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News - May 2013 - Portland State University
|May 2013
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Monday, May 13, 2013
»Leerom Medovoi, English faculty, gave an invited presentation, "Developments in the 'Religion, Secularism, and Political Belonging' Mellon/CHCI Collaboration," at the Consortium of Humanities Centers and Institutes Annual Meeting, University of Kansas, Ap
»Virginia Butler, Anthropology faculty, organized a session "Preliminary Results from the Tse-whit-zen Project: Zooarchaeology and Geoarchaeology of a 2000 Year Old Lower Elwha Klallam Village on the Strait of Juan de Fuca, Washington State" at the Northw
»Inger M. Olsen, World Languages and Literatures faculty, presented the paper "H.C. Andersen's story 'Pengegrisen' [the piggy bank] and the Danish State Bankruptcy, 1813" at the Society for the Advancement of Scandinavian Study, Annual Meeting, hosted by U
»Will Parnell, Curriculum and Instruction Early Childhood Education faculty, presented a paper, "A/r/tography and Action Research: Crisis, Empowerment, and Learning in Early Childhood" in the session "Lending Lives: Arts-Based Educational Research as Imagi
»Daneen Bergland, University Studies faculty, wrote the poem, "Accidents of Trees," published in the book Alive at the Center, an anthology of Pacific Northwest poets.
»Dan DeWeese, English faculty, authored "Burning Bushes," published in Oregon Humanities magazine, Spring 2013.
»Ellen Shoshkes, Urban Studies and Planning faculty, authored a book, Jaqueline Tyrwhitt: A Transnational Life in Urban Planning and Design, published by Ashgate.
»Shawn Smallman, International Studies faculty, authored an article, "Biopiracy and Vaccines: Indonesia and the World Health Organization's New Pandemic Influenza Plan," published in the Journal of International and Global Studies, Vol. 4, No. 2, April 201
»Christof Teuscher, Electrical and Computer Engineering faculty, was awarded a Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency grant titled "Sparse Adaptive Local Learning for Sensing and Analytics (SALLSA)." The total award sum is $5.69 million for 4.25 years.
»Dilafruz Williams, Education faculty, was an invited panelist for the session, "Educating for a Post-Capitalist World: The Interplay of Ecological and Economic Sustainability," at the American Educational Research Association annual meeting in San Francis
»Anoop Miripuri, English faculty, was the subject of an article, "Profile of a Public Scholar: Anoop Mirpuri," published online in the University of Washington's Simpson Center for the Humanities newsletter, March 28.
»Sergio Palleroni, Architecture faculty, was featured in the article "Blazing Trails: A Dedication to Social Justice Propels Today's Young Professionals," published online in Residential Architect, April 8.
»Scott Burns, Geology faculty, presented two papers, "Arsenic in the Soils of NW Oregon" and "Ancient Cataclysmic Floods in the Pacific Northwest: Ancestors of the Missoula Floods" at the Oregon Academy of Sciences in Salem, Oregon at Willamette University
»Juan Heredia, Architecture faculty, co-organized an international conference, "The Place of Theory in Contemporary Architecture Pracitice and Education," in Bangkok, Aug. 16-17.
»Alastair Hunt, English faculty, presented the papers "The Law of Wild Surmise" at the meeting of the British Animal Studies Network, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, Scotland, April 27.


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I write books on women's rights and humanism. But the fanatics won't let me live. Just got this news. 200,000 ulemas will sign the petition demanding my deportation. Then 2 million Muslims in urs celebration will get crazy to throw me out of the country or to kill me in the name of Islam. It is so easy for Islamists to kill and destroy human lives. They only need to think of Allah and his messenger in order to become cold blooded murderers.
A Muslim cleric from UP, who had filed a police complaint against Bangladeshi author Taslima Nasreen for allegedly hurting religious sentiments, is now at the forefront of a campaign demanding that she be expelled from India for spreading "anti-Muslim feeling."
"We will start a campaign for expulsion of Taslima Nasreen. She is against our religion and has hurt our clerics," said Hasan Raza Khan alias Noori Miyan, son of the 'sajjadanasheen' of Bareilly's Aala Hazrat Dargah, Maulana Subhan Raza Khan.
He said the demand will be raised during the last day of annual Urs-e-Razwi of Imam Ahmed Raza, commonly known as Aala Hazrat, in Bareilly on Monday.
Noori was also felicitated by Raza Academy of Mumbai during the urs on Saturday for taking "the initiative to lodged the case against Taslima."
Noori had lodged the case with Bareilly Kotwali on December 4 against Taslima for using abusive language against Muftis and hurting the feelings of Muslims.
"We will collect signatures of nearly two lakh ulemas demanding expulsion of Taslima. Nearly 20 lakh people come during the urs celebrations and we will put forward our demand before them," he said.
Noori said Taslima is a foreigner who is "spoiling the atmosphere of our country by spreading anti Muslim feeling". "I don't see any point in Taslima being given asylum in our country. She should be immediately asked to leave," he added.
Earlier, Noori's uncle Tauqeer Raza Khan, the chief of Ittehad-e-Millat Council (IMC) had allegedly announced a reward of Rs 5 lakh on Taslima's head if she remains in India.
Taslima had reacted after Aam Admi Party leader Arvind Kejriwal had met Tauqeer Raza before Delhi Assembly elections soliciting his support.

subset: commoncrawl


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A drug bust isn't keeping T.I. from making his fans happy.
On the heels of a recent run in with the law, T.I. hit the stage at a nightclub in his hometown of Atlanta over the Labor Day weekend, ripping though old hits to the delight of fans, reports MTV. He was joined onstage by rapper Nell for a rendition of his hit song, "U Don't Know Me."
The King of the South and his wife, singer Tameka "Tiny" Cottle, were arrested on September 1 in Los Angeles after making an illegal U-turn. Police searched the car after allegedly smelling marijuana, and turned up pills that were later found to be ecstasy.
U.S. & World
News from around the country and around the globe
Cottle has taken to Twitter to thank T.I.'s fan's for their support while the legal process plays out.
"Jus wanted 2say thank u 2every1 dats been leaving encouraging msgs & prayers!" she posted. "We love u guys:)"
Selected Reading: MTV


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Opening a can of worms?
Posted by John Beech on March 27, 2013
The varying relationship between football clubs and their local councils I have, in a previous posting, described as a postcode lottery. It is often a vital one, especially when the stadium sits at the heart of an issue. I am of course particularly aware of this as a resident of Coventry, where a protracted dispute lingers on with ever more serious potential consequences, as those who follow my news tweets (@JohnBeech) will be aware. (Even after the High Court hearing yesterday there are unanswered questions, so I'm going to pass on commenting until things are clearer.)
The European Commission is not a body which ever normally prompts me to write about football, but a recent news item had set me thinking. The report (1) referred to an in-depth investigation by the European Commission into the relationships between five Dutch councils and their local football clubs. The concern was with whether there had been any breaches of EU law in the way that the councils may possibly have given illegal state aid to the clubs.
The full official report on the EC's investigation so far can be found here. The specific findings to date on the five clubs under investigation are given below:
Name of club
Year of measure
|NEC (1st league)
|Municipality of Nijmegen bought off a claim made by NEC for €2.2 million.
|MVV (2nd league)
|Municipality of Maastricht waived a claim of € 1.7 million on MVV and bought the stadium for €1.85 million.
|Willem II (1st league)
|Municipality of Tilburg lowered rent of stadium with retroactive effect, total advantage €2.4 million.
|PSV (1st league)
|Municipality of Eindhoven bought land from PSV for €48.385 million and leased it back to this club.
|FC Den Bosch (2nd league)
|Municipality of Den Bosch waived a claim of €1.65 million on FC Den Bosch and bought training facilities for €1.4 million.
It is not the enormity of the potential crimes that set me thinking, rather their almost mundane nature. In England, were there clubs who would find themselves in similar, if not identical circumstances, inadvertently being guilty of receiving illegal state aid? On the face of it, the answer is surely 'yes'.
Certainly there are English clubs which rent their stadiums from the local council as the owner of the stadium. There are equally certainly others who have received financial support in building new stadiums.
What really set me thinking about all of this was the accidental discovery of a report that Spanish clubs may also be under investigation. This I came across in the 7th March issue the print edition of the English language version of the respected newspaper El Pais (not, I have to be honest, part of my regular reading material – it was a freebie on a flight from Madrid to Munich). I've been unable to find the report in English on the newspaper's website (but the original Spanish is here).
The report implied that the Spanish investigation was not taking place in a pubic way – there was an inferred secrecy surrounding it. Could it be that the football clubs of yet other nations were under investigation?
If such an investigation were (and you'll note my cautionary use of the subjunctive) to take place with respect to English clubs, which might have cause for concern?
Given my clear admission that I am not a legal expert, for once I would positively encourage readers' comments. I would particularly like to hear the views of legal academics who specialise in football clubs (and even post-games Olympic stadiums, and post-Commonwealth-games stadiums!).
9 Responses to "Opening a can of worms?"
June 16, 2013 at 17:08
Finch Farm. Everton's new training ground.
September 1, 2013 at 20:43
Agree for Everton
February 10, 2014 at 22:24
Yes, legal questions will become more and more with clubs like Man. City, Chelsea, PSG, Monaco and still to come many more in the future…
June 2, 2014 at 20:32
- June 2, 2014 at 20:32
November 11, 2014 at 16:02
Totally right for Everton…
June 21, 2015 at 01:04
[…] is the Recent Posts section. An article that caught my attention under this section is titled Opening a can of worms ?.This article covers the issue of the relationship between English clubs' management and their […]
January 14, 2016 at 08:29


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Wednesday, Jun 22, 2016, 7:00 am · By George Lavender
17% Of The Prison Population Has Hepatitis C, Here's How That Could Change
Hepatitis C affects an estimated 1% of the general population but 17% of the prison population. Until relatively recently, treatment for the disease had extremely limited success rates and highly unpleasant side effects. That's changed with the introduction of new drugs that are significantly more effective at treating the disease.
However, not all prisoners have been able to receive the new drugs, something that has prompted some prisoners to take corrections departments in Massachusetts, Minnesota and Pennsylvania to court. At issue is the cost of the newer drugs. Take Solvadi and Harvoni, for example, two of the most successful new drugs. A single pill of each costs $1,000 and $1,125 respectively. Prison departments that are using the newer treatments have seen their spending on Hepatitis C increase dramatically.
A study published earlier this year in the Annals of Internal Medicine argues that treating Hepatitis C in prisons, has consequences outside prison walls as well. In fact, the study claims that the move is cost-effective in the long-run. This was a recent story I produced for Marketplace:
Dr. Jagpreet Chhatwal, assistant professor of radiology at Harvard Medical School, has studied the economics of treating hepatitis C in prisons and said that while the drugs are expensive, liver transplants and treatment for patients with hepatitis C in its later stages are also costly.
He said treating the disease in prison is worth it in the long run because cutting the number of infected people in prison has a dramatic impact on the number of people living with the disease society wide. That's because the average length of time anyone spends in prison is three years, but it can take 20 or even 30 years before the more damaging consequences of hepatitis C manifest. By that point, the majority of those who had been in prison have been released and would require treatment in the community.
Chhatwal said his findings show that if all prisons tested all prisoners and treated all those who needed it, they would diagnose between 41,900 and 122,700 neses of the disease in prison over 30 years. To do this, he said, would require prisons on average to ramp up spending by an extra 12 percent. Continue reading…
Monday, Jun 20, 2016, 11:40 am · By George Lavender
What Are People Saying About the Stanford Case?
"Even if the sentence is light, hopefully this will wake people up," she said. "I want the judge to know that he ignited a tiny fire. If anything, this is a reason for all of us to speak even louder." Stanford sexual assault survivor (via Buzzfeed)
Earlier this month, Brock Turner, a former Stanford University Student was sentenced to six months in jail for sexual assault. On "good behavior" he will serve three. There has been a long-running campaign against campus sexual assault for many years, but this case gained national attention after a statement by the survivor of the assault went viral.
The statement, which she read in court, is directed for the most part at Turner himself. She describes the assault and the effects it has had on her. She describes being revictimized by Turner's testimony, and the accusatory lines of questioning she faced. She also thanks those who had supported her, including the two other students who witnessed the assault and intervened.
Her letter received widespread attention. Among those prompted to respond publicly was Vice President Joe Biden who described himself as "filled with furious anger" and wrote "An Open Letter to a Courageous Young Woman."
The court case prompted intense public discussion and many, many, articles written about the legal and criminal justice issues it raises. Here I've tried to compile just some of those responses
Sunday, Apr 24, 2016, 7:38 pm · By George Lavender
Governor Restores Voting Rights To More Than 200,000 Formerly Convicted Virginians
Virginia's Governor Terry McAuliffe restored the voting rights of more than 200,000 people previously convicted of felonies on Friday.
In a statement McAuliffe said: "Too often in both our distant and recent history, politicians have used their authority to restrict peoples' ability to participate in our democracy. Today we are reversing that disturbing trend and restoring the rights of more than 200,000 of our fellow Virginians who work, raise families and pay taxes in every corner of our Commonwealth."
According to a report by the Sentencing Project, in 2010 nearly 6 million people were unable to vote because of a felony conviction. The same report found that felony disenfranchisement disproportionately affected African Americans. Rates of disenfranchisement were four times higher amongst African Americans compared to the rest of the population. Virginia was one of three states, where more than one in five African Americans are disenfranchised because of a prior felony conviction.
McCauliffe is a prominent Clinton ally, leading some Republicans to suggest the move was motivated by electoral politics in a swing state, than about civil rights. Virginia's Republican Party Chairman John Whitbeck told Fox News voting rights should be restored to "those who have paid their debts to society" but "there are limits." He went on "Gov. McAuliffe could easily have excluded those who have committed heinous acts of violence … . His decision doesn't speak of mercy. Rather, it speaks of political opportunism."
As Politico reports, the Governor used an appearance on ABC to hit back at his critics.
"Well, I would tell the Republicans quit complaining and go out and earn these folks' right to vote for you. Go out and talk to them," the Democratic governor told George Stephanopoulos. "I find it very—and in fact, I think some of the language that has come out of the Republicans, I would tell them to be very careful at how they frame this, very careful of their rhetoric."
Republicans, he continued, "have an opportunity to go out and get these individual new voters to vote for them. But make your argument." Continue reading...
According to the New York Times' Nate Cohn the move could have a small but significant impact on elections in Virginia. He notes that "ex-felons are less likely to vote than nonfelons, even when ex-felons are eligible to vote" but that in a best-case scenario for Democrats re-enfranchised voters could add 29,400 extra votes for Democrats. "In the 2012 election, that would have increased Mr. Obama's margin of victory to 4.6 percentage points from 3.9" Cohn writes.
"There aren't many things that can move the results of a presidential election by a half-point. The Clinton or Sanders campaign would undoubtedly spend millions of dollars to earn that kind of extra edge. Mr. McAuliffe has given it to them." Continue reading...
Virginia follows Maryland in restoring voting rights to those convicted of felonies. The Maryland legislature passed a bill in February restoring the rights of 40,000 Marylanders, about half of whom live in Baltimore.
Tuesday, Mar 15, 2016, 1:05 am · By George Lavender
Alabama Governor Blames Prisoner Uprisings On "Overcrowding And Understaffing"
Alabama's Governor blamed "a volatile mix of overcrowding and understaffing" for two prisoner uprisings at state facilities in the space of three days. Governor Robert Bentley called for immediate action to "reduce overcrowding and provide facilities that are safer and more secure for both inmates and corrections officers."
The William C. Holman Correctional Facility was placed on lockdown after prisoners stabbed the prison warden and a corrections officer and set fire to parts of a dormitory on Friday night. The prison was said to be under the control of corrections officers on Saturday, but on Monday morning prisoners again barricaded themselves in a dormitory. According to the AP the dormitory was again under corrections control by the evening.
Videos from the uprising were apparently posted online along with statements from prisoners themselves, like this one posted on AL.com
It's not the first time that Alabama prisoners and politicians have highlighted overcrowding and poor conditions inside Alabama's prisons. About 24,000 prisoners are currently held in prisons designed for around 13,000.
The Prison Complex previously reported on the prisoner-led "Free Alabama Movement" as well as efforts by legislators to reform the state's prison system.
Governor Bentley advocates building three new men's facilities and closing 13 of the state's 15 prisons.
Friday, Mar 4, 2016, 10:31 pm · By George Lavender
Where Might Remaining Guantanamo Detainees Be Sent If The Camp Closes?
Keeping his campaign promise to close Guantanamo Bay detention camp has so far eluded President Obama.
Questions about the legality of detaining foreign nationals without trial, as well as accusations of torture at the site have dogged the detention facility since the first prisoners arrived in 2002. There are now less than 100 detainees remaining at Guantanamo. This February the Department of Defense sent Congress a new plan to close the camp. Under the plan, detainees cleared for transfer to other countries will continue to be moved out of Guantanamo and the remaining detainees will be transferred to the US. The small number that have been convicted under the controversial military tribunal system would serve their sentences here, others would be charged and tried in either military or civilian courts. The remainder would continue to be held without charge under law-of-war detention.
But there's a major obstacle to this plan: Congress.
Congress has repeatedly passed legislation that prevents the use of federal funds to transfer detainees to the US. National and local politicians opposed to the transfers say that bringing detainees suspected of terrorism to the US will put Americans at risk. Advocates for closing Guantanamo point out that there are already 349 people convicted of terrorism serving sentences in the US.
If, and that's a big "if," detainees were ever brought to the US, where would they be held? The new plan does not name specific facilities, but in the past a number of existing prisons have been suggested, and a team from the Pentagon recently visited several other sites. Here are the prisons that are reportedly being assessed, or have previously been considered for detainees.
Midwest Joint Regional Correctional Facility, Fort Leavenworth
Listed in a Government Accountability Office (GAO) report as a possible facility to hold Guantanamo detainees, the Midwest Joint Regional Correctional Facility is one of three federal prisons at Leavenworth. Robert Bales, the US Army soldier found guilty of killing 16 Afghan civilians in what became known as the Kandahar Massacre, was held here and also at the North East Joint Regional Correctional Facility (NEJRCF) in Washington before his trial. The NEJRCF was also listed in the GAO report.
US Disciplinary Barracks, Fort Leavenworth
The US Disciplinary Barracks first opened in 1874 and was rebuilt in 2002. It's the military's only maximum security facility for court martialed male officers and is also the site of the military death row. It has frequently been proposed as a possible location for Guantanamo detainees, but faces local political opposition. Kansas Governor Sam Brownback, together with the Governor of South Carolina, Nikki Haley, wrote to the Defense Secretary Ash Carter, opposing any transfer of detainees to his state. Their letter called those in Guantanamo "among the most deadly terrorists in history" and concluded "please know we will take any action within our power to make sure no Guantanamo Bay detainees are transferred to South Carolina and Kansas."
Naval Consolidated Brig, Charleston
The Naval Brig at Charleston has already been used to hold terrorist suspects. Jose Padilla, a US citizen designated an "enemy combatant" was held for three and a half years without trial here before being tried in a federal court and convicted of conspiracy. He is currently serving his sentence at ADX Florence, the only super-maximum security prison run by the Bureau of Prisons, which holds several prisoners convicted of terrorism. The GAO report also pointed to the Naval Consolidated Brigs in Chesapeake and Miramar as possible locations for Guantanamo detainees.
Federal Correctional Institute, Florence
Along with Centennial Correctional Facility, FCI Florence is one of the Colorado prisons the Pentagon team assessing alternatives to Guantanamo planned to visit. FCI Florence is nextdoor to ADX Florence. Both FCI Florence and Centennial Correctional Facility are in Representative Doug Lamborn's (R) district. Representative Lamborn voiced his opposition to the Pentagon even considering the two prisons saying "The people of Colorado do not want the world's worst terrorists housed in our own backyard and we will not stand for this" he went on to say he would do "everything in my power to resist these unlawful terrorist transfers from taking place." Governor John Hickenlooper (D) sounded a more conciliatory note, his spokesperson said "The governor, like the Pentagon, wants to have a full understanding of the costs, risk and impacts for Colorado."
Centennial Correctional Facility, Cañon City
Colorado's Department of Corrections opened Centennial Correctional Facility in 2010 and closed it just two years later, due to a lack of prisoners. Designed with 948 isolation cells, the prison was intended to hold prisoners in solitary confinement but the state's reduction in use of solitary meant that the $208 million prison was used only briefly and now sits empty.
AUSP Thomson
The federal government purchased the "state-of-the-art, maximum-security prison" from the State of Illinois in 2012 for $165 million. It had been touted as a possible site for detainees, but by the time the government took ownership of the prison, Congress had already blocked the use of federal funds to transfer Guantanamo prisoners to the US.
Even if Congress agreed to allow the transfer of detainees to one or more of these facilities some advocates, such as the ACLU, have raised concerns that serious issues with the detention and treatment of terrorism suspects would remain.
Importing indefinite detention and unfair military commissions would just create "Guantánamo North" on American soil, entrenching the prison's blight on our nation's core values and the rule of law. And it will perpetuate, and possibly worsen, the agony of men denied an end to their plight. Continue reading...
Wednesday, Mar 2, 2016, 1:04 pm · By George Lavender
How Do Companies Make Money From Incarceration?
Have you ever wondered how companies make money from incarceration?
These recently released graphics, produced by the research and policy center In The Public Interest, map some of the many ways private companies are involved in each stage of the criminal justice and immigration systems.
The Prison Complex spoke with Donald Cohen, the Executive Director and founder of In The Public Interest.
What sparked this interest in private companies in the criminal justice and immigrant detention systems?
We did it for a few reasons. We focus a lot on private prisons and we realized that it went much further, that there was a lot of private involvement in all the steps that someone walks through when they're walking through the corrections or immigrant detention system.
We wanted to give a picture of the entire industry. Private incentives and private interests in public goods in corrections are not aligned with public goals. They make more money by having more people in beds and providing more of these services. We don't want that. We want less people in these services, we want money spent on education and the things we value. The final reason we wanted to do it, and this is the beginning of a larger project, we wanted to show how much profit is being extracted from the system of corrections which could be used for far better things. Better pay for corrections officers would actually help because there's high turnover. But also mental health services, and job services and education.
How did you come up with these maps?
Over the last few years we've been collecting lists of companies in the industry, and there are industry sources. One of the documents we used a lot was produced by a company that does analysis for investors. They're saying "look at all the opportunities in corrections!"
Why focus on private prisons?
(The point is often made that) it's only 10% of the population. Our work is in the context of a broader analysis around mass incarceration. There are different things we should be doing to reduce prison populations.. We think one key element of (that) strategy is to remove (private company's) power and influence which is clearly a clash between their interests, which is more heads in beds, and ours, which is less heads in beds.
This interview has been edited for clarity
Friday, Feb 19, 2016, 12:50 pm · By George Lavender
After Decades In Solitary Confinement Judge Orders Last Member of Angola 3 Released
Albert Woodfox, the last member of the "Angola 3" still behind bars, is expected to be freed Friday afternoon after more than forty years in prison, mostly in solitary confinement. Woodfox had always declared his innocence in the killing of prison guard Brent Miller in 1972. As Maya Lau of The Advocate reports, by entering a no contest plea to lesser charges of manslaughter and aggravated burglary, he is entitled to be released from prison for time served.
A Black Panther activist at the Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola, Woodfox and co-defendant Herman Wallace maintained they were blamed for the killing because they had agitated for better conditions during one of its bloodiest periods. Woodfox was convicted twice for the murder, once in 1973 and again in 1998, but judges identified problems with the way the grand juries were selected, overturning the convictions.U.S. District Court Judge James Brady, one of those judges, went even further last summer, ordering the state to release the 69-year-old Woodfox and banning the Attorney General from retrying him for the crime. But the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals overturned Brady, saying a third trial could go forward. Continue reading...
Together, Woodfox, Wallace and Robert King, another Black Panther Party member, became known as the "Angola 3," after the original name of the Louisiana State Prison. King, who was never charged with Miller's murder but who authorities maintained had been involved, was released in 2001. Wallace was freed from prison in 2013, and died three days later of advanced liver cancer.
Monday, Jan 18, 2016, 3:00 pm · By George Lavender
Feeling the Bern or Ready for Hillary? Where The Democrats Stand on Criminal Justice
Are you Feeling the Bern or Ready for Hillary? Here's where the three Democratic presidential candidates stand on criminal justice issues.
Hillary Clinton
During this campaign Clinton has talked repeatedly about the need to end "mass incarceration," and she continued that theme at the debate.
"One out of three African American men may well end up going to prison. That's the statistic," Clinton told the audience "I want people here to think what we would be doing if it was one out of three white men."
Clinton's positions on criminal justice issues have shifted over the years. As The Marshall Project puts it, Clinton has gone from "young, idealistic lawyer who represented people convicted of rape and murder and opposed the death penalty" to "wife (and a vocal supporter) of Bill Clinton, the tough-on-crime, pro-death penalty governor of Arkansas" to the First Lady who "vouched for a crime bill that significantly contributed to mass incarceration."
Along with both Bernie Sanders and Martin O'Malley, Clinton's campaign has promised to eliminate the sentencing disparity between powder and crack cocaine which research has suggested results in significantly harsher penalties for poor people and people of color. At the debate, Clinton said "we have to move away from treating the use of drugs as a crime and instead, move it to where it belongs, as a health issue."
But there are differences between Clinton's criminal justice plans and those of her opponents. For instance, both Sanders and O'Malley oppose capital punishment, while Clinton has said she is not in favor of abolishing the death penalty.
Clinton also faced criticism from activists earlier in the campaign for her links to private prison companies. Her campaign later announced that they would no longer accept donations from federally registered lobbyists or PACs for companies involved in incarceration and that money she has already received will be donated to charity. (Both her Democratic opponents have pledged to end for-profit incarceration if elected)
Bernie Sanders
After facing criticisms from some in the Black Lives Matter movement Bernie Sanders released a wide-ranging set of campaign positions, including several policy pledges specifically on criminal justice and policing.
At the debate, Sanders noted that as Mayor of Burlington he had worked "very closely and well with police officers, the vast majority of whom are honest, hard- working people trying to do a difficult job" but "if a police officer breaks the law, like any public official, that officer must be held accountable."
Sanders went on to say that police departments should be "de-militarized" and that they should "look like the communities they serve in their diversity." (How you actually achieve that is complicated) He also argued "whenever anybody in this country is killed while in police custody, it should automatically trigger a U.S. attorney general's investigation."
As a member of Congress, Sanders voted against the death penalty at almost every opportunity, and has supported efforts to decriminalize marijuana. (He recently called for the drug to be removed from the government's list of banned substances, a step further than his two opponents who only want it recategorized) He initially opposed an early version of what became "The Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act (1994)" which he said was not "a crime prevention bill" but "a punishment bill." He voted in favor of the final bill introduced by Senator Joe Biden and signed into law by President Bill Clinton, because, he said, it included the Violence Against Women Act.
Martin O'Malley
Martin O'Malley has also made criminal justice reform a central part of his campaign.
Among dozens of policy proposals O'Malley supports are plans to "Ban the Box" and restore voting rights to people with felony records. As president, O'Malley says he would "strongly support legislation that would end the drug felon ban on access to SNAP and TANF assistance." At the January debate he was asked about his record in Maryland:
I drove our incarceration rate down to 20-year lows, and drove violent crime down to 30-year lows, and became the first governor south of the Mason-Dixon line to repeal the death penalty.
(While this is broadly-speaking correct, the data suggests that incarceration rates and violent crime had actually been in decline before he took office as Governor.)
O'Malley has been criticized for supporting positions on the campaign trail he opposed in office. "What happened to the zero-tolerance Baltimore mayor who became the no-parole-for-lifers governor of Maryland?" asks Dan Rodricks at the Baltimore Sun "Where's the guy who was once bullish on mandatory minimums?"
As Governor, O'Malley vetoed a bill which would have rolled-back mandatory minimum sentences for second-time convicted drug dealers, and told a radio show "drug dealing is a violent crime."
O'Malley's platform states that law enforcement "must treat all communities fairly and earn their trust" and proposes a range of measures to encourage " independent investigations of policing cases" and "strengthen federal civil rights protections." During the debate he also drew heavily on his record as Mayor and Governor:
.. we were able to save a lot of lives doing things that actually worked to improve police and community relations. The truth of the matter is, we created a civilian review board. And many of these things are in the new agenda for criminal justice reform that I've put forward.
We created a civilian review board, gave them their own detectives. We required the reporting of discourtesy, use of excessive force, lethal force. I repealed the possession of marijuana as a crime in our state.
But O'Malley's legacy has been questioned. One in three Maryland residents in state prison are from Baltimore and the death of Freddie Gray in police custody, as well as the riots that followed prompted criticism of O'Malley's time in office. Matthew Crenson, a political sceience professor at Johns Hopkins University, told ThinkProgress, O'Malley's "tough-on-crime" approach might share some responsibility for the unrest.
"One of the possible costs is that this creates a great deal of tension in relationships between the police and communities in their policing, because it means they're always hassling people for minor offenses," he said. "And that could conceivably create the atmosphere in which it's very easy for a riot to break out when something like Freddie Gray's death occurs.." Continue reading...
Sunday, Jan 10, 2016, 4:40 pm · By Aviva Stahl
"My Words Are Dangerous": An Interview with Christopher Zoukis
While there has been a lot of interest in recent years in journalism about prisons and the criminal justice system, less well known is the journalism being done by prisoners themselves. From the San Quentin News in California to Prison Radio in Pennsylvania there are dozens of prison newspapers and radio stations and individual authors writing and publishing from inside prison. Among them is Christopher Zoukis, an award-winning writer, currently incarcerated at FCI Petersberg in Virginia. Since he was first locked up, in 2006, Christopher has published three books and written for a number of outlets, including Prison Legal News Service, the Huffington Post, AND Magazine and the New York Journal of Books. But writing behind bars is fraught with difficulties, as Zoukis told Aviva Stahl in this recent interview.
When did you first start thinking about being a journalist? What drew you to it?
I would say that I was a prison writer before becoming an incarcerated journalist. I wanted to make something of my time in prison and I wanted to connect with others like myself. In a way I suppose I was searching for community and camaraderie.
But as time went on things changed. No longer was I writing poems, but more and more serious articles. While yes, this is the direction that I wanted to take my work, I didn't so much feel that it was a choice, but almost an obligation or an honorable duty. I'm now the guy people come to when they don't know where else to turn. This is a responsibility that gives my life in here purpose, but also a tremendous weight.
My work is not always successful in the vein that I view my published work not as the end of the process, but the beginning. The goal of the writing is primarily to expose injustice, correct wrongs, and hold governmental wrongdoers accountable for their actions. But one of the people that I wrote about, Ashley Jean Arnold, a transgender prisoner incarcerated at FCI Petersburg, took her life on February 24, 2015. To date that has been my greatest failure. It is due to Ashley that I realize the work that incarcerated journalists engage in isn't merely asserting that prisoners are an essential stakeholder in the discussion, but that without our input more lives will be lost.
Talk about the process of reporting from the inside (e.g., meeting and establishing rapport with sources/interviewees; conducting interviews; doing research for current or future stories; writing up; communicating with editors, etc.).
In terms of the process, it is all pretty much the same these days. When a story is not yet on my radar, a prospective interview subject will approach me and explain what is going on with them. This could be in the law library, walking the track, in the chow hall, or, as of last night, while working out on the small rec field. Regardless of how I meet them, we usually sit down and I try to understand if they have something worth exploring.
In terms of research, I have to rely on my friends outside of prison to help me when the law library computers aren't enough. Note that I can gain access to case law, federal regulations, and statutory law, but not the internet or any scholarly journals. Due to these limitations, I extensively rely on Google Alerts. Friends print and mail these to me on a daily basis. On the other hand, when I want to delve into a specific topic, I ask an outside contact to search it out online and mail me whatever she finds.
If I find that there is a need that I can fulfill, or at least try to, then I'll use the same old tools of the trade that others have used before I was even born: paper and pen. I sit down, outline what the person has explained to me, show it to them to ensure that I'm understanding them correctly, and then get to drafting. This is where my tools of the trade differ. Federal prisoners don't have access to true word processors. Instead I have access to a clear Swintec typewriter and the Corrlinks.com/TRULINCS computer system. For larger projects I use the typewriters, but for articles I use the computers, which allow me to email friends and family. Using this monitored email system I can draft my articles and zip them off to my outside contacts, who then make submission to specific outlets for me. This is one area where I'm largely at a loss because it's often not worth it to convince editors to sign up to the email service, so I can't communicate with them directly. Instead I must rely on my outside contacts to do so for me.
What is the greatest challenge you face in reporting?
I would say that there are three areas that cause me much trouble: source material, technology, and the media in general. For the most part, I have to come up with my own article ideas and, hence, source material. This is never easy. The only publication that actually helps me with this is Prison Legal News, who, understanding the plight of incarcerated writers, send the materials that I require in order to fulfill the articles that they assign. My gratitude for this knows no bounds. Paul Wright and Alex Friedmann, Publisher and Managing Editor of PLN, intimately know the problems that incarcerated writers have due to being incarcerated writers at one point in their lives.
The other two areas go hand in hand. Being incarcerated in a federal prison, I'm very much disconnected from the outside world. This makes it very difficult to show my value to mainstream media outlets and to simply obtain the materials that I need to do timely report on developing stories. It's hard to get someone to invest in myself as a writer when I can't communicate with them on a regular basis due to communication barriers. Prison administrators also make this challenging due to restricting access to communications (e.g., limitations on telephone minutes, email access, and visitation) and retaliatory actions against incarcerated writers. The deck is stacked against us from the start.
Tuesday, Dec 15, 2015, 5:37 pm · By Susan Greene, Colorado Independent
Conviction Vacated in 28-Year Innocence Case
This article originally appeared on the Colorado Independent
A judge has lifted convictions against a Denver man who has served more than 28 years behind bars for an attack he said from day one he didn't commit.
The prosecution of Clarence Moses-EL hinged on a sole piece of flimsy evidence – an assertion by the victim of the 1987 rape and assault that his identity as her attacker came to her in a dream.
"The weight of that dream has been pressing down on me, pressing down on me hard, for more than 28 years," Moses-EL said in an interview withThe Colorado Independent earlier this month.
Today, during a phone call just after learning of the ruling, an elated Moses-EL – who turned 60 last week – said that weight is finally lifted.
"A whole lot of stress has been taken off me knowing I don't got to deal with the badness no more," he said.
"Victory!" he continued. "Right is on my side. And it has been on my side the whole time."
Today's ruling by Denver District Judge Kandace Gerdes comes after District Attorney Mitch Morrissey has fought for years to uphold the conviction despite increasing evidence of Moses-EL's innocence.
Denver officials' missteps include:
- Destroying all DNA evidence. After a judge granted Moses-EL an order to test the rape kit, the victim's clothes and other key evidence for genetic fingerprinting, authorities in 1995 put the evidence in a box marked "DO NOT DESTROY." Then, they threw it in a dumpster. Destroying the evidence prevented Moses-EL from proving his innocence for more than two decades.
- Refusing to re-open the case in 2006, when Morrissey's office started prosecuting L.C. Jackson for a similar rape of a mother and her daughter. Jackson was the first man the victim in the Moses-EL case named in her outcry, but police and prosecutors never investigated him. Even though Morrissey knew of Jackson's criminal past, the DA asserted — incorrectly — that Jackson was never named by the victim in Moses-EL's case.
- Ignoring a statement by the lead police investigator that he always had doubts about the case
- Trying to suppress new blood evidence showing it's highly likely that someone with L.C. Jackson's blood type was the attacker, and highly unlikely that it was someone with Moses-EL's blood type
- And trying to prevent L.C. Jackson from confessing in court
Morrissey's office didn't return inquiries today about the new ruling.


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The Ingenious Crust of Gotham Pizza
What's New On Serious Eats
Quite some time ago I received the following email about Gotham Pizza from Deb Perelman of the popular food blog Smitten Kitchen:
This email is entirely about pizza, and this dinky slice place (Gotham Pizza) that just opened a couple blocks from my apartment that I'm kind of in love with. It's not brick-oven, they don't import mozzarella from anywhere, there are no fancy toppings and its MO could be aptly summed up as, "Hey, at least we're not Ray's."
But seriously, as much am I waiting with baited breath for Co. to freaking open [I told you this was quite some time ago. —The Mgmt.], I have a big place in my heart for a decent NYC-style slice, and Gotham totally has it, in a neighborhood that was sorely lacking one before.
Crisp underneath and not overloaded with gloopy cheese, they also use something curious and breadcrumblike underneath (instead of cornmeal) that maybe you can help me decipher. I've never seen it before.
Oh, and two slices and a can of soda for $5 at lunchtime. How old-school New York is that?
Not more than a week after Deb's email came another one, from Slice reader "Big B":
Just wanted to give you a heads-up, Gotham Pizza opened up a week ago near your offices on 19th and Ninth. It is the second branch, first I guess is on York Ave on the Upper East Side.
I definitely believe that pizza needs to be taken in context—sometimes you crave a pie from Una Pizza Napoletana, sometimes Lombardi's/Patsy's New York coal-oven style, and sometimes you just need a nearby slice.
I was very surprised by Gotham Pizza. The sauce and cheese are standard, better than average, but that's about it. The crust, however, was surprisingly good. It is paper-thin and and has crunchy flakes on the bottom. It's not cornmeal but whatever it is, I like it. Toppings are very standard.
I took a few pictures, but I am no professional blogger. Really recommend getting down there and trying a slice, and let me know what you think even if you don't post it on the site.
Well, Big B probably figured this wasn't getting posted to the site—and indeed Gotham had slipped my mind until I craved a pizza lunch the other day and found myself down on 19th Street again.
Deb and B have pretty much written this review for me, and they're pretty much spot-on here. As they say, it's not so far out of the ordinary but for the crunch and thinness of its crust, which puts it head and shoulders above the rest of the pizza in the area. Deb mentions Ray's, and there's one a couple blocks up from Gotham, but I urge you to skip that place in favor this one.
Deb, you've hit the nail on the head regarding the "something curious" underneath. We asked, and the owner told us that it's a smattering of breadcrumbs. While some folks (read, me) would consider this cheating, it's sort of ingenious and gives the slice some extra oomph.
Indeed, the crust is super thin, too. Look at it:
Gotham Pizza
144 Ninth Avenue, New York NY 10011 (at 19th Street; map) 212-989-8858
All products linked here have been independently selected by our editors. We may earn a commission on purchases, as described in our affiliate policy.


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"Startup America also represents a historic partnership with business leaders, investors, universities, foundations, and non-profits, and we're urging others to join them in this effort. For entrepreneurs speak to what's best about America, and in their drive and innovative spirit -- in their willingness to take a risk on a bold idea -- we can see the future. We can see how America will compete and win in the 21st century global economy." President Obama
The Startup America Partnership is an alliance of top entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, angel investors, corporations, universities, foundations, and other leaders, joining together to grow the entrepreneurial ecosystems that support innovative, high-growth U.S. startups.
Overall, Startup America, through a full range of public and private initiatives, is aimed at:
Expanding access to capital for high-growth startups throughout the country;
Expanding entrepreneurship education and mentorship programs that empower more Americans not just to get a job, but to create jobs;
Strengthening commercialization of the about $148 billion in annual federally-funded research and development, which can generate innovative startups and entirely new industries;
Identifying and remove unnecessary barriers to high-growth startups; and
Expanding collaborations between large companies and startups.
Long-term commitments will include:
- Education: Expanding high-impact entrepreneurship education programs to more high schools, community colleges, and universities, reaching thousands of additional students.
Commercialization: Clearing the path to market for primary research in more universities, through a combination of regional ecosystem development, faculty engagement, and streamlined technology licensing.
Acceleration: Replicating successful entrepreneurship accelerator programs in more cities and universities, by recruiting more experienced mentors to support more startups.
The Startup America Partnership will soon convene an Entrepreneurship Action Summit, bringing together the greatest entrepreneurs and innovators in America to dramatically accelerate startup success and job creation. The work of the Partnership is made possible by seed funding from the Kauffman Foundation and the Case Foundation.
View Upcoming Events
A Strategy for American Innovation: Securing Our Economic Growth and Prosperity (pdf)
Posted at 6:05 AM


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Welcome to Mowenackie's Do-It-Yourself Home Show!
Your host for the day will be Sarah, a wannabe carpenter with absolutely no experience. Joining her is her trusty sidekick, Owen. Owen likes digging, rolling in the grass and chasing the cats. He also likes piña coladas and getting caught in the rain.
Today's project (which was actually completed two weeks ago) is: Making a Raised Bed Garden. Or at least the raised bed part.
Here are the materials you will need:
- (2) 2×6 boards, 8 ft. in length (Aside: did you know 2×6's are actually something ridiculous like 1-7/8″ x 5-3/4″? Why? This makes me feel cheated. Good thing Lowe's gives a 10% military discount.)
- 1 piece of flatwood, 1'x3′
- handsaw
- level
- measuring tape
carpenter'sretractable pencil
- power screwdriver
2 "2.5″ screws (about 20, plus a few to strip or lose in the grass)
- Band-Aids
Got all that? Okay, first lay your 8′ boards over
two saw horses the picnic table bench. Use the measuring tape to find the 4′ mark, then draw a straight line across it. Try to follow this line as you cut the board with the hand saw. Try not to cut the picnic table bench.
You should now have four 4′ boards.
Next, use the deck platform your husband just built as a level surface. Line up the boards face to end. This is called a butt joint, but I wish it wasn't. I feel awkward telling you to hold your butt joint tight while you secure it with screws.
You should now have a nice little frame.
Back to the picnic table. Measure off one square foot of the flatwood and cut. I made up the term "flatwood". I have no idea what this type of wood is called. It's not plywood. It's flatwood.
Trace a line from opposite corners of your square and cut to form two triangles. Sawing the wood will be more difficult at this angle, but suck it up.
Repeat this step. You'll need four triangles – one for each corner.
Secure the triangles in the corners using the screws.
Fine. If you want to be all fancy-dancy and not lazy, you can go inside, get a hammer and some nails. Or you could probably use thinner screws if you had them or wanted to take another trip to Lowe's. Because the 2.5″ screws may or may not split your flatwood.
In fact, they probably will.
As long as you can get the screw all the way in before the wood breaks completely, it will hold it. I think.
Other advice? If you come across a knot in the wood, it will be very difficult to get the screw through. You will have to take it out and start over in another place.
Or another.
Or another.
A word of caution: if you try to force the screw into the knot by using all your weight to lean on the power screwdriver, the screw will be %@#! hot when you finally give up and take it out. Handle with caution. Or have burn cream handy.
Don't worry if your seams aren't perfect.
The thing only has to hold dirt, not water. So get off my back, alright?
Injuries are possible.
Cue the Band-Aids.
Ignore the pain and focus on the results.
See? Owen is ecstatic.
On our next show, well show you how to turn the sandbox-looking thing you just built, into this lush abundance of fruitfulness:
Thanks for watching!


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Cube Zero, the prequel to Vincenzo Natali's Cube, is surprisingly great. And the best bit is this scene where one of the inmates reaches the "Exit." And faces the ultimate question: Do you believe in God?
I love the fact that nobody's ever said "Yes" to that question after having made it through the Cube. Oh, and the guy they're frying is their former buddy, a Cube-keeper who got sent inside. I bought Cube Zero from the bargain bin, expecting a few giggles at an inferior knock-off, the third movie in the series. But it's actually quite good.


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Jos. A. Bank Plaid Flannel Pajama Pants CLEARANCE
Browse all deals at JoS. A. Bank
See more in Clothing Accessories
* This offer may contain time-sensitive information and offers. Please check with JoS. A. Bank to confirm actual price & availability.
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BEREA, OHIO -- Baldwin-Wallace College returned two kickoffs and an interception for touchdowns as the Yellow Jacket football team defeated Ohio Athletic Conference rival Otterbein University, 35-34, today (Saturday, October 9, 2010) on Tressel Field at The George Finnie Stadium before 5,775 Homecoming fans in Berea in a wild game.
The Yellow Jackets led 7-0 after one quarter and 28-27 at halftime and Otterbein led 34-28 after three stanzas.
The Yellow Jackets opened the scoring at the 9:48 mark of the first quarter and took a 7-0 lead whenO'Rourke threw a 20-yard TD pass to senior wide receiver Josh Oswald (Milan/ Edison) and Pollock made the PAT to cap a 4-play and 41-yard drive in 4:41.
Despite its loss, Otterbein dominated B-W in total offense, 356-206, including 251-106 through the air.
The Yellow Jackets were led offensively by Miker with 70 rushing yards in 10 attempts, including the game-tying TD, senior RB John McGraw (North Ridgeville) with 53 yards in 12 attempts and sophomore quarterback Ryan O'Rourke (Avon) who completed 9-of-18 passes for 103 yards and a TD. The defense was led by senior middle linebacker Ryan Kish (Amherst/ Steele), the reigning OAC Defensive Player of the Week, with nine tackles, three tackles for loss and one quarterback sack.
The Cardinals were led offensively by Schlosser who completed 17-of-30 passes for 251 yards with a TD and the interception by Bowen. Coy led Otterbein on the ground with a game-high 111 yards on 27 attempts with the three TD jaunts. Senior WR Steve Kuzyk led all receivers with five grabs for 36 yards. Dominic Jones led the Cards with a game-high 10 tackles and ran back the kick for a TD.
The Yellow Jackets are back in action next Saturday, Oct. 16 when they travel to Ada, Ohio to play 16th-ranked Ohio Northern University at Dials-Roberson Stadium at 1:30 p.m. Fans can listen to that game live on campus radio station WBW, 88.3 FM, and via the WBW Internet Web site at www.wBW.com as well as watch that contest later that evening on SportsTime Ohio.
Fans and media are reminded that today's B-W versus Otterbein game was taped and will be shown tonight on SportsTime Ohio at 10:00 p.m., on Oct. 11 at 12 noon and again on Oct. 12 at 5:00 a.m. Six of 10 Yellow Jacket games this season are being televised by STO.
The next B-W home game is on Saturday, Oct. 23 when BW plays OAC foe Wilmington College at Finnie Stadium at 1:30 p.m. on Professor Appreciation Day. At halftime of that game, the College will honor its 1980 OAC-champion team that went undefeated during regular season and was the final team coached by the legendary Lee Tressel.
FOR MORE BW Sports Information, please contact Sports Information Director Kevin Ruple by telephone at 440-826-2327 and e-mail at firstname.lastname@example.com. Fans can access the latest B-W athletics information atwww.bw.edu/athletics and we invite you to join us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/bwyellowjackets and Twitter at http://twitter.com/bwathletics.


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More bad news for independent music bloggers as Google have shut down yet another one, this time the Scotland-focused The Pop Cop. As you can see by clicking on the link, it is no longer in existence, nothing remains. The back story and finer details, as described by Jason of The Pop Cop, can be read over at The Music Alliance Pact but here's a brief summary of the situation which, I'm sure, is all too familiar for many out there.
The blog was sent a message, listed below:
from: firstname.lastname@example.com cc: firstname.lastname@example.com We'd like to inform you that we've received another complaint regarding your blog (http://thepopcop.blogspot.com/). Upon review of your account, we've noted that your blog has repeatedly violated Blogger's Terms of Service (http://www.blogger.com/terms.g). Given that we've provided you with several warnings of these violations and advised you of our policy towards repeat infringers, we've been forced to remove your blog.
Jason says that, although there were notifications in the past - a total of ten in three years - he complied with the request for the removal of copyrighted material each and every time. However, a case over two years old ended up causing problems later on, which sounds extremely crappy and hard to understand. Here's what Jason had to say to us about the matter:
"I spent three years building up The Pop Cop into one of the most respected music blogs around. Google did not tell me which post had been in violation of their terms of service so I have no way of defending myself against the allegation and they have not responded to repeated emails asking them to explain or justify their actions."
He added that he received a total of four DMCA Takedown Notifications for a two-year old post, and one which had no links to any active mp3s whatsoever. He said:
"For all I know it could have been another illegitimate complaint about the same post that caused them to remove my blog. Yet Google will not bother to check if the DMCA system is being abused before serving me with erroneous warnings."
"The DMCA complaints procedure is a joke. For a complaint to be filed, the complainer just has to email a standard letter. To counter-claim, the accused has to fax or snail-mail a letter to Google in the United States. It's pretty clear where Google's allegiances lie."
Various artists and supporters are rallying round The Pop Cop, and you can join the aformentioned Facebook group here. "I would strongly recommend any bloggers using Google's Blogger platform to host their work should start looking elsewhere before the rug is pulled from under them," he advised any other bloggers out there.
As well as support since the blog has been closed down, many artists and promoters have e-mailed expressing their gratitude for the work done by The Pop Cop, including Matt Berninger from The National - a band who have most recently distributed free mp3s from their current album - who sent Jason a personal e-mail saying "thanks for being behind us for so long."
He added:
"Putting mp3s on music blogs as a promotional tool clearly works for musicians, which is why I had been sent hundreds of tracks from record labels and PR companies every day asking me to promote their artists on The Pop Cop. For Google to delete a music blog which is 99% supported by the music industry is ludicrous."
Meanwhile, partially Scottish Franz Ferdinand have got behind The Pop Cop, via the medium of Twitter. Obviously. They've tweeted the following things in the last day or so:
seems a shame the The Pop Cop music blog has been shut down.
We should all join this facebook group to save it http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=117117618325342 Bob
Here's info on Pop Cop and the story of its demise http://www.musicalliancepact.blogspot.com/
Let's hope something can be resolved. The whole thing seems fairly petty and ridiculous.


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President says members of congress are feigning ignorance of science because they fear backlash from 'fringe elements'
Barack Obama has turned up the political heat on climate deniers, making fun of Republicans in Congress for catering to a bunch of fringe elements.
In a speech to environmental activists in Washington, Obama suggested Republicans were playing dumb on climate change to avoid a backlash from ultra-conservative Tea Party elements.
Continue reading…


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South Carolina is just one of three states now with no limits on texting while driving, but has plans to ban reading or writing messages while on public roads, even if they are idling at a traffic light or stop sign.
The days of texting behind the wheel in South Carolina appear numbered.
S.C. House and Senate lawmakers agreed Tuesday on a compromise to ban texting while driving, making South Carolina the last state in the South to penalize the practice.
If the bill wins final approval from the General Assembly and is signed into law by Gov. Nikki Haley, the statewide measure would supersede local bans passed in 19 cities and two counties, including Columbia, Greenville and Charleston.
"This is a progressive, life-saving move in a state not known to emphasize traffic safety for the good of all drivers over individual choices," AAA Carolinas spokesman Tom Crosby said.
To follow the latest news on S.C. politics, like The Buzz on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.
South Carolina is just one of three states now with no limits on texting while driving, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.
Texting while driving is banned in 43 states. A dozen states prohibit use of phones anytime while behind the wheel.
Under the S.C. measure, drivers could not read or write text or email messages while on public roads, even if they are idling at a traffic light or a stop sign.
To text or e-mail, they would have to park or use a hands-free device. Exceptions would allow the use of a global-positioning system or messaging to get emergency help.
Once it becomes law, S.C. police would issue warnings about texting and driving for 180 days. After that period, they could start issuing tickets.
"We're slowly moving on this," said Sen. Luke Rankin, a Horry Republican who chairs the House-Senate conference committee that reached a compromise Tuesday. "We'll give people time on this."
Fines will be $25 for a violation and no more than $50 for multiple violations.
The texting fine in Georgia is $150. North Carolina has a $100 fine, while Tennessee has a $50 penalty. Columbia's texting prohibition comes with a $100 fine for violators.
S.C. police could pull over drivers for a texting violation alone.
But drivers would not be assessed penalty points on their license, and the tickets would not be included on their state records or reported to their insurers.
S.C. lawmakers wanted the penalties to mimic those issued for not wearing a seat belt. "We lead with a carrot and not a stick," Rankin said.
While the fines are not punitive, a statewide ban would kick off public-service campaigns promoting the ban and reminding drivers to put down their phones, AAA officials predicted.
The law especially could help influence the behavior of younger drivers, said Crosby, the AAA spokesman.
"Texting while driving has become harder to prevent as young people reach driving age after having had a cell phone and texting for a decade or more," he said.
©2014 The State (Columbia, S.C.)
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Not the same old song-and-dance as 'Smash' returns
On with the show!
"Smash" is back for its second season of sassy, sexy (and musical!) Broadway derring-do, both on stage and behind the scenes.
Last season this series dramatized the blossoming of "Bombshell," an exciting new musical about Marilyn Monroe, from its initial inspiration through the casting battle for the Marilyn role, with original songs and dance numbers emerging, then on to its preview engagement in Boston.
As the action resumes (with a two-hour "Smash" on Tuesday at 9 p.m. EST on NBC), "Bombshell" is headed for the Great White Way. Or is it? Money, legal and creative problems all threaten to derail its ever reaching Broadway.
Of course, it should come as no surprise to any "Smash" fan (spoiler alert?) that "Bombshell" will indeed have its premiere. This was confirmed by a reporter during a December set visit to the filming of the opening night party for an upcoming episode.
It's a posh affair, shot in the lobby of a magnificent former vaudeville theater in Manhattan's Washington Heights. Dozens of partiers are dressed to the nines, ginger-ale-as-champagne is flowing, and performing for the guests is the Bombshell Girls Band - a six-piece female ensemble, two of whose pieces are men in drag as a clever nod to the classic Jack Lemmon-Tony Curtis comedy "Some Like It Hot."
The scene includes a brief rapprochement between the two at-odds actresses who vied to be Marilyn - Karen Cartwright (played by Katharine McPhee) and Ivy Lynn (played by Megan Hilty). They join forces for a full-out rendition of the pop standard "That's Life," and, for its flashy duration, all is forgotten and all is well. That's what music can evoke in a joyous musical show, which this season "Smash" demonstrates as lavishly, rambunctiously (and musically!) as before.
Or maybe even more so, thanks to some judicious tweaking to the series since last season.
There's now a heightened focus on the Broadway world and a sharp cutback of "civilian" elements, such as the family life of "Bombshell" lyricist Julia (played by Debra Messing).
"This isn't domestic drama," says Joshua Safran, the new "Smash" showrunner who's ushered in the changes. "It was really important to me to not have a lot of outside story, to keep everything revolving around the musicals and the world of musicals, so that even if the characters have personal issues, it's all about how those personal issues are impacting their work."
This is a refinement endorsed by Christian Borle, who plays Julia's song-writing partner Tom (and who has real-life Broadway cred: He won a Tony Award last spring for his performance in the comedy "Peter and the Starcatcher").
"As somebody who has devoted a lot of time to the theater, I think it's fair to say that your personal life becomes absorbed into that world," Borle says. "So when you tell the dramatic story of the theater, you don't have to go far: it's ALL personal."
Besides, the scope of "Smash" will extend beyond the single Broadway-bound show "Bombshell."
"It will be about an entire group of theaters with shows and different actors and different composers and directors," says Safran, "but in a tight-knit community that allows us to have stories that touch upon one another."
Last season, "Smash" had a teeth-grinding effect on some viewers who found it cliched, preposterous or, worst of all, one-note. And, now, even after its rejiggering, it may still invite their snark. But other members of the audience will surely find it glorious.
The splendid cast includes the silver-throated McPhee and Hilty, along with Messing and Borle; Anjelica Huston as the never-say-die "Bombshell" producer; Jennifer Hudson in a multi-episode arc as a toast-of-Broadway singer; and Jack Davenport as Derek, the brilliant, womanizing director.
There are more original songs by Scott Wittman and Marc Shaiman (whose credits include their Tony-winning score for the 2007 musical "Hairspray"). As the real-life song-writing team behind the on-screen Julia and Tom, they will have composed 31 tunes for the first two "Smash" seasons, including 22 infectious numbers for "Bombshell" itself, just released in a real-life cast recording as "Bombshell: The New Marilyn Musical from Smash."
"We try to write a good song that fits the musical, while also trying to make it about the characters on the TV show. It's a real juggling act," says Shaiman. "And a real Rubik's Cube: the amount of people who need to be in synch on this production is mind-boggling."
Those people also include choreographer Joshua Bergasse, who, each episode, masterminds two dance routines.
"Sometimes you get an idea, you get into the (rehearsal) studio the next day, and you shoot it the NEXT day," he says. "Choreograph, shoot it, move on the next one."
It all makes for a dazzling experience to watch. Elaborate production numbers are organically integrated into a melodramatic yet complex storyline. And unlike many eye-poppingly visual series, "Smash" can't rely on souped-up computer graphics.
"CGI is kind of easier," says Jack Davenport, noting that CGI post-production is handed off to its own team of specialists to complete. "We have to do all our staging for real - an hour of television every eight days."
With a little down time before his next scene, Davenport is chilling in his trailer dressing room, parked outside the theater on W. 176th Street.
His character has been a party to the series' realignment, which calls for making things lighter, a little more comic than last year. On the premiere, take a look at how last year's imperious lady-killer Derek has been humanized in a hilarious musical fantasy: A troupe of sexy women in a bar gang up on him as a mass rebuke to his chauvinist ways, to the tune of the Eurythmics' "Would I Lie to You?"
But just because "Smash" isn't scared to have fun doesn't mean it isn't close to the truth.
"To the untrained eye it might appear arch, high-camp, kind of over-the-top," says Davenport with a laugh. "Not in the slightest. This virtually is a documentary."
Furthermore, he notes, "Smash" is a perfect show for any viewer weary of TV violence.
"There is clearly a giant audience who loves watching people sift through the entrails of a murder victim," says Davenport, "and to each his own. But there's not a day that goes by on this show that I don't say to myself, `Nobody has a gun!'"
Clearly, "Smash" sings a different tune.
Frazier Moore is a national television columnist for The Associated Press. He can be reached at fmoore(at)ap.org and at https://www.twitter.com/tvfrazier


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The Central Connecticut softball team split day one of the Hampton Tournament today, Friday, March 8, in Hampton, VA. The Blue Devils (5-4) topped the Canisius Golden Griffins 6-1 followed by a 4-2 loss to the Hampton Lady Pirates.
"We started today out with a great win against Canisius," Head Coach Jeff Franquet said. "We came close in the seventh of the second game with the tying runs on base and the winning run at the plate, but in the end we just weren't quite able to finish and pull out the win. Arielle scored both of our runs against Hampton, she did a great job getting around the bases. Overall, our offense and defense played great today and we're looking forward to tomorrow's games."
Game 1 vs. Canisius
Sophomore Laura Messina started the game in the pitcher's circle for CCSU against the Golden Griffins (7-3). She pitched the full seven innings totaling three strikeouts, no walks and only one run. Her season record improves to 3-2.
Central got the game off to a quick start bringing three runs across the plate in just the top of the first inning. Freshman Hannah Cooper singled to left field to bring sophomore Kat Malcolm, who reached the bases on a single of her own, in for the first run of the game.
With only one out in the top of the first, freshman Evie Rentzel hit a single to center field and earned two RBI. She brought in senior Nicole Springer, who had reached base on a Canisius error, and senior Sarah Emery, Cooper's pinch runner.
Canisius responded with a triple from their lead-off batter, Meghan Cuda in the bottom of the first. A Central error allowed Canisius to send another batter to base and plate Cuda for the solo Golden Griffin run of the game.
In the top of the third, Rentzel scored after a single and a stolen base from freshman Eileen Purcell. Another single from junior Arielle Bruno brought Purcell across the plate to loft the Blue Devil lead to 5-1.
In the top of the sixth, Central earned its final run when Rentzel blasted a double to left-center field, driving in Cooper who reached base on a single.
Game 2 vs. Hampton
Senior Jordan Tingley started in the pitcher's circle for Central against the Hampton Lady Pirates (9-11). She pitched the first two innings, allowing four runs, before Springer entered in the bottom of the third and held Hampton scoreless throughout the remainder of the game. Tingley takes the loss for CCSU and her season record falls to 1-2.
The Blue Devils got their bats off to a quick start again in the first inning of the second game. A single by Springer plated lead-off batter Bruno for the first run of the match-up. Two consecutive Central outs left Malcolm and Springer stranded in scoring position at the half inning.
The Lady Pirates responded in the bottom of the first with a solo homer by their number two batter to tie the game 1-1. A single up the middle brought another Hampton run in to put the Blue Devils down 2-1 at the conclusion of the first.
In the bottom of the second, Tingley walked Hampton's Diamond Ponds who scored on a double down the right field line from Kerissa Berruel. Following another walk and a Blue Devil error, Berruel crossed home plate to elevate their lead to 4-1.
Entering the bottom of the third down three, Springer entered the circle for the Blue Devils and sent three consecutive batters back to the dugout.
Central returned to the plate in the top of the fourth and senior Kelsey Barlow smacked a double to center field followed by a walk from pinch-hitting senior Stephanie Chotkevys to occupy the first two bases and attempt to narrow the Lady Pirates' lead. Chotkevys however, was thrown out on a force at second to end the half inning.
In the top of the seventh inning, with their last chance to make a comeback, the visiting Blue Devils batted from the top of the order. Bruno and Malcolm both singled followed by a walk to put Springer on first. With the bases loaded and the tying runs on base, junior Tessa Brown flied out to center field, registering the second out of the inning, but not before sending Bruno home to reduce the deficit to two. Following the play, pinch-runner Ashley Black was called out at second for the third out, ending the game 4-2, Lady Pirates.
The Blue Devils will return to action tomorrow, Saturday, March 9, in another double header at the Hampton Tournament. Central will face Siena at 10 a.m. followed by Maryland Eastern Shore at 12 p.m.


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Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 31:09 — 28.6MB)
Discussing The Republic by Plato, primarily books 1 and 2.
This is a 31-minute preview of our vintage 1 hr, 37-minute episode which you can buy at partiallyexaminedlife.com/store or get for free with PEL Citizenship (see partiallyexaminedlife.com/membership). You can also purchase the full episode in the iTunes Store: Search for "Partially Examined Republic" and look under "Albums."
What is justice? What is the ideal type of government? In the dialogue, Socrates argues that justice is real (not just a fiction the strong make up) and that it's not relative to who you are (in the sense that it would always be just to help your friends and hurt your enemies). Justice ends up being a matter of balancing your soul so the rational part is in control over the rest of you.
The Republic is Plato's utopia, described by analogy with justice in the individual: In the ideal state, the rational people will be in charge, and these leaders should go through rigorous conditioning and live communally (spouse sharing!) in order for them to serve the state effectively.
You'll hear Wes and Dylan Casey talk about their St. John's experiences (the "Johnny" discussion-only format provides a chief model for P.E.L.'s). Plus, Gay Girl from Damascus, which music degrades your character, and does suffering make people morally worse?
End song: "Manager," from the 2011 New People album, Impossible Things (song written in 1997).


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Wednesday, 14 December 2011
Cochine Agarwood & Amber Reed Diffuser & White Jasmine and Gardenia Votive Candle
Though I had been eyeing up the reed diffuser from Cochine, the price point put me off and I did have the fear that it would be just like the many other reed diffusers out there.
Zuneta had and still have an offer on that if you spend £40 or more on Cochine you get a free White Jasmine and Gardenia Votive Candle worth £20, I took this as my impetus to make the order, vowing this would be my last attempt at reed diffusers.
Cochine currently do four scents for all their products: Vietnamese Rose & Delentii; Water Hyacinth & Lime Blossom; Agarwood & Amber, and White Jasmine & Gardenia. The essential oils are harvested from Vietnamese plants and trees and the scents are meant to be reflective of Saigon's culture
I bought the Agarwood & Amber scent (£49). It contains Agarwood, White Amber, Tuberose and Patchouli and is warming with a bit of spice to it.
The Diffuser comes in an elegant box with tassel, making it a nice looking present.
Within a few hours I knew this was the one, this scents the home with ease, even my husband is extremely impressed with this. The scent is not overpowering but is noticeably there, its really nice to come in and be greeted with the comforting scent.
The candle by contrast is much milder. White Jasmine and Gardenia is a pretty light fresh floral feminine scent. I'm very picky with candles but I like this as it doesn't give off black smoke and the smell, whilst subtle, is very pleasant.
Its also made from botanical palm oil wax from a renewable resource and the cotton wick is lead-free.
I've been impressed with Cochine thus far, its a stylish looking range, luxurious and elegant but most importantly the products live up to their price tag.
I bought the diffuser from zuneta.com the candle was the gift with purchase.
6 comments:
Oh, you are naughty! I keep looking and looking again at the reed diffusers. I'd love something that really scented our room. A house full of children doesn't always make for the most elegant ambiance if you know what I'm saying ;) xReplyDelete
That sound lovely and what a fantastic present it would be.ReplyDelete
The Reed Diffuser sounds great! I've used theL'Occitane Candied Fruits Diffuser and the scent was far too subtle, I could only smell it if I got very close to it, but this one sounds much better.ReplyDelete
Hi Jane,ReplyDelete
I hear you, it is very good at covering those little people "smells". The thing is I want more of them now, one of each scent, I wonder if I can try to convince husband that these should come under a household expense ;) x
Hi ihavemostlybeen,
It would make a great present, they have paid attention to detail.
Hi Klara,
I have tried two of the L'Occitane ones and found them a bit meh, this one is the strongest I have ever tried, good thing I like the scent! :)
If you can make that idea fly, you'll have to fill me in on how to pull it off too ;)ReplyDelete
LOL Jane, I'll take that as a challenge ;) xReplyDelete


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menace(redirected from menacers)
Also found in: Dictionary, Thesaurus, Legal.
(1) A threat of violence used to secure a contract. Such a contract can be set aside, just as a contract secured by duress. (2) A threat of violence to another, such as a trespasser. Some state statutes allow the use of force to protect one's home,but do not include the ability to menace another in order to protect one's home.


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The Enemy Below. A thriller of a duel between a DE and a U-boat, well played by Robert Mitchum and Curt Jiirgens, sharply directed by Dick Powell (TIME, Jan. 13).
The Bridge on the River Kwai. Director David Lean's magnificently ironic adventure story, developed into a tragic exploration of the unmeaning of life; with Alec Guinness, William Holden (TIME, Dec. 23).
Ordet. A religious allegory, swathed in a peaceful northland light, by Denmark's Carl (Day of Wrath) Dreyer (TIME, Dec. 16).
Paths of Glory. A passion out of fashion, antimilitarism, vented by a gifted new director, 29-year-old Stanley Kubrick (TIME, Dec. 9)....
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Metro Phoenix city looks to force false alarm fines on alarm companies
AVONDALE, Ariz.—City officials here held a meeting March 7 with certain members of the local security industry as well as representatives from SIAC to discuss their false alarm ordinance. The results of that meeting include the city remaining firm on its decision to fine alarm companies for false alarms. According to SIAC industry/law enforcement liaison Jon Sargent, the outcome could have been better.
"This is similar to what happened in Fontana, but not quite the same. That had to do with due process and constitutional issues. Fining the alarm company for non-wrongful conduct is not right," Sargent said. "Part of what I read was to let them know that they can't do that. They can't fine the industry for users' false alarms."
Fontana, Calif. last year finally came to a settlement with the Inland Empire Alarm Association after a protracted legal battle over its unconstitutional false alarm ordinance.
Avondale has outsourced administration of its false alarm ordinance, including fining of alarm companies for false alarms, to Waldorf, Md.-based CryWolf False Alarm Reduction Solutions. Calls to Avondale City Council, the Avondale Police and CryWolf were not returned by press time.
What's the next step for the industry in Avondale? Sargent said regardless of whether AzAA or SIAC take the lead, there will be more action to come.
"It was our industry's hope that they would listen and work with us … We've got a serious concern with what's happened here. In every other city we work in, the third party bills and collects the fees from the users," Sargent said. "The industry can not just sit by and allow this to go unanswered. This is definitely not over."
AzAA president Maria Malice who is with C.O.P.S. Monitoring agrees something must be done.
"We want to resolve an outstanding issue that we feel needs to be addressed in the ordinance, and so we have an industry attorney reviewing it," Malice told Security Systems News. "We do not believe the council received the full picture of the operation of the false alarm fines. Cities that outsource administration and collection have found that fining alarm system owners is very effective and they collect 80-90 percent of the moneys owed without involving the alarm company in the process."
Avondale assistant chief of police Lynn Parkin said there was hope of working together.
"The city is certainly still willing to consider concerns from the alarm industry. [They've] raised questions with the adopted ordinance that will be evaluated," Parkin told SSN. "After the evaluation is complete, the City Attorney and the alarm industry's attorney are planning to meet to discuss the matter."
Arizona Alarm Association executive director Susan Brenton and Scottsdale, Ariz.-based Safeguard president John Jennings were also present at the March 7 meeting.
False Alarms
I agree consumers have to be protected from themselves...our CS does 2-call verification before calling the cops. But interestingly enough, the Police Chief in our city asked me if our CS would just call them first and not bother calling the homeowner at all, so they can get there ASAP. I told him he was rowing against the current, as everyone else wants more verification and he wants less. I doubt my competition would change, and we are not either.


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(AUSTIN, TEXAS) May 19, 2014 – Electric Transmission Texas, LLC (ETT) has filed an application with the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT) to construct a proposed single-circuit 138-kV transmission line in Nueces County from ETT's Barney Davis substation to AEP Texas Central Company's (TCC) Naval Base substation.
ETT is a joint venture between subsidiaries of American Electric Power (NYSE: AEP) and Berkshire Hathaway Energy.
The project is necessary to maintain transmission service reliability to Flour Bluff, portions of Corpus Christi, and the North Padre-Mustang Island area. The project was endorsed by the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) Jan. 24, 2013. The ERCOT endorsement also requires TCC to install a new 138/69 kV autotransformer at the Naval Base substation.
"This project provides support to the Corpus Christi area transmission network and reduces the possibility of loss of electric load during certain network conditions, such as the scheduled maintenance of transmission facilities," said ETT President Calvin Crowder.
At Naval Base substation, TCC also will construct a new 69-kV Gas Insulated Substation (GIS) to improve the service reliability of the substation equipment and install a new 138-kV/69 kV autotransformer and 138-kV termination facilities for the new line termination. ETT will construct the new 138-kV termination facilities at the Barney Davis substation.
ETT anticipates construction of the project to begin in April 2016, and the new transmission line will be energized by December 2016. Based on preliminary routing, the transmission project could total from 6.1 to 16.1 miles. The final route length will depend on which route is approved by the PUCT. The approximate cost of the entire project is expected to range between $33.1 million and $50 million.
Official notifications were mailed May 16 to all potentially affected landowners, along with maps of the proposed routes. A similar notice will be published in area newspapers. In addition, public input was gathered at jointly hosted public open houses held in October 2013. More information can be found at www.ETTexas.com.
About Electric Transmission Texas, LLC
ETT is a joint venture between subsidiaries of American Electric Power (NYSE: AEP) and Berkshire Hathaway Energy, formerly MidAmerican Energy Holdings Company. The joint venture acquires, constructs, owns and operates transmission facilities within ERCOT, primarily in and around the AEP Texas Central Company and AEP Texas North Company service territories. More information about ETT can be found at www.ettexas.com.
AEP, headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, is one of the largest electric utilities in the United States, delivering electricity to more than 5.3 million customers in 11 states. AEP (www.aep.com) has extensive experience building extra-high-voltage 765-kV transmission lines and owns the nation's largest electricity transmission system, a more than 40,000-mile network that includes 2,100 miles of 765-kV transmission lines, more than all other U.S. transmission systems combined.
About Berkshire Hathaway Energy
Berkshire Hathaway Energy owns a portfolio of locally managed businesses that share a vision for the energy future, make sustainable investments to achieve that vision, and had $70 billion of assets as of Dec. 31, 2013. These businesses deliver safe, reliable service each day to more than 8.4 million customers and end users around the world and consistently rank high among energy companies in customer satisfaction. Berkshire Hathaway Energy is headquartered in Des Moines, Iowa. Learn more and see a complete list of our businesses at www.berkshirehathawayenergyco.com.
MidAmerican Transmission
MidAmerican Transmission, a subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway Energy, is committed to the development and long-term ownership of transmission lines throughout the U.S. and Canada. The company has developed approximately $1.6 billion of transmission projects at 345 kilovolts and higher and has experience in traditional utility and stand-alone transmission projects.
This report made by American Electric Power and its Registrant Subsidiaries contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Although AEP and each of its Registrant Subsidiaries believe that their expectations are based on reasonable assumptions, any such statements may be influenced by factors that could cause actual outcomes and results to be materially different from those projected. Among the factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements are: the economic climate, growth or contraction within and changes in market demand and demographic patterns in AEP's service territory; inflationary or deflationary interest rate trends; volatility in the financial markets, particularly developments affecting the availability of capital on reasonable terms and developments impairing AEP's ability to finance new capital projects and refinance existing debt at attractive rates; the availability and cost of funds to finance working capital and capital needs, particularly during periods when the time lag between incurring costs and recovery is long and the costs are material; electric load, customer growth and the impact of retail competition, particularly in Ohio; weather conditions, including storms and drought conditions, and AEP's ability to recover significant storm restoration costs through applicable rate mechanisms; available sources and costs of, and transportation for, fuels and the creditworthiness and performance of fuel suppliers and transporters; availability of necessary generating capacity and the performance of AEP's generating plants; AEP's ability to recover increases in fuel and other energy costs through regulated or competitive electric rates; AEP's ability to build or acquire generating capacity and transmission lines and facilities (including the ability to obtain any necessary regulatory approvals and permits) when needed at acceptable prices and terms and to recover those costs (including the costs of projects that are cancelled) through applicable rate cases or competitive rates; new legislation, litigation and government regulation, including oversight of nuclear generation, energy commodity trading and new or heightened requirements for reduced emissions of sulfur, nitrogen, mercury, carbon, soot or particulate matter and other substances, or additional regulation of fly ash and similar combustion products that could impact the continued operation, cost recovery and/or profitability of AEP's generation plants and related assets; evolving public perception of the risks associated with fuels used before, during and after the generation of electricity, including nuclear fuel; a reduction in the federal statutory tax rate that could result in an accelerated return of deferred federal income taxes to customers; timing and resolution of pending and future rate cases, negotiations and other regulatory decisions, including rate or other recovery of new investments in generation, distribution and transmission service and environmental compliance; resolution of litigation; AEP's ability to constrain operation and maintenance costs; AEP's ability to develop and execute a strategy based on a view regarding prices of electricity, and other energy-related commodities; prices and demand for power that AEP generates and sells at wholesale; changes in technology, particularly with respect to new, developing or alternative sources of generation; AEP's ability to recover through rates or market prices any remaining unrecovered investment in generating units that may be retired before the end of their previously projected useful lives; volatility and changes in markets for capacity and electricity, coal, and other energy-related commodities, particularly changes in the price of natural gas; changes in utility regulation and the allocation of costs within regional transmission organizations, including PJM and SPP; the transition to market generation in Ohio, including the implementation of ESPs; AEP's ability to successfully and profitably manage our Ohio generation assets in a startup, nonregulated merchant business; changes in the creditworthiness of the counterparties with whom AEP has contractual arrangements, including participants in the energy trading market; actions of rating agencies, including changes in the ratings of AEP debt; the impact of volatility in the capital markets on the value of the investments held by AEP's pension, other postretirement benefit plans, captive insurance entity and nuclear decommissioning trust and the impact on future funding requirements; accounting pronouncements periodically issued by accounting standard-setting bodies; and other risks and unforeseen events, including wars, the effects of terrorism (including increased security costs), embargoes, cyber security threats and other catastrophic events.
Appalachian Power has issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for up to 50 megawatts of solar energy resources in West Virginia.
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