Mississauga, ON.


This booklet aims to provide for the lay reader a readily comprehensible and memorable summary of twelve reasons to believe in the existence of God. Drawing on and summarising a host of arguments over time, this booklet brings them together, lucidly and in order, equipping the reader with a reasoned basis for belief in God. Answering the crucial question 'Does god exist?' has immediate and practical consequences in the way we live our lives. Further reading and exploration is provided.
A perfect title for the Year of Faith, in which each of us is encouraged to re-examine the creed we live by.


I love the color of this gloss, however the consistency was a turn off for me. I don't like gloppy or sticky glosses, so while i enjoyed the color the consistency will deter me from purchasing.
Don't get me wrong the color and the brand are the best but i didn't much care for the tacky feeling of the gloss. The color on the other hand is very beautiful and compliments my skin tone very well.
The scent reminded me of the watermelon chapstick I had as a kid. It's fun, flirty, and smelled great. I use it for work, and the color has great staying power!
I liked this lippy. Color was attractive, not too HELLO, look at me, which was perfect. Smelled so nice and didn't taste like much of anything which is the way I like it. Not sticky and it went on smooth.
As much as I wanted to enjoy this I didn't. Such a cute little throw in your clutch kind of gloss. The color is too light for my olive skin tone.
This gloss has great pigment (on the opaque side). The formula is thick and sticky, but it does have staying power. Overall it was OK.
The color was bland and the formula is too thick and sloppy. It did not coat well and instantly dried up.


ROY HODGSON admits his hopes of leading the country to Brazil 2014 will hinge partly on England's elite clubs showing faith in the youngsters he has helped to champion.
England manager Hodgson, above, has picked young stars such as Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Raheem Sterling as he looks to plot a route to the World Cup finals.
England are second in their qualifying group behind Montenegro and, in March, travel to Podgorica, where they will look to ensure their destiny remains in their own hands.
Yet Hodgson, who helped launch the Football Association's 150th anniversary celebrations yesterday, said: "There's always work to do. Often at national team level, it's a question of younger players you believe in continuing to realise their potential and you don't have a strong hand in that.
Often at national team level, it's a question of younger players you believe in continuing to realise their potential and you don't have a strong hand in that.
"You can only hope it happens, that they continue learning and they get their games.
"Perhaps even more importantly is that most coaches have 14 or 15 players in their heads who are the important ones and hope that when the big matches come around they are there for you.
Hodgson spent time with predecessors, including Fabio Capello, Sven-Goran Eriksson and Graham Taylor, at the launch.
The England coach, whose next match is the glamour friendly with Brazil at Wembley on February 6, insisted he felt no added burden to ensure qualification for the World Cup in this anniversary year.
"When someone offers you the job of England team manager, that's a lot of responsibility and when you've said, 'Yes' to that, provided you understand the responsibility, I don't think you can heap more on it," he said.
"I would be very disappointed if anyone said I didn't take my responsibilities seriously.


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Sony Fires Back at Obama: "We Had No Choice" But to Cancel 'The Interview' Release
The president earlier made remarks critical of the studio's decision-making
By Tatiana Siegel, Erik Hayden
The Interview Still 5 - H 2014
Ed Araquel
After President Obama criticized Sony for its decision to cancel The Interview's release after theater chains decided not to show the film, the studio has issued a statement elaborating on the move.
"The decision not to move forward with the December 25 theatrical release of The Interview was made as a result of the majority of the nation's theater owners choosing not to screen the film," the statement said. "This was their decision."
A source tells The Hollywood Reporter that Sony was surprised by the president's comments and did, in fact, have many conversations with the White House both before and after the movie was pulled Wednesday. That would fly in the face of President Obama's claim that the studio never approached him for advice on how to handle the threats of violence that invoked the 9/11 terror attacks. Sony Pictures Entertainment chairman and CEO Michael Lynton taped an interview with CNN on Friday, and part of it was aired that reaffirmed the studio had been in contact with the White House.
Five Years Later, Who Really Hacked Sony?
'Awards Chatter' Podcast -- Jennifer Lawrence ('Mother!')
"We definitely spoke to senior advisers or a senior adviser in the White House to discuss the situation," Lynton said in the interview with CNN, adding that although he didn't directly talk to President Obama himself, "the White House was certainly aware of the situation."
During his press conference Friday, the president said he wished the studio would have "spoken to me first. I would have told them 'Do not get into a pattern in which you are intimidated by these kinds of criminal attacks.' " The source insists to THR that the studio engaged in multiple conversations with the White House; however, they were not directly with the president but were with his staff.
In the press conference, Obama had sharp words for the studio. "Sony is a corporation. It suffered significant damage. There were threats against its employees. I am sympathetic to the concerns that they faced. Having said all that, yes, I think they made a mistake," the president said.
Read more Obama: Sony "Made a Mistake" Canceling 'The Interview' Release
The FBI confirmed earlier in the day the link between the hacking group that calls itself Guardians of Peace and the North Korean regime. The "North Korean government is responsible for these actions," the agency said of the attack, which was first noticed by the studio Nov. 24 but was likely carried out well before.
Salaries, personal data, movie budgets and more than 12,000 messages from Sony Pictures Entertainment co-chairman Amy Pascal's email inbox were leaked.
Prior to the release of Seth Rogen and James Franco's The Interview, which featured the assassination of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, hackers sent threatening messages to Sony invoking the terror attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.
Sony allowed theater chains to make the decision to show the film or not, and major theater chains decided against showing the film.
Sony's full statement reads:
Sony Pictures Entertainment is and always has been strongly committed to the First Amendment. For more than three weeks, despite brutal intrusions into our company and our employees' personal lives, we maintained our focus on one goal: getting the film The Interview released. Free expression should never be suppressed by threats and extortion.
The decision not to move forward with the December 25 theatrical release of The Interview was made as a result of the majority of the nation's theater owners choosing not to screen the film. This was their decision.
Let us be clear — the only decision that we have made with respect to release of the film was not to release it on Christmas Day in theaters, after the theater owners declined to show it. Without theaters, we could not release it in the theaters on Christmas Day. We had no choice.
After that decision, we immediately began actively surveying alternatives to enable us to release the movie on a different platform. It is still our hope that anyone who wants to see this movie will get the opportunity to do so.


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Have nothing to do with the [evil] things that people do, things that belong to the darkness. Instead, bring them out to the light... [For] when all things are brought out into the light, then their true nature is clearly revealed...
-Ephesians 5:11-13
Tag Archives: Americans for Prosperity
The Lessons of Socialism Being Taught in Venezuela
This article was published by The McAlvany Intelligence Advisor on Monday, June 26, 2017:
The Coat of arms of Venezuela
Thanks to Americans for Prosperity (AFP), the lessons being taught by the on-going destruction of Venezuela have been codified. It's called "10 Biggest Lies of Socialism" and seven of them apply directly to the once-prosperous oil-rich South American country. First the lie is stated and then the reality:
Under socialism there will be income equality, as everyone will contribute what they can and receive what they need. But, says AFP, the system instead guarantees that everyone (except the elites in charge) will be equally poor.
Under socialism private companies will be forced by the government to charge what it determines to be "reasonable" prices through price fixing. Rationing follows when goods previously available disappear from the market. All that these mandates do, says AFP, is guarantee bread lines and shortages as producers cannot produce under such strictures without going bankrupt.
Under socialism, the economy, having eliminated the overhead cost of "profits" needed under a free market capitalist system, is touted as being able to make the economy grow. In Venezuela, however, the oil-rich nation is unable to feed itself, thanks to bureaucratic miscues and massive corruption among government officials doing the rationing of goods and services.
Socialism is sold as guaranteeing a class-free society that turns out, according to AFP, to be a society where "everyone is equal in their misery."
Socialism guarantees free college educations and free healthcare for everyone but without asking, and answering, the key question: at whose expense? The myth that everyone can live at the expense of everyone else has been exposed in Venezuela.
Socialism claims that everyone is entitled to material goods (see 5 above) but fails as instead it favors those at the top at the expense of everyone else, leaving the population destitute.
Socialism promises that workers will be "liberated" from their capitalist slave masters, but discover that they are now slaves of the state, subject to the orders of the state and having their earnings taken from them and distributed to the state for distribution to others.
The sad forced transition of Venezuela into a backward, third-world country whose starving citizens are forced to barter has been tracked extensively. Starting in April,
Starving Venezuelans Risk 60 Miles of Open Ocean to Barter for Food
This article appeared online at TheNewAmerican.com on Monday, June 26, 2o17:
The red flag of socialism is red for a very good reason.
The end stages of socialism in Venezuela are forcing citizens to do anything they can to obtain food for themselves and their families, including risking their lives. Mariana Revilla, a medical doctor reduced to making midnight excursions over 60 miles of open ocean to feed her family, was making her fifth trip to Trinidad when her boat capsized, costing her her life and the lives of two others assisting her.
Her boat contained seven tons of flour, sugar, and cooking oil that she had obtained through barter at one of the west coast towns of Trinidad, exchanging them for the tons of fresh shrimp she had brought with her. Others making the midnight trips would take with them anything of value to exchange for food and basic necessities, making the boats look like a floating garage sale: plastic chairs, house doors, ceramic cooking pots, and even exotic animals such as iguanas and macaws to trade for food.
Socialists promise that such things could never happen in the "paradise" they are determined to build. Americans for Prosperity (AFP) compared the promises to the reality which Venezuelans are now facing daily:
Low Oil Prices Are Tempting Politicians to Raise Gas Taxes
This article appeared online at TheNewAmerican.com on Monday, February 8, 2016:
The White House announced Thursday that the president would be asking Congress to raise taxes on imported oil by $10 a barrel to be used to fund what the Wall Street Journal describes as "new green transportation projects." The new taxes to be levied on oil companies will be passed down to motorists who will enjoy the opportunity to help the president fund those new projects by 22 cents per gallon every time they fill up.
The danger isn't that the president's bill has any chance in the Republican-controlled Congress, this being an election year and all. What is dangerous is that
Koch Brothers' Network to Spend $900 Million on 2016 Elections
This article first appeared online at TheNewAmerican.com on Tuesday, January 27, 2015:
Spokesmen for Freedom Partners, the Koch Brothers-funded "chamber of commerce" and sponsor of their annual winter meeting in Palm Springs, announced last weekend that its network of over 200 wealthy conservatives is planning on raising nearly $900 million to invest in the 2016 elections. This is more than double what the network raised and spent during the 2012 presidential campaign, and exceeds what both political parties spent that year put together.
Freedom Partners is building on the momentum from the November elections that gave Republicans control of the Senate and expanded their majority in the House of Representatives. As Freedom Partners President Marc Short remarked, "2014 was nice but there's a long way to go." He noted that his group's ultimate goal is to make the ideals of a free market "central" in American society, adding, "Politics is a necessary means to that end." Freedom Partners invested more than $400 million in those midterm elections.
Koch Brothers Learn from 2012, Restructure for 2014 and Beyond
This article first appeared at The McAlvany Intelligence Advisor on Wednesday, October 8, 2014:
Sensing an opportunity to turn the liberal tide in 2012, free-market advocates Charles and David Koch established the Freedom Partners Chamber of Commerce. They successfully recruited about 200 members, each of whom paid a minimum annual membership fee of $100,000 and raised more than $250 million in the process. When added to other funds that the Koch Brothers were able to raise in their effort to influence the electorate in 2012, the total came to more than $400 million.
Despite that enormous sum,
Koch Brothers and Friends Pouring Millions Into Midterms
This article first appeared at TheNewAmerican.com on Tuesday, October 7, 2014:
Americans for Prosperity, one of the Koch Brothers' key operating units, in its efforts to bring its conservative influence into national politics, is expected to spend more than $125 million in the 2014 elections.
After getting thrashed in the 2012 elections, when the brothers and their friends spent nearly $400 million with little to show for it, they have adopted much of the Left's political organizing strategy and database management strategies. They're determined not to make the same mistake twice.
In January, the Koch Brothers were able to raise nearly
More Hidden Costs of Obamacare Coming to Light
The latest tally shows that Obamacare enrollments are just over 2 million, falling far short of the estimated 3.3 million expected to sign up by January 1st, and putting into serious doubt the goal of 7 million by the end of March.
At first blush, it's the premiums. Many are learning to their dismay that
Koch Brothers Revamp Strategies for 2014
At the Koch Brothers' donors' strategy meeting at the Renaissance Esmeralda golf resort in Palm Springs, California, last week, the atmosphere was a blend of reality and optimism. The reality was stated in an email from Charles Koch that was sent to potential participants back in January explaining why the meeting was being postponed to April:
Despite November's disappointing election results, I am convinced that
Overlooked Conservative Victories
Tim Phillips speaks at an AFP healthcare rally next to the United States Capitol in October 2009. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Tim Phillips, a columnist at Townhall, reminded his readers that "out in the states we saw a year of broad-based victories for economic freedom that demonstrate anew that all is not lost. In fact, we are winning with the American people in many respects."
Who, exactly, is the "we" that he is talking about? Phillips is the head of Americans for Prosperity, which was founded in 2004 and funded initially by the Koch brothers. It's mission is to promote conservative principles such as "limited government and free markets on the local, state, and federal levels." It has
Charles Koch: Covert Libertarian No Longer
A statement for the Koch Brothers at the Occupy Wall Street protests. (Photo credit: Caroline Schiff Photography)
In Jane Mayer's expose of Charles Koch, the billionaire conservative running Koch Industries in Wichita, Kansas, she made it sound as if she were shedding the light on Koch's political activities for the very first time. Titled "Covert Operations," Mayer noted that the growth of Koch Industries since Charles and his brother David took over its operations after the death of their father, Fred Koch, in 1967, has made each of them multi-billionaires—somewhere in the neighborhood of $25 billion each. Koch Industries operates oil refineries in Alaska, Texas, and Minnesota, 4,000 miles of pipeline, along with Brawny paper towels, Dixie cups, Georgia-Pacific lumber, Stainmaster carpets, the spandex product Lycra and generates an estimated $100 billion a year in revenues.
But the real lowdown, according to Mayer, is how they are investing their wealth:
The Kochs are longtime libertarians who believe in drastically lower personal and corporate taxes, minimal social services for the needy, and much less oversight of industry—especially environmental regulation.
And they are doing it with a flourish. Mayer quotes Charles Lewis, the founder of the Center for Public Integrity—calling it a "non-partisan watchdog group" which in fact is funded by internationalist socialist George Soros' Open Society Foundation and the Ford Foundation, among others, to "reveal abuses of power, corruption and dereliction of duty by powerful public and private institutions…"—as saying:
The Kochs are on a whole different level. There's no one else who has spent this much money. The sheer dimension of it is what sets them apart…
Charles Koch's efforts are based on both the short-run—determined to keep President Obama a one-term president and turn control of the Senate back to the Republicans, as well as the long-run—by
Wealthy Conservatives Working to Unseat Obama, Take Back Senate
Las Vegas casino magnate Sheldon Adelson announced his intention on Friday to give $10 million to political action committees controlled by Charles and David Koch who in turn are themselves giving substantial sums to unseat President Obama and turn control of the Senate back to the Republican Party.
Earlier this year, Adelson, the CEO of the Las Vegas Sands Corporation which owns and operates the Venetian Resort Hotel Casino and the Sands Expo and Convention Center, and who is reputedly worth $25 billion, attended a Koch brothers-sponsored gathering of super-wealthy conservatives in Palm Springs, and after listening to the action plans and strategies to influence the November elections, decided to support their efforts.
Adelson's intentions are to give upwards of $100 million in support of conservative causes. He explained:
What scares me is the continuation of the socialist-style economy we've been experiencing for almost four years. That scares me because the redistribution of wealth is the path to more socialism, and to more of the government controlling people's lives. What scares me is the lack of accountability that people would prefer to experience, just let the government take care of everything.
This is music to the ears of the Koch brothers, who have been providing support for conservative causes for years, starting with their father's establishment of the Fred C. and Mary R. Koch Foundation in 1953. The senior Koch was an early member of The John Birch Society and noted in a speech in 1963 his concern about "a takeover" of the United States government by communists who would "infiltrate the highest offices of government in the U.S. until the president is a Communist, unknown to the rest of us."
In a lengthy and controversial "exposé" of the Koch brothers in a
Amendment to End Energy Subsidies Fails in the Senate
Senator Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) introduced the Energy Freedom & Economic Prosperity Act (EFEPA) in February and then offered his bill as an amendment to the Transportation Bill last week. Had it passed it would have eliminated all energy tax credits not only for wind, solar, biomass and biofuels but for coal, oil and natural gas as well. Said DeMint:
Our tax code is riddled with loopholes for special interests and it's time to end this corporate welfare that is hurting our economy. When Washington picks winners and losers in the energy market, those with the highest paid lobbyists win while the small businesses and taxpayers lose. We shouldn't favor ethanol over hydrogen, nuclear over natural gas, or oil over renewables. The free market economy works when everyone competes on a level playing field and works to provide Americans with the best, lowest-cost products.
The original bill and the amendment were supported by a raft of free-market advocates including Americans for Prosperity, Club for Growth, Heritage Action and the National Taxpayers Union. In a letter to its members FreedomWorks urged them to pressure their senators to vote for the amendment, noting that "these subsidies have long distorted the market for new sources of energy by allocating funding to the technologies with the best lobbyists instead of those with the most value to consumers."
According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration's study of subsidies to the energy industry completed last July, the federal government in 2010 gave out $37 billion of taxpayer monies, more than double the amount given away in 2007. Biofuels received $6.6 billion, wind received $5 billion, solar and biomass each received $1.1 billion, coal received $1.3 billion while oil and gas received subsidies of
Dems Receive 89% of Donations by Top Political Donors
The recently released study of "heavy hitters" by the Center for Responsible Politics showed the amount of money the top 140 political donors gave to Democrats and Republicans from 1989 through 2010. Four of the top six gave $170 million over that period, with $151 million going to Democrats, and less than $3 million going to Republicans (the difference going to unaffiliated or independent political groups). In simple math, Democrats received 89 percent while Republicans got less than two percent.
The top all-time political donor is
Many of the articles on Light from the Right first appeared on either The New American or the McAlvany Intelligence Advisor.
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