text:
Message from RetardO ExtremeO in Vibrant Diversity #general
this nig be writing rules and shit
i see him typin
see if you can post in the general
we cant
another benefit to having gen chat not be the default chat is that the default chat cant be deleted
so if you wanted to clear chat history you could just clone this chat and delete the old one
Rules look good 👍🏻☺
👍 just saw rule 4, that shit is essential
4th rule of NiggKike Klub, don't talk about NiggKike Klub
\o oh gawd can someone tell me if the pickles here are kosha?
im afraid not, son
Well hellooo there
i need to listen to knock off, even if i have no clue what theyre saying most of the time
im only 25 and i feel like an old man.. i run my 1440p monitor at 720p
@GamingPro69 @Bero @Caerulus_Rex @Campin' Carl @HGWells @Freelance Autist @GFS (national League North) @𝕳𝖊𝖎𝖉𝖗𝖎𝖈𝖍 𝕭𝖆𝖇𝖊𝖓𝖇𝖊𝖗𝖌𝖊𝖗 @c6%G @Myne1001 @CHROMEDODGER @northern_confederate @PTown @reactionarytree @Bradan O'Fahey @RetardO ExtremeO <@234288032851820544> ya son, we up in dis voice chat, come on down 2 da best, spergy-free chatroom on discord son
😓 💦 💦 💦 💦
ok in a little bit
In a bit, I have a thing I have to record first.
👌🏿 🇮🇱
no doubt son
how can i listen to molyneux if im in voice chat??🤔
he's in your head
@Reinhard Wolff ya son dis chat gon be bumpin soon
just FYI D'marcus you can also do @everyone to get attention
oh sheit... muh bad... forgive muh ass, i got dat low nigg iq
Busy, otherwise I'd hop in for a bit
jews throttling my internet ✡
honestly, if Oswald Spengler were alive today, he wouldnt have written Decline of the West, he would have just put a gun in his mouth and ended it
@PTown thx


text:
SAP's revenue for the second quarter grew 18 percent over the same quarter last year to AA!3.9 billion (US$4.9 billion) following record software revenue of over AA!1 billion, it reported on Tuesday.
The business software company in Walldorf, Germany, said all regions posted double-digit software revenue gains, while demand for SAP's new offerings continued to grow.
SAP said it benefited in the cloud market from its February acquisition of cloud software company SuccessFactors, leading to a 112 percent increase year-on-year in 12 month new and upsell subscription billings for SuccessFactors on a stand-alone basis. Cloud revenue was AA!69 million in the quarter.
The company said it recorded AA!85 million in business from its in-memory platform HANA in the quarter, putting it on track to meet its forecast of at least AA!320 million for the year. Some 100 companies are now live on HANA, which became generally available about a year ago, and 500 have purchased it, according to SAP.
Mobile revenue was AA!54 million against a target of AA!220 million for the year.
In line with preliminary estimates released earlier this month, SAP said its software revenue according to international financial reporting standards (IFRS) was about AA!1.06 billion, up by 26 percent from the same quarter last year, while software and software-related service revenue was up 21 percent to AA!3.12 billion.
The second quarter figures include revenue, profit and cash flows from SuccessFactors which were not included in the second quarter last year.
Net profit was AA!661 million up 12 percent from a year ago.
The company said it had reached the upper end of its second quarter software revenue guidance range and was at the mid-point of the guidance range for software and software-related service revenue.
Operating margins were however down at 23.6 percent from 26 percent a year earlier, because of severance expenses, the acquisition of SuccessFactors, and an increase in headcount.
The company had 60,972 employees at the end of the quarter, up by 13 percent from the same quarter last year. Some of these came from acquisitions.
SAP has forecast full-year 2012 non-IFRS software and software-related service revenue to increase in the range of 10 to 12 percent at constant currencies, which includes a contribution of up to 2 percentage points from the SuccessFactors' business.
The company expects full-year 2012 non-IFRS operating profit to be in the range of AA!5.05 billion to AA!5.25 billion at constant currencies, which is expected to be in a similar range if SuccessFactors is excluded.
SAP said it was on track to achieve its 2015 goals, which includes a revenue target of AA!20 billion.
This was SAP's "best-ever" second quarter, co-CEO Bill McDermott said during a conference call Tuesday. It's also SAP's 10th consecutive quarter of double-digit growth in software and software-related services, he said.
Growth was strong throughout the world, including Europe, according to McDermott. SAP added 2,000 "net new" customers in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, including many small and medium-sized businesses, he said.
That performance means SAP grew twice as fast in EMEA as its "nearest competitor," McDermott claimed, in an apparent allusion to Oracle.
He also named some key customer wins, including the Crocs shoe company and the National Basketball Association. The latter bought analytics software from SAP that will help it win "the game behind the game," McDermott said.
Through a mix of acquisitions and internal product development, SAP in recent years has oriented its strategy around a number of areas, including mobile applications and cloud-based software.
"IT landscapes are transforming radically," and SAP's product strategies are meeting customers where they're already going, co-CEO Jim Hagemann Snabe said during the call.
SAP's Rapid Deployment Solutions -- sets of preconfigured software and services -- are finding success, Snabe said. About 1,000 customers have bought RDS packages since their introduction in 2010, with more than half of those sold in the first two quarters of this year, according to Snabe.
The vendor has apparently also moved well beyond the past controversy over its Enterprise Support service. Introduced in 2008, the service added new features but also raised the cost of customers' annual support fees.
SAP made a number of concessions after an outcry from its user base, including the restoration of a basic support option. But today, 96 percent of customers are choosing Enterprise Support, CFO Werner Brandt said during the call.
The company has plenty to keep it busy through the rest of this fiscal year. For one, SAP's cloud software strategy can't come into full focus until it completes the recently announced acquisition of Ariba. That deal is still under scrutiny by regulatory agencies and it's not clear when it will close.
These regulatory hurdles are "quite normal," Brandt said. "At the end of the day we assume we'll get the green light in the fourth quarter."
Meanwhile, SAP is also seeking to position HANA not just as the future convergence point for all its technologies, but also as an application development platform.
That will be the focus of discussion at SAP's upcoming Tech Ed conference in October, executive board member and technology chief Vishal Sikka said in an interview.
While HANA continues maturing, SAP has positioned the Sybase ASE database as an option for customers now running rival databases such as Oracle underneath SAP Business Suite.
Sikka also reaffirmed that HANA will support the company's core Business Suite ERP application modules by the end of this year.
Oracle will undoubtedly make strong defensive moves against SAP if HANA or ASE begin making serious inroads to its database business.
In addition, Oracle is planning to release a long-awaited new edition of its database around the turn of the year, according to CEO Larry Ellison. That timing may present a more difficult decision for customers running Oracle, who in any event would have to choose between upgrading a familiar technology or replacing it wholesale.
SAP is ready to compete with Oracle's next-generation database, which is expected to be called 12c, with the "c" standing for cloud.
"They can bring it on, and we'll see," Sikka said.
John Ribeiro covers outsourcing and general technology breaking news from India for The IDG News Service. Follow John on Twitter at @Johnribeiro. John's e-mail address is firstname.lastname@example.com

subset: commoncrawl


text:
This 4 berth Toyota Hiace offers compact travel, for up to 2 adults (and also caters for up to 2 children).
The Hippie Endeavour has all the basics for your next rockin' road trip.
Rates include skoot tablet with tablet purchases available of GPS navigation for $10 per day, capped at $150. GPS and 1GB data available for $15 per day. Unlimited kilomteres, 15% GST, Kitchen Kit, Pre-hire Cleaning Fees, Vehicle Consultation Fee, 24hr Roadside Assistance, Camp Ground Guides.
Vehicle specifications
Transmission: Automatic or Manual
Vehicle age: 3+ years old
Engine/Fuel: 2.7 Litre Unleaded Petrol
Fuel Capacity: 70 Litres
Fuel Consumption (approx): 13 Litres per 100km
Power Steering: Yes
Dual Battery: Yes
Power Supply: 12/240V
Living features
Seatbelts: 2/2
Baby/Booster Seats: 2 max
Internal Walk-through Access: No
Air Conditioning/Heating: Driver's Cabin
Radio & CD Player: Radio/CD
Hot & Cold Water Supply: Cold Only
Sink: Yes
Fridge/Freezer: 62 Litres/ Yes
Gas Stove: 2 Burner Gas Stove
Water Tank: 31 Litres
Fire Extinguisher: Yes
Microwave: Yes
Sleeping configuration
Bedding for: 2 Adults & 2 Child
Double bed: 2.0m x 1.4m (max weight 200kg)
Double bed: 1.9m x 1.4m
Vehicle dimensions
Length: 4.9 metres
Width: 1.7 metres
Height: 2.7 metres
Interior Height: 1.95 metres
Kitchen Kit (per vehicle)
Cooking Utensils: Yes
Crockery & Cutlery: Yes
Tea Towels: Yes
Please Note: Vehicle specifications in the above are subject to change without notice & may vary due to modifications & or upgrades.
Hippie cannot be held liable for any such variance. Vehicles cannot be requested by make or model, only by vehicle type.
Click the images for larger previews


text:
Universal Use of EFV-TDF-FTC and AZT-3TC-LPV/r Combinations for HIV-1 PMTCT in Pregnant and Breastfeeding Women : a Phase 3 Trial (UMA)
|The safety and scientific validity of this study is the responsibility of the study sponsor and investigators. Listing a study does not mean it has been evaluated by the U.S. Federal Government. Read our disclaimer for details.
|ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00936195
Recruitment Status : Withdrawn (faillure to obtain insurance because of refusal from insurance companies)
First Posted : July 9, 2009
Last Update Posted : February 15, 2012
- Study Details
- Tabular View
- No Results Posted
- Disclaimer
- How to Read a Study Record
|Condition or disease
|HIV Infection Pregnancy Breastfeeding HIV Infections
|Drug: Efavirenz-Tenofovir-Emtricitabine Drug: Zidovudine-Lamivudine-Lopinavir/Ritonavir
|Phase 3
The prevention of MTCT during pregnancy and through breastfeeding exposure remains challenging to date in most resource-limited settings. Peripartum HIV transmission is already amenable to ARV interventions. These ARV regimens, partially efficacious are insufficiently used despite their apparent simplicity. The postnatal transmission via breastfeeding remains a serious additional threat.
This is a multicentric, non-inferiority, randomized controlled trial aiming at assessing the maternal and infant safety of a single daily fixed-dose combination of TDF/FTC/EFV (Atripla®), compared to the association of LPV/r (Kaletra® or Aluvia®) and 3TC/ZDV (Combivir®) given to African women (in Cote d'Ivoire an in Zambia) to prevent MTCT overall in breastfeeding population.
The fixed-dose combination of Tenofovir/Emtricitabine/Efavirenz (TDF/FTC/EFV or Atripla®) is a highly effective HAART combination and the simplest ARV regimen currently available in resource-limited settings and is therefore likely to become soon the lead first-line HAART regimen for adults in such settings. Its anticipated widespread prescription in women of childbearing age requires the proper documentation of its use in pregnancy and during breastfeeding.
The combination of ZDV/3TC (Combivir®) and Lopinavir/ritonavir (LPV/r) (Kaletra® or Aluvia®) is chosen as a reference regimen as it is one of the most commonly used first-line HAART for adults and the reference regimen for PMTCT in industrialised settings.
The maternal ARV regimen will be initiated as soon as possible from 20 weeks of gestation until at least the cessation of breastfeeding (with the advice to cease at six months). The decision to stop or continue the maternal ARV regimen after breastfeeding cessation will be based on the baseline maternal CD4 count and the maternal clinical stage at baseline and/or at breastfeeding cessation. A woman with a baseline CD4 <500 cells/ml will always be proposed to continue her treatment after breastfeeding cessation. A woman with a baseline CD4 count >500 will be asked to stop her treatment after breastfeeding cessation unless she has reached the WHO clinical stage IV at that time.
Infants will receive daily Zidovudine syrup from birth during the first week of life, or an updated ARV post-exposure prophylaxis recommended by WHO when women receive HAART.
|Study Type :
|Interventional (Clinical Trial)
|Actual Enrollment :
|0 participants
|Intervention Model:
|Parallel Assignment
|None (Open Label)
|Primary Purpose:
|Official Title:
|Safety and Efficacy of the Universal Use of EFV-TDF-FTC and AZT-3TC-LPV/r Combinations in Pregnant and Breastfeeding Women to Prevent mother-to Child Transmission of HIV-1 o, Resource-limited Settings: A Multicentre Randomized Phase 3 Clinical Trial
|Study Start Date :
|January 2010
|Estimated Primary Completion Date :
|January 2013
|Estimated Study Completion Date :
|June 2013
|Active Comparator: Atripla (R)
Drug: Efavirenz-Tenofovir-Emtricitabine
Atripla (R) : Efavirenz 600 mg - Tenofovir 300 mg - Emtricitabine 200 mg; Dosage : 1 pill/day
|Active Comparator: Combivir (R) + Kaletra (R) or Aluvia (R)
Drug: Zidovudine-Lamivudine-Lopinavir/Ritonavir
Combivir (R) : Zidovudine 300 mg - Lamivudine 150 mg Dosage : 1 pill twice a day
Kaletra (R) or Aluvia (R) : Lopinavir 200 mg / Ritonavir 50 mg Dosage : 2 or 3 pills twice a day
- cumulative occurence of : -adverse pregnancy outcomes (spontaneous abortion, stillbirth, congenital abnormality requiring surgical correction in children < 1 yr of age); -paediatric HIV infection; -infant mortality [ Time Frame: at 6 and 12 months following delivery/birth ]
- occurence of grade 4 events in treated women, and of grade 3 or 4 events in ARV-exposed infants [ Time Frame: at 6 and 12 months following delivery/birth ]
- frequency of virological failure (>300 copies/mL) and viral resistance profile [ Time Frame: at 6 month and 12 months post-delivery ]
- frequency of premature delivery (<37 weeks) and frequency of low birth weight (<2500 g) [ Time Frame: at delivery/birth ]
- cumulative incidence of paediatric HIV infection [ Time Frame: at 12 months after delivery ]
- tolerability of the ARV combination in treated women [ Time Frame: at 6 and 12 months following delivery/birth ]
Choosing to participate in a study is an important personal decision. Talk with your doctor and family members or friends about deciding to join a study. To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the contacts provided below. For general information, Learn About Clinical Studies.
|Ages Eligible for Study:
|18 Years and older (Adult, Older Adult)
|Sexes Eligible for Study:
|Accepts Healthy Volunteers:
Inclusion Criteria:
- being pregnant, presenting in at least the 20th week of pregnancy and no later than 2 weeks before the expected term;
- at least 18 years of age;
- diagnosed as infected with HIV-1 only;
- not currently taking any ARV drugs;
- having not been exposed to NVP in the 6 months preceding enrolment;
- willing to breastfeed their forthcoming child;
- residing and planning to continue to reside within the predefined catchment areas until 12 months after delivery;
- being able to give informed consent for enrolment in the study;
- lacking any medical contraindication to any of the proposed ARV medications;
- and accepting the principle of being randomized to receive one of the ARV regimens evaluated within the study, to prevent MTCT and for their own health when required.
Exclusion Criteria:
- presenting within 2 weeks before the expected term;
- currently taking ARV drugs;
- having been exposed to NVP in the 6 months preceding enrolment;
- not willing to breastfeed their forthcoming child;
- having severe renal insufficiency (creatin clearance < 60ml/min);
- diagnosed as infected with HIV-2 only or dually infected HIV-1 and HIV-2;
- hemoglobin < 7 g/dL in the month preceding inclusion
- HBs Ag positive
Women meeting one of the three last exclusion criteria (HIV-2 infection or co-infection, hemoglobin < 7 g/dL, HBs Ag positive) will not be randomized but will all received Atripla and be followed-up in an ancillary open cohort according the same procedures and agenda.
To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the contact information provided by the sponsor.
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier (NCT number): NCT00936195
|Côte D'Ivoire
|Programme PAC-CI, site ANRS
|Abidjan, Côte D'Ivoire
|Center for Infectious Desease Reserach in Zambia
|Lusaka, Zambia
|Study Chair:
|Didier K Ekouevi, MD, PhD
|Programme PACCI Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire
|Study Chair:
|François Dabis, MD, PhD
|Bordeaux 2 University, France
|Responsible Party:
|French National Agency for Research on AIDS and Viral Hepatitis
|ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:
|Other Study ID Numbers:
|First Posted:
|July 9, 2009 Key Record Dates
|Last Update Posted:
|February 15, 2012
|Last Verified:
|February 2012
ARV treatment
treatment naive
Communicable Diseases
HIV Infections
Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome
Lentivirus Infections
Retroviridae Infections
RNA Virus Infections
Virus Diseases
Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Viral
Sexually Transmitted Diseases
Immunologic Deficiency Syndromes
Immune System Diseases
Slow Virus Diseases
Lamivudine, zidovudine drug combination
HIV Protease Inhibitors
Protease Inhibitors
Enzyme Inhibitors
Molecular Mechanisms of Pharmacological Action
Anti-HIV Agents
Anti-Retroviral Agents
Antiviral Agents
Anti-Infective Agents
Cytochrome P-450 CYP3A Inhibitors


text:
The new Post-9/11 GI Bill provides Garzon, 25, with increased opportunities such as tuition and a monthly allowance that helps pay for rent, electricity and books. She is also taking advantage of resources from the college's Veterans Support Services Office (VSSO).
The VSSO can also help Garzon and other vets find additional sources of aid including the Federal Work-Study Program, NYS Veterans Tuition Awards, VA Work-Study Programs and the Vocational Rehabilitation Program.
"I know that through that office I can get referrals to other available services for veterans," said Garzon, who served as a supply clerk in Kuwait and Iraq from 2002 to 2006.
Before starting school, she held a job taking inventory at Home Depot. She is now considering a career in merchandising.
"I would advise veterans thinking of college to pursue their education," said Garzon, "because it is a path to success."
Correa, 56, has spent much of his adult life in the culinary field, including a three-year stint as an army chef/baker in Germany, during which he cooked for 600 soldiers.
"I first started college in 1979," said Correa, "but juggling school, research, a job at the World Trade Center and screaming kids meant getting to sleep at one in the morning and up at five to get to work at seven."
He earned an Associate's degree from the former New York Restaurant School and completed an internship with celebrity chef and City Tech alumnus Michael Lomonaco. Correa went on to become a member of the Gracie Mansion culinary staff from 2000 to 2003.
Now a grandfather, he is ready for a change of pace, enrolling in City Tech in Fall 2009 to pursue a Bachelor's degree in hospitality management.
"Most cooking schools don't have a hospitality program, and I want to expand to other things," said Correa. "At my age, I want to do more than stand in front of an oven!"


text:
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Mr. Speaker, I could not agree more with the hon. member. If one is forced to pay into something one should have a reasonable expectation of collecting what was promised.
The example I used before was of people with mandatory fire insurance on their homes. They have to pay into it. They have no choice. Yet if their houses burn down there is less than a 40% chance of being able to collect. They would think they had been cheated, that they had been robbed. That is fundamentally wrong.
The hon. member pointed out some kind of geographical discrimination in a sense. There are other inequities in the program which are just as glaring. For instance, an unemployed woman has less than a 25% chance of being able to collect employment insurance because women are more likely to be in part time work, and part time workers are disproportionately affected.
A youth under 25 years of age, and the young people listening today should be aware of this, has less than a 15% chance of collecting any benefits, even though it is mandatory to pay into the program. The hon. member is right. It ceases to become an insurance program. It is really another tax on the paycheque.


text:
Republican pierces Bridgeport's Democratic wall
BRIDGEPORT, Conn. (AP) -- The municipal election in Bridgeport has produced a rarity on the city council: A lone Republican who's joining 19 Democrats.
The Connecticut Post reports that Republican Rick Torres won in a tight four-way race. He said there's a watchdog now on the city council in Connecticut's largest city and that business as usual is over.
Torres owns a local market and eatery and has previously run for mayor.
Torres could be excluded from much of the council's business as the Democrats meet in private caucuses with Democratic Mayor Bill Finch. But the new councilman promised on Tuesday to reach out to some of the council members who won as petition candidates to create a "fusion" caucus.
He says he refuses to sit alone and caucus by himself.


text:
Outsider artists honored in Wisconsin
exhibitions have a way of staying with you for years, either through the
sheer strength of the work, its interaction with your own life or psyche, or
some confluence of the two.
A handful of shows have resonated with me so much that they have
literally changed the course of my life.
One of those was in 1988 at the Milwaukee Art Museum. I no longer recall the exact title, but it
was a show of work by Milwaukee outsider artist
Eugene von Bruenchenhein (1910-1983) that had been organized by the John
Michael Kohler
Arts Center
in Sheboygan, Wis.
It was deeply weird, visually provocative, and psychologically
At the time, I was a teenager from a small Michigan city who treasured sporadic visits to the museum while visiting my grandparents in Milwaukee. As corny as it sounds, looking at this work helped me know that I wanted to look at, think about, and write about art in some way for the rest of my life, whether I did so professionally or informally.
It's hard
to believe that Milwaukee show was 23 years ago.
Since that time, the standing of von Bruenchenhein (often
referred to simply as "EVB") and outsider art have come a long way. (In fact, as Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel art
critic Mary Louise Schumacher astutely points out in her 2010 piece on EVB's
changing fortunes, the term "outsider art" may no longer be the best moniker,
since it overemphasizes biography at the expense of formal qualities. "More than ever," wrote
Schumacher, "his work stands on its own.")
A major exhibition of EVB's work remains on view at the American Folk
Art Museum in New York through Oct. 9, 2011.
I've had occasion to think of EVB again since he was posthumously awarded a Wisconsin Visual Art Lifetime Achievement Award (WVALAA) this month. The awards program is a joint venture of the Museum of Wisconsin Art, Wisconsin Visual Artists, and the Wisconsin Academy of Sciences, Arts and Letters.
Aside from
EVB, two more of the eight honorees were outsider artists (the late Fred Smith, whose
"Concrete Park" is in Phillips, Wis.) and Tom Every, better known as Dr.
Evermor, who still regales visitors at his fantastical, scrap-metal "Forevertron"
near Baraboo.
I don't know what it is about Wisconsin, but the legacy of outsider and self-taught artists runs deep here. That legacy continues to be a source of delight and wonder to Wisconsin residents, and it's one for which I, quite personally, will always be grateful. Von Bruenchenhein's art bore into my imagination at a time when I was most receptive to it, and it helped ignite a wider-ranging, lifelong interest in art and visual culture.
1 Comments
Wonderful article! I too was very pleasantly surprised by my first trip to the Milwaukee Art Museum. They seemed decades ahead of many other institutions in embracing edgy and unconventional art. The museum visit was the highlight of my trip.
Beverly Kaye
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NEA Arts Journalism Institute in Theater & Musical Theater
New Music Box: American Music Center
USC Annenberg/Getty Arts Journalism Program


text:
Autograph – Loud and Clear (1987)
Where oh where has the band Autograph disappeared to? With all of the reunited eighties bands playing in the various festivals, it surprises me that the band Autograph hasn't done some one-off shows. I never got to see them play live, and would love to see them in some shape or form today. One of the Autograph's albums that I have very fond memories of is Loud and Clear. This album was released the year I graduated high school (yes, I am showing my age) and I recall wearing the cassette tape out in my car of this more than once. For whatever reason, I never got around to replacing it on CD in my collection until now. I found the 2006 reissue from Rock Candy Records, and felt like I was reunited with an old friend.
Loud and Clear features some of the best guitar playing that Steve Lynch has ever dished out. I still wonder why Lynch hasn't resurfaced in another band over the years. He is another under rated guitarist that deserves to be in the spotlight again.
As far as the songs on Loud and Clear go, if you are a hair metal fan, you are going to love them. I have always enjoyed Steve Plunkett as a vocalist, and while he doesn't do anything new on this CD, he does a fine job at delivering some catchy tunes that will get your party started.
After listening to Loud and Clear for the first time in years, I must admit that some of the music on this CD does sound a little dated. The drum beats are kind of generic, and are pretty much the same on every song, and the keyboards scream 80's. Aside from that, this is still a pretty fun disc. Some of the songs on this CD, are easily the best of Autograph's career. Why this CD didn't take the band to the next level, no one will ever know. "Dance All Night" should have made the same impact as "Turn Up The Radio" but it just wasn't to be. "Loud and Clear", "She Never Looked That Good For Me", and "She's A Tease" are also amongst my favorites from Autograph. If you are a hair metal fan, you need to track this down, you won't be disappointed.
Rating: Out of 10
Check out the cameos of Vince Neil & Ozzy Osbourne in the video below!
Track Listing:
1. Loud and Clear
2. Dance All Night
3. She Never Looked That Good for Me
4. Bad Boy
5. Everytime I Dream
6. She's a Tease
7. Just Got Back from Heaven
8. Down 'N Dirty
9. More Than a Million Times
10. When the Sun Goes Down
Autograph is:
Steve Plunkett – Vocals, Rhythm Guitar
Steve Lynch – Lead Guitar
Randy Rand – Bass, backing vocals
Steven Isham – Keyboards, backing vocals
Keni Richards – Drums
ah cool rob, if you graduated high school in '87, you're the same age as me. I saw Autograph open up for Van halen on the 1984 tour. Really good stuff. Not sure why Loud and clear didn't do well in terms of sales. it's a pretty fun record.
Wow, I forgot how much that song (Loud and Clear) rocked! The other day I had Blondes in Black Cars in my head for some reason and it wasn't as welcome of a flashback as this is.


text:
The following events happened in the 1890s.
- 1892: Albus Dumbledore starts his first year of Hogwarts and is sorted into Gryffindor.[1]
- 1895: Aberforth Dumbledore begins his first year of Hogwarts.[2]
- 1896: A student successfully cheats on their Ordinary Wizarding Levels. This would be the last successful instance of this for at least the next century.[3]
- 1899: Albus Dumbledore sits his N.E.W.T.s[4] and graduates from Hogwarts in a blaze of glory: Head Boy, Winner of the Barnabus Finkley Prize for Exceptional Spell-Casting, British Youth Representative to the Wizengamot, Gold Medal-Winner for Ground-Breaking Contribution to the International Alchemical Conference in Cairo. Later in the summer, Dumbledore befriends Gellert Grindelwald during the latter's stay in Godric's Hollow,[5] but their friendship is short-lived; during a row, a three-way duel broke out between Albus, Grindelwald and Aberforth which ended in the accidental death of Ariana Dumbledore.[6]
- 1899: The Witches' League is founded.[7]
- 1899: Eloise Mintumble became trapped for five days in the year 1402, messing up time so severely that it was Tuesday for two and a half days and Thursday disappeared in four hours. When she got back to the present, her body had aged five centuries, and she died in hospital.[8]
- 1892: The Chudley Cannons win the League Cup of the British and Irish League, the last cup they have ever won.[9]
- 1894: The Department of Magical Games and Sports bans the tradition of shooting arrows into the air to celebrate an Appleby Arrows goal after referee Nugent Potts is pierced through the nose by one arrow.[9]
- 1893: Laverne de Montmorency[10]
- 1893: Arcturus Black I[13]
- 1899: Kendra Dumbledore[5]
- 1899: Ariana Dumbledore[5]
- 1899: Eloise Mintumble[8]
Notes and referencesEdit
- ↑ Dumbledore was born in 1881. On chapter 18 of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (The Life and Lies of Albus Dumbledore), Rita Skeeter states that Dumbledore was "nearing" his eighteenth birthday when he left Hogwarts in June, but was still 17 when he met Grindelwald, making his month of birth either July or August. This makes his eleventh birthday fall during the summer of 1892, and his start at Hogwarts on the first of September of that year.
- ↑ Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Chapter 2 (In Memoriam)
- ↑ HARRY POTTER AND THE ORDER OF THE PHOENIX - 2nd Draft
- ↑ The date of Dumbledore's N.E.W.T.s and final year can be inferred from the year he started at Hogwarts.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Chapter 18 (The Life and Lies of Albus Dumbledore)
- ↑ Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Chapter 28 (The Missing Mirror)
- ↑ Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (film) DVD (Disc 2 - Lockhart's Office)
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Pottermore - New From J. K. Rowling - Time-Turner
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Quidditch Through the Ages - Chapter 7 (Quidditch Teams of Britain and Ireland)
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (video game) (Mentioned on a Famous Wizard Card)
- ↑ Wizard of the Month
- ↑ Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (film)
| 19th century
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Rumor: Monta Ellis staying with Golden State because Don Nelson gone?
Warriors guard Monta Ellis was mentioned in trade rumors this summer, but the team is no longer interested in moving him, according to The San Jose Mercury News.
Golden State (4-1) is off to their best start in 16 years and Ellis is playing much more efficiently so far this season.
HoopsVibe's Very Quick Call: Maybe this is a coincidence. Maybe not.
There is, however, no disputing the obvious: Monta Ellis and the Golden State Warriors are a happier, more functional team since Don Nelson, the mad scientist on the sideline, retired.
To be fair, Nelson wins regular season games. And his small-ball approach occasionally captivated –who can forget the Warriors upset of the Dallas Mavericks in the 2007 playoffs?
He also alienated. Soon after the 'We Believe' miracle, Nelson soured on key players such as Baron Davis, Al Harrington, and Stephen Jackson.
Such dysfunction unfortunately influenced Ellis, a young combo guard with quicks and skills.
For instance, Ellis lied about injuring his ankle while riding a moped. The reason: he was in violation of his 6 year, $66 million extension.
Ellis also 'welcomed' rookie Stephen Curry to his first ever training camp by declaring he couldn't form a backcourt with the lottery pick. There were trade requests and disputes with the organization.
This, as they say, is water under the bridge.
Nelson is gone –for good. New Coach Keith Smart has the Warriors at 4-1. Ellis is happy with the team. The team is happy with Ellis.
Maybe this is a coincidence. Probably not.
--Oly Sandor.
Got thoughts? Well, get at HoopsVibe News in the comment box below.


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Commissaries begin measuring regional savings
Commissaries begin measuring regional savings
FORT LEE, Va., Jan. 30, 2017 — Commissary savings now will be reported more often and better reflect the cost of living where patrons shop, the director and CEO of the Defense Commissary Agency said.
"We have updated how we measure patron savings at the commissary," Joseph H. Jeu said. "This enhanced way of calculating savings doesn't change the actual dollars that patrons save, but it will give patrons a better understanding of price comparisons in their local area."
Accounts for Geographic Differences
Historically, DeCA measured savings globally, by comparing national prices at commissaries against average market prices for the whole country. However, the cost of living varies by region, DeCA officials noted. To account for these geographic differences, they said, Congress now requires DeCA to report on savings regionally, comparing prices with two or three commercial grocers, including super centers, in the local area of each commissary in the United States.
Through this updated measurement, officials said, DeCA also is expanding the range of items on which it measures savings. Besides continuing to compare about 38,000 branded items at a national level, they explained, DeCA also will compare local prices on about 1,000 products that are representative of a shopper's typical market basket.
"What we did before was good for showing a worldwide, annual savings average," Jeu said. "However, now we are diving deeper into our patrons' shopping experience to better reflect regional differences in cost of living and actual shopping patterns."
Savings Rates Vary by Region
Because the savings rate is calculated from local price comparisons, it will vary by region due to differences in the cost of living, even when commissary prices remain uniform and constant, officials said.
To illustrate how the price comparisons work, officials used a hypothetical example of macaroni costing $1.25 at all commissaries. The comparison price at local commercial retailers varies by region. In Hawaii, where the cost of living is higher, the price of macaroni in commercial retailers is $2, but in Georgia, where the cost of living is lower, the price outside the gate is $1.50. This would mean that even though customers pay $1.25 for macaroni at commissaries worldwide, customers in Hawaii save 37.5 percent by using their commissary benefit, whereas customers in Georgia save 16.7 percent.
Congress requires that DeCA maintain savings at current levels, even as the commissary system transforms its business operations and improves the shopping experience, officials said. The new savings rate provides an accurate baseline that will allow DeCA and Congress to monitor and protect patron savings, they added.
Savings Levels Will Remain Consistent
"I am pleased that DeCA can offer significant savings to our patrons on products they frequently purchase," Jeu said. "The enhanced savings calculation will allow us to measure the benefit more specifically and more often, protecting it at current levels for years to come. The value of a patron's market basket should not change because of the new savings calculation. Although market fluctuations will cause prices of grocery products to increase and decrease -- as they do today -- commissary patron savings levels will remain constant."
This table reflects savings rates by region:
- New England: 36 commissaries, 21.4 percent savings;
- South Atlantic: 30 commissaries, 19.9 percent savings;
- South Central: 33 commissaries, 18.1 percent savings;
- Pacific: 31 commissaries, 20.9 percent savings;
- Mountain: 20 commissaries, 17.6 percent savings;
- North Central: 18 commissaries, 20.2 percent savings;
- Alaska and Hawaii: 9 commissaries, 32.6 percent savings;
- U.S. average: 177 commissaries, 20.2 percent savings;
- Overseas: 61 commissaries, 44.2 percent savings; and
- Global average: 238 commissaries, 23.7 percent savings.
The calculation includes applicable taxes in commercial grocery store prices and surcharge in commissary prices, officials said, noting that without these, savings would be 22.3 percent in the United States, 45.6 percent overseas, and 25.7 percent globally. Thirty-five states -- 70 percent -- do not have sales tax on food items.
More information is available in the transformation questions and answers on the DeCA website.
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Acer needs to hurry. Apparently, it's going to launch the first ever notebook based on an Nvidia Tegra 2 chip this month, and there only nine more days to go.
The - we suppose we have to say "smartbook", the moniker once given to ARM-based netbooks but sadly much out of favour in these tablet-centric times - will run Android 3.2 Honeycomb, according to company chairman JT Wang, speaking this week in Asia, Digitimes reports.
Acer won't ignore Intel, and will launch an "ultrabook" - the chip giant's term for skinny notebooks based in its chips - in December.
The battle of the 'books will really kick off next year, when, it has been forecast, some 7.6m ARM-based machines will ship, rising to a whopping 74m - 22.9 per cent of the laptop market - by 2015. ®


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World Copyright Summit Richard Sarnoff, the man who signed off on the historic authors settlement with Google, took to the stage to defend the deal today. If it survives antitrust scrutiny, the Settlement between Google and US authors promises to give Google a monopoly on out-of-print books in digital form. Isn't the accumulation of knowledge in one private corporation scary?
"It's like getting a fox to look after the health of the chicken," says Eric Baptiste. Sarnoff - speaking at the World Copyright Summit in DC today - didn't quite see it that way. But his defense was very, very interesting. It's even more interesting when you consider his explanation.
"When the industry was confronted by Google's plan to scan books, we felt there were core copyright issues and they needed to be litigated They were making and keeping copies of these books and were going to exploit those in a certain way."
The authors' society felt "their entire behaviour and activity was illegal," Sarnoff said. "We wanted to challenge that, where rights holders got to call the shots."
But something funny happened on the way to the law court. Despite having the law on its side, the authors caved and settled out of court. Why?
"Books that are Out of Print - are a 'No-opoly'," he says. "They're inaccessible except to those within physical reach of a particular library. This will create a market for those titles for the first time."
That's odd, because it isn't a 'market'. There's no competition for Google, which is rewarded for its aggressive scanning operation with a distribution monopoly. If the authors had defeated Google, and insisted on encouraging competition - from Microsoft and Brewster Kahle's internet archive, which also has scanning ambitions - then there may have been a market.
Sarnoff's odd justification is that you have to nip illegal downloading in the bud. At Napster, Bertlesmann (then one of the five major labels and publishers) had tried to settle.
"We made an attempt to co-opt Napster - when it was 95 per cent of all the illegal downloads in the world - to the benefit of the recording industry. We were not joined by the balance of the industry for doing so. We were sued. The result was a very negative outcome ultimately for the industry; the things that grew up are much more pernicious than if we tried to get it under control."
OK. What's that got to do with books?
Consumer behaviour on downloading ebooks is not an established behaviour. If you ask people if they've downloaded a book then 80 to 90 per cent of the time, people would say no. The Google settlement is great thing to do if habits are being estbalished."
It's all very odd.
Even odder was his assertion that professional journalists have never had it so good.
"Professional journalism has had a renaissance in the digital era. The parts journalists can produce are more useful, and they can charge more as a result."
Oh, really? We'll try and find him to clarify. ®


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Update: In addition to download Angry Birds for the PC you can also play the Angry game online now. Check oout how you can play Angry Birds Online.
Hey, Angry fans, it doesn't matter if you don't have an iPhone, Android or Symbian based phones. Angry Birds is now available for Netbook and Laptops too in the Intel AppUp center.
As we had predicted earlier, the popular (and addictive) game Angry birds is now available for Netbook and Laptops. The app is available as a download through the Intel AppUP center which is an app store for netbooks.
Angry Birds for desktop PCs includes 195 levels for hours and hours of gameplay. Customers who purchase the game will be provided free updates and additional levels to the game in future.
The app is available for Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7 and Moblin and is available at an introductory price of $4.99 for a limited period. Once the introductory period is over, the app will cost $9.99.
More updates at the official Rovio blog. You can purchase and download the game from here.
Love Playing Games? Check out some More Cool Games To Keep You Occupied
- Top 5 Addictive Games On Facebook
- Download Paid iPhone and iPad Apps and Games For Free
- Top 5 Tower Defense Games
- Play Games in Google Chrome and Have Fun
- Super Mario 3 Games for Windows Hours of Fun
- 80+ Awesome Games for Nokia S60 Smartphones
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- Top 3 Shooting Games for the PSP
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- Perfect Time Waster: 150 Online Flash Games To Keep You Occupied
- Top 3 Racing Games for the PSP
- Play Angry Birds on Your Laptop or PC
- Play Angry Birds Online for Free


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Promising that "we will have an over the air email client to announce very very soon," RIM Co-CEO Jim Balsillie also spoke of the reaction to the PlayBook tablet in the first wave of reviews. Labelling that it wasn't "fair" reviewers suggested they rushed the tablet out too fast, he also failed to convince the watcher why they should buy the PlayBook.
When talking about how they're going to appeal to non-enterprise users (ie consumers), two of his four answers as to why Joe Public should buy a PlayBook included Android apps (not yet available), and the 3G version. Which isn't on sale yet. In fact, his fourth reason why non-BlackBerry users should buy the PlayBook is because "you can also pair it with your BlackBerry for free." He then mentions (again) that there'll be a 3G version coming later.
Methinks the Co-CEO is running out of reasons why anyone should buy their tablet. You can see Balsillie's video interview here. [Bloomberg]


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In their quest to build the nation's first high-speed rail system, California officials have been banking on a wide range of potentially dubious funding sources, from federal programs that don't exist to private investments that have yet to materialize.
Now, a fresh verdict from a Sacramento County judge threatens the one source of money that rail officials felt was a sure thing -- the $9 billion in state funds that state voters approved for the $68 billion project in November 2008, when the price tag of the San Francisco-to-Los Angeles system was pegged at $45 billion.
In his ruling, Judge Michael Kenny found that the rail authority "abused its discretion" and violated the law when it failed to identify funding for the rail line's first usable segment, a roughly 300-mile stretch that would extend from Merced to San Fernando Valley and cost about $21 billion.
Instead, the rail authority only identified the funding needed for the "initial construction segment," 130 miles between Bakersfield and Fresno, which does not include electrification and which will cost about $6 billion.
The consequences of the ruling won't be clear until Nov. 8, when the California High-Speed Rail Authority and the plaintiffs from Kings County are scheduled to return to Kenny's courtroom to hear his ruling on the remedies the rail authority would have to pursue.
Lisa Marie Alley, the rail authority's deputy director of communications, said that until the litigation concludes, it's impossible to predict the impact of Kenny's decision. In the meantime, however, the rail authority is hiring workers in the Central Valley in preparation for construction.
The agency is refining its design for the initial section and proceeding with relocating utilities, purchasing right-of-way and paving the way for the actual "heavy construction" of bridges, overpasses and trenches.
"Our stance has always been that we will continue to move the project forward," Alley told the Weekly.
At least one vocal proponent of the increasingly unpopular project -- Gov. Jerry Brown -- thinks the ruling will ultimately do little to halt construction of the train system. Last week, Brown told reporters at a summit in Lake Tahoe that while Kenny's ruling raises some questions, "it did not stop anything," according to the Associated Press. The decision, he said, leaves "a lot of room for interpretation, and I think the outcome will be positive."
Michael Brady and Stuart Flashman, the attorneys representing plaintiffs John Tos, Aaron Fukuda and the County of Kings, voiced similar sentiments, though to them the term "positive" has the opposite meaning. Brady, a longtime and outspoken opponent of the rail system, said he would like the court to either require the rail authority to correct its myriad errors or to put the brakes on the controversial project.
"We hope the court will say: 'We already found you're in violation of Proposition 1A. What are you going to do about it?'" Brady told the Weekly. "'Are you going to comply? Should the project go ahead if you can't comply?'"
Rail authority officials had argued in a court brief that it was perfectly legal for the agency to proceed with the shorter segment before laying out all the plans for the larger one. The bond act "clearly authorizes construction of the high-speed train system in portions, like the ICS (Initial Construction Segment), that are smaller than an entire corridor or usable segment," Deputy Attorney General S. Michele Inan wrote in a brief.
It is significant, the rail authority argued, "that the Legislature omitted the term 'corridor' or 'usable segment' from the authorization to use bond proceeds: It is not limited to corridors or usable segment.
"Since the train system envisioned by the bond act will be built over a long period of time, such phased construction allows the Authority to manage the development process, costs, and funding over time," Inan wrote.
She also argued that because the Legislature had already appropriated the funds despite complaints that the funding plan did not meet the requirements of Prop. 1A, "an order setting aside the funding plan will have no legal effect and would be an empty act."
The Kenny ruling is the latest setback for high-speed rail, a project that has generated a tide of opposition along the Peninsula since the 2008 vote. Palo Alto, Menlo Park and Atherton had previously sued the rail authority, forcing the agency to decertify and revise its environmental analysis, and the Palo Alto City Council had unanimously passed a resolution officially opposing the project.
Despite a list of critical audits and concerns from lawmakers about the rail authority's ridership projections and revenue forecasts, the legislature voted in July 2012 to approve $2.6 billion in bond funds and $3.4 billion in federal funds for the first construction segment. The appropriation came by a single vote, with several Democrats joining every Republican in opposition.
Now, opponents of the project hope that Kenny's ruling will tarnish this victory by invalidating the appropriation, which they argue is shown to be based on an incomplete financial analysis.
"We think that it's appropriate for the judge and we understand his reticence to consider rescinding the legislative approval of appropriation," Flashman, who has represented Palo Alto, Atherton and Menlo Park in prior lawsuits against the rail authority, told the Weekly.
He acknowledged that such a move would be unlikely, given the separation of power between the legislative and judicial branches. But even if Kenny doesn't rescind the appropriation vote, he could effectively invalidate it, Flashman said.
"We do think it would be perfectly within his right to declare that because the funding plan was invalid and because the Legislature relied on that funding plan in making the appropriation to say the appropriation was not properly supported and therefore declare it invalid."
In discussing potential remedies, Kenny was vague in his ruling. He noted that he could direct the rail authority to rescind its funding plan, though he acknowledged that he is not convinced this would have "any real, practical effect" given that the money has already been appropriated. He also said the court cannot determine whether it should "invalidate subsequent approvals" of bond proceeds and directed both parties to issue supplemental briefs addressing this issue.
In his ruling, Kenny also pointed to another provision of Proposition 1A that could complicate the rail authority's ability to spend the bond money. The provision prohibits the agency from committing the bond funds until it submits a second funding plan, which would have to be accompanied by a report from independent parties and which would have to be approved by the state's director of finance and the chairperson of the Joint Legislative Budget Committee.
Though this supplemental plan has yet to be prepared, once released, it will present opponents of the rail money with another target for legal challenges. Flashman noted that the supplemental plan is required to get into greater detail than the initial one about sources of funding for the first usable segment of the rail line.
"Only after language has been prepared, submitted and approved can the authority spend any bond fund money," Flashman said. "It's a padlock on the strongbox containing that bond money."
Flashman and Brady are also looking forward to Kenny's response to the second part of their legal challenge one that focuses on a Proposition 1A provision that requires high-speed trains to be able to get from Los Angeles to San Francisco in 2 hours and 40 minutes. Kenny will consider this challenge at a later date.
Though the ramification's of Kenny's decision won't become apparent until at least November, the recent opinion has given fresh hope to the Peninsula's legion of rail critics, many of whom have toned it down over the past two years as the rail authority's focus shifted to the Central Valley.
John Garamendi Jr., Palo Alto's high-speed-rail lobbyist in Sacramento, called Kenny's ruling "an enormous deal" and a huge victory against high-speed rail. The judge's determination that the rail authority must identify funding sources and get environmental clearance for the entire "initial operating segment" rather than the first constructed section "may be a hurdle too high for them to cross," Garamendi told the Palo Alto City Council's Rail Committee on Aug. 22.
"However, it would appear the governor and high-speed rail staff are not concerned in the least about it," Garamendi said. "I still believe we're a country of the rule of law. We'll see what the judge thinks about that."


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Bell Rock was one of four projects sited in the outer Firth of Forth off Scotland's east coast that were awarded site development licences from seabed owner the Crown Estate in 2008. It was the closest to the Ministry of Defence (MoD) site RAF Leuchars, which is responsible for policing UK airspace.
A spokesman for SSE insists the radar problem is a "specific localised issue" and will not affect the 3.5GW Firth of Forth project it is also developing with Fluor.
A statement from the project's partners says: "Both SSE and Fluor remain strongly committed to developing offshore wind in the UK and are disappointed that our site investigations at Bell Rock have led us to conclude the site is not suitable."
However, over recent years radar interference has been less of a problem than in the past. A more flexible approach by the MoD, working with the industry, has produced a number of mitigation solutions and resulted in objections to wind projects - both onshore and offshore - being withdrawn.
SSE and Fluor dropped their Bell Rock project around the same time that RWE quit its 75% holding in the nearby 905MW Inch Cape project (windpowermonthly.com, May 10), leaving SeaEnergy Renewables Ltd (SERL), the UK's only pure-play offshore wind company, to develop the project on its own. But Aberdeen-based SeaEnergy - the majority shareholder in SERL - is looking to sell all or a significant part of its holding in development arm SERL. The group, which recorded a £6.5 million loss for 2009, blames the tough financing environment, which makes it difficult to access the funds needed to build projects.


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Showing 1 - 20 of 58
Blog Pensions & Benefits
Giving Credit Where It's Due? New York City's $1.3 Billion in Health Insurance Savings
December 28, 2014In its recent mid-year budget modification the de Blasio administration credited a coalition of municipal employee unions with achieving $1.3 billion in savings in the City's employee and retiree health insurance costs. Yet the unions have not agreed to any changes in the plan, and the City and the unions have taken no actions to reduce costs. How can this be?
Blog State Budget
Guidelines for Wisely Using the $5 Billion Windfall
December 15, 2014Three questions for determining good uses of one-time revenues.
Video Housing
Carl Weisbrod, Director, Department of City Planning
December 11, 2014CBC Breakfast with City Planning Commissioner Carl Weisbrod in December 2014.
Video Health Care
HHC President and CEO Dr. Ram Raju
November 18, 2014CBC Breakfast with HHC President and CEO Dr. Ram Raju in November 2014.
Video Capital Spending
Modernization of New York's Built Environment: If Not Now, When?
November 12, 2014Video of a panel discussion examining the hindrances of NY's procurement rules and detailing how alternative" service delivery methodologies contributed to the success of both public and private projects in NY.
Report Health Care
Fiscal Challenges Facing the New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation
November 06, 2014HHC is crucial to all New Yorkers, providing care to more than one million patients annually. Despite HHC's importance, its fiscal condition is troubled. HHC's cash resources are being depleted; absent an aggressive gap-closing plan its cash reserves will be exhausted in fiscal year 2016.
Blog Health Care
Agency Focus: NYS DOH
November 03, 2014The New York State Department of Health has overseen dramatic changes in the state's healthcare system in recent years, including the passage of the federal Affordable Care Act and development of the state's own health care exchange website.
Video City Budget
Disrupters: Emerging Businesses in New York City
October 30, 2014Panel discussion on emerging businesses in New York City.
Report Transportation
Misplaced Priorities in the MTA's Capital Plan
October 23, 2014The plan identifies $16.9 billion in available funding, but a gap of about $15.2 billion remains unfunded. This CBC study focuses on how the money would be spent and recommends that the proposed plan be revised to address three serious shortcomings.
Report Education
Vote "No" on the Smart Schools Bond Act
October 19, 2014While enhancing the use of technology in schools is a popular cause, the Smart Schools Bond Act is ill-conceived and deserves a "no" vote for three reasons discussed in this report.
Blog Education
Agency Focus: NYSED
October 15, 2014What are the challenges facing the New York State Education Department's (NYSED)?
Video Housing
NYC Housing Commissioner Vicki Been
October 01, 2014CBC Breakfast with NYC Housing Commissioner Vickie Been in October 2014.
Blog Transportation
At PATH a Higher Fare is a Fairer Fare
September 29, 2014On October 1, 2014, the single-ride fare for the Port Authority Trans-Hudson (PATH)—the rail system connecting Newark, Harrison, Jersey City, and Hoboken to Midtown and Lower Manhattan—will increase by 25 cents. Many riders will complain, but the simple truth is that the higher fare is a fairer fare.
Blog Transportation
Agency Focus: NYS DOT
September 28, 2014Two major challenges face the New York State Department of Transportation: undertaking a comprehensive needs assessment and identifying resources needed to implement a capital plan.
Report City Budget
Getting the Fiscal Waste Out of Solid Waste Collection in New York City
September 23, 2014With a new mayoral administration, a new sanitation commissioner, and an expired contract with municipal sanitation workers, redesigning the public and private components of local waste collection would save about $300 million annually in the long term. The Mayor and City Council should make this restructuring a goal and begin a multiyear phase-in.
Blog Health Care
Agency Focus: HHC
September 22, 2014Short budget profiled of the finances and challenges of New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation (HHC) - now known as NYC Health + Hospitals (H+H).
Blog City Budget
Agency Focus: DEP
September 21, 2014Three entities govern New York City's water and sewer system: the Department of Environmental Protection operates and maintains the system; the New York City Municipal Water Finance Authority (WFA) borrows to finance capital investments; and the Water Board sets rates for customers to meet financing needs. Learn more.
Report Housing
Location Affordability in Large U.S. Cities
August 19, 2014The third in a series on affordable housing in New York City, this policy brief considers combined housing and transportation costs relative to income for a variety of housing types.
Report Housing
Housing Affordability Versus Location Affordability
August 13, 2014Low transportation costs and high income make New York City relatively affordable when compared to other large cities in the United States.
Blog City Budget
Controlling the Cost of New York City's Settlements and Judgments: A Tale of Two Agencies
August 11, 2014ClaimStat is an innovative, data-based method for analyzing judgments and claims against the City of New York in order to identify ways to reduce their cost. The Health and Hospitals Corporation (now H+H) has used this method with great results.


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Monday Playbook: Quarterback changes could be coming in Week 6
- Is Michael Vick's job security in jeopardy?
- A new MVP candidate may be emerging in Minnesota
- 49ers look primed for NFC Championship Game rematch
Now that you've slept on the scores and digested the stats, here's an in-depth look at Week 5 of the NFL season, with observations and analysis by USA TODAY Sports' NFL team.
Take your time reading it while the NFL opens Concussiongate, investigates Washington Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III's head injury and tries to figure what the Redskins knew and when they knew it ... and why they didn't tell anybody the guy wasn't returning to the game.
Ten things we learned in Week 5
1. This has been one seriously inspirational season. The New York Giants' Victor Cruz honored his grandmother a few days after her passing with a huge game in Week 2, and the Baltimore Ravens' Torrey Smith showed tremendous courage by playing only hours after his brother's death and catching two TD passes in a win over the New England Patriots in Week 3. This week, the San Francisco 49ers' Kyle Williams dropped to his knees after a touchdown and blew kisses toward the sky to honor of his late grandmother, who died from breast cancer. And then, of course, there was the Indianapolis Colts' win, inspired by head coach Chuck Pagano's battle with leukemia. There's been a lot of angst in the NFL the past year-plus, thanks to Bountygate and lockouts of the players and officials. But there have been plenty of touching moments as well. And with 12 weeks and the playoffs to go, there might be more.
2. Offenses aren't perfect after all. And they left a lot of points on the field this week. In fact, there were 15 turnovers (eight fumbles, seven interceptions) at or inside the opponents' 30-yard line, with two more turnovers at the 35-yard line in the Denver Broncos' loss to the New England Patriots. After a record-breaking first four weeks in which teams combined to score an average of 47.4 points per game, the average dipped to 40.4 points. It's not that teams couldn't move the ball; it's that they just couldn't hold onto it long enough.
3. Speaking of guys who couldn't hang on, Michael Vick isn't holding on to the football or, maybe, his job. The Philadelphia Eagles starting quarterback had three fumbles Sunday, giving him 29 in 30 starts over the past three seasons. Vick has 84 fumbles on his career, tying him with Fran Tarkenton, Len Dawson and Terry Bradshaw for 24th all-time. If not for his arrest on dogfighting charges and a prison stint, he'd surely be in the top 10. Coach Andy Reid claims he misspoke two weeks ago when he said he'd evaluate his starting quarterback; he later said he had full faith in Vick. We're going to find out.
4. The New Orleans Saints are alive ... for now. A lot of emotion went into Week 4's loss to the Green Bay Packers and, given Drew Brees' record-setting night plus the presence of Sean Payton, Mickey Loomis and Joe Vitt at the Superdome, even more was poured into Sunday's victory over the San Diego Chargers. That appeared to be a season-saving win, for sure, but the Saints are on the road the next two weeks against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Broncos, then host the Eagles and Atlanta Falcons. Let's see how much emotion they have in reserve.
5. Victor Cruz and Jay-Z might have some kind of deal cooking. Cruz, who has been spotted at a few Jay-Z concerts recently, has been doing the hip-hop star's "Illuminati" hand signal after his signature salsa following touchdowns the past two weeks. Cruz did it three times Sunday after all of his touchdowns in New York's 41-27 victory over the Cleveland Browns. Told he's added a little something to his post-touchdown routine, Cruz replied, "A little bit, a little bit. I'd rather keep that under wraps. I don't want to let the cat out of the bag just yet." Asked if he'll provide any clarity soon, Cruz said, "We'll see in the upcoming weeks what happens." Cruz has 37 receptions and five touchdowns through five games, so if there are still folks out there who say this off-field promotional stuff will affect him between the lines, they should pipe down.
6. Troy Polamalu might be breaking down before our eyes. The Pittsburgh Steelers safety rarely has been healthy the past few years, whether it be his Achilles' tendon, knee or calf. It's the calf this year, and Polamalu didn't even make it through a quarter of Sunday's victory over the Eagles. Polamalu has played fast and physical over his career, and it's time to wonder if his 31-year-old body can take it as well as it used to.
7. The San Francisco 49ers are looking ready to exact some revenge. We'd say outscoring two opponents 79-3 is a good way to get warmed up for their NFC Championship Game rematch with the Giants this Sunday. The Niners tried to beat the heck out of Eli Manning in January but couldn't get him to cry, "Uncle." The way they're playing defense right now — even more physically and quickly than last season it seems — combined with their anger over losing a game they felt they gave away should make this one fun to watch. And brutal to play.
8. Tony Gonzalez should not retire. OK, maybe we're being selfish here, as it's not our body on the line every week. But the Atlanta Falcons tight end had 13 receptions against the Redskins, the second-most he's had in a game in his 16-year career and looked as good as ever working against Lorenzo Alexander on his 1-yard touchdown catch. Alexander was holding Gonzalez. Didn't matter. You can't defend him — even at this point in Gonzalez's 16-year career.
9. The Seattle Seahawks defense isn't getting enough respect. They've held opponents to 20, 7, 12, 19, and 12 points in their five games. Yeah, they haven't played the greatest of offenses, but that was Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers they kept in check a few weeks ago. That storyline got buried by the final-play fiasco and a botched ruling of the simultaneous interception, uh, touchdown that gave Seattle a disputed victory. Sunday, Pete Carroll's bunch flustered Cam Newton (12-for-29 for 141 yards) and held Jonathan Stewart and DeAngelo Williams to a combined 22 yards on 10 carries.
10. The Baltimore Ravens can win any kind of game. A Week 1 blowout of the Cincinnati Bengals? Check. A last-second victory over the New England Patriots two weeks later? Done. A nice, easy win over the Cleveland Browns last week? You got it. And ... whatever that was Sunday in Kansas City — a low-scoring, defensive game that resulted in a 9-6 Ravens win. Style points are overrated in the NFL. Picking up wins, and doing it in many ways, is the key.
Taking stock
Here's a glimpse at the NFL market and whether we're getting in or getting out:
BUY: The Bengals' A.J. Green paving the way to Canton. It's early, yes, but he's the first player in NFL history with at least 100 receptions, 1,500 yards and 10 touchdowns in his first 20 career games.
SELL: Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Blaine Gabbert's dreadful 5.5 yards per pass attempt.
BUY: The Percy Harvin-for-MVP chatter.
SELL: The penalty calls on the Chargers' final drive Sunday night — a questionable pass interference, a shaky holding call and then a hands-to-the face penalty that bailed the Bolts out of second-and-37. Put the flags away on all non-blatant penalties in that spot.
BUY: The new wave of pass rushers. The St. Louis Rams' Robert Quinn, the Bengals' Michael Johnson and Geno Atkins and the Chiefs' Justin Houston haven't been mentioned in the first breath of the game's great sackers. But they should be.
SELL: Billy Cundiff's house. The Redskins' kicker has made just three of his last seven field-goal tries. We'll be stunned if he gets to line up an eighth.
BUY: The Chicago Bears' defense. Charles Tillman and Lance Briggs are the first set of teammates in NFL history to each return an interception for a touchdown in consecutive games.
SELL: Any and all talk of panic or worry in Green Bay. Breathe, Packers fans — even through the holes in your Cheeseheads, if you must.
BUY: Harrison Smith's remorse. The Minnesota Vikings rookie, who was ejected from the victory over the Tennessee Titans, said he didn't realize he'd bumped a ref until after he made contact.
SELL: Your tickets to Monday night's game, New York Jets fans. Our prediction: Gang Green keeps it close for a quarter or a half only.
Week 5 awards
Comeback player of the week: Giants tailback Ahmad Bradshaw came roaring back from his fumble on the first play from scrimmage for a career-high 200 yards and a touchdown in sparking a 41-27 romp by the Giants over the Cleveland Browns.
Surprise performance: With coach Chuck Pagano in an Indianapolis hospital undergoing chemotherapy for a treatable form of leukemia, and offensive coordinator Bruce Arians taking over as interim head coach, rookie quarterback Andrew Luck rallied his team from a 21-3 halftime deficit. Luck led an inspired, coming-of-age win in Pagano's honor, passing for 362 yards and two touchdowns while running for another.
Biggest disappointment: Weren't the Buffalo Bills supposed to be the league's most improved defense coming off their expensive offseason makeover? So much for that. Mario Williams and Co. have been missing in action after allowing a combined 1,201 yards in back-to-back blowouts issued by the New England Patriots and San Francisco 49ers, who thrashed the Bills 45-3 Sunday.
Under the radar: Overshadowed in a game remembered for the concussion suffered by fellow Washington Redskins rookie Robert Griffin III, Redskins rookie running back Albert Morris gained 115 yards on 18 carries against the Atlanta Falcons. Pittsburgh Steelers running back Rashard Mendenhall, back from a torn anterior cruciate ligament, quietly rushed for 81 yards and a touchdown in a 16-14 win over the Philadelphia Eagles. For all the attention being paid Jay Cutler and his numerous meltdowns, the Bears defense has sparked a three-game win streak with five interceptions returned for touchdowns during that span.
Under the microscope: The Packers offensive line allowed five second-half sacks of Aaron Rodgers in Sunday's loss to the Colts. Rodgers has been sacked 15 times through five games. The Eagles covered for Vick's turnover woes by winning three of their first four games. But he is no longer shaking off rust from playing just 12 preseason snaps. Vick has a serious turnover problem with 11 through five games. Since 2010, the Eagles are 4-6 when Vick has given the rock away twice or more. The Ravens downed the Chiefs on Sunday, but their once-vaunted defense surrendered 214 rushing yards.
I'd be concerned if I were ...
-- Ron Rivera and the 1-4 Panthers. Newton is in the throes of a full-blown sophomore slump, throwing for a career-low 141 yards in a 16-12 loss Sunday to Seattle.
-- Jaguars coach Mike Mularkey. He has the league's lowest scoring offense, which means he could be one-and-done in Jacksonville.
-- Tennessee Titans coach Mike Munchak. His team has allowed a league-high 181 points and dropped to 1-4 following Sunday's 30-7 throttling by the Vikings.
I'd feel pretty good if I were ...
-- 49ers quarterback Alex Smith. Coming off a season-high, 303-yard, three-touchdown torching of the Bills, he appears ready to face the Giants with two of their former weapons, Mario Manningham and Brandon Jacobs, now suiting up for the Niners.
-- The New England Patriots. They don't have to rush tight end Aaron Hernandez back from his high ankle sprain, considering how well Stevan Ridley keeps toting the rock. Ridley followed up his 106-yard, two-touchdown performance against Buffalo with a 151-yard, one-score effort in Sunday's win against Denver.
-- Eagles rookie quarterback Nick Foles. Reid is coaching for his future, and with Vick giving the ball away at an alarming rate, Reid might have no choice but to turn to his rookie to see if he's the franchise's long-term answer.
Don't be surprised if ...
--The Matt Cassel era is finished in Kansas City. Despite right tackle Eric Winston's laudable defense of his quarterback (calling Chiefs fans "sickening" for cheering when Cassel was knocked out with a fourth-quarter concussion), coach Romeo Crennel might be forced to stick with Brady Quinn.
-- Reid seriously considers benching Vick for Sunday's start against the Detroit Lions after hinting at it a couple of weeks ago. Reid temporarily benched Donovan McNabb a few years ago for Kevin Kolb, so there is precedent.
-- The Falcons earn home-field advantage. They are the class of NFC and, despite not playing their best in back-to-back weeks, they managed to stay unbeaten with Sunday's 24-17 comeback win against the Redskins. "We didn't play the way we wanted to, but we persevered,'' veteran defensive end John Abraham said.
-- Beleagured Billy Cundiff gets the boot. With the season-ending losses of key defensive cogs Brian Orakpo and Adam Carriker, Mike Shanahan's Redskins have a thin margin for error and likely need more reliability from their kicker.
Eagles look familiar to Steelers
Whoever asked Pittsburgh guard Willie Colon for a sound byte got a mouthful Sunday afternoon after the Steelers topped the Eagles. He spoke of "ownership" and "brotherhood," and he also made an interesting comparison when asked about the Pittsburgh offense picking up the defense after the D's late collapse and Philadelphia's go-ahead, fourth-quarter touchdown.
The Steelers marched down the field to score on the game's final possession.
"I remember a couple of years ago, we were like them," Colon said, referring to the current Eagles. "We couldn't score points. We couldn't help that defense out and they were No. 1 in the league."
The Eagles have infamously struggled on offense this season, averaging 16 points per game, compared to the league average of 23. But stellar defense has helped them to a 3-2 record.
The Steelers of "a couple of years ago" to which Colon refers cannot be the 2010 bunch, which went 12-4 and lost Super Bowl XLV. He must be talking about 2009, when Pittsburgh lost five in a row by a touchdown or less and just missed the playoffs at 9-7. That sort of result could be in Philadelphia's future if Vick and the offense fail to right the ship and eliminate turnovers.
Then again, they've won three of these one-score games already. One big difference between the '09 Steelers and the '12 Eagles: Ben Roethlisberger already had earned substantial job security with two previous Super Bowl victories by '09. Vick doesn't have those credentials.
Learning the hard way
Redskins coach Mike Shanahan is conducting rookie quarterback school, and both of his pupils absorbed some tough, eye-opening lessons during Sunday's loss.
Robert Griffin III was knocked down and out, suffering a concussion on a third-quarter goal-line scramble. He tried to get down before getting blasted by linebacker Sean Weatherspoon. Griffin's head ricocheted off defensive tackle Jonathan Babineaux.
The play from the Atlanta 3-yard line was designed as a shotgun pass. But Griffin scrambled and his feet seemed to catch in the soggy FedEx Field turf as he attempted to slide, leaving him vulnerable to the hard shot.
"We had a pass play designed, and he tried to extend the play,'' Shanahan said. "I'm not sure exactly what happened at the end. He usually does a great job extending and making a play. We talked about protecting yourself, handing the ball off. Every game he goes in, he's going to learn.
"That's why it takes you two, three years to really feel comfortable with defenses played in the NFL to slow the game down a little bit. Robert's going to keep on learning, but we have something very special.''
Meanwhile, Kirk Cousins — a fourth-round selection from Michigan State — fired a 77-yard strike to slot receiver Santana Moss when safety William Moore got caught flat-footed on a run fake. Things went south in a hurry, however, as the Falcons defense adjusted to the pocket-bound Cousins, sacking him once and intercepting him twice on his final three series.
"It's difficult, but you don't sign up to play this game not expecting it to be difficult,'' said Cousins, who completed five of nine throws for 111 yards with a 97.2 passer rating.
"Bottom line is, I didn't get it done the way I wanted to. I have to learn from it and get better. I am going to pick up things that are invaluable going forward.''
He may need to pick them up quickly since he could be making his first NFL start Sunday against the Minnesota Vikings if Griffin's concussion lingers.
"We'll sit back and make those decisions at a later time,'' Shanahan said.
Contributing: Jim Corbett, Mike Garafolo and Robert Klemko, USA TODAY Sports


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Will this be the winning bike in Hoogerheide? We say no.
The last major cyclocross race of this season is this weekend, and it's the biggest of them all — the 2014 world championships in Hoogerheide, The Netherlands. Among the rider to watch will be two-time elite men's winner Niels Albert. The Belgian has had an up and down season by his standards, but he's proven himself a big game player in the past and should never be counted out.
If Albert is to dethrone reigning world champ, and fellow Belgian Sven Nys, he'll need a flawless performance from body and bike. Only Albert can take care of the former. The later will be up to his support staff and his Colnago Prestige race machine. Actually make that five race machines, which is how many bikes Albert brings to each race. Always good to have options.
Each bike is spec'd with an array of top shelf parts that includes a full Shimano Dura-Ace 9070 Di2 electronic shifting drivetrain. Albert runs standard 46-39 chainrings mated with either a 12-25 or 12-27 cassette depending on the course and conditions. Pedals are Shimano XTR. All cockpit componets and his seatpost are top shelf PRO models. His saddle is a PRO Turnix. Wheels are carbon fiber Dura-Ace C35 wrapped with Dugast tubulars. Braking is provided by TRP Revo X Carbon stoppers.
Here is a video walk-through of the bike courtesy of our friends at the Global Cycling Network.
While we are talking this weekend's world championships, we'd be remiss if we didn't break down the key riders to watch at Hoogerheide. Besides Albert, here is our list of the top 10 riders to watch, which unfortunately does not include a U.S. man. They're best hope? Top 15… Our predicted winners: Lars van der Haar (men's elite), Marianne Vos (women's elite), and Wout van Aert (Under-23).
1. Sven Nys: Reigning world champ. 2x world's winner. Best 'cross racer ever?
2. Tom Meeusen: Won final round of the World Cup. Never medaled at world's.
3. Francis Mourey: French national champ. Won Namur World Cup.
4. Philipp Walsleben: 2009 U23 champ. German national champ. 2nd in World Cup.
5. Lars van der Haar: Reigning World Cup champ. Home favorite. Top sprinter.
6. Marianne Vos: 6x world champ. Won every cross world title since 2009.
7. Katie Compton: 8x U.S. national champ. Won 2013-14 World Cup. Can she beat Vos?
8. Sanne Cant: Best Belgian women's rider. Current Belgian champ. Can she move up podium?
9. Mathieu van der Poel: Never lost at cross world's as junior. Can he duplicate as U23?
10. Wout van Aert: Only rider to truly challenge Mathieu van der Poel in U23 this year.


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The city of Indianapolis recently announced that they were cancelling use of police helicopters, to save $1.4-ish millions.
Locals complained that this is terrible and demonstrates that the city does not care about public safety.
I suggest that this is not nearly as obvious as it might seem.
By all means, helicopters are "sexy", but that certainly isn't good enough to justify it!
Helicopters can help solve some specific problems quickly, but there are perhaps three metrics by which they mayn't actually be worthwhile.
- Do they solve more crimes? If not, then that is a strike against choppers.
- Do they merely catch some perps more quickly. Is faster truly worth the money? Do faster catches save them from extra crimes being committed? That may be nice for would-be victims… How does it actually affect the budget?
- What would be the expected outcome from the addition or loss of the equivalent money spent on cops on the ground?
After all, it may be that a dozen extra guys (and ladies) walking or driving beats, 8 hours a day, 200-some days per year, may do more good than an aircraft sprinting around for a couple hours a day.
The answers are in the details…


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The Latest: Italian premier says no new financial promises
BRUSSELS (AP) — The Latest on the NATO summit in Brussels (all times local):
3:40 p.m.
Italian Premier Giuseppe Conte insists that Italy hasn't agreed to any additional financial commitments to NATO amid pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump.
"Italy has inherited spending commitments that we haven't changed. So there is no additional spending," Conte told a news conference. However, he said the issue over a better distribution of contribution to the military alliance is legitimate.
However, Conte acknowledged that the issue of imbalance in NATO contributions was real.
"We must consider that NATO has evolved over time. It was born 70 years ago. Its vocation, features, organizational structure and operative strategy have changed. And rightly so, the United States says NATO is more focused on European defense and interests and it doesn't seem proportionate to maintain this form of contribution."
Conte added that he hadn't heard any threat by Trump to withdraw the United States from the alliance, as was reported by some media.
"My ears didn't hear Trump threaten to leave NATO. So I can't confirm this news. If he said something on the side I don't know," Conte said.
2:45 p.m.
Romanian President Klaus Iohannis says NATO has agreed to build a three-star command structure in Romania hosting 400 troops.
The East European country is concerned about defending its borders and about Russian aggression after Crimea was annexed in 2014.
Speaking at the end of the NATO summit, Iohannis said Thursday the alliance will upgrade a multinational brigade in the southern city of Craiova that opened last year to a permanent base.
At the summit, Romania agreed to increase the number of troops in Afghanistan from 700 to 950, something Parliament needs to approve.
Romania will spend 2 percent of its gross domestic product on defense, and Iohannis said other members "will try to spend more than 2 percent."
He denied that the U.S. President Donald Trump had been aggressive in his demands to make members up their spending.
"Trump said things plainly as is normal between friends and allies. ... We committed ourselves to spending a bit more."
1:30 p.m.
French President Emmanuel Macron has denied reports that U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to withdraw the United States from the NATO military alliance in a dispute over funding.
"President Trump never at any moment, either in public or in private, threatened to withdraw from NATO," Macron told reporters.
He said the leaders of the alliance's 29 members met in an extraordinary session on Thursday morning at the request of NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg.
Trump has complained that many NATO members are lagging behind in their defense spending.
1:20 p.m.
French President Emmanuel Macron has denied President Donald Trump's claim that NATO allies have agreed to boost defense spending beyond 2 percent of gross domestic product.
Macron said: There is a communique that was published yesterday. It's very detailed."
He added: "It confirms the goal of 2 percent by 2024. That's all."
The summit statement affirms a commitment made in 2014 after Russia annexed Crimea that NATO allies would halt defense spending cuts, start spending more as their economies grow, with the aim of moving toward 2 percent of GDP within a decade.
12:50 p.m.
Polish President Andrzej Duda says the debates over NATO spending that U.S. President Donald Trump has triggered are paying off for countries like his on the eastern flank because they have led to more spending by allies on their militaries.
Appearing to brush off the severity of divisions between Trump and other NATO members, Duda said the important thing for his nation is that new commitments have been made to secure the region near Russia.
Duda said he would be "shocked" if Trump made any move would decrease the region's security. He noted that he had met with Trump the evening before and they discussed increasing the U.S. troop presence in Poland.
Duda also told reporters Thursday that the leaders' meetings were confidential and that he was surprised at other leaders who leaked details to the media.
12:30 p.m.
U.S. President Donald Trump says the U.S. commitment to NATO "remains very strong" despite reports that he threated to pull out in a dispute over defense spending.
Trump says at a news conference Thursday in Brussels that he told "people" that he would be "very unhappy" if they didn't increase their commitments.
Trump says the U.S. has been paying "probably 90 percent of the costs of NATO."
Trump adds that he was "extremely unhappy with what was happening and they have substantially upped their commitment."
NATO had no immediate comment.
Trump once declared NATO "obsolete." He says Thursday: "I believe in NATO."
12:15 p.m.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel has told reporters in Brussels that "there was a clear commitment to NATO by all" at an emergency session of the military alliance.
She said that U.S. President Donald Trump raised the topic of better burden-sharing among NATO members again, "as has been discussed for months," and that, "we made clear that we're on the way."
Trump has several times assailed Germany for not spending a large enough proportion of its gross domestic product on defense.
Merkel stressed that Germany is NATO's second-biggest contributor when it comes to troops.
11:55 a.m.
Two officials at the NATO summit in Brussels say the alliance is meeting in an emergency session amid demands from U.S. President Donald Trump for all members to spend 2 percent of their gross domestic product on defense.
Officials said that non-members of the alliance had been asked to leave the room early Thursday and that everyone in the room had been told to leave their phones outside.
9:50 a.m.
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg is insisting that Georgia will one day join the world's biggest security alliance, despite separatist ambitions in parts of the former Soviet republic.
Stoltenberg said Thursday: "Georgia will become a member of NATO." He said the 29-nation alliance supports the territorial integrity of Georgia, including its sovereignty over the breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.
Russia and Georgia fought a brief war in 2008, which led to the regions declaring independence. Russia has since been supporting them financially and militarily.
Despite Georgia's important contribution to NATO operations, the alliance is unlikely to invite the country in until the conflict with the two regions has been resolved.


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Unuseful prequel
Let $M$ be a (compact, oriented, differentiable) manifold. Before knowing anything about homology theory a naif but clever mathematician may want to measure the holes in $M$ by the following procedure. One lets $B_k(M)$ be the abelian group generated by embedded submanifolds of $M$ of dimension $k$ with border. There is an obvious border operator $\delta \colon B_{k}(M) \to B_{k-1}(M)$ and trivially $\delta^2 = 0$ since the border of a manifold with border is a closed manifold. So one may define $H^K_{naif}(M)$ by taking the quotient of cycles modulo boundaries.
Ok, this does not really work, for at least two reasons. The first there is no way to make this functorial without considering more degenerate objects (singular simplices or currents being two possible choices). The second is that even if one adjusts the definition to get, for instance, the bordism groups of $M$, these will be highly nontrivial for differential geometric reasons, rather than for the topology of $M$ (for instance they will be nontrivial for a point).
Anyway, one finally chooses a working (co)homology theory, for instance singular, and then can use the fundamental class of submanifolds to link this theory to the naif one. Two questions naturally arise:
- Are fundamental classes of manifolds enough to generate the cohomology? This is nicely answered here.
- Are submanifolds with border enough to generate homology relations? This is the purpose of the present question.
The actual question
Let $M$ be a (compact, oriented, differentiable) manifold and let $N \subset M$ be a (closed) submanifold. The problem is to test whether $N$ is the boundary of submanifold with boundary of $M$. There are two obvious obstructions:
- $N$ should be bordant as an abstract variety
- The class $[N] \in H_{*}(M, \mathbb{Z})$ should be $0$.
Assume 1 and 2 hold. Are there any conditions on $M$, $N$ or the embedding $N \to M$ which guarantee that $N$ is the boundary of submanifold with boundary of $M$?
There are a few classical cases which come to mind:
- If $N$ and $M$ are spheres, 1 and 2 are vacuous and the thesis is true by the (generalized) Jordan curve theorem.
- If $N = S^1$ and $M = \mathbb{R}^3$, the thesis is still true by the existence of Seifert surfaces.
- If $\dim N = 1$ and $\dim M = 2$ the result seems true to me by the classification of surfaces as quotients of polygons and the usual Jordan curve theorem (but I did not check the details).
On the other hand I'm sure there are plenty of negative example even in $3$-dimensional topology. Is there anything nontrivial which can be said about this question, whether on the positive or negative side?