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NEW YORK -- New York Gov. David A. Paterson has dropped his plans to add sales taxes to health club dues and services, the governor's office announced today. The governor is dropping $1.3 billion in proposed tax increases on many services, including fitness services, from his 2009-2010 state budget because he says that federal economic recovery funds no longer make the taxes necessary.
"The proposed tax increases we are eliminating today were only put forward as a last resort when the deficit ballooned to an unprecedented level," Gov. Paterson said in a statement announcing the change. "Now that enhanced federal funding is available, our highest priority must be to provide targeted relief to those who need it most during this economic crisis – average New Yorkers struggling to make ends meet."
Health clubs would have been included in a plan to extend the personal and credit services sales tax, which also would have included beauty shops, barbers, nail salons and massage therapy. The governor's office estimated that this tax would have brought in $78 million for the 2009-2010 budget and $104 million for the 2010-2011 budget.
The International Health, Racquet and Sportsclub Association (IHRSA) lobbied against the sales tax proposal. As part of an organized campaign to defeat passage of the proposed sales tax, IHRSA and its members argued that it would act as a barrier preventing New York residents from living healthy lifestyles. A total of 2,441 fitness professionals and health club members wrote 7,902 messages to legislators in Albany, NY, urging them to remove the tax from the budget, according to IHRSA.
"Fitness professionals and health club members made a strong case for how the health club industry makes New York physically and fiscally healthier," Amy Bantham, deputy vice president of government relations at IHRSA, said in a release from the organization for for-profit fitness facilities. "Just as Gov. Paterson's proposed 'obesity' tax would have discouraged New Yorkers from drinking sodas, so, too, would his 'healthy lifestyle tax' on health club memberships have discouraged New Yorkers from exercising. That messaging really resonated with New York legislators."
Gov. Paterson noted that tough decisions may still lie ahead for the state.
"We cannot treat a temporary windfall from Washington as an excuse to avoid the tough choices we must inevitably make to get our fiscal house in order," he said. "Federal funding will cover only a fraction of our overall budget deficit, and the economic outlook remains uncertain, so we must ensure that we use this aid in a responsible manner that strengthens our state's long-term finances."


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Developer Reading List, February 25, 2014 Java 8, JavaScript, Functional Programming, and Software Engineering
Functional Programming Patterns in Scala and Clojure
by Michael Bevilacqua-Linn
Functional programming is a style that is wildly popular in academia, but substantially absent in business programming. Part of the reason for this situration is that, to migrate to the functional way of thinking, you need to relearn many fundamental techniques from simple looping, to handling collections, even how you think about simple problems. Most experienced developers just don't have the bandwidth to relearn their craft from top to bottom for the small and, at times, hypothetical lift that functional programming will provide. As a result, they most often admire it at a distance and continue working with the familiar imperative and OO styles they know.
The author of this work contends that on the JVM, at least, there are plenty of opportunities to improve OO code by selective integration of functional techniques. (This is an approach implicit in the multi-paradigm model embraced by Scala.) The points he focuses on are traditional design patterns; and he suggests ways of replacing them in existing code with functional substitutes. The benefit is less code, better code quality, and a greater amenability to parallel execution.
As a working example, he writes a micro Web framework in Java that uses MVC. He then rewrites it in Scala and Clojure. From there, he devotes a chapter each to rewriting the patterns found in the exercise using a functional approach. These patterns include the command pattern, builders, iterators, the template method, null object pattern, and the strategy, decorator, and visitor patterns.
He then elaborates functional patterns for thoughtful addition to existing OO programs: tail recursion, filter-map-reduce, chain of operations, memoization, and others.
The result is an excellent and deep exploration of programming concepts. Functional Programming Patterns in Scala and Clojure is hard-going because of the density of the material and the amount of knowledge the author expects from the reader. But for developers who know their patterns, have thought carefully about program design, and can work through the Scala examples (which are close enough to Java and C++ to be followed satisfactorily), this book is likely to change the way they write code significantly for the better. Highly recommended.

subset: commoncrawl


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|In stock:
|Item code:
|Buy 4 for £16.39 each and save 4%
|Buy 8 for £15.99 each and save 6%
Delicious instant coffee stick sachets - each coffee sachet gives one great cup of coffee. Minimise waste and mess with these convenient, easy to use sachets. This coffee has been ground and freeze-dried to capture the pure smooth taste and aroma of freshly brewed coffee.
Providing not only a fantastic tasting coffee every time, but also excellent value for money. Convenient and easy to use, they are perfect for office use as well and bedroom use in hotels and Bed and Breakfast establishments.
Each box contains 250 individually wrapped stick sachets of instant coffee. The box features an easy open front which serves as a dispenser for the sachets.


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SWEET JELLIES: If you've been to an aquarium recently, you can avow that the low-lit room, or rooms, with the jellyfish tend to stay pretty darn bustling. Maybe its their otherworldiness or -- well, wait. We'll stop there. Everyone but everyone loves the otherworldliness of the jellies. It's just practically fact. Of course, we also admire how they move, and their unusual hues, and that they have no brains or bones. And an aquarium that's been refurbishing its jellies area? Definitely wants to make sure that it is back up running by summer. Oh, and look at this; the Monterey Bay Aquarium's popular Drifters Galleries reopened on Saturday, May 28.
MORE TO COME: The institution says that visitors can look forward to a "new jelly swarm experience" and a "plankton multimedia lab." Cool, and definitely cool for aspiring marine biologists. If you head for Monterey later in the summer, note that the Outer Bay exhibit will re-debut in July (we can hardly wait to see the puffins in Outer Bay, because puffins are magical. Another fact.)


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Stay with Kempinski, receive Double Miles and enjoy a minimum 10% reduction, with a very special added Bonus when booking a Seasonal Escapes offer; each participating hotel will also delight you with an exciting 'Touch of Flavour'.
Savour seafood on ice with Namjim Seafood at Siam Kempinski Hotel Bangkok, enjoy a delicious Tafelspitz at Kempinski Hotel Corvinus Budapest or visit Kempinski Hotel Berchtesgaden, where a fine Alpine Bellini Cocktail awaits you.
Stay with Kempinski from 1 January to 28 February 2017 and receive Double Miles with each eligible stay.
Terms & Conditions:
The following hotels are excluded from the double mileage: Falkenstein Grand Kempinski, Grand Hotel Kempinski High Tatras, Kempinski Hotel Das Tirol Jochberg – Kitzbühel Alps, Kempinski Hotel Guiyang, Kempinski Hotel Harbin, Kempinski Hotel Soma Bay, Royal Maxim Palace Cairo, The ONE Executive Suites Shanghai and Villa Rothschild Kempinski.


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Take you taste buds on a tropical taste adventure!
Coconut Crusted Tofu
1 block of tofu-sliced into 1/2 inch pieces
1/4 cup coconut oil
1/4 cup coconut flour
1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp sea salt
pinch cayenne
Mix the breading in a bowl.
Heat oil in cast iron pan.
Dip the tofu ( both sides) in the flour. Place in hot pan. Allow to golden.
Drain on paper towels on a plate.
Green Rice
1 tbsp sunflower oil
1 cup rice (of your choice)
1/2 bunch of cilantro stems- minced
1 small onion-minced
1 3/4 cup water
pinch of salt
In a small pot with a tight fitted lid, heat pot add oil.
Cook onion and stems together for a few minutes
Add rice and saute for a few more minutes.
Add water bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer.
Cover and let cook for 20 minutes. Turn heat off and let stand for 5 minutes.
Fluff with a fork.


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GC Little Helper
by GCLittleHelper
You can select on your own, which of these features you want to use. All Features are configurable with an easy-to-use menu. Wishes, Feature- and Bookmark-Requests, Errors and other Support at: amshove.net bugTracker or geoclub.de
-Create your own Linklist for the Navigation
#Like the original Navigation or as an additional Drop-Down List
#Remove original gc.com links from navigatio
#Configure which link in which order, name, ...
#Select your links out of a list with all significant links on gc.com and other external links
#Also there are links with special features: Nearest-List, Nearest-Map, Nearest-List without Founds, User-Search as Popup
#Create own custom links
-Searchfield in navigation
-Change the width of the whole gc.com page
-Hide Feedback-Button
-Hide link to advertisement instructions
-Hide Social Links
-Hide superfluous line breaks
-Adds a link from google maps to geocaching.com
-Configuration-page to (de-)activate and configure all features
-Small hints for every option at the configuration-page (and link to german help)
Nearest List
-Automatic redirect from Nearest List to Map
-Log It-Link in the Nearest List
-Bookmark It-Link in the Nearest List
-Change background of found Caches to green instead of grey
-Your own Linklist in the Sidebar
-Collapsable boxes in the Sidebar
-Edit-Link beside own Caches
-Gallery-Link beside own Caches
-Shows amount of different coins in public profile
-Show "n/81" in cache matrix (statistics page)
-Linkliste on Map (choose which links to show on map)
-Display homezone on Map
-Hide found/hidden caches by default
-Hide Sidebar by default
-Add google and other OSM maps
-Option to select a custom default map
-Option to activate hill-shadows
-Automatic show a defined number of Logs
-"Show all logs"-Link
-Hide Avatars
-Mail-Link beside Username (Cache- and TB-Listings) - also adds Cache-/TB-Name and GCcode to mail
-Hide empty Cache Notes (show via Link)
-Hide Cache Notes completely
-Hide Disclaimer
-Hide spoiler warning
-Hide hint behind a link
-Decrypt hint automatically
-Link to google maps
-Log cache directly in listing
-Shows the namen of the Coin-Series in TB-Listing
-gc.com Bug fixed: Linebreaks in decryptet hints
-Shows coords in Dec and DMS in listing and on print-page
-Show "Map this location"-Link
-Strikeout title of archived/disabled caches
-Show percentage of favourite points in listing
-VIP-List (you define VIPs and GClh shows a list in Listing, which of this VIPs already found the cache)
-Show Log on mouse over a VIP
-Alternate VIP-Style: One entry per Log
-"Top"-Link at Logs
-Highlight "Related Website"
-Thumbnails in Listings and Logs and bigger images on mouseover
-Filter displayed logs by type
-Search in Logs
-Link to show route between HomeCoords and Cache
-Bigger Images in Gallery
-Change title-color to red if Cache is archived
-Show day of week on event caches
-Highlight changed coordinates
-BBCode for creating a listing
-Default-Log-Type for caches and TBs
-Cache- & TB-Log-Signature
-Use #found_no# for the amount of caches found in the Log/TB-Signature and Templates
-Use #found# for the amount of caches found +1 in the Log/TB-Signature and Templates
-Use #me# for the your username in the Log/TB-Signature and Templates
-Log the caches directly in listing
-Shortcut: F2 to submit a log
-Smilies and BBCode beside log-field
-User-defined Log-Templates
-Transfer Tracking-Nummer to TB-Log-Field
-Set Cursor to first character on log-field - you can start typing immediately
-AutoVisit for TBs/Coins
-Loglength counter
-Save state of checkboxes
-Additional links
#Amount of caches as link to found-list
#Link to gallery
#Link to hidden caches
-Amount of caches found since last access
-"Show in google maps"-Link
-"Check All"-Checkbox
-Show statistics of cachetypes and logtypes
- This extension can access your data on some websites.


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Special Guest
Well I'm not quite sure how to actually organize my thoughts on this, however I've got a few pet peeves about role playing that I find very irritating...caused by both the GM and the other players, or player characters.
First issue is attendance. I find that attendance is good the first few sessions, where you've established your character, found how you're going to play your character, you come across certain life or death situations or the game sessions end up being simply role-playing
Well, this is a random rant I don't know many of you will want to read but I just have to get it off of my chest.
This has to do with the general subject of romance in role playing. Most of the role playing I've done has had a bit of romance in it and some innocent flirting which is fine. Though it never was the primary focus, it gave an interesting twist to the plot and me being a romantic, I had a blast with it.
There have been games where there has been a whorish type
LOL Just kind of "borrowed" the title from Alvin and the Chipmunks' new movie title...I really have no desire to go see it. Loved the cartoon though.
I find that even though I try to bring romance and fun into an rp, as a balance to the intense hack and slash happening, and no matter how much my characters attempt negotiations with NPC's, they tend to be ignored, by the players or even the GM.
The dice-rolling system in the chat room has not been kind to me...and
Someone who commented on my last entry the typical stereotypical role-player: acne-ridden teenager, maintaining the opinion that as a "gamer chick" I was seen as something gamers are not. It would be seen as me "getting in bed with those who are the stereotype."
Is it justified that gamers have to be acne-ridden teenagers or middle-aged men who still live in their mother's basements and play WoW or D&D all day? Why can't a somewhat successful woman or girl
I've never blogged...ever...on any site whatsoever, so why now? I just wanted to know what everyone thinks about this topic.
I mean, what's so special about "Gamer Chicks" or female gamers? I am one myself, and honestly it's not that big a deal is it? I have met several women gamers and they play many more MMORPG's or console games than I ever did in my entire lifetime. Perhaps it's because I like to role play more than ROLL play, that I'm more into the pen and paper aspect


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Academy of Model Aeronautics | Model Aviation | Flight School | Become a Member
Submit An Article
Thank you for your interest in submitting an article or event to Park Pilot. Please use the form below to submit your article. You may also contact the Editor-in-Chief directly. Please include your contact information, a copy of your article, and photos. Thank you.
We also encourage you to review our Author Guidelines by clicking here.
Jay Smith, Editor-in-Chief
Park Pilot
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Muncie, IN 47302
765-287-1256 x225


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Archnet relaunch
Launched in 2002 Archnet.org website has recently been significantly revamped to include new features, content and better design. Archnet is the leading online study resource focusing on architecture in Islamic societies. Among the improvements are an increase in the historic archives available as well as a timeline visualisation showing the history of Muslin architecture from the Rashidun Caliphate to the present day.
Many Courtauld students will be familiar with the Archnet for providing full-text access to the key journal Muqarnas from volume 1 to 2009 (more recent issues are available via our Brill subscription) but the site also contains much cutting edge information such as that complete documentation of all 411 projects submitted for the 2013 Aga Khan Award for Architecture. There are also collections of reference materials such as the Andrew Peterson's 1996 Dictionary of Islamic Architecture and a selection of architectural plans and drawings of some of the major monuments in the Islamic world.


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Everything halts, doesn't it? Play dates get cancelled and kids stay at home, away from nursery or school. Grown-ups either martyr on without thanks or, 'work from home'. Dinners out with friends get postponed and any outdoor activity is null and void and substituted with snuggling under a blanket and intermittently catching daytime TV between uncomfortable snoozes. Yes, it is the season of sickness.
We have been fortunate in our house to have escaped many of the rounds that the bugs have done, so far. We all generally have pretty robust immune systems and I like to think that in part, this is due to what we eat, although though the festive indulgence did get the better of me. Not only did I suffer from horrid food poisoning, I spent a good couple of weeks popping heavy, greasy, cheesy or chocolaty concoctions into my mouth like they were air-filled. I felt queasy, bloated, heavy and sore in the tummy. I felt lethargic and constantly sick and clearly, my body is meant to eat clean, natural, colourful and light
for the full recipe, head over to great British chefs


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You know what it's like when you just can't put a book down? Well, this widely acclaimed book was one I actually had to put down. I just needed to take a break from all the suffering and violence. Still, it's a book I'm recommending. In fact, I really think that it should be required reading for most adult Americans. Why? Because how many of us are acutely aware of what is really happening in Africa? Sure, you may have heard it on the news, but this book will affect how you feel about those happenings.
The author, Uwem Akpan, is a Jesuit priest who was born in Nigeria and later educated in Michigan. He chooses to tell most of these short stories (a few quite long) through the eyes of children. This, in my view, makes them all the more tragic. For example, in the last story, "In my Parents' Bedroom," the young narrator, Monique, can't understand why the ceiling is bleeding. For me, this was the most powerful story, reminding me of the movie Hotel Rwanda. Monique is the daughter of a Tutsi mother and a Hutu father and the title, Say You're One of Them, is based upon the advice her mother gives her shortly before the machete-wielding mob arrives.
In the story, "An Ex-Mas Feast," a 12- year old girl works as a prostitute in order to feed her starving family. And, in "Fattening for Gabon," two children are sent to live with their slave-trading uncle as their parents die of AIDS. So, no, this is not a pleasant book, but it is an important one. For all those literally starving children in Africa, please at least give it a try.


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The Y is a powerful association of men, women, and children of all ages and from all walks of life joined together by a shared passion: to strengthen the foundations of community.
With a commitment to nurturing the potential of kids, promoting healthy living, and fostering a sense of social responsibility, the Y ensures that every individual has access to the essentials needed to learn, grow and thrive.
Though the world may be unpredictable, one thing remains certain – the Y is, and always will be, dedicated to building healthy, confident, connected and secure children, adults, families and communities.


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Hero Summit Speakers List
The Hero Summit, an annual event beginning this year, by invitation only, will be in Washington November 14th and 15th.
Madeleine K. Albright Chair, Albright Stonebridge Group; Chair, Albright Capital Management
Former secretary of state Madeleine Albright is the chair of both the global strategy firm Albright Stonebridge Group and Albright Capital Management LLC, an investment advisory firm focused on emerging markets.
Previously, Albright served as the U.S. permanent representative to the United Nations and was a member of the president's cabinet. In 2012, she was chosen by President Obama to receive the nation's highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, in recognition of her contributions to international peace and democracy.
She teaches the Practice of Diplomacy at the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service.
Lori Bell Founder and President, National Association of Military Moms and Spouses (NAMMAS)
Lori Bell is the founder of nammas.org– the only social network for military moms and spouses. She also hosts the premier motivational seminar for spouses and women veterans Prosper Where You're Planted Boost Camp. She is a by-name requested speaker and singer, and has appeared in front of more than 20 million people via CNN, ABC's Good Morning America, Fox and Friends, and NBC Nightly News' Making a Difference.
Wolf BlitzerLead Political Anchor, CNN
CNN's lead political anchor Wolf Blitzer, the host of the daily news program The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer, has spearheaded CNN's 2012 and 2008 coverage of the presidential elections. In addition to politics, Blitzer is also known for his in-depth reporting on international news. Most recently, he traveled to NATO headquarters in Brussels for an exclusive joint interview with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta on the latest in global foreign policy issues. A tremendously experienced journalist, Blitzer is the recipient of numerous awards including an Emmy Award for his 1996 coverage of the Oklahoma City bombing. He was also among the teams awarded a Peabody for the coverage of Hurricane Katrina, an Alfred I. duPont Award for coverage of the Southeast Asia tsunami disaster and an Edward R.Murrow Award for CNN's coverage of the Sept.11 attacks. Blitzer is the author of two books, Between Washington and Jerusalem: A Reporter's Notebook and Territory of Lies.
Bono Lead Singer, U2; Co-Founder, ONE and (RED)
Bono is the lead singer of the Irish rock band U2 and a well-known activist in the fight against AIDS and extreme poverty. He co-founded ONE, an advocacy organization with more than 3 million members that fights extreme poverty and preventable disease by pressing policymakers to support effective programs that are saving millions of lives in the poorest parts of the planet. He also co-founded (RED), a private sector initiative involving some of the world's most iconic brands, which has channeled nearly $200 million to the Global Fund to fight AIDS in Africa. Bono has received numerous awards for his music and activism, including 22 Grammys, TIME Magazine's Person of the Year in 2005 (with Bill and Melinda Gates), the Legion D'Honneur from the French Government, and an honorary British knighthood.
Sergeant Julia Anne Bringloe U.S. Army, Health Care Specialist and Flight Medic
Sgt. Julia Bringloe is one of the Dustoff73 crew members that won the 2011 Army Aviation Association of America's Rescue of the Year Award and the 2011 Goodrich International Hoist Rescue of the Year. She also earned a Distinguished Flying Cross with Valor and was recognized as the USO Female Soldier of the Year.
A member of the first graduating class of paramedic and critical care certified Army flight medics, Sgt. Bringloe has served in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Chief Warrant Officer 4 Kenneth Brodhead U.S. Army, Standardization Pilot
CW4 Kenneth Brodhead is one of the Dustoff73 crew members that won the 2011 Army Aviation Association of America's Rescue of the Year Award and the 2011 Goodrich International Hoist Rescue of the Year.
Currently assigned at Fort Drum, N.Y. with the 10th Combat Aviation Brigade, CW4 Brodhead is the standardization pilot for C Company, 3-10 General Support Aviation Battalion. C Company is a 15-ship medical-evacuation (air ambulance) team, where CW4 Brodhead is the senior warrant officer adviser to the commander on the technical aspects of flying and crewing the HH-60 Medevac Black Hawk helicopter. He also trains and evaluates the pilots, crew chiefs, and flight medics assigned to the company. Since becoming an aviator, he has deployed three times—once to Iraq and twice to Afghanistan.
Tina Brown Editor in Chief, Newsweek & The Daily Beast
Tina Brown, editor in chief of Newsweek & The Daily Beast, is one of the highest-profile, most talked-about magazine editors in the world. From a young writer for Punch magazine and the Sunday Times, she quickly rose through the ranks of the magazine industry on both sides of the Atlantic to become editor in chief of Tatler, Vanity Fair, the New Yorker, and Talk magazines and most recently, editor in chief of Newsweek & The Daily Beast. Tina hosted a well-received television program, Topic A with Tina Brown, on CNBC and in 2007 her biography, The Diana Chronicles spent several weeks at the top of the New York Times best-seller list.
Specialist David Capps U.S. Army National Guard, Federal Technician, UH-60 Maintainer and Crew Chief
Spc. David Capps is one of the Dustoff73 crew members that won the 2011 Army Aviation Association of America's Rescue of the Year Award and the 2011 Goodrich International Hoist Rescue of the Year.
He is currently assigned to C Company, 2-135 General Support Aviation Battalion with the National Guard in Lincoln, Neb., and is a UH-60 maintainer/crew chief. He has served in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Brian Castner U.S. Air Force Veteran and Author, The Long Walk: A Story of War and the Life That Follows
Brian Castner served as an explosive ordnance disposal officer in the U.S. Air Force from 1999 to 2007, deploying to Iraq to command bomb disposal units in Balad and Kirkuk in 2005 and 2006.
His writing has appeared in a number of national and regional publications, including Publisher's Weekly, The Wall Street Journal, Foreign Policy, and Newsweek.
Brian lives outside of Buffalo, N.Y., with his wife and four sons. The Long Walk is his first book.
Rajiv Chandrasekaran Senior Correspondent and Associate Editor, The Washington Post; Author, Little America: The War Within the War for Afghanistan
As a foreign correspondent, Rajiv Chandrasekaran has reported from more than three-dozen countries and has served as The Washington Post's bureau chief in Baghdad, Cairo, and Southeast Asia. His work has won three Overseas Press Club awards. He is the author of Imperial Life in the Emerald City: Inside Iraq's Green Zone, a finalist for the National Book Award and one of The New York Times' 10 Best Books of 2007. Chandrasekharan lives in Washington, D.C.
Ryan Crocker Senior Fellow, Yale University
Over a career of more than 37 years, Ambassador Ryan Crocker served in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Syria, Kuwait, Lebanon, as well as many other countries. He retired from the Foreign Service in 2009, but was recalled for duty in 2011 in Afghanistan, where he served for a year. Ambassador Crocker's exceptional career saw him assigned to the American Embassy in Beirut during the Israeli invasion of Lebanon in 1982 and the bombings of the embassy and the Marine barracks in 1983. He received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian award, in 2009; the Presidential Distinguished and Meritorious Service awards; the Secretary of State's Distinguished Service Award, among many other honors. In September 2004, President Bush conferred on him the personal rank of career ambassador, the highest Foreign Service rank.
Ambassador Henry Crumpton Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Crumpton Group LLC and Author, New York Times Bestselling Book, The Art of Intelligence (2012)
Ambassador Henry A. Crumpton is the founder of Crumpton Group LLC, a strategic international advisory and business development firm. Previously, he served as the Coordinator for Counterterrorism at the U.S. Department of State. He joined the CIA's Clandestine Service in 1981 as an operations officer and for most of his 24-year career, operated in the foreign field, including assignments as Chief of Station. He also served at the FBI as Deputy Chief of the International Terrorism Operations Section and was the Deputy Chief (Operations) of CIA's Counterterrorism Center and led the CIA's Afghanistan campaign in 2001-2002.
Ambassdor Crumpton is also the author of the New York Times bestselling book The Art of Intelligence and was a contributing author to Transforming U.S. Intelligence. Ambassador Crumpton is the recipient of numerous awards including the Intelligence Commendation Medal, the George H.W. Bush Award for excellence in counterterrorism and the Distinguished Intelligence Medal, the CIA's highest award for achievement.
John Donvan Moderator, Intelligence Squared U.S. Debates and Correspondent, ABC News
John Donvan has been moderating the Intelligence Squared U.S. debates since 2008. A correspondent for ABC News, he has also hosted Nightline, World News, and Good Morning America. During his ABC career, he has served as chief White House correspondent, and has held posts in London, Jerusalem, Moscow, and Amman. His voice has been heard this year while he's filled in as host on NPR's Talk of the Nation, and as a live-performance storyteller on the SpeakeasyDC stage in Washington. Last year, Donvan was a finalist honoree for the National Magazine Awards, for his profile piece, "Autism's First Child." He is currently writing a book on the history of autism, due out in 2014.
ME2 Anthony Emanuele U.S. Coast Guard, Maritime Enforcement Specialist 2nd class, USCG Recruiter
ME2 Emanuele was deployed with a Task Force aboard a U.S. Navy ship to the Gulf of Aden in the fall of 2010, conducting a counter piracy mission of the Coast of Somalia. During the deployment, he was involved with a humanitarian rescue of 85 Somalian and Ethiopian refugees whose boat capsized.
Additionally, ME2 Emanuele was an integral member of the last Coast Guard unit in the southern port of Iraq. During his multiple deployments to Umm Qasr, Iraq, he helped develop the curriculum for training 12 platoons of Iraqi Marines on how to conduct law enforcement boardings and assisted with the training and river patrol missions.
Olivier Francois Chief Marketing Officer, Chrysler Group LLC and Fiat Group Automobiles; Head of Fiat Brand
Olivier François is Chief Marketing Officer of the Chrysler Group and head of the Fiat brand worldwide. He is also a member of the Group Executive Council responsible for reviewing the operating performance of the business, setting performance targets, making key strategic decisions and investments for the Group and sharing best practices. Previously, François was the President and CEO of the Chrysler Brand at the Chrysler Group and was the lead executive for marketing the Lancia Brand. François joined Fiat after working as General Manager at Citroen.
Eric Greitens U.S. Navy Veteran and Chief Executive Officer, The Mission Continues
A former Navy SEAL, Eric Greitens has been deployed four times in the Global War on Terror, including Iraq and Afghanistan, earning both the Purple Heart and the Bronze Star for his service. In addition, he has worked as a humanitarian volunteer, documentary photographer and researcher around the world, including Rwanda, Cambodia and Mexico. Eric earned his Masters and PhD at the University of Oxford where he studied as a Rhodes scholar. As Founder & CEO of The Mission Continues, Eric has been recognized as one of the most innovative social entrepreneurs in the country, by institutions like the highly selective Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation and The Manhattan Institute Award. His organization provides opportunities for returning veterans to continue their service by engaging them in six-month fellowships at nonprofit and public service organizations. With the support of both individual donors and Fortune 500 companies like Goldman Sachs, Boeing, and Target, The Mission Continues has granted more than 500 Fellowships to veterans across the country.
Jim Hake Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Spirit of America
Twice named a "Technology Pioneer" by the World Economic Forum, Hake is the founder and CEO of Spirit of America (SoA), a group that provides venture capital–type support to the stability, humanitarian, and counter-extremism operations of U.S. military and civilian personnel serving abroad. Entirely citizen supported, SoA's new model of decentralized, private-public collaboration represents a new way for the U.S. to defend and extend America's interests and ideals. Hake also founded and sold one of the first Internet companies (Access Media) and is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.
Gunnery Sergeant Tawanda Hanible U.S. Marine Corps, Operations Chief and Founder, Operation Heroes Connect
Gunnery Sgt. Tawanda Hanible was recently selected to serve as the operations chief in the Office of Diversity at the Marine Corps Recruiting Command. She previously served as Operations Chief for the Manpower Management Support Branch.
Gunnery Sgt. Hanible enlisted in the Marine Corps in December 1996, and completed one deployment to Iraq in support of Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003. In her spare time, Gunnery Sgt. Hanible heads a mentorship organization that partners at-risk youth with service members and veterans.
Her awards include the Navy and Marine Achievement Medal with two gold stars, Presidential Unit Citation, National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, and the Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal.
Hon. Jane Harman Director, President, and Chief Executive Officer, Woodrow Wilson Center
During her nine terms in the U.S Congress, from which she retired in February 2011, Jane Harman served on all the major security committees and traveled to hotspots around the world to assess threats against the U.S. An expert on security and public-policy issues, she has received the Defense Department Medal for Distinguished Service, the CIA SEAL Medal, the CIA Director's Award, and the National Intelligence Distinguished Public Service Medal. Harman is currently serving as director, president and CEO of the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars.
In April 2011 she assumed the seat of her late husband, Sidney Harman, founder of Harman International Industries and Newsweek chairman, on the board of directors of Newsweek & The Daily Beast.
Mike Haynie, Ph.D.U.S. Air Force Veteran; Executive Director and Founder, Institute for Veterans and Military Families, Syracuse University
As a former U.S. Air Force officer stationed in the U.S. and across the world, Mike Haynie worked in both operations and staff assignments. He later became a professor of management at the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, before joining the faculty at Syracuse University. There he founded the Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans with Disabilities program (EBV) – an initiative that trains post 9/11 veterans in entrepreneurship and small business. More than 500 vets have received EBV training since 2007 and the program is now offered through a network of world-class schools across the country. In 2009, EBV was recognized as a "National Best Practice" by the Secretary of the Army and in 2011, Haynie was appointed by New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo to the NYS Council on Returning Veterans and Their Families. Haynie has received numerous awards for his community engagement, scholarship and teaching, including the U.S. Air Force Academy's Prestigious Snyder Memorial Award and the Guttag Research Fellowship among others.
Mellody Hobson President, Ariel Investments
As president of Ariel Investments, Mellody Hobson is responsible for firm-wide management and strategic planning, overseeing all operations outside of research and portfolio management. She is also a nationally recognized voice on financial literacy and investor education with frequent appearances on Good Morning America, ABC's World News Tonight, and The Tom Joyner Morning Show. She was also the executive producer and host of an ABC primetime special, Unbroke: What You Need to Know about Money.
Hobson is actively involved with a variety of civic and professional institutions, and serves on the boards of the Field Museum, the Chicago Public Education Fund, and the Sundance Institute.
Zach Iscol U.S. Marine Corps Veteran; Chief Executive Officer and Founder, Hirepurpo.se and The Headstrong Project
A combat-decorated former Marine officer and Iraq veteran, Zach Iscol is currently the CEO and founder of Hirepurpo.se, an online platform that uses employment testing to match military veterans and families with civilian employers. He also runs the Headstrong Project, a New York City–based nonprofit to build collaborative partnerships and deliver cost- bureaucracy- and stigma-free treatment to military veterans with PTSD and TBI.
Previously, Iscol built one of the first highly successful Iraqi military units in Al Anbar province in 2004, and fought in the second battle of Fallujah.
Upon leaving the service, he wrote, directed, and produced The Western Front, a Tribeca Film Festival selection about the Al Anbar awakening, scheduled for release in late 2013.
Staff Sergeant Natalie Jones U.S. Marine Corps Reservist, Platoon Staff Noncommissioned Officer
Staff Sgt. Jones is one of the few female Marines who has been attached to all-male infantry units from 2005 to the present.
Her previous duties include administration chief for units in the United States and squad leader for the Female Engagement Team of Marines in Helmand Province, Afghanistan. She will soon serve as the platoon staff noncommissioned officer in charge of Alpha Company, Wounded Warrior Regiment, Camp Pendleton, Calif., where she will lead a small group of Marines to serve wounded-in-action service members returning from combat.
Kirk Johnson Founder and Executive Director, The List Project to Resettle Iraqi Allies
Kirk W. Johnson is the founder of the List Project to Resettle Iraqi Allies, a nonprofit organization that helps Iraqis who have become imperiled as a result of working with the U.S. The List Project has marshaled hundreds of attorneys from eight top firms, securing well over 100,000 hours of pro bono legal counsel for Iraqis as they navigate the refugee resettlement bureaucracy. More than 1,500 Iraqis have found refuge through the project.
Johnson previously served as USAID's coordinator for reconstruction in Fallujah. His book on the fate of our Iraqi allies, To Be A Friend Is Fatal, will be published in 2013.
Garry Kasparov Chairman, United Civil Front
An outspoken critic of the Kremlin, Garry Kasparov first shot to fame at age 22 as the world's youngest chess champion in history. His peak rating is still the highest of all time. After twenty years as the world's top-ranked player, Kasparov retired from chess in 2005 to take up the struggle for Russian democracy.
His organization, the United Civil Front, is a member of the Solidarity opposition alliance that staged "Marches of Dissent" across Russia to protest President Vladimir Putin's authoritarian crackdown on democracy and civil rights. Kasparov and his allies were also instrumental in organizing anti-Putin protests in the aftermath of the 2011 parliamentary elections and the March 2012 presidential elections.
Kasparov's US-based non-profit Kasparov Chess Foundation promotes the teaching of chess in schools and reaches over 3500 schools in every state. He is also the author of How Life Imitates Chess, My Great Predecessors, and Modern Chess. He lives in Moscow.
Haidar Khairallah Translator
Iraq native Haidar Khairallah developed his love for the English language during a childhood stay in Cardiff, England. His family eventually returned to Iraq and in 2003 Khairallah's linguistic skills helped him become an interpreter with the 82nd Airborne Division in Baghdad. Nicknamed "Homeboy" by the troops, who had a tough time pronouncing his name—it rhymes with 'rider'—Khairallah served with the troops helping them in their search for hidden bombs, weapons, and insurgent groups. In 2003, he lost a leg in an ambush trying to save an American soldier's life in a firefight. Khairallah currently lives in the United States.
Daniel Klaidman Special Correspondent, Newsweek & The Daily Beast
Daniel Klaidman is a special correspondent for Newsweek and The Daily Beast, and the author of Kill or Capture: The War on Terror and the Soul of the Obama Presidency.
Nicholas Kristof Columnist, The New York Times
Nicholas D. Kristof, a columnist for The New York Times since November 2001, is a two-time Pulitzer Prize winner.
After joining the Times in 1984, initially covering economics, he served as a correspondent in Los Angeles and as bureau chief in Hong Kong, Beijing, and Tokyo. He later was associate managing editor of the Times, responsible for Sunday editions.
In 1990, Kristof and his wife, Sheryl WuDunn, won a Pulitzer Prize for their coverage of China's Tiananmen Square movement. He won a second Pulitzer in 2006, for his coverage of the genocide in Darfur.
Howard Kurtz Washington Bureau Chief, Newsweek & The Daily Beast
Howard Kurtz is The Daily Beast and Newsweek's Washington bureau chief, and writes the Spin Cycle blog. He also hosts CNN's weekly media program Reliable Sources. The longtime media reporter and columnist for The Washington Post, Kurtz is the author of five books.
Eli Lake Senior National Security Correspondent, Newsweek & The Daily Beast
Eli Lake is the senior national-security correspondent for Newsweek and The Daily Beast. He previously covered national security and intelligence for The Washington Times. Lake has also been a contributing editor at The New Republic since 2008 and covered diplomacy, intelligence, and the military for the late New York Sun.
He has lived in Cairo and traveled to war zones in Sudan, Iraq, and Gaza. He is one of the few journalists to report from all three members of President Bush's axis of evil: Iraq, Iran, and North Korea
Bernard-Henri Lévy Philosopher, Author, and Director, The Oath of Tobruk
Bernard-Henri Lévy is a philosopher and runs the magazine La Règle du Jeu. He is the author of 30 books and director of two documentary films: Bosna!, on his activities during the siege of Sarajevo, and Le Serment de Tobrouk (The Oath of Tobruk), about his involvement in the revolution in Libya.
Lu LobelloU.S. Marine Corps Veteran, Founder of Unit Specific Aid and Author of the forthcoming article Moral Injury: A Sociological Approach
Lu Lobello is currently in his last year of law school at California Western School of Law in San Diego. He is the founder of a Social Media Advocacy Think Tank that helps teach citizens how to leverage online collaborative tools to effect social change. Previously, Lobello was in the Marine Corps, with Fox Company 2/23 AKA The Sinners and The Saints.
Admiral William H. McRaven U.S. Navy, Commander, United States Special Operations Command
Admiral McRaven commands United States Special Operations Command at MacDill Air Force Base, Fla., and is responsible for joint special operations forces' readiness and, as directed, conducting operations worldwide. He previously commanded Joint Special Operations Command; Special Operations Command Europe, concurrently serving as the first NATO Special Operations Forces Coordination Centre director; a Naval Special Warfare group, SEAL team, squadron, and platoon. His staff assignments include the Office of Combating Terrorism, National Security Council and the USSOCOM and Navy staffs. Admiral McRaven attended Naval Postgraduate School and was the first graduate from the Special Operations/Low Intensity Conflict curriculum.
Peter MeijerBoard of Directors, Student Veterans of America
Peter Meijer has served on the Board of Directors of Student Veterans of America since 2009. From the summer of 2010 to the summer of 2011, Meijer deployed to Iraq as an embedded combat advisor with the Iraqi Army conducting bilateral training missions in Baghdad. He has also served with Team Rubicon working at refugee camps in South Sudan.
Phillip Mudd Senior Global Adviser, Oxford Analytica
Philip Mudd's long association with the CIA began as an analyst on South Asia in 1985. In 1992, he managed the Iraq analyses at the CIA's Counterterrorist Center and worked on Middle East issues at the White House National Security Council. He later became the FBI's Senior Intelligence Adviser before resigning from Government service in 2010. Mudd currently serves as Senior Global Adviser to Oxford Analytica, a British-based firm specializing in advising multinational companies. He sits on the Aspen Institute's Homeland Security Group and is on the advisory board of the National Counterterrorist Center.
William P. Nash, M.D. U.S. Navy (Retired); Researcher in Combat-Related PTSD and Moral Injury
Bill Nash is a psychiatric researcher, educator, author, and consultant in combat and operational stress control and posttraumatic stress disorder prevention and treatment for the Marine Corps, Navy, Department of Defense and the VA. During his 30 years of active duty, CAPT Nash was the principal architect of the current Navy–Marine Corps approach to combat and operational stress control, officially published as MCRP 6-11C in December 2010. Dr. Nash has written numerous journal articles and book chapters, and co-edited the recent volume, Combat Stress Injury: Theory, Research, and Management. He serves as co-principal investigator in several active research projects, and holds appointments as Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at the University of California, San Diego, and of Psychology at Virginia Commonwealth University.
Bill Norwood Father of U.S. Marine Sergeant Byron Norwood
Employee benefits manager Bill Norwood's deep engagement with the Army began when his son, Sgt. Byron Norwood, lost his life in Fallujah, Iraq, during a rescue mission for brother Marines.
Bill Norwood hopes to keep his son's legacy alive by spending time with injured Marines and soldiers and contributing to the annual Warrior Benefit Clay Shoot in Houston.
Bill has lived in Texas most of his life and is married to Janet. They have five children and two grandchildren.
Elizabeth Perez-Halperin U.S. Navy Veteran; President and Founder, GC Green
Elizabeth Perez-Halperin is the president and founder of GC Green (GCG), a green-build general contracting and consulting firm that helps place veterans and displaced workers in California in a broad range of jobs in the clean-energy sector.
Previously, Perez-Halperin worked in the green-build and engineering industry in California, and served in the U.S. Navy for more than eight years as an aviation logistics specialist. She received an honorable discharge as a 9/11 Wounded Warrior veteran.
Perez-Halperin plans to start the first military cleantech hub in San Diego for veteran entrepreneurs working in the clean-energy industry.
Martha Raddatz Senior Foreign Affairs Correspondent, ABC News
Recent vice-presidential debate moderator Martha Raddatz is a seasoned foreign affairs journalist and covers national security and the White House at ABC News. She travels frequently to Afghanistan and Pakistan, and has made more than 20 trips to Iraq during the war. She is also the only television journalist who was allowed on a combat mission over Afghanistan in an F-15 fighter jet.
Raddatz is the author of the bestselling The Long Road Home, which chronicles a battle in Iraq's Sadr City in 2004, and she is the recipient of numerous Emmy awards, including the ABC News award for coverage of the 9/11 attacks.
Alfred Rascon U.S. Army; Medal of Honor Recipient
Medal of Honor recipient Alfred Rascon immigrated to the United States from Chihuahua, Mexico with his parents when he was four years old. At 17, he enlisted in the army and became a medic in the 173rd Airborne Brigade. In the spring of 1966, Specialist Fourth Class Rascon's reconnaissance platoon was part of a major operation in the jungles of Long Khanh Province in Vietnam. On February 8, 2000 Alfred Rascon received the Medal of Honor from President Bill Clinton for his valorous acts during this incident. After discharge from the Army, Rascon joined the Army Reserves and later returned to active duty as a commissioned officer and served another tour in Vietnam. His career as a Federal employee spans 38 years, with assignments in the Army and within the Department of Justice where he served with the Immigration and Naturalization Service, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and INTERPOL, as well as serving as the Director of the Selective Service System under President George W. Bush.
Dr. Andrew Roberts Author, The Storm of War: A New History of the Second World War
Dr. Andrew Roberts is a British historian whose most recent books include the prize-winning Masters and Commanders: How Four Titans Won the War in the West, 1941–45 and the bestseller The Storm of War, which won the British Army Military Book of the Year Award.
He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature, a director of the Harry Frank Guggenheim Foundation, and a trustee of the Margaret Thatcher Archive Trust. Dr. Roberts lives in New York.
Deborah RobertsABC News Correspondent, 20/20
Deborah Roberts joined the ABC newsmagazine 20/20 in June 1995, and since then has also served as a substitute anchor on Good Morning America and World News Weekend. Roberts reports regularly on a wide variety of stories for the newsmagazine program and World News with Diane Sawyer.
She has reported from Africa on the HIV/AIDS crisis and orphans, and the CA wildfires, which earned her an Emmy award. She also was awarded an Emmy for her emotional, in-depth reporting on an Ethiopian American woman's journey back to Africa to find her mother and for her work with ABC's millennium coverage.
Roberts resides in Manhattan with her husband, NBC weatherman Al Roker, and their two children.
Charlie Rose Executive Editor and Anchor, Charlie Rose; Anchor, CBS This Morning
Charlie Rose is the executive editor and anchor of Charlie Rose, the nightly one-hour news interview program on PBS. He is also the co-anchor of the daily morning television program CBS This Morning and a contributing correspondent to the CBS News program 60 Minutes.
Since 1991 Charlie Rose has done more in-depth interviews with Nobel laureates and extraordinary men and women of science, politics, art, business, sports, technology, literature, and entertainment than any other program in the world.
He received the Legion of Honor award in 2010.
Kim Ruocco National Director of Postvention Programs, Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS)
Kim Ruocco is the National Director of Postvention Programs for the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS). In her role at TAPS Kim provides comprehensive, peer-based comfort and care to all those who are grieving the loss of a service member to suicide.
In addition to postvention care, Kim provides suicide prevention education for various organizations including the Department of Defense, the Veterans Administration, the American Association of Suicidology and the Marine Corp. She is a National speaker who uses information gathered from service members and 1000s of survivors to provide training to large groups of Soldiers, Marines, Airman and Sailors in hopes of saving a life.
Kim is also a survivor. Her husband, Major John Ruocco USMC was a decorated Cobra pilot and died by suicide on February 7, 2005. Kim now lives in Newbury Massachusetts with her two sons, Joey 18 and Billy 16.
Chief Warrant Officer 2 Erik Sabiston, U.S. ArmyUH-60 Black Hawk Instructor Pilot
CW2 Erik Sabiston is one of the Dustoff73 crew members that won the 2011 Army Aviation Association of America's Rescue of the Year Award and the 2011 Goodrich International Hoist Rescue of the Year.
Currently stationed at Fort Rucker, Ala., CW2 Sabiston teaches new UH-60 flight-school students with Echo Company 1-212th Aviation Battalion.
He has deployed to Iraq twice and completed a tour in Afghanistan as a Medevac pilot-in-command and air mission commander.
Baba Shetty CEO, The Newsweek Daily Beast Company
Baba Shetty joined The Newsweek Daily Beast Company as CEO in October, departing his role as Chief Strategy & Chief Media Officer at Hill Holliday.
At Hill Holliday, Baba oversaw the work of connecting people with brand ideas, he led brand planning, consumer research, media planning and buying. Under his stewardship, Hill Holliday was named 2011 Media Agency of the Year by MEDIA magazine and for four consecutive years was honored with a Media Plan of the Year Award from Adweek Magazine.
Prior to Hill Holliday, Baba led digital at Fallon Worldwide, and spent three years as a research director and principal analyst at Forrester Research in Cambridge, MA.
Major Sarah A. Shirley, Florida Air National GuardChaplain
Chaplain (Maj.) Sarah Shirley is assigned at Jacksonville Air National Guard Base in Florida where she advises leaders on ethics and members' religious rights. She deployed twice since 9/11, recently spending 13 months as a hospital chaplain in Afghanistan. Chaplain Shirley joined the Air Force in 2001 after 20 years in organizational leadership and chaplaincy, becoming a guardsman in 2006. She has a Masters of Divinity from Claremont School of Theology and a Masters in Military Operational Art and Science from Air University.
Aaron Sorkin Playwright and Screenwriter
Aaron Sorkin is an Academy Award–winning screenwriter and television producer. He won an Oscar for The Social Network and was nominated for the adapted screenplay for Moneyball, starring Brad Pitt.
Sorkin wrote and produced Sports Night and the Emmy Award–winning series The West Wing, and is also the creator of the hit HBO series The Newsroom.
His Broadway playwriting debut, A Few Good Men, won the John Gassner Award for Outstanding New American Playwright, and the play's film adaptation was nominated for four Academy Awards and five Golden Globes, including best screenplay.
Sorkin is currently working on the second season of The Newsroom.
Howard "Ford" Sypher U.S. Army Veteran and Director of Field Operations, Region VII, Team Rubicon
Howard "Ford" Sypher is a former Team leader, as well as EMT-I in 3/75 Ranger Regiment. While in the U.S. Army he served three deployments in Iraq and two in Afghanistan. He attended several Joint Special Operation Command surgical skills courses, participated and trained in high-angle rescue and extraction, as well as mass casualty triage and management. Ford has extensive medical and genetic-surveying experience in South America and South Asia. While serving in the Army, Ford was decorated several times for service and combat, including the Bronze Star Medal with "V" device. Ford has also served as the Team Leader for Team Rubicon deployments in Walker County, Alabama and Joplin, Missouri. Ford is currently pursuing a B.A. in Global Studies at the University of Kansas.
Patti Walker U.S. Army Civilian, Fort Riley, Kansas; Wounded Warrior Transition Advocate
When 1st Sgt. (Ret.) Kevin Walker was severely wounded in Iraq in 2004, his wife, Patti, started a small nonprofit group that helped more than a hundred wounded soldiers and their families at Fort Riley.Following months of recovery and rehabilitation, Kevin and Patti became major catalysts for changing policies affecting wounded warriors and family care in the Army. Ms. Walker continues her work as an advocate for the Army Wounded Warrior Program and has been recognized for her work with the Commander's Service Award, the Dr. Mary E. Walker Award, the Order of St. Joan d'Arc, and the Very Important Patriot Award of Honor from the National Military Family Association.
J. Kael Weston Former State Department Official (1999-2010) and Current Volunteer, Spirit of America
J. Kael Weston is a former U.S. State Department official whose work included assignments at the U.S. Mission to the U.N. and seven consecutive years in Iraq and Afghanistan. There he served alongside U.S. Marines and other service members in Fallujah, Khost, Sadr City, and Helmand. Weston is currently working on a book based on his time in Iraq and Afghanistan and the how the so-called Arab Street perceives the U.S.
Eli Williamson U.S. Army Veteran; Director, Veterans Program, The McCormick Foundation; Board of Directors, Leave No Veteran Behind
Former army staff sergeant Eli Williamson is the co-founder of Leave No Veteran Behind, an Illinois-based nonprofit that helps veterans find jobs.
While serving as executive director of Leave No Veteran Behind, he helped vets with debt relief, workforce-skills training, and community-service opportunities to help them make the transition from military to civilian life.
Williamson served in both Iraq and Afghanistan as a member of psychological-operations teams and as an Arabic linguist, working on outreach to civilian communities and supporting special-operations forces.
He is the recipient of numerous awards and medals, including the Bronze Star and two Army Achievement Medals.
James Kimo WilliamsExecutive Director, United States Veterans Art Program
James Kimo Williams is a Vietnam Combat Veteran and the founder of the United States Veteran Art Program, which provides guitars, cameras and art supplies to wounded service members.
Williams has released four CDs of original compositions, including works that have been performed by major symphony orchestras including Detroit, Atlanta, Savannah, Philadelphia and Indianapolis. He also co-founded the Lt. Dan Band with actor Gary Sinise, performing worldwide for military service members and their families.
Williams holds an MA in management from Berklee College in Boston and is currently an associate professor at Columbia College, Chicago.
He is currently devoting his energies with his creative partner and wife Carol to multi-media production, composing and photography.


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Now that marijuana use in Colorado is legal both medicinally and recreationally, what are employers to do about it? How legal is marijuana when it comes to employment law?
"I look at it as, (Colorado is) a petri dish," employment law attorney Julie Pate-Gurule told a group of businesspeople gathered at a Longmont Area Chamber of Commerce breakfast Wednesday. "We don't know what's going to come out of this. … The spotlight of the country is on us."
The medical use of marijuana has been legal for far longer than recreational pot use, which became legal in the state Jan. 1. Though medical marijuana had been around since 2000, it wasn't until 2010 that the Colorado Legislature passed laws governing that industry.
Last year, a governor-appointed task force put regulations into effect to manage the recreational pot market.
Those laws and regulations, especially given that marijuana remains illegal on the federal level, are sure to be tested in court, and that's already started, Pate-Gurule said. What comes out of those court decisions will be precedent-setting, she added.
"Other states are incredibly intrigued by the money" marijuana taxes are generating for Colorado, she said. Through May, consumers purchased nearly $256 million worth of recreational and medicinal marijuana, Pate-Gurule said, citing Department of Revenue statistics. Those ringing cash registers are generating tens of millions in tax revenue.
So it's big business in Colorado, but what about employers concerned about their employees using the drug?
On the recreational side, said Pate-Gurule, founder and president of Employment Compliance Solutions, the language in Amendment 64 is unambiguous: There's nothing in the statute that requires an employer "to permit or accommodate the use, consumption, possession … transportation, sale or growing of marijuana in the workplace or to affect the ability of employers to have policies restricting the use of marijuana by employees."
"After Amendment 64 passed, some thought employers would stop drug testing," Pate-Gurule said. "That's not what happened in Colorado. We've seen an increase in the number of employers that have drug tested that never did before."
On the medical use side, there's a case being taken up this summer by the Colorado Supreme Court that she's keeping a close eye on, Pate-Gurule said.
It involves what employees are allowed to do in their off-hours.
The case is Coats vs. Dish Network. An employee named Brandon Coats is a quadriplegic who had a medical marijuana card, granting him permission to use the drug to treat his symptoms. But under testing by his employer, Dish Network, Coats tested positive for marijuana and was fired under its "no tolerance" policy.
The question is whether that firing is legal under state law. Coats sued and lost at both the trial level and the appeals court level, and next up is the state Supreme Court.
Pate-Gurule said Colorado's "Lawful Activities Statute" prohibits an employer from firing an employee engaged in a lawful activity while not at work. But the Supreme Court will have to decide whether the medical marijuana amendment to the state constitution makes its use "lawful" or merely "permissive."
"From an employment perspective, this is a big deal," she said.
If the court rules that medical marijuana use is "lawful," then Coats firing was not justified, she said.
In its majority ruling, the appeals court noted that the drug is illegal at the federal level. However, two months after that ruling, the US. Department of Justice issued a memo that said it would enforce only certain types of marijuana laws; for example, selling to children, or transporting it across state lines.
The memo also said that in states that have enacted laws legalizing marijuana "in some form" — and medical marijuana is legal in more than two dozen states — "the federal government is giving total deference to the state," Pate-Gurule said.
Depending on how the Supreme Court rules, it could drastically affect the way employers are allowed to conduct their drug testing, Pate-Gurule said. And states all over the country will take note because it's such new territory, she said.
"It's probably the most interesting case I've seen in the 15 years I've been practicing law," Pate-Gurule said.
She added that she fully expects a similar suit in the future, this time regarding recreational pot use.
"We will get that case," she said.
Contact Times-Call staff writer Tony Kindelspire at 303-684-5291 or email@example.com


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LG To Expand Ultra HD TV Lineup For 2013
New Models to Join LG's 84-inch Class Ultra HD TV Offering Consumers Variety of Choices to Enhance Viewing Experience
Jan 04, 2013, 03:00 ET
ENGLEWOOD CLIFFS, N.J., Jan. 4, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- LG Electronics (LG) is ushering in the new year with an expanded family of Ultra High Definition TVs* with new screen sizes for 2013.
(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110203/CG42292LOGO-d)
At next week's International CES® in Las Vegas, LG's award-winning 84-inch class (84.04 inch diagonal) Ultra HD TV will be complemented by 55- and 65-inch class (54.6- and 64.7 inch diagonal respectively) models.
These new sizes offer the same stellar resolution and immersive viewing experience as LG's 84-inch class Ultra HD TV, which earned the CES 2013 "Best of Innovations" award in the Video Display category. LG was the first company to successfully commercialize Ultra HD flat-panel TV technology, introducing the first model in 2012.
"LG continues to pave the way in the emerging Ultra HD TV segment," said Havis Kwon, President and CEO of LG Electronics Home Entertainment Company. "Using our proprietary technology, we strive to offer incredible picture quality on an enormous scale. We are extremely proud of this series as a whole and the 'Best of Innovations' award bestowed by CEA on our 84-inch class UHD TV."
All three models in the Ultra HD TV series boast the advanced Triple XD Engine. This exceptional picture processing technology creates astonishingly vivid images with a resolution of over 8 million pixels; four times the resolution (3840 x 2160) of Full HD TV panels. Additionally, the Resolution Upscaler Plus takes content of lesser image quality and renders it in high detail, creating a wealth of content for consumers.
LG's newest Magic Remote allows the user to navigate the Ultra HD TV's smart onscreen interface using gestures and voice recognition. The company's Smart TV ecosystem now includes approximately 1,400 apps and access to a growing collection of premium content services, such as 3D World and Game World**. SmartShare Plus connects users to even more media and entertainment options. This feature set offers a range of connectivity options such as Wi-Fi and Intel's Wireless Display (WiDi), which enable content to be transferred from compatible portable devices such as laptops, mobile phones, tablets and other devices.
LG has equipped its Ultra HD TVs with CINEMA 3D technology, bringing 3D entertainment into the Ultra HD arena. Astounding screen resolution, in combination with 3D effects and 3D Sound Zooming, gives consumers a true sense of being "in the action." 3D Depth Control allows viewers to fine-tune the perceived distance between objects on the screen for a customizable 3D experience. 3D Sound Zooming analyzes onscreen objects to generate sound in accordance with their virtual location and movement. In addition, the Dual Play feature allows opponents playing multiplayer games to simultaneously see different images on the same screen* – effectively making split-screen gaming a thing of the past.
LG's Ultra HD TV also features a 2.2 Sound System. Consisting of two 10W speakers and two 15W woofers, the sound system produces a lush audio experience that perfectly complements the extraordinary onscreen visuals; creating a theater-like experience in the home.
At CES 2013, LG will showcase the vibrant neo-pop artwork of Romero Britto on its stunning lineup of Ultra HD TVs in the Ultra HD Gallery Zone. Consistent with LG's Life's Good motto, Britto's uplifting paintings are visual expressions of pure happiness and hope for humanity. LG's next-generation picture technology conveys the artist's dynamic vision with complete fidelity. The Ultra HD Content Zone will show CES visitors just how serious LG is about securing top quality, next- generation "4K" content. The company has already formed a 4K content agreement with Korea's top broadcaster, KBS (Korea Broadcasting System) and is actively initiating relationships with other global content providers.
*No "ultra high definition" or "4K" content is currently available. No broadcast or other standard currently exists for "4K" or "ultra high definition" television, and the 84LM9600 may or may not be compatible with such standards if and when developed.
*Internet connection and certain subscriptions required and sold separately. Content and services vary by product and are subject to change without notice.
*Special glass required and sold separately.
*For a small percentage of the population, the viewing of stereoscopic 3D video may cause discomfort such as dizziness or nausea. If you experience any of these symptoms, discontinue using the 3D functionality and contact your health care provider.
*Designs, features and specifications subject to change without notice. LG LED TVs are LCD TVs with LED backlighting.
About LG Electronics USA
LG Electronics USA, Inc., based in Englewood Cliffs, N.J., is the North American subsidiary of LG Electronics, Inc., a $49 billion global force and technology leader in consumer electronics, home appliances and mobile communications. In the United States, LG Electronics sells a range of stylish and innovative home entertainment products, mobile phones, home appliances, commercial displays, air conditioning systems and solar energy solutions, all under LG's "Life's Good" marketing theme. For more information, please visit www.lg.com.
About LG Electronics, Inc.
LG Electronics, Inc. (KSE: 066570.KS) is a global leader and technology innovator in consumer electronics, mobile communications and home appliances. With 117 operations around the world, LG achieved global sales of USD 49 billion (KRW 54.26 trillion) in 2011. LG comprises four business units – Home Entertainment, Mobile Communica-tions, Home Appliance, and Air Conditioning & Energy Solution – and is one of the world's leading producers of flat panel TVs, mobile devices, air conditioners, washing machines and refrigerators. LG Electronics is a 2012 ENERGY STAR® Partner of the Year. For more news and information on LG Electronics, please visit www.LGnewsroom.com.
SOURCE LG Electronics USA


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Russian fireball shows meteor risk may be bigger
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Scientists studying the terrifying meteor that exploded without warning over a Russian city last winter say the threat of space rocks smashing into Earth is bigger than they thought.
Meteors about the size of the one that streaked through the sky at 42,000 mph and burst over Chelyabinsk in February -- and ones even larger and more dangerous -- are probably four to five times more likely to hit the planet than scientists believed before the fireball, according to three studies published Wednesday in the journals Nature and Science.
Until Chelyabinsk, NASA had looked only for space rocks about 100 feet wide and bigger, figuring there was little danger below that.
This meteor was only 62 feet across but burst with the force of about 40 Hiroshima-type atom bombs, scientists say.
Its shock wave shattered thousands of windows, and its flash temporarily blinded 70 people and caused dozens of skin-peeling sunburns just after dawn in icy Russia. More than 1,600 people in all were injured.
Up until then, scientists had figured a meteor causing an airburst like that was a once-in-150-years event, based on how many space rocks have been identified in orbit. But one of the studies now says it is likely to happen once every 30 years or so, based on how often these things are actually hitting.
By readjusting how often these rocks strike and how damaging even small ones can be, "those two things together can increase the risk by an order of magnitude," said Mark Boslough, a Sandia National Lab physicist, co-author of one of the studies.
Lindley Johnson, manager of NASA's Near Earth Object program, said the space agency is reassessing what size space rocks to look for and how often they are likely to hit.
The U.S. government gained a new sense of urgency after Chelyabinsk, quietly holding a disaster drill earlier this year in Washington that was meant to simulate what would happen if a slightly bigger space rock threatened the East Coast.
After the drill, NASA and Federal Emergency Management Agency officials said they should look at the need for evacuations, figure out ways of keeping the public informed without scaring them, and handle meteor threats in a way comparable to how they deal with hurricanes bearing down on the coast.
During the drill, when it looked as if the meteor would hit just outside the nation's capital, experts predicted 78,000 people could die. But when the mock meteor ended up in the ocean, the fake damage featured a 49-foot tsunami and shortages of supplies along the East Coast, according to an after-action report obtained by The Associated Press.
The exercise and the studies show there's a risk from smaller space rocks that strike before they are detected -- not just from the giant, long-seen-in-advance ones like in the movie "Armageddon," said Bill Ailor, a space debris expert at the Aerospace Corporation who helped coordinate the drill.
"The biggest hazard from asteroids right now is the city-busting airbursts, not the civilization-busting impacts from 1-kilometer-diameter objects that has so far been the target of most astronomical surveys," Purdue University astronomer Jay Melosh, who wasn't part of the studies, wrote in an email.
"Old-fashioned civil defense, not Bruce Willis and his atom bombs, might be the best insurance against hazards of this kind."
Scientists said a 1908 giant blast over Siberia, a 1963 airborne explosion off the coast of South Africa, and others were of the type that is supposed to happen less than once a century, or in the case of Siberia, once every 8,000 years, yet they all occurred in a 105-year timespan.
Because more than two-thirds of Earth is covered with water and other vast expanses are uninhabited deserts and ice, other past fireballs could have gone unnoticed.
This week, NASA got a wake-up call on those bigger space rocks that astronomers thought they had a handle on, discovering two 12-mile-wide space rocks and a 1.2-mile-wide one that had escaped their notice until this month.
The three objects won't hit Earth, but their discovery raises the question of why they weren't seen until now.
The last time a 12-mile-wide rock had been discovered was about 30 years ago, and two popped into scientists' view just now, NASA asteroid scientist Donald Yeomans said. He said NASA had thought it had already seen 95 percent of the large space rocks that come near Earth.
Asteroids are space rocks that circle the sun as leftovers of failed attempts to form planets billions of years ago. When asteroids enter Earth's atmosphere, they become meteors. (When they hit the ground, they are called meteorites.)
The studies said the Chelyabinsk meteor probably split off from a much bigger space rock.
What happened in the Russian city of 1 million people is altering how astronomers look at a space rocks. With first-of-its-kind video, photos, satellite imagery and the broken-up rock, scientists have been able to piece together the best picture yet of what happens when an asteroid careens into Earth's atmosphere. It's not pretty.
"I certainly never expected to see something of this scale or this magnitude," said University of Western Ontario physicist Peter Brown, lead author of one study. "It's certainly scary."
Scientists said the unusually shallow entry of the space rock spread out its powerful explosion, limiting its worst damage but making a wider area feel the effects. When it burst it released 500 kilotons of energy, scientists calculated.
"We were lucky. This could have easily gone the other way. It was really dangerous," said NASA meteor astronomer Peter Jenniskens, co-author of one of the papers. "This was clearly extraordinary. Just stunning."


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Pointed Covered Pebble Flat
About the Brand
London-based shoemaker Rupert Sanderson perfected his craft at the Cordwainers College in East London before working with Italian masters Sergio Rossi and Bruno Magli. He finally launched his luxurious line of shoes in 2001; in 2008, the British Fashion Council awarded him Accessory Designer of the Year. His work is always fresh and original—imaginative takes on the classics that are always on point.


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"Fascinating . . . a remarkable first novel [of] people struggling to define themselves in a world that seems against them."
–USA Today
"A real triumph . . . Alan Drew explores, with respect and understanding, clashes between cultures, faiths, and generations. In the end, we find ourselves feeling close to the characters and their world, as it is the very world in which we live."
–Yiyun Li, author of The Vagrants
"Sensitive and thought-provoking, Gardens of Water is set in a perfectly realized Istanbul, a city where traditionalism and modernity grind together like the fragments of a collapsing building."
–The New York Times Book Review
"A penetrating, tightly focused novel that balances the sweetness of youth and the brooding anxieties of parenthood with a robust understanding of the Muslim-Westerner encounter."
–Leila Aboulela, author of The Translator


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Tail Tell Technology
New radar gun allows police to determine if drivers follow too closely
AURORA - On a bright afternoon last week, Aurora police Sgt. Bill Revelle peered down at two cars speeding under the Peña Boulevard flyover at Interstate 70.
At 71 mph, the second car was just 30 feet behind the first car. That's less than a second between the vehicles, nowhere close to enough time to stop safely before slamming into the back of the lead car.
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Enron But Not Forgotten
This story appears in the January 2003 issue of Entrepreneur. Subscribe »
A former computer programmer develops an underground sprinkler system that makes it easier for suburbanites to water their lawns. An ex-CFO finds success designing high-end stationery for people who still enjoy writing letters by hand. A one-time broadband salesman partners with a friend to form an investment banking firm. A former marketing executive decides to open an interactive arcade. An ex-Enron sales lead starts a retail energy company.
These are just a handful of the businesses former employees of Enron Corp. have formed since the high-flying energy company imploded in a wave of accounting scandals in October 2001. And if there is one thing the entrepreneurs learned during their tenure at the infamous Houston-based company, it's to think outside the box.
Enron hired the best of the brightest--the top graduates from the most prestigious business schools--and fostered an entrepreneurial work ethic during its heyday. Great ideas, such as creating a market to trade weather derivatives, were quickly turned into businesses run by the employees who dreamed up the concepts.
|Where Are They Now?
|Check out what these other big company veterans have been doing:
Some former employees admit that when Enron collapsed, they found it difficult to land similar jobs at other companies because the scandal left them tainted. People in the corporate sector did not want to associate with people who may or may not have played a role in Enron's financial shenanigans.
Other ex-employees say Enron's demise created opportunities to fulfill lifelong dreams of starting businesses from the ground up. In that respect, working for Enron--known for its cutthroat competitive environment--gave these former employees the confidence to be their own bosses.
Stepping In to Help
On December 4, 2001, the day Enron filed for bankruptcy and laid off 4,500 employees, John Elder was having lunch with some of Houston's top business executives. "The conclusion was that the most valuable thing at Enron was the employees," Elder says. "We feared Houston would lose major talent, and we wanted to keep these people working in Houston."
So Elder, a principal at Devine & Christopher, a recruitment firm that specializes in the power industry; Mark Slaughter, a private investor and former president and CEO of Reliant Energy Communications; Dan Sudduth, CFO for RoadShowMedia.com and Teligistics; Randy Stilley, a private investor and ex-president of Weatherford International's completion and oil-field services division; and Barry Smotherman, managing partner of Tatum CFO, came up with a plan to help talented former Enron employees get their businesses up and running. The executives started a nonprofit incubator called Resource Alliance Group, a temporary venture showing former Enron employees the ins and outs of running a business. Within just three months, the group helped 25 ex-Enron employees become entrepreneurs, according to Elder.
Resource Alliance Group's first success was Mobius Risk Management, a company that helps large businesses cut energy bills by replacing light bulbs and by scouring the marketplace for low-cost electricity and natural gas contracts. Mobius is headed by two former Enron executives who worked at the company's retail energy services division. Elder says Resource Alliance provided Mobius with mentoring services from experienced business executives, business plan review and development, access to funding sources and office space.
|Getting Help
|Mentors can provide you just the push you need to succeed. Read more about mentors in Learning From the Best.
Eric Melvin, Mobius' 39-year-old CEO, says his firm has turned a profit of just under $1 million since opening in March and was hired to evaluate the energy consumption of Harrah's Entertainment, which operates 25 casinos nationwide. Mobius, which started with three employees, now has a staff of 10.
Resource Alliance Group fulfilled its mission and shut down in October, says Elder. But Elder still mentors former Enron employees looking to start businesses.
Starting Over
There are plenty of sob stories about the thousands of Enron employees who have been unsuccessful landing new jobs since the company's collapse, and those who were locked out of their 401(k) plans and lost their life savings when Enron's stock plunged to pennies a share. But there are also people like 34-year-old Eric Eden, who started his own lawn-watering business after finding it difficult to secure a new job.
"People I interviewed with would think I was involved in the scandal at Enron," says Eden, who worked at Enron for eight years and did some conceptual drawings for Enron's controversial Dabhol Power Plant in India.
Eden said being judged a "criminal" hurt him emotionally. He was depressed and wasn't sure what to do with his life. Eden tinkered in his garage developing home-improvement appliances. When he decided to start his own line of sprinklers three months after Enron imploded, it was a way to prove to the Houston community that he had nothing to do with Enron's failures. "By starting my own business, I could show how an honest person would run a company," he says.
|Building Trust
|If Enron and other recent high-profile business disasters have shown us anything, it's that you need people to trust you--and your business. Read Trust Is a Must to learn more.
"After watching Enron do it right, and then do it wrong," Eden says, "my philosophy is, truth persists and cannot be denied or ignored. I believe in Enron's old values that they lost sight of around 1999: 'Respect, Integrity, Communication and Excellence.'"
Eden came up with an idea for a cheaper version of the underground lawn sprinkler for people who can't afford automated systems or consumers who have to move their sprinklers to various parts of the lawn. Eden's product, Watering Made Easy, is a sprinkler that's buried in the ground and attached to a hose.
The sprinkler is sold on Eden's site and at independent hardware stores in Houston. Eden plans to approach national retailers about carrying his product.
"One thing I was asked when I interviewed at Enron eight years ago was whether I was a risk-taker. I had to remind myself that I am," says Eden.
So far, Eden has spent about $5,000 advertising his product on TV and has yet to turn a profit. But he says he learned early on during his career at Enron that perseverance pays off. "Enron gave me confidence and helped cultivate my creativity," says Eden. "I felt like what I was doing affected the future of Enron. The message was 'Be bold and be creative.' The managers were behind the employees, helping them make ideas happen instead of telling them why they wouldn't work."
Nicole Brown-Steed, 51, started as a Web developer temp at Enron in early 2000. A month later, she was offered a full-time position as a marketing executive. She took the job because "Enron was the type of company that provided stability." During the next 18 months, she became aware of Enron's true financial condition and watched "disgustedly" as executives lied about it to Wall Street. When she was laid off in December 2001, she vowed never to work for a corporation again. "My goal was to establish a business where I work for myself, not for another big company," Brown-Steed says.
With a bank loan and $4,500 in severance, Brown-Steed, a self-described video game junkie, opened a computer game center in June 2002 called NicksLand. The arcade lets players compete against others. "This has been a dream of mine for years," she says.
NicksLand is struggling, Brown-Steed says, as consumers cut back on entertainment spending in the ailing economy, but she is betting that the Christmas season and holiday parties will help her turn a profit.
Seeking Fame and Fortune
The possibility of being rich and driving a luxury car was what attracted Evan Betzer to Enron. He was also competitive, a trait needed to survive there.
Betzer, 35, took a job at Enron fresh out of business school in 1998, then left after its downward spiral in October 2001. Rather than entrust his future to someone else again, Betzer, who put together multimillion-dollar deals for Enron's broadband division, decided to test his entrepreneurial skills.
In January, Betzer teamed up with Charles Harris, 32, who worked in corporate finance in Enron's industrial markets division, to form Stoneworth Financial LLC, an investment banking firm that helps small energy and telecom businesses sell or restructure their companies to gain more value. They also help businesses raise capital from banks and investors.
"Starting our own business wasn't an option; it was a necessity," Betzer says. "It took us two months to pool our money and business contacts to start up Stoneworth Financial." In mid-January, after just two weeks in business, Stoneworth had three deals under its belt, far exceeding Betzer and Harris' expectations. "We're no longer worried about getting paid back on our investment," Harris says.
Watching Enron file what was the biggest bankruptcy in U.S. history, Betzer and Harris have learned valuable lessons from their former employer. One key: "Cash flow is more important than earnings," Betzer says. "Enron sacrificed cash to make earnings. I won't ever do that."
|Risky Business
|Anytime a new business is born, there's risk involved. Learn how to deal with it in Game of Risk.
Moreover, Betzer and Harris say it's crucial to listen to their clients and not preach to them what they should do. "It's important not to make the customer feel stupid," Harris says. "I don't want to make my clients think I'm better at running their businesses than they are."
Despite the allegations of fraud at Enron, Betzer and Harris say their success is due largely to the Enron culture, which pushed employees to be innovative. "It was an amazing learning experience," says Harris. "The possibilities were endless."
Getting It Right This Time
As the former CFO of Azurix, Enron's troubled global water company and the company's first big financial failure, Randy Dutton has learned what it takes for an entrepreneur to succeed.
Dutton spends most of his time these days making sure the accounting books are in order at Atelier du Papier, the company he started with his wife, Deborah, 47. Atelier du Papier designs custom stationery and invitations for weddings and other occasions. The fraud at Enron haunts him and also keeps him on his toes.
"My involvement in the paper company is setting up checks and balances. The biggest challenge is managing growth and spending," says Dutton.
In launching the paper company, Dutton drafted a business plan, set up its accounting system and secured a line of credit. Between personal investments and loans, Atelier spent $60,000 getting started.
"We're doing well," says Dutton, who worked at Enron for more than four years. "We've grown nationwide and signed with Neiman Marcus to carry the line." The company also sells directly to retailers at trade shows.
"We make decisions and take risks that you don't often make on the corporate side," says Dutton. "We're creating a market for a product, which is exactly what my job at Enron was."
|Live and Learn
|Enron's downward spiral drove a stake through the
heart of the corporate sector, causing a ripple effect that put
other high-flying corporations under the accounting microscope and
resulted in casualties such as Adelphia, Qwest, Tyco and WorldCom,
to name a few.
The malfeasance by these corporations has already resulted in the passage of federal laws designed to make sure history doesn't repeat itself. But more important, many of Enron's former employees learned some valuable philosophical lessons on how to run a business as a result of their former employer's collapse, and they have some advice for people starting out.
"I think if you treat people fairly and respectfully and give them a good career path, you can build tremendous loyalty," says Phyllis Anzalone, 45, a former Enron employee who started Powering Texas, a retail energy company, in early 2002, just as Texas began opening its electricity market to competition. "Integrity is important to us," says Anzalone. "We're building a name and reputation for ourselves, which means a lot more than money."
Eric Eden, a former Enron employee who developed a sprinkler system called Watering Made Easy, says honesty is a key ingredient to remain in business. "If your integrity is called into question, you're finished," Eden says.
He adds that, like Enron, he wants to empower his employees to succeed-but not at the expense of his ethics. "I place the utmost importance on allowing the people actually doing the work to influence the product and business process," Eden explains.
"I want to align my company's goals with my employees' goals." Ken Rubeli, ex-Enron employee and vice president of Mobius Risk Management, says it's important not to try and spread yourself too thin. "That's what really hurt Enron financially," says Rubeli. "The company believed that everything it would touch would eventually turn to gold. Enron was an energy company, but it wanted to also be a water company, a broadband company, a paper company and anything else it could do to make money. If you get too greedy and lose sight of who your niche market is, you can destroy yourself."
Jason Leopold is the former bureau chief of Dow Jones Newswires. He left Dow Jones in April 2002 to write a book on California's electricity crisis.


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Saw unit «500»
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The K 500 embodies true performance and ease of use! The saw blade tilts from 90°–45°, and is quick and easy to change. Precision is guaranteed with the "X-Roll" sliding table and heavy duty, accurate fences - the rip fence runs on a large steel bar with an integrated fine adjustment feature. This machine presents a brilliant combination of highly functional components designed for hobby users and small workshops alike.
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The Felder 500 Series saw unit is fully compatible with Dado tooling. Thanks to a removable table insert and flanges, specialised Felder dado tooling can be used.
Scoring Saw Blades have 2 parts and can be adjusted to the thickness of the main saw blade with a shim set. They feature square carbide teeth and positive hook. The scoring saw blades rotate in the opposite direction to the main saw blade.
The continuously developed linear guiding system from Felder has been astounding woodworkers since 1990. The high quality format sliding table guiding technology "X-Roll" comes with a 10 year Felder guarantee and offers amazing operating smoothness and is completely maintenance free. The 'x' design of the position of the roller bearings ensures that they move smoothly along hardened guides.
The bevelled mitre scale with accurate readout is visible from the operating area, enabling setting of the required crosscut value.
The crosscut fence 1300 mm for crosscuts between +45° and –45° with 90° positive stop. The fence is quickly mounted onto the "X-Roll" sliding table without the use of tools. The large crosscut stop provides an exact 90° position. The bevelled mitre scale with accurate readout is visible from the operating area, enabling setting of the required crosscut value. Aluminium table extension with P-coupling
The single handed adjustment system ensures quick and accurate setting of the rip fence. A fine adjustment facility is included. The rip capacity amounts to 800 mm or optionally 1250 mm. The easy to read rip scale is perfectly integrated into the saw table. The aluminium rip fence plate can be moved backwards to optimise the feed of workpieces. Optional parallel cutting fence fine adjustment
Increase your working surface area as needed – Felder System Table Extensions Since their invention in 1969, Felder system table extensions have become a very common and useful choice for many Felder owners. Within seconds and without the use of tools, you are able to increase the working surface of your Felder.
OUTSTANDING! The patented double mitre gauge from Felder allows for mitre cuts on pieces of differing widths and at any angle. Really easy to use: simply type in the desired angle as well as the widths of your workpieces on the keyboard. Immediately, you will receive the settings and can set the electronic double mitre gauge accordingly. The fence stop on the fence can be adjusted up to 1350 mm with the scale. Regardless of the angles set, the length compensating vernier scale allows you to compensate for the workpiece length.


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Oracle's open source contingent appears to be driving forward with the Java development experience (as it is now known) with the release of the NetBeans Integrated Development Environment (IDE) 7.2 for Windows, Mac, Oracle Solaris, Oracle Linux, and other Linux distributions.
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Still focused on a core message to programmers that hinges around the rapid creation of web, enterprise, desktop, and mobile apps for Java, PHP, and C/C++, the new release promises enhanced productivity such as a bookmark manager; code completion in the search bar; JPA code completion; plus more hints and refactorings.
New with this release is native integration with FindBugs, an open source Java-based static analysis tool that provides code hints in the editor, offering immediate feedback and code inspections that can be run across projects.
NOTE: A research effort out of the University of Maryland, FindBugs requires JRE (or JDK) 1.5.0 or later to run. According to the tool's homepage, it can analyze programs compiled for any version of Java, from 1.0 to 1.8. The current 2.0.1 version of FindBugs was released on 12 July, 2012.
"The new [NetBeans IDE 7.2] capabilities, which resulted from collaboration with users, can help developers write code quickly and efficiently for their web, enterprise, desktop, and mobile applications," said Ted Farrell, chief architect and senior vice president, tools and middleware, Oracle.
Also in this release, users will find what Oracle labels as "smarter project scanning" to enable the IDE to start more smoothly and noticeably faster; plus there is also new background scanning that allows features such as Java editing to work faster (or "immediately" as Oracle puts it). In fairness, the customers quoted in the accompanying press statement to this story did call out background scanning as one of the key items of interest.
Finally, there is interoperability with the early access release of JavaFX Scene Builder for opening and visual editing of FXML files with Java FX Scene Builder.
NetBeans IDE 7.2 also includes FXML and CSS3 enhancements plus support for: PHP 5.4; PHP editor enhancements; PHP annotations and Symfony 2; C++11 standard and debugging improvements; Maven 3.0.4; and Groovy 1.8.6. TestNG can be selected as an alternative to the JUnit framework when creating tests. In addition, wizards for creation of TestNG-based test cases and test suites are now available.


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Helpful wedding smiles in every aisle
About 100 Iowa couples celebrated Valentine's Day early by renewing their wedding vows in ceremonies at three Hy-Vee grocery stores in the Cedar Rapids area Monday.
Hy-Vee store director Jeff Deahr says the vow renewals were a first for his store. General merchandise manager Rich Blakely, of the Collins Road store, said Monday that the three Cedar Rapids store directors arranged the promotion as a marketing vehicle.
Attended by strangers, friends and families on Saturday, the couples received miniature wedding cakes, sparkling grape juice, bouquets of flowers, picture frames and a chance for a weekend trip.
Cedar Rapids residents Joyce and Chuck Bruggeman have been married for 38 years, but Chuck Bruggeman had a special reason for having their vows renewed. He said, "I'm here for the wedding cake."


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Here Comes the Summer!
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With the summer looming, now is the time to plan your volunteering adventure. The range of projects is broad and varied with volunteers joining Conservation Projects in Thailand, Community Building Projects in Ghana and Medical Projects in India to name a few.
You can find out more about our High School Specials here.